And then it was 2016.....

 January 2016 - We went into Christmas with no plans for 2016 other than to escape winter later in the year.  All that changed on Boxing Day when we decided to join Astrid, Hans and Bianca at Lake Eildon for a few days.  Our trip to Perth last year saw us miss this annual pilgrimage to the water but we were looking forward to camping there again this year.

We drove up and over the Ranges on Monday morning and soon after we were winding our way into Lakeside camp ground to find our site for the next three nights.  Our neighbouring campers, Martine and Sandy, introduced themselves to us and together with Astrid and Hans we enjoyed their company for the next couple of days.  Happy hour tended to stretch much longer than usual.  A bad influence on us I think!

The following morning we woke to a grey sky and soon after the rain came tumbling down and stayed for most of the day.  Astrid had had a small mishap during the night and had hurt her foot so we all drove into Alexandra to the ED to see what the damage was.  Bianca, Bill and I checked out the new cafe in town and shopped for dinner for the next few nights before returning to see how the invalid was faring at the hospital.  

Having seen the Dr it was decided that the foot was broken and needed to be x-rayed after lunch.  We said goodbye here and returned to camp and sure enough Astrid arrived back with crutches and the verdict - broken bones in the foot.  She decided to stay on for the few days and got quite good with the crutches on the rocky uneven ground.  No surgery was needed and she is on the mend now.

The next couple of days were fine and sunny and at last Bianca got out on the water to ski with Bill going along as the spotter.  Astrid and I remained under the awning and just watched the world go by. Later that afternoon one of Bianca's friends, Erin, arrived and set her tent up at Chez Van Lierop and we all enjoyed a great night around the campfire.  Bill found a Whistling Kite nesting above us and kept a close eye on the comings and goings for a couple of days.

All too soon it was time to pack up and head home.  It had been a fun few days, accident aside, and as always we love camping with you at Eildon.  Back at home the activities had begun again and it was back to golf clinic, line dancing and exercises.  

Bill had the opportunity to attend a camera function at Kooyong Tennis Centre where they got to take photos of the players from the sidelines.  It was an extremely hot day and I stayed home in the airconditioning and set about finishing my jigsaw while he went down by train.  Shame about the missing pieces!  He enjoyed the day but came back well and truly heat exhausted.

During the weeks at home Bill has been busy putting up a side fence and sorting out some waterworks for the garden. The little tomatoes we planted grew well and we enjoyed eating those we picked before the heat finished them off.

While in Shepparton this week we called into the fabulous nursery there and bought some plants to go in along the fence.  Fingers crossed they survive the summer.  Love this quirky beetle out the front of the nursery.

A phone call out of the blue on Sunday saw us welcome surprise visitors for the afternoon.  Bett and BB had come to Victoria for a wedding and decided that a drive in the country was a good way to fill in a Sunday.  It was so good to see them both and we enjoyed a couple of hours catching up over a liquid beverage.  Now I know there will be some of you that could never imagine this could happen but tea and coffee were the drinks of choice.  Thanks for the lovely surprise and we look forward to next time whenever that may be.

The following Sunday we enjoyed another lovely afternoon with Shelley, Darren and Kyan who had come over from their holiday spot in Mansfield for a barbie lunch.  The milder day saw us enjoy the great outdoors as we ate, drank and made merry for the afternoon and evening.  

The next day it was time to pack the van and head out again for a few days.  We were off to stay at Clarkesdale Bird Sanctuary near Linton as Bill wanted to try out his new camera.  We drove over through Ngambie, Kyneton and Alfredton and arrived late afternoon to a very dry camping area.  Loved the old Redesdale Bridge!  This was the driest we had ever seen it and most of the waterholes were just a puddle in the mud.  Not too many birds either but we still enjoyed our three days of communing with nature and the lovely little Blue Wrens kept us entertained.

On Wednesday night the clouds appeared and there was some rain with more forecast for the next day.  We decided that we would leave in the morning and did so before the rain returned.  We stopped for a coffee at the beautiful old Court House Hotel in Smythesdale before taking the most direct route home via the Western and the Hume freeways.  And yes it rained most of the way home.  So good to see some decent falls at last but I'm sure the summer will return with a vengeance soon.

And so now with only one day remaining in January I'll leave you all here as we work out what February  will look like.

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