Australia Revisited - Part Three - Glen Waverley (Melbourne)

Australia Revisited - Part Three -  Glen Waverley (Melbourne)

Monday, November 5, 2018

Today promised to be a busy but fulfilling day. We began by heading off to GOMERS at Jells Park. Most of the people who arrive early go walking but today John Hurst was having some aches and pains and he chose to remain with me in the café. We sat at a corner table and enjoyed a coffee and a ‘light’ breakfast. He ordered a cream croissant and I ordered a piece of banana bread. When the banana bread arrived, it was a work of art. Totally covered with fresh fruit, it was a blaze of colour. And adding to the elegance of this preparation were small pansy petals delicately sprinkled on top of the entire plate. It almost looked too good to eat. I did take a photo before I indulged. It tasted just as delicious as it looked and it was a large portion.

Soon the men and women who walked returned from their outing and the ladies gathered at one table and the men at their usual long table in the middle of the café. Madeleine’s appreciates their patronage but has created a sign that warns other patrons of the impending noise that comes from a table of 25 men all talking at once. “Warning: Noisy old men (now even grumpier) are known to frequent this corner.” Received with good humour the men carried on their animated and loud conversations.

One of the men had a birthday this week and, according to the tradition of the group, the birthday person ‘shouts’ (pays for) scones and cream for the entire table. Today, I was surprised to learn that the women get scones and cream as well. Too bad I had eaten the banana bread earlier. I could only manage a half a scone as a result.

Following the GOMERS event, Jim and I returned to our home. We were having company for dinner and it was time to get organized. Preparing vegetables, arranging appetizers, setting the table, shopping for main course and generally tidying the house were priorities.

We decided that it would be fun to have a seafood/fish dinner prepared on the barbeque. So I stayed home and got the house and table organized while Jim went to the Glen to get the seafood. When he got back home, I was astonished at the quantity of food he had purchased. Jumbo shrimp (4 each), baby octopus (4 each), calamari tubes to be sliced in bite sized pieces and flathead fish from Lakes Entrance in southeastern Victoria. There were at least 12 pieces of flathead in the parcel. To say the least, we had more than enough food for six of us at the evening meal.

Our guests arrived and we opened some wine and enjoyed our appetizers. We collectively appointed John Hurst as barbeque chef since he had operated the complex barbeque before. But … contrary to deeply ingrained international beliefs about Aussies and their cooking, John had never had shrimp on the Barbie and neither had any of our other guests. So part one of the meal was a total experiment. All three men, John, Jim and David Morgan huddled over the barbeque trying to determine the best way to cook the jumbo shrimp. Whatever they did worked because it was delicious! Next, the baby octopus was grilled along with the calamari. It became clear that we were going to serving several small courses rather than the entire meal at the same time. The octopus was also delicious and surprisingly tender. It was actually my favourite part of the meal. Finally came the flathead, wrapped in foil and garnished with lots of lemon. Also delicious! There was enough left over for another entire meal the next evening. Sue Morgan had brought dessert, fresh berries with a jelly. A nice light way to complete the event.

Once dinner was cleared away, we played a card game called Joe. It is a pretty competitive game and there was lots of moaning and groaning amongst the laughter as we each took our turn to get great cards and terrible cards.

Overall, we had a very fine evening together.

Tuesday, November 6, 2018

Today began with a phone call to the Wilson clan in Canada. It is always fun to speak with each of our grandchildren and catch up on what they have been doing at home. Of course, today we heard stories about school, the aftermath of Halloween, and swimming lessons. We talked to Wesley about getting some Australian slippers but waiting until we got home to choose colour and style. We talked to Edward about an early birthday gift that came in the mail, a nature magazine subscription which he went off to read as soon as we finished our conversation. We talked to Clara about her swimming lessons and how she goes into the water without her mom now. A chat with Karen about more pragmatic things and her school activities finished the call. It was time for us to get our Australian day started.

Today, Ian and Anne McMIllan, the owners of the home in which we were living, were coming home. When we had arrived, the house was in pristine condition and that meant that by the time they came through the door at noon, it needed to be in pristine condition again. Floors were cleaned, counters wiped, laundry done and dished put away. It had rained hard all morning so it was a great day to remain inside.

