Monday, February 02, 2009
Retirement from duties
Today was a sad day. Today was the day when I finally accepted that my old rigger boots had actually come to the end of the road. I have had them for twelve years. We have been through lots together. Cold nights in the garage in Gorton repairing bikes for the next day's contracts. Building works on the various houses and for the past few years stirling work at the lottie. Always warm and with a good stiff sole for fork and spade work. The steel toe caps have even been used for wedging planks and flags up to the correct level for fixing. Great all rounders but a bit heavy for dancing. So long scuff, scratched, split seamed, bald soled boots and toe worn old boots.
Sunday, February 01, 2009
Sunshine and snow showers
I got two bites at the cherry this weekend. It was poo trailer day on Saturday so I was at the lottie fairly early having collected the trailer. I did not have to take the trailer straight back so I left the muck in the trailer whilst I barrowed the contents of the poo bin onto the lottie. I did a bit of hand weeding before I barrowed the muck onto the plot. The muck did about half the plot. I hope the cabbages appreciate the work. Muck bin empty I chucked in the trailers worth of muck.
Since I had the trailer I decided to tidy up the lottie as a whole and take to the tip those things that I can not get in my car. It took no time at all to fill the trailer is which is a bit sad really. I still had some time free so I set about riddling [sieving] the soil out the weeds. During the growing year I put the weeds into my black composts bins. The plastic black bins get really hot and kill the weeds. I make a point of getting the weeds before they set seed. The trouble is I get so many weeds over the year, a by-product of good fertility, that I fill the all my available bins. I have four. When the bins are full I end up creating a heap which I cover with black plastic sheet. The sheeting keeps the heap dry and hot which help to cook the weeds. This is the time to year to recover the fertility from the compo bins.
I set up the wheelbarrow next to the the weed heap with a bag opened next to the handles then forkful by forkful the pile goes so through the sieve. What gets left in the riddle goes in the bag. I had to leave at noon but managed reclaim three wheelbarrow worth of soil. I tipped the soil onto the Asparagus bed. The bags of weeds were put in the trailer with other rubbish. Then it was off to the tip and then home for a sarny and a brew.
The H, Miss l and I had an appointment to meet with friend at Draycott. I was to pick up I print out of a wiring diagram for my BMW. My buddies has an big colour printer which make the reading of the diagram much easier. We had a chat and a couple of brews and came away again print out in hand. Once I got home I was able to spend the hour before it got dark fitting twin wall Acrylic sheet to the roof of the Greenhouse to replace the pane that was broken. Instead of replacing the single pane the shape of the Acrylic sheet dictated that I replaced both panes. The Acrylic sheet was sufficiently large to supply two roof sheets so I replaced two set the roof panes with a little to spare.
The day was bright and sunny but with a bitter east wind but I was working hard enough to work up a sweat. Sunday morning was just as sunny and the wind just as bitter. Over night I decided to finish the riddling of the compo heap. It yielded another five wheelbarrow loads. I tipped each barrow load on the Asparagus bed and when all was loads were tipped I raked it out. The riddlings gave me a three inch dressing over the bed.
The other job a had set for myself was to remove the remainder of the fencing and hedge by the new car park. I set about it with will. I parked the car in such a way as to keep the full blast of the wind off me. Before too long I had worked up a sweat.....again. The fence and hedge came out without too much bother. The Hawthorn stabbed me a few times as a sort of vengeance. As I filled up the bird feeders and was thinking that for most of the past few weeks I have been at the lottie by myself but today there was four other folks toiling away despite the biting wind and as we chatted the sky darken a great flurries of snow swirled about us and that was me done at the lottie for the week. Steve walked down his plot and disappeared into the snow.
When I got home H was busy making Marmalade. Things were was tense, setting point was imminent. I managed to knock over some sugar so I made myself scarce. I went to the Greenhouse. Sometime ago I managed to get hold of a few big plastic boxes. I filled them with compost from the old grow bags and some horse manure I had brought from the lottie. In those boxes I planted two Charlotte spuds each. I have a tray full of Charlotte's from last year in the shed which are chitting like mad so I was able to pick the best ones. The spare Acrylic made a nice cover for one of the boxes. Setting up the boxes helped cleaning up the Greenhouse. The roof repair has made a real difference to the temperature inside the Greenhouse. It just needs a good wash down to prepare it for spring.
