20-May to 26-May 2012

Sun 20-May: Our allotment association's Spring event today from 11:00 to 14:00, with lots of homemade cakes and soup and plants to buy or exchange. Here's a selection of visitors... we got about 50 in all. Made about £45 net surplus as well from donations. In its third year, it's now tradition to pick the wettest, greyest, coldest Sunday in May to hold the event. More photos at Allotment reenactment of The Burning Man.

Mon 21-May: Darts and pool at The Legion tonight since John working late yesterday. Here's David desperately trying to save the first pool match... John won with his next shot and went on to win the evening. Finished just after 21:00, David on an early shift this week and up at 04:30. He shot off home since I only had enough money for one portion of spicey spuds, so instead of the usual mad hurtle towards oblivion and first to Wheatfield School, the cycle home was slow and quiet for a change with the sky still light.

Tue 22-May: Another day stuck at home, this time for the fitting of the granite worktop. Suppose to arrive about noon, didn't arrive until 15:00, fitted by 17:00. Black with pale flecks in it, you can tell how shiny it is from this image. Looks gorgeous! Of course there had to be a little hiccough. Right at the end the leader of the three fitters whizzed through how to maintain the granite, with me struggling to get any meaning from his heavy northern accent... until I caught something about 'I wouldn't recommend you lean on this part', pointing to the granite insert sitting in front of where the hob will go. After a bit of 'discussion' it transpires it's only secured by the resin bond on either side and doesn't have any support underneath. The fitting team unfortunately didn't have an appropriate 'bit' in their van and were suggesting I get the kitchen fitter (Chris) to 'do something'. Expressed my dissatisfaction with this and was straight on the 'phone to the kitchen supplier for a solution after the fitters had left. Chris says he can easily sort it, but we'll see what the kitchen suppliers suggest first. Note: The kitchen suppliers came back to say the part isn't quite as delicate as the fitter indicated since special resin is used and there are dowels fixing it on either side.

Wed 23-May: Another day stuck indoors while the plumbers and electrician did their stuff in the kitchen fitting the sink, oven, hob and lighting. At least got lots of stuff done preparing for our St Ives Flower & Produce Show held in September. But even ran out of that by late afternoon and started reading the latest library book, Bill Bryson's 'At Home: A Short History of Private Life'. Stretched out in the living room recliner, felt cool even though the sun had shone through from mid afternoon. Then realised it was warmer outside. Sat on the patio reading, first time this year. Suffering terminal boredom decided to try close up snaps with the camera and noticed this ladybird making it's way along one of the plant pots.

Thu 24-May: This is the moment I know summer has started... when the tomatoes get planted outside. And the first of that metallic smell that takes me back over fifty years to when my grandad took me to his allotment on the site behind his house in Bolton. Planted two rows, sixteen plants in all, adding my special homemade compost to give them a real boost. There'll be extra help with a splash of nettle fertiliser in a few weeks. This type is Heinz 57 varieties... the seedlings got mixed up in the greenhouse so could turn out to be anything from Moneymaker to John the Italian's special Italian plum tomatoes grown from the seeds he gave me.

Fri 25-May: At last we got everything that's being kept back into the kitchen. Here's the result using all the slide away wire baskets and shelves. At least now it's impossible for anything to hide away at the back of a shelf. Earlier had been up to the hospital for a check on my bladder. Given the all clear with another check in three months. Up the allotment later, did my best to undo all the consultant's good work by drilling a hole into the muscle at the base of my thumb while putting up my tomato frames. Managed not to faint for a change.

Sat 26-May: What a frustrating day! In the morning we'd sallied forth in great expectation aiming to find the perfect tiles for the kitchen and, having fixed the colour scheme from that, to buy everything from kettle to kitchen towels. The omens were good... after burning four sets of toast at breakfast whilst juggling the first use of pan and hob it became evident the old toaster had given up the ghost. We ended up no nearer deciding the colour scheme... why are tile colours so boring... and only bought a cheap stopgap oven glove. The image is my watering load at the allotment now summer's arrived, every other day trying to cram as much into each trip to the water tank as possible. And guess what... discovered I've got a hole in my bucket (well, wheelbarrow). That just about sums up the day!