Certified at last


Got my certificate at last from grandson Sammy, complete with extra star. Was awarded for beating his dad at racquetball a fortnight ago. The original didn't have his cheeky picture on it of course. The theme is fireworks.
Made slow progress on the greenhouse, interrupted by the weekly couple of days work at the call centre. Struck lucky first time in getting the base level and square, and concreted some metal poles in to bolt it to once I've got the greenhouse up.
Today I managed to get the two sides constructed... fortunately the previous owner had kept all the instructions so wasn't too difficult although the chickens as usual had their heads into anything I was doing and hoped the nuts and bolts were food.
On a winning streak again... got the raquetball crown back from Barry, and have won last two squash matches against son David to pull the score back this month to all level. That makes the match on Sunday a decider for the month... if David wins he's 2008 champion so it's one I've got to win to keep this year's competition going.
Son John's 25th birthday on Thursday, and he put the Superman outfit to use on a night out in Cambridge. Here he is with a few drinks in him no doubt (if you're feeling brave click to enlarge for full impact). The manic look doesn't come from my side of the family!

Squaring up to a challenge

Here's the first sign of the greenhouse going up (click to enlarge)... got the base fixed together, having roughly levelled the ground it's to go on. The inevitable couple of chickens in the picture, observing what's going on. By the time dusk arrived I'd cleared the vegetation ready for digging the area level. You can see also see the new blue tit box on the back of the shed.

Seems I'm settling into a weekly blog at present since not a lot of veggie type things are happening this time of year. Planted broad beans and some raspberry cuttings. Thought most of my raspberry canes were finished but decided to cut them down to just above ground level as per the manual. But even the spindliest showed some signs of life, so there's still hope of raspberry jam next year. Used the best of the off cuts to attempt to raise more.

First signs of summer 2009 have arrived... that's how I view the green garlic shoots first showing their heads (or rather head, since I can only see one at present) this week. These are cloves from my own poor crop this summer, so taking a bit of a risk it might all turn out Pete Tong and I'll have nothing to show for it.

Spent a busy Saturday making and installing a winter home for the hedgehog that Beth's been feeding. Understand the hogs are not exactly throwing themselves at it.

Sunday morning spent gathering eight large bags of leaves from a spot near Warner's Park where I'd spotted them conveniently piled in a corner. Took me a good hour to gather, load, transport and unload. Somewhat wryly observed the piles of leaves around the allotment site... much closer although of course not so conveniently piled up.

John dashed in to try on his new superman outfit delivered to our house ready for his birthday bash in Cambridge tomorrow. Looked good, but a bit concerned about lack of aperture in the trouser department. His mum fixed poppers in a seam so he wouldn't get caught short.

The Pashley is going well since Halfords fixed the gear lever. Cycling everywhere now... only used the car once this week for a short trip to squash against David (I'm not mentioning sport at present since I'm again down 2-4 this month and facing defeat for 2008 unless a miracle happens... oh, and to top it all I lost to Barry at racquetball 1-2... there, I said I wouldn't mention it and look what I've gone and done!).

Even decided to have a first cycle down to the Flaming Wok this evening for a Chinese takeaway. Only a few minutes easy ride with the wind at my back, not a care in the world. Waiting for the meal, noticed the start of hailstones outside. By the time I was heading back (now mostly uphill) the wind had built up to gale force and it certainly wasn't at my back. Oh, and to cap it all the hailstones were much bigger. Cap it all sums it up, since I stopped to put my hat on the takeaway being carried at the back of the bike to keep it warm and dry. Now no protection on my bald pate as the hailstones bounced off like cannonballs... felt like I was in the middle of the storming of Sebastopol. Hadn't told Linda I was cycling down, and certainly didn't when I arrived back for fear of her thinking the takeaway was cooler than normal; but all eaten with no comment so I'll cycle again provided weather more clement.

Just the best sunsets ever?

