Lindsey, Ian, Jim and I relocated from Mount Helen to the flat in East Melbourne on Saturday afternoon and then made our way to Southern Cross Station. For our Christmas do was to be on a heritage train, heading to a mystery destination. Turned out we were going to Kyneton. It was a long train with a beer and dance carriage, a disco carriage, a wine bar and several carriages with those old fashioned compartments with a corridor running up the side of the train. Jim, Lindsey, Ian and I, together with the other Partner and his wife colonised one of those carriages. Finger food was brought to us. There was plenty of wine. People came to visit us. We went to visit them - but never leaving our compartment unattended in case other people decided to take it over!!
We had about 20 minutes in Kyneton for people to stretch their legs, have a smoke, and so on. Then we headed back to the city, arriving back at about 11:30. It was a good night. The only mishap was when someone passing by jiggled someone who was leaning agains the door chatting to us. She fell against Jim who was peacefully sitting in his seat drinking beer. The beer decided to leave its glass and deposit itself all over Jim. He did look rather as though he had had an embarrassing accident!! And he definitely couldn't wear those trousers again without washing them. He smelled somewhat like a brewery, even after he had dried out.
We were not minded to wash trousers when we got back to the flat at just after 01:00. Jim had to wear his jeans on Sunday!
The weather turned on Sunday morning. This was to be expected. We were meeting UK visitors and taking them to Mount Martha. The weather was bound to be inclement!
Michael was, for a time, married to one of our cousins. He is still, of course, father to their two children. His second wife, Lynne, also has two children. All of these children are now adults and there are now grandchildren. I have run across Michael and Lynne from time to time over the years. They had a house in Sheffield not far from where my flat was and I would occasionally see Michael on the bus or in town. I have also met Lynne's sons. From time to time. Over the years. We have all been at the occasional wedding or other function. One of Lynne's sons now lives in Fremantle, not far from Perth (WA, not Scotland).
So when Facebook alerted me to the fact the Michael and Lynne were visiting Fremantle I asked if they were coming to Melbourne. They were. Briefly. So we arranged to meet them and take them to see Stella and Tony, whom Lynne had never met and Michael hadn't seen since the late 1980s when they lived at Yarrambat and Michael was giving a series of lectures in Australia. Lindsey sent out a general invitation to the rest of the family and a small family gathering evolved.
Lindsey and I picked Michael and Lynne up and drove to the Mornington Peninsula. We tried to do some of the scenic stuff but the rain decided not to play ball. In fact, it rained harder! So we went to Stella and Tony's place, where everyone gathered for pre-dinner drinks and nibbles. Then we went to the Dava for lunch. The rain had got bored while we were having lunch and had gone away. So Lindsey and Ian made another attempt at scenic stuff with Michael and Lynne while Jim and I took Ant back to Flemington en route back to Mount Helen.
And in Mount Helen Jim and I are on a sunny Monday. We've had a much needed quiet day, although we did head out to the shops earlier. I have a Japanese lesson shortly (online, not a class that I need to go out for). Then we have a nice quiet evening in prospect. And so a new week begins.
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| I'm not sure who took this photo of Stella, Tony, Michael and Lynne but Michael supplied it |
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| This was taken by an obliging young person at the next table in the Dava |
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