Christmas Markets

As you might imagine, the big spring and Christmas markets were all cancelled this year. Many of the country farmers' and other markets are only just starting to trickle back. So no Strawberry and Cherry Spring Festival in Bacchus Marsh. The St Anne's Christmas market cancelled.  Talbot only started back on Sunday. Craft markets?  No.  Nor Trash and Treasure markets.

This did not help my Christmas shopping!  Although fortunately we are doing a Kris Kringle this year for the family Christmas Night dinner, which very fortunately can go ahead - we just creep under the 30 person maximum limit. So I only have one present to buy for Christmas Night, plus one for Jim to give.  But there are, of course, other presents that need buying. I have had to use the shops. And the Internet.

So Lindsey and I were pleased to see that the Ballarat Market people had decided to put on a Christmas Market on Friday evening.  Lindsey finished work early and we headed off to the lake to see what was happening. And it was quite a large event.  Most of the regular stall holders were there and there were lots of other stalls.  Craft stalls, Christmas stalls, plant stalls.  All sorts of things.  And food stalls.  Lots of food stalls. Lots of well patronised food stalls.  Fortunately, Lindsey and I didn't need food stalls and had a happy hour or so pottering around. 

It was a good little Christmas market.  I hope they do it again next year. I also hope that the other markets will come back.

We didn't go to Talbot on Sunday.  Lindsey went to Mount Martha and brought Stella up for the Christmas and New Year holidays.  I went into town and pottered around there.

You will, I hope, be pleased to hear that my patio has finally been laid. They came on Friday, which was wet and cold first thing but which cleared up as the morning progressed.  It's not quite what I had planned and there are three tiles which still need laying. They didn't realise I had intended them to go down and by the time I realised it hadn't been done they were packing up ready to go home. But I think we can probably sort them out later.  I have been bringing round gravel from the heap out the front to finish off the edges.  I need to bring more gravel around to finish it off.  When time permits! I have bought loads of little pots to plant herbs in. I had intended to fill the edges with soil and plant the herbs directly but the way they finished it meant that it would be difficult to do that.  No worries.  I can be adaptable. Gravel and pots will look lovely.

A work in progress, but nearly finished

I woke up this morning to this:

Hugo bashes, Rupert Woo Woo Woos,
Brandy and Whiskey simply stare.
Breakfast time!

Jim has lost a lens out of his glasses.  We have searched everywhere. Well, everywhere apart from where the lens actually is. We can't find it. We did find lots of dust, cobwebs, gunk and rubbish as we looked under and behind things that haven't been moved for two years. I found Whiskey's red ball which has been missing for ages. But no lens. I have made appointments for us to see the optometrist in January but Jim's near vision is really not good.  He can just about manage without glasses for distance vision but couldn't see his iPad properly, or even his food plate.  Lindsey suggested I get some reading glasses from the news agency or pharmacy. as an interim measure.  An excellent suggestion.

They suit him