15-Oct to 21-Oct 2011

Sat 15-Oct: Took the grandsons up to the allotment late afternoon, always an eventful experience. Started off by building a den... bit of a puzzle since they've already got a magnificent two storey edifice with accompanying tower and flag you can see from anywhere on the allotment site that only took me months to build and still has some distance to go before being completed. Would help if I didn't keep getting new instructions such as 'a moat around the outside would look good', or 'could we build a lift?' The new den was needed to house Sam's collection of spiders, a current obsession of his. Apparently I'm keeping his hopeful Christmas present of a tarantula spider at my house since his mum & dad aren't keen. So the boys spent an hour wrestling with construction issues and large bits of wood while I tried to protect my garlic rows and squeeze past with wheelbarrow loads of water for the pond. Here they are temporarily distracted by a mouse seen running into the ground floor of the existing den. Up came the carpet and there was some discussion of trap design. Afterwards we walked across a couple of fields before I returned them home laden with stones, bits of wood, various fruit and vegetables and anything else they considered useful or interesting.

Sun 16-Oct: We ambled the walk to Hemingford Abbots in the morning, breaking the 6 miles with a cup of tea and a share of a piece of almond & strawberry marble cake at the tea room by Houghton Mill. Beautiful warm sunshine as we watched the Canada geese in the river.

Mon 17-Oct: Another allotment meeting in the evening, this time the AGM at the Corn Exchange. Here's me arriving five minutes before the start (phew!) with the lights burning bright in the 1st floor room where about thirty-odd members were in attendance. Some concern that we'd have another bun fight as occurred the previous Monday, but the committee member in question didn't turn up so all went smoothly. Some discussion about my activity over under utilised plots, how to attract new members and what to spend any spare money on. Although everyone keen on what we were doing no one put themselves forward to fill the two committee vacancies.

Tue 18-Oct: Received this text from Becky after taking Jazz to meet up with her, Sammy and Izzy on the morning walk to school. Sammy appeared with a plastic box, large enough to do justice to the humongous spider who was the latest lucky recipient of his arachnoid lust. Sent all the mums and schoolkids wild when he let his pet crawl over his hands. When I went for a short babysit in the evening while Becky and Barry went to parents evening both spider and Sammy were in good health. The spider must be a survivor... despite Sammy's loving attentions he's still got all his limbs intact!

Wed 19-Oct: Baked some Italian peasant bread, been a while since I baked some. Set the bread maker going on the dough while I popped to the allotment to do the chickens. Didn't intend to stay long since a bit cold & windy, but in the end took 90mins cutting down the Jerusalem artichokes growing in the chicken run. Thought about digging up some tubers to use for cooking but ran out of time. On returning home was just in time to move the bread dough into trays to rest for an hour before baking. Here's the result as I went to bed... half of one loaf consumed by me and Linda for supper with butter while still warm. At least half a loaf will go to the grandchildren, who devour it immediately every time.

Thu 20-Oct: Ended up with slightly more shopping bags than intended this morning after our shopping trip to Huntingdon. Linda, having got fed up of me looking vacant and bored, wandered off to do her shopping and I popped in to Argos for some bathroom scales. How annoying! All the screens to check stock are occupied... and that lady in the pink coat isn't even using her screen but is fiddling about on her mobile 'phone! Should I ask her to move? Then realised it was my daughter Becky! I escaped by offering to take all the bags home while Linda & Becky continued shopping before both coming home for lunch. Result!

Fri 21-Oct: Yipee! Friday is an alcohol day (as opposed to Mon, Wed & Thu ~:0( ) so had a glass of wine with lunch at The Dolphin with Linda, Becky & Beth. Unfortunately I left the measure mark facing Linda and she noticed it was a 250ml measure... a large glass. Added to the fact I had a £3 fine for returning a library book late meant I was lucky to escape with a caution. Nice easy morning... Linda was whisked away by Becky at 09:30 for shopping, leaving me to amble round the library, pick some books, read the newspapers and browse the computer magazine before meeting up with them for a drink and lunch at 11:30. Beth arrived after an hour's aqua zumba in the local swimming pool!