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Published: December 22nd 2011
Wonderful sculpture of the main characters of the famous Aussie book, 'The Magic Pudding'
Bunyip Bluegum the koala, Bill Barnacle the sailor, the pudding and Sam Sawnoff the penguin are in the Children's Playground in the Botanical GardensMonday (12
th December) dawned a bit dull and overcast and we were all a bit slow to get going. I had some parcels to post and Graham wanted to get the damaged tyre fixed so we drove the short distance to Burwood where a tyre depot is situated. They said they’d be able to fix the tyre for a modest price and I was able to post my parcels so all went well. Back at Daphne’s we made a hasty decision to visit Chadstone Shopping Centre – a major decision given the size of the place and the nearness to Christmas. There were a few things that both Daphne and I wanted to buy so we both felt it was the right decision. Graham just came along for the ride. Our departure was actually delayed somewhat as Mad Micky was nowhere to be seen. We hunted high and low and we were beginning to get a bit anxious, especially as we could hear a faint mewing but couldn’t track it down. Eventually, after opening every door and obvious cupboard in the house, we began to check the less obvious cupboards and found him in the bathroom in the cupboard under the
wash-hand basin. How and when he got in there is still a mystery but we’ll know to check EVERYWHERE another time.
Chadstone was at one time, and may still be, the biggest shopping complex in the Southern hemisphere. To be fair, it’s very well designed and the parking facilities are excellent. Nevertheless, we had to tour round several layers of one of the multi-story parks before we found a space, but there were plenty of them on the higher levels. The next requirement is to make a note of where you’re parked with a landmark or two because it’s very easy to lose your sense of direction once you begin to negotiate the shops. Daphne is a pretty good guide so, although we must have walked several kilometres, there was never any danger of getting lost. The complex is full of splendid shops with goods of all qualities to suit all pockets. If you want “top of the range” stuff then you’re well catered for but there are also shops with goods at “down to earth” prices. Alas, when shopping with Daphne you don’t visit many of those! We had a nice lunch and bought a few things including
a tie for Graham’s wedding outfit. Poor Graham simply carried the bags after waiting outside numerous shops watching the world go by - he knows his place! On the way back to Daphne’s we were able to collect the repaired tyre which we’ll keep as the “spare” but it means we’re now fully roadworthy again. Poor Micky’s torrid day continued - in addition to being shut in a bathroom cupboard he managed to get trapped in the fridge door!! Daphne had left the door open momentarily and then pushed it shut without realising that Micky was investigating. A few loud squeals soon alerted her and Micky seemed to be none the worse for his ordeal. Later he got squashed against the wall as Graham tried desperately to stop him dashing outside when Daphne opened the back door without looking to see where he was. Graham hastily pushed his leg into the gap to block Micky’s escape just as he pushed his head into the same space! He’ll think we’ve all got it in for him but, of course, it’s all part of a kitten’s growing experiences. This one has probably lost a couple of its nine lives already.
The
evening passed relatively quietly and we were able to admire a Christmas card received from Rod and Tania. It enclosed a photo taken of Grant, Anna and the girls, Charlotte and Amy when they were staying in Calne earlier in the year. It also included Rod, Tania, Emma, Mike and son Ben, Neil, Caroline and Ben the dog, Sarah and Darryl and a rare appearance from John – an excellent photo and a great Christmas card. Daphne had a similar card with a photo of the girls with Ben which she thought was lovely.
On Tuesday 13 December we changed our minds at the last minute as to what we should do. Daphne had arranged to meet her friend Lesley from Sydney for the day and we thought to catch the tram into Melbourne. However, a chance phone call by Graham to the local Health Centre resulted in a well-timed appointment late morning at which he was able to obtain some tablet prescriptions to last for the rest of our stay in Aus. With some extra prescriptions he was able to get while we were in Perth, he thought he would manage but with the UK prescriptions only lasting
for 28 days each month (Aussie ones last for 30 days), it left him the best part of a month short. So today he took the chance to put that right and also got an extra month’s prescription as a safeguard. I was able to do some shopping and we had lunch back at Daphne’s. In the afternoon, and at 3:00pm when Daphne still hadn’t returned, we fulfilled a pre-arranged appointment with the cake decorator by delivering Daphne’s cakes to be iced in time for the wedding in January. We will be making another visit in due course to fine tune the final arrangements so we’ll take Daphne with us to check on the progress. As we were close to another shopping complex – Waverley Gardens – we popped in to see what it was like. It was splendid and we spent quite a lot of time there and I managed to buy a few things. By the time we returned to the house it was 5:00pm and Daphne had returned from her outing with Lesley and was busy ironing. After our meal, the main entertainment of the evening was, once again, Mad Micky, whose antics seem to know no
bounds. Graham and I had a fairly early night as I have to be up promptly in the morning.
