A Wonderful Weekend Of Surprises

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Saturday (5th November) morning dawned lovely and bright but there had been a very heavy dew during the night so anything left out was a bit soggy. Graham normally likes to put the awning, chairs, table etc away the night before when we’re moving on but this morning, as we didn’t have far to travel, we decided to hang around and let the strong sun do its bit to dry everything out. Our Burnie acquaintances were doing much the same so it gave us time for a bit more chat about Tassie, travelling and our future stay with Gerry Davies in Burnie. We were ready to leave at about 10:00am, quite late for us, but we only had a journey of 120 kilometers so we had time to spare. We bade our Burnie friends farewell – little did we know we’d see them again later in the morning. We had to drive right through the Wangaratta city centre which was a hive of Saturday morning activity. We made good progress though and we were soon on the Hume Highway heading towards Melbourne. Our destination today was to be a house in Blue Range Road, Bridge Creek on the outskirts of Mansfield. It is where the caravan was stored before we picked it up and it is the idyllic home of Mark, Simone and family who Sarah and Darryl spent so much time with during their travels. We were going to find a caravan park for a few days and just visit them but when they heard of this we were ordered to “rock up, plug in and make yourselves at home”. On the way, we called in at Lake Nillacootie for a rather late mid-morning break. We sat right on the shores of the lake with our tea and cake when who should pull in beside us but Frank and Helen, our Burnie friends. They were heading for somewhere different to us but, coincidentally, Lake Nillacootie was an ideal stopping place for them too. They are easy company and time flew by. We were in no hurry but, eventually, they had to move on to make sure they arrived at their destination at a reasonable time. They had a very interesting camping unit, the type of which we hadn’t seen before. It was in the style of what is known as a “fifth wheeler” but instead of being on wheels and connected to the truck with a special linking mechanism, it lay flat on the bed of their truck and had hydraulic “legs”, which could be used to raise the caravan to allow the truck to be driven away from underneath. We had watched in Wang as they had reversed the truck back in under the caravan which they then lowered onto the truck before securing it with chains. It needed very precise manoeuvring but fortunately Frank, an ex-farmer, was a bit of an expert. It was good for us to see it in travelling mode and I was able to take a photo of them near their caravan.

Just after midday we arrived at our “caravan park” – a beautiful 10 acre property in the Victorian “high country”. We parked up and plugged in (nobody was in except Spot the dog) and made ourselves at home. We knew the house would be empty as Simone and the children were away on a yoga weekend at Shepperton and Mark works part-time as a barman in the busiest pub in Mansfield – The Delatite. We drove into town to see him and the pub was busier than normal as, in addition to a car rally in the area, the pub had been chosen by a charity motor bike rally as the main centre for their charity ride. Motorbikes were everywhere and thirsty bikers were clammering at the bar. Poor Mark hardly had a second to breathe but he managed to find time for a hug, a brief chat and to provide us with a couple of free drinks. We did a bit of shopping and went back to Blue Range Road and relaxed in Mark’s ‘English Garden’. He’s worked hard to create a large lawn area with some wonderful trees and shrubs and the most gorgeous rose bushes of various colours. It looked magnificent – quite the most beautiful and “personal” caravan park we’ve stayed on.

Graham challenged someone who drove around the back of the property. It turned out to be Willy, a German fellow who lives nearby but who had cattle on Mark’s paddock and at least one of which was about to give birth so he was making regular visits to check on her state. It is here, in a different part of the property, where Sarah and Darryl left the caravan for us to collect last August and this is where we will leave it when we finish with it next February. The Reeves are the most delightful of families and we were able to catch up with Mark more fully when he eventually finished his shift at about 6:00pm. I was able to cook a dinner for the three of us which we ate out in the garden. Unfortunately, although the afternoon had been entirely mossie and midge free, they decided to join us whilst we were eating but we enjoyed it nevertheless. Willy came back again later and he, Mark and Graham spoke about erecting an electric fence around a different part of Mark’s garden where the grass was long and lush and where the cattle could graze for a few weeks. They agreed that it would be a job for mid-morning Sunday. We had showered and were anticipating a relatively early night but Mark had other ideas. On the first Saturday of each month, a close friend holds a “Pool” club in their “shed” and we were invited. We set off at about 9:00pm for the 10 minute drive to the property, a farm, where the “shed” turned out to be about twice the size of our house! It was kitted out like a social club with the centre piece being the pool table. There were about 20 people there in total and friendly pool matches took place between pairs – winners stay on. I decided I would be no good as I had hardly ever picked up a cue so watched everything going on. Graham played a match with Guy, the owner, and lost on the last ball. In the meantime, Guy’s wife Lisa asked me if I wanted to select a record from a huge batch of old style LPs to be played on their record player. In fun I asked if she had a John Denver LP and I nearly fainted when I was promptly presented with about 15 to choose from!!! Their record collection is phenomenal and everyone gets to choose what is played but the JD ones I think had belonged to her mother (or so she said!). Food and drink were laid on and it was a really great evening. We left just after midnight - Mark was still there enjoying his very successful run of games and apparently it was considerably later when he eventually made it back home.

