Washerwoman at World's End

Sounds like fun eh! Sure was. After a week back at work Bill swapped Melbourne's cold days for Adelaide's freezing weather. We had already decided that I would join him for the weekend, after all I had been home from Perth for 2 weeks, surely I needed a holiday. By the time I was leaving we knew that Bill had to stay in Adelaide for another week, hence the plan to turn me into the mobile laundry lady. Just pack the clean clothes with mine and return home on Sunday night with the dirty ones. Yes it worked a treat and in between the laundry we had a great time.

I arrived on Friday night and after meeting Bill at the airport we went and met Grant & Jill for dinner at Glenelg. We had a great night and caught up on all their news. Our plan for the next day was to drive up to the Clare Valley and play tourist. We did this and had a lovely day. It is no further than driving to the Yarra Valley here but seems like a lot further as you are driving through countryside much sooner than here in Melbourne. Lots of green hills complete with herds of cows & sheep. And a sign telling us we were in a high rainfall area. Still we did see lots of dry areas too.

We spent the day hopping from one Winery to another and while the Clare Valley is best known for it's Rieslings we did find a couple of nice Reds. The little places along the way were more like little Hamlets than towns. Sevenhills Cellar at Sevenhills is the regions oldest winery, owned & operated by the Jesuits since 1851, and St Aloysius Church in the grounds really reminded us of New Norcia. It has a similar feel to it. We stopped at Auburn, Clare, Sevenhills and couldn't go past Annie's Lane at Watervale without a visit. The old homestead is just lovely and it was warm and cozy inside with the fire going. Still no time to stop we were in search of lunch and none to be found there.

We finally found food at Rielly's in Mintaro where there were 2 options we thought, there or the Magpie & Stump Historic Pub. Well, that was until we read the sign on the hotel. Lunch from 12 - 2. Hmm, it was 2.30pm. So Reilly's it was and the soup was beautiful and the Dryland Red wine while different was really good. Dry land wines are cultivated with no irrigation at all, only receiving water from rain. And we have been in drought for some time. Still, as I said it was really good.

From Mintaro we drove up to Burra and decided it was time to head back to our warm hotel in Glenelg. While the Clare Valley was lovely, pretty,historic & quaint I think our main memory will be freezing cold and windy. Top temp for the day was 11 deg and while the sun did shine all day it was so cold each time we got out of the car. Brrr!

But wait, the highlight of our day was still to come. Signposts aren't a big feature of the area and while we were trying to decide if we were on the right road home (Jessica was turned off at this point) we spotted a sign that said Paradise. Of course we had to follow it didn't we. No idea were it was leading but being the adventurous sorts we are off we went in search of Paradise. And what did we find. Not Paradise but Worlds End. True and here's the picture to prove it. So now we can really and truly say that we went in search of Paradise and found Worlds End instead. I still can't believe it but we've been there.

After that exciting discovery we had just one more stop on the way home and that was Eudunda where we went in search of the Colin Theile statue. We did this search in the pitch dark but did find it and Bill got this photo using modern technology and a torch. How committed (or is that we should be) is that. And it was freezing in the park. Colin Theile, of course, is the author of Storm Boy and that is the pelican from the story beside him. That was only one of his claims to fame but the one he is most remembered for unless of course you are as old as Bill and can remember the old classic, The Sun on the Stubble.

Back home and a wonderful dinner in a great little Italian restaurant where we ate & drank far too much but were fortified for the 2 min walk back to the hotel. After breakfast on Sunday we wandered a very quiet Glenelg, much busier in summer, and then we drove up to have lunch with Jill & Grant at their place. We had a lovely relaxing day and before we knew it we had to leave for Bill to send me and the washing home again.

So with another weekend adventure over and another tiny place on the map explored it's time to get that washing done!

until next time..............

Holiday Happenings

We all take time off work to have a holiday and then head off somewhere nice to rest & recuperate and find out what a busy time holidays really are.

Our holiday to Perth was a very busy time catching up with family & friends and the highlight of the visit was meeting our new little Grandson, Corbyn. It was lovely to finally see him and Sarah & David once again. And I got lots of cuddles as well. He is very cute.

No photo's of Corbyn here but as I walk to & from work each day I pass this sculpture called 'Children's Tree' by Tom Bass. I can't find any story about it but obviously with the wise old Owl looking over the kids I feel that it must be about children learning in life. I know that Sarah & David together with their Families & friends will guide their little man through this great maze called life. Now after that deep & meaningful bit it's back to the holiday.

Our first week was all about Family, catching up with Dad & Anna first, David, Sarah, Corbyn & Gareth next. Finally Anne & Paul with everyone else for a picnic in Kings Park on Sunday. It was great to see you all again. Seeing friends was another priority and we had a wonderful time meeting everyone at JT's 60th birthday on Saturday night. We are just sorry that we can't spend more time with everyone.

A couple of days in Pemberton was just what the Dr ordered in the R & R category and spending time with Jill & Rob, along with Marg & Peter was lovely. Thanks for the chance to join you again. Lunch at the Wine & Truffle Company was pretty good too. A night at Ford House in Bridgetown was great, though freezing as the temp only got to 1.8 degrees. Now that is colder than Melbourne.


On the trip back to Perth we played tourist and stopped at Greenbushes where we saw the Old Open Cut tin mine and then a drive up the hill to the Golden Tree park in Balingup gave us a look at another beautiful place we had previously just driven past. It really does pay to stop and look sometimes.

Back in Perth we stayed with Lorraine & Hans, thanks guys, and continued to catch up with Family & friends as we tried to fit in as many visits as we could. Marg's dinner on Friday night was wonderful with more than just great food & wine - a surprise guest just in from Hong Kong. It was great to see Steve again. I think he had a good time too.

Lunch on Saturday with Gareth & Taegan was really lovely, and the home made rock cakes at Pat & Russell's place later on was just what we didn't need, but so yummy.

And of course no visit to Perth is complete without dinner at the Greek. We managed to sneak in a visit on Sunday night and it was just lovely as usual. It was great to see Helen, Tony & Vasili again.

Basketball was the other 'must do' event and we saw the Redbacks play 2 games. One win & one loss though with most of the 'star' players injured they did very well. David is coaching them well and it was good to see them play. Good luck with the rest of the season guys.

Our final Sunday morning came around too quickly and then it was time to head to the airport for the trip home. After a very bumpy ride into Tullamarine (a bit scary) and a crazy Taxi driver we made it home on Sunday night.

All holidays must come to an end and sad as it is to say farewell to family & friends we will be back to do it all again. In fact, it feels like this time we went back to work for a rest. Still, we wouldn't have it any other way.

until next time........