Garden Report 2007 - 9

LB1LB2
I finished clearing the nettles and moss from the high bank yesterday - until I noticed a couple of small patches I had missed. Ho hum...

The dog rose that was up there got the chop. I was fed up with getting scratched and snagged by it, and it was also harboring nettles and docks around its base. I cut it back to the ground, throwing the stems onto the path below, but the stump is still in there - the root was too strong for me to dig/pull out.

When I got back down to cut it up into a rubbish sack I realised I no longer had my secateurs. I must have left them up there, so back up I climbed. Absolutely no sign of them. I poked around with the fork I had left up there but to no avail. Now I understand why I have dug up a couple of old hand trowels up there...

I came back down and decided to end the day weeding the very small patch on the lawn side of the rose bed - there are some bulbs and a few self seeded plants in there amongst the weeds.

I got back out today after lunch. A note had been put through the door that I had missed a delivery - the package was in the shed. My first installment from J Parker had arrived...

The aquilegias, first sets of mixed perennials and lupins, dwarf rhododendrons, free gift azalea number one and free gift 10 white dwarf Asiatic lily bulbs number one were inside.

I set about potting on the aquilegias, perennials and lupins.

One of the lupins is not a lupin - I don't know what it is but it looks very similar to some weeds I have...but I have potted it on just in case it is actually a garden worthy plant...




The perennials consisted of a eucomis bulb, a liatris corm, a delphinium, a hollyhock root and six plug plants. I recognised two of the plugs without resorting to the list... Can you do better???

I planted up the lily bulbs in my large turquoise pot.

I then decided to have another attempt at finding my secateurs, and succeeded. They were buried at the edge of some marguerites that acted as a barrier to the soil rolling down the bank when I had been digging the day before.

After a short break I decided to plant up the willow 'Kilmarnock' I had bought in Morrisons a few weeks ago into another large pot. It needed to be soaked for an hour before replanting so I stood it in a bucket of water. This was a good opportunity to photograph the new entries in the 'what's in flower'...

I have two chaenomeles in flower, one near the pampas grass in the high bank and this one at the trellis near the sheds. Last year it was hidden by nettles...


I bought three pulsatillas last year from Homebase when they had been reduced to half price because they had finished flowering. The red and white ones are now in flower - still waiting for the mauve one...













I brought some Labrador violets up with me from Sandhurst. These self-seed prolifically which is okay by me, I think they are pretty.

The primroses and cowslips around and about have been flowering for a few weeks. My garden is now catching up...


The hyacinths have coloured up in the last couple of days.

The ipheions at the top of LB6 have started to flower.

And finally the kerria is now looking quite good - especially since I cut out the dead stems earlier in the week. I have thrown this photo in to see if Lillian spots/recognises the toad...

Easter Diary

Easter started well as far as gardening was concerned.

On Good Friday I was out pruning the shrubs in the long bank - mainly cutting out the dead stems and in a couple of cases getting them back into some sort of shape. This is probably not the correct time of year, but they were in dire need.

Saturday was lovely. I decided to have another easyish day, sorting out all my pots. They were still pretty higgledy-piggledy from when we first moved up here. I had asked Paul to help me bring out the remaining large/heavy ones that contained plants from the back of the cowshed a couple of weeks ago and they had just been placed wherever there was a gap in front of the lounge, along with the rest.

It looks as if my acer has survived its neglect - new buds/leaves are now visible.

I had brought a geranium up with me in a large pot (don't know what it is - small dark purple almost black flowers and needs deep shade). The geranium was thriving but the pot did not survive the winter. I completed the demolition job so that I could get the plant out, and then split it into four with a spade. I potted one back up, planted two in the shady raised bed on the far side of the rose bed and planted the last one up the top of the high bank. They all appear to be happy in their new homes.

I planted up two pots with gladioli - I still have 16 bulbs left over... Not bad for 99 pence assuming they grow.

The 'summer' pots have been moved down to the walls of the rose bed. The others have now been rearranged around the front of the lobby and lounge - this actually involved a lot of sitting drinking coffee, move a pot, back to chair/coffee, does it look right, move a pot etc.

On Sunday the wind got up again, and has been gusting at 20+ m.p.h. ever since. It is supposed to die down tomorrow. Other than sorting out my seed trays - throwing out the ones that are split and cleaning up the remainder - I have been forced to have a break. At least I have got some more work done on the new Collins words - re-creating my 6+1 and 7+1 stems spreadsheets which also gives me a revision run through at the same time.

This morning I decided to have an exciting trip into Duns. I had some chores to do - pay a cheque into the bank, go to the bottle bank, get a birthday card and pay my MOT garage bill. I do love the way that the garage hands over the car keys and posts the invoice a week later.

As is becoming quite a common occurrence my car battery was flat again - the best thing we have invested in is a portable power pack from Halfords. As it was a lovely sunny albeit windy morning I gave the car a bit of a run about before heading back to Duns. It really needs a long trip somewhere...

Pearsons had put a flyer through the door for a special offer on multi-purpose compost - I had run out so thought it was worth checking if they still had some. They did, and whilst there I just had to look at the plants. There are occasionally some small cheap plants if you search and today was no exception. I got the compost, three meconopsis (blue poppies) and an anemone blanda...

Tax Doesn't Have to be Taxing

I like this not working lark.

Paul, being Mr. Keen, has already been working on our tax returns for the last financial year. He was in his element, beavering away on his laptop surrounded by all the paperwork.

So the chancellor owes him money. Hurrah!

And then he started on mine. He had forgotten that having not worked at all last year that my personal allowance would not have been taken into account on my savings interest/tax. We still need my next current account bank statement to complete it, for the tuppence monthly interest I generally get from it.

So the chancellor owes me a lot more than him. Woohoo!

I don't know if Paul will need to revise his estimate as to when we will be in the poor house to take this extra 'income' into account :)

It is also time to start sorting out the next ISA investments to ensure we give Mr. Brown (or whoever) even less next year...

