HM Prison Pentridge - A New Chapter

 I have lived in the shadows of it's walls all my life.

I remember, as a Child seeing Armed Guards keeping watch from these very turrets.

Built 1858, Its stood here for 100 years before I was born.

It never worried me

I remember when Razor Wire was atop every Bluestone Wall.

I remember hearing the sound of Rocks being broken as Men served "Hard Labour"

I remember hearing the Bell Toll in 1967 for Ronald Ryan. 
The last person to be executed in Australia.

As a Young Law Student, My DH visited here while it was a working Prison.

He said it was oppressive and was very glad to leave.

Her Majesties Prison Pentridge, affectionately known by the Locals as the "Bluestone College" closed on 1 May 1997.

In the intervening years, there has been Archaeological work carried out - removing the Buried remains of Infamous Bushranger Ned Kelly as well as Ronald Ryan.  

Uncovering Historically significant exercise yards called Panopticons.

The Heritage Walls and Significant buildings remain - as do many of the Roses. 

Planted and tended by Prisoners long ago.

Today the Imposing Gates of the Main Entrance are Open.

All may pass through under the Clock tower.

I was told recently that "It Looks like No Prison I have ever seen - I am from Spain, This is a Castle, and I feel Safe here"

I am sure the inmates would not have shared her sentiments!

Today there stands Restored buildings and beautiful Open spaces.

This is the Prison Warders Residence with Wall capping making up the retaining wall for the lawn.

Today there is the sound of Children enjoying a Playground just meters from the infamous Panopticon exercise yard.

People now freely call Pentridge Home.

Today, they acknowledge the Traditional Wurundjeri Woi wurrung  People as well as Prison's history.

While welcoming us into Melbourne's newest Shopping and Cinema Precinct.

It is not a big Shopping Centre - more like a Boutique Arcade.

There are still shops to open and we are eager to see what else will come.

But in the meantime -

For me, It has ALL the necessities.

Coffee and a Black Forest Éclair from the French Patisserie anyone?

I wonder what the Prisoners of 1858 would think of it?

Marvellous Melbourne.

The Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show in collaboration with Melbourne Polytechnic is proud to partner with the City of Melbourne to bring 'URBAN BLOOMS' to life.

Yesterday was the last day to see the Floral installations which dotted the City Landmarks, Laneways and Boulevards.

 

I started at the Old Treasury Building.

  
Where we were invited to take a "Walk down the Garden Path".  

As a temporary Art Installation it was well done - As an Idea for a small Garden, it was Brilliant!

Further down Collins Street entitled "Lights, Camera, Action", was the Red Carpet of thousands of Roses at the Regent Theatre. 

Moulin Rouge is set to Open here in the New Year.

I stopped by the Town Hall. 

Although not on the List of installations - It has it's own gorgeous permanent display of Delphiniums, Salvias and Foxgloves.

Next on my List - 

Our Iconic Flinders Street Station.

This one is called "The Arch of Resilience"

I wish I could have seen it when it was fresh, today it looked rather sad in the 35℃ heat.

Across Princes Bridge to the Art Centre where the Garden filled with Gerberas Called "Checked Reflection" sits under the shadow of the Art Centre Spire.

The artist stated that the installation which will change and grow over the Week, works to highlight the growth that Melbourne needs to do as a Community post Lockdown to come back stronger than before.

'Bringing Colour to Life' celebrated the Journey of Flowers from Farm to Florist.  

A kaleidoscope of Colour had the Evan Walker Bridge blooming into a field of Chrysanthemums. Representing the pathway back to the Colourful and Cultural Events for which Melbourne is renowned.

Overhead in Degraves Street hung an Ominous Cloud.

"Perfect Storm" represents Melbourne's temperamental Weather through a Cumulous of Floral Clouds.

I left this display and headed off to the GPO in Bourke Street.  I didn't quite get there, along with many more on my list. Just one morning was not enough time to see them all.

I was distracted by...

The Myer Christmas Windows.

I am anticipating another trip to Town on Christmas Eve when I hope to get a better look at the Windows entitled "Christmas Uncancelled".

28 Days and Counting.

 We Did It!

Well Done Melbourne, Well done Victoria!

We have watched the Graphs - We have been obsessed with Statistics.
Never before have People been so enthusiastic about Zeros

Never before have Donuts been so popular!

0 - New Infections

0 - Active Cases

0 - Deaths

0 - Rolling 14 Day Average

And Today we marked 28 Days of no new cases, 
making Victoria now "Covid-Free"

It has been hard.  It has been inconvenient, 

but We as a Community have pulled together to achieve this.  

From 725 Daily Active Cases on July 30 to "Elimination" in just 4 months! 

Personally - I am SO over Hand Sanitizer and Facemasks but I will do whatever has to be done to keep my Family and my Community Safe.

We are not so Naïve as to think this has gone for good.  It hasn't, and until we have an effective Vaccine, there will be outbreaks that will need to be contained.

But for now, we can start to take tentative steps to a Covid-Normal.

Wedding Cake - Aussie Style

 … with a Texas Touch!

Making a Wedding Cake during a Pandemic with Strict lock-down rules was always going to have it's own special set of challenges.  
Not having the tools or ingredients easily to hand was one thing - but the concept that I was making a Cake for a Wedding that might not be allowed to proceed was frustrating.

The Groom was Our Son, and he'd asked for Australian Native Flowers, Kangaroo Paw and Blue Gum Leaves.  To this, I added the Victorian Floral Emblem - Pink Heath as well.

The Bride - far from her home of Texas USA didn't ask for anything specific.  However, I knew that she wanted Texas Bluebonnets to feature somewhere on her Wedding Day and of course Yellow Roses.

Finding some Botanical Sketches of the Bluebonnets which gave me the correct size and shape helped enormously. 

