Little Wandering Wren …. chats!

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Welcome to Melbourne, Australia! We're gearing up for our big Melbourne Cup holiday weekend. .. Yes the whole city grinds to a halt for a horse race on Tuesday 5th November! And guess what? No-one has told the weather that we're all going to be on holiday next weekend, it is grey and bleak looking all week... Last week the news was full of dreadful bush fires raging in New South Wales and yet Melbourne residents were battening down the hatches coping with rain, hail and strong wind bursts.  We were supposed to be playing our first cricket match of the season last Thursday but the pitches were waterlogged... So let me take you back a few weeks when Spring had arrived with all the promise of a good one and skies were blue...  SouthBank, Yarra River looking towards the Eureka Tower. Melbourne struggles to compete with Sydney's wow factor. There is a constant competition between the two places as to which is better. Of course this is a bit of a o...

The Victorian  Spring Racing Carnival is a massive nine weeks of  horses, hats, and huge cameras . We were thrilled to join 25,000 other keen racegoers for the Beck Caulfield Guineas Day.  Not least because the Caulfield Guineas is a top racing day, but especially as our very own Little Miss Hussy is entered for one of the lead up races. Fashions are a huge part of the day, with strict dress codes for those planning to be in Members'. Whilst the popular ' Fashions on the Field ' competitions are not for everyone, it is fair to say that for the most part making an effort in appearance is, in some way or another,  part of the day.  My own ' What am I going to wear? ' fashion dilemmas, have been blogged to death. However today I am sporting a new black and white fascinator which I am very happy  about because it modernises my look by a good ten years, and doesn't give me a cracking headache like  my hats or the hairbands! Looking ...

Whilst most of Melbourne was in the grips of footy finals fever, others of us were escaping to the country for an away from it all weekend break. The 'Prom ' as the locals call it, is the southernmost tip of the Australian mainland. It is a three hour drive from Melbourne and Victoria's oldest, and number one National Park. The park covers over 50,000 hectares and includes pristine beaches, rain forests, huge granite mountains and rugged offshore islands.   Sunset at Norman Beach It is easy to see why it is one of Victoria's most-loved places. It's popularity means that the on-site  accommodation is allocated yearly by ballot. In January all 484 campsites, cabins, group lodges and wilderness retreats at Tidal River will be full to the gunwales, allowing for a maximum of 4000 overnight guests. The Prom receives around 400,000 visit each year! We were lucky to be staying at the 24 bunk Arthur Lucas lodge to celebrate a dear friend's  birthday, and...

Thanks for joining me on the journey! Wordless Wednesday! Shhhhhhh Let's get wordless Q

Melbourne Cup Carnival Preview Day Saturday 5 October 2013 They don't call Melbourne the sporting capital of Australia for nothing.  We move from the footy season into the racing season, with barely time to draw breath.  Certainly you need to be keeping an eye on forthcoming events, otherwise you will find yourself like me, caught short. You see two weeks ago beanies, scarves and a meat pie were the order of the day...  Now we're into heels, floaty dresses, with something other than a beanie on your head, whilst we enjoy canapés and champagne!  The orange hat below is mine from ten years ago, to the left and the right were what the girls are actually wearing these days. So to say my hat is a tad over-the-top is a fair summary of the predicament I found myself in Saturday morning... Added to the pressure is the fact that the invitation comes with the compliments of the Chairman of the Victorian Racing Club (VRC) to attend ...

Well hello, remember me?  I'm the one who disappeared in the middle of the school holidays without even a polite goodbye...  I'm sorry. I didn't expect to be gone so long.  I brought you flowers and a gift to make up.  Can you stay for a  cuppa? I'm not quite sure what happened but now I plan to #GetBackOnTrack   in more ways than one... How about a nice cup of Malaysian Tea for a change? It's been revolving doors here...  Our two Home Stay Year 12 school students from Hong Kong and China have just finished ten days of mock examinations for the International Baccalaureate Diploma. Never in the history of our household, has every exam taken, been deemed  as "very good".   I'm, of course taking full credit for this. Putting their success down to healthy dinners, and the extra mental boost they get from the copious amounts of lime juice and jelly beans I have supplied! Some serious studying going on at our place...