21-Apr to 27-Apr 2013

Sun 21-Apr

Notice today how pleasant the space beside the front door appears to visitors. In addition to the usual succulents and smiley faces there's also this flowering currant bush, ribes sanguineum 'King Edward VII', bought from the Easter bank holiday market for only £3. Love the smell of its leaves after rain. Lots of bees humming around the flowers, even had several bee flies hovering around the plant.


Mon 22-Apr

Off to St Ives Bowling Club late afternoon with Chris' granddad, Geoff, for a bowling practice. Enjoyable couple of hours, particularly this end, when I squeezed two up against the jack, Geoff's magic fourth throw only managing to join on the end. Think I'll join and have a go in a few of the club competitions... and thrash Andrew when he visits of course!


Tue 23-Apr

At last! After singing the bus pass blues over a year ago, time to send off my free bus pass application in time for 06-May, the date I'm eligible. Strange feeling of elation, like joining a select club... though probably it's just getting something for nothing; felt the same when the chemist told me I no longer had to pay for prescriptions. Not sure if they'll let me on the bus when the driver sees the rather grim photo. Had difficulty fitting both ears and chin in the space allowed.

Got the feeling there'll be lots more bus pass related OMEDs... first use of the bus pass, first bus pass trip in the rain, first bus pass trip to somewhere other than Cambridge, first return bus pass trip, first bus pass trip when I had to get off half way to go to the loo, first bus pass trip on a Friday...



Wed 24-Apr

Here are the two speckled hens looking for any signs of food in the compost bins, snapped while up at the allotment this afternoon. The one on the left was on her way out to chicken heaven last week, suffering from sour crop. With Sammy's assistance, force feeding olive oil and yoghurt for a few days worked wonders. 



Thu 25-Apr

Looking somewhat like he's at the bottom of the ocean, here's Sammy after school taking a brief respite from chicken chasing to  plant lettuce, radish and spring onion seeds in the repaired polytunnel (full name, the polytunnel of the thousand blanket stitches). On the warmest day of the year so far we spent all day at the allotment, including lunch, so Linda could finish the digging, me the polytunnel. Now we're all ready to go!


Fri 26-Apr

Went to see Annie with Becky, Beth, Paige and Izzy this evening. Good fun, though a long evening... didn't finish until well after 10pm. During the interval was treated to a rendition of the songs from Paige, she's been doing Annie at school. Izzy was fast asleep just after the interval. Amelia still hanging on in Beth's tummy!



Sat 27-Apr

Another full day on the allotment, but the benefits certainly beginning to show. Managed to get the tomato frames up in the hope of a bumper crop. Avoided last year's disaster of drilling a hole in my hand. Be another few weeks before the 150 tomato seedlings cosily tucked up in the shed get planted out. Also planted a row of chives while Linda, after spending hours breaking up soil, did a row of spinach.