Garden Report 2007 - 8

I need to label the different sections of the long bank - it gets complicated saying what is where.
LB1: half way up the drive
LB2: to the end of the drive
LB3: to the end of the rose bed
LB4: to the end of the high bank
LB5: to the lobby
LB6: to the end of the house

I had a day off from the garden on Monday - I was still aching from Saturday. But - joy of joy - the dump at Duns had at last reopened after their refurbishment from one skip takes all to separate skips. I was surprised that it only took Paul two trips to get rid of all my sacks of green waste accumulated since about November last year...

On Tuesday I decided to make a start planting the bulbs I had bought from Aldi's last month. I have decided to make life slightly easier than I did for the spring bulbs and plant them much closer together - this means less digging. I also have a new system - one bag for weeds and one bag for stones. I started with the Dutch iris at LB6 (yellow/white/blue), planting about 30 in four patches between the saxifrages. I also got in one patch of acidanthera (white). The grape hyacynths, which I have planted in a similar fashion, are now beginning to flower.

We had a freak heat-wave yesterday - the temperature must have been well over 20C as the thermometer on the house wall read that at 6.30 p.m. when the sun eventually reached it.

I had remembered to soak my anemone de Caen bulbs overnight and the first task of the day was to plant them. I had decided on LB2 for these - five groups. That completed I commenced weeding and digging over the seed beds at the bottom of LB4/LB5. After a while I had to stop - I was feeling slightly faint headed when I stood back up. I still had my sweatshirt on over my shirt as I had been in shade when I started, and I was overheating. I decided to take it slightly easier and plant up some more of the Dutch irises. After much wandering up and down I identified/planted up three more patches in LB6. The remainder will go in after I have planted up the azaleas and any suitable perennials coming from J Parker around the aucuba stump.

Paul did his part with the first lawn mow of the year.

In the evening Ann and Neil from the lodge came round. Neil brought me a yellow clematis (tangutica) he had potted up. I am still deciding on whether to experiment using it as a scrambler down the bank rather than as a climber or saving it for the new back garden...

Today the weather was almost perfect - not as hot (maybe about 18C) and a cool breeze. The sky was a beautiful clear blue.

I decided to continue clearing the high bank in the morning before it became too hot. I had not been up there long when it looked like smoke coming from Margaret's. I thought I had better check nothing was amiss. When I got round there Margaret was emptying her car of bags of compost and more garden pots. There was no sign of smoke. Paul said he thought he had seen it too, but now we wonder if it was dust.

After a coffee at Margaret's I took my fork back up the high bank and cleared about half of what remained to be done, going back to my rule of stopping when I had filled one sack with rubbish. I tried to pull out a large bramble root, getting a good foot or more of it out of the ground before all my digging/tugging made no more headway. I will need to cut out as far as I got on my next trip up.

I then decided to chemical attack the hogweeds again. They were starting to go a little brown around the edges, but from my experience of last year it takes several sprayings to complete the job. My final task of the day was to plant the rest of the acidanthera at the top of LB5 - three groups.

Work completed I went out with my camera. As I was walking along the bottom Anne and Jenny drove along and stopped for a chat. I took the opportunity to ask if I could get some more of the clay-busting soil from the wood - no problem :)

High Bank
The heathers are looking spectacular at the moment. On the shrub front there is a large flowering currant that looks more like a tree, a forsythia and a mahonia (?) in flower.

There are several clumps of daffodils in flower dotted around.


Long Bank
Aubretias are flowering everywhere now. They are even trying to be climbers in places.

The double narcissi that Janet gave me last year are now in flower. They look as if they have been scrambled...








Several groups of scillas are now flowering. These ones look particularly vibrant next to the cerise aubretia...

One of the pierises that I bought from Morrisons last year is flowering, as is the one I inherited in one of the tubs. The other one I planted is looking rather sad - I may try moving it at some time.

I only noticed the corydalis breaking through the soil a couple of weeks ago, and today a couple of them are in flower.

And the hellebores are still flowering...



The daphne I brought up with me is just starting to flower. It smells divine. I also have a pulmonaria that hitched a ride in a pot of day lilies in flower.

You Can Get Cheaper Than a Kwik-Fit Fitter...

My car went into Aitken-Walker for its MOT on Wednesday. It passed, but it was noted that all four brake discs were pitted. This is probably due to lack of use of the car - I only did about 1750 miles since the last MOT. I used to do more than that in 2 months when I was working down south.

Anyway, Iain at the garage gave a quick guestimate of about £175 for the discs and brake pads. I had had the brake pads changed about 3 years ago at Kwik-Fit and thought they may be covered by the lifetime guarantee. Iain suggested that I check and get back to him, as he would need to order the parts in.

We were going into Berwick anyway on Thursday morning as I needed to pick up my Scottish Open scrabble trophy - I had at last got around to getting it engraved - and do a 'food shop'. So we called in at the Berwick branch. Unfortunately I hadn't taken the guarantee with me so they weren't sure. The man said they could possibly do me a good deal if they weren't covered if I was getting the discs replaced, and a figure of about 120 pounds was mentioned.

In the afternoon I went over to Anne's. We had made an appointment to dig up some foxgloves from her wood as long as it was not raining. The weather was cold and windy, but dry... Anne dug up quite a large patch for me - the soil there was lovely brown crumbly stuff unlike my grey clay - and she filled two sacks with plants and soil.

Allan came over on Friday morning in the continuation of our second best-of-25 match. I won the session 2-1, but am 8-5 down.

After Allan left I drove back to Kwik-Fit with the guarantee. It was a different man at the counter. Yes, they would be covered if I replaced the discs... So I asked for a quote on the discs - front discs 78.80 for 22mm or 45.70 for 20mm, rear discs 47.70. That sounded good - until I was told that was the price each, not per pair! I was completely confused now. Had the first man assumed the price was per pair? Was the second man screwing me over?

I went home and phoned Iain to get a proper quote in case I had misunderstood the guestimate - Iain confirmed that the discs were cheaper than Kwik-Fit - 61/45 front/rear per pair and about 50 for the pads. It goes back in on Thursday for a service and they won the brake discs business...

On Saturday after the morning dog walk I went up the high bank - over 6 hours of hard graft that I am really paying for now. On Sunday morning I was back up there planting up the foxgloves in three large patches. I also dug in the soil from Anne's - it is great at breaking up the clay. I could do with another dozen sacks worth...

