Monday

 Good morning.  Pinch and punch for the first of the month and white rabbits!! 

That's tradition out of the way!  It's yet another dull, nothing sort of day outside and it really doesn't entice me to go out at all.  I'd love to go somewhere like Hyde Hall but I don't think that's wise even if, officially, it is 'allowed'.  Maybe, give it another month, things might ease off a bit and the bulbs will be lovely by then, won't they?  
Last year, the bulbs were much further advanced than they are this year but, generally, it was a warmer winter and that brought them on, I guess.  Everything is coming up nicely but the only bulbs actually out are the snowdrops.

I'm having trouble remembering what I did yesterday - probably because I didn't do very much.  Beth and I managed a chat and Alex joined in for a short time; that was very pleasant.  She has to drive to Colchester this morning to pick up some necessary equipment (essential journey!!  < grin > ) and will be dropping off something that was delivered to her house and picking up a shirt that got left behind.  She won't be coming in because it's work time that she's using.

I'm trying to think what I fancy tidying up/decluttering today.  I think that, despite the dullness, I really do need to start in on the garden.  As far as the allotment is concerned, it can wait, but I have arranged with Jeff that next week he brings along his tree lopping equipment and gives the trees at the back a jolly good cut back.  It hasn't been done for quite a while and, while Beth and I can do the really low stuff, it's not really addressing the real issue as we can't get high enough.  A jolly good chop back will make a huge difference.
While he's doing that, I can start on clearing, as long as the ground isn't too hard.

We decided that one these ten days are over, one of the first things we need to do is put heads together (not literally, far too close!) and decided what we want to plant, although, to be honest, it will all be much the same thing.  I'm not going to bother with squash, it never does all that well, but courgettes - yellow ones - are always a winner and there's the usual runner beans, tomatoes, potatoes and so on and so forth.  The great plans for raised beds is going to have to wait for a while but it won't hurt that ground to be under cover for another year.

I have a whole load of seeds, bought last year, so I also have to decide what I want in my own garden.  Having so many tomato plants last year was lovely and I guess I will be doing that again this year, some in a bed and some in nice big pots.  It's a bit early to sow seeds but I don't want to leave it too late like I usually do!

You can tell the sap is rising, can't you - starting to talk about planting and so on again.  As the days get longer and lighter, things start to wake up again, including me.  

Back to today - so there's a bit of gardening to do and the usual housework, cleaning, wiping round, tidying, etc.  Very much the same really but quite satisfying, nonetheless.

Have a lovely first day of February, folks.  Something to cheer you up (it's cheered me up) - if you pay your rates and water rated monthly for ten month, you (and I) will be a little richer for a couple of months.  Nice!

Stay safe, stay well and be happy.  xx