Monday, January 15, 2024

Queenscliff 5

No rush to read this as there won't be new posts for several day as we are away again to guess where? The Bellarine Peninsula again, not to Queenscliff but Sister's and Bone Doctor's house ten minutes away from Queenscliff to look after dog Fuzzy Cocoa and cats Oreo and Athena, while the family  holiday where they have been going each summer, Bright in northern Victoria. It is a lovely place. They no longer camp, Sister is getting old, though ten years younger than I am, and is inclined to like her comforts more now. 

Sister and Bone Doctor had generously given us a $70 voucher at Christmas for what turned out to be a rather good local cafe, well perhaps informal restaurant would be a better description. It is called The Shelter Shed and is owned by the brother of former detective Ron Iddles. They both grew up in Rochester you may remember we saw the mural panel when visiting Step Mother. We sat in the covered courtyard and look at this fabulous hydrangea. The photo doesn't do it justice.

The Point Lonsdale Christmas tree. I has been illuminated for many years, now with LED. It is pointed out to cruise ship passengers passing by. 


Planted in what I think were former night soil lanes, this is a monster gum tree. It's branches waving around were fascinating to watch,


In the main Queenscliff street Goebbels Street Hesse Street. 


Clean and green public transport.


I think this is Sister's cat Athena. 

I asked Sister if it was mussel season and would they be selling them at the Port Arlington Pier. My cunning plan worked. Sister invited us to dinner if we went and bought the mussels. One kilo would be enough, she suggested. Then she thought to ask a friend and her husband for dinner too. She messaged to us while on our way to buy the mussels to get 1.5 kilo. It must be about seven years ago when we last bought mussels at Portarlington and they were $5 a kilo. They are now only $7, which is pretty good in my opinion. The last time it was a very generous guessed kilo. This time they were weighed. 

Sister had developed her own cunning plan. She mentioned the van at the pier that sells fantastic doughnuts and suggested we should try them. They are Jo's favourite. Well, you can't deny a child a doughnut can you. We bought doughnuts for them and us and dropped them in, with the mussels to Sister's for preparation on our way back to the cottage. The doughnuts were of a weird shape, but yes, very nice indeed.

It was lovely dinner. We've met Sister's friends a couple of times and we all had a jolly old time. The mussels were nice. 

This is cutesy woodpecker adornment to the top of the clothes line at our cottage.


I've mixed days up but no matter. One day I walked across the road to Queenscliff Station to see passengers load onto the train.


The train is ready to depart.


There she goes.

19 comments:

  1. Have fun while you are away. The increase in price for the mussels doesn't even cover inflation over that period I would think.
    Love the Hills Hoist wind vane.

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  2. Mussels and doughnuts. A match made in heaven.

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  3. Bright is good for autumn car show. An access to cathedral rock there. That is kind of you to sit their cats in the house. Surely there are many lovely scenic spots in that shore.

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  4. I never watch TV programmes involving criminal violence, so I didn't expect to enjoy Ron Iddles programme. But he was historical careful, anti-violence and calm. I hope his brother does well in the Shelter Shed.

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  5. Well you really are a transport enthusiast when you go to see passengers loading onto a train! But to use another transport analogy - Whatever floats your boat mate!

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  6. I've never eaten mussels and wouldn't know how to cook them or what to serve with them, but $7 a kilo up from $5 years ago is a very good price. The hydrangea is pretty, I don't often see white ones.

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  7. The meal sounded delicious and cheap. Enjoy your stay.

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  8. Beautiful hydrangeas Andrew.
    Seems you and your sister are tarred with the same brush :)
    Enjoy your holiday so to speak.

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  9. I like the wind vane and the lovely hydrangea. The Christmas tree must be very large to be seen by cruise ship passengers.
    I hope the animals behave themselves and appreciate your generosity in looking after them.

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  10. I love the woodpecker weather vane! (Or pinwheel, or whatever you might call it.) Mussels are yummy and usually pretty affordable.

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  11. You are having a lot of trips away. Enjoy yourselves, Andrew!

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  12. it all sounds lovely and the mussels price astonishes me. Does she use garlic?
    XO
    WWW

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  13. Piggybacking on your joke, Hesse Street in no way resembles Spandau Prison.

    Love watching and listening to that train in the last video as it huffs and puffs along.

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  14. I enjoyed another travel post as we haven't gone anywhere in years. And I cannot grow acid loving plants like this gorgeous hydrangea. ~sigh~ Your pet sitting was very kind. And train videos are awesome. Thanks for sharing. :) Be well!

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  15. Check over menu, it looks very good.
    Safe travels

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  16. Menu, there such looks good. Safe travels.

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  17. You both are quite the gad-abouts. I appreciate you letting us all tag along.

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