Since I had the trailer I decided to tidy up the lottie as a whole and take to the tip those things that I can not get in my car. It took no time at all to fill the trailer is which is a bit sad really. I still had some time free so I set about riddling [sieving] the soil out the weeds. During the growing year I put the weeds into my black composts bins. The plastic black bins get really hot and kill the weeds. I make a point of getting the weeds before they set seed. The trouble is I get so many weeds over the year, a by-product of good fertility, that I fill the all my available bins. I have four. When the bins are full I end up creating a heap which I cover with black plastic sheet. The sheeting keeps the heap dry and hot which help to cook the weeds. This is the time to year to recover the fertility from the compo bins.
I set up the wheelbarrow next to the the weed heap with a bag opened next to the handles then forkful by forkful the pile goes so through the sieve. What gets left in the riddle goes in the bag. I had to leave at noon but managed reclaim three wheelbarrow worth of soil. I tipped the soil onto the Asparagus bed. The bags of weeds were put in the trailer with other rubbish. Then it was off to the tip and then home for a sarny and a brew.
The H, Miss l and I had an appointment to meet with friend at Draycott. I was to pick up I print out of a wiring diagram for my BMW. My buddies has an big colour printer which make the reading of the diagram much easier. We had a chat and a couple of brews and came away again print out in hand. Once I got home I was able to spend the hour before it got dark fitting twin wall Acrylic sheet to the roof of the Greenhouse to replace the pane that was broken. Instead of replacing the single pane the shape of the Acrylic sheet dictated that I replaced both panes. The Acrylic sheet was sufficiently large to supply two roof sheets so I replaced two set the roof panes with a little to spare.
The day was bright and sunny but with a bitter east wind but I was working hard enough to work up a sweat. Sunday morning was just as sunny and the wind just as bitter. Over night I decided to finish the riddling of the compo heap. It yielded another five wheelbarrow loads. I tipped each barrow load on the Asparagus bed and when all was loads were tipped I raked it out. The riddlings gave me a three inch dressing over the bed.
The other job a had set for myself was to remove the remainder of the fencing and hedge by the new car park. I set about it with will. I parked the car in such a way as to keep the full blast of the wind off me. Before too long I had worked up a sweat.....again. The fence and hedge came out without too much bother. The Hawthorn stabbed me a few times as a sort of vengeance. As I filled up the bird feeders and was thinking that for most of the past few weeks I have been at the lottie by myself but today there was four other folks toiling away despite the biting wind and as we chatted the sky darken a great flurries of snow swirled about us and that was me done at the lottie for the week. Steve walked down his plot and disappeared into the snow.
When I got home H was busy making Marmalade. Things were was tense, setting point was imminent. I managed to knock over some sugar so I made myself scarce. I went to the Greenhouse. Sometime ago I managed to get hold of a few big plastic boxes. I filled them with compost from the old grow bags and some horse manure I had brought from the lottie. In those boxes I planted two Charlotte spuds each. I have a tray full of Charlotte's from last year in the shed which are chitting like mad so I was able to pick the best ones. The spare Acrylic made a nice cover for one of the boxes. Setting up the boxes helped cleaning up the Greenhouse. The roof repair has made a real difference to the temperature inside the Greenhouse. It just needs a good wash down to prepare it for spring.
Sunday, January 25, 2009
I have got my mojo back
After months of feeling below par I have appeared suddenly to regained my former vigour. H and I went up to Manchester on Saturday to do a job for my Dad. Poor Miss L had to work in the evening so she could not come with us. However she did have her friend over for the day. I finished the job very quickly so I suggested we all went up to the market at Bury. The market was very busy. It was good to be at market that was so busy. The market had all kinds of traders. The Fish and Meat Hall was heaving with people and the stalls were packed with good looking produce. I bagged a nice piece of Salmon and a piece of smoked Haddock. We also sought out the Black Pudding stall. I had a take out Black Pudding just to keep me going. We discovered an Italian Deli which was glorious. H loved the market. The cheese counter had the most delicious Lancashire cheese, both crumbly and creamy. We just had to have some, well quite a lot.
It chucked it down most of the night so I thought lottie work would be out of the question. H wanted a Cabbage so I had to go there later in the day. However after a breakfast of Black pudding I went to the lottie. The paths were soaking but my plot was not too bad. I have not had much time spare for the lottie over the winter so some plants are in need of clearing out. I tackled a row of Celery which were clearly past their best. When I shook the soil off off the roots and raked out the soil it was moist but friable. I threw a barrow load of manure onto the row I just cleared, turned the manure in and then planted the row with Garlic. Things were going well so I dug over the first ten foot of the pea bed. I dropped four barrow loads of manure on the prepared bed and spread it about. The Broad Beans can be planted in a few weeks.