In the afternoon it was the Berwickshire Bridge Congress, my one bridge outing of the year. Anne was very kindly coming over to take the dogs out for us. Unfortunately Paul and I failed dismally to retain our pairs trophy from last year, despite actually playing well. We came equal fifth with Reg and Jean in the evening teams event.

Conquering The High Bank

Over the last three afternoons I have cleared most of the moss and weeds from the lower sections of the high bank, and have begun scaling the heights.

It was so lovely on Monday evening that I wandered out with a cup of coffee and moved one of the garden chairs into the middle of the lawn so that I could survey my work. I always have robins following me about as I work, seeing what easy meals I have made available. This one posed for me...


<-Before After->




I obviously didn't do a very good job of nettle clearance last autumn behind the honeysuckle and to the right - but there are nowhere near as many this time round. Today I lugged the fork up with me... This time I am working from bottom to top unlike last year, when there was no route up, so it is slightly easier to dig and pull the nettle roots out of the claggy clay soil.

I reckon another three days should see the job finished, but the rain cometh...

Waiting for the Sun

It's a bit dreary outside at the moment but it is supposed to clear and turn into a nice day. I hope so - there is still so much to do.

On Saturday I pruned the roses. I was nowhere near as intimidated as last year - there was an article in the RHS Garden magazine entitled 'Roses: myths and facts'. Amongst other things it said that hard pruning each year is not needed, and pruning every stem to an outward facing bud produces fewer flowers than cutting with hedge-trimmers! I removed the 3 Ds - damaged/dead/diseased and then just cut back to a reasonable size. One plant had had it, so I dug it out leaving fifteen surviving. There appears to be plenty of room in the bed - it is its own low walled area housing our septic tank - for the six new ones I have ordered.

I then had my first weeding/moss removal session of the high bank, starting at the left hand side. It is hard work up there - trying to balance, not step on/flatten with rubbish sack the 'real' plants, not slide back down, and actually do the weeding. I have imposed a new rule that one sack filled is enough for a session - otherwise my legs will ache for the next three days. I got two thirds of the way up...

Yesterday morning I cleared another area at the top of the drive for my third compost bin. This involved removing the stones until I got down to mainly soil from an area large enough for the base - a circle of about a metre diameter. This took quite a long time as after the easy top layers had been removed there was a sort of double layer embedded in the mud. Forking it over loosened them enough to pick them out. Once the third bin was in place it was baptised with the moss/weeds from the day before.

After lunch I commenced my 2007 chemical warfare campaign - the ground elder and dandelions in the long bank were first in the firing line. The giant hogweed at the top of the high bank was next - it was already almost two feet high. Once up there I spotted another one coming through close by - zap. Around the side of Margaret's barn is a mass of them - I sprayed the ones I could easily reach. This is going be a long term problem...

I then weeded/de-mossed the next section along of the high bank - I have decided to get the lower sections sorted out first as that is where a lot of the new plants will go. Another sack of moss/weeds added to compost bin number three.

I then recommenced my logging of the long bank - another two metres mapped out. I have decided this is going to take too long - from here on in I think I will just photograph it and make notes of where the gaps are...

Plant Buying Military Campaign

I discovered that I have been assigned a garden budget of 660 pounds for this year and that I have only spent 10 percent of it so far. Paul had forgotten we had had the 'one-off' purchase of the petrol strimmer last year so this years budget has been somewhat boosted :)

Having had a forced break from gardening due to 30+ mph winds, snow, sleet and hail my thoughts turned to the next plant buying campaign when the J Parker spring/summer catalogue arrived in the post.

This time the free plants are an azalea with every order and spend over 40 pounds and get 10 dwarf white lily bulbs. There were also some very good offers within, restricted to one per order. This was going to need meticulous planning...

Step 1: Initial pass through marking up what I want with a large asterisk
Step 2: Create a file with all that I have asterisked with code/description/price and total
Step 3: Compare bulb prices with my Avon bulbs catalogue and amend list accordingly
Step 4: Phone the enquiry line to check there is no restriction of one order per household
Step 5: Split the order into 4 to get all the free gifts/repeat special offers that I wanted - well worth the extra post/packing fee
Step 6: Go onto website and create orders - discovered the dwarf rhododendrons were two pounds more expensive on the website
Step 7: Do the last order using the catalogue form to ensure I got the catalogue price...

Plant List
Bulbs
75 dwarf narcissi - 11.50
45 narcissi Pheasant's Eye/Poeticus Recurvus for naturalising - 9.90
75 rockery tulips - 11.50
75 lily flowered tulips - 14.80
25 Allium Christophii - 7.95
25 Allium aflatunense - 7.95
2*6 Guernsey Lilies - 3.90
40 dwarf Oriental Lilies - free
Summer Basket/Pots
12 Cascading Begonia - 1.95
2*6 Surfinia Repens Velvet - 5.90
2*6 Double Trailing Petunia - 5.90
6 upright Fuchsias - 6.95
Perennials
2*10 Mixed perennials -1.90 - even if I only want a couple from each pack I can't go wrong at that price
2*6 Mixed Lupins - 1.90
6 Aquilegia Black Barlow - 3.95 - I know these will love my garden...
Shrubs
1 Acer p. d. atropurpureum garnet - 13.95
1 Acer p. Orange Dream - 12.95
1 Acer p. atropurpureum - (buy 2 get one free)
3 Dwarf Rhododendron - 8.90
6 Lost label roses - 9.00
12 Hardy Fuchsia - 9.95
4 Azalea 'Geisha Orange' - free

So in total 166.60 pounds spent, 201.60 'saved'.

Aldi's also had rhododendrons at 4.99 yesterday - it was certainly worth a trip to check them out as we needed a couple of things in Berwick anyway. They were excellent value - good large plants in 4 litre pots - so I bought three (white, pink and red).

The weather was much better yesterday afternoon so I went out with graph paper, pencil, eraser, tape measure and camera to start logging what is growing where and where there are gaps that need filling as by autumn when next year's spring bulbs arrive I will not remember. This is going to be a major task as I only completed the first 5 metres. It should get easier when I get past the rockery...