On Sunday morning we were up fairly early as Graham wanted to help with the electric fence and the re-location of the cattle. Alas, there was no sign of Mark so when Willy arrived it was just the two of them setting up the fence. Actually, Willy did most of the work as he knew precisely where and how he wanted the fence to go. Graham was just the ‘gofer’ but the finished product was excellent. One of the main concerns was a young oak tree that Mark had been cultivating and which was right in the middle of the new paddock. The electric fence had to be constructed in such a way as to keep the cattle away from the tree as well as preventing them from invading the rest of the garden. I made coffee for the workers and then it was time to encourage the cattle, a couple of them heavily pregnant, to wander in to their new home. It was not immediately successful as 3 or 4 of them wanted to go their own way. Willy eventually gave up on them but Graham persevered and carried on until all of the 11 cattle were within the new area. Mark emerged after all the work was completed with a hangover! But his day was just beginning - he had been busy inviting anybody and everybody to a Sunday roast meal although the time kept being put further and further back. He had encouraged people to bring stuff to be cooked in his kitchen but a few of the guests had also offered to help with the preparations. The time eventually agreed for the meal was 6:30pm and we had been charged with getting some veggies for a salad, some ice-cream and anything else we considered might be needed. Willy had promised a leg of lamb and some bottled fruit for “afters”, others were bringing meat and potatoes and someone else promised an apple crumble. To us it seemed to be a truly confusing affair as nobody was entirely sure who was coming and what they were bringing.

We completed our shopping just after lunch and at about mid-afternoon Simone and her three children returned from their Yoga weekend, along with umpteen others, wondering what was going on. Another group of Sarah and Darryl’s friends, Nigel, Belinda and their three children arrived at about 4:00pm along with Nigel’s parents and then others, mainly neighbours that we already knew, began to appear. The volunteer chefs, Mark and Nigel, took over the kitchen and worked like Trojans while the rest of us sat around drinking and chatting. Somehow, out of all the chaos, though a lot later than planned, we were able to partake of the most magnificent spread which everyone thoroughly enjoyed. The sweets were a delight and a jolly good time was had by all. Later in the evening Graham and Mark, a singer/guitarist in a local rock band, entertained the guests and it was a really brilliant occasion from start to finish. Some people began to drift away, the Reeves kiddies went to bed, other people stayed to chat and drink some more. The menfolk did most of the washing and wiping up and I helped with the final few things. Graham, Willy and Mark were the last ones standing while I was mopping up the last of the glasses for washing and drying (although most things went in a dish-washer) but even Graham had to concede eventually and we went back to the caravan at about mid-night. However, a last minute check of the computer was to reveal a wonderful announcement. David my brother and his dear friend, the delightful Mele, had decided to get married and we were absolutely thrilled with the news. Mele is such a lovely lady and she and David are so obviously comfortable in each others company that it is easy to understand how their friendship has blossomed to the point of marriage. I couldn’t wait to send a congratulatory message by email only to find that David was “on line” and on Skype. We set up our Skype immediately and, with the web-cams, we were able to pass on our congratulations in person. It has to be said that David looked as pleased as punch – smiling from ear to ear and he was a joy to behold! With that fantastic news in our minds we finally got to bed at about 1:00am - what a brilliant day it had been.

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Photos

Relaxing by Lake Nillahcootie
on the road to Mansfield

We meet Helen and Frank again as they stop for a tea-break
on their way home to Tassie

Gathering of motor-bikers outside The Delatite Hotel in Mansfield
hundreds of them were on a charity ride

Lisa shows me the collection of John Denver LPs
(I wasn't tooo green with envy!)