It's a busy time at home.......

and so began a couple of months of full steam ahead as we return to life in Euroa with friends, markets and quite a few new outlets for Bill's cards and pictures.

I returned to Line Dancing, exercises, family history and Trivia nights (which we have been doing very well at) and have had lots of fun catching up with everyone's stories of their many different winter adventures.  We are not the only ones who travel far and wide to escape winter.

Bill returned to his activities as well and is enjoying some other adult company at the Photography Club and the Computer club.  He also helped out with the Euroa Show again this year still working in the Photography Section so no more entries for him just yet.  I also got involved this year helping in the kitchen for one day feeding the many stewards and judges as they worked their magic the day before show day so everyone could have a fun day on Saturday.

We have also enjoyed catching up with friends we have not seen while away.  There have been many coffees with Judy and Peter at the Nest and Fare Enough.  We do try not to play favourites with our local cafes.  Also coffee catch ups with Joan and Pam.  Birthday drinks with Roma and Harold for his 85th birthday.  We've seen Kobe, Dan and the kids at Violet Town and have spent time chatting about art space with some lovely artists from the Strathbogie region and our own Tess, Janet and Leah as we met up to apply for a Govt. grant for an arts space in Euroa.  Not successful this time but who know what will happen next time we try.

Speaking of Arts we have been along to a few opening nights of new exhibitions at Bush Gatherings, a small gallery in Violet Town.  We have enjoyed seeing the artwork of Helena Gibson who captured the heart and soul of the many market traders of the Violet Town Market.  Mervyn Beamish looked at life through different eyes and his exhibition Textures II was excellent.  I fell in love one of his pieces and now have to find some wall space for Bill to hang it.  Suzanne Alderson's Middle See opened last week and is another lovely exhibition focusing on the many sides of the bay viewed from the Bellarine Peninsula.

Bill has been working at NEA every couple of weeks and he also entered some pieces into 'Bogarts' the Arts Festival in Strathbogie.  We enjoyed a lovely night at the opening though did not get back over the weekend to see the sculpture walk as the weather gods did not play nicely that weekend.

We had a fabulous day with Shelley, Darren and Kyan when we visited them in Mansfield for Grand Final day.  We drove over early to have a look at the farmers market before heading off to their place. Julie and Craig and a few others joined the party and we had a fun time watching the footy and catching up with everyone.

We have had some visitors pass by and say hello.  Kevin Wigg joined us at home the week after we got back.  He was making his way to the city to spend the Grand Final with some friends of his.  He parked the van out the front and stayed overnight.  We had a great afternoon and enjoyed dinner at the The Sevens Creek Hotel.  Worked out to be great timing as it was Bill's birthday so he was able to help him celebrate.   Last month our good friends Joy and David stopped in Euroa on their way back from visiting family in Kyabram.  We had a lovely lunch with them at Alberts and lots to catch up on.  

We had to drive to Highpoint Shopping Centre to find our closest Apple Store.  After travelling for many months as we do in remote areas this very busy suburban shopping centre on the outskirts of Melbourne was certainly a shock to the senses.  It took over half an hour to find a park and inside the hundreds of people everywhere made a simple walk from one shop to another a real obstacle course.  Bill's phone had died while we were away and so we were trying to see if it could be repaired.  It couldn't and after a couple of hours instore we left with a new one.  Finally with new phone in hand we were able to leave and head back to our much quieter little town.  We stopped at the roadhouse in Avenel and had a big bowl of soup for dinner on the way home.

I think we do more miles in a day when we are at home than when we are away.  Since coming home we have done many km as we visit the shops and information centres that stock Bill's cards.  We have made regular trips to Bright, Beechworth, Yackandandah, Chiltern, Elmore, Murchison, Glenrowan, Benalla, Shepparton and now have added Rutherglen, Mooroopna and Yea to that list.  All stores have been selling calendars and cards quite well in the lead up to Christmas.  Of course we have had to check out some of the cafes along the way and I think The Rusty Bike in Yack and the Vintage Hall in Glenroan have to be two of the favourites.

We did one long drive to Barooga just over the border into NSW.  Bill had been invited to speak to their local photography club.  Shirley had met him at the Violet Town Market.  Along the way we stopped to stretch our legs at Nurmurkah.  The working water wheel in the centre of the road was an interesting feature.  We had dinner at Sporties Barooga, a very large sportmans club before heading over to the school where the meeting was held.  The club members seemed to enjoy Bill's presentation and had lots of questions for him afterwards.  It was a late night home!

And of course there have been markets!  Since coming home we have returned to Violet Town, Euroa, Avenel and Tahbilk markets.  All are different but all have been fun and mostly worth the very early starts.  We have also done the Art Gallery Makers Market at Benalla and two twilight markets at Jamieson and Kinglake.  We have met some lovely people at all these markets and meet many regulars as they return to say hi.  It was a lovely surprise one morning to see Kathy and Russell as they dropped past to say hello and welcome back.  We look forward to catching up properly soon.

I too have been busy getting ready for markets.  While we were in Mareeba Leanne gave me a roll of material she uses to make bags with now that single use plastic bags are banned.  To make these I have spent a few days with the sewing machine out and have been quite pleased with the result.  Who says you can't teach an old dog new tricks.

So now I think I have brought you all up to date with our comings and goings during our first two months back home.  Christmas is just around the corner and the silly season is about to start in earnest.  I'll let you know how we survive it next time.

until then.........