The alarm went off at 8:00am this morning – Wednesday 14 December. We rarely set the alarm but this morning I had a 9:00am appointment at a nearby hairdresser and I didn’t want to take any chances. It’s within easy walking distance of Daphne’s so it wasn’t really a panic situation although everyone seemed to want the bathroom at the same time. It meant that my planned time-table went a bit awry and I had to leave without my usual cup of coffee but at least I wasn’t late. Not only that, I was delighted with the result as they did a really good job in well under two hours although, of course, I had to pay Melbourne prices. Daphne was impressed and is now tempted to change her hairdresser as she has a long journey to an even more expensive salon where treatment and chat usually last much longer! We hadn’t made any positive plans for this morning as we didn’t know when I would be available but at 11:00am, after a quick cup of coffee, we decided to
catch the tram into the city and persuaded Daphne to come with us. It proved to be a brilliant decision. After alighting near Flinders Street station we investigated the “goings on” in Federation Square. There were loads of students, who had clearly been through a graduation ceremony, having their photos taken – cloaks, mortar boards and all – but the main event seemed to be a charity occasion sponsored by The Variety Club who were giving away hundreds of bicycles to eager youngsters. It was quite manic but very entertaining. After a while we walked away from Federation Square across the river towards The Botanic Gardens.
We have visited numerous Botanic Gardens over the years and have rarely been disappointed. Melbourne’s must rank as the best we have ever visited – they are magnificent and relatively handy to the city which makes them very accessible and very popular. The walk towards them was also interesting as we passed through other parkland with plenty of interesting monuments and sculptures on the way. By the time we reached the gardens it was after 1:00pm so, on Daphne’s recommendation, we looked for the Observatory Restaurant to have some lunch which was excellent.
One minor disappointment was that we had promised Daphne we would buy her a Royal Horticultural Society diary. She always gets one from the Botanic Gardens Shop which is adjacent to the restaurant but by today they had already sold out and were unlikely to get any more. It would have been an ideal early Christmas present as Daphne has had to record so many forthcoming events and dates lately that she is getting a little confused as to what’s going on and who is arriving when for the various events. We walked back into the city passing the War Memorial on the way – another magnificent edifice – along with even more memorials and statues. We continued back past Federation Square and carried on towards Bourke Street where the Myers store is situated. Myers is particularly popular at Christmas time because of its special window display which is famous throughout Victoria, perhaps the whole of Aus. People come from far and wide to view it and it is particularly popular with foreign tourists – especially the Japanese but it was our turn today. It is normally so busy it has its own queuing system with specially erected barriers. There
are about 10 different windows each displaying animated Christmas scenes which were very well done. It wasn’t too busy while we were there so we had a reasonable view of everything and managed to take plenty of photos. Afterwards we went into the store to see if they had a suitable diary for Daphne but even Myers couldn’t help us. With Daphne’s guidance we were able to take a short cut back to the tram and on the way we happened upon a Dymocks book store. Eureka! – they had a variety of diaries and a couple of them looked like possibilities. Daphne settled on one and we gladly bought it for her and she seemed genuinely pleased.
We soon arrived back in Barkly Street and I quietly wrapped the new diary in Christmas paper and we jokingly presented it to Daphne. At least now she won’t have to make notes in the back of her old diary or on bits of paper. Late in the evening we went shopping to a late-night Coles to get some ingredients for Daphne’s Christmas cake. Later still we were able to have a quick chat with David on Skype and he confirmed
that all is going well with the wedding preparations. We had an earlyish night as Graham has to be up with the lark in the morning to take the car to a local garage for a service.
Today, Thursday 15 December, we had the car booked in for a service and the garage proprietor suggested we should get it there early. So Graham set the alarm for 7:30am so that he could be at the garage by 8 o’clock. It was a nice, bright morning and as the garage is only a five minute, easy drive away he was there in plenty of time and walked back to the house for breakfast at 8:30. My morning was mainly used to tidy things up and to pack as much away ready for our trip to Mansfield tomorrow. Daphne will be able to have her room back and the back bedroom she has been using will be ready for David to occupy when he arrives on Sunday. When we return to Melbourne on the 21st we will have our caravan at Wantirna – about a 20 minute drive away – so we’ll be able to spend time here without disrupting the
normal Christmas arrangements. It became a beautiful morning and Daphne went to Camberwell to buy some Christmas cards leaving us in charge of Mad Micky who seemed to be particularly “hyper” and aggressive this morning. Lunchtime came and went and there was still no news of the car. Daphne had returned in time for lunch but almost immediately after she had to dash off to a hair appointment. She is considering changing to the one I used in Burwood and as it takes two bus journeys or a very long walk to reach hers it wouldn’t be a bad idea as she was impressed with my cut yesterday. The garage rang at 2:00pm to say the car was ready so we strolled along to pick it up. The cost was quite reasonable and it should now see us through the remainder of our travels but particularly our trip to Tasmania in the New Year. I managed to bake a rhubarb and apple crumble while Daphne was out and to do a bit of vacuuming and packing in readiness for tomorrow. The problem is when you stay in the same place for a while you tend to “spread out” so re-packing
in an orderly fashion becomes a bit of an ordeal. Graham had a long chat on the phone with old friend Shirstin with whom we had stayed many years ago. Ironically we walked past her old house on our way to the garage today but she and husband John now live in an apartment, still in Camberwell, which they find much more practicable and very, very comfortable. As anticipated, Daphne was quite late getting back from her hairdressing appointment. Not only was it some distance away but her stylist is a “chatterer” so he tends to take far longer than is really necessary and appears to charge accordingly! She arrived back at 6:45pm but at least her hair looked great!!! The packing continued during the evening leaving me wondering why I had thought it necessary to bring quite so much stuff with us from the caravan (yes – it was entirely my fault!) At least there would not be too much to do tomorrow.
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