FREEDOM: (Eating Again) Lunch with Friends in the Country

Last Saturday, we got together with the group of friends which we went away with for the House-boating holiday back in May. They are three people my husband and I knew through our workplace (including two partners) - so we are a merry band of seven.... and very much enjoy catching up.

We booked a table in a historic hotel - a country pub in Willunga which started operations in 1840. I'm sorry I forgot to take a photo of the very beautiful street view of the hotel. We actually had the entire dining room to ourselves which was lovely - we said it was like eating around the table in houseboat!!

As soon as I read the board on the left - there was no further need to peruse the real menu! Duck (especially confit leg) is my FAVOURITE!!!! 

In this room is a secondary bar.... with an interesting addition above the bar!

This is real life size rubber version of a great white shark caught in a seaside town, Robe. I'm not sure what is has to do with Willunga.... but the new managers here are from Robe - so maybe there is a connection there??

Our friends all arrived and after much chatting the food started coming too - this is the beer battered fish and chips

This is the Salt and Pepper Squid that the husband ordered

Last but not least - two at the table ordered the Confit Duck Legs - smothered in Red Wine and Garlic  Jus...... I was a happy girl!

Can you believe we squeezed in dessert too!!

My husband has announced that he has already put on 2kg over the last couple of weeks - blaming the socialising and eating that happen prior to the Christmas Season. 

Tis the season to be Jiggly...........

FREEDOM: Holiday in Bright, Victoria - Pt 1

My husband and I love to visit Bright - he has good friends (N & I) who retired there after working their entire lives in Adelaide. They were avid skiers and used to ski the surrounding alpine mountain slopes of this lovely Victorian town. We so look forward to spending some quality time with them as (N & I) are fellow wine lovers and foodies like us. There is always good wining and dining on these trips.

Many tourists go to Bright for the beauty and quaint country feel...... and it is a hop, skip and jump to day tours into the snow in the ski season.

We were there over the last week, celebrating my Birthday and our 10th Wedding Anniversary. To be honest - it's any excuse to get there in the cooler months for me!

I'm blogging the holiday in three parts for your viewing pleasure!

After about 1000 kilometres - we have 71 to go!

The beautiful Autumn leaves provide a welcome.

At LAST - the entry into Bright.

The town centre - and the returned servicemen's memorial.

More Autumn display outside the main street pub.

Top of main street.

Looking back down the shopping strip.

Pretty lane ways.

We had a coffee overlooking the Ovens River in the Riverdeck Cafe.

One of the Caravan Parks enjoying riverside plots.

A walkway over the Ovens River.

Gorgeous place to sit and see what's in the picnic basket!

Further down the river path.

Pretty, pretty, pretty.

Our Holiday House.

Cyclamens on our front porch.

It's sad that we didn't stay longer. But it was the first time we left our dog, Rubie, for longer than a day. She holidayed with my brother and his two mini schnauzers......and she coped really well. I was so relieved. It made me feel sick in the stomach to leave her. We received regular texts, emails and emailed photos to prove she was happy. A BIG step for this little family.

I'll post the inside pictures of our holiday house and more shortly.

It's nice to go away, but there is no place like home.

FREEDOM: Short Holiday Booked

I'm totally in love with the Alpine (highlands) region of Victoria. My love affair started when my husband took me to Bright, in order to introduce me to one of his old bosses and his dear wife. They retired and then moved to Bright from Adelaide, because they were snow bunnies and avid skiers. I will call them N&I to protect their privacy, but suffice to say they are the best and I love their little town almost as much as I love them.

In the ski season you can take transport or drive if you have snow chains, direct into the ski fields from their low lying town. Bright has been known to get a mini sprinkle of snow, but not enough to ski on. It is a lush and green town, the Ovens River running through, complete with gorgeous huge trees which put on an awesome show over Autumn.

Just recently - there have been flooding rains over Qld, NSW and Victoria and it seems to have affected many towns alongside rivers, with much home loss and soul destroying times for many. Bright has flooded in the past, but it seems to have got through these last few weeks quite well.

In April it is our 10th Wedding anniversary. Whew - where did those years go??? Also, my Birthday is the day before. So even though we bought our wonderful A'van Caravan as our anniversary "present" - we are slipping over to Bright to get away, meet up with our friends and enjoy the Autumn display.

I've booked a Holiday Unit - in a gorgeous garden setting and it even comes with free use of mountain bikes to enjoy the trails. Haven't been on a bike in over 25 years! Woo Hoooo!

I can't wait - only drawbacks are the LONG drive and the fact we are leaving Rubie our dog with her Uncle and fur-cousins  .....   here is a taste of what is to come:

FREEDOM: Saga of the "Recreational Vehicle"

My husband retired and I, in sympathy, stopped working - about 7 years ago. Traditionally, here in Australia, when people retire they generally buy a caravan or motorhome and "drive around Australia". These people are fondly named "The Grey Nomads". Well I colour my greying tendencies - so the name never quite fit me. What little hair my husband has, was and is, in fact, very grey - so he fits this mould.

We bought a small motorhome (sight unseen - just pictures) over the internet, and my husband flew to Sydney to pick it up and drive it home. Here it is:

"Matilda" - camped at Ormiston Gorge - Northern Territory

Here she is with full outfit on, Arthur's lake, Tasmania.

Over the span of about 2 and a half years, we saw a lot  of Australia over four trips, spanning about 4 months per trip. Needless to say, the whole experience was AWESOME and a fitting introduction to "Freedom" in retirement. 

We then sold Matilda to a very nice older couple (greys) who live on the Sunshine Coast, Queensland. The motorhome was unable to be stored at our place due to her height. And to leave it out (not undercover) was not an option.

While we were happy to have sold her privately, and pretty much recoup the money we had paid for her,

there was this niggling "oh no, what have we done!!" feeling inside.

Have we just sold our FREEDOM??

After a while I started feeling a little sad for the loss of our "Recreational Vehicle" and began to think how nice for us AND our little dog "camping" and "adventures" would be. But there were very few options for people travelling with dogs.

Well...............

Guess what we did today????

Happy Days!!! After much deliberation, my husband and I decided on a compact and fold down caravan, small enough that we could tow it with our medium sized car. We ordered a brand newy today with many extras including air-conditioning and full annex and awning to double the living space when camped. It will take approximately 4 months to be constructed and delivered. 

So who's a Happy Camper now??????