Monty keeping me company on my bed...I have the flu! Thankfully it is the end of our holiday and I have played all five golf courses and spent a lot of time with our family. 

 

Our last game on the sandbelt....at the magnificent Commonwealth Golf Club....a warm fire in the clubhouse was so welcoming....

...and a hot coffee was much enjoyed whilst staring out the dining room windows at the beautiful golf course....

Such a beautiful course....

Their practice putting greens were so fast but true...

A photo of the friendly Medway Golf Club members, Martine, Pania and Vanessa. I had played with Pania and Martine on other courses and pleased to play today with Vanessa.

The blue sky was much appreciated...

Tall elegant eucalyptus trees everywhere I looked...

And much to my surprise, I won a prize. I came second in the Ladies Scratch Stableford category. I had no idea what Scratch Stableford was but my playing partners explained it to me. 

And Vanessa came second in the Ladies Stableford category.....Pete was one shot off winning a prize and happy that he played well. It was a really delightful course to play and we were certainly happy to have the finer weather.

 

Stuart and Pete enjoying a coffee at the Metropolitan Golf Club....play was delayed for an hour due to rain...20ml of rain fell last night,,,

Another championship course with wide fairways...it was still drizzling when we hit our first ball...

...more bunkers....and they were so large....and wet...

....and worms!!!! extraordinary numbers of them on the fairways, I have never seen that before...

Absolutely stunning eucalypts line the fairways...

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I played with so many friendly ladies...I played with Pania (in the photo) again today...we had played together at Kingston Heath

....and you got a free drop....outside the bunker...

It didn't rain for the final 9 holes thankfully...but there were still many puddles to avoid....

We think Corella's are loud in Perth....these sulphur crested cockatoos were frightfully loud...

Some colourful banksias on the course...

Pania took this photo of me in front of the Metropolitan Golf Clubhouse...

Again we were treated to a delicious lunch (with dessert!) after the game...it was an exhausting day, pulling a buggy and holding an umbrella ...trying to keep our lasers and phones dry....but we both had such fun and are thankful for the opportunity to play such a sensational golf course.

 

On our way to lunch with Jeremy....above is the "green tunnel" or " bright green caterpillar' structure in Melbourne....it is a striking 2.5 kilometre elevated cycling and walking veloway built above Footscray Road as part of the West Gate Tunnel  Project. It connects the Capital City Trail and Moonee Ponds Creek Trail to give riders  a safe, express path into the CBD.  

The Fitzroy Town Hall Hotel ....

Cold and raining outside but warm and cosy in the Fitzroy Town hall Hotel....had a fabulous lunch with  Jeremy.

 

This morning Pete and I had brunch with Stuart and Tara at "The Pint of MilK" in Williamstown...it was so nice to catch up with them....

....Tara took the photo..Pete and I were pleased to know that they are really enjoying Melbourne and their new jobs.

In the afternoon, Pete, Chris and I took Monty for a walk along Kororoit Creek which is only a 5 minute walk from home....

The bay in the distance........mangroves on the banks of the creek.....

This evening we went to MoVida Aqui Restaurant for dinner...my Birthday present from Chris and Michelle...

The Spanish food was sensational...

It was Michelle who suggested we visit MoVita and it was Michelle who successfully ordered the food....delicious...there were so many different foods that I had never eaten before..

....and of course wonderful company...in a lovely cosy atmosphere .....

 

Chris in the kitchen

Michelle gave me this gorgeous present for my birthday...she had made it in an art class...it will look attractive in our kitchen, add little colour.

Pete and I drove to Geelong today, to see an art exhibition at the Geelong Art Gallery. But before we visited the gallery we stopped and looked at the Geelong Cathedral ...the grand Basilica of Saint Mary of the Angels.It is a major Gothic-style landmark featuring the tallest bluestone spire in Australia. 

Stunning stained glass....

Beautiful paintings of Stations of the Cross....

The organ and choir gallery at the back of the church...

I was so pleased that we had stopped and had a look .

Enjoying the Art Exhibition " Discovering the Impressionists", Paul Durand-Ruel art dealer among the artists...

"Rough Weather at Etretat" by Claude Monet 1883...

Pete loved this painting by Gustave Loiseau "Bridge, Triel-sur-Seine"

One of my favourites...'L'Ailly Point, low tide painted by Claude Monet...

Panels from the dining room doors of Joseph Durand-Ruel 1990 ...painted by Albert Andre...

This painting reminded Pete and me of the ocean and coast of the Faroe Islands....painted by Maxime Maufra ..."Cliff of Saint-Nicolas..."

I loved this one....painted by Maxime Maufra....called "Holburn Head, Scotland ....

......enjoying a coffee and muffin in the Geelong Library Cafe...next door to the Geelong Gallery...

....a walk in the park next to the library....strange tree...warm sunshine...

Took this photo for Tash...she has just planted this plant in her garden...

The Brisbane Ranges in the distance on the way home to Melbourne from Geelong...there were so many fields of wheat and other crops...quite a pleasant drive.

I made lasagna for dinner...

Jeremy and Michelle....having a chat before dinner...

....and a laugh...

We all played "Back in the Bowl" a game like charades...after dinner...

....I don't think I have laughed so much in ages...it was so much fun.