Saturday and Sunday

We tried to go to the Lakeside market on Saturday morning. It was a beautiful morning- and I think everyone else in Ballarat thought the same thing. There was not a parking space to be had anywhere near the market, not alone the lakeside road, not in the side streets, not up on Gillies Street, which usually has plenty of parking. Looking across into the market, it looked VERY busy.

We had completely forgotten that this was the middle weekend of the school holidays, plus a long weekend, and Ballarat had lots of visitors for the weekend. Sovereign Hill was also very busy when we drove past it.

So we gave up on the market and went to Wilson's instead. Plus OfficeWorks, Dan Murphy's, Lincraft.

I needed Lincraft because, when I was clearing out my wool supplies, I accidentally gave away every one of my crochet hooks. I do need one - I use it to hook woolly thread on my jumpers back to the inside, and for other hooky purposes. I have also lost my wool needle. I didn't give it away but I can't find it anywhere. I recently bought a new winter jumper which I like a lot. I do not like the polo neck and will, eventually, in the fullness of time, when I can be bothered, cut it back to a crew neck. I'll need a wool needle (and maybe even a crochet hook) to stitch the new length onto the neckline. I am now the proud possessor of a crochet hook and TWO wool needles, for the princely sum of $5.50.

The sun might have been shining on Saturday morning, but the wind was cold, so I was wearing a sleeveless jacket. When I got home, I put it on the dining table while I put the shopping away. When I came back with my lunch, this is what I saw:

And a few minutes later this:

Reminder: put things away, not down!

I am quite pleased with how the back, um, "lawn" looks after I cut it on Friday afternoon. I had intended to do the front on Saturday afternoon but by the time I had had lunch and got organised the wind had picked up and was very strong. I am, as you are aware, surrounded by lots of trees, some of them quite substantial. I didn't want to risk being hit by a flying branch, so stayed inside and did useful things there instead.

I had thought I might have time yesterday morning but when I woke up I wondered if I had been relocated to Derbyshire in November. It was cold, raining, windy and foggy. I did not venture out into the garden!

It was a very wet and foggy drive out to Daylesford, where the Sunday Lunchers were meeting at Gillie's house.  We were all there, although Flora the Dog had stayed in Geelong alas. It was a good afternoon - the sun even came out for a bit. We had what was really a Greek inspired menu: mezze to start, followed by an eggplant bake with salad and new potatoes and finishing with  figs and walnuts in syrup. I am a bit wary of eating tree nuts unless they have been cooked (and even then I am cautious). There are some that I always react to and others, including walnuts, that I sometimes react to.  I didn't want to risk it and Gillie graciously offered blueberries instead.

It was very busy in Daylesford but fortunately Gillie lives on the outskirts, on a road that visitors would have no reason to go to, and would anyway find it hard to locate. The birds can find her lovely garden and there were lots for us to look at.

It rained on the way home.

It's another lovely morning. I am quite busy today but if the weather holds, I may get the front grass cut. It's a bit early, though. It's only just after 7:00 and people may still be in bed. Anyway, I am not dressed for gardening. Pyjamas, dressing gown and slippers are not appropriate for grass cutting or weeding!