Fathers' Day

It was Fathers' Day on Sunday in Australia.

Tony, of course, is no longer with us but that didn't seem a reason not to Have Lunch.  Anyway, Jim is a father and so too is Ian. Not everyone could join us so we organised to meet in the Prince Patrick across the road from the flat, which was more convenient for the majority of us than the Dava in Mount Martha.

Wendy brought Stella up from Mount Martha. Jim and I came down from Ballarat.  Lindsey, Ian and Emily were there and Susie and her partner Chris also joined us. It was a lovely day, the company was merry and the food was good.  Some of us went to Bunnings after lunch.  There's one a very short walk down the road. Then Jim and i headed back to Mount Helen to stay with Rupert and Hugo.

It was a good weekend all round.  The weather was lovely during the day, with rain overnight (much like Camelot :-D)  We went to the Elaine farm shop on Saturday, and to the garden centre for various necessities of early spring.  I have planted some early sowings of beans, zucchini and cucumbers, although they are inside rather than in the little greenhouse. It's really a bit early but I thought if they are inside we might get a few weeks extra growing time.

A plumber came on Monday and mended our toilet, which had developed a very slow and gentle leak from the cistern into the pan.  It needed a new washer.  I had never thought of toilets having washers so hadn't even looked to see if it was something I could fix myself!  While he was there he bounded up a ladder and cleared out all our gutters. This was something of a relief to me.  I knew the gutters needed clearing but had assumed that tenants were responsible for that.  Neither Jim nor I are planning to scale ladders onto the roof, whether bounding or crawling slowly, and I had been wondering how to employ someone to do it for us.  Fortunately it turns out that in Victoria owners are responsible for the gutters, not  the tenants and the letting agent sorted it out.

I had an appointment with the hand therapist at St Vincent's on Tuesday morning. She is very pleased with my hand.  The little finger has gone from 44d to 29d.  My fist is almost ready for me to recommence my boxing career.  The strength in my palm is improving.  I go back in 6 weeks.

And I may need to dig out my spring clothes. It is far too early to declare winter over and I have no immediate plans to put my cold weather clothes away - but I was far too warm yesterday in my winter shirt and jumper.