I had a rummage under the wormery and found the bird netting. My neighbours compost bin lid had cut a big hole in the side netting during the high recent winds. It was just a question of cutting a patch for the hole from the spare roll and "sewing" it on. That done I selected a couple the cabbages for home. I went round the plot and picked up all the dead cabbage leaves.
The jobs were taking no time at all so I set about weeding the Asparagus bed. All weeds came away quite easily except for the Nettles which seem to have invaded the whole bed. The bed was dressed at the end of summer with compost made at the lottie during the previous year. With the weed cleared the soil was black and loose. The Asparagus bed is raised so it never gets really wets and I hope that now the black soil is exposed the sun will heat it up. This year we get to have few spears so roll on Easter.
If that was not enough for the day. I went to Burton to see if I could get plastic or acrylic to fix the greenhouse roof. I found what I wanted but it was too big to go in H's car. We dropped in at our favorite garden centre and got a couple of Rhubarb plants, they were even in the sale. When we got home I made tea, fish pie. To round the day off did my blog.
It chucked it down most of the night so I thought lottie work would be out of the question. H wanted a Cabbage so I had to go there later in the day. However after a breakfast of Black pudding I went to the lottie. The paths were soaking but my plot was not too bad. I have not had much time spare for the lottie over the winter so some plants are in need of clearing out. I tackled a row of Celery which were clearly past their best. When I shook the soil off off the roots and raked out the soil it was moist but friable. I threw a barrow load of manure onto the row I just cleared, turned the manure in and then planted the row with Garlic. Things were going well so I dug over the first ten foot of the pea bed. I dropped four barrow loads of manure on the prepared bed and spread it about. The Broad Beans can be planted in a few weeks.
I had a rummage under the wormery and found the bird netting. My neighbours compost bin lid had cut a big hole in the side netting during the high recent winds. It was just a question of cutting a patch for the hole from the spare roll and "sewing" it on. That done I selected a couple the cabbages for home. I went round the plot and picked up all the dead cabbage leaves.
The jobs were taking no time at all so I set about weeding the Asparagus bed. All weeds came away quite easily except for the Nettles which seem to have invaded the whole bed. The bed was dressed at the end of summer with compost made at the lottie during the previous year. With the weed cleared the soil was black and loose. The Asparagus bed is raised so it never gets really wets and I hope that now the black soil is exposed the sun will heat it up. This year we get to have few spears so roll on Easter.
If that was not enough for the day. I went to Burton to see if I could get plastic or acrylic to fix the greenhouse roof. I found what I wanted but it was too big to go in H's car. We dropped in at our favorite garden centre and got a couple of Rhubarb plants, they were even in the sale. When we got home I made tea, fish pie. To round the day off did my blog.
Monday, January 19, 2009
Nights are drawing out
This weekend I had two trip to the lottie. Both were an antidote it having to put in some extra hours at the office. I do not do extra hours and especially not at the weekend but this is an extra special case. Saturday afternoon I went up to the lottie after work. Steve had put up the pallets to rebuild the muck corral. I banged in the posts and tied the pallets to the post with wire. I then fixed plastic the back wall the of muck bin and put paving slabs to hold the covering down.
However on taking down the old corral we were left with four steel poles stinking out of the ground in what is to be the car park. Since we could not get them out we decided to cut the pipe off low and bang the reminder of the pole into the ground and that is just what we did. I could only manage two before I ran out of steam. It is dark by quarter past five and pitch black by five thirty. The wind was getting up as well. It was all persuasion I needed to send me go home. However Steve and I had a chat about we do to the next day. Steve's chickens are getting busy so he had half a dozen eggs for me. H had a couple for Sunday breakfast along with her homemade bread and jam.
H is making the most of her food processor she got from Santa. Fresh baked Bread most weekend and this weekend H's famous cherry cake too. All very nice. Sunday dawned clear but I has work work to do. I got away mid afternoon and after a quick stop at home for a sup of Tea and a sarny, I went to the lottie. I had to stop off at home to pick up the peelings bin for the worms as well. The lottie was blown inside out from the overnight gales. My neighbour's compost bin lid cut a big hole through my bird netting. So there is another job to do. Steve and I measured and set out the new lottie. This was very satisfying. We were able to set out the new mini-veg plots. This is cunning plan. If we put up the mini-veg plots we can fill them up with the spare soil that is taking up the car park. So next job for the lottie is a couple of mini-veg beds and some paths. They turned out to be quite big beds at 1.5 x 8.5 meters, about 25 x 5 foot in old money. We finished off cutting down the poles and used the offcuts to bolster the muck bin. Just in case we had not done enough we knocked up some compost bins against he back of the muck bin. The area looks very much better. Once the soil is shifted the carpark will be over twice the size it was. Soil shifting is a job for a work party. I don't have the patience for wheelbarrowing long distances.
