Van Gogh At The Lume

 One of the early presentations at the Lume was "Van Gogh" that we missed.  We enjoyed subsequent exhibitions so were pleased to see a return of Van Gogh so we trekked into the city to see it today.

The Exhibition Centre that houses the Lume is worth a visit itself.  We enjoyed the presentation and the insights it provided into the art and the life and tortured soul of the artist.

Then back home on the train, our easy access route to the City.

Basketball - Hostilities Resume

 Basketball takes a recess over the school holiday period and on Saturday we watched Lachlan. Cooper and Jack playing their second game since resumption of the fixture.  There was the added interest in that Jack is now the official Coach of Lachlan's team.

Jack kept a watchful eye on his charges and Granny kept an eye on Jack.  It was a close game going down by 2 points but there is always next week.

Cooper had a better time with a hard fought win.  It had been a while since we had seen these boys play and the improvement in teamwork was evident.

Jack also had a win in part due to Jack throwing a rapid fire run of goals that bumped the score about 10 points in a couple of minutes

Travel Group Lunch

Our three monthly Travel Group convened for a Greek inspired lunch  at the Hellenic Depot in Hughsdale.  We were looking forward to it after our experience at "Hellenis" in Box Hill however we quickly discovered, some do better than others.

As usual, we moved on for coffee and cake at Lex and Rosemary's place and as usual, we over indulged!

Farewell To The Hilux

 Having sold the caravan, our beloved Toyota Hilux was now surplus to requirements.  A lot of effort had been put into making sure this unit remained in prime condition so it was a great joy to us that James decided to take it on.  We were very happy to see it remain in the family.

Movement at the Lake House

 With a lot of "behind the scene" work completed at the Lake House, things are now starting to fall into place.  Having much of the plumbing and electrical infrastructure in place, plastering can be completed and installation of cupboards etc and painting can begin.

Neighbours offered a couch that Jack has found useful and the special tank based sewerage system has been installed.

The New School Year

 We are now in an interesting phase of life where we find ourselves with more grandchildren through secondary school than those still there.  Sophie and Holly are in their last year so things are changing rapidly.

Combined Birthday Gathering

 Events conspired against holding a family gathering for Lisa's Birthday at the time and Kate was away for hers so we combined the two last night.  We decided that the big family table had become difficult in our confined space so a more serve yourself casserole style was tested out.  This allowed more flexible use of our limited space.

The arrangement worked well enough to try it again.

How Does Our Garden Grow

 We now have some soil in the new raised garden bed.  A couple of cubic metres shoveled in with Adam's assistance is now settling and it will require another couple of metres to fill it.

Ebony on Wheels

 Ebony has moved into the world of car ownership with her new Suzuki.  If Dad is really good he can have his car back now.

Around Bendigo

 Bendigo was central to the gold mining industry on the 19th century so there are many historic locations and towns surrounding the city.  We visited Castlemaine where their Town Hall speaks of a prosperous past and took some time in their Art Gallery.

Their Gallery was started by 6 women in the 19th century who wanted a place in the area for cultural activities and to display their art and host exhibitions.  It has remained open since establishment and is now an important Regional Gallery.

Maldon is a township that has aggressively maintained its historic buildings and as a consequence enjoys a steady stream of visitors and tourists.

Bendigo Attractions

 While in Bendigo there was plenty to see.  Their gardens were beautifully presented and their new "Gardens of the Future" (reimagined Botanical Gardens) had developed a lot since our last visit.  No visit would be complete without a trip to the Great Stupa and it is always worth seeing.

For our delayed New Year Dinner we went to "The Dispensary" in one of the central laneways of the town for a magnificent degustation dinner.  As expected it was a wonderful meal prepared by amazing chefs with local produce.

Bendigo Odyssey

 Our traditional New Year trip with the Inchleys and Russells had been delayed for Tricias 80th.  However we travelled to Bendigo for a few days to see the sights.

History surrounds you in Bendigo and the city embraces it's past, with old buildings and the historic tramway service.

A part of the old gold mine is still producing gold.

Inspection of the Lake House

 John Bell was visiting from Canberra and had offered assistance to Mark at the Lake House as some of the plastering etc required extra helpers.  The Garnett clan had taken up residence to assist and we visited with the Inchleys to see progress. First order of business was lunch at The Delatite Hotel.

A lot of work had been done since the last visit.  Now, mountaineering experience was not required to access the back door.

Most of the internal walls had been plastered, the plumbing and electrical skeleton was in place as was most of the insulation.

Much had been done so we took our leave so they could continue and before they thought to ask us to give a hand!