Together with 3 perfect Roses and Our Aussie Natives, as well as some White Sakura Flowers I was able to make 3 beautiful Sprays.

How to arrange them into something that looked good was another matter.

What type of Cake? 

How Tall - What Shape?

Let the Flowers decide!

The top tier spilling out of a small pouring jug and some negative space between. And for the observant - a small ceramic Gecko peeking out of the flowers.

It wasn't what we wanted for them.  

It wasn't what we had planned way back in January.

At the end of a very Big Day, 
In a small Local Cafe (that opened just for us).

The Cake was cut and the Marriage Celebrated, in a Covid-safe way with a handful of (Legally allowed) Friends and Family.

A Week to Remember

Restrictions on travel between Regional and Melbourne were lifted

 as at 11:59 PM Sunday 8th November.

We had not seen our D-DIL since May when they arrived with THIS in hand.

Surprize!

Unable to go to them, 

We have watched her progress through Instagram, 

emails and Zoom.

With Baby due December 5th

We have even had the Baby Shower via Zoom

Monday, the restrictions on reasons 
for travel were lifted. 

Tuesday, they came down to Melbourne
to Attend the Wedding.

Wednesday 11:40 PM

Obviously not wanting to miss any more of the "Fun that is 2020"

Hazel Mae turned up

- 3 Weeks early!

In the space of 34 hours we gained a Daughter-in-Law and a Grand Daughter.

It's been a VERY big week.

Wedding Day - The Ceremony

The Tecoma Pavilion is one of the oldest structures at the Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne.

Built in the 1880's  it was originally used as a rest house, a place for Gatherings and Celebrations.  

Now fully restored it met the Brides one criteria.

 

The Wedding Venue had to be Historical.

A warm day (32℃) with blue skies and a backdrop of our Beautiful City the setting was complete.

Vows were said

along with an ancient Hand-Fasting Ritual 

using Ribbons handwoven by the Bride and Groom.

The origin of the term "Tying the Knot"

Yellow - 

For Joy and Cheer and Happiness.

Green - 

For Steadiness, Calm and Hope.

Blue - For the Ocean the Bride crossed to get here woven with the Red line of Fate that binds her to the Groom.

The Final Ribbon 

has a 12th Century Love Poem woven into it in the Original Middle High German.

Just the required Paperwork to be signed 

and Our very enthusiastic Celebrant declared them Married.  

Checking Congratulatory messages which flooded in during the Livestream

After Ceremony Photos:

A few moments alone at

The Tecoma Pavilion.

Heading off to the newly opened Arid Garden.

As close to Texas as our Bride can get?

Riding off into the Happily Ever After?

Our new Mr. & Mrs.

But Wait...

There is a Cake to Cut

and of Course -

It's not Official until you Update your Status on Facebook!

* * *

Footnote for those not living in Melbourne - COVID Restrictions:

2 Weeks prior to the Wedding Date some of our restrictions started to be eased.  We could now travel 25km from home and also sit in to dine with a small group and numbers attending weddings changed.

The day before - The Regional barrier and reasons for travel were lifted - DS#1 & DDIL could come! Restaurants could seat up to 40 depending on venue size with a limit of 10 per group.

For a wedding that was 2 Years in the planning - 

We had just 2 Weeks to actually pull it off!

No Ordinary Wedding Day - Preparation

All the Glossy Magazines indicate that your Wedding Day should start in a relaxed manner.  

Leisurely Breakfast before going off for Hair and Makeup, get your nails done too.  

Spend time with Bridesmaids doing what Bridesmaids are supposed to do.

The Glossy Magazines say NOTHING about what to do if your Uni moves an important exam to the Morning of your Wedding!

That's right! 

Our Bride is currently studying Theatrical Costuming, and one of her main assignments which involves Costuming and Makeup for a Gruesome Murder Victim was moved with 10 days notice

                            - to the Wedding Day.

* * *

Image: Opera Australia 2011

Appointments had to be moved. 

Lists rewritten.

What was always going to be an Emotional Day 
- just got all that more complicated. 

(Gilbert and Sullivan couldn't have written it better!)

Transport to the Wedding Venue was organised.

The Guy at the Car Wash was more than happy to give Bessie the Best Wash and Vacuum she has ever had and got a little enthusiastic with the Wedding Ribbons.

(Bessie wasn't impressed with the Big Bow and not disappointed when it blew off before we got too far...)

For me it was a 5:20am start to get across the other side of town to the Hairdresser - whom I haven't seen since lockdown.  

Traffic was a nightmare.  

And for the first time in 46 years - He was late.

Back home - Coffee and Toast was interrupted by a phone call.

Mum - Just letting you know. 

You need to collect the Veil and Shoes from here and the change of dress and...

I don't have a Mask....

We had previously done a reconnaissance trip to DIL2Bs School but NOT from DS#2s home.

 

So with the boot packed with the Wedding Dress, Flowers and all the important things you need for a Wedding we headed off for my first ever trip across the Westgate Bridge.

Meanwhile the Bride, having finished her exam was now having her Hair and Makeup done by her classmates who were using the opportunity to add to their Portfolios.

They were more than happy to be part of the day.  

They even made their OWN List

Exam, 

Hair, 

Makeup, 

Gown

And

"Leave Looking Fabulous"

Time to Go.

(Sorry can't resist this....)

"The Three Maids from School"

accompanied her down to the Foyer

And Bundled her into The Waiting Carriage

While at the Royal Botanical Gardens 

the Groom awaited his Bride...

And also set up for a Livestream of the Ceremony...

                              

It was always going to be Livestreamed - Covid just made it all that more important.

Family and Friends gathered Together yet Apart and joined Us for the Ceremony as it happened.

Still to Come - The Ceremony.