Potato planting

I neglected to take any photos from the allotment today but that is probably a good thing. They aren't that inspiring at the best of times and at the moment the beds are almost all bare. However, having taken Juno out in the dark this morning with the clocks going forward yesterday and done the usual chores, I did get out at lunchtime, tying the trip to collecting Maria from school.

The motorhome had already had an airing down to Verwood for grocery shopping and then the short trip to the village centre to return my lovely new coat which arrived with a torn sleeve, post the attendance allowance updated clain and to collect the tablets for Juno for her regular worming as part of the Healthy Pets plan. 

Having dug the beds previously, I was able to get the early potatoes in quickly at the allotment with 3 rows of 10 each in place for harvesting from June onwards. The maincrop are still to come, so plenty of spuds in a few months time and into the late autumn. I was also able to strim the grass before heading to collect Maria but I did a 5km run whilst parked up because I was early. It feels good to have got back into my stride and more to come hopefully.

Once home I got the grass cut for the first time this year and then varnished 55 wooden Easter eggs which are being used at the village hall event on Saturday. They were painted but the paint runs when the grass is wet, so the varnish is intended to stop that. It was lovely being sat in the conservatory doing that, warm at last.

Maria did well in a Spanish exam at school and headed off to dance from 5.00 - 7.30 in preparation for the show. Looks like Sunday mornings have been extended by 30 mins earlier and an hour ater meaning she is at the studio from 8.30 - 2.00 for the next two weekends. It will stop soon, fingers crossed.

Old man rages at the rain

I was caught in the rain the other day and found myself actually shouting out loud, cursing the elements in a futile protest against the fact I keep getting wet walking the dog and running. I was soaking by the time I got home and entirely fed up. It is so wet underfoot in the woods for example and the river is swollen again. Juno is almost living in the utility room until the evening so she is clean when coming in. She is not a dog to keep out of the mud and water.

There are plenty of daffodils and primroses in full bloom which do lift the spirits and I have been walking almost 5 miles a day during March, as well as running most days, including a 4 mile run on Saturday. 

It was a busy weekend with Evie and Amelia here all day yesterday and for a sleepover, Joseph and Bridie up to go with them and Maria and Alison to the Ancient Technology Centre whilst I kept an eye on Joy and made lunch. They were off to a puppet show in the afternoon for an hour which gave me the space for a run and then tea for them all and an evening of games.

Maria was then at dance for 9am which gave me the opportunity to go straight on to Joe and Kate to drop the girls off too, having had a walk with Juno and Evie before setting off. Then home to walk the dog again and check on Joy before heading to watch Joseph play football and collecting Maria from dance. Alison did dinner for us all, including Glen who had also come to see Joseph's game.

This afternoon has been a mixture of seed planting in the conservatory with plenty on the go, and organising our trip to the USA. We are in Philadelphia for the first two days, then off to Gettysburg for a family gathering and a tour of the huge battlefield. From there we are using Chris's car to drive to Washington on our own for two days, staying near the White House. We get back to Philadelphia for a baseball match in the evening followed by the train to New York for three days, just Maria, Alison and myself. We are staying between Times Square and Central Park, two minutes walk from Broadway. Once back in Phildelphia, we set off to Cape May for the final few days in a beach house and head for the airport from there. It is going to be extraordinary and exciting and there's also Bad Cinderella booked up to see on Broadway. Not my cup of tea but it will be an experience and I'm determined to keep a smile on my face.

Juno and I have spent an hour in the woods this evening and now we are set for the last week of school before Easter when child minding, old person with Alzeimhers minding and Maria's big show at the Pavilion to look forward to. I do find myself wondering when it is going to get quieter!!

Blustery and dull

 Juno and Sophie have eventually come together in a friendly manner, as you will see in the photos. They were never enemies as such but the boisterous nature of the excitable spaniel was too much for nervous Sophie and she would quickly disappear. There has been mutual acceptance for a while and the cat has ceased bolting for some time but they are now actively happy together which is lovely to see, especially with Juno spending longer periods in the utility room due to having got so dirty out on walks.

We managed over 5 miles of walks despite the rain and I also did a mile long litter pick with 5 bottles of the Blossom Hill minis on the verge along with 5 Henry Weston boxes. It has been looking a less for several days with more cigarette butts and empty packets apparent.

I got through lots of things on my list and the conservatory is looking full of plants with the cacti and various flowers, as well as the seed trays where basil, chives, parsley and lettuce are in full flow. The tomato plants which have emerged are thriving but there only a few of them which has meant me sowing more seeds. 

Very pleased to see 3 greenfinches in the garden today and the sound app I've been using showed green woodpecker, chiffchaff, blue tits, great tits, goldcrest, blackbird, song thrush, carrion crow, mistle thrush, nuthatch, rook, robin and wren all going for it during the dawn chorus. We've also had plenty of dunnocks, goldfinches and chaffinches singing, as well as marsh tits which I hadn't even noticed before. I would have assumed they were blue tits but the app made me look at the birds more closely and to realise my error.

I had to collect Joseph from school as he was not well, bringing him home just before lunchtime, but he enjoyed the vegetable pie I did. My pastry is coming on but needed to be a little thinner I think. I love thick crusty pastry, so it was fine for me but I was thinking more of what they'd say about it on the Bake Off. I might have been facing an exit although the bottom was far from soggy. 

Bringing it up to date

We've had a trip up to Greenfield, which is near Manchester, where we celebrated Dave Slater's 60th birthday. It was a great night with a live band playing plenty of hots from our era! I hadn't seen Dave since my 40th birthday until last summer when he and his wife popped in for an overnight stay on their way back from Cornwall. We have made efforts to stay in touch more recently and that includes getting in contact with another friend from university, Rob Campbell. We haven't seen him for nearly 40 years! 

The train up was slow and overcrowded but we arrived to snow in the village which was beautiful and stayed in a local pub which did a bit of food which we enjoyed whilst watching some rugby. The evening was similarly enjoyable and we were sensible with our drinking which meant we were up bright and early for a walk to Dave's house for a vegan sausage sandwich and the bus to Manchester. It was late and we missed our connection but we had a great weekend.

Maria's busy at dance as usual and we seem to be driving back and forth constantly but the car is now completely fixed with no warning lights or loss of power. It's been perfectly drivable but a little bit annoying but with the exhaust gas recycling sorted and the correct brake lights in, all is hunky dory again. The motorhome is invaluable as a second car and having the new started motor means it is entirely reliable.

The work on the en suite is going well and the tiles and fittings are next to go in. Joy is doing fine and is much stronger now, although still wanting to go home on occasion as the dementia works its way through her days. We have been on trips out to old haunts and have started meeting up with family members she's not seen for some time.

The allotments are both ready for spring planting and we have a good number of seed trays planted up at home now, giving the seedlings a head start. The garlic and onions seem to be doing ok at Wimborne and the broad beans at West Moors too.

I'm back running and cycling again and finding it slow going but I am back on it.  

A little while ago

It's been a few weeks since I last posted but these photos were uploaded and ready last month. They are from around Woodlands with the llamas just up the road.