We're Off and Racing

The  Melbourne Cup Carnival began the same weekend as the Jazz and Blues were in Wangaratta. On the Friday a week before, flooding of the Maribyrnong River into the homes of locals was made worse by a flood-prevention wall built around Flemington Racecourse. The sight of brown floodwater bypassing the pristine green racetrack infuriated local residents, who had campaigned against its construction.  For many, this will be a carnival to remember, but not for the right reasons. On the day of The Cup the weather forecasts predicted rain and a heavy track. We had hail in Glenrowan West. Hail in November! And we completely missed the race, got the time wrong. Too many years in the NT.

So it being November 1 means our Great Cycle Challenge to raise money for childhood caner research has come to an end. Our team of 6 managed to raise a very impressive total of more than $4000 so well done all; the riders and the donors. While last year it was hot and sticky riding around Darwin I found it more difficult this year once we moved out to Kate's Place with the dirt roads, hills and rain. I was so happy to get it finished. Eric did great, managing to reach a target number of kms much greater than mine. 

On Wednesday morning Eric drove me to Benalla where I caught the 8.03am train to Melbourne. Rog is involved in a Victoria Golf Club V New Zealand Golf Challenge, playing on the Peninsula courses, so I was to look after Jude for a few days. The train trip took 2.5 hrs and Jude and daughter Bec picked me up at Southern Cross Station. All very comfortable, even had a cafe onboard. In the afternoon we looked after her granddaughter Ruby for a few hours which gave Jude a lot of pleasure. The wet, windy weather continued Thursday but we did manage a coffee with some of her friends I have met on previous visits at the local Full Turn Cafe, built within the complex where they live. This complex is right beside the Bay Rd Heathland Sanctuary which featured on Gardening Australia recently (SERIES 33 | Episode 30).

On Friday Col and Beth visited and we shared lunch at a cafe in Black Rock. As it was nice and sunny we took the opportunity to stroll along the beachfront towards Half Moon Bay. The bay was very flat and dotted with fishing boats. We all reminisced about our Mum and how she couldn't resist collecting bags of seaweed to take home for her garden whenever she was visiting Jude and Rog. On the way back to the car we stumbled upon these beautiful murals. 

Rog returned Saturday morning looking worse for wear, apparently the bus load of golfers made the most of the clubhouse bars, local breweries, distilleries etc. It wasn't just about golf; had to show the trans-Tasman team quality hospitality, just as they have done in the past. Happy to report that Vic won the challenge and to top it off Rog scored a 'hole in one' on the last day. This was his first ever in a long history of playing, so he was very chuffed. Despite his weariness he drove me into the city to catch the 12.04 return train. I was sitting on the platform waiting for the signal to board when suddenly I heard a familiar voice call my name. I was stunned to discover our good friend Sue Rose, who was also one of the Great Cycle Challenge riding team, was catching the same train. We've spent years together at KSA and also living and working in Darwin at the same time, sharing many great memories.  She's now living in Garfield and was on her way to Wodonga to catch up with another friend who, by coincidence, I went to school and teachers college with. We talked non-stop for the whole trip. Lucky apparently, those new VLocity trains have been taken off the tracks for an investigation into their faulty suspension and passengers are having to go by bus. 

While I have been in Melbourne Eric and Clover kept each other company. They went for a few drives together and on walks looking for birds. Eric also checked out a house on the market and liked it so made an appointment for another viewing when I returned. He tried playing golf but the courses were too wet. On one hole at Jubilee, despite his ball heading straight down the middle of the fairway, it plugged in the mud and he couldn't find it! After that he retired. He also had a check-up at the Skin Cancer Clinic in Wangaratta. He had many spots burnt and 2 biopsies were taken. 

On Sunday evening we went with Yve to a fundraising event at The Vine Hotel in support of Rural Australians for Refugees, a group who unite with other Australia-wide campaigns to fight to bring lasting change to policy and treatment of people seeking refuge and asylum in Australia. A number of people present have personally sponsored refugees who have either  resettled or who still need to escape dangerous situations. We heard a first hand experience of a refugee from Afghanistan who managed to arrive by boat more than 10 years ago. His wife and son are still awaiting visas in Pakistan. Recent revelations of the corruption in our current immigration system and the need for an enquiry all just slows the processes further. 

We were able to view the property on Monday afternoon and decided to put in an offer that has been accepted. It hasn't got everything we want but we both feel very happy that we will be able to put our stamp on it and be very comfortable. Its close to the bike track that follows One Mile Ck, but far enough away to be well out of the flood zone. It has 3 bedrooms but only 1 bathroom, however we think we can adapt the laundry without too much expense. We need to look at options to store the caravan on-site by raising the height of the carport, it is certainly long enough. Long-term visions could include rendering the brickwork with mid grey and adding contrasting white plantation shutters on the north facing front windows to modernise the look, Hamptons Style. But first we need to do something about that garden, its a blank canvas. 

It was pretty hard to concentrate on puppet play rehearsal with all that swirling around in our heads. By Tuesday afternoon we had the all-clear from the conveyancer to go ahead and sign the contract of sale. By Friday we'd paid a deposit. The building and pest inspections are lined up. Its all systems go. I've spent a lot of time exploring solar heat pump hot water services as it is currently gas and we don't want to even connect to that. We hope to get one installed between the date of settlement (Dec 8th) and when we move in on the 20th Dec. We are committed at Kate's place until then. 

Meanwhile Eric's biopsies turned out to both be basal cell carcinomas so they were both extracted; one on his right shoulder and one on his neck on the same side. They've caused a bit of discomfort and difficulty sleeping but are healing well. What has made it all worse was a bad allergic reaction that has caused a skin rash on his arms and swelling around the eyes. We're not sure whether it was a reaction to the antibiotics he's been taking or if, like me, he has also developed an allergy to the 'Robyn Gordon' Grevillea cultivar. There are some at Kate's and we've done some mulching this week. Either way, by Saturday he had to attend E&A at the hospital to get steroids to calm it all down. While he was there Clover and I walked to 31 Garnet Ave, just out of interest it took 15 mins with a dog that likes to stop and sniff everything. Our local shops include a chemist, newsagent, dry cleaner, hairdresser, coffee shop, bakery, cycle shop, plumber and massage therapy. Quite diverse. 

Unfortunately he had to miss the 'Soiree with a Parisian Touch' held to raise funds for the local Oxfam Clean Water Project. I enjoyed visiting the beautiful gardens where the Lambert family have lived for 40 years in Norton St. The rain held off for the evening and the band, C'est Si Bon, played French classics while we sipped on local prosecco and supped on canapes. I also attended a protest on Thursday morning on my own, but with other members of the Landcare and Sustainability Network, attempting to have Council rethink their plans to sell off public land of open green space and remnant trees as a subdivision.  Then I joined them on a bush regeneration project along One Mile Creek.