Friends ... the Reason We Come Back to Glen Waverley

Wednesday, November 11, 2015

Today began with breakfast with John and Barbara Hurst (and granddaughter, Jemima) at Zest, one of the many restaurants along the Kingsway. It was easy to decide what to order. Our favourite by far is smashed avocado on toast with feta cheese and lemon. Delicious … and the serving was large enough to carry me through most of the day. Conversation with John and Barbara always flows easily, peppered with laughter and occasional differences of opinion. We all jovially admit that when we are together there is more than one large personality in the room. 

After breakfast, Jim and I returned home and did some laundry; Jim went out for lunch with friend, John Baines; and I tried to catch up on correspondence, our blog, our photobook and planning our final week in Glen Waverley. The time is passing very quickly, indeed. Oh … and I have to admit, an afternoon nap occupied some of my time as well.

There was also a moment when we paused to remember how fortunate we are to live in a country (or two) that values freedom and choice. It is fitting to give thanks to all those who have fought hard to achieve our way of life.

Another visit to the physiotherapist preceded dinner. She is making a remarkable difference on my knee and I am thankful for time spent with her. She feels that one more visit will complete the process and I will be back to normal. The reduced pain is palpable and I am much happier and more comfortable walking now than I have been for weeks.

We had a very special dinner with Kaye Morgan who lives in Munich, Germany but is home visiting family while we are here. What wonderful luck of timing. We were the only three at home for dinner tonight and we all love Charcoal Chicken. It took no time at all to decide on the menu. We enjoyed the chicken thoroughly along with the conversation that accompanied it. 

Kaye and her sister, Rose, were good friends with our son, Iain, when we lived here from 2000 – 2004. It was fun to hear about Kaye’s travels and professional successes in recent years. We were able to congratulate her on completing her PhD, successfully arranging employment in Germany and winning a top Australian award for her research.  Kaye is working on a new kind of imaging of soft tissue which will specifically enhance the detection and early treatment of cystic fibrosis. What wonderful accomplishments and what humility as well.  Bravo, Kaye.

Thursday, November 12 2015

One of the highlights of Thursday was lunch with Jan Clear at the Mountainview Hotel. We were all able to order the roast dinner for seniors – roast lamb with gravy, roasted potatoes, carrots and broccoli and a lovely roll. It was delicious and just the right size.  We spent two full hours catching up with Jan, so many stories to tell, so many topics to dissect, so many memories to share. It was a delightful time together.

After we left Jan, we went almost directly to the home of Onn and Cynthia Chin. We had mentioned that we had eaten at a Peranakan restaurant in Singapore which led to our awareness that Onn and Cynthia have a great interest in Peranakan food and culture. We spent a couple of hours with them looking at clothing, china, jewellery and cookbooks that they have accumulated from Cynthia’s mother and from an annual conference they attend each year.  Peranakan clothing and china is very colorful using many exquisite patterns in the designs.

Home for the evening … the second night in a row.  Very relaxing, to be sure.

Friday, November 13, 2015

We ran some errands this morning. I think I even got my nails done although I have to admit I do not recall exactly which day that was. We must be on holidays! Jim then had lunch with Peter Roberts, a former colleague from his sabbatical days here. He was on a strict timeline though because, as has often been the case, the rest of the day was totally booked.

Jim arrived home just in time to head off for afternoon tea with Neil and Fiona Leister. We had discussed going out for tea and I expressed an interest in scones. Fiona immediately jumped into the void and offered to make homemade scones which she served with cream and jam. Delicious!! 

Fiona and Neil had befriended us immediately upon our arrival in Glen Waverley in February, 2000 and we make a special effort to connect with them each time we come back to visit. We had lots to share this time as their son now has three children who they see regularly and their daughter recently got married and moved into a new home. We compared stories and shared in the joy of recent births and weddings.

