This time we tried something new but typical of the Trevisani region of Itay and it was a huge success. For the first time we had Cotechino (also known as Muzet) on the menu which is a type of poached sausage and is eaten with horseradish, radicchio, polenta and vegetable.On all accounts it was a huge hit.

A big “thank you” is extended to John and Margaret Taprell from Yenda Pioneer Butchery who kindly donated all the muzet for the event. We would also like to thank AusGrown for the fresh orange juice and DeBortoli Wines for their kind donations.

As with all our functions, the profit from the day will go to a needy local charity and on this occasion we have decided to give it to Country Hope.

Lastly, to all those who joined us on Sunday, your generosity was wonderful and we look forward to seeing you again soon.

The pending results of the election were not altogether surprising.

When wisdom of conceit endeavours to rule the roost and is so cocksure of itself, as we witnessed, it becomes necessary to bring it back down to earth. It’s called pride that cometh before the fall and great indeed was the fall.

The world desperately needs moral, honest leadership based on common sense values for common sense begets wisdom and wisdom values worthy of trusting. Although we are in the deep end financially, people still feel able to swim yet lose sight of the fact that we are drowning in a world unable to get its act together in proper propriety. Our society does not have the necessary stability to stay afloat which is why we are up the creek without a paddle. 

A man once said “better a little with contentment than a whole lot with contention”. Ask those who struggle paying off huge mortgages, two cars needed (so both can go to work to pay this debt), oft times barely covering the interest. To be able to do this (if they have children) day care is an added expense. Petrol, maintenance on cars, house insurance, electricity and phone bills all have to be met.

One young lass said to me recently: “I just wish we had settled for a simple little cottage we could have owned in a few short years instead of buying a mansion (to keep up appearances) and will never own it”. She also said “I will never be able to be a stay-at-home mum and enjoy my children's growth to maturity, as I watch them shuffled around into the care of others just to help my husband keep our roof over our heads.”

Even a social life is just a dream with no money left over for such, as it must go on daily essentials like food making things even more dicey, economically. It all comes back to government gross mismanagement that encourages people to live beyond their means and taxes them to the hilt.

The real fear is what will happen if either or both of this couple lose their jobs, they stand to lose the lot to bankruptcy. Yet they try so hard to make a go of the so called great Australian dream, home ownership. Many opt to rent, no rates, no mortgage, just uncertainty should they be required to vacate the premises.

Either way society is caught up in a vicious circle of not knowing what lies ahead and not certain as to who gets control in government and what crazy nonsense their decisions will have on those who are affected the most, the people of this nation who deserve better.

There’s a new email scam asking people to verify their status as an active user and threatening to restrict access to their email within 24 hours if the action is not completed. The scam then prompts users to enter their personal details so that their identity may be stolen and bank accounts accessed. Unfortunately, email scams of this nature are on the rise.

Never click on a link or open an attachment in an email you do not trust. The demand for a response within a short time limit can also indicate a con. Always check the address you are being linked to, and be particularly suspicious of any email demanding a response within a tight timeframe. Scammers rely on you not checking out their legitimacy.  Take your time to investigate the correct website or phone number before proceeding.