Monday

 Good morning.

It was a good morning's work down the lotty.  Clearing under the apple trees and then chipping it took much longer than I thought but I got it done eventually.  Seven barrow loads of chippings!!  It looks uneven but it will level out as it dries off.  The chippings are 'recycled' Christmas trees by the looks of things - all those green bits in the phots are pine needles, not weeds!  It smelled lovely.

Such an improvement and it's good that Beth's plaque has survived the really cold weather.  7L is the number of the plot.

Beth and Al were round for Sunday lunch and we had a lovely time together.  The sun came out and it was all bright and happy (but still pretty cold).  Next week, I am going round to theirs which will be great.
We enjoyed lunch, had a good old chat, watched last week's Pottery Throw Down which Beth hadn't seen and then she and I took a trip to the allotment so I could show off - I mean so I could talk over plans with her.
We've decided that we will ask Jeff to repair the shed.  It's still got life in it and, with a new roof and a repaired door, it should be fine for a few more years.

So - today there's two things planned.  the first is the early morning shop.  I'm pretty low on vegetables now and there's other bits and bobs that I need.  Once I'm home and that's all put away, I will do my stint down the allotment (weather permitting).

Today, I will tackle the ground under the plum and pear trees.  Then, for the rest of the week, the path along the rhubarb (which isn't all that weedy really) needs re-chipping and last of all the area by the compost bins and raised beds which is an utter disgrace.
Then I need to weed out around the raspberry canes, or where they will grow once they start and around the shed and under the table and benches.
The grass could do with another mow but not today.
Oh, and we're reclaiming a little strip along the covered area to plant flowers.  Bedding plants this year, mostly, but maybe bulbs in the autumn.  The rest of that area is remaining covered for now - it's not been long enough to get rid of the nasties.  
Never ending, isn't it?  But well worth it, all the same.

It's time to go and have my bath before starting the day properly.  Have a good one, folks, and stay safe.  xx

Sunday

 Good morning.  Yet another dull and chilly start to the day but at least it's not raining.  Can't complain (even if I do - frequently).  Tomorrow looks to be warmer and we might even get some sunshine on Tuesday.  That would be good!

I got down to the allotment yesterday and, as I thought, the weeds are fighting back.   So I gave everything a good hoe over and then raked the loose weeds up.  Then I got out of the car one of our prized 'spoiling ourselves' garden tools - a battery powered rotavator or tiller.  It's not a huge thing, being cordless, but it feels substantial enough for me and I wouldn't like to get in the way of those blades.

Anyway, I pushed and pulled it all over the dug parts of the plot and it did a great job of breaking up clods and sort of mashing the manure into the soil.  It took a while what with the actual tilling and the raking flat again but didn't cause any back problems and I'm very glad I did it.
It all looks a lot more 'ready' now.

I might give it all another going over in a few weeks, I'll see.

As you can see, I didn't get around to clearing under the trees at all.  I think that is today's main task and it will probably spread into tomorrow as well.

I planted a double row of broad beans, not that you can tell in this photo but if you look carefully, the rows are marked with sticks.  I intend leaving a gap and then planting another double row in around three weeks' time, than a gap and another double row a few weeks after that.  In between each double row I can place plastic stepping 'stones' for easier (less muddy) access.

Our earliest rhubarb.  I suppose we could have 'forced' it but didn't.  Rhubarb crumble next week, I hope.

The other crowns are sending out leafage too but nothing dramatic - yet.

It was lovely getting back to the allotment again.  The place was pretty deserted and it was so peaceful, apart from when I got going with the tiller!!  Even then, the bird song sounded louder to me.

I had a nice, easy afternoon working on the hexagon blanket.  After giving it a long, hard look over, I have taken off all the crochet joining and have started again, using ladder stitch to sew the pieces together.  I think it looks better and has the advantage of using up many of the loose ends.

It still looks - er - rustic(!) but better than the lines of crochet which were simply not working.

There's still a way to go but now I am happy with what I'm doing, I will push on through.

The other blanket, the squared one, earned its keep yesterday.  When I got back from the allotment, I was chilled to the bone.  Not even my owly fleece did the trick.  So I snuggled into my recliner, owl fleece over me first and then the blanket over the top and that worked beautifully. 

Today I aim to be at the allotment by half nine for an hour or so of clearing weeds, etc, before coming home before Beth and Alex arrive for dinner.  I've made the bean crumble and prepped all the veg so it's a quick cooking job with nothing too complicated or time consuming.  The afternoon will be spend in chat with my bubble family, something I'm looking forward to very much and, in the evening, there's Pottery Throw Down to look forward to.

