The month of May has been such a huge month and so, so, so very busy! Just how I like it …..however; it does mean that I have not written a blog for four weeks. A lot to catch up on, so this may be a long one to read. I will try to make it an easy and enjoyable read, as I don’t want to decrease your attention span!!! Please don’t leave, as there is some great stuff to share further into the month……..I promise…..

Of course May is the last month of Autumn - Don’t you just love this season and the colours?

Early in the month, I was occupied in Sydney with my “professional life”. An important conference and a series of meetings that were vital to my role at Multiple Sclerosis Australia. I met some interesting people and went to a conference dinner where the entertainment was certainly “entertaining”. An unusualist named Raymond Crowe, entertained and enthralled me. He was a little bit ventriloquist, a little bit magician, a little bit illusionist, a little bit pantomime, a little bit comedienne, a little bit shadow finger puppeteer – but a real lot of delight to watch. If you ever get the chance to see him….I hope you enjoy him as much as I did.

Another work requirement gave me the opportunity to visit the nation’s capital. I do still like Canberra a lot. There is something very reassuring leaving the airport in a city and having that sense of rural and still knowing my way around. It was a jam packed week for work ‘cause it was Budget Week. So there were a lot of meetings, appointments and work commitments etc., but very satisfying. Being in Canberra that week was quite moving when history was made with the legislation being passed for the National Disability Insurance Scheme. It really is a significant and historical moment on
Australia’s community landscape. Of course it is of significance to my MSA role.
 
During my schedule, one meeting was cancelled when I arrived (they forgot to tell me) so it meant I had a chance to have a lunch break. While walking to find somewhere for lunch I discovered a fantastic shop and could not resist this little jacket for a little friend of mine. It really appealed to the “clothes express thyself” inner me!!

I found a nice spot to enjoy a yummy piece of salmon cooked with Asian spices and I caught up with some of my Facebook and twitter activity. Those of you who are into Social Media know just how many new friends you can make in cyberspace. It is fascinating to me how even across “cyberspace”, you can connect with like-minded “soul sisters”……So while I was watching my tweet feeds, I recognised a blogger and business woman I followed, also happened to be in Canberra. I asked her if she would like to have a catch up for a glass of wine at the end of the day. Mel Kettle is an amazing person – great blogger about food, seriously into public health and amazing professional in marketing and communications. Well, did we have a lot to talk about?? Sure did, sometimes you just click with people and it was so nice chatting away with her about lots and lots of things. Thanks Mel for helping me solve some of the problems of the world that night, so great to catch up with you. Foodies, check out her food blog, I hope you like it like I do!! 
 
The International Council of Nurses (ICN) Congress finally happened in Melbourne. There were many colleagues and friends from around the globe. What a treat to catch up them from near and afar. Two wonderful women in particular that I met in Durban four years ago were in town Barbara and Diana from Manhattan, New York City…(I never met anyone from NYC that I didn’t like !) Anyway, Diana and Barbara are amazing, wonderful, beautiful women who are nurses, activists, dynamic, successful women - who are also FOODIES!! My sort of “sheilas”, they are so into learning “Aussieisms”……I
realised I like the essence of the powerfulness when referring to strong wonderful women as sheilas. These two friends are such great sheilas! Sorry, I digressed……back to where I was heading….So they were interested in eating somewhere that we recommended in Melbourne, of course, Tez did his normal wonderful stuff and researched the latest Good Food Guide and provided a list for them to consider – so to cut a long story short – we ended up with a booking at Dandelion. Good fortune had it that it was Buddha’s birthday – so the restaurant was providing a vegetarian feast as a tribute to Buddha. Before we started eating two Buddhist monks from the longest established monastery in Victoria walked through the restaurant chanting and offering us all a water blessing. We also received a Buddha thread bracelet. When we arrived,
Barbara asked the head waiter how old Buddha was, his very cute response that amused us enormously was “I will have to Google that and find out”. 
 
So a vego feast was shared and an evening of chatting and solving more problems of the world. In spite of some very serious discussions about the things that bother us, we had so much fun and enjoyed the feast and blessing enormously. As we were leaving the head waiter advised us that he had indeed “Googled” but because there were so many different Buddhas to worship, he was simply ageless!!! We had to agree that really appealed to us and we were glad we did not have a number of years to celebrate, that we just celebrated him.

The next morning Tez joined us in Carlton and had a breakfast before Barbara and Diana discovered the wonders of shopping in Carlton and Melbourne!! So pleased that all those years of research I had undertaken, was able to be put to good use and advise two very discerning visitors!!!! After all those of us who are shopping experts know there is real science in shopping.

Following the congress we had some gorgeous and wonderful  friends from Canada visit us at PCH. They live in Canmore in the Rockies, Alberta. We had the opportunity to visit them a couple of years ago and I was absolutely enthralled standing on their front deck and realising that I was having my own “Aussie- Northern Exposure” (Who remembers that TV show?) event. I was so overwhelmed by the majestic panorama of the Rockies. What a treat to have Barb and Rich come and stay with us to return the hospitality. After recently discovering some new ways to do the good old fashioned lamb roast, it was an evening of winter food and good Aussie wine. It was so much fun to have them stay with us. We forget how much our wonderful country impresses others, just like we are impressed when we visit them. So it was with great pride I found myself catching up and “hosting” friends from around the globe during the month of May. Naturally, for us, catch ups always seem to revolve around food!!