The rain let up about noon, perfectly timed for Ian and Anne’s arrival. Hugs and greetings were exchanged and then we served lunch. It was a simple lunch of crackers, cheese, dips and ham and bread. I had prepared a simple salad as well. We heard about their Michigan adventure, visiting their daughter and her family, and about Anne’s spectacular face plant when she tripped on the sidewalk while taking photos of the beautiful autumn leaves. Sadly, Anne’s face was badly bruised, her nose potentially broken and a bone in her wrist also broken. She had received some medical attention in Michigan but needed to visit her doctor ASAP when she returned home.

Of course, Ian and Anne were tired but today was Cup Day. Cup Day is a Melbiurne holiday because of a horse race leading to the Melbourne Cup. Schools, government offices and many businesses and small stores close for the day so that everyone can watch the infamous race at 3 pm. The raceground is festooned with roses and beautifully dressed fans. Hats are a prerequisite for the ladies. It was beautiful to watch on the television. Happily, the rain held off until after the main race.

About 2:30, the horses and jockeys emerged from the stables and were paraded around the grounds. Of course, the horses were beautifully groomed and the jockeys attired in their best riding gear. Owners, trainers and other attendants worked hard to protect the horses from the circus of media attention, wanting them to be at their very peak form when race began. It was all very exciting to watch.

And then, the horses were in the gate and the race began. Knowing nothing about any of the horses or riders, we did not have a favourite in mind. We paid more attention to the strategy of each jockey as they pounded around the track and moved from one position to another. It was a fascinating race, over within 2 minutes and a winner was declared.

Soon after the race, we turned the television off again. The rain had returned and Ian and Anne, as tired as they were, headed off to visit Anne’s father. We planned dinner for when they returned. Dinner looked much like it had the night before with salad, vegetables and flathead fish. We all enjoyed the meal and spent a quiet evening at home, chatting and watching the election results from the USA.

We all called it an early night.

Wednesday, November 7, 2018

We had been invited to another coffee gathering this morning. A group of women have been meeting on Wednesday mornings for the last 16 or 17 years. Originally the group was formed to support a friend who was very ill. I had been a central component of her support for many months while we lived in Glen Waverley but as the time came for me to return to Canada, I knew that some other mechanism needed to be in place. This is how the group came to be. And I am thrilled that it continues after so many years. Even after Annette was no longer able to attend the coffee time, the group continued and has been a support to one another and other women along the way. This group used to meet at the Glen but since the extensive construction has been underway they have been meeting at a quiet and lovely café at Crossroads Church just a short distance down the street. Some of the women who attend no longer drive independently so their husbands bring them. As with the GOMERS, the men and women sit at separate tables on Wednesdays as well so that the issues and topics at each table can be discussed in comfort.

When our coffee session was concluded, I went directly to Oggie’s Restaurant to meet my friend, Deb Amos for lunch. Because Deb is still working it is more challenging to find time to spend with her. Lunch seems to work … today was a quick one though because of meeting commitments in the afternoon. Nonetheless, we enjoyed sharing our meal and chatting about all manner of things. It is so special when a friendship can withstand the challenge of time and distance and feel like we have never been apart.

Jim picked me up after lunch and we returned home for a couple of hours. I worked on this blog and our photos, while Jim organized some details related to our travels. I have really been falling behind on writing because very day has been so filled with activity. Ian and Anne were out seeing the doctor about Ann’s injuries and they came back home with not such great news. A bone in Anne’s right arm is definitely broken and she will have to wear the brace on her arm for another six weeks. The rest of her injuries are healing well. They will just take time.

After a brief conversation with Ian and Anne, Jim and I headed to a small local plaza called Vermont South. We were meeting friend, Jan Clear, for afternoon tea at a small café there. We arrived early and waited for a few minutes before Jan arrived. We were very happy to be in a small local mall that had services we could easily access. It was so very different from the Glen.

When Jan arrived, once again, it was like we had never been apart. Our conversation began immediately and covered a very broad range of topics. Jan is a learner and has recently completed her master’s degree in religious studies. It was fun to hear about her courses and her reading and how she is using her new knowledge to guide her work in our church now. She is a wonderful friend and were grateful for the time we were able to spend with her.

Back home briefly, we prepared ourselves for dinner with friend, Onn Chin, and his daughter and son-in-law, Lydia and Adam. When we first arrived in Glen Waverley in 2000, Cynthia Chin, Onn’s wife, took us under her wing to make sure that we had everything we needed. She went out of her way to make us comfortable in our new home and we fell in love with the whole Chin family. Sadly, Cynthia passed away a few weeks ago from cancer and this was the first time we would spend time with Onn since her death. Mostly, we wanted Onn to know how deeply we cared about Cynthia and about him and Lydia. We were also eager to meet Adam, Lydia’s husband (married just a couple months before Cynthia’s death).

