Thursday, November 10, 2011

Albelli's Calendar

I have had great fun making Albelli books, especially last Christmas as presents for Grandparents.

This week Albelli have launched a new range of calendars to create.  I can't wait to start giving them a try (that'll be the Grandparents sorted again)

Try their Albelli.co.uk  to see the wide range of products they have on offer.

Thursday, November 3, 2011

Plot 32





Five years ago we moved into our current home.  Quite soon after moving in, I planted a little vegetable patch.   That year we enjoyed home grown spring onions, a few leeks, salad leaves, tomatoes and my favourite, cavarlo nero cabbage.  It was clear that this small patch was not going to be big enough to satisfy my new interest in growing veg, but MrsMck was not keen on expanding the vegetable patch into other areas of the garden.

After a little research I found some allotments just over a mile from where we lived, I contacted the council and put my name on the waiting list straight away. I was told it usually takes a year or two for a plot to come up.



5 years later.  


MrsMck calls me at work, someone from the council had left a phone message and wondered if I was still in having an allotment plot. Break time came, the kids ran out to the playground and I grabbed my mobile phone straight away.


I was given a choice of four possible plots, and went to the allotments immediately after work to have a look at them.  One was completely overgrown with brambles and nettles, there were hardly any fence boundaries and no shed or greenhouse.  No thanks.  The other two had been a joint plot, and which would be split into two.  Again they were quite overgrown, mainly with cooch grass, and also had several mature apple trees (more than I could envisage needing). Also they had no shed.  The final plot had been worked previously this year, there were still some cabbages, beetroot and parsnips. There was general weed cover, but nothing to drastic. It had a ramshackle shed made from odd bits of wood and an old internal door.  At the far end there were two homemade greenhouses that had been taken over by mother nature.  But it showed great promise.  Chatting to one of the 'old boys', I found out that a bloke in his 80s called Les had given it up because his doctor had said "It's the allotment or your leg Les, one of them has to go" The plot had also been worked by Les' father previously.


It was Plot 32, the 5 year wait was over, I was getting my own allotment















This was just over a week ago, I have since received and returned the tenancy agreement and annual payment.  I was eager to get stuck in, do some digging and have a big bonfire of all the rubbish that had accumulated on the plot.  However, my back had other ideas.  I have been laid low (literally, at one point on the floor in tears). During a few days of DIY in the half term break, I apparently pulled some muscles or ligaments and my back went into spasms.  It was agony and I  hardly moved for three days.

This means my new enthusiasm, that was going to spur me on to the task of digging over the whole plot, will have to be curbed for a week or two.  Whatever I do, I will keep a record of it on this blog.

Thanks to Les and his Dad for keeping the plot in good shape and I hope I can do you proud and get it back into shape soon.



NB: I have referred to the allotment as mine, it will obviously be a family plot.  MrsMck and I will try to involve MiniMck and NanoMck as much as possible- but I have no doubts, I will be the one doing all the work, so, for this post at least, I'll call it mine.