Garden Report 2007 - 7

I have made good progress in weeding the long bank in the last couple of weeks. I was hoping to finish it this afternoon, but have been driven back inside as the wind is too strong. Also, in cutting back a large clump of geraniums I also took a large slice out of my left little finger which bled profusely. I finished the task before I decided to come in, clean it up and get Paul to apply a plaster. I have tidied up the last of the hostas, removing last year's dried out leaves and flower stalks. Healthy new buds are already coming through.

Yesterday I decided the time had come to remove the aucuba (?) from the bank. It really was out of place - far too big and not in keeping with the rest of that area. Loppers did most of the work and then garden saw to cut the stumps right down. I got Paul to do the main trunk after I was getting nowhere with it. I am very pleased with the end result - the bank looks right now despite there being a big empty space. I will need to dig some compost around the stump, which is too solid to easily remove, before attempting to plant around it - the soil looks very poor there.

The snowdrops are finally calling it a day now and setting seed, and the daffodils are taking over. The three clumps that have come up in the grass are now flowering. There is no sign of the other two clumps I planted, but on checking they are a late flowering variety - May - so maybe they shouldn't be visible yet.
The tete-a-tete and Jetfire varieties in the long bank, the dwarf ones in the tubs, and a few of the larger ones that I inherited in the high bank are now also in flower. The other side of the river is ablaze with them...

I have had a rhododendron (praecox according to the label) in flower at the top left of the high bank now for a couple of weeks. I risked life and limb climbing up with my camera. You get a better idea of how high up I am from this shot...

I also have a small pale pink one (unlabelled) starting to flower now in the long bank.

The aubretias are now beginning to flower in earnest. I have pink, mauve, purple, cerise and many colours in between. Ann from the lodge on the other side of the bridge says she has tried to grow it with no success. It self seeds all over my garden, so I will pot some up for her at some point. I was surprised to find out that her garden is alkaline soil and she was equally surprised to find out mine is acid...

The flowering currant is now doing what its name implies. These have never been amongst my favourites. I inherited a couple in my previous small garden, and I gave one of them the chop. However, it looks more at home here and I think it will stay, although it will probably be reduced in size later in the year...

The scillas and puschkinia have started to flower and the grape hyacynths do not look far behind. The dwarf irises and crocuses are continuing to flower. Many of the later bulbs are now also pushing through, and in the case of some of the larger alliums and tulips there is a large amount of leaf already.

Fresh growth is also visible on many of the perennials and I can almost see the leaves growing on some of the shrubs.


The farmers around us seem to have decided it is spring. On Tuesday we noticed the first field being ploughed on the other side of the river, and Ian (Margaret's cousin) was muck-spreading the rabbit field. Then the one down the track before the bridge was ploughed. Then the one down the track opposite Margaret's. And yesterday the stubble field. We saw our first lambs of the year yesterday at Edrom. Today the field up to Ray and Janet's, that had been empty, is now populated with sheep and their lambs...

CSW - The Start of a Journey

My free ABSP copy of the 'Collins Scrabble Tournament and Club Wordlist initiation kit' arrived a little over 3 weeks ago, and I resisted the temptation to dive into it until after the Scottish Masters. We do not switch from Chambers to Collins until May 15th, and I have two more tournaments planned before the cut over - Durham and the Scottish Open. However, there is a lot of work to be done and I decided to start a couple of weeks ago. I will buy a copy of the complete new book at Durham.

The initiation kit is a great starting point. It lists all the new 2/3/4s and their definitions, 5s with J/Q/X/Z, 3+ vowels and hooks of 4s, vowel-heavy bonuses (5+ vowel 7/8s), new Collins-only S hooks for 2-6s, new high probability 7/8s and new 7/8s from the top 250 6/7 stems.

I have learnt the new 2s, 3s and 4s - 369 words in total. I am also pretty well up on which of the 4s are blockers, and which do/do not take an S.

I have spent a couple of days on the new 5s containing J/Q/X/Z - 72 in total - almost there now. Next I will concentrate on the new hooks for 4 to 5. And then back to 4s again to see if they are actually in my head or just in short-term memory...

Litter

A couple of weeks ago we met Anne on her way to visit Margaret as we were taking the dogs out. She had picked up a couple of cans from the verge and asked if she could drop them in our bin on the way past. We thought at the time that we should take a bag out with us on our walks as we had noticed how much litter had accumulated on the verges and in the hedgerows around us. And every walk we forgot.

Then on the radio a few days ago there was a feature on littering. There was a phone-in survey on what was permissible littering. 93% of people thought it was okay to drop an apple core or the like in the countryside. I have no problem with that - it will bio-degrade. However, it gave us the reminder we needed to take a bag with us on the lunchtime walk.

We had filled the bag by the time we were only half way up the hill past Margaret's. At the top of the hill we built quite a large pile of bottles from a very small area, to be picked up the next time we went past. You'd think it would be more economic to drive to a bottle bank with them than to drive out to Todheugh. Or maybe there was a wild party up there that we were not privy to...

In the afternoon Paul took a couple of bags with him on the walk to Edrom, meaning to collect the bottles on the way back. However, he had already filled them both.

So far in two days we have filled about ten bags. We have also found two carrier bags ready-filled and dumped. The main culprits are plastic sports/water bottles (there are several cycle routes around here), drinks cans and crisp packets. The bottle collection is mainly made up of wine bottles. Unfortunately we haven't found anything of any value...

Garden Report 2007 - 6

Janet had given me a tray of double snowdrops, winter aconites and chionodoxa (?) that needed planting. The weather had been pretty bad last week, but on Friday the rain had stopped and it had brightened up a little. In the afternoon I decided to go for it. I weeded the next couple of feet of the long bank and planted up the snowdrops and chionodoxa. I split up the clump of winter aconites and planted them under the large buddleia further along the bank. The weather was still holding so I then continued weeding the long bank up to the end of the drive. This mostly meant removing the surface of moss that had built up and was acting as a grow-mat for the weeds. I decided this would be suitable for composting. I don't know what happens in my compost bins - they have TARDIS properties in that I fill them up and weeks later they are only half filled, despite me never actually having removed any compost from them...