My new bins for the greenhouse came this week so if a can get some free time perhaps I can set up the greenhouse for spring. I still have to fix the broken pane. I also have to tidy up the back garden. Nothing but work which ever way you look at it.
However on taking down the old corral we were left with four steel poles stinking out of the ground in what is to be the car park. Since we could not get them out we decided to cut the pipe off low and bang the reminder of the pole into the ground and that is just what we did. I could only manage two before I ran out of steam. It is dark by quarter past five and pitch black by five thirty. The wind was getting up as well. It was all persuasion I needed to send me go home. However Steve and I had a chat about we do to the next day. Steve's chickens are getting busy so he had half a dozen eggs for me. H had a couple for Sunday breakfast along with her homemade bread and jam.
H is making the most of her food processor she got from Santa. Fresh baked Bread most weekend and this weekend H's famous cherry cake too. All very nice. Sunday dawned clear but I has work work to do. I got away mid afternoon and after a quick stop at home for a sup of Tea and a sarny, I went to the lottie. I had to stop off at home to pick up the peelings bin for the worms as well. The lottie was blown inside out from the overnight gales. My neighbour's compost bin lid cut a big hole through my bird netting. So there is another job to do. Steve and I measured and set out the new lottie. This was very satisfying. We were able to set out the new mini-veg plots. This is cunning plan. If we put up the mini-veg plots we can fill them up with the spare soil that is taking up the car park. So next job for the lottie is a couple of mini-veg beds and some paths. They turned out to be quite big beds at 1.5 x 8.5 meters, about 25 x 5 foot in old money. We finished off cutting down the poles and used the offcuts to bolster the muck bin. Just in case we had not done enough we knocked up some compost bins against he back of the muck bin. The area looks very much better. Once the soil is shifted the carpark will be over twice the size it was. Soil shifting is a job for a work party. I don't have the patience for wheelbarrowing long distances.
My new bins for the greenhouse came this week so if a can get some free time perhaps I can set up the greenhouse for spring. I still have to fix the broken pane. I also have to tidy up the back garden. Nothing but work which ever way you look at it.
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Changeable Weather
I went to bed on Saturday evening with a bright moon and a thick layer of frost on the car and woke up to a howling gale. With the high winds came a warmer air temperature. That was my cue to go to the lottie to the wheelbarrow manure onto the plot. Twenty wheelbarrow loads later the job was done. I still have to manure the Pea bed but that going to have to wait a while.
Despite the high winds it was not too cold. I had a few minutes on my hands so did that job which has been outstanding for ages, namely tying in the Grape vines. I put in a new stake to carry the main stem and tied the laterals to the horizontal wires I put up last year. I snipped off all the extra side shoots so the vines are ready for the spring.
I dug up and prepped about half of the Leeks I had standing. H wants to make Leek and Potato soup. With it being freezing yesterday H and I went to Derby to Lakeland plastics to buy some freezer soup bags and some freezer veggie bags. Everything was on sale so that was handy and we were in and out in 30 minutes - result. Perhaps my shopping technique is rubbing off on H. Now we have something to contain the soups we can make from whatever remains on the lottie.
Back to work Monday. Deep joy!
Despite the high winds it was not too cold. I had a few minutes on my hands so did that job which has been outstanding for ages, namely tying in the Grape vines. I put in a new stake to carry the main stem and tied the laterals to the horizontal wires I put up last year. I snipped off all the extra side shoots so the vines are ready for the spring.
I dug up and prepped about half of the Leeks I had standing. H wants to make Leek and Potato soup. With it being freezing yesterday H and I went to Derby to Lakeland plastics to buy some freezer soup bags and some freezer veggie bags. Everything was on sale so that was handy and we were in and out in 30 minutes - result. Perhaps my shopping technique is rubbing off on H. Now we have something to contain the soups we can make from whatever remains on the lottie.
Back to work Monday. Deep joy!
Wednesday, January 07, 2009
Its a New Year
It has been ages since I blogged. A bunch of things have happened since the last blog but mostly Christmas and New Year. I had a important task to do for one of my clients which was not resolved until New Years eve which was something of a cloud on me. We had folks staying, coming and going all over the Christmas period. H did a very fine job of looking after us all. It was nice to see everyone and we had a particularly good time with a one set of neighbours. There has been a cold snap which means the ground has been frozen solid so that has put paid to any digging, weeding or manuring for the past week.
