OK, I know it's the 'beat' goes on, but I'm a dad so I can do dad-style puns.
Today commenced as it has for the last week, I got up before dawn to get ready for a ride only to discover ... a gear malfunction, bugger. I've been using my phone as a personal hotpsot to access the internet and I forgot to turn the app off last night when I went to bed. The result was a completely dead phone this morning. No phone, no ride - yes, I'm a coward, but I like the security of being able to call for car support. I plugged the phone in to charge and then promptly went back to sleep. I blame the heat. While we have a split-system in the living area, there is no air-conditioning in the bedroom.
It was already 30º by the time I re-surfaced and given that it was time to walk with Jayne that meant it became a cycling lay day. I thought about riding in the afternoon, but the temperature was expected to max out around 38º and while I have ridden in temperatures that high before, I am on holidays and I would like the ride to be enjoyable. So, no riding today.
And the temperature continued to climb as the precious overpaid tennis players prancing around in Melbourne continued to complain about the heat and the conditions. Hint: if it's too hot for you, don't front up, you won't really be missed because there will always be others to take your place - it's important to remember what you do for a living, you play a game and that game is dependent on people turning up/tuning in to watch you. If you can't handle the heat ... um, get a job, might be one response. (Insert generic scream from female tennis player here). BTW Rafa did not complain about playing in the heat.
After much discussion we decided that we might venture out into direct sunlight and head for Yabby Lake, a winery not too far away that also has a restaurant/cafe. Yes, a number of the wineries have restaurant/cafes attached, but the menus of many them were just too daunting to contemplate. It's not that we don't understand the concept of fine dining and we certainly enjoy it, but there is a time and a place for everything and you don't need to have lunch at a hatted restaurant every day of the week. Especially at a cellar door where all you really want is a light snack to compliment the wine they are selling. Perhaps the whining tennis queens might have better served (see what I did there?) lunching down on the Peninsula in air-conditioned comfort instead of doing what they are supposedly paid to do for a living - sweat and chase a little yellow ball in front of a fawning crowd.
That said, today's lunch was delightful. While not fully booked, they were close to it and we were thankful to get a table. Jayne had a bacon and red pepper tart that looked suspiciously like a quiche lorraine with dressed leaves (thankfully they weren't naked, although I'm not sure if I would have recognised them if they were) and I had satay prawns with coconut rice and tomato and chilli relish. Just delightful. The view over the vines was lovely and it certainly looked hot outside. The food was lovely and we enjoyed it so much that we are going back there tomorrow for our final lunch on the peninsula - there is still plenty to explore on the menu and the wine was quite pleasant as well. A bonus form Jayne's point of view, they make a very tidy rosé.
Post lunch, it was back to Mornington and the 41º temperature and the shelter of the air-con and the tennis on TV ... or a book ... or a nap ... or a few words on the blog ... or all of the preceeding options. As we were driving down the main road it appeared that there were puddles of water on it - not possible in this heat. We looked at each other, the wheels slowly turning in our brains and it dawned simultaneously, melted tar! OMG! The roads were melting and there were puddles of molten tar in places. Worse, sections of road were adhering to the wheels of the cars. Local council patrols will have some work to do because we brought a substantial amount of the road home with us. I know where it is, in case they are interested in restoration.
And so another day ends, almost, preparations are under way for tomorrow, although the temperature will ultimately determine where we go and what we do. I will ride in the morning and we will walk following that, but after that ... well ... we are on a holiday that is supposed to deliver nothing but relaxation. So far we've managed to do that despite the extreme heat (insert generic scream by overpaid female tennis player).
Until tomorrow ... keep cool, or complain endlessly about the heat. If you happen to come across a tennis player from the Australian Open, the correct greeting is, "hot enough for you?"
And the temperature continued to climb as the precious overpaid tennis players prancing around in Melbourne continued to complain about the heat and the conditions. Hint: if it's too hot for you, don't front up, you won't really be missed because there will always be others to take your place - it's important to remember what you do for a living, you play a game and that game is dependent on people turning up/tuning in to watch you. If you can't handle the heat ... um, get a job, might be one response. (Insert generic scream from female tennis player here). BTW Rafa did not complain about playing in the heat.
After much discussion we decided that we might venture out into direct sunlight and head for Yabby Lake, a winery not too far away that also has a restaurant/cafe. Yes, a number of the wineries have restaurant/cafes attached, but the menus of many them were just too daunting to contemplate. It's not that we don't understand the concept of fine dining and we certainly enjoy it, but there is a time and a place for everything and you don't need to have lunch at a hatted restaurant every day of the week. Especially at a cellar door where all you really want is a light snack to compliment the wine they are selling. Perhaps the whining tennis queens might have better served (see what I did there?) lunching down on the Peninsula in air-conditioned comfort instead of doing what they are supposedly paid to do for a living - sweat and chase a little yellow ball in front of a fawning crowd.
That said, today's lunch was delightful. While not fully booked, they were close to it and we were thankful to get a table. Jayne had a bacon and red pepper tart that looked suspiciously like a quiche lorraine with dressed leaves (thankfully they weren't naked, although I'm not sure if I would have recognised them if they were) and I had satay prawns with coconut rice and tomato and chilli relish. Just delightful. The view over the vines was lovely and it certainly looked hot outside. The food was lovely and we enjoyed it so much that we are going back there tomorrow for our final lunch on the peninsula - there is still plenty to explore on the menu and the wine was quite pleasant as well. A bonus form Jayne's point of view, they make a very tidy rosé.
Post lunch, it was back to Mornington and the 41º temperature and the shelter of the air-con and the tennis on TV ... or a book ... or a nap ... or a few words on the blog ... or all of the preceeding options. As we were driving down the main road it appeared that there were puddles of water on it - not possible in this heat. We looked at each other, the wheels slowly turning in our brains and it dawned simultaneously, melted tar! OMG! The roads were melting and there were puddles of molten tar in places. Worse, sections of road were adhering to the wheels of the cars. Local council patrols will have some work to do because we brought a substantial amount of the road home with us. I know where it is, in case they are interested in restoration.
And so another day ends, almost, preparations are under way for tomorrow, although the temperature will ultimately determine where we go and what we do. I will ride in the morning and we will walk following that, but after that ... well ... we are on a holiday that is supposed to deliver nothing but relaxation. So far we've managed to do that despite the extreme heat (insert generic scream by overpaid female tennis player).
Until tomorrow ... keep cool, or complain endlessly about the heat. If you happen to come across a tennis player from the Australian Open, the correct greeting is, "hot enough for you?"
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