Yesterday I got around to pruning the two redcurrant bushes after taking advice from my RHS encyclopedia again - cut back side shoots to a bud and reduce leaders by 2 to 3 inches. All well and good in theory. Trying to decide what was a leader was not so easy after what looks like more than just one year of pruning being missed. There were branches with what I would consider multiple 'leaders' coming from them. The neighbouring blackcurrant bushes had also muscled their way in and I was unable to untangle them. All I can say is that I tried my best, and next year I will cut back the errant blackcurrant branches. On the plus side I had a couple of low-growing branches that have self-layer-rooted to give me future new bushes.

After a break for a cup of coffee and to warm up a bit I went back out to follow Reg's advice. I dug up four large clumps of snowdrops from the patch I had cleared up the week before. I replanted a few back into the areas I had raided, and it is hardly noticeable that anything has happened. I got a couple of dozen smaller clumps from this stock and have planted them all over the area of long bank I had weeded the day before. They look a little sad at the moment but hopefully they will bulk up over the next couple of years.


Several of the groups of crocuses in the garden are now beginning to open...


The first few dwarf irises are now in flower...

The hellebores are still going strong.

The autumn crocuses have erupted into strong lush growth, including the ones I planted/transplanted last year.

I have spotted three of the five groups of daffodils I planted in the grass at the bottom of the drive coming through. I have none in flower yet in the garden proper but we spotted the first one open along the road to Anne's on St. David's Day. I think my garden is a week or two behind the other side of the river as it is north-facing...

Rabbit's Revenge

I spoke too soon...

We noticed on Wednesday evening that Jen was struggling a little to stand up - her back legs looked very awkward. On Thursday morning we were woken early by whines. Paul went downstairs to check and found Jen lying in the hall feeling sorry for herself. When he got up for proper she had not moved, and did not want to go out. In fact she did not want to move. All attempts to get her to stand up resulted in squeals of pain.

We managed to manoeuvre her duvet under her between us, just in case we needed to move her and also for damage limitation...

Paul phoned the vet when they opened at 8.30 and asked for someone to come out as there was no way we were going to be able to get her up and in the car. They were very good - I needed to go into Duns to get some shopping and when I returned the vet had already been and the hall was clear of dog and duvet.

Paul said that when he arrived Jen got up, albeit slowly. Typical. He gave her a thorough examination but found no injuries. He thinks it was just her muscles seizing up and aching from the rabbit incident. I can relate to that - it is normally two or three days after I have been gardening that I really ache. He gave her an injection of pain killer and a prescription for more pain killer to be put in her food.

On Friday she was a lot better but in the evening Poncho was showing the same symptoms and yesterday we were getting little squeals from him when he got up, but unlike Jen nothing was going to stop him going out. Jen is back to her old self now so I think we will give Poncho the rest of her pain killer...

A Rabbit Too Far

With the rain we have been having in the last couple of weeks the verges have become very muddy. Poncho's legs had become so dirty last week that on one of the warmer days he was given a wash down in the garden...
He is very good and just stands there as he is soaped down, rinsed off and then the part he loves, rubbed down with a towel. Jen is never anywhere near as muddy as Poncho. I think this is because Poncho is a 'power-walker', and Jen is a 'glider'.

Yesterday we decided to let them have a run in the morning. We are now using another of Margaret's fields that is close by - a large grass field that was used for sheep last year. It is more secure than the stubble field as the banks down to the burn at the end are much steeper, and the fence on the other side looks more intact. We have taken to going in one gate, letting the dogs off and then we walk to the gate on the other side of the field while Jen and Poncho run around.

All started well. I let Poncho off and he meandered off at his own pace. Paul let Jen off and she just ran, as is her wont, and then Poncho's competitive nature kicked in and he chased her. They had done a circuit around the natural bowl shape there is in the field and Jen was heading back towards us. She overshot and had wheeled back round when a rabbit appeared out of nowhere just a few yards from us. It bolted off to the right. Jen immediately set off in pursuit. Poncho had also noticed and was charging after them. They disappeared out of sight as they went over the top of the rim of the bowl. Paul started jogging after them calling but that was a futile exercise. I started walking to the top of the bowl when suddenly the rabbit came running back from right to left with Jen and Poncho just behind. By the time Paul and I had made it to the top of the slope the dogs were both just standing at the corner of the field panting wildly. I guess the rabbit had made it to safety through the hedge.

When we got to them Jen had just flopped to the ground in a boggy puddle. Poncho was panting so hard he was slathering and had also decided to lie down. He had a cut at the back of his left front paw but it didn't look to bad. We got their leads back on, took their muzzles off and very slowly set off for home. You could hear Jen's front claws dragging on the road as she could hardly lift her legs as she walked home and she kept stopping to drink out of the puddles. Poncho's legs were extremely wobbly, but the adrenalin kicked in when Mr Gore and Florence came walking towards us. Luckily they turned round and headed off in the opposite direction so I managed to get him to calm down.

Paul said he had never had so little enthusiasm from the dogs for going out as yesterday lunchtime, and after they had peed they just wanted to come home again. They do appear to have recovered now...

Scottish Masters

It was the Scottish Masters scrabble tourney at the weekend - an invitational event for the top 12 Scottish players - held at St. Margaret's School in Edinburgh.

Allan and I decided we would drive each day, as it was only about an hour away, rather than stay over in Edinburgh on the Saturday night. Allan was due to pick me up at 8.45 on the Saturday, but phoned at that time to let me know he was on his way but running late. He arrived just gone 9.00 but we still had plenty of time. We had completed our first best-of-25 match on Thursday, which I won 13-6 with a lot of good tile picking, and he had my prize of a bottle of red wine with him. He is 2-1 up in the next...