After we left Leisters, we had the good fortune to be able to catch up with Rose Morgan, Kaye’s twin sister. She now lives in Warnambool and works in the hospital there. She owns her own home and has a cute spoodle (cocker spaniel/poodle cross) who would not stop wagging her tail with excitement at meeting new people. Rose was home in GW for the weekend and we had many other opportunities to chat with her during that time.  

We went to the Sandringham Yacht Club for dinner with Charlotte Baines, daughter of our friend, John. Sandringham is on Port Phillip Bay which leads out to the Tasman Sea. It is a busy waterway with ocean going ships, ferries, cruise ships and private vessels making their way in and out of port. From our table in the restaurant we were able to watch many ships pass by, either coming or going. It was fun to have such a view as the sun went down. We enjoyed a delicious meal (Jim had mussels and Charlotte and I have gnocchi) accompanied by a very animated conversation. 

Charlotte, like Kaye, has completed her PhD since we last saw her.  Her focus was on the impact of religion on politics, to be sure an interesting, challenging and timely topic. Of course, our conversation included many elements of what she had studied and a thorough examination of Australian and Canadian politics in light of the fact that both countries have new prime ministers who are leaning more to the left than the previous ones. We were thrilled to have spent such rich time with Charlotte and already look forward to the next opportunity.

Saturday, November 14, 2015

Saturday morning, as is the pattern, begins with coffee with friends at the Glen, the local shopping centre. It is always great fun with lots of conversation and laughter. I tried to break a pattern this morning (always a trouble-maker!). For some reason, the men and the women sit at opposite ends of the table ... no one seems to know why. As we were among the early arrivals, I sat myself down at the men’s end. That seemed to be fine until the seats really began to fill up. Finally, there was only one seat available and it was in the ‘women’s section’. Of course, a man, a good friend would have had to occupy that seat. Not a chance!! I was unceremoniously excused from the men’s section and directed to take my seat with the women!! All done with no acrimony and much laughter and a little friendly resistance from me. It is a curious arrangement though.

Since my knee is so much better and walking actually seems to help, I decided to stroll the mall after coffee. What a great idea that was as I made several clothing and shoe purchases along the way. I am very happy with the contents of my bags even though they will make packing for home a little tricky. Shoes do take up a lot of space and weight quite a bit too.

Soon after we arrived home, our hosts Susan and David arrived back from Adelaide where they have been for several days. This was a family weekend for them with all three daughters here. It was great to see them all as a family. Of course, we planned our weekend to give them space and privacy. We did not want our presence in their home to interfere with their plans.

Jim went for a long walk in Churchill National Park with Peter Roberts. Unlike his first visit to the park this week, this time he only saw one large kangaroo … but he did see it twice!

We spent a delightful evening with friends, Deb and Bill, who live just around the corner. Thanks to my much improved knee we were able to walk to their home and enjoy the gardens along the way. Most Australian homes have splendid and colourful gardens, especially in the spring when the roses are so abundant that the plants can barely remain upright. We know it takes a lot of work but the result is brilliant!

We settled in with Deb and Bill very comfortably, almost like we had been there last week. We have spent much time together in Australia over the years but we have also travelled together in Ireland and Italy. What great friends they are! 

Appetizers led to dinner which led to dessert in a very leisurely and relaxed way. Maybe it was the wine … maybe it was the company … maybe it was the conversation and laughter. Whatever it was, the evening was wonderful and we were very sorry when it came to an end. 

We felt a bit like parents who had to hurry home for the babysitter. We had arranged to Skype with Iain at 11:30 that night (7:30 am his time). A sixteen hour time difference makes contact difficult as sleeping and waking hours overlap at both ends of the world. Nonetheless, we had a good visit with him via computer and then we got in touch with the Wilson family as well. It is always fun to see all of them and be able to chat with the kids especially. Clara was eager to join in the conversation this time as well. Although she has few real words yet, she seems to understand if you make sound, someone will respond to you. I wish we had a recording of the bah bah bah bah at high volume that punctuated the entire conversation.

