three ships a sailing: Easterish in Mildura

Jilly had a makeover and packed for stylish Mildura.

She was a little miffed but graciously assented to cutting a dash in Triabunna instead,

so we bought hot cross buns at Cripps Bakery and headed for Tribes on Good Friday.

On Easter Sunday I jetted off to Mildura via Melbourne. I flew Qantas and was amazed to receive a thoughtful snack, offer of free drinks, and a magazine. This has not happened on Virgin for a very long time. I further indulged in a surprisingly delicious ravioli at the airport.

Sandrine met me at Mildura airport and it was off to her place for the first of many splendid home-cooked meals - a late night minestrone. Easter Monday we wandered hopelessly around Mildura CBD looking for entertainment, becoming on friendly terms with others similarly engaged. The weather, however, was perfect and I got to wear clothes that hadn't seen the light of day in Tasmania. We prepared a list for shopping the next day. Top of the list was slow cookers.

And thus it was we saw this picture in a furniture shop. We were both taken with it and pondered where it could fit happily at Sandrine's.

I was pleased to see some quirkiness entering Mildura

an op shop vision in blue
[wish I'd bought the platinum wig]

Some overnight thinking, a bit of re-organisation and we returned with the picture the next day. Magdalene / Amal was right at home and will share many evening meals with Sandrine.

Surrounded by style icons, I boned up on this fabulous little book about Chanel.

It is an absolute delight, though it glosses over Chanel shacking up with a German officer during the war, and I have never seen her looking this pretty in any photos. She was still an amazing woman!

And talking of amazing women, Tuesday saw us walking about 100 metres to the Mildura Art Centre to watch Cirque Nouveau. I was so pleased that the place was packed and children inched forward in their seats, spellbound. My beef is that the men were wildly applauded for their strength and agility while the agility and flexibility of the women seemed to pass as unexceptional.

There were no animals in the circus performance (apart from a fluid female acrobat playing the part of an escaped leopard who traps the lion tamer in a cage). The gorgeous animals above live on the property on Delta Road, Curlwaa, that we bought as an orange block / grove in 1999. This was my dream home and I had such plans for it. For many years I couldn't drive past because the pain of losing it was too much, but in more recent years I have kept an eye on it and mostly been devastated by what's happened.

This time I could jump for joy. Most of the orange trees have been cleared, which certainly wasn't my plan, but the place looks loved.

And, smart and cared-for as it looks now, I'm glad I don't live there.

Continuing on to Wentworth, we felt compelled to stop at this container cafe on Adam Street / Silver City Highway. I once lived a little further up the road and something like this would have been soooo unlikely back then.

Given the number of trucks and tourists that drive to Broken Hill, it is a stroke of brilliance. The owner brought the container fully kitted out from the Albert Park racing circuit. She gets the milkshake syrups from the famous https://www.bellsmilkbar.com.au/ in Broken Hill. A local Wentworth girl and a genius.

Wentworth seems to be developing as Steve and I hoped it would. Mick Mercer's mechanic office is now Went Weaving!

Next door is a textile craft shop with a sense of humour.

And next to that is an outlet for locally reared lamb. All these shops are the initiative of young women from the area. Sadly the leather shop has gone - now in Buronga next to the office where I used to work. Curly Tree which started in the bank where we used to live has now expanded down the road, and Royce's shop is now a dress shop. Royce used to live next door to us. Her house is now an air bnb - wonderfully called Royce!

After all this excitement we discovered that the library building where I worked has been bulldozed and moved to the former Wentworth Club, where many a delicious smorgasbord had been had.

Admittedly the view from the new library is impressive

more or less.

Friday saw us at tai chi way too early in the morning. But it was an excellent class and free! In the evening we again strolled to the Arts Centre, this time to watch and hear The Italian Tenors. With so many Italian speakers in the audience, there was a lot of banter and singing along.