Lunching. And a birthday

Lindsey, Jim and I went to look at a house on Saturday. It had an open day around lunchtime. So after we had inspected it (it's a very lovely house; I think Lindsey and Ian are quite interested in it) we went to the Olive Grove for lunch.  I like the Olive Grove.  I like their open souvlaki.  I aways have that when I go there.  I should possibly try something else one day.  Lindsey had a chicken caesar salad which also looked lovely. Jim had beef lasagne.  I wouldn't have fancied the lasagne; it is true that I do like it but not on warm, summery lunchtimes.  More a winter dish in my opinion. A vegetable lasagne, on the other hand ...

Yesterday we went to visit Judi in her beautiful house in Clonbinane. Judi is the daughter of two of my parents' oldest friends.  I have known her since childhood but we don't see each other very often. It's about a two hour drive from here to her place and on the way out we went across country, through Daylesford, GlenLyon, Lancefield, Kilmore.  It was a very picturesque drive.  Judi says she goes through Daylesford and then Trentham and Woodend on the way to Kilmore.  If we are invited back, we'll go that we next time.

Judi moved into her house about a year ago. She has dogs, a cat and horses and teaches riding. She also has apple trees, chooks and a productive vegetable garden.  We ate mostly  things from her garden for lunch, and very delicious it was too. We declined her invitation to bring zucchinis back with us (our zucchini plants are being very productive at the moment) but we gladly accepted a bag of apples and some eggs.  It was good to catch up with her. We haven't seen each other for a couple of years.  We should do it more often.

Bonsai watchdog and a guard pony

We came back along the freeways. The sat nav said it would be 20 or so minutes quicker.  But by the time you factor in roadworks, traffic delays and other hold ups I think it took about the same time.  We'll not bother with the freeways next time we are heading out towards Kilmore.

It was Hugo's birthday on Sunday.  He was one year old.  So Lindsey bought him (and Rupert) birthday presents and I made him as dog-friendly birthday cake with a mix that Lindsey founding the pet shop.  Rupert and Hugo were very, very taken with the birthday cake

Hugo, chewing on his birthday rawhide bone

We had to get one for Rupert as well!

Birthday cake.
Rupert tried to eat it before the birthday tea and took some of the icing off :-(
It looked a bit like Grommit before that

Hugo and a sliver of cake

Lindsey found some online recipes for dog birthday cakes. I think I'll try the meat based one for Rupert's birthday at the end of April.

I told Lindsey over the weekend that I had sorted out the seeds for autumn and winter plantings, mostly of cabbages, cauliflowers and kale.  I then said that it was a touch early to start sowing them. It's only February and the weather wasn't autumnal yet.  I woke up yesterday morning and it was definitely autumnal. Cold and misty in the morning clearing to a warm and sunny day.  Much like today really.  Perhaps autumn is beginning to show its face.  I might try a late sowing of the romanesco and an early sowing of caulis and cabbages at the weekend.

I suppose I ought to stir myself and head off to work. Normally on a Tuesday I would be nearly there by now!!