Moving right along

Mildura bound.  It was an eight hundred kilometre  drive, but we made it.  So much easier when you can share the driving

and Sashi Babe is there to wait on you hand and foot.

lovely to see some of Steve's Wentworth work

lovely to be reminded of Wentworth tricks for reversing into the garage

and very lovely to eat at the former Artback, now Lock 10 and Weir, restaurant.

our former home, Riverbank, from Wharf Street

a little further along Wharf Street

and the nearly completed shed conversion that we had always hoped would happen

Of course, too much nostalgia is never enough so we trolled Sashi's former paradise on the Yelta billabong.  The garden was too overgrown to see the house 

but the pelicans obliged us.  Then back to Sashi's cool Mildura home

to be put to work.  Aperol Spritzers are our thing

              

but we'd forgotten how to make them.  We struggled womanfully

and the results were well worthwhile.  After toasting the Italianate garden, we retired to make pizza.

Up early the next morning because we were on the road again, just a 400km snip home to Adelaide and a bit of Christmas providoring.

Believe it or not, Pearl was up the next day and on the road to Port Pirie to spend Christmas with two of her children and families.

I had decided to spend Christmas Day on my own, indulging

in a little snooze

but woke myself up with a most appealing idea:

a White Christmas.

Then there was a bath

and a feast of my favourite things,

all in a very festive atmosphere

with more favourite things.

And then came Boxing Day - always a biggy at Harbour Town, a mere stroll from Pearl Resort.  I moseyed along to catch the vibe.  So many people.  So hot.  Here are people queuing to get into the Nike sale.  Note the spray mist to keep them upright.  Most stores had security guards to control numbers.  I went home happily with a tube of toothpaste.