One of the best things about my site is the sunsets... being one of the highest parts of the area (at a huge 20 metres above sea level... a mountain for The Fens) it catches some stunning dusk displays. Here are a few examples (click to enlarge).
Being forced home about 16:30 because of Winter evenings I'm seeing a lot of sunsets but not huge progress on the allotment tasks. I'm half way through preparing daughter Beth's raised bed for Winter. Becky's bed is finished, courtesy of Barry finishing it off on Sunday. I've decided the next task is to put up the free greenhouse I acquired in June. Thought I'd do it before frosts arrive... got visions of having to 'phone the emergency services to get my hands unfrozen from the metal struts. Of course that means moving the mound of earth created when I dug in my storage bin. After that I'll start digging the new plot, with a good tidy of the shed reserved for when I'm confined indoors through rain.
The plot's looking really tidy since I've been giving it the final Winter grass cut. Strimming merrily away late last week, I had one of those 'yuck' moments when a drop of liquid hit my face. The start of rain or some dew from the grass I think hopefully. But it could equally be the revenge of the slug I've just inadvertently squidged... has been in the past so I decided not to look.
Got a sudden passion to make some bird boxes over the weekend. Kit out ready to go, it soon became apparent I wasn't going far... the drill batteries were finished. So off I went to get a new drill, a Black and Decker 18v cordless big job from Argos, reduced from £99 to £69, including spare battery. So powerful I thought I'd better fix myself down to the floor to save having a carousel experience. Still managed to draw blood... as noticed by son in law (and skilled carpenter) Chris with a wry smile when the Seymour brood turned up to eat us out of house and home.
Pretty successful when I got the hang of it though, and I've now got robin and blue tit boxes on the allotment shed as well as a robin box in the garden. Now onto the hedgehog house!
Beat Barry at racquetball last night after a close fought match. Apparently as the winner I'm going to get a certificate from grandson Sammy. Miraculously pulled it back to all square this month in the squash battle against son David, though his mind's not on the game at present. So squash tally is:
Half year: 1-0 to David (5-1 in months)
Current half year months: 3-1 to David
Current month matches: 2-2 (9-7 in games to David)

What was a nice, tidy raised bed...

... is now a bit of a mess! Went up in the dark on Tuesday to replenish the chicken feed and check the girls were OK. Unusual amount of clucking from the coop & three chickens appeared out of the dark. Then I notice Paige chicken getting ready to settle down for the night in a wicker basket outside the chicken pen. She'd got out during the day, and not only that but she'd decided to rearrange my growing lettuce as part of her quest for worms.
The rest of the sisterhood were unusually hungry, which is why they came out of the coop... not typical when it's dark. The new feeder had somehow got a bit damp and the feed had stuck in there.
Other than planting lettuce out (the photo was taken as I admired the finished result on Monday) progress has been all about more digging of raised beds and putting on compost ready for the frost to break up the earth. When I've finished in the next few days it'll be on to the new plot and digging virgin ground... really looking forward to that! Also really need to tidy out the shed, which is full of frost sensitive plants from the garden.
Popped into hospital this morning for the consultant to take a peek in my bladder... all fine and set for another six or so applications of medicine. Fascinating to watch the screen and see inside yourself, and wasn't at all uncomfortable. So this evening, after a short walk around the estate with Linda to admire the fireworks and a chinese takeaway, I had a celebratory Famous Grouse.
Although I'm in the ascendency at tennis against Barry it's been disaster on the squash front against son David. Lost last month and I've lost the first two matches of this month! Winter has never been the best time to play for me. My game is based on running the opponent into the ground... yes, even now at 57, which doesn't sound particularly sustainable but I still can so long as it's really hot. Mid summer when it's above 25 degrees centigrade is perfect for me. So unless a miracle happens this month I'm looking at a defeat and the end of this year's competition. I'll have to consider tying his shoelaces together. The score is now...
Half year: 1-0 to David (5-1 in months)
Current half year months: 3-1 to David
Current month matches: 2-0 to David (6-1 in games)

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