I think it's going to be a very nice day.  Hoping yours is too, despite the weather and the chilliness.

Take care, stay well and be safe.  xx

Saturday

 Good morning, everyone.  It's the weekend again, a dull start it it too and expected to stay dull and rather cold all day.  I'm crossing my fingers for no rain though.

Yesterday's personal training went fine although I could tell Lindsey toned it back just a bit.  There are no more aches than usual after an hour of working out so I guess things are more or less back to normal again, thankfully.

My chat with Jackie was very short.  Sadly, she has also done something to her back, just yesterday, in fact, and it very uncomfortable.  Poor love, I sympathise very much.

Rather more happily, I not only got most of the washing done, it was also ironed.  The basket is temporarily empty but there's one last load in the machine right now so that will get done today.

Apart from that last bit of washing/drying/ironing, I really must get to the allotment today.  Judging by my own little patch of grass, there will be no need to take the mower with me but I might try the mini rotavator on some of the cleared soil and I will certainly plant those perishing broad beans!!  There's probably some cheeky weeds to hoe back and I want to start clearing the weeds under the fruit trees before replenishing the chippings.

The new, plastic, slightly raised beds haven't arrived yet.  When we ordered them, they were out of stock and arriving during March so no surprises there.

I'll take it carefully and finish if anything is hurting.

The other thing I really want to do is make tomorrow's dinner.  Beth and Alex will be here and they have both requested a savoury bean crumble so that's what we will have.  I can make the bottom and the top and put the two together before baking tomorrow.

I have a bit of a shopping list but I don't think there's anything I actually need until next week so that can wait until Monday morning by which time I will need fruit and veg as well.

So that's today!  
What are your plans.  Do you find your weekend plans all that different to your weekday plans?

Stay safe and well and have a good few days.  xx

Friday

 Morning, everyone.  It's Friday, end of the week, and it's a cold and frosty morning, perfect for dancing round the Mulberry Bush!
Actually, I've just looked out and the sun has faded somewhat, sadly.  Beeb says sunny intervals and a gentle breeze and it's not all that warm with a max of 6C.  

Yesterday passed without incident, at least in my home it did.  I had the chat with Chris, very enjoyable as always, and the Slimming World Zoom meeting was really good.  There's usually about thirteen of us there which is a good number.  Enough to gets lots of different ideas, etc, but not so many that it has to rush along.

In between times, I just got along with stuff which is exactly what I will be doing today until about eleven when I have my delayed personal training.  No twinges from the back this morning so I think everything is back to what passes for normal round here.

Straight after PT, I have a quick Zoom chat with Jackie and then the cleaners will arrive at some point in the afternoon and that's about it for the day so I'll see how warm it feels and maybe get those poor old neglected beans planted.  I have noticed that those canny allotment holders who planted theirs in November already have plantlets around ten to twenty cms tall, lucky them.

Have a super day, stay safe and warm and be happy.  xx

Thursday

 Good morning, everyone.  It was a chilly day yesterday and, keeping the heating down prior to Matt's visit, it was a three clothing layer morning.  We didn't have rain until the afternoon and it's still raining now which is a pain as the allotment will be super-muddy again, bother it!

Looking ahead, via Beeb weather, it's not looking wonderful.  Not much sunshine and a few nights where temperatures fall below freezing.  That's going to sort out any early blossom, isn't it, like that on the cherry plum at the end of the allotment.  This happens almost every year; Beth can only remember one occasion when it actually got round to bearing fruit.
I'm wondering when I will next go down.  Possibly this afternoon, if the rain stops, just to get those broad beans sown but maybe tomorrow would be better.  

Not to worry, the garden is starting to show a bit of colour as the larger bulbs bud and start to open.

Matt turned up and an hour later I had fully functioning central heating again.  I can't remember if I said that the problem was that the radiators were staying on all the time. regardless of what boiler and thermostat dictated and I was extremely thankful that I had invested in individual thermostats for each radiator because that's how I've been controlling them for the past week or so.  It worked, it was OK, but a bit of a bore; remembering to turn them up each morning was dictated by how it felt but remembering to turn them down again was harder.  Goodness knows that the bill for heating will be like but never mind, all sorted now.

