Wednesday, January 24, 2024

Point Lonsdale and spider alert

I've never mentioned exactly where Sister and Bone, Doctor and Jo live and it is Point Lonsdale in the Borough of Queenscliffe. The only other town in Queenscliffe is Queenscliff, where we stayed at Christmas. The e is not errant. Pt Lonny is full of wealthy older folk along with comfortable younger people of a similar age to Sister. As a married dyke couple with a sixteen year old daughter, they are well knitted into the accepting local community. Even when walking the dog at the beach one day, someone asked who I was while walking Sister's dog. 

This visit we were looking after Sister's cats and dog and staying in their home. We know the dog Fuzzy Coco very well, the sister cats not at all. They were very wary and from what I later worked out, they spent much more time outside in the initial days of our visit but quickly became used to us and then tried to take advantage. I asked Sister to write down explicit feeding directions and she did. 

Dry food in the morning for the cats, wet food and dry in the evening. Dog, wet food and dry food morning and evening, plus an evening pill. 

When we had cats we would never allow them up onto a table or kitchen benches. We quickly understood this was not Sister's practice with the cats. They were quite used to sitting on the dining room table and harassing us at the kitchen sink when preparing their food, and the dog's food. I fed them when I rose at 7 and when R rose after 9, they tried to convince us they had not been fed, with lots of nagging behaviour. 

The cats did amuse us but I've decided I am more of a dog person. Dogs are more like men. I understand them and it was pointless to shout at Coco after she opened the rubbish bin and spread rubbish all over the floor just to have a lick at food containers.

Monday we visited Fire Fighting Nephew and his wife in Torquay kind of on our way to Point Lonsdale it was lovely to see their four year old daughter and the 18 month old twin boys. The family is moving. They bought their off the plan two bedroom apartment about five years ago for $625 in a prime location, now worth about $1.2. They have housing options open to them. Two bedrooms and one bathroom are not enough for a family of five nowadays and I appreciate how difficult it is to take such young children out on your own. With a single standing house, they will have space to run and play. 

We settled into Sister's, and with a balmy evening and we sat outside under the grape vine to have our take away Point Lonsdale fish and chips. As I don't blog when on holidays, R doesn't cook.

Tuesday was cheap food and coffee for brunch from a kiosk at Queenscliff Beach. We went on to the ferry port and were prepared to use the stairs to climb to the top of the viewing area. Oh, what a shame, the stairs were closed due to high winds and we were forced to use the lift. 

That evening we dined at the Shelter Shed, dining like we rarely have before. The Shelter Shed is not cheap but the service and food are excellent, and the hydrangeas we saw when we brunched there at Christmas were still looking good.  

I didn't take many photos but a few on the first day.

R was alerted by a paw sticking out that a cat was within the cupboard under the bathroom basin. There is a white blob slightly to the left above the blue towel. 


At Fire Fighting Nephew's place, there is a bush land park across the street, but it was locked off by padlocked  gates. Outrageous. 


Sister's place comes with local wildlife, including ants, mosquitos and mice (gift from a cat). This is the kitchen window. 


Queenscliff Beach at low tide is like an enclosed bathing area. Shark proof.


The cabin where my late mother stayed for Sister's and Bone Doctor's wedding,  the cabin paid for by Sister, overlooking the beach in the photo above.



It really was such a shame the stairs were closed and we had use the lift to get up top. You believe me, don't you? 



The Sorrento ferry.


The marina.



The black lighthouse in the distance.



Queenscliff Pier.


The impressive ferry terminal with a restaurant within.


Oreo quickly liked us. Her sister Athena took a little longer. 


It seems there is no rule to what spirit or liqueur comes with your affogato. In this case it was Frangelico. That worked. Our fellow diners came close to cheering when our affogatos were brought out. That's strong coffee in the glass to the right.


More soon.

25 comments:

  1. When I hear people talk about the honesty of animals I assume they have not lived with them. Cats (and dogs) are skilled liars on the subject of food (inadequate) and attention (ditto). And no, while we are talking fibs I don't believe you and R were sorry to HAVE to use the lift.
    Sister and family live in a beautiful part of the world and how nice that there is a well established community there.

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    1. Lol at animal honesty, EC. True, I think. The town is very nice. Retired high court judges, other well known retired people.

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  2. That giant ice-cream really takes my attention away! It has been 2 weeks that I have yet visited the coast. Thanks for the reminder.

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    1. Roentare, ice cream with coffee and liqueur was so nice. I'm sure you will be coastal again soon.

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  3. Thank you for the laughs: the un-fenced gate, your so-called sorrow over not taking the stairs, pathetic begging pet antics, and that shelf kitty have brightened a dreary day. I also appreciated all the photos and your more serious commentary. It seems a day for memories among the blogging community, myself included. Be well!

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  4. No I do not believe you about the closed off stairs because you are a lazy ****er and the lift was a much easier option!

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    1. YP, I hope the censored word starts with a b.

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  5. Sounds like you had lovely times.Loved the photos. And yes, I'm sure you were heartbroken you couldn't take the stairs. Wink. Wink.
    Sandra sandracox.blogspot.com

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    1. Sandra, I needs my exercise. Needing and doing it are two different things.

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  6. Sounds like the perfect holiday. I really like the sharkproof tidal pool.
    I let Lola eat on the table because it is the only place she will eat! But she doesn't hassle me all day pretending she hasn't been fed. She eats breakfast then goes off somewhere to sleep the day away and comes back around 5pm for her dinner.

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    1. River, I suppose the cats were only nagging because the dog was fed later. While I am not keen on cats being on benches and tables, I've never heard of anyone dying from what cats do.

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  7. Please tell me the photograph is making that spider seem bigger than it is. I'm not normally afraid of them, but that one would give me a start.

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    1. It does look bigger Kirk. It was about 1.5cm long body wise. I can visualise an inch but I can't remember how they are divided, so maybe 2/3 of an inch.

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  8. I'd have to clean that window and remove the spider, hate cobwebs but I know the spiders have to live somewhere..
    The photos are nice and beautiful blue sky too.
    Just love Frangelico.

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    1. Margaret, you could spend a week cleaning up Sister's house, including web removal but it will still be what it is, a very dated but comfortable home.

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  9. It sounds like a nice time away in a lovely part of the world, though the spiders would worry me. I don't like them here and ours aren't dangerous. It's sad that you missed your exercise - the lift just isn't the same.

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    1. JB, we didn't bother the spiders and they didn't bother us. I must say though, it does look like a nasty spider. Brown spiders worry me less. Finally, someone believes me about the stairs.

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  10. Ohhh to live looking over the sand and the sea. I would watch the birds, ferry terminal with restaurant, Queenscliff Pier and boats in the marina all day, and would focus on my real responsibilities only at night.

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    1. Beyond your most excellent blog and making sure your husband is ok, what real responsibilities Hels?

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  11. Looks like a beautiful area. I had to enlarge the photo to see the cat in the cabinet but yes, then I could make out the nose! I've never heard of an affogato.

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  12. Beautiful captures of your visit.

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  13. That spider does look a bit intimidating, doesn't he or she?
    Hope you're having a great one.
    Sandra sandracox.blogspot.com

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  14. Locking the gates will surely keep people out.

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  15. I wish I was on that beach since it is so dreary here. I must look up what a affogato is.

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