And then, it was 1:30 am and we literally fell into bed!

Sunday, November 15, 2015

We decided to attend the 9:15 church service this morning. It is a more modern service and a different set of worshippers than the more traditional 11 am service. This gave us a chance to interact, if only briefly, with some additional members of Glen Waverley Uniting Church.

I will interject here to just say that this is a very active congregation in so many ways. Over the years, the church has made a deep effort to respond to the needs of its members by providing a range of worship services with different formats. At this time there is an 8 am contemplative service, a 9:15 am modern service; an 11 am traditional service, a 4:30 pm family service and a 7 pm youth service. The members of the ministry team lead the services. It is not unusual for a minister to be responsible for 2 and occasionally 3 services on a Sunday. Amazing!!

After worship, we strolled down the Kingsway and stopped into a Vietnamese restaurant for a bowl of pho. It was very nice soup, filled with tender meat and fresh herbs and bean sprouts.

We stopped briefly back home before we went to Madeleine’s café in Jells Park. It was a beautiful day and the park was teaming with people who were strolling, biking, picnicking, playing games, barbequing, jogging, or enjoying coffee at the café. We were meeting Robert and Heather Elkhuizen. Robert was one of the ministers at Glen Waverley when we first arrived. We immediately liked him and came to know both Robert and Heather very well. We all enjoyed a long visit this afternoon, peppered with stories, laughter and talking about all of our children and their various pursuits. It was great fun and Jim and I are very happy that we contacted them and had to opportunity to get together. 

Back home briefly again, we we picked up a lemon tarte (from Muddings) and a bottle of wine before heading off to the Yellow Fish gathering. Many years ago, the young families in Glen Waverley Church divided into groups for social interactions. They were called FISH groups (Families in Sharing Homes) and got together on a regular basis in family groupings. As children grew up, gradually they stopped attending the shared meals but many of the groups have continued to get together with the adults only. The Yellow Fish group has been particularly successful in sustaining its membership and activity. And, best of all, we have been able to continue to be members and participate whenever we are in Glen Waverley. We enjoyed barbecued kangaroo kebabs, several salads and delicious desserts. Wine flows freely at these events as does conversation and laughter. 

It was bittersweet at the end of the evening as we bid farewell to many of these friends who we will not see until we return to Australia the next time, whenever that may be.

Monday, November 16, 2015

We were off to an early start this morning. We met friends, Susan and David Karoly for breakfast, the only time we could all manage to get together. We last saw David and Susan in Exeter, UK in July when we happened to encounter one another totally unexpectedly. It is indeed a small world! It was fun to see them again on their home turf. They have had a new granddaughter and we can all share stories about being grandparents to families of three children. Before very long, David and Susan will be spending some time in North America and we are already making plans to meet up while they are there.

Immediately after breakfast, we headed off once again to Madeleine’s in Jells Park. This morning, about 25 men clustered around tables for the weekly GOMERS gathering. The noise of 25 men’s voices reverberates within the café and far across the parkland. They clearly enjoy getting together on these occasions. Today was someone’s birthday and scones, jam and cream were shared all around. Even the ladies table was included in this celebration. Sadly, I simply could not indulge, having just eaten a substantial breakfast. Jim did his best though and managed to enjoy a scone. 

The rest of the day was ours to enjoy. The sun was shining and the temperature glorious. We immediately headed up into the nearby hills (mountains) called the Dandenongs to revisit some of our favourite places. Grant’s Picnic Ground was first where Jim bravely fed the cockatoos who landed on his arms, shoulders and even his head. They are bold and very well fed birds. I got some great photos.

Our next stop was The Observatory, a wonderful promontory at the peak of the hills, overlooking a vast expanse of landscape, both rural and urban with the Central Business District of Melbourne rising out of the mist far in the distance. I have always referred to this scene as the Space City. It reminds me of a scene out of a science fiction movie where the buildings are far in the distance, forming shadows on the horizon. I love this place. 

We drove along the Dandenong Scenic Highway enjoying the vegetation (flowers and trees), as well as the views and the rise and fall of the roadway.  We headed toward the village of Lilydale where one of our favourite Australiana shops operated for many, many years. Sadly, it has now closed. Nearby was the Lilydale Memorial Park, the cemetery where our friend, Annette Baines, was laid to rest 10 years ago. It seemed fitting to visit the grave site and pay our respects. How quickly we had become friends and how soon it was all to end. Unbelievable that 10 years has already passed since she died.

We continued our journey, next stopping at Badger’s Weir Picnic Ground, another favourite place to interact with many varieties of birds. Today was no exception as crimson rosellas, a kookaburra, king parrots, and fairy wrens graced us with their presence. Even the cockatoos were in the area but had the good grace not to interfere as we fed the smaller birds. Once again, Jim gathered them in and several more great photos are the result.

From Badger’s Weir, we travelled up the road known as the Black Spur, because of the size of the Australian mountain ash trees that grow there, creating a dense and dark forest on both sides of the road. Sadly, a few years ago, a major fire stormed through this area and many of these majestic trees were destroyed. Nonetheless, regrowth has occurred very quickly and the Black Spur continues to be a spectacular roadway as it winds its way steeply up the mountain.

Marysville was our destination, a community devastated by the same fire. Buildings collapsed, roads were impassible, house burned to the ground, many community members perished in the flames and heat. We visited there three years ago, soon after the fire and were aghast at the devastation. Today, we saw a rebuilt community with new life and better protection. The change was amazing although the impact of the fire will never be forgotten. 

As the afternoon waned we turned our car in the direction of Glen Waverley once more. We chose the road less travelled to make our way home, however. We climbed yet another set of hills and travelled along a ridge road which provided vistas in all directions. The landscape in this area is stunning, with deep valleys, vast agricultural land, rich grassland and eucalypt forests. 

A real treat today was the wildlife we encountered. We saw at least 40 kangaroos ranging in size from small joeys to very large males. Kangaroos are wary creatures who watch very carefully. We were able to capture many photos using our telephoto lense but were not able to get very close to any of the animals. Spring bunnies also had a great presence as we travelled along. Happily, neither bunnies nor kangaroos created mayhem for us or our vehicle.

Just as dusk was falling, we arrived home, happy to have had a wonderful day but also happy to be home and relax for the evening.

Tuesday, November 17, 2015

More friends and more coffee and more food filled this day to capacity. We had a leisurely start to our day, spending some time at home with our hosts. It was a treat to be able to catch up with Sue and David for a little while. We have all been on extremely busy and hectic schedules and we have not had much time together. We keep reminding each other that we are off to Norfolk Island on Friday and will be together for 10 days there.

Dean and Anne Mann have just arrived home from a few weeks in Kenya, volunteering at an orphanage there. It was great to be able to meet them for coffee (Mocha Joe’s on the Kingsway) this morning and hear some of their stories. Their love for the children they sponsor and work with is so palpable as they describe their experience. Anne has been to this orphanage five times already.

Nikki, Anne and Dean’s daughter, and her son Maxi joined us for coffee as well. It was great to see Nikki and meet Maxi who is 15 months old.  Dean played with Maxi while the rest of us chatted and then Jim took over Maxi-care while I caught up with Dean. The time we spent together flashed past and we were all sorry when it was time to go. The best news of the morning was that Anne and Dean are planning a trip to Canada in 2016 and will stop into Waterloo as part of their journey. We are excited about showing them around our home.

We stopped into the Glen to run a couple of errands and have some lunch. Some mediocre Chinese food from the food court filled our tummies but it did not compare to the quality of food available in other Asian restaurants. Oh well ….

After lunch, we headed out into the countryside again. This time our destination was Healesville where Alex and Walter Skilton live. We chose a circuitous but scenic route, following another unpaved ridge road, this one called Skyline Road. It was a beautiful route, meandering through eucalypt forests. The views of the valley were more limited than the route we took on Monday and it was the wrong time of day to see wildlife. Nonetheless, we enjoyed our journey and soon enough arrived in Healesville.

Walter and Alex live on a piece of property just outside of town. The property has two buildings on it. One is the main house but there is also a handsome little cottage at the front of the property. Since we saw it three years ago, Walter and Alex have refurbished it and now operate it as a bed and breakfast unit. What a charming and peaceful place it would be to spend a weekend!

After a short visit, we went for a drive to visit Alex and Walter’s daughter, Diane. Di and her husband, Russell, had visited us in Canada several years ago and we have stayed in touch with them ever since. They now have three children, Eve, Linc and Zac. They have recently moved into a beautiful home near Healesville and there are clear plans for Walter and Alex to sell their current property and share this new home with Di and Russell and their children. It is a plan that has many benefits for both families and we wish them well as they proceed to this end.

 We had a great visit with Di and Russell and their children, all of whom fell in love with Jim. Eve, age 5, announced that she would be coming to Canada soon to visit us at our house.  

 

We returned to Walter and Alex’s home where we had a delicious barbeque dinner and a long and varied conversation. It was again amazing to us how quickly we fell back into a deep friendship, sharing confidences and dreams, laughter and quiet moments.  Too soon, it was time to take our leave and drive back to Glen Waverley. It was a beautiful night and the 50 minute drive was a fine way to complete another wonderful day.

Wednesday, November  18, 2015

This was our last full day in Glen Waverley. How quickly these three weeks have passed. When we will be back we do not know, but we are certain that our friends will once again open their arms to us when we do return.

I treated myself to a manicure this morning.  It was nice to have my nails tidied up and fresh polish applied. I also had time to meander the mall before my coffee date. I saw a few things of interest but refrained from purchasing anything. My suitcase is already full!

Coffee time arrived and about 10 women gathered to share a ‘cuppa’. The conversation was varied and shifted around the table. Once again, listening to the range of topics provided insight into what was important to this group of friends. It was a privilege to hear their ideas, their concerns, their celebrations and other stories. Hugs and best wishes drew the gathering to a close as this was the last time I would see most of them for a while.

I met Jim at the supermarket where we meandered the aisles and picked up a few items to take to Norfolk Island with us, mainly snacks for afternoon tea. Then it was off to the RSL Club for lunch with Faye and Ray Wagon. Faye had been the secretary in the church office when we first arrived in Glen Waverley. She was the first person we met in the church and it was she who encouraged us to attend a service on Sunday morning. That encouragement changed our lives. We became good friends in short order and it was wonderful to share a meal and conversation with them today. 

After lunch, Jim returned home to pack and I travelled across town for my last physio appointment with Katrina. She has nursed my knee back to good health and I am grateful for her caring treatment and professional advice. And mostly, I am thankful that I can once again walk without pain.

Packing is always an arduous task. What made it feasible this time was we had a definite deadline as we were going to the home of Robert and Geraldine Fleming for dinner and we needed to be organized before we went. At the appointed hour, the suitcases were closed (almost) and we headed off for another exceptional evening. 

We were able to sit outside for a long while as the weather was perfect. Birds flitted in and out of the garden and we were able to photograph an Eastern Rosella, yet another beautiful Australian parrot. Dinner was delicious; the wine flowed and the conversation and laughter flowed. It was a delightful evening all round … to be continued in Canada late in 2016. We have many visitors to look forward to next year.

And so the Glen Waverley chapter of this journey draws to a close. Tomorrow we travel to the airport and fly off to Sydney in preparation for our Friday flight to Norfolk Island. We do love this place and are already dreaming of another return journey.