No Rotten Tomatoes thrown at this performer!

LOOK AT THESE MAMAs!
were perhaps once smokin jazz lyrics sung out by
Mr.Westlake of Daylesford from behind the baby grand.



Today though 'Look at these Mamas'
are shreiks of delight at the results of his move
from city to country



As much as we miss his daily in store visits
and impromptu mini piano recitals,
we at the Elwood General Store
are very happy to receive up to date horticulture status reports
from our beloved friend Mr.Michael Westlake.

Mr.Westlake famous for his paper bag poetry,
one could never place any of his purchases into a bag
without first writing a 'poem' on the outside,
now resides in the picturesque town of Daylesford.



One would often be working away
typing at the computer keyboard
of the General store office/Tony's apartment
when MYOB would appear to play a tune.

After clicking at the mouse one would soon realize
it wasn't a delightful new feature of the book keeping program

but our Mr.Westlake twinkling away on the ivories of Tony's piano.

In no time Tony would be playing the guitar
and the Westklake/Elliott soiree would begin-
hence the late invoice payments and scrappy account keeping.

Bird the cat on backing vocals,
would sing from the top of the printer
also preventing any incoming faxes.




Michael, we will always have a coffee waiting for you on fridays
even if you don't come into town-
and 'Congrats' on the fruits of your new labour.
We miss you but you are happy and thats all that matters
our beloved friend. X

Jai

This is the JAI symbol
it is the symbol for Buddhist Vegetarian


This is Awl or Pon tip yotan
out the front of her house that she has turned into a Jai restaurant .
It can be found right at the end of the food market
in the township of Mae Hong Son.
Once Awl used to collect bottles and plastic for recycling,
now she and her husband run the restaurant
and also have a fruit and veg stall at the night market.
You can find their blue ute stall by the temple on the lake.







She makes and sells Textured Soy products, Orgainc Fruit and Vegetables, 100% orange juice and vegetarian meals





Awl told me she has been a Vegetarian for 15 years, after her brother died of cancer,
I dont speak enough Thai nor she enough English
but we spoke for hours and communicated via the food she cooked me.
If you ever find your self in the town of Thai town of Mae Hong Son,
visit Awl, she is really lovely,
and so is her food.

Trixee

I have taken many images of dogs waiting



They are always so patient and lovely



The other day I said to Lee, who has shopped with us right from the beginning,
" I need to get a picture of Trixee with her paws crossed
waiting at the door."
Trixee is a beautiful dog.
She doesn't have a lead instead
she lies waiting at the door, on the step
with her paws crossed over one another
and she smiles.
I love her.
She is gentle natured and very loved
I love patting her
I love talking to her
I just love her.

Lee rang to see if her bread was in
I knew something was up when I spoke to her on the phone
when she came in she said
"You wont be able to get that photo of Trixee I'm afraid"
Her voice so soft and slightly broken I could barely make out her words.
" Why Lee?"
" Because she died!"
and horribly it was true.
Trixee had died, at age 11
of a blood disorder
it happened so fast and was a terrible shock.

I hugged Lee across the counter
I held back my tears as I she told us the fate
of the family dog, the 4th member of the family, of Trixee.

I've heard it so many times
" Its crazy isn't it, it was just a dog"
but no, the lovely thing about pets
is the crossing of the animal/ human line
and when they are gone we grieve
and our emotions are equal
for 'All animals are equal'.



Lee sent me this image from her phone
and the message simply read,' My Baby girl.'

and today I write:

For Trixee . X