Tuesday 23rd March, BlazeAid camp, ECHUCA. 15-26°C

Ten days have past with continued cooking and a weekend trip home for a friend’s birthday celebration and a trip to the dentist. Only one of those was enjoyable. I fill the weekend in between with visits to see the offspring, enjoying real coffee in the mornings and baking fresh, crusty bread.

Meals and baking have continued here in cooler weather. The men are appreciative of a good dinner and I am enjoying the challenge of trying to come up with main courses that are delicious but logistically easy. Cooking in huge stock pots takes a lot longer than I had expected!

Today I roll out some apple muffins, the already-proven Tuscan Chicken Pasta Bake for dinner and a cheesecake for dessert. It is co-cook Jo’s birthday and she reveals she only has cheesecake once a year for her birthday. She is a single lady, travelling in a motorhome with no fixed address and no plans beyond Echuca - although she may follow Kerrie across to WA. She reveals that no one has ever cooked her anything for her birthday before (she buys herself something from the Cheesecake Shop) and is greatly touched by our fussing over her today. It is a great cheesecake recipe too, even without the mango, as per Jo’s request. Link below.

It’s also a reminder that there are many lonely people in this world. Two here have no relatives and a few more have minimal family. BlazeAid builds fences for farmers and supports their mental health during crises but it is also a safe community and a purpose in life for many of its volunteers.

This weekend, the Southern 80, a weekend of testosterone-fuelled speed boat racing hits town. I’m amazed it’s even possible, given the low water level and the mess washed down the Murray. Still, every motel in Echuca already has their NO VACANCY sign lit and loud cars can be heard overnight up and down the highway. I’m not sorry I have to be back in Melbourne this weekend either…