I did go to the lottie and put up some bird feeders. I sussed out the support for the step-over Apple. I have banged in two posts four foot either side of the plant's truck. I then stretched a wire back and forth between the posts giving me a double strand. I zip tied the wires together and then tied the Apple tree to the stands. It looks quite good. I just have to prune the beggars now. I also have to find time to prune the neighbours Apples and Pear trees and see Gloria to sort her's out too.
I was so short of things to do I even tidied up the garage and re-arranged the contents. I then had a go at the shed. I checked the veg, chucked out the dodgy stuff and re-arranged the potato trays. I tried the remains of last year's cider. I still do not like it but it gave me a head buzz after just a couple of mouthfuls. After a cup of tea a trip to the tip with the recycleables. I am on a health kick at the moment. I put too much weight on over Christmas and my work has become more sedentary so I am walking to work each day and eating less. The "eating less" bit is not too hard since I am busy with work which takes my mind off my belly. I was never more than three foot away from a morsel over the festive period. It has been very cold but it nice being outside on the walk to work. There have been some glorious sunrises over the snow covered countryside. It does not look like the weather will be any warmer at the weekend so no lottie work. What will I do?
Happy New Year and I hope you achieve your goals for 2009.
I did go to the lottie and put up some bird feeders. I sussed out the support for the step-over Apple. I have banged in two posts four foot either side of the plant's truck. I then stretched a wire back and forth between the posts giving me a double strand. I zip tied the wires together and then tied the Apple tree to the stands. It looks quite good. I just have to prune the beggars now. I also have to find time to prune the neighbours Apples and Pear trees and see Gloria to sort her's out too.
I was so short of things to do I even tidied up the garage and re-arranged the contents. I then had a go at the shed. I checked the veg, chucked out the dodgy stuff and re-arranged the potato trays. I tried the remains of last year's cider. I still do not like it but it gave me a head buzz after just a couple of mouthfuls. After a cup of tea a trip to the tip with the recycleables. I am on a health kick at the moment. I put too much weight on over Christmas and my work has become more sedentary so I am walking to work each day and eating less. The "eating less" bit is not too hard since I am busy with work which takes my mind off my belly. I was never more than three foot away from a morsel over the festive period. It has been very cold but it nice being outside on the walk to work. There have been some glorious sunrises over the snow covered countryside. It does not look like the weather will be any warmer at the weekend so no lottie work. What will I do?
Happy New Year and I hope you achieve your goals for 2009.
Sunday, December 07, 2008
Still cold
I am not getting anything thing done on my plot at the moment. Getting the new allotments is taking up all my free daylight hours at the weekend. This weekend I had to demolish the old fence that divided the old plot from what was the plantation and is now the new allotments. Since last weekend when we got the rabbit fencing up there was no way into the new area without climbing a fence. It only took an hour so to get the rails off and stacked and pull out the uprights. Most of the time was taken up with cutting the rabbit netting off the bottom rail.
Pete turned up and back filled the foot of the rabbit fence which was wet and sloppy work. I cut back the top of the posts and now the fencing is complete. I still have the remnants of my cold and being out in the cold had me huffing, puffing, coughing and spluttering.
Sunday was very cold again and I was exhausted from Saturday. I ran Lucy to work then did a few jobs round the garden at home and a few jobs in the house. I still have to work out how to support the step over Apple tree and how to prune it. One on roof panes in the Greenhouse is broken and it is the most awkward position. I managed to repair the spare PC and re-jigged the house PC. I even managed to fit a part on the cooker.
H came back from her night out with the Rothchilds' ladies. We went up the lottie to get some veg and for H to have a look at the work I had done on the new area. We also had a look over the ex-coal board area which is adjacent to the Societys' plots and has been reclaimed and landscaped over the past few months. The contractors finish in a week or so.
Pete turned up and back filled the foot of the rabbit fence which was wet and sloppy work. I cut back the top of the posts and now the fencing is complete. I still have the remnants of my cold and being out in the cold had me huffing, puffing, coughing and spluttering.
Sunday was very cold again and I was exhausted from Saturday. I ran Lucy to work then did a few jobs round the garden at home and a few jobs in the house. I still have to work out how to support the step over Apple tree and how to prune it. One on roof panes in the Greenhouse is broken and it is the most awkward position. I managed to repair the spare PC and re-jigged the house PC. I even managed to fit a part on the cooker.
H came back from her night out with the Rothchilds' ladies. We went up the lottie to get some veg and for H to have a look at the work I had done on the new area. We also had a look over the ex-coal board area which is adjacent to the Societys' plots and has been reclaimed and landscaped over the past few months. The contractors finish in a week or so.
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