Lindsey and Ian had visitors coming for dinner on Saturday evening. A childhood friend of Ian's and his wife, not seen for many years.  So Saturday was mostly spent cleaning and tidying the house and preparing a fine feast for the guests.

The guests arrived.  I realised that I had actually met them before, but in the very dim, distant past.

Ian suggested that perhaps we might eat outside, it being a pleasant evening.  Then he looked at the clouds massing on the horizon and decided not too. Just as well. About terminates later we were treated to a massive storm.  Torrential rain.Wind. Thunder.  It was quite impressive.  Although Sam did not think so!

It was a good evening.  Convivial and with lots of delicious food.

Sunday morning saw Jim, Lindsey and me heading to Bacchus Marsh to investigate the BM Makers' Festival.  I don't think we would have known about it except that Jess's dad was exhibiting in the artists' hall and Lindsey noticed it on Facebook.  We went to be supportive and to say hello.  I have to say it was worth the trip.  The main street had been blocked off and there were loads of craft stalls.  It was also the BM cherry and strawberry fair so there were also stalls selling strawberries, cherries and raspberries. We found Jess's dad and her mum. Jim and I have met her dad before a couple of times, but not her mum.  It was good to meet her at last.  We had lunch in an "Irish" pub and came home with lots of small Christmas presents and boxes of cherries and raspberries.

Monday found Jim and Ian preparing for the horses to be moved later in the week. There's a new fence going up between Lindsey and Ian's paddock and the neighbour's, so the boundary will be unfenced for a while. Nobody wants the horses wandering off. There is another paddock some of them can go in but it needed a reliable water supply. The horses' owner is coming to sort them out an take some of them away today. I think the new paddock is ready now.  Lindsey and Ian were in Melbourne overnight, leaving Jim, me and the dogs in Mount Helen.

I left for work reasonably early yesterday morning and had an appointment with the hand therapist in the afternoon. I was supposed to see her last week but was, of course, in Mount Martha. She is quite pleased with my hand. She dipped it in several layers of warm wax and put it in a plastic bag and stretched it and squished it and bent it.  It was all very exciting.  She refitted my night splint and I now have new exercises to do.  It is making progress.  Slowly :-)

I had better get ready to face the day. I'm off to work this morning and back to Mount Helen this evening.

Lunch in Bacchus Marsh:

Morning visitors: