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Translation

Getting a little dirt on my hands

OK. It doesn't look much now. Progress reports will follow

It's still raining. It must be three or four days now, but it's not quite as cold. I've just bought some fruit trees and put them in pots. I must be mad. I especially bought a place that didn’t need any work. No lawns to mow, no weeding, no pruning- only concrete and gravel - in case I had to go away. Now I have gone out and bought plants. It seems I’m just not happy unless I’m wallowing in dirt and breaking my nails and really they didn't cost much more than a kilo of bananas.

I’ve just heard that there’s a community orchard here. It sounds like a lovely idea, but since Neighbourhood Watch has been warning people about locking away their firewood and marking their wood so that it can be identified by police, I’m not very confident about leaving my babies alone in some open paddock unless they have armed guards.
The one consolation if anyone tries to steal them from here is that unless they are built like Arne Schwarznegger, they will give themselves a hernia trying to move them. 

One is an avocado. Now there’s optimism for you. They don’t even grow in this climate and I have never seen them on sale here before, but I’m having a bet each way. If it's a success, I might try a banana palm next. If not, it's quite a nice plant anyway and I’ve planted strawberries too, along with some spring bulbs and herbs. Should look nice if it all comes up.

 I must say I'm a bit disappointed in my perpetual lettuce. It has already expired; tossed its mortal coil*. All that's left is a soggy pile of wilted leaves. So much for eternity. It’s gone there already, but I’ll leave it there. Who knows, if the sun ever comes out again, it may yet rise from the dead. I'll pray for its resurrection. Otherwise it can be the start of a compost bin.

* Just had to use that semi colon there in honour of Imre Salusinszky who remarked eloquently on its sad decline at the weekend. (Weekend Australian News p.5)

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