Days 20, 21, 22, 23 - Wed - Sat 06/03/10

I'm hot, no not that sort of hot! Either I'm already acclimatised or it is muggy and hot today. When J Lo (my car) was pulled out of a ditch this morning, the thermometer said 31 degrees. I was accused of sounding like a local yesterday when I commented on the day's warmth....I should be so lucky! It has been uncommonly humid the past 2 days, and as winter follows autumn, I'm sure I'm going to be particularly sensitive to the cold this winter, best enjoy the heat while I can.

I don't really know about Floyd, I assume a lot, but I was bored with the 3 different combinations of blocks we have walked recently. Someone suggested visiting Wattle Grove (7 kms), so we headed west and took an early stop, taking a right onto Missing Link Rd. It was glorious at 8.30 am with the misty clouds across the hills/mountains vanishing into bright, hot sunshine. I parked the car by a farm gate and we walked up and down the road, taking in the view and collecting yet more blackberries. In spite of all the prophets of doom around here that the last big wind or the most recent cold snap would see the end of the blackberry crop, they just keep coming! Thought we might still make it all the way to Wattle Grove after Floyd relieved himself but my attempt to do a U turn landed J Lo with her left front wheel down a ditch and the right rear wheel hanging half a metre above the ground...interesting predicament. Took the whole of the morning and $150 but we made it home eventually relatively unscathed (I hope the car is OK?). Great way to spend a wedding anniversary but the other half is in South Australia - not a lot to celebrate today - maybe tomorrow.

Ventured to the Town Hall yesterday for a Beginners' Class of Tai Chi. It is only across the road but I was still late - pathetic really! Friend Jasmine also joined this week and invited me in for a coffee - delightful it was too. As I left, we saw a perfectly restored Morris Minor leaving the local car park, followed by a ute parking out the front of the B&B that was literally held together by rust.
It was so bad, even the roof was freckled full of rust! Clearly, annual roadworthies are not compulsory here...

I took the journey into "town" on Wednesday, passing the 2 other "towns" to reach the 3rd - Huonvillle, then Kingston and finally Hobart - a drive of all of 45 minutes. Had almost convinced myself Kingston would be a good compromise for work, rather than commuting all the way to Hobart. It's 11 kms from Hobart! What's that all about? Hobart light? Hard to get my head around the thought of work at the moment, much less the commute...

Now do be warned fellow citizens, when Tasmanians insist on a ludicrously low speed limit for non-existent roadworks, they are serious. Mercifully, the Police had their hands full when I rounded the bend at the end of the freeway as I was probably about 10 km over the limit. I met Winsor at the beautiful Islington - a private hotel in a very leafy part of the city. What a magnificent setting with an infinity pool blending into the view of stunning houses nestled into the bushy hills and the rear courtyard and conservatory bathed in afternoon sunshine - it was hard to drag myself away but the reason for the trip was a party and it beckoned...

Winsor arrived in Hobart very early in the day as a guest of Cascade for something to do with beer and hops. Not really my area of interest but he had a good day with a particularly note worthy lunch and tastings of some vintage beers. In the evening there was the aforementioned party at the Cascade Brewery - a truly magnificent setting and apparently not only the oldest brewery in Australia but the oldest working factory in the land as well. There were several politicians at the party - none I recognise yet. We are in election mode here. I have listened to some commentary on the radio though the faces are not yet familiar. There were a number of TV types too, looks like half the ABC's TV personalities live in Hobart - perhaps the only place they can afford on ABC wages! The party was fun and the wine flowed as well as the beer. It was hard to wrench myself away from home but worth it in the end. I can still string a few words together - but only just.

Took myself off shopping in Hobart on Thursday and walked for miles. Winsor got home a few hours before me relieved to find the dog had survived his first night home alone. Winsor was just home for the evening and back at the airport to fly to SA for 2 days on Friday morning. At least someone in our household can still manage to drag themselves away from home to earn a living. I'm a kept woman - what a concept! Must start to think about work one day soon...