Christmas Day 2012

Okay, I know it's three days after Christmas and Maybe this should have been posted earlier, but hey! it's Christmas everybody's busy. So here's the annual Christmas photo (or one of them). Better late than never, eh?


Above: Christmas lunch 2012

Sunday Brunch is Fun

Bella Cosi
Last Sunday I had brunch at a little place called Bella Cosi - that's Italian for beautiful place. In Port Melbourne, you get a lovely view of the beach with the Spirit of Tasmania in dock.

 

Above: Bella Cosi
This is where I had my coffee - see the table on the right? Well it was the other table to the right of that!

 

Above: Cappuccino
Not bad, not bad at all.

 

Above: Sweet and Saucy
I put on weight just looking at it.

 

Above: The BIG Breakfast
This was a hearty brunch, and it comes with either tea or coffee.

 

Above: Le Menu
Such tempting goodies. All in all, this is a nice place to go, the staff are friendly (it's a family run business) and the decor is rather quirky.

Turning Sad into Happy

Ever had one of those days when you feel sort of miserable? When you feel disappointed? Well. today I turned disappointment into un-disappointment. I'd planned on going to the farmers market, primarily to buy free range eggs then go up to Kinglake to get a lambskin steering wheel cover from a little country shop, and over to a place where you can bottle your own spring water. Today came I didn't really feel like going anywhere - weather was cool and miserable. Anyway, son asked for a lift to the station so I thought if I'm going to be driving, I might as well go out as I'd planned.

So, driving along I felt sort of sad and depressed, arrived at Yering and all the free range eggs had gone. Disappoiuntment No 1. Thought I'd buy one of the delicious shepherds pies. Disappointment No 2 - none left. Drove up to Kinglake, the shop is closed until next month - Disappointment No 3. Took out my Thermos and made a cuppa tea - it started raining, the weather had turned nasty. Thought I'll buy a nice hot pie. Disappointment No 4 - no ordinary meat pies left. Had sausage rolls instead. Decided to forget about bottling spring water - driving an extra 50 odd kms on a cold and rainy day wasn't worth it.

Started on my way back and stopped a few times to photograph the Ranges. Stopped at a country general store where I'd bought a cup of tea last year, just to say hello - she didn't remember me of course as I would have been just one of many customers. To my surprise, I started feeling better. Driving along I saw a sign "Lovegrove Winery" and thought why not? So in I went.

Lovegrove Winery Estate

The sun had come out and the scenery was just lovely. I enjoyed a spot of wine tasting. Knowing I had to drive, I sat outside and had a smoke while taking pleasure in the scene before my eyes. And do you know something? I realised I felt better and I was glad I'd gone out today. I was really pleased that I'd stopped at Lovegrove and wondered how I hadn't seen it when I was up this way last year. I found out why at my next stop.


Winery Gardens

This was the view I had. I bought a bottle of wine (a 2005 Merlot) and asked the owner Stephen would he mind if I set a while outside with my coffee. So I drank some coffee and thought I'd better eat something. All I had was a box of cakes I'd bought at the farmers market.

Yummy Cakes

There were six - I had one of the friands. Later I saw the road sign saying "Hurstbridge" and thought to myself, hang on, where's Panton Hill? Saw a sign pointing backwards saying "Panton Hill 3)and noticed another road with "Free Range Eggs" written on the road side sign, so up this unfamiliar road I went - alas they didn't any eggs but the lady said if I cared to stop at the studio just "up there" they might have some.

Country Hens

I did and they did. The chap said they were only pullets but I didn't mind. I had my free range eggs and was happy.

Coffee Stop

Stopped here for a cappuccino - my thermos flask is small and the water long gone - and that's when I found out the reason for not seeing the winerey before. Turns out the road I drove on today is the low road and when I'd come this way before, I'd turned left and gone on the high road. Isn't it strange how the simple act of not turning left showed me different things and made my day happy? Not only did my day turn into a "good" day, I found a place where you can buy fresh eggs, and a nice winery.

Singing Syrup

The bottle of wine I bought.

Work Christmas Party

MY work put on our Family Christmas Picnic last week - free food, free drink (non-alcoholic alas), icecream, rides and a present from Father Christmas for the kiddies. Yes, the "Man in the red suit" is always a popular figure at this time of year. Why, he's even known to have been "mobbed"!

Now, in countries on the other side of the world, wearing a nice thick velvet suit complete with fur - fake or otherwise - might be a nice, warm thing for those gents who work with their elves, in shops, along the street, and have the little dears sitting on their knees while they listen to the hastily whispered, "I want a.....". And a happy, smiling, jolly chap listens attentively and nods his head, and at the end of a four hour shift (or however long it is) goes home, puts his feet in front of the fire, sips a warm toddy and toddles off to bed, snug under his electric blanket.
Sounds nice eh?

Well, spare a thought for those who don't live "on the other side of the world" - Terra Australis. (To you of course, it is the other side of the world, but not for us) Yes, Terra Australis - here in Australia it is summer, and all those nice, jolly gents who wear the 'nice thick velvet suit complete with fur - fake or otherwise -' swelter, as they discreetly dab the sweat that runs down their faces. Doing this when it's 40º is no picnic. OH, 40º is 40ºC - that's 104ºF.

And so...I take my hat off to them - they do a wonderful job and make little people very happy.

Baby's First Christmas

This little bub didn't even cry, although she wasn't too sure who he was. But she did like the colour red.

The Farmyard

There were farm animals which amused the kiddies and even many adults had to be dragged away.


Having Fun

Everybody loves a picnic and when it's free, it's even better. The weather turned out to be quite nice - not as hot as last year's one which was a relief for many.


The Drinks King

Meet our king of the drinks. Take a bow.


Master Carver

And here - meet the master carver. He did a wonderful job.


The Queue

Have you ever noticed which is the l.o.n.g.e.s.t queue? It's always for the ice-cream.