This Sunday in the country is a misty, chilly affair - a lovely day to be rugged up and out on the road for a potter around the traps.
It started off with a Brekkie+ - not unlike an eDinner but for the time of day and the medium. Google+ video feed is very easy and seems pretty stable, so Bart and Kelly tuned in from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia as we did from here in Green Gully, Victoria to share a meal of Kelly Beans for breakfast. Fox is visiting us this weekend, and as I finished plating up our breakfast, she stacked the Jamie Oliver cookbooks high for our digital guests to see what we were eating.
After sustenance and a chat about what the day held for each of us - The Barts off to tennis with friends, and we were planning a trip down to the Daylesford Market - we logged off, tidied up, brushed our teeths and hairs, dressed the dog and climbed into Fox's Polo for the scenic drive down to Daylesford.
Seems there weren't many people who thought as kindly toward the weather as we did and didn't brave the damp to stay long at the market. It was forlorn and muddy, and we didn't stay long either. Instead we headed for Daylesford's undercover Mill Market. This huge warehouse market full of stalls selling kniks and knacks, cups and saucers, bureaus and bookshelves, clothes and brickabrac. As we were about to enter Willo warned me to keep my cool, he knows how I can loose it when confronted with too many teacups. He said I was not to get too excited by the first sight of the place, because it was massive and I was to pace myself.
The warning was well timed, and he was right to give me a heads-up - the place is massive - and crammed with every kind of thing you can think of. A person could go crazy and buy all sorts of things they didn't need if they didn't keep their cool. I could imagine a spending frenzy in a place like this - like that time I bought 24 zips - but that's another story.
While there aren't any trolleys or baskets to load up with goodies, there were helpers who offered to carry soon-to-be purchased items to the counter so arms wouldn't be burdened and unable to pick even more items to buy - plus, I imagine, you might forget just how many things you had sent to the counter which would be a good thing for the stall holders bottom line.
I really only saw a couple of things I would consider buying. One was a blue English dining set of four plates, four cups and saucers, and four cereal bowls a really nice breakfast set. I love blue and white china and have a real weak spot for it. I also spotted a 1930s kitchen cupboard that was a good price - always fancied one of those and this one had very nice art deco-style plain and beveled glass lead light patterned sliding doors. The best thing I saw there though was a Fox-find. A Japanese shoe cupboard, with wooden keys. So delightful, though I can't imagine a use for it, it would be a delightful item to 'have'.
While the wooden key occupied the lock, the door could be opened. Pull the key from the slot and the cupboard is locked, and your little shoes are safe. Really delightful with cheerful illustrations on each door.
Making our way back to Green Gully, we stopped at the Chocolate Mill for a hot chocolate and some cake. Lovely chocolate, nice people, but so many rules. Seemed to me that every second yellow notice told me what I couldn't do at the Chocolate Mill. I couldn't ask for a sample of chocolate, nor a glass of water, I wasn't allowed over this LINE and I wasn't allowed to touch the chocolate. "NO manners, NO chocolate!" Seems there was a rule for everying, including licking the glass - and the fact there was a sign saying I wasn't allowed to.
The hot chocolate was good though. Willo tried the hot milk chocolate with carrot cake, I had the dark hot chocolate and Fox ordered a chilli hot chocolate and mud-cake.
With our bellies full of milk we finished our Sunday drive by making it back to home again, jiggity jig. Jet is snoozing in front of the fire, while Willo takes a nap in the bean-bag and Fox is listening to music.
It's a good day to be in the country, this drizzly, misty Sunday.
