Being a woman of few ambitions, I set out to Adelaide with 3 things on my to do list: visit the house in Bordertown where Bob Hawke was born; visit the motorbike sculpture in Strathalbyn; and buy gabion cages at Stratco. I achieved none. I did see this banner in Bordertown when I stopped to get petrol. Bob Hawke's house is now the Centrelink office, so no wonder I couldn't find it.
I didn't get into the city until Friday to pick up my Seniorella bus ticket. The Adelaide Arcade was fetchingly and appropriately decorated with umbrellas, rain being the main theme of this trip.
This visit the glassed over staircase to the former Tea Rooms had, to my way of thinking, a vaguely menacing display.
I'd had some excitement while waiting for the ferry in Devonport. My friend Jools, with whom I shared a house when I first arrived in Tasmania in the 1970s, messaged me to say she was flying to Adelaide and could I suggest somewhere to stay. Of all my suggestions, she preferred to stay with Pearl Girl and so, on the following Monday, we met at the King's Head in King William Street for lunch. The place was much quieter and the menu less lavish than the time the Easterers visited. Jools had fish and chips, and we all shared her chips and 3 tapas style serves, the only one of which I can remember is the twice-cooked pork. I think we also had whitebait.
Thoroughly enjoyable but my shy friends declined to be in the photo.
I went to the Central Market three times, once for a look-see, once to meet Prue and once to lunch with H Bells, Willowa Wisp, Tamasinky and a fresh-faced uni student called Andrew. For some reason I have always overlooked Cumbia but, perhaps I was missing Zumba, and it jumped out at me this time and I have resolved to eat there next time.
Unfortunately I was unable to go ommmmming with the Floosie because the yoga classes are booked out. Boo hiss. But I did motor to her Encounter Bay estate for morning tea, lunch, afternoon tea, and a glass of bubbly at The Strand Hotel in Port Elliot, a favourite haunt of the Easterers and one where we have our favourite table. I announced this fact as we entered the hotel and the couple sitting at the table kindly got up and moved to another table...
Perhaps the sugar hit made me appear belligerent. I am rather fond of the Floosie's hospitality. There were eccles too.
I felt rather sad when I discovered that Lady Jayne's Vale Park chateau has been demolished. Like the historic home it was in our lives, it remained totally unchanged from the 70s. Now just an empty block. Though I must admit the visibility on that corner is considerably improved - I once nearly ran over the postie on a scooter there. I was mollified when I saw the house pictured below being built on an adjacent street. A nod to the California Bungalow style, I thought.
However the proportions are a bit different 100 years on.
Incredible.
I did a lot of walking around Klemzig. I rather like wandering around with an umbrella and Mum reminded me that the umbrella I had chosen was one I had brought back from Viet Nam for her.
To my astonishment I discovered the Sicilia Club on the OG Road, a road I've driven along hundreds of times. I also discovered a Sri Lankan food shop with short eats and take away curries, finally fixing my rice and curry craving.
Some Sicilian looking lemons. Willowa brought them home after her weekend biking at Melrose. They look rather spiffing in the blue glass bowl I found while tidying Mum's cupboards. I remember this bowl from my childhood. Willowa is planning to make lemon curd. Willowa has also acquired a beautiful greyhound called Daphne who goes everywhere with her, including to work. A very lucky dog. I tried to take some photos but she either wasn't around that much or came out invisible - a trick of black dogs.
There were, of course, library books.
This usable idea for our back garden came from a book on Japanese gardens.
This is not a health warning for older Australians but a book I intend to pursue when my garden provides excess to requirements.
This book I love, and so do 28 other Tasmanians who also have put a hold on it at the library.
Part of the preface - I always apppreciate an acknowledgement of future elders.
Found another photo of 19 year old Dad and his brother, George.
I was lucky that the South Australian Living Artists (SALA) Festival was on and there were some local events I could trot to with my umbrella. Steve went to lessons at this studio when we lived in Klemzig. The work on display was beautifully varied and well priced. The potters were at work so you could chat to the makers. My Sri Lankan food bar is just around the corner.
I got this book from the Lochiel Park book cupboard. I've read it before but learned so much more this time. Having also read
The Handmaid's Tale recently, I found it particularly chilling that
A Thousand Splendid Suns (a reference to a poet's name for Kabul) and
The Handmaid's Tale both end optimistically, and look what is now happening in Kabul.
Another SALA event I visited was an art exhbition at Lochiel Park. How lovely to be able to stroll through the rain, cross the river and get to Lochend House. I hadn't realised that the time I'd chosen was the time of the exhibition opening. The place was packed and it was hard to see the work. Very mixed media.
This piece caught my eye
Here's a small but beautiful sculpture made from waste materials.
One walk revealed that Iris's Cottage was up for auction. Iris went to school with H Bells and it's a long time since she has owned the cottage but she was the one who renovated it. A subsequent owner subdivided the block and the property has obviously been tidied for the auction so it looks, to me, much too neat.
However it sold at auction and 2 real estate children looked up briefly from their mobile phones to tell me that I couldn't look inside.
And here's a gushing River Torrens thanks to all that rain. So lovely to hear the sound of babbling water as I walked the linear park track.
Yes, I did spend time with Mum. Mostly she sat in her torture chair while I moved from room to room re-organising cupboards. We went to Mercato for lunch once, and delicious it was too.
