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Published: December 5th 2022
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A busier day today, there’s been too much lazing around! This morning Sandra and I went to the Sunday market at Gardens of the World, a beautiful venue in itself on such a glorious day. Thinking that the market started at 9.00am we left home about 9.30am and were shocked when we drove straight into the car park at 9.45am where there were plenty of car spots to choose from. For a moment Sandra was worried that she had the day wrong, but it turned out it was only the start time that was wrong … with the market due to commence trading at 10.00am! What a fortuitous mistake, though, it meant that we were able to get close to all the stalls without having to jostle around amongst loads of other shoppers.
Some of the people selling their crafts were letting them go at very reasonable prices. Chatting with a couple of crafters we were told that it is the crafting that is important – to keep hands and minds active – and as long as their costs are covered they are happy to have an outlet for their hand-made items through the various craft markets. There was one
lovely garment that I could not resist. I think it will be someone’s birthday present next year. I just hope the sizing is right?!
After lunch Bernie and I visited Willow Bank Heritage Village at Wakefield. The village boasts a selection of historic buildings including a church, a school, a puppet theatre, a post office and grocery and general stores amongst others. One of their buildings houses period costumes for dressing up in and visitors are invited to don costumes and wear them during their visit. Of course I was unable to resist dressing up. I chose an ensemble all in black and posed as the dental nurse in front of ‘Murder house’. When I return to the historic property in Melbourne that I volunteer at I shall be lobbying for the return of our visitor dress-up rack!
Our next stop was Higgins Heritage Park which specializes in (Bernie’s quote) ‘things that wives won’t let their husbands keep in the back yard’. In other words, lots of old engine-powered machinery!! The park is a collection of sheds that are occupied by the Pigeon Valley Steam Museum, the Nelson Vintage & Machinery Club, the Historic Transport Museum, the Rover
Car Club and the Ray Win Collection.
Before we headed home to Richmond we drove over to Mapua (pronounced Mar-poo-a) to eat ice creams by the sea. From Mapua it is possible to take your bike across to Rabbit Island on a bike ferry that operates from the beginning of October until the end of April. One day when we are visiting our friends in Richmond we should plan to hire bikes and explore Rabbit Island? If we can muster the energy?!
Robin and Sandra were at a fishing club BBQ for dinner so we walked down into town for our evening meal. We decided on Thai food at The Lemongrass on Queen Street. After the Indochina Combo for 2 People to start, we ordered Pad Thai with prawns and Cashew Nut & Vegetable with Crispy Pork. Delicious!
We were all home by 8.00pm so there was still time to play cards. We managed to win one game each again tonight. We lost the first game due to outright stupidity (mine) and some questionable strategy (Bernie). I thought I was throwing out a black three (blocking card), but accidentally threw out the black four beside it which
let Sandra pick up the discard pile to make an escalera (run of seven cards in sequence). Stupid, stupid move!
Then Bernie decided we needed to go out before Robin and Sandra could make multiple escaleras and canastas (groups of seven cards all the same number) to run over the top of us. He abandoned holding cards that might allow us to make escaleras and put cards down to start canastas. And then he couldn’t actually go out - and neither could I - resulting in Robin and Sandra making the escaleras and canastas anyway and scoring HEAPS more than us to win the first game.
Thank goodness we redeemed ourselves to win the second game to avoid the Kiwis getting further ahead. However, New Zealand retains a two game advantage.
Steps for the day: 14,097 (9.56km)
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