Mind you, I am not sure Barb and Rich knew quite how to take my tirade about the thieves who stole my olives!!! My trees have been laden this year with such a fantastic crop of olives. I have been watching them for weeks and planning to pick the crop just in time for when Alfie Spina was here for the next schedule of cooking classes. By my observation and calculation, they were going to be perfect to pick a few days before he arrived.

PCH olive trees with a good crop!

How angry was I after Tez convinced me that we had not had thieves with a big truck back in and strip the trees, in fact, it had to have been possums!! The trees have been stripped bare – not even one olive pip on the ground to be found. How
dare they….little.…*#@! scavengers.

My plans for the first production of PCH olives foiled, by what I can only imagine are Italian possums!!! Next year will be a
massive netting project as the trees are doing so well and producing a plentiful crop. Very, very disappointed….

Finally, I met Kate Connor and Alfie Spina today, ready to deliver the next program of cooking classes at PCCS. We called in to Queen Vic Markets to pick up some provisions before we heading down the trail to collect supplies along the way and arriving home to start preparation for their cooking classes.

Yep, life at PCH and PCCS has been busy, but we sure are loving it. DC x

If you studied British History at school you may recall the name of William Wilberforce the English politician, philanthropist
and leader of the movement to abolish slavery. Markington Hall is where he lived near Harrogate, North Yorkshire. His great, great, great, great grandson (William – who we all call Hank) met our wonderful friend Jules (a girl from Warnambool) and they now live a happily married life in the 18th century Hall in the village of Markington.  

Whenever we can, we like to visit them. Over the years we have visited and shared (in awe often) in the journey that Jules and Hank have undertaken to renovate a couple of farmhouses and now they have moved into the Hall to live. So with a couple of days spare at the end of our recent trip to London, we could not resist a quick spin up north for a sleepover . 
Yes, it was a decent ol’ drive up the M1, but it is always nice to spend time with Jules and Hank. Of course, it gave us a chance to spread that anniversary celebration across a week and turn it into a festival. “You know what would be cool?” Tez grinned to me one morning. “Let’s hire a Mini Cooper S” and drive up to Markington! (Please view video below in full screen)

Just before we arrived at the Hall we stopped in Harrogate and popped into “Betty’s Tea Rooms” and picked up a few supplies.Tez managed a quick stop at a clothes shop he had discovered with Andrew, Ike & Brooksy, last time we were all there! I did buy him a present of a very nice Vivian Westwood shirt …. Gotta love anything the VivW does!

As good luck would have it, some other beautiful people we had met on previous trips, Johanna and Bruno, happened to be over form France for a holiday (The aussie team of Andrew and Ike, Ruth and Brooksy & Deb and Tez had had a great time at their wedding on a previous trip = another story, another time!). So it was a special treat to be able to catch up with them and their children Paul and Julie.

Bruno, Tez and Johanna

After hellos and catch ups it was almost time for the obligatory Gin & Tonic in the drawing room. The afternoon was a bit chilly so the fire was lit.

Yep, that is a decent size fire place to heat up a decent sized Hall!

As always, Jules and Hank display the most wonderful hospitality and are generous and caring hosts. Regardless of breakfast, lunch or dinner, G & T time or afternoon tea – there is always good food, drink and friendship aplenty. We love them very much and feel so privileged to have them as such great mates. Jules has a diverse taste in art, music and life and it is always fun in the kitchen with her especially when Queen is belting out a tune. We always have a great time when we are all together.

So dinner that night was no exception. A wonderful dinner was shared in the dining room.

Obviously there was some French wine to be tasted, delicious food consumed, great story telling & plenty of laughter.

Jules, Johanna and Deb

Apparently after all of us had retired, Tez and Hank took a night cap by the fire in the sitting room. Who knows what time they finally went to bed!! It always takes considerable conversation for them to consider the state of the world when they catch up …. 

Gorgeous crisp morning the next day, with more people coming and going and lots of laughter and dancing in the kitchen... …. Now, for some stories you just needed to be there to fully appreciate the occasion……. so I will have to leave that right there!!!!

Deb

GLAMPING (Glamorous camping) – in gypsy caravans.

Jules is undertaking a new activity and it is around utilising the splendid and extensive gardens at Markington Hall.

Several vans will be placed in-situ in one of garden areas, supported by their own kitchen, laundry and amenities. Surrounded by superb gardens and the Beck running by.

Really looking forward to next visit being able to see the action and vans in full operational state.

As always, staying with Jules and Hank and spending time with gorgeous friends is absolute nurturing of the heart and soul. 
THANK YOU, yet again, for another wonderful memorable visit at Markington Hall. DC xx