frayed at the edge

Chocolate, chocolate and more chocolate!

Yesterday morning we popped into the Yarra Valley Chocolaterie and Ice Creamery for a cuppa.  As soon as you go in the door, there are enormous bowls of chocolate for you to sample

 

there was a special strawberry menu, which was hard to resist

 

but we settled for a delicious strawberry scone, with equally delicious strawberry jam and lashings of cream

 

of course we had to buy something chocolate-related, I got the cutest mug for hot chocolate, and Malcolm got a stubbie holder

 

 

well, that is almost the end of our Australian adventure!  We leave at the crack of dawn tomorrow to fly to Singapore, where we will spend several days before finally getting back home onWednesday.  We have had a wonderful, marvellous holiday ........ but it will be good to get home again!

 

 

 

A small quilting emergency!

Some time ago I agreed to take part in Thimbleanna's quiltalong with the beautiful Aunt's Quilt pattern.  Then, oops ....... I realised that I had still to buy the pattern!.  An emergency email to Meredithe later, it was arranged that Meredithe, Glenda and Heather, who usually get together on Tuesday mornings to stitch, would take me to buy the pattern

 

Meredithe had already signed up to the quiltalong, and Glenda and Heather de used to do it to.  We were allowed to choose fabrics from a very special box of fabrics which were used in the original quilt

 

and soon we each had a little pile of fabrics for our appliqué blocks

 

we also got to take photos of the original quilt!

 

 

while the others chose the rest of their fabrics (I haven't got any more room in my case!) I browsed round the beautiful shop

 

then of course it was time for lunch.  We found a delightful cafe called Bensons, where both Meredithe and Glenda chose the chicken salad

 

Heather had calamari

 

and I had delicious eggs Benedict ........ sorry the photo is out of focus!

 

when we were paying the bill, we were chatting to Joe, the cafe owner.  We said how much we enjoyed the food, so the chef came out to meet us

 

as you know, I can't put links in when I post from my Hudl, but if you pop over to Meredithe's blog, at Pomegranate and Chintz (on the sidebar) you will find her report of our day out complete with links

 

will find her report of our day out, complete with links.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chocolate for breakfast?

On Saturday morning we stopped here for breakfast

 

 

we shared a very tasty savoury pastry for breakfast, then were given a chocolate each to have with our cuppas.  We may have bought a little chocolate or two from these tempting displays

 

our next stop was at the National Rhododendron Garden.  I have lots of photos on the camera to share when I get home, but this one shows some of the beautiful colours

 

yesterday we took the train, then the tram to St Kilda.  We had breakfast, then had a walk along the pier, from where you get this wonderful view of the city

 

we spent quite a while looking at the many stalls in the craft market

 

I bought a new bangle (I can't resist bangles!)

 

I have been stitching in the evenings since I came back from the retreat, and have finished my first block .......

 

......... and have done a lot of the second one

 

PS there was a huge thunderstorm last night ........ after the enormous storm in Sydney, we felt as if the weather god had something against us!!

 

Good company .........

......... good food, good sewing, and a glass or two of good wine!  I had a fabulous time at the retreat with Meredithe, Helen, Karen and Maree.  Unfortunately Glenda and Jan weren't able to join us.  I have lots of photos to share with you once I am back home, but here is a taste

 

to finish, the healthy contents of the fruit basket!!

 

 

 

The joys, or otherwise ......

.......... of WiFi!  Yesterday I struggled with a dodgy connection, was about to publish a short post ........then, sorry, you are offline.  Hopefully I will get on better tonight!  Yesterday morning we said goodbye to Sydney and set off for Melbourne.  We stopped last night in Eden, and tonight we are in Lakes Entrance.  So no more chat, I'll now have my usual battle to insert some photos

 

 

Doing these posts on the road, I have to use the Hudl to take the photos, but this pelican was too far away.  So to finish, here is a (not very good) photo of a photo on my proper camera!!

 

On Monday I go off with my quilty chums for our retreat.  I might not be able to blog, so you might have to wait to find out about all the delicious food we ate ........ I meant to say all the lovely sewing we did!!

A once in a century storm

As you may have seen on the news, Sydney has been battered for two nights in a row with storms, with last night's being declared a once in a century storm.  But of course that is nothing to us, intrepid world travellers!  We have spent time with our wonderful friends Lee and John and their gorgeous daughters (check out Just Like Martha on the sidebar) and today we braved the weather to take the Manly ferry to Circular Quay.  Malcolm enjoyed the rough seas, while I just hoped I wasn't going to lose my breakfast!!  But it was worth it to spend the day visiting our favourite places in Sydney.  Tomorrow we get back on the road to Melbourne, but for this evening I will leave you with some photos from our day

 

 

 

 

 

 

The big city

Our last night on the road was spent in this rather posh suite - there were several weddings on locally and everywhere was fully booked, but as we didn't want to drive any further, it was worth paying the bit extra

 

Then yesterday we arrived in Sydney.  We may have had one or two unintentional detours on our way to the hotel - one involving going through the tunnel under the harbour, then coming back across the Harbour Bridge.  I'm sorry I haven't got photos, but I keep forgetting to have the Hudl handy!  However I do have two photos taken from our balcony this afternoon.  Unfortunately we have had some rain today, so the sky is a bit grey

 

Thanks for all your comments - it's lovely to read them, and I'm sure you will understand if I don't reply, as I don't want to spend too long online.  I hope to back later in the week with the next stage of our adventures!

 

 

 

Yackandandah ........

....... no, not a new swear word but the town we visited this morning.  It was another hot sunny day and we enjoyed a stroll round the town.  We haven't yet had a scone, but we did have delicious jammy doughnuts.  After yesterday's trials and tribulations, I am just going to put in the photos without any text between them, as that seemed to be causing the problems

 

 

as those went in no problem, I'll try adding some from yesterday!

 

 

 

Two Rutherglens

Until today Rutherglen was the place that my brother-in-law and my friend Anne S. are from ...... but we stopped today in Rutherglen for lunch

 

after driving for miles on long straight roads

 

 

the food was delicious

 

 

 

I was going to show you some of the old buildings, but every time I try to insert a photo the Hudl goes into meltdown!!

We are staying tonight and tomorrow in Beechworth.  Hopefully I will be able to share more with you tomorrow!

  

 

 

 

 

On the road

We arrived in Melbourne yesterday, picked up our hire car, and set off on our road trip to Sydney.  Tonight we are staying in the delightful town of Echuca (sorry, I can't put in links from my Hudl, but do google it.)  This is a slow connection, so no more words, just a selection of photos from the last two days