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.

Saturday we took a stroll, past the dip tins that fed  my magazine addiction,

on to the well patronised Rothbury sinking into Lock 9,

and up the steps to the Grand Hotel, the heart of Mildura.  Later in the day we held an afternoon tea for friends and past work colleagues.

Sunday was my last day.  Time to say au revoir to Sandrine's beautiful house

and garden

and the birthday girl herself.

Happy Easter

Off to Mildura for a few days.

Heaven

Pearl arrived on schedule, as did the rain, so we made plans.  Jilly and I learned that Pearl used to be called Aunty Heaven by her nephews and nieces, 'Heather' being difficult to pronounce.  That was it, of course, and she is Aunty Heaven from now on.  On the Tuesday we waited out the rain and then set out for the Bedlam Walls Track, more specifically takara lumina, the Sheoak Walk.  I had been wanting to do this for ages - that's the beauty of visitors, it's not just that they make you catch up on housework.

Geilston Bay, the start of the track

 

The track is well signed with beautiful information posts.  Remember that Aunty Heaven is a geocache / adventure lab nut so there was a lot of to-ing and fro-ing as we hunted down clues.

This is a firepit and seating circle in the shape of a stingray.  We learned that palawa people see the stars of the Southern Cross as the outline of a stingray.

see the stingray in this most beautiful artwork?

In addition to learning a palawa view of the area, I was fascinated to see some of Hobart's industrial sites from the 'other side' of the river.

very important fuel tanks at Self's Point

Nyrstar zinc smelter, formerly known as EZ Company

Wednesday was a little frantic, geocacheing on Bellerive Beach, catching up with the Bellerive Historical Society at the Watchhouse in the Village, bit of research at the Fort, fish and chips at The Fish Bar and watching the evening sails.

the Red Ferry circumnavigates the Kangaroo Bluff Battery

evening stroll to

view the boats under sail to Howrah Beach

Thursday saw another dream realised.  We lunched at Richmond and then found our way to the Hobart Zoo, formerly Zoo Doo.

meerkats are a big attraction

it's not without its quirks...

It was the aquaria that I loved best, so peaceful, and the most amazing corals.  Another visitor recommended the aviary.  She said that, if you sit quietly, the birds flutter around and land on you.  This may be a delight for another day with a good book to read.

Friday was home day for Heaven but first we joined the online funeral of Heather's neighbour, Doreen.  Doreen and Heths could wave to each other through their kitchen windows.  They were firm friends and I was part of the gang when I stayed Chez Pearl, borrowing Doreen's books and admiring her art projects.  She was one of the kindest, most generous and fun people I've ever met.

Within her family, Doreen was famous for her gingerbread men.  We toasted her with posh banana smoothies.  If there's a heaven, Doreen will be there.

too blessed to be stressed

 Pearly Girl will be flying in soon and I haven't even blogged about our Canberra trip yet!

So

fond farewell from Jilly who assumed aunty  duties in Triabunna for a week

Pearl and I rendezvoused in Canberra Airport and were lucky enough to get a lift to  our hotel.  The reason for our visit was Lady Jayne's Birthday.

beautiful flowers from a long-time friend

Lady Jayne gets down to birthday business

now where's the Big Bad Wolf?

Lady Jayne and a scrubber from Tasmania

LJ and Pearl

Listening to The Floosie's Fleurieu FM radio show while checking out the bus system

most impressed with the buses - though the dogs found balancing a bit tricky...

a most unusual part of Canberra - a place with soul

and the restaurant where the three of us had a delicious banh mi a few years ago

Then it was time to return to our respective home states

where Jill PD and I were delighted to find a market in full swing on Bellerive Boardwalk.

Home Sweet Home and a most welcome visit from Jean Green Bean who was bearing the most delicious home made slices.  She is a great fan of Mary Berry.

Got this very special book from the library.

Sue, Eileen and I taught at Elizabeth Matric College in the 1970s.

And got these at the same time too.  I hadn't seen this Arthur Upfield before.  I know Fleurieu Floosie will approve of this reading.  I returned my first foray into Dorothy Sayers and was lucky enough to find her second novel on the shelves.  I had struggled a bit in the first - Whose Body? - with Lord Whimsy's manner of speaking.  He'd either turned it down in the second book or I'd got used to it.  Thoroughly enjoyed it though the plot is pretty dense.  And I realised that I lead a life of leisure not  unlike the Lord's.

'Too blessed to be stressed' was a rejoinder put to us by some very happy blokes we encountered in Tuggeranong.