It turned out to be a terrific evening. Onn, as usual, had selected a delightful Malaysian restaurant and ordered delicious food for all of us. Once we conveyed our condolences (and I mopped up a few of my own tears), the conversation turned to happy memories and a description of the recent wedding. We shared stories about our children, in particular Iain, who was good friends with Lydia when we lived here. Lydia works for the Red Cross and Adam is a school teacher and loves hockey (rare for an Aussie) so there was lots to talk about. Adam actually knew more about the NHL than we do! Best of all, we have been able to arrange another outing with Onn before we leave GW.

It had been a very full day and we were happy to get home and fall into bed. Another full day awaits tomorrow.

Thursday, November 8, 2018

Heather Bailey has planned a ‘mystery day’ for me. We will head out early this morning and I will simply be along for the ride. I have been given no clue about where we are going or what we are doing.

We began our journey along a route that I was sure would lead us to the Dandenong Ranges, a mountain range that lies to the east of Melbourne and is filled with beautiful scenery, lovely cafes and terrific little shops. I was feeling pretty smug that I had figured this day out before we were very far down the road.

Alas … I was wrong!! It still remained a mystery to me.

Our first stop was at a wonderful café called The Hatter and the Hare. And there, we found Deb Amos!!! Deb had arranged her work day so that we could have an early morning coffee together before she went to a meeting in the Dandenongs. So it was Deb going to the Dandenongs, not Heather and me.

The Hatter and the Hare was an amazing place. The menu included an all day breakfast as well as several other mouth-watering items. But we were here only for coffee and a mid-morning snack. The snacks that were available were amazing, both in the variety and also the beauty. Each item had been lovingly decorated by some very talented staff who worked in an open kitchen so that the patrons could see the work they were doing. The display cases were chock-a-block with gorgeous and delicious looking delicacies. It was difficult to choose just one.

Deb chose a mini-muffin that was loaded with fresh berries; Heather chose a slice that was covered in shining icing; and I chose a lemon tart with a salty caramel topping. All three were delicious and beautiful!! The coffees were good as well.

When we finished, Heather and I said farewell to Deb and headed on our way … in the opposite direction from the Dandenongs. So much for that theory. Now, I wondered if we were going into the City, to another suburb, to a gallery or where. We started to drive in the direction of the botanical garden where we had been a couple of weeks ago but we sailed right past that. I truly had no idea …

We drove through lovely agricultural landscapes, very flat and productive with crops, sheep and cattle. We were travelling along an expressway that I did not recognize. We chatted all along the way and I have to admit that I was not paying very much attention to the road signs. Heather was doing a terrific job of driving and I was enjoying the break from the driver’s seat. It was only when I saw the sea and began to experience the uphill climb that I was truly aware of where we were.

We were deep in the folds of the Mornington Peninsula. We were climbing up the hill to the place called Arthur’s Seat. Arthur’s Seat is a 304 metre granite hill whih provides a vista over The Heads at the entrance to Port Phillip Bay, the beautiful sand beaches lining the east coast of the Mornington Peninsula and, in the distance, the Bass Strait. The Bass Strait lies within the Tasman Sea and separates Tasmania from mainland Australia.

Today, the weather was absolutely perfect. Clear blue sky, bright sunshine, no clouds and warm temperatures.

We drove to the top of Arthur’s Seat where there was a new chair lift operating to take us back to the bottom of the mountain. It was comfortable, safe and reliable, all of which the old chair lift had ceased to be. The views over the hillside and water on the way down and back up were spectacular! Hues of blue and green dominated the landscape ranging far into the distance beyond the horizon. It was glorious. Water, ships, villages, beaches, winding roads, gentle waves, cargo ships and pleasure craft, water passing between the heads … all making a delightfully gentle scene. If the lovely man at the top had not invited us to disembark, I think we would have stayed on for another ride.

From Arthur’s Head we drove back down the steep slope and joined the road along the beach. The sand beach in this area stretches for miles with the road directly alongside.  We passed through villages, neighbourhoods, retirement developments and beach huts. The sea was calm and the waves broke gently along the shore. As it was midweek, the beach was virtually empty except for the occasional lifesaving club where swimming lessons for school children were underway. Every child along this coast learns to swim in school. It is a safety issue as the beach is such a large component of leisure life. We stopped occasionally to take photos of piers, rocks, beaches and birds and to simply drink in the beauty of the area. Along the way, our conversation never ceased. After all, Heather and I only get to chat once every two or three years!

