I'm back!

Arrived home from the '5 days away from it all' trip.
OK didn't want to come home.
Never want to work again.
See this is what is wrong with taking breaks.
Now have to psych myself back into do work.
Sigh.

Stayed in Daylesford at the Gatehouse at Tasma House. Lovely little weatherboard cottage/barn/loft thingy. No pictures on the cream painted walls, a couple of persian rugs, leather sofas, iron bed, white hotel sheets, mixed up furniture, recycled doors and windows- see that's why I din't want to come home! It was like staying in a dream bed-sit. OK -there was one piece of furniture I toyed with throwing out the door and a vase on the chest of drawers that I kept having to avoid when I looked around the room, but that's pretty good for me! Oh and the doona cover would have to go when I moved in..... took my tea-towel quilt with me and it looked perfect on the bed!



The view from the bench otside the front door. Weather was hot but with that dry air feeling and cool breezes in the afternoon and cool evenings. Got back into Melbourne to humidity that was awful. What has happened to this city? Brisbane or what?! I've been gone since Sunday and the jasmine has taken over the backyard- bizarre!



Have discovered over the years the genetic trait in my family (paternal side- although with the maternal growing up in Meekathara and Kalgoolie probably hasn't helped) of hitting the road and driving. The point being that when you get to the 'destination' you stop for 5 minutes or less and then start driving again..... sometimes not even slowing down. It's strangely meditative, very much the journey not the destination. So you can tell that this is what a great part of my trip away involved. Back-roads and open vistas. Now have driver's arm tan.
Did visit places that I haven't been to for a long time. All those childhood picnics (see above) with 5 kids and 2 adults in the kingswood. 'Back to Dunolly' festivals and looking at mines and historical markers........



It's amazing the landscape around Clunes and Smeaton. Slag-heaps and mines pimpling the paddocks and amazing old engine houses in the middle of no-where. Saw one of my favourite houses along this road, kind of Georgian and should have been in Tasmania rather than Central Victoria. Got to go back in winter and get a picture, quite Brontesque, mm not quite right, will have to pinpoint writer, but you get the idea. This engine house on the Clunes-Smeaton road looks like a Crusader castle, in ruins in the sand.

Op-shopping was of course on the menu whilst vacationing. Not good. Scored a couple of tins (lolly, biscuit etc) and a crochet afghan rug. Did a few antique-y places ( 3 tea-towels and a couple of pieces of fabric) and the best find was a beautiful enamel soup tureen with ladle. Super fantastic! Amazing dark teal blue with black rim and white inside.

Bought back one other thing.



She hitched a ride in the back of the Nissan Pulsar. Her leg span is bigger than the circumferance of the Duralex coffee glass she is currently sitting in. She wouldn't get out when I tried to pop her in the Virginia Creeper over the back. maybe I should drive her home....... (Do you think there are anymore in the car?)