Tuesday 22 June 2021

Tuesday

 Good morning, everyone.  Wasn't it cold yesterday?  It was here anyway, so much so that I turned up the heating.  The longest day of the year and the heating was on - ridiculous - or maybe I mean riddikulus!  It doesn't feel so cold this morning, thankfully.

Before driving back, I did manage to stop off at the allotment (in the rain!) to take a look.  I was in quite a low frame of mind so I felt a bit heartbroken (OK, exaggeration for effect) with what I saw but, on reflection, it wasn't so bad really.

Something (cat? badger?) has dug up some of the baby corn so there's a great big gap but there's still plenty of others left and they are growing, despite the cold.
The tomatoes are not as well grown as the garden ones but they are fine.  I pinched out plenty of side shoots and tied up the main stem.
One year, I will not pinch out the side shoots on one plant and see what difference it makes.  Anyone know??
There are plenty of broad bean pods, hooray, but they need to fill out so no picking yesterday.  Maybe by the weekend, fingers crossed.
This year the runner beans are coming up beautifully.  I honestly think that last year's must have been a faulty batch of seeds.

To the left you can see very prolific raspberry canes and to the right you can just see that the potatoes are doing great, starting to flower now.

The rhubarb is fine, the sweet peas are doing well, the strawberries are there for the picking so I've let Beth know and the fruit trees are doing the usual! 


That was all good and thinking about it, I'm not sure why I felt so unhappy yesterday - just one of those things, I guess, a reaction to what's going on, sadness that the allotment is being neglected after all the hard work earlier in the year and, maybe, just missing being there and working with the fruits and vegetables..  Never mind, things will pick up, we will get a harvest, one reason why things are going so well is all that earlier hard work, the weeds won't have it all their own way . . .

On the minus side, there's too many weeds (just look at that huge one in front of the runners in the last photo), the yellow courgettes are no more and as for the mange tout that had started growing so merrily - Beth forgot to net them and the pigeons have stripped all the shoots right down to the ground.  Ah well, it was Beth who wanted the mange tout more than I!  Poetic justice.

When I get the time, I will do what I did last year and plant some dwarf French beans - the canes are already there and I know they will do well (thank you to Diane for mentioning them last year). 
Beth has yellow courgettes in her little garden and they are fine so she can share with me.
The grass is a disaster again but it's too wet to cut right now and, again, it will get its come-uppance.

On the drive over to Dad's, I was more than a bit teary (what a snowflake!!) but I gave myself a good telling off which helped and in the afternoon a friend of Dad's came round for a chat and that made all the difference.  She's in charge of pastoral care in the local circuit and she's a very good listener.

Today I am allowed to visit Dad.  I've just done the lateral flow test (negative) and need to report it so all I have to do is show the results on my phone before they let me in.  So I'd better go and do that, before I have my bath, get dressed, go to Tescos for some vitamin stuff for the cramps - stopping them, I mean - and some needles and thread so I can sew the name labels onto things like socks.  I got some iron ons but then realised they don't stick on everything!!

A busy day but, hopefully, a lovely one too.  Take care and stay warm  xx



13 comments:

  1. oh Joy, don't call yourself a snowflake because you're a little emotional during a time of stress! You're not a robot, just a loving daughter. It's probably easier to let yourself get upset over something less critical at the moment, and it probably did you good to let yourself feel that way. Lots of hugs ((()))

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  2. Dear Joy! Crying is good! It gets rid of lots of nastys from your system. It is nature's way to help you with all that you are going through at present. I know it makes us feel vulnerable and in some cases we think we are weak to cry but it is all part of your body trying to relieve you of stress build up. Take for example an old Holly Hunter film (can't remember the name of the film) where her daily routine includes making herself cry and then dries her eyes ,sighs, and up she goes off to work to face another day. OK! so that is Hollywood but there is some truth in it. I hope your Dad is settling in well at the Care Home. Take care Amanda x

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  3. I will join the chorus of others saying that sadness and tears are completely normal and even healthy given all that you are dealing with at the moment. No need to apologize or feel as though you aren't being strong enough when all evidence to the contrary indicates just how much you are doing--taking care of Dad, sorting his belongings, trying to care for two households miles apart, dealing with your own physical pain--not to mention the wide-ranging emotional components of all that has happened. A good cry is completely warranted and healthy. Glad you had the chance to talk with the pastoral care person--sounds like the timing was just right. Make sure you take some time for yourself in the midst of all you are doing to simply relax or do something you really enjoy. Take care.

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  4. Be kind to yourself Joy. You are such a good daughter to your father and I know he appreciates having you make sure everything that can be done for him is being done. He knows how hard it is for you.

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  5. When you think of the changes that have happened in such a short time it's no wonder you got the wobbles.
    I'm glad to hear that there was someone to talk to - just at the right moment.

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  6. Remember the advice you gave me on my blog? Well, right back at you! xx

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  7. Sorry to hear you have had a bit of a down day, it is difficult to keep positive sometimes and a few tears can help to relieve that pressure. It's good you found someone to talk to.

    I have just a word of caution about the stick on name labels (from personal experience) they do have a nasty habit of coming off in the wash so I would recommend that you add a few stitches even if they appear to be firmly in place now rather than risk then coming off and your dad's clothes going missing.
    Jane

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  8. Dear Joy, you are just like me I hate crying in bad times, I feel as if I start I won't stop! You are going through some very difficult times and you must be so kind to yourself to get through it all. Never feel guilty about how you feel on bad days. That is strange, I have had pains in my legs too, I wondered if it was sleeping in a different bed at the caravan, could that be a possible cause for you. Sending lots of love. xx

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  9. I could have a good cry for you Joy and I only know your dad through your blog.
    As above - the stick ons peel off and the care homes have a habbit of using hot washes for everything - my mum in law had some beautiful outfits when she went into one and most of them ended up being shrunk!
    Also write his name on the back of any picture frames and label any ornaments underneath etc - when my MIL had to swap rooms we found her with someone elses relatives in picture frames as the carers had forgotten whose photos and belongings were whose!!

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  10. I hope your day got brighter. Glad you found name labels for your Dad's things and get a chance to visit with him.

    God bless.

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  11. Please don't be so hard on yourself, Joy. You are going through a difficult time right now and you have a lot on your plate. I hope you're feeling brighter today. X

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  12. Thanks, everyone. As always, you cheer and encourage. xx

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