It’s just nice to be home is my customary response to numerous What now? enquiries about our plans since we’re back from our Big Trip around Australia and settled into life at Taylors Arm.
During our staycation over the busy festive summer school holiday coastal season we alternated progressing projects with R&R. Somewhat rested & refreshed I started my Horticulture Certificate III course at Tafe yesterday. It involves a twice weekly drive to & from nearby Coffs Harbour, 80 kilometres-one hour each way, 9 am to 3.30 pm classes + home study + assignments + projects for assessment, and runs until the end of November 2017 with half term and mid-year breaks.
The G.O. continues to potter in injured knee accommodating manner. His specialist diagnosed torn cartilage and likely treatment with keyhole surgery but will confirm next week after viewing the MRI taken last week. Once that’s fixed, the G.O. has plans for lawn mowing & garden services self-employment to which I hope to value-add my newly acquired horticultural knowledge.
Diesel-Dog has further entrenched himself… eyeballing the kookaburras, defending his yard against cats, greeting his daytime visitors enthusiastically, guarding his nighttime territory vigilantly, sleeping on my his verandah futon, chasing tennis balls, swimming in the river, sleeping in front of the air-conditioner.
In lieu of January blogging-mojo Instagram was yet again my go-to social media… Following this first, catch-up post for 2017 there will be more Insta-blog posts where I upload daleleelife101 pics and short commentary rather than fewer EllaDee wordy observations. I’ll also continue flitting around the interwebs of the blogworld, Instagram and Facebook, visiting & commenting.
Instead of making new year resolutions I commenced 2017 on the premise start as you mean to go on… reflected via the daleleelife101 Instagram January theme #wordsfor2017.
“Begin as you mean to go on, and go on as you began…” Charles H. Spurgeon
For glimpses of our everyday life you can see my Instagram snapshots on the right (hover cursor over the pics for the captions) or if you’re an Instagrammer you can follow me at daleleelife101 and the G.O. at welshy055.
daleleelife101.blog 
Thanks for catching us up Dale. You two are so productive! Best wishes for the course and future self employment plans, not to mention Wayne’s surgery. x
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Thank you for Instagramming along the way with me. It’s so lovely having good company despite our different neighbourhoods♡
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Love all your photos. I am so pleased those siciliani balls woeked well for you Dale and the sauce. Your veggie patch looks great .. no need to worry about birds and other raiders.
I have had that key hole surgery on both knees due to torn bits. The GO will be fine. You will star in that horticultural course my friend. Best wishes ,F.
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Thank you. You are an integral part of life at TA… always referring to your posts for recipes, and your vege garden is also inspiration. I’ve passed your knee reassurance on to the G.O. ♡
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Have fun at you new course — and I bet even travelling an hour each way to Coffs Harbour is more fun than the trip to work in Sydney. 😉 Keyhole surgery on the GO’s knee sounds pretty okay too.
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Thank you. So far the drive to Coffs is simple, thanks to quite a bit of new highway. And I have a cup of coffee & music ☺
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I am in lust…I want your vegetable enclosure. Between, birds, possums and marauding alpacas, the only place I can actually grow vegies is on the deck. Your solution is wonderful and your preserves make me jealous. 😀 -hugs-
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If you decide to build something like our cage… it’s really a glorified chook yard… I know you could do it… I’ll ask the G.O. to give you some pointers.
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I’d need to get someone in to do the actual building, but yeah I’d love to know /how/ it was made so I can, -cough- , supervise. 😀
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Mylestom. Fish and chips. Oh yes! I am trying hard not to be deeply envious Dale. (and failing! well, except for the chillies, eeuw no thanks) ) I love the sofa on the porch. Oh for some weather to sit outside. And now I’m hungry, dammit! 😉
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I first visted Mylestom about 30 years ago… and I’m still in love with it. Come & visit… Deez will be happy to share the futon on the verandah while you read/sip coffee-tea-wine ♡
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Good to see what you’ve been up to – and to see what to expect when we catch up with you in May! I’ve missed your posting, but can see that your new life needs more living and less blogging 🙂 I don’t think I’ll ever be an IG convert, but at least I can see your latest photos on the blog. Give that Diesel-dog a hug for me, he’s gorgeous! All the best to the G.O., fingers crossed for his surgery, and that there’s a full and speedy recovery.
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Thank you. We, and Deez are looking forward to seeing you ♡
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We’re greatly looking forward to meeting him too!
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Yes, start as you mean to go on, because judging from how you’ve started, it’s going to be glorious! Just eyeing your gorgeous Laguiole spoons and those jars of delicious chilli sauce. Look forward to hearing how the course goes, and all the best to the Gorgeous One for a speedy recovery! xxx
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Thank you ♡ Trying out new things is so much less daunting now I have time & space, and your et al blog posts on speed dial 📞
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Good for you starting that course! I love the chilli line up, I want a cage too (foot stamp). If you are interested I have a couple of spare rocoto chilli seedlings I propagated. It is a perennial and I find it can be used like green capsicum when young then gets hotter as it matures. Happy to send one up if you are interested.
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I’m thilled to be at Tafe, learning new skills is challenging but fun. Your garden blogs & photos really inspired us although we don’t have your space for different areas. The garden cage is really a glorified chook yard… the G.O. did it in his usual style…
I would love some rocoto chilli seedings. Thank you. I’ll message you my address via Instagram PM.
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Your post title made me laugh. Someone gave me that exact advice just before I got married 15 years ago. I applied it to housework – certain things my husband was responsible for from the beginning – like ironing! Start as you mean to go on has worked out well for me :). Your focaccia looks fabulous.
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Thank you. Our shift from city to country-coast has been quite an adjustment, like marriage, but we are happy, and living the life were had planned. The focaccia is a great , I’m grateful for my kitchen blogger inspiration.
I can’t remember the last time either of a ironed anything… a wedding or a funeral, and I usually ask the G.O. to do mine 😆
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