First Saturday in Thornbury

04 May First Saturday in Thornbury

The first weekend of my house-sit in Thornbury has been very interesting so far. Thornbury is 9.0 km from Melbourne’s CBD and is a lot more suburban here than the inner suburbs. Houses are located on larger blocks, which means space for gardens, and pets. And while it feels wholesome to eat and cook with a view of a lush veggie patch, what I am giving up for these two weeks in return is walkability. High Street is so farrrrr. It takes yoinks to walk there, and then, once there, at least to the section I was in today, there is not all that much going on.

I went to a few nice places – Le Cafe Flo for a late lunch and Psarakos Market for grocery shopping (I was able to get everything I needed for a French white wine and tarragon stew). Then I walked back to the house where I am sitting, with a bit of a lift from the 11 tram. This felt like the real Melbourne. And, I am thinking about how rose-coloured my glasses are, living on the city fringe. Here in Thornbury, everything else in Melbourne feels so far away!! (At least by public transport, which is my favourite).

My first Saturday didn’t feel as rich and wholesome as the experience I have had in the house with Molly and Digby. Tomorrow, I think I will set out on a bike. I get the sense that it is a bike-riding kind of environment as opposed to walking for weekend supplies and hangs.

As I potter around the house, taking in washing that has dried in the sun and putting on something nourishing into the slow cooker, I feel healthy in a way that I don’t in Collingwood.