I was also concerned about boiler cover.  It's covered for several years but has to be serviced every year.  Because of Covid and Matt only doing emergencies for a while as his wife is extremely vulnerable, the service didn't get done last year.  However, he explained that the insurers had been in touch with him to say that providing a service was done and then another one later in the year as would be usual, it would be fine.  So I've had last year's done now and will have this year's at the usual time, around August/September time.  I'm glad I asked about it.

Later on in the day I had a good old chat with Val and we both looked forward to when we can meet face to face in the garden or park.  Won't that be great.

Today isn't too full - I have the Thursday chat with Chris and then nothing much until Zoom SW at half five.  However, I do have a house that needs attention so no excuses to be idle!  Have a great day, whatever the weather, and stay happy and positive.

xx

Wednesday

 Good morning.  Another misty start to the day today, fairly cool but not cold enough to need to turn up the heating.  We have rain predicted for this morning and maybe even a storm although I can't say it feels like it at the moment.  Time will tell.

The dentist visit was interesting.
Where I had the tooth extracted hasn't 'settled' (whatever that means) enough to start the implant procedure yet.  I have another appointment in a moth and a half and, yes, that will be a talk, measure, discuss 'what we can do' (his words), etc.
However, he took the opportunity to have a bit of a scrape at some of my teeth, muttered a bit about this, that and the other as he's not happy at the way some of my teeth are wearing down and gave me an appt with the dental hygiene lady who happened to have a gap in her appointments.  She did various stuff, none of which hurt, asked how I brush my teeth (more or less correctly, as it happens), checked them with disclosing stuff (I seem to brush my teeth very well, she said) and then gave me a tooth brushing demo before giving my teeth a fluoride treatment.
It turns out they are having a bit of a push with dental hygiene and trialling some new thing, something I'm quite happy to go along with.
Most of this was unexpected but not unwelcomed.  I did mutter at some point in last year's treatment about looking after my remaining gnashers a bit better so it's all good.

I now have an electric toothbrush and some flosser thingies arriving today from Amazon.  May as well do it properly!  Also, I have a return visit a week Friday so I must do my homework!

I was back in time for my chat with Dad at the usual time although I'd warned him that we might have to have it on Thursday instead.  All's pretty much well his end.

Matt emailed to say he will be here at 9:30 today to finish off the work.

So - today.  Matt, of course, and then nothing until a chat with Val at two.  No personal training today.  The back is so much better but I'm taking no risks so PT is on Friday this week and I am so glad I have a trainer who is flexible and understanding.

I'm really hoping they get it wrong about rain this morning because, if it remains dry, I want to go and get those beans sown.  It's been frustrating, not getting to the allotment this week. 

So it's quite a gentle day apart from paying Matt's bill which will be a bit ouch but there you go - home ownership is an expensive business and things have to be done and paid for, don't they?

I'd better get going.  There's stuff to do in the kitchen and elsewhere.  Have a great day and be safe.  xx

Tuesday

 Good morning, everyone.  It's another misty and slightly chilly start to the day today but the forecast is good so fingers crossed.  I have washing to dry on the line today!

I contacted Lindsey to change the day of personal training to Friday (tomorrow is too soon, the back won't be right and it would be silly) and she pointed me in the direction of some gentle but fairly intense stretching routines on one of her pages.  I think they are helping and they're certainly not hurting.

I now have a much lighter and brighter back garden - the muck that came off the paving slabs was not a pretty sight.  Jeff did a great job although he did recommend that I have it done more often in future, bless him.  It's funny how much it has lightened the whole feeling of the garden.

And then Matt came, serviced the boiler, sorted out a few problems and is coming back either today or tomorrow to replace a few bits and bobs which will sort out the biggest problem, fingers crossed.

I didn't go down the the allotment to sow the broad beans and, as I don't yet know when Matt is coming although he hinted that after I get home from the dentist would be a likely time, I'm going to stay in as I really don't want to miss him.  The beans will have to wait until Thursday by which time the weeds will be fighting back so it will hoeing time!!  Fortunately, that's not particularly heavy work.

Today, apart from Matt, the only thing in the diary is a trip to the dentist.  Delightful!  I doubt there will be any actual treatment.  It's the start of a bit more implant work, to fill a gap in the back teeth and, truthfully, it is not essential in the way that the front work was but it will help with the chewing and feel better - if that makes sense.

It's not a particularly exciting day today but it should tick over nicely.  Hoping you all have a good day too, safe and positive, whatever your plans.  xx