All in the stretch of a couple of weeks 😎
I promised myself I’d not mention the weather for a while…. BUT………this is just ridiculous – from days of ‘cold enough’ to have the heating on……progressing to hot (as in over 30c) and humid enough for several days to have the cooling on….. then reverting back to cold enough for heating and a hot water bottle in the bed accompanied by pouring rain!
The Spring Racing Carnival began last Saturday- watching the Derby Day punters on tv trying to keep out of the torrential rain I discovered that from what I could see of the crowd huddled under cover, $2 plastic ponchos are made in many more colours than clear 😊🌂
Tomorrow is the first Tuesday in November otherwise known as Melbourne Cup Day.
That’s the race that used to stop the nation – it’s still a public holiday here in Victoria but many shops are open especially in large shopping centres. It’s a day usually filled with fun and frivolity, frilly dresses and posh hats for the ladies, champagne in the car park (https://www.flemington.com.au/social-news/2019-10-29/carnival-in-the-car-parks) and a punt on the big race. Lots of restaurants and pubs have Cup Lunches for groups who want to have fun and watch away from the course – everybody dressed to the nines, with the ‘race’ on big screens and a sweep in progress. The forecast is 18c/64f with a chance of rain. Not very nice at all. Usually the weather is warm and sunny so there’ll be lots of ‘changing their minds’ over the dresses they planned to wear and how the car park picnics are going to be arranged.
Us?
Well we’ll be in front of the telly and if it’s as cold tomorrow as it is today (10c now at 3pm) it’ll be a mug of hot chocolate and a slice of fruit cake in front of us instead of the usual flute of champagne accompanied by cold chicken salad.
Who do I fancy?
Well here’s today’s run down on the field https://www.news.com.au/sport/superracing/punters-life/melbourne-cup-2019-the-ultimate-form-guide-for-race-that-stops-a-nation/news-story/8cefffc8b2bce14dc5b617ce29902b05.
Last years winner has come back for another go but will be carrying extra weight so may not manage it. There’s a whole swag of Irish horses there, the Brits are back in town along with a load of others. 24 in the field…..at the moment the Japanese horse is the favourite, it could change dramatically by ‘horses at the barrier’ time tomorrow – somehow I think it might be stab a pin in the paper time as I’ve no idea who the winner will be.
Right, I’m off to look for penguins – won’t find polar bears here in the Southern Hemisphere – even if it is cold enough for both of them outside!
What are your plans for tomorrow- oh, and what’s the weather like where you are?
Still Waters 