To Ballarat and Back

Hi All

Home again to a good dose of Nicola’s flue which I hopefully haven’t given the girls in Ballarat which is also why this post is later than it should be.

I had the absolute BEST time.  The drive down was good.  Way better than I expected, but it is truly heartbreaking just to see how incredibly dry and barren it looks after all these years of drought.

I was a bit naughty and took photos while I was driving.  Acutally it was more like point and shoot but they worked – sort of.

Jodie, Annie and Rachel are the three most amazing women I have ever met.

(from left to right) Annie, Jodie and Rachel)

I arrived at lunchtime and headed out to Rachel’s house where Jodie joined us.  Would you believe that we talked for five hours!!!!  Not bad considering they didn’t know me…vbg.  Rachel’s sewing is truly amazing.  So tiny and precise and I got to see some of her magnificant quilts – awesome and meet her wonderful family.

My class at Ballarat Patchwork was the next day.  Wonderful class, even better shop, and Emma and Pam are just amazing.  I learnt lots at the class – little things that I had missed readingthe Thimblelady book and got to experiment with Pearl cotton which I hadn’t used for sewing before.  Of course I did some shopping….did you really think I wouldn’t – but you will have to wait for another post to see what I bought.

Jodie invited me to her place for tea Saturday night.  I was there early so we popped into an Op Shop  and then to Gails’s Patchwork Emporium.  Apart from the fact I could loose myself in there for days I would loooooove to have the Bluestone “cottage” the shop is housed in.  Magnificant.  Awesome.  Outstanding. I’m determined to drag Ashley there just so he too can see what I long for most in this world – well apart from the fabric and goodies it holds…vbg.

Back to Jodie’s where Annie joined us and then Rachel and her family.  I didn’t get to check out Annie’s garden but did take her some plants from mine so hopefully (hint, hint Annie) I might get a sneak peek next time I visit…lol.

Jodie presented us with a magnificant home cooked (aka take away Pizza) meal which was the best pizza I have eaten for years.  Ohh and check out the above photo of the scissors that Jodie is holding.  That’s how she cuts up her pizza.  I knew there was a reason I liked the woman.

I couldn’t get over how welcoming Jodie, Annie and Rachel were to someone they hadn’t met before.  We just seemed to “click” and all of us have strange senses of humor – although they will probably deny it….vbg.  It was like coming home to friends you have known all your life.  Awesome.

Back to the caravan park that night then up early for the drive home. Actually I didn’t intend to be up early, but daylight savings ending and a very sore neck threw me out and I was on the road by 7.30 am.  Ohh and the caravan park I stayed at……was the same one my family used to stay at as a child and where Ashley and I spent out honeymoon.  It has been sold and will shortly close and be turned into a retirement village so it was nice to stay and say goodbye to the end of an era.

Going home I couldn’t resist taking a photo of the wind turbines that are on the hills near Ballarat.    And yes I did stop the car to take the photo – I didn’t fancy my chances with a camera and a windy road.

I just have to show you this.

On the way down there was just two chairs and tv/computer screen.  Coming home look what I saw…..

There are no houses around that I could see.  Not even a mail box or even a road into a property but these two Pooh Bears were settled in for the long haul.  I would have joined them but it was a little too early for a drink….roflol.

Thank you all for your support and comments about driving to Ballarat and enjoying myself. It was truly the best thing I could have done.  The confidence levels have grown, my family missed me and I think may actually have realised just how much Mum does do around the house but they have all made me promise to take them with me next time as it sounded like I had way to much fun without them.  As if I would…..vbg.

Catherine