The original holiday homes (we would call them cottages) that have occupied the roadside opposite the beach for many, many years are gradually being replaced. The new homes are certainly changing the culture and the landscape. Large modern edifices are replacing the modest cottages. Glass, chrome and polished wood seem to be the primary construction products and most of the homes are two stories tall. The road runs between the homes and the sea and there is vegetation planted along the top edge of the beach. The homes have been built to be able to see over the vegetation but as it grows ever taller, the views of the sea are impeded by the greenery. It seems a bit ironic that all these expensive homes will, in fact, have no better view of the sea than those who occupied the original modest holiday homes.

Along the way, we came to the town of Mornington where we stopped for lunch. The soup and bread were delicious and it was warm enough to sit outside. Until the sun went in … One thing was a challenge though. Clearly the magpies were familiar with the dining habits of the outside lunch crowd. They perched atop umbrella stands and on nearby chairs. Some were even cheeky enough to land on the tables, especially after diners had left the table but the table had not been cleared. We felt like, while we were enjoying our lunch, we were also guarding our food.

While we ate our lunch, the weather did change and the sky filled with ominous clouds. Although it did not rain, the temperature did drop by several degrees. We were happy that we had sunshine and warmth for our outside activities.

After lunch, we visited a cheese shop that Heather had just heard about. It was located in a mostly abandoned light industrial area and, at first, we thought it was not even open. Happily, we tried the door and were pleasantly surprised when it opened. The proprietors were clearly proud of the cheese they made and would have talked about it for hours. They offered samples of several varieties, all organic and made from local milk sources. We each bought several varieties to enjoy in the coming days. Jim and I will take the cheese and some crackers on our upcoming weekend in Healesville.

It was time to turn the car back toward Glen Waverley. By the time we arrived back in metropolitan Melbourne, the roads were already getting crowded with rush hour traffic. It had been a perfectly timed day.

I loved every minute of the day – our adventure and extended time with Heather.  Thanks, Heather, for making it all possible.

Friday, November 9, 2018 – Sunday, November 11, 2018

We spent this entire weekend in Healesville, a delightful town in the Yarra Valley, surrounded by vineyards, wineries, rich agricultural land, forested areas with multiple walking paths and wildlife. We were in the company of a small group of people from Glen Waverley Uniting Church who were most interested in taking walks in various areas of this beautiful landscape. While they adventured out on foot, Jim and I became true tourists. We drove to Healesville independently and set our own agenda to see the things that were important to us.

Our first stop was at Lilydale Cemetery to visit the grave of yet another friend who has passed away. Annette Baines became an instant great friend when we first arrived in Glen Waverley in early 2000. She conducted the church choir and invited me to join. That led to sustaining friendships with Annette and many other people. Sadly, Annette fell ill to the ravages of cancer and died in 2004. It felt important to us to visit her grave as we said farewell to two the friends who also passed away.

From Lilydale, we continued on to the village of Yarra Glen. Yarra Glen is a small town, also in the Yarra Valley and surrounded by beautiful landscapes of agricultural and wooded landscapes in and among gently sloping mountainsides. We stopped at the nearby Yarra Valley Dairy for a coffee (they sure know how to make wonderful coffee here in Australia). We were surrounded by sheep and cattle farms interspersed with alpaca and horses. Several species of Australian birds fluttered or swooped past the windows as we sipped our coffee and drank in the beauty of our surroundings.

Following coffee, we made our way to two of our favourite roads – Ridge Road and Skyline Road. Together they form a ring around Sugarloaf Reservoir, high above the valleys and water below. Travelling through traditional Australian woodland is what makes these roads so special to us. And perched high on a ridge, the vistas across the valleys and the reservoir are quite spectacular. Beautiful scenery, deep valleys, rippling mountains, meandering roads, and switchback climbs were all part of thie beautiful drive. We stopped several times to photograph birds and plants. We were hoping to see some kangaroos but our timing was not aligned with their daily activity. Early morning or late afternoon would have been more fruitful.

We did notice that more homes have been built along these beautiful roads and some patches of the road are now paved. Hmm … Melbourne, like other large cities around the world, is bursting through its boundaries and consuming rural lands.

