ALMOST TWO WEEKS since my hip replacement and i'm home :0)  my mobility is good, slow and careful but improving every day.  the time at Epworth couldn't be faulted, staff without exception were on the ball, friendly, informative, efficient.   And the hospital itself is new, spacious, well planned and easy to navigate.  A good experience all round.  

lovely flowers from susan were waiting for me in my room after the op.

Gail picked me up after four days and i've spent a very relaxed week in her home/haven.  plenty of time to rest and enjoy the changing patterns of light on gail's windows, knit, watch movies and play scrabble.  and receive visitors - lovely 

Had a lovely lunch at Jack Rabbit winery on the Bellarine Peninsula with susan and gail on what must have been the most beautiful autumn day this year.  a silvery sparkling setting looking out over the bay to the you yangs. I bought an orchid for sunny for her first mother's day.

Sunny came down with adorable Etta who's 

almost one now! where did that year go??

the velour hoodie i knitted fits perfectly :0)

I cooked dinner the second night i was at Gail's - i'm delighted to be able to move around so soon after the op.  it really is amazing.

We arrived home here on the river yesterday after a really good two day trip. my hip wasn't a problem in the car.  getting in and out is a bit of an process, i just have to remember to take my time.

On the first day we stopped at st arnaud for lunch and had a cruise around that pretty little town.  i found a bookshop that had two of my books, signed them for Gavin the owner.

There are a lot of murals around st. arnaud, all by the same artist and monochromatic.  they seem to fit in with the very old buildings.  St Arnaud seems almost untouched by time, the main street shops all have their original shopfronts with copper edged windows and lovely old tiles.  three lovely old pubs.  we had lunch at the Farmers Arms

               GAVIN at the Bookshop in St Arnaud

Then on to the Royal Hotel at Sea Lake which has been brought back to life by the local community.  it's been boarded up for years but now it's a hub of activity, lots of people there for dinner on a monday night. open fires, great understated decor, comfortable rooms and a gorgeous big balcony where we breakfasted with the crossword.    They'll be hugely busy once international tourism gets going again.

perfect scotch fillet

our room slept four and was only $95 - the whole
hotel is heated too

It's only about a 21/2 hour drive home from

sea lake,  the trip felt perfectly timed, easy.

we pulled over and picked up these

perfect tumbleweeds - i've always

wanted to put them in the garden

somewhere, i think the wrens would

love popping around on these :0)

 

We arrived home to find everything fine, had a wander round the garden and found various intriguing treats that had been left by ann, ann and lee.  they enjoyed their time here and i loved knowing the house was filled with lovely people.

Gail's here till tomorrow, we're off to the pictures today and i'll get my dressing off.  that'll feel good, it pulls and i think i'll be much more comfortable without it. 

GREAT TO BE HOME!!