Quick trip home

Our little 'holiday' had to be shortened by four days due to a couple of little"mishaps" ...but a quick decision and we were home by midnight. Thankfully we missed the deer and kangaroos in the darkness and the fog..... so home is good. We have done the lucky pattern draw and I have upped the number to 10 - so I will email everyone tomorrow. Briefly the winners are:

Anonymous from New Zealand, Amanda, Nancy, Ann (without an 'e') and Anne (with an 'e'), Connie, Delwyn, Chris D, Tanya and Margaret...thanks so much girls and I will email you tomorrow.

I did mean to revisit a little shop on Friday to take some photos but that will have to wait for another time. C and OS is full of delightful vintage wares which Janet has been collecting for some time - a couple of photos from Janet's blog taken inside her shop......

I secured these little beauties........

Sadly these shops always make you remember those bits and pieces that you gave away to charity....and that is probably where they will end up again one day! For now I will enjoy them. Have a great week wherever you are and thanks for dropping by xxx

Hibernating

Thanks for all your entries in the giveaway a few posts ago. We will do the lucky draw tomorrow and let eight of you know that you've won! We are hibernating as we do every Winter in our favourite part of South Australia - Robe. We have been coming here for 27 years and have seen many changes...sometimes not to our liking especially with the rising costs of accommodation. But because of Larry's career we can stay here at a very reasonable price. Sadly when we arrived I did have to spend an hour cleaning as the previous tenants did not know how to clean - yuk! The 4 hour trip includes a ferry across the river and it was very cold and wet...

 even the pelicans looked cold.....

 This icon is about 25 minutes from our destination and shows what this part of the world is renowned for........

 with lots of delicious wine from the limestone coast........

 ...yeh!...we're there.......

our little home for a few days....the before scene.......

 ....all unpacked and first up is the sewing machine set up for 6 days of stitching!! Larry would normally play several rounds of golf but some minor surgery has stopped that this time...so lots of walks instead while I stitch, stitch, stitch.........bliss! The chairs are strategically placed as my extension table!

So why do we love Robe?...the history is fascinating and was first settled in 1802 making it the oldest town of the state. So with our love of history and old buildings I will let the photos do the talking. The plaque precedes the building..........

And some other favourite buildings...........

For those of you who know Larry you will notice something missing.......I have not seen him without his beloved moustache for over 37 years!! Wahoo...the occasional smooch has certainly been a lot more pleasant but sadly he is missing it so the prickles are returning!!

So more of our week in a few days........

A birthday to remember

What a fabulous night we have had celebrating Larry's birthday in Melbourne. Jan couldn't join us so this is for you Jan and to all of you who came on the first William Morris tour last year! Alison was one of our fellow Morris devotees who came on tour with us. So it was a great thrill when she invited us to her beautiful home for dinner tonight......

We were greeted with Paul stoking the fire and then we shared in a glass of the most wonderful champagne......

Delicious dinner was accompanied by William Morris - of course!....

Alison and Paul are here trying to work out which end of the candle needs to be lighted!!......it was a wonderful surprise of a decadent chocolate birthday surprise for Larry.......

 I snuck a view of Paul snuffing out all the candles........how civilised......

The couch upholstery is gorgeous - very Morris like.......

 and then the wonderful opportunity to tour this historic terraced home which was built in 1887. Alison's love of Morris is all too evident and this quilt is completely Morris apart from some cream around the central star block. So lovely to see so many Morris prints that are now out of print........

 And the Sampler with matching pillows.........

 and this is the result of a design class some years back where I first met Alison.........

 All in all it has been a night to remember. Thankyou Alison for your friendship and hospitality. Thanks especially for your delightful humour and wit and of course mutual admiration for all things Morris. It was great to get to know you a little better Paul and I haven't heard Larry laugh so much as he did in the car on the way back to the hotel!! Hugs to you both xx