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Published: March 22nd 2023
BALLARAT
Big weekend for the Begonia FestivalArrived Ballarat Monday 27th, on my birthday, our beautiful daughter had us around for a yummy dinner. Greg and Ingrid arrived up as well for a couple of days with us and joined us at Lara and Lukes for dinner. The full day Greg and Ingrid were with us we had a long walk on the lake and Ballarat Botanical Gardens, it really is an oasis in the middle of the city of Ballarat. Weather cool 20 degrees but good for walking. Did some shopping and caught up with Bryce for dinner at the Grapes, it was another fabulous meal, not just pub grub really restaurant quality food. Mick and Noni arrived up on the Friday afternoon and also camped with us at the NRMA park which is great within walking distance of the CBD and Lara's home, did a roast lamb in my airfryer and Bryce and Marley joined us for dinner as well, great night. We then all met at Lara's on the Saturday for pre lunch drinks and off to Mitchell Harris, it was exceptional, its always good but this time the food was sensational, all sharing plates and they really catered well for vegetarian, lactose intolerance etc,
BALLARAT
Loads of begonias it was a fabulous afternoon celebrating the February birthday girls, Noni, Gloria and Sue, and then back to Lara's for cake and more wines, the cake was made by a girl in Beaufort and delivered to Ballarat, JUST TO DIE FOR! Washed down with some beautiful sticky from Santorini which Lara and Luke picked up when there and also a Yuzu liqueur from Japan! Spoilt, spoilt, spoilt! On the way back to caravan park had a detour to Aunty Jacks, fabulous bar in Ballarat which Luke designed, then the owner showed us his new project next door which is going to be another fabulous drink and food outlet, Southern US, then onto Hop Temple......arrived back to the van at 8.15pm.... great day out with friends and family! All being equal we should have taken off for Robe from Ballarat on Monday 6th but Johns surgery for nose now Tuesday 14th....so have had to extend our stay for a couple of weeks. No problem always something to do around Ballarat. Lara has found us a gorgeous GP so we have one when we get back, but of course not having seen one for sometime and new, had to do a few
BALLARAT
So many beautiful begonias tests and things so thats taken up a bit of time as well. Everything booked out in Ballarat for long weekend so headed out to the the little hamlet of Haddon, what a cute little area, camping in the Lions Park Reserve, have to be self sufficient though they do have toilets and a great general store in town just around the corner, we had the most fabulous fish and chips one night, the lightest batter ever and big juicy pieces of flake, scallops were also very plump and tasty, four nights here has been fantastic, with daily walks along the Rail Trail which runs between Ballarat and Skipton. As some of you know John has had an excision under GA and skin graft for the nose lesion, will be a week or so after surgery to see if graft has taken. Took a visit out to Beaufort one day to visit our lawyer, day trip to Melbourne for John's surgery and we didn't get back to Ballarat until about 7.30pm, having had a GA he was kept for a bit and so late getaway from hospital. Took a walk around Lake Esmond on Sunday with Lara a lovely walk
BALLARAT
Lake Wendouree with machine cutting and cleaning all the weed virtually behind our caravan park, lots of people fishing, walking and picnics, it was once Quarry for the the Eureka Tile Works, then Sunday dinner with La, Luke and Mason, yummy fish and chips. Treated myself to a new pair of boots, actually gumboots but pretty good ones with great arch support and very comfy, Merry People, its a great story of a young woman from Gippsland who hit Melbourne and ruined numerous pairs of shoes with walking to work in the rain etc and thought there must be something around that is waterproof, but wanting something a bit more dressy than the norm, she invented Merry people boots and thats how her little business was born, now even exporting to the US. So when I have to walk through wet grass and puddles on our trip there will be no wet feet, very impressed with them!
Wednesday 22nd March! D day for Johns visit to get results of skin cancer excision.....I am very pleased to report that the SCC excision was complete and totally excised..... phewww! The skin graft looks fantastic and has taken beautifully.... one thing I can say Johns skin up til now has healed amazingly!
BALLARAT
Botanical Gardens with Ingrid One good thing in his favour! No follow up for dressings etc as its well on its way and we will be heading south and then west of Ballarat in the next couple of days! We are so relieved..... I can only remember my days working at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Institute in the 70's where I saw on many occasions lots of people with plastic noses as they had to excise lots of their nose to remove skin cancers then.... but now we are totally onto it! Surgeons and skin cancer specialist do such an amazing job nowadays getting the little buggers before they get too big! We are now free, off and onwards in the next couple of days!
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Ernie & Roni
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So glad John’s graft went so well. I had a SCC on my nose too with skin graft so understand what he is going through. Yes I was concerned as years ago I met a lady who had most of her nose removed & had a plastic cap & thought oh no I couldn’t cope with that but thankfully the surgeons have come a long way since then & only I really know the difference. Thankfully they removed all of John’s SCC. Enjoy your trip to Robe & looking forward to reading your travels. Love to you both.