We returned to Yarra Glen for lunch at the Yarra Glen Café, an old building, refreshed and filled with art. We enjoyed a lovely bowl of Thai pumpkin soup and lots of fresh, cool tap water. Water is always served in Australian restaurants. We realize how much we enjoy it with our meal and regret that many Canadian restaurants no longer serve it without a specific request.

After lunch, we headed to Healesville where, as I mentioned previously, we are spending the weekend with a group of people from Glen Waverley Uniting Church. As it turned out the group was much smaller than anticipated. We were glad that the Morgans and the Hursts were along so that there were some familiar faces for us. We enjoyed spending time with the entire group. They were avid walkers so they would head off on foot for some adventure on a trail and Jim and I would find another activity for the same period of time.

Saturday was especially delightful. We were first at the gate at Healesville Sanctuary which features only Australian wildlife. We were truly tourists here and thoroughly enjoyed seeing the kangaroos, koalas (one with a brand new joey), wombats, emu, cassowary, and several species of birds. The animals were especially active this morning, in particular the koalas which we moving from tree to tree to tree. A couple of them were actually running across the ground to find their new perch.

But the echidna were the best. These little creatures are somewhat like a porcupine, well rounded and covered with quills. Echidna quills are thicker than porcupine quills and look very sharp. I think they could be very painful, indeed. That was not a deterrent to one male echidna who was looking for a partner. He would nestle his long skinny beak among the quills to determine if this was the partner he wanted. Once satisfied, he found a way to wriggle atop the female and make a connection among the quills. As the two little boys who were beside us explained, “Look! The echidna are doing piggyback!” Their mother looked at us and said, “Yes … yes, they are.” And we all smiled knowingly and moved on to the next pen.

We reconnected with our weekend companions at the Beechworth Bakery in Healesville. Coffee was a top priority and we also indulged in the highly recommended ‘bee sting’, a German pastry officially called bienenstich. It was two very large round pieces of cake with a thick layer of custard spread between them and topped with a sprinkling of icing sugar and an ample serving of toasted almond slices. While it was very good, it was also far too large to be a reasonable single serving. Certainly, eating the bee sting mitigated all need for lunch.

We returned to our pleasant cabin and enjoyed a short afternoon nap. We then joined our companions in a pleasant circle of chairs under the oak trees which were newly adorned with fresh oak leaves. Conversation on many topics filled the balance of the afternoon and Jim and I especially enjoyed the array of birds that flew past or perched in the trees.

As plans for dinner we being made, Jim and I excused ourselves as we were invited to visit friends who live just outside Healesville. Alex and Walter Skilton have moved to a new home, specially built as a granny flat on the property of their daughter Di and her husband, Russell. We had a terrific visit and meal with Alex and Walter in their new abode, well designed to use a small place very effectively. Daughter, Diane, is an architect so design expertise was close at hand.

We spent most of our time on a beautiful and private covered back deck. We were able to enjoy the antics of their two dogs (including eating the seed we set out for the birds); the new bee hives; the two black chickens long past the egg bearing stage; and the vast array of wild birds that frequented the back garden. Cockatoos, rosellas, gallahs, kookaburras, fairy wrens, lorikeets … all flying wild in their natural habitat. Absolutely beautiful!!

                                   

Di and Russell and their 3 children returned from a birthday outing and joined us for cheese and coffee after dinner. It was a treat to be able to visit with them. Di had lived with us for a period of time for a placement during her training as an architect and Russell had joined us for the Christmas season that year. We have only seen them briefly since then so this was a chance for some reminiscing and catching up. It was great fun. Their children were delightful. All too soon it was time to say goodnight. Another great evening with friends had come to an end.

                                   

Sunday was Remembrance Day. We attended morning church at Healesville Uniting Church, a tiny church with a very active congregation. This morning the seats were virtually all filled with worshippers. The Remembrance Day service was well planned with hymns, stories and the message that there is no glory in war, nothing good comes of it. Russell played piano to accompany the hymns and Alex and Walter were also there.

           

We returned to the Holiday Park for lunch which we ate under the oak trees. Although we each prepared our own lunches, it was fun to eat altogether and enjoy one another’s company. We chatted, played cards, and generally relaxed for the afternoon.

We drove back into Healesville for a dinner, appropriately at the RSL (Returned Service League) on Remembrance Day. Coincidentally, the Skilton family was also there celebrating a birthday. We were happy to see Neva, Di’s cousin, and to meet her husband, Daniel. What a lovely surprise!

As dark fell, we once again returned to our accommodation, had a cup of tea with our friends and fell into bed. What a glorious day it had been.