Game 1: Caroline Atkins
I don't think I had ever played Caroline before. I had two low scoring bonuses (BETITLE and ???) on moves 2 and 4, with Caroline getting a high scoring bonus on move 3, so I was still only about 20 points up. I then went through a series of low scoring plays as I was suffering from a lack of vowels, and Caroline had overhauled me by move 9. I was even forced to dump LS onto the end of BE when I had no vowels, but the last 2 S's. I picked a vowel and made an opening for a bonus starting with an S but Caroline blocked it. She was suffering from too many vowels, and on her next move played off ANEE from an R for 6, blocking my dump of RC from an O for 5! By this point I had picked the last blank, and with 7 left in a vowel heavy bag decided a change must be made. I picked two Os from the bag, but this did not give me a bonus. I played off one of the Os to make a very hard to block opening, given what was unseen, and picked a life saving E, allowing me to play out with ORiENTS to scrape home.
W: 379-357 (1)

Game 2: Lorraine Gordon
I started with a balancing move for 6 points, leaving RATE on my rack and was rewarded with INERTIA on the next play. Another balancing play on move 3 for 11 was rewarded with CATERAN on move 4. Another bonus play for 75 on move 7 (???) and I was well in control. Lorraine bonused back near the end, but it was too late.
W: 438-354 (0)

Game 3: Ross Mackenzie
Again I started with a balancing move of TOE from AEEORTT and this time drew UNS from the bag. Ross bonused with ITERANT, giving me the easy 4x URANITES. Ross, however, followed up with consecutive scores of 42, 33 and 44 to take the lead. Back to back bonuses from him a couple of moves later saw me in real trouble. I pegged some of it back with lEAFAGE but ran out of ammunition and tiles.
L: 438-472 (1)

Game 4: Simon Gillam
I have played Simon before so I know that he is an out and out blocker. He started with MEATY and my rack was ADLRSTU. I spent an age trying to find the non-existent bonus and eventually dumped LUD. Simon played DOFF onto the ED I had created. My pickup was the less than helpful GNN, so I played off GNAT. Simon then completed the blocking ploy with VLY. The war of attrition had started, and I managed to outscore him to take a small lead. Simon was forced to play Q?S for 37 to get back ahead, and I played off QUEER off the Q to keep level and make an opening - Simon's plays had shown a lack of vowels and luckily for me he could not take advantage of the triple I had opened. I then played PEAG down the side for 41 and a 30 point lead. 3 goes later I got TEASERS for 80, and Simon immediately replied with CELERIES around one of the Es. A late ZONA/TO/EN by Simon put him slightly ahead, and with 6 vowels and an S I was forced to play OES underneath to score. With EHIIUX as my last rack there was nowhere for a 2-move play out, and I lost on countback by 2.
L: 371-373 (0)

Game 5: Kate Surtees
Kate had got off to a great start in the tourney so was obviously playing well. I started well with SETUALE on move 2, but Kate hit back with a bonus on move 4 to retake the lead. Heavy scoring by me on the next 3 moves saw me take a bonus+ size lead, and this was maintained for the next few moves. I was sitting with SNIFTER on my rack and nowhere to play it when Kate made an opening play of LEG, letting me hook the F in front of it. Kate got a bonus off of it onto the triple, but the tiles were running low by now and I held on to win.
W: 458-405 (1)

Game 6: Amy Byrne
I always seem to have nice balanced racks against Amy, and this game was no exception. DIAZOLE on move 1, oVATELY on move 4 and a play out of AREFIED with solid scoring in between. To add insult to injury Amy picked the Q as the last tile from the bag...
W: 524-306 (1)

End of day 1 and 4-2 up. This, theoretically, should have been the easier of the two days. I had all the big guns to play on Sunday. On the other hand I had seen only 4 blanks from the 12 available, so it could have been worse.

I set off to pick up Allan at 8.45 and we arrived at the venue by 10.00, enough time to get a cup of coffee before play started at 10.30.

Game 7: Ray Tate
He got off to a flier, bonusing with WOOLlIES on his first move but opening a 9x with an S in fourth. Unfortunately holding ADHIMSS there was no playable bonus response so I took the triple with HAMS, keeping DISS, and picked IIL from the bag :( I dumped DI(L)LI the next move and Ray moved further ahead. ZO for 64 by Ray and I could see how it was going. I dumped one of the Ss on move 5 and got STENDED down on move 6 to get back to just under a bonus down, and some hope but Ray was still scoring well with the J and X and I was back to 90 behind. I tried a desperate UNCLONED when there was nowhere to play NUCLEON but it came off, and Ray blocked the D. I made an opening with LON(E), and got CE(I)NTURE the next go. Hope sprung eternal as I picked BELMRU? from the bag, only to be dashed by Ray playing AERIEST. None of the easy bonuses such as TUMBLER fitted, but after a couple of minutes of going through the alphabet I played REpLUMB/PAR/LEE/UR/MI/BE across the top of AERIEST for 91 to be only 24 behind. Another moment of hope was dashed as Ray played QUIT for 39. If only he hadn't had the last U...
L: 462-398 (1)

Game 8: Allan Simmons
Allan was leading the event and I really needed this game. Allan started by changing all 7, and I played ZED. Allan changed 6 and I played MOANERS/ZEDS for 81. This was going well, 0-107 after two goes. Allan eventually got going on move 5 with TENDRIL, but was still a bonus down. I had an S for TENDRILS and the triple, but held off with a score of 31 elsewhere and a good leave of LIES. RELINES the next go for 83. I picked up dross but was 160 ahead so could afford a change of tiles. Allan was scoring steadily around the 30 mark and was pegging me back. Allan played a face value bonus for 60, which let me play BICKER onto the triple for 61, keeping an S (bickers didn't go on anyway).
W: 472-364 (1)

Game 9: Paul Allan
This was another crucial game. My starting rack set the scene for the way the game went for me - DORRSTV - short on vowels but with a glint of hope. Paul started with JO, and I played VOR underneath, picking RUY. Paul made a balancing play, as did I with DRY, this time picking AEE to give me AUSTERE/DRYS on the next move and a 60 point lead. Again a single vowel, but I played WOMB down the side of austere for 34. Paul then bonused, but I had picked the X and with my single vowel A could play AX for 46 to keep a good lead. Paul bonused again... I now had no vowels but could dump F(LI)NCH for 28 to go slightly ahead. Paul balanced and I had VIMEN/TAM/WEXE and a 45 point lead. And Paul bonused again... I made an opening BAR(B) onto the bottom middle triple, but Paul played DOZE onto another triple for 42. A balancing play by me, I picked the Q and was waiting to play QU(IN)T for 48 when Paul blocked it. I was forced to play QAT for 38 above BARB, leaving two Us on my rack. Paul killed the last bonus spot but I never had the tiles anyway.
L: 376-424 (0)

Any hope I had for winning the event had realistically gone now, but there was still pride and ratings points to play for.

