Chitting and toilets...

Yesterday was the first 'official' day of going to the allotment.  I've been before of course, quite a few times to ponder and wonder (mostly at my sanity level in taking this on in my current form!), but yesterday I actually put the wellies on and got my new gardening gloves dirty.  There was no digging on my part, my official role  was weed clearer and general listener - my friend M was the digger who also needed someone to listen.  There was clearly a lot to be said and listened to, because he made an impressive job of digging and raking the soon-to-be veg patch over in a relatively short space of time. 

Even though he made great progress, there's a lot I've still got to think about.  I quickly realised as I gathered weeds, that I'm going to have to get some books out of the library and start doing some intensive research, as I know absolutely nothing and there's a huge amount of stuff to learn.

Despite my painful lack of knowledge, it was good to go and see what might be possible with the soon-to-be veg patch, and I'm thinking that raised beds might be the best thing.  I'm hoping that will make it more manageable, or less daunting at least.  I've plenty of fancy ideas about what I want to grow, but I'm thinking spuds, carrots and onions will be good choices to start with, and then to see where that takes me.  So my next task will be some intensive web-searching for vegetable seeds, particularly for some potato tubers to chit.  Being a favourite of mine, I'm keen to try  the Marfona variety as I've only ever been able to buy these spuds in Marks and they're not cheap!   M will be making said raised beds and has also been very generous with some seeds for another idea I have in mind...

The generosity and community-minded spirit is part of the appeal for starting this and already  I can see how the allotment 'community' has its reputation.  Nikki (the plot owner) came out and chatted to me about soil quality, things that have worked there before, things that haven't - no brassicas for me then...  Earlier, Joyce, an elderly lady who has the plot next to Nikki's, came over to ask if we wanted some rhubarb.  She then introduced herself and told us that if we wanted anything, we were to just ask, including the use of a toilet.  Now having an MS bladder, that's definitely a handy thing to know...

Grouchy and happy...

I believe that generally I am a happy person and that, for the most part, the glass is half full.  Lots of things make me happy, and I can find pleasure very easily with the simplest of things. Walking my dog, Kato.  Just being lucky enough to own said dog.  Listening to music on my ipod.  Leaves starting to appear on the trees in spring.  Flowers appearing, both outside and in a bunch from hubby.  Getting a bad bill then finding it's all been a terrible mistake when I ring the 'perpetrators' to protest against the 'financial atrocity'.  Orange fridges.  I could go but the list really is endless and I have to stop typing sometime (it's nearly time for bed).

All of those have happened within the last few days, so on technicalities alone, I should be giddy with joy and rapturous delight.  And of course I am, but not in an obvious way, that would get me locked up so it's all kept inside.  So why even mention it?  I don't know really, but the last post was such a whinge (which needed to be done) that I wouldn't want it to become a habit... Besides, this week has generally been good.  I've seen friends.  Watched a good film.  Kato is on the mend from last week's chest infection.  Managed to get hold of some seabass from Mark's (it really is the simplest of things...).  Hubby bought me flowers yesterday when I was feeling rubbish (those days come even on a 'good' week) and bought some of favourite fruit back for me, after going to the supermarket on his own so I could rest up.

Today was even more brilliant though. For the first time in ages, I've been able to read.   When I say read, I mean, really, really read, get my head down and in lose myself in a good book.  I've already managed some good reading this week but today was special.  Literally for hours, with the kind of concentration that produces an 'Oscar the Grouch' expression when disturbed.  I can't remember the last time I was able to indulge in one of my favourite things in such a 'selfish' way, where I could 'leave' everything around me and immerse myself in a good book.  And I have to say, there isn't much, if anything, that makes me happier than being a 'Grouch'...