More Partying/Eating/Merry-Making

When Stella, Lindsey and I went out for lunch on my birthday, my friend Pat had hoped to join us.

Alas, she was double booked and couldn't come. So Stella and I met her for lunch at Piper's on Tuesday of last week. Piper's is on the opposite side of the lake to The Boatshed and is set back from the water. But it's a lovely location, across from the Botanic Gardens and close to where the Zoo Drive market is held. They also do lovely food. We had a good lunch and a good time.

Lindsey and Ian were in Sydney over the weekend, so Freyja and Simon came up to do a little partying of their own, and to look after Rupert and Hugo. We took Stella to The Crown in Buninyong for lunch yesterday. Freyja and Simon hadn't been there before. It's a nice building with big windows which have lovely views out over the hills. It's also, pretty much, my local. Not so much Stella's. The Golden Point is closer to her. The Crown does vegan and vegetarian food but there aren't many options. Freyja had a roasted vegetable stack and was a bit surprised to find that the base of the stack was a huge piece of pumpkin - not really a seasonal vegetable at this time of year. Oh, and no roast potatoes, surely compulsory in a roasted vegetable stack! Fortunately Simon had ordered a bowl of loaded chips (with a vegan Japanese style curry sauce) and was happy to share so Freyja did get some potatoes even if fried rather than roasted. Not that she minded. Chips are more than acceptable.

They have been merry-making at the Mount Clear Aged Care Facility. They organised a little market in the activity room, selling locally made products. Candles and smelly things from Mia and Talbot, Soaps by a local soap maker, Boiled sweets from Sovereign Hill, small Christmas puddings and biscuits and mince pies from local bakers. It was only small but it was well attended and I think sold out quite quickly. Stella and I bought a few things and rather enjoyed it. They had a Christmas party on Friday, which we didn't go to, but they had a men's choir singing Christmas songs, and canapés and tea and cakes. And on Christmas Day residents who are staying in for the day can invite family and friends to come and join them for Christmas lunch. I was going to go last year with Jim but they had to cancel it because of a Covid outbreak (the Covid restrictions were stricter then), so I took him up to Hill House for Christmas sandwiches and chocolates instead.

Jim at Hill House on Christmas
Day 2022

And no opportunity to go this year either. Stella will be at Hill House on Christmas Day.