Game 10: Anne Steward
Anne was having a really tough time - she was the lowest rated player there and no-one was showing mercy. I started slowly and Anne was ahead after 3 moves. I responded with a score of 48 and a bonus for 90, balance, bonus for 86. Heavy scoring from then on as I charged for the line.
W: 470-346 (2)

Game 11: Neil Scott
Neil was still in with a chance to win. There were 3 players on 7 wins (Neil, Paul and Allan), with Ross on 6.5. As Allan was playing Ross I could not possibly win...
Neil opened with HOI, and I had BCEKPS?. This looked hopeful, but after a while nothing came to mind so I played off BECK for 31 keeping the very nice looking PS?. Upon checking there was nothing to find. I then picked up four more consonants and it wasn't going to plan. Neil played OWRIE to the triple I had opened, and I dumped YMP(E). Neil played under the CH, making CHA and again I did a consonant dump making CHAW. My next rack was EEELSZ?, and I was about 20 down. I decided against (W)hEEZLES as I wasn't 100% sure of it, it opened the 9x and I could play off ZEES for 46 keeping EL?. I picked up DIIU and was beginning to regret my decision when I dredged up bLUIDIE(R) for 68, opening the upper 9x, but putting me 60 ahead. Neil left the 9x open, playing across the first I, and I killed it with QUAT for 39 onto the T he had just played. Neil bonused on move 7 to take a slight lead. The lead was then changing hands every move, until I got the X for a trivial 54 point play. Neil tried BLUIDIES from the B of BLUIDIER - it looked beautiful but was not staying on the board. I then took the spot with the ultra-difficult spot of BOOSTERs. Neil played off DUI, making DAD one short of the right central triple. I had started laying ANNOY down the side when Neil commented that he didn't know DADA. It put a moment of doubt in my mind and I took it back up to ponder. I convinced myself it was fine and put it back down, knowing Neil would challenge. It came back with a tick and 60 points...
W: 491-335 (2)

My luck had turned in the last 2 games of the day when I got both blanks, but I was still slightly under par for the tourney as a whole, 10/22, but getting better :)

Congratulations to Paul, who had won his last game to win the event 8-3. Ross had beaten Allan to come second 7.5-3.5, an excellent result for him. I jumped into 3rd with 7-4 and the best spread of +620.

Tournament rating 181. New ABSP rating 190.
I think it is the nature of this event that Paul, Allan, Neil and I all dropped in the ratings...

Garden Report 2007 - 5

We have had a great variety of weather since my last garden report. Along with the rest of the country we had snow. It only lasted a couple of days, and was more or less gone when I got home from my weekend away at the Wirral Open.

It has been nice enough since then for me to have had several sessions out in the garden. I don't think it was warm/dry enough last year until March.

Tuesday was very mild despite the weather forecast so I got back out after lunch. I finished clearing out the nettle debris at the bottom of the drive, despite it being very muddy after the steady drizzle of the day before. We now get a much better view of the snowdrops as we set out/get home from our dog walks. They should give me a good supply of clumps to split up and replant into the long bank once they have finished flowering.

I then carried on to weeding the rockery patch on the other side of the drive. Paul took the dogs for their afternoon walk as I wanted to get as much done as I could - the weather forecast for the next few days was rain.

However, it wasn't too bad on Wednesday and I decided to start pruning my inherited fruit bushes, starting with the black currants. This is probably a bit late as my fruit pruning course last year was in January, but better late than never. I had forgotten all that I had been told but according to my R.H.S. encyclopedia I should cut down to the base between one quarter and one third all two year old wood or older. According to the book new shoots are a pale tea colour, 2 year old wood is grey and older wood is black.

The next problem was to decide which bushes were which - the red and black currants seem to have become rather entangled. I eventually made my decisions and set about cutting back what I hope are the correct branches. Time will tell. To get around the back of the bushes I also ended up lopping off the lower branches of the conifers that were planted behind them. This should also allow more air and light into the bushes.


The weather forecast came true yesterday, and I think it rained non-stop for all of the day. Luckily I had already arranged to go over to Allan's to continue/complete our long running scrabble match.

This morning it was rather dull and misty, but by lunch time it had brightened up. I decided to have a go at the gooseberry bushes. There are about a dozen plants, but three of them are still very twiggy - they may be younger or just not doing very well. The others look more like established bushes, although they produced very little fruit last year. I attempted to spur prune these...


On the flowering front not much has changed. A few more of my crocuses are flowering, but not the great splash of colour I was hoping for yet in the garden. However, the ones in the tub are putting on a much better display. Adding new compost last autumn has paid dividends. I have spotted the first few unseasonal flowers on one of my aubretias!

I am Famous!!!

I had been asked to be the 'well-known player' in a future The Last Word (ABSP magazine), and on Tuesday I duly completed and sent back the questionnaire that David had emailed me. It is mainly about study techniques, and it prompted me to search out the spreadsheets I had made for studying the 6+1 and 7+1 stems. These will need updating in the near future - the switch from Chambers to Collins is going to happen in mid May. Unfortunately I had created them in my lunch hours when I was working at WDF, so I am going to have to start again from scratch.

Talking of being a 'well-known player' I was shocked and stunned to discover that I have an entry in wikipedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helen_Gipson
I made a couple of factual corrections to it... Paul then looked to see if he had an entry - but he doesn't :)

I have had a good solid spell of studying in the last week, continuing down the 6+1 stems without using my spreadsheets, just writing the words out from memory. It is definitely needed - I am quite rusty on them. I have been colour coding the stems - red if I make up any words, pink if I miss a letter combination, blue if I miss a word but it has anagram(s) that I do get and green if I am perfect. This allows me on follow up testing/revision to concentrate on the red/pink.

Paul was away again at the weekend playing bridge. He stayed with Colin and Maureen on Saturday night - and phoned me from the Chinese restaurant. He had noted that he always seems to be away the weekend that we run out of food in the house. I was surviving on cereal and toast.

