Like one of those old movies where the mad scientist’s human atom rearranging experiment goes awry, part of me appears to have gone astray enroute to the city from our 3 week respite at Taylors Arm. I’ve returned to the thankfully air-conditioned office in body at least; reviewing & updating Excel spreadsheets, but I suspect my spirit continues to read the Outlander series whilst reclining on the futon on the verandah. If so, I hope it stirs from time to time, wanders around the garden, and amuses itself by doing a little weeding.
My immediate response in re-entering the real world, once I took up position at my desk was to use the electronic accoutrements for the higher purpose of booking flights to take us north again for the upcoming Australia Day long weekend at the end of January; there are only so many long drives up and down the Pacific Highway that can be sanely endured. We were teetering on the brink. It was book flights or not go. That I booked Tigerair flights is evidence of sanity impairment and/or desperation.
So removed had I become over our holidays that upon arriving back at our city apartment, opening the door, it took a moment to register… oh yes, this is where we live.
Aside from watering dry potted plants, unpacking and making an appearance at the office-worksite, we’re doing as little as possible. For at least another fortnight survival will take the form of food foraged from leftovers & local shops, air-conditoning, free-to-air TV tennis, and slowly catching up on the blog post reading I missed as after several unsuccessful attempts at Taylors Arm to wrangle uncooperative wireless internet waves, I gave up.
Once settled in, and after a quietly spent Christmas Day we roused ourselves only for day-trips-family-friends-visits, walks on the beach and swims. We took few photo’s but this snap of Mags, who along with his feathered and furred cohorts, enjoyed the benefits of having staff on hand to replenish water & food, reflects the agreeable simplicity; a pleasant end to a 2013 that I have no complaints about and start to a 2014 of wonderful possibilities.
Happy New Year.
daleleelife101.blog 
After just three weeks away in your idyllic watering hole it sort of startles you to return to the city. Is it time for another re-jig of the plans to see if the permanent move can be brought forward? That you’d consider another trip there by air for just a long weekend and so soon tells us where you’d rather be and there’s no doubt family and friends would delight in having you closer.
Blwyddyn Newydd Dda and Hugs Galore xxx
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Thank you. January is mostly holiday time with a couple of inconvenient weeks of work in the middle. February is the true start of our year, and we’ll see what it brings… you never know 😉
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You are back!! About time too. Missed you. But pleased you had a wonderful holiday. I so know how good it would have been, and we only had a week away – it still took me a week to get my head back around the city. And now we will soon be starting our weekends back.
HNY to you and GO too. Hope the possibilities come good.
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Thank you. While we were away and phone coverage & opportunity allowed, I’d grab moments to scroll through Reader, and could Like sometimes but couldn’t comment… the blogging world was in sight, just out of reach 😉 The break, however, was lovely.
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That leafy green garden (and thirsty birds) I see in the photo of Mags is probably wishing you were staying around too. Oh well, at least you have a little paradise waiting for you, better than being stuck in the city with no hope of respite.
With this hot weather we are having I’m sure the air conditioning is appreciated, I know I would love a house that was cool all through rather than one half-cooled room! 😀
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We often say the same thing… imagine having nowhere to go. Despite maintaining the house from a distance and having to go there at times, we’d be bereft otherwise.
There’s not been a lot of rain – we emptied the smaller tank – but enough to keep the garden green. Mags and co. have many friends but are happy when all their options are covered. That birdbath is a popular spot.
We rarely have the aircon on at home – free aircon at the office is a bonus – but this week, not so much the heat as it’s not [yet] been so hot here, the trains have been very noisy. We’ll have to toughen up soon though.
PS. I tried to comment on your The End is Nigh post but assume you’ve taken time out for holidays as well. Enjoy 🙂
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Hmmm… You should have been able to comment on it, it is only me that is lazy over the holidays with the kids, WP should still be working! 🙂
Hopefully there will be some rain before you get back so the tanks fill again, this hot weather has really made me aware if how important water is for the poor veg. I’ve been out there every morning at the moment giving most of it a good soaking just to get it through the day. The poor cucumbers almost combusted the first day and the leaves of one of my tea plants have pretty much dried while they’re on the twig. 😦
Enjoy your next (and hopefully soon) trip to TA. Buy a Tatts ticket, you might get to live there sooner with a few extra mill in the bank. 😉
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Apparently cucs need lots of water… morning & night. I found a largeish rectangular plastic planter with a water well, amongst the footpath discards earlier this week which I’ve earmarked for future cucumber planting.
If we don’t get rain soonish at TA our garden will suffer but it’s fairly used to neglect-hardy…
I checked the post again, I can’t seen any comments or the option for me to comment (both via my work and home PCs) but all the previous are fine… no matter.
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I worked out they needed more water, but just a bit too late! Of course, they are the Man’s cukes, he says he will water them but you just know I am the one doing it!
I have some mini cucumbers in hanging baskets on the verandah, much easier to keep wet. They are only tiny as yet but I will see how they go, they are a test for next year to see if I can plant them there instead of them spreading out and taking up space.
A pot with a water well would be perfect, lucky you. Aahh, footpath discards. I love ’em! Hard rubbish here soon, there is an old exercise bike up the road, I want it but the Man has already voiced his displeasure at the possible arrival of it. 😦 hopefully there is something he wants in a pile soon so I can grab it and point the finger when he grouches. 😉
Thank you for letting me know about the commenting. I have had a look at it and can’t work out why that post in particular doesn’t have a comment box. I’ll have to do some research, as there were no comments I just thought no one liked the post!!
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I can empathise with the difficulty in readjusting to city life … when living so close to nature it is hard to imagine the city at all, and the shock of traffic and crowds must be awful … all that pavement when you could be filling the birdbath for Mags and lying about on the verandah!
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I’d managed to completely overlook thoughts of the life we were returning to… a sign of a successful break. I feel like we’ve been away forever and no time at all. We’ll acclimatize soon & well enough – the first half of this year is set to be busy. Luckily life goes on at TA without us. We miss it more than it misses us 🙂
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Aaaah…you’ve had a real break then. You’re forgiven for being incommunicado too. 🙂 One day you’ll go, and never have to come back, although I hope your internet access will be better by then!
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Yes, there was discussion about that, proper internet coverage at TA is a necessity but just not viable in-mostly-absentsia. And the break from it although frustrating at times did no harm 🙂
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Ah okay, so once you shift up there permanently you’ll have a proper connection. Glad to hear it. 🙂
And sometimes being forced to switch off is a good thing. Bet you feel really rested.
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Sounds like a you had a wonderful holiday Happy new year to you too, Ella
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Thank you. Your name was spoken while we were at TA!… in discussions of future rose plantings 🙂
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Good things, I hope!
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Of course – climbing roses 🙂
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I love the ‘Outlander’ book series & would sure not mind finding myself a ‘Jamie’!! Glad you had such a relaxing holiday. I plan to head out in about two months myself – gonna head ‘down south’ on a driving trip from Massachusetts to Florida, with many stops along the way!
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At the moment, I’m continually fighting the urge to read vs anything else than needs to be done! A road trip seems like just the thing – new sights 🙂
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I know the feeling about being a bit disoriented when first getting home after a long trip. That has happened to me after trips to see family in Chicago (which feels like my real home anyway). Good to have you back, EllaDee. Seems like you had a nice respite. Happy New Year.
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Thank you. Oh yes, going between the home you come from and the home you live in can be quite unsettling 🙂
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I’m in (and no cannonball!) And I know what you mean, I get that every morning when I enter the office after a short night’s sleep, the slow realization I’m not so sure I like – I make a cautious approach, hold my hand out to the laptop, let it smell me first… So when I got back after a month’s Christmas in Wonderland, it was Cripes! What is this place?! Welcome back, Ms _words : ) And I’m out (must be safe to come here)! 😀
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It is safe to come here… if a bit empty and echo-ey at the moment… hello… helllooo, helllloooo… I haven’t been around much despite intentions 😉
A month off – good to see to you spent some of it in your natural environment and activity, I’m was pleased to see you 🙂
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Sounds like you had a great time. Happy New Year 🙂
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Thank you. I love a long-ish break to end the old and start the new year 🙂
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Happy new year EllaDee!
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Thank you…I’m getting there… will be back in the swing truly by February 🙂
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It sounds like you unwound completely, which is good, but in doing so has taken you longer to wind back up again.
Glad to see you back 🙂
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Thank you – it’s nice to be back in WordPress world, and I’m VERY slowly catching up. Physically, I’m back and busy with necessary but boring real world stuff although the rest of me isn’t at all keen 😉
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It sounds like you had the most wonderful break! So happy to hear that! Have a glorious 2014! xxx
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… lovely break 🙂 but I’m oh so reluctantly coming to terms with it being over 😉 despite the real world being unequivocal in its demands… so oh so slowly catching up on blog post reading.
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What a fantastic time you must have had! It’s so difficult getting back into the city life routine when you’ve been in a beautiful country setting. I remember when I would do that I’d start falling asleep at my desk after lunch 😉
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Over the years we’ve gotten better at taking time out rather than trying to do-fix stuff around the house, but once you get into the chilled zone it’s an effort to drag yourself back out. I’d have been happy to give a post lunch nap a shot…
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OH dear … sounds as though it’s getting harder and harder to get back to Sydney after several glorious weeks at Taylor’s Arm. Welcome back to the blogosphere, though! 🙂
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Hmmm, you noticed that too… I just booked cheap Qantas flights for our June break… in so many ways it’s feeling harder, the driving up and back being just one. I am happy to be back in the blogosphere though if slightly inconveniently busy with real life. But we are off again tomorrow for 4 days, then I will be truly back.
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Welcome back! I admit to being a little jealous of your ability to go for a swim this time of year. It’s 10 F here and I’m looking out at the snow on the ground not feeling inspired to get my chores done. 🙂
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There is nothing like a swim in the ocean, but you need the weather for it, yes. I’m pleased we don’t experience the winter the US is having at the moment which seems quite extreme to me. But you and I share a common reluctance, my chores are not inspiring me either…
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take your time easing back into being connected. 😉 Glad you are planning more getaways. I’ve had that displaced feeling when I stay anywhere for a while. Like I am jolted back into a life I didn’t quite remember having. 😉
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Thank you… we got back yesterday after our short Australia Day break, and the G.O. commented that we are very at home in both places but they are 600 km apart… it can feel weird coming and going.
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It’s really cool to have two homes. But shifting your life back and forth always involves some lurching. 😉 I noticed it after a long trip when I’d come back to the day to day work life.
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Just to let you know your blog has received my nomination. http://barsetshirediaries.wordpress.com/2014/02/03/abc-award/
xxx Huge Hugs xxx
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Thank you David, for thinking of me, even though I’ve managed to spend too little time in the blog world since my return… Seems I didn’t get lost enough, and the real world has claimed me, dammit.
I’ll file this, and make it a very good reason to resume blogging transmission as soon as I can 🙂
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Hi Ella – just popped over to see what you’ve been up to – missed your presence in the blogosphere! Glad to hear you’ve had a good break – I found it very difficult to get into gear as well in January but am up and posting again now. Looking forward to reading your posts throughout 2014.
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Thank you 🙂 It’s taken me a while to reacclimatize both to real life and online life. I saw a preview of Wadjda at the movies today, and thought of you. I’m looking forward to seeing it 🙂
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Yeah, I’ve heard great things about that movie, but I think it’s been passed over for an Oscar nomination (foreign film) if I remember rightly.
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Seems as though you had a blissful time up at Taylor’s Arm – what a shame you had to come back south before Australia Day! Love the thought of Mags luxuriating in your ministrations … I’m enjoying a nascent relationship with an adolescent butcher bird the same way. Look forward to seeing you around in this new year. 🙂
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Thank you, I’m around but endlessly, somewhat reluctantly distracted by work-life but resolved this is what I must be and do 🙂
Happy to hear of your butcher bird… we love them all except the Indian Myna’s / starlings… poor things, it’s not their fault but, well…
I’m always amazed and grateful to make the acquaintance of wild feathered and furred ones. I know it’s mainly about food but they do have to put their trust in us.
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Dear EllaDee,
The nostalgia after a good break can be agonizing if there are chores to catch up on. But I find blogging about it sometimes feels like reliving the whole experience again and that is almost as good as the vacation itself.
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Thank you. So true. In the past I shared holiday bits & pieces via the blogs… I’m back in the zone now, and in need of a re-visit myself 🙂
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