In memory of two mums

The holidays are over, we went to Orange, had a lovely time. But all the time we were away Peter's' Mum was in hospital, slipping quietly from us. When we arrived home and went to see her, she was asleep and had been sleeping peacefully for a couple of days. We visited her again last Wednesday morning, saying our usual soft goodbyes and stroking her hair. In the late evening neither of us wanted to go to bed, instead staying up to watch the Tour de France. The phone call came just after 12.30. When we saw Mum, she looked just the same: peaceful and relaxed in deep sleep.

We are so thankful that she didn't suffer. I think I said in my last post that she was 92. She was 91. She had been married for nearly 69 years. She loved her family - everyone - without limit or prejudice. Long ago, Monnie and my Mum were very close friends. Their friendship remained over the years, occasionally declared afresh by the giving of bears, especially angel bears. A little Eileen angel bear watched over Mum before she died.

Love you Mums.

Way past Milo time

I have been tossing and turning for three hours, no sleep to speak of and got thinking about many things. I've been off colour for a few days, have had to cancel classes and it's almost holidays. Some of my younger students sent home a card with 'hope you're better soon' wishes, and included some pics of yours truly in the classroom with very attentive students. That, and all their signatures, made me weepy.

It's freezing cold and not the best time to be out of bed. Laird Peter is snoring peacefully, unaware that I am in the lounge, tapping away. Thoughts of Milo remind me that I've just finished (a one-day read) a beautiful first novel called Past the Shallows by a young writer called Favel Parrett. The book is set in Tasmania, and mentions familiar places. Not only did it make me nostalgic - we went to Tasmania for our honeymoon in 1989 - but the story, about three brothers growing up in the remote south, features, among many beautiful things, Milo. I'm not being silly. The youngest brother, Harry, gains comfort in his lonely existence from simple things: finding small treasure in the sand, befriending a kelpie pup and its master and a big mug of Milo.  This book is our read this month for book club (which is tomorrow night) and I can't imagine anyone not loving it.

Being awake at 2am brings forth other thoughts about places, places we long to see again.
In twelve months' time we will be back in the UK, and, of course, visiting our wee plots in Scotland.
We are already making lists and making plans. We will be there at the end of summer and through autumn, and can hardly wait.

Closer to home we have many things to think about; the most important at the moment being Peter's Mum, who is in hospital. I've known her since I was a baby, and she has just had her 92nd birthday.

Now I'm going back to bed, to sleep, perchance to dream.

Sharing a hot chocolate, gazing at the world

Winter weather makes me hanker for hot chocolate. It is freezing at the moment, and very wet.
The rain is good, as we haven't had a lot. Our friend David came to stay, and we drank hot chocolate with marshmallows at our favourite cafe and watched the world go by. Simple pleasures. Time with friends. It is almost the end of term and I can't wait for the holidays. We will be visiting friends in New South Wales and can't wait to get there.
Almost time for a Milo, or a hot chocolate.

Memories of milk and milo

Over dinner tonight we reminisced with our niece about our Milo-drinking habits when we were kids.

As I think about it we probably drank more Ovaltine than Milo. I drink Milo every night before bed these days, and occasionally have one during the day when I'm marking assignments. It is pretty cold at the moment, and there's nothing nicer than a hot drink by the fire (heater, actually).

At the moment Laird Peter and niece are watching the Wallabies play Wales in the rugby union international, getting nostalgic about Wales and, of course, Scotland.
We watched 'Town' the other night on TV and it was about Perth (Scotland). Of course we got all soppy and misty-eyed as we want to visit Perth next year.

And we have watched the telecasts of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee, loved the views of the Thames with the River Pageant, loved the interior shots of St Paul's during the service, and we can't wait to go back in 2013.

And we will be visiting our wee plots of course!

Saturday night nearly time for a Milo

It is late, Eurovision semis are on TV and we can't quite help watching it. Oh dear, here is a young male singer singing "Love is Blind" and oh, my gosh, he's wearing a sequined blindfold! Um, he's taken it off and has done a one-handed cartwheel (I missed it cos I was typing) and I think maybe he should just sing...

So much big stuff has happened in the last three weeks that I haven't been blogging, and all I want to do tonight is talk about fun stuff. I have been making artwork and discovering some new techniques - I've also been visiting our local op shops quite a bit and finding lovely treasures. The weather has turned very cold this week so all the winter woolies are out. I've even worn my Skye beanie which is blue and red and has provoked some comment. Laird Peter and I won a Mother's Day raffle at our local cafe recently and we were chuffed.

The Governor of Victoria visited our Skene Street Specialist School on Tuesday, and Laird P was there to witness some of the younger students accompanying His Excellency around our wonderful school.

On Thursday, while I was teaching in Ballarat, Laird P was entering the final battle in the PC game Diablo III. I rang him to say hello and was informed that he had failed in two attempts to kill the big D.

He later rang me back to say I was lucky as he had finished Diablo off, then, within an hour or so, the weather changed dramatically in Stawell. There was a massive hailstorm and a downpour of rain, 30mm of rain, he recalled, and 19mm of hail. The temperatre dropped 10 degrees, then the sun came out. Climate change anyone?

In Melbourne today the football game at the MCG was dumped on, and yesterday Melbourne had its wettest day in May for about 18 years. And it's not winter yet.

I'm going now. I might put some pics in here soon.

Tea and Banana Cake and Laughter

We're back into work with Term two, but there is always time for a friend's visit, particularly a friend who makes Banana Cake! Today we went to our local Farmer's Market, stocked up on Olive Oil, pastries for lunch and some lovely locally grown pumpkins.  The Olive Oil man gave us some delicious treats to go with our oil - green olives stuffed with feta, some semi-dried tomatoes and two cakes of olive oil soap. Then we drove out to Pomonal (the weather today has been glorious) and visited the market there. My sister was very surprised to see us. She spins fleece from her own English Leicester sheep, dyes some and knits the most beautiful lacy shawls. I espied a ball of beautiful lilac yarn of Alpaca fleece and silk. The gorgeous Ell gave it to me. It is so soft and light. The market was busy and there was lots to see. We went to the local shop/post office for some coffee and carrot and walnut cake, then drove home.
I found some plastic goodies in a bag at work which included a tiara and a pair of 'Edna Everage' glasses. Much fun was had trying them on, taking photos and giggling. There's nothing better than a good giggle.

Hello, it's Easter Monday!

It's a long time since I last blogged. It is Easter, the weather is cool and showery and the Stawell Easter gift final happens this afternoon. The professional running event has been in Stawell for over one hundred years. Some famous visitors have won the Gift, including George McNeil from Scotland.
Our lovely green chairs are beautiful and so comfortable we think we are sitting/reclining on clouds.
So much has happened in the last month I cannot begin to discuss it here. On the theme of sharing a cup of tea, a wonderful friend turned up unexpectedly last week and we had a cup of tea, and of course, great conversation. On Saturday we went out to the Grampians (near Stawell, not in Scotland) to watch a performance of Romeo and Juliet against a dramatic background of sandstone rockface. The company, Ozact, tours Victoria regularly, doing shows in outdoor venues. Wonderful.
The rain stayed away and the weather was pleasantly cool. I am enjoying the short break from work, and having time to blog.