Jen and Poncho get very clingy when Paul is away. I cannot move without them leaping up and trying to follow me wherever I go. They are generally quite good at not coming upstairs now. We removed the barrier from the bottom of the stairs over a month ago, and apart from the odd morning when they decide that it is time to get up they have waited at the bottom of the stairs. Not so when I am on my own - they wait until they hear the bedroom door shut and then up they run. I come back out, tell them off and back down they run. Bedroom door shuts, ...

It was a very nice day on Saturday here, warm for the time of year and the sun was shining, and in the afternoon I got out in the garden. I weeded the patch down the side of the drive - there are lots of primroses coming through now.

I stopped to take Jen and Poncho for their afternoon walk. When I went back into the house to get them I was greeted as if I had been gone for a week, not an hour. On the way home from the walk Janet was waiting for me at her gate. She asked if I was still needing jars as she had another friend who was wanting them for their home-made chutney. I said I had enough jars for the time being. She also inquired if I would like any more winter aconites and double snowdrops. Is the pope a catholic?

After the afternoon dog walk I got back out in the garden. I had noticed that most of my labels were fading badly and needed re-writing whilst they could still be deciphered. My garden marker pen had been on its last legs (or last ink), and at the end I had actually resorted to using a biro. On rootling around in the study for my spreadsheets earlier I had found that Paul had a pack of CD writer pens that should do the job. It took me an hour clambering up and down to re-write them all, and my legs are paying for it today.

I got back out today after lunch - I had noticed a large patch of snowdrops at the bottom of the drive spreading up to the back of our sheds, but almost hidden by more sticks of autumn debris. Surprise, surprise - this turned out to be more nettle debris. I have managed to clear most of it, although I was side-tracked by trying to pull out as much of the nettle roots as possible and then again when Mr Gore and Florence (golden labrador) came walking by. He said that he was surprised at how few snowdrops I had - until I showed him the high bank! My long term plans are to divide up the large clumps and gradually populate the long bank over the next few years.
He has kindly told me that I am welcome to go round to his and dig up some winter aconites as he has several large patches.

It started to drizzle as we were chatting so he went on his way and I went back to work. Shortly afterwards it became too heavy to ignore and I was forced back indoors. I was on to my fourth sack of rubbish, and hopefully it won't take much more time to finish clearing the area.

I had been going to go to Aldi yesterday as they had cheap mini-greenhouses as one of their Sunday specials. However, when I went to start my car the battery was dead. We do have a charger/jump start thingummy but I have never used it and I wimped out. I was very pleased to find they still had a few left today along with seed/potting compost and seed trays.

Wirral Open

We set off for Berwick railway station just before midday on Friday. My train was at 12.40, but with the snow we were not sure how clear the roads would be. As it was once we got to the main road it was clear, so we got into Berwick with enough time to stop off at Morrisons for me to get some cash out and buy a sandwich pack for the journey.

I had to change trains at York to get the Trans-Pennine express to Liverpool. Luckily it was only a 15 minute wait and the trains were on time. At Liverpool I got a local train to Leasowe. I had looked on a map before I set off and it was just over half a mile to the hotel so I decided to walk. It started to sleet after I had set off, but I was well wrapped up - leggings under trousers, T-shirt, rugby shirt, sweatshirt and jacket. By the time I arrived at the hotel at 17.50 I had overheated so much I thought I might collapse...

I was met at reception by John, who was helping to run the tourney, who told me there were a few other players staying on the Friday night and many were meeting up around 7 p.m. to eat. Once I had my room sorted out and had stripped down to a single layer of clothing I wandered back downstairs, ordered a pot of coffee from the bar and settled down in one of the lounges to chill out with John, Viv (also helping to run the event) et al. Just after 7 p.m. John, Viv, Amy, Sheila, Jackie and I went to the restaurant in the hotel to eat.

I got an early night but did not sleep very well. I never do in hotels - my room was too hot and too light - I am used to pitch black at home. I wandered down for breakfast just before 9 a.m., and then decided to go for a walk. I met up with Amy after I set off and we walked along the beach and up to Moreton before setting back to the hotel. I then went back to my room and did an hour revision of 6+1 stems. When I wandered down to the playing room most of the other players had arrived.

Game 1: Paul Thompson
I had never played Paul before - an unknown quantity. He had apparently had a very good result at the Nottingham Nomads event the week before and his rating improvement had jumped him into the A division here. I think he was very nervous playing me as he played very slowly. I got RADULAE as a 4-x on move 4 followed immediately by BROMELIN - consecutive scores of 90 to put me well in control despite Paul scoring 98 immediately after. I was watching his clock going overtime and started playing off one or two tiles to rack balance and not empty the bag quickly. I gained 100 points on the clock.
W +187 : SJZ

Game 2: Mike Whiteoak
I started with NOTATES followed by gUMPTION as a 4-x. Mike was scoring well, but UNTRADED by me on move 4 and REaLTOR on move 6 meant I was never under pressure.
W +103 : ??SX

Game 3: Ben Tarlow
Another new player for me. He started well with ZONED for 50 and he was always slightly ahead until I bonused with AEROSAT on move 5 to take a small lead. I pulled away on move 8 with BODHRANs for 92 and strangled the game on move 10 with RESIDENT.
W +121: ?SSQ

Game 4: Wayne Kelly
I don't think I have a very good record against Wayne. I am sure he can tell me as he keeps stats on all his games. I was 33 down after 2 moves, but having balanced my rack was rewarded with AGNISED on move 3. TROAKED on move 5 followed by a score of 50 put me well ahead, so when Wayne bonused back on move 6 he was still 70 adrift. He scored steadily but REOBTAIN by me on 11 sealed the game for me.
W: +57: SSSX

Game 5: Terry Kirk
Terry was not having a good time having lost all his games, but I know he is a very good player. Terry balanced on move 1 and bonused on move 2. I replied with ANTIDOTE on move 3. Terry had a series of good scores (36,66,41 and 53) to take control. Despite having the majority of the power tiles I was powerless on a tight board.
L: - 32: ?SSSJXQ

I sat out the last game of the day, so finished the day 4/1 with a good spread and in 2nd place.

Again I did not stay up late, