I love DIGGING!

I actually had a hair appointment booked for 2pm today, but as the weather was too good to be true, I rescheduled it for next week and hot footed it down to the allotment plot 144.  I arrived at about 1.15 and when I arrived on bike with trailer, I saw the lovely Derek at the other end of the site, so I gave him a big wave hello.  To my surprise, the next thing I knew, both him and his trusty dog Laddy were beside me having a chat, and yes, before you ask, Laddy chats too!

When he left I got the shiny, never before used, even though bought over a year ago, incinerator out of the shed. 

Our shredder has packed up, so back to the traditional way or pre electricity destruction of important documents (I did check with a higher authority that it was ok to make a fire during the day at this time of year) so in went a load of papers, swiftly followed by a flame, and hey presto, the burning process had begun.

I then got the spade out, and for the next 2 and a half hours I dug, and dug and dug.

I realised as I was working away, that I actually love digging!  I like ironing too, but that's a different story!

I started to the left of the brassica cage, and continued, right up to the fruit trees. I was in little Ali heaven digging away!

  Unfortunately, Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum turned up - yes the EX friends and still current neighbours from next door, the ones who used to share a plot with me (142) but then decided to kick me off over a silly little leaf, yes leaf as in leaves from the trees - theirs in fact as they have 3 massive trees in their front garden which, as all trees do, shed their leaves in the Autumn, however into our garden!  Whatever falls in their garden blows through their fence, which does not have any screening to stop the leaves blowing through, so we put up some chicken wire on our side one year - they blew a gasket over this as that would mean having to clear up a whole load of leaves themselves, so Tweedle Dee decided that as the plot was in her name alone, that I would have to go!  Nice Friend NOT. 

Anyway, when they arrive at the site and because their plot is next door but one to mine, last year they used to really make me feel uncomfortable, as their chatting was louder than necessary and her cackle (you can't call it a laugh) was more audiable than needed.  However yesterday I felt awkward for about 5 minutes, and then I thought to myself, why? So I hummed a little tune and just carried on as if they weren't there, and I will continue in this manner throughout the rest of the year!

Tatty & Hilda will need a little TLC this year!

If you are keen eyed, you can spot a little row of green foilage still in the ground - them there's parsnips!

Yes, I was lucky to find a good supply of Parsnips, some carrots and the one potato, so a roast dinner is planned for this Sunday!

How wonderful this time of year is - the preparation of the plot is like having a Spring clean.  I can't wait to get started on the rest of the plot, but maybe next week now, especially as I have all day & any day I like now that I have finished work.

I don't ache as much as I thought I would, in fact, it's only my feet that are a little sore, not my back as I was anticipating?  Maybe it was the Radox bath that I took afterwards, and YES I did take the potatoes out first !!