Mission success rate >50%

Well, things may not have gone to plan but remember those books I borrowed?  Thank goodness.  Naturally, my reading glasses broke but I found my Metro Card while looking for my Swiss Army knife to use (unsuccessfully) as a screwdriver.  Reading could continue after a makeshift, odd, but free, repair from a nearby spec shop.  Balancing them on my nose proved challenging when wearing a mask but I persevered and spent many a happy hour in a sunny nook at Pearl's Resort.  That place really has everything, including the generous Pearl who got on with her own life but provided for me wonderfully.

a sunny nook in Provence, courtesy of one of the library books I borrowed

There were other pleasures.

Greek seafood at Zante at Henley Beach

geocaching with Pearl and her sister 

a mad beachfront cafe with dachsunds on the roof...

and a very good macchiato

Despite my pitiful condition and alarming cough,  Fleurieu Floosie was willing to have me stay as planned.  And planned it was with all sort of delicacies like rhubarb cake, raspberry friands, champagne, cocktails, and splendiferous meals.

pisco sour and empanada

The Flooze in action

the pleasure of well travelled friends - a touch of Syria - rose jelly

Port Elliot was also on the agenda.

The Floosie keeps an eye on Redruth, twice holiday accommodation for the Easterers, pre covid.

at the Easterers favourite table at their favourite pub on The Strand.

Bobbin takes a last look at Horseshoe Bay

In the meantime H Bells, sister extraordinaire, had devised a most cunning plan.  And thus it came to pass that we rendezvoused outside the nursing home, all three  of us taking in the fresh sea air and gale force wind for as long as we could stand it.

a family photo that will be marveled over for years

Leaving very early the next morning, I drove to Melbourne, stopping frequently to re-fuel and fool the faulty fuel gauge.  And eating my Subway salad wrap at Green Lake somewhere outside Horsham. 

The country side is vibrant green with yellow stripes of canola and wattle.  Lambs frolicked.  I was blessed by a crescent moon, two rainbows and a pelican flying over me at Murray Bridge.

Things hadn't gone quite to plan but I finally had the Glory Box that Dad made for me when I was about 12.  I had seen Mum as I remember her best - rugged up for Welsh weather.  I coffeed with  my sister.  I had been cossetted by such good friends.  I had eaten mandarins fresh from Heths' neighbour's tree and grapefruits from Mum's garden.  Bobbin had learned that life's not just a beach.

The Real Missions

I had visited Mum 3 days in a row so decided to take Saturday off.  I drove to old haunts, also known as Klemzig.  I find it surprising how much I miss spending time in Klemzig.  It is a rapidly changing suburb.  To my relief the Sri Lankan shop is still there and still making delicious 'short eats'.

Our former home in Cullford Avenue still stands, though the garden on which the new owner lavished so much time and money, is now unkempt.

The house next door is gone, so I'll watch that space.

Further down the road Housing Trust houses have been demolished and replaced by blue framing.  More to watch for next time.

I took my Sri Lankan snacks to Lochiel Park.  I am skeptical of the claims of sustainability made for this development, but it is certainly a gracious way to live in a city.

Later Heths and I boldly caught the tram into the city again.  Having defeated the Black Queen, we thought we'd have a go at The Guardsman this time.  The Guardsman is a restaurant in the Adelaide Railway Station.  It is a favourite of ours, but we never seem able to catch it open these days.

Not only did we catch the bar open, we were there for Happy Hour, as were the jubilant Crows fans after their victory.  We stayed masked and isolated.  Only bar snacks were on offer but we partook amid the deafening hubbub - though the victors look quite sedate in the photo.

Sunday was the day of the real mission, and reason for taking the car to Adelaide.  The collection of the Glory Box from Mum's house, now home to Tamasin and Nima.  To my great relief it fitted in the back of the car.

Bobbin basked on the Glory

while Heths, Tamasin and I sipped faloodeh in Blair Athol

The other mission, of course, was to visit Mum.  But the queen's wrath was upon me.  I felt a cold developing, which must, of course, be reported to the nursing home.  I bought a small pot of violas and heartsease in Christies Beach and fronted the home.  Not surprisingly, I wasn't allowed in but was allowed to leave the plants.  An alarming cough and cold developed and I was unable to make further visits to Mum.  Covid tests, a range of coughing styles, a range of symptom suppressing medications followed but to no avail.

As I said to Bobbin, the best laid schemes o'mice an' men gang aft a-gley.  I often speak with a Scottish accent when unwell.

Of mice and missions

 It started well, of course.

Bobbin got comfy for the long drive.

short rest at Elizabeth Town to recover from trauma of fuel gauge behaving badly

great excitement as we queue to board Spirit of Tasmania in Devonport

disbelief that mice not allowed in restaurant

consolation provided by the beauty of The Big Smoke,

and this was only Port Melbourne at 6am

all good basking in the Dimboola sunshine

while I made a pilgrimage to the quirky coffee shop where Sandrine and I have rendezvoused over the years

We arrived at Heths' Pearl Resort in the early evening, having made a hair raising, tortuous, and unsuccessful, attempt to cross from Crafers to Christies Beach to visit Mum before 4pm.  I certainly felt that I needed to unwind after that.  Bobbin feels familiar with every inch of the Adelaide Hills.

Pearl Resort delivers the goods,

all the goods

I did get to visit Mum the next day, and to dress up in a becoming yellow plastic gown and blue face mask, not just to support Ukraine, but also because of a gastro outbreak in the nursing home.  The party atmosphere continued that night as Heths, mouse and I sang and danced for 2 hours while Fleurieu Floosie hosted a radio show including dedications to moi.  Much squealing and doing the locomotion in the kitchen.

Bobbin was more than happy to enjoy the resort's facilities while Pearl and I pursued dangerous missions like travelling on the Glenelg Tram ticketless because I was unable to find my Adelaide Metro Card.  We had been invited to escape the Black Queen at https://adventurerooms.com.au/adelaide/ with a group of Pearl's friends.  Not my usual sort of jaunt but when in Adelaide...

Rundle Mall at dusk

Considering the skill required to find the venue, The Black Queen was no match for us.  We escaped her with 20+ minutes to spare.  Smug coffee and pancakes at The Pancake Kitchen, then an illegal return to Glenelg.

Turns out Glenelg is quite a groovy place at night

so we celebrated with a gelato each - cappuccino for me, sticky date pud for Pearl.

Little did I know that celebrations were a little premature.  I had escaped the Black Queen but not her curse...

The next day, Heths introduced me to the Hamra Centre Library.  I had cunningly placed a hold on a book there from the comfort of my computer in Triabunna.  I could find my SA library card but not my Metro Card.  Incroyable.

The Hamra is a wonderful community centre with so many reduce, re-use, recycle ideas.  Here people can leave anything that they think someone else could use.  They also had cloth book bags that you can take and return next time.  Of course, they also had some books

including this rather amusing one.  Well, I thought so.  I borrowed 4 books, and a wonderful investment they turned out to be.

Ciao for now

Off to Adelaide tomorrow.  Drive to Devonport, Spirit of Tasmania to Melbourne, drive to Adelaide, then 2 weeks at Pearl's.

I need a rest after this weekend.  Opening of Steve's Retrospective Exhibition at The Village on Friday night.  Suicide Awareness Session at Spring Bay Mill on Saturday.  Thankfully both were a great success, but I have no photos of the events.

For some Triabunna locals it was their first visit to The Mill.  I was the 'meeter and greeter' so had the opportunity to take a few outside photos.

I need to identify these curly ended grasses.  I'd love some in my garden.

Looking further afield, it's clear that The Mill is still a work in progress.

The bridge to the Banksia Room, the venue.

firepit outside the Banksia Room

Over and out for a cuppla weeks.

Christmas in July

 The pace is getting frantic here in Tribes.  Last Saturday we had Christmas in July!

Local gallery and Aquila coffee van owner, Sommai, decided we need some Winter frolics.  She wanted her place to look like fairyland.  Very lovely it was too.  And Thai food.

Today I noticed prunus blossom on Vicary Street

and a beautiful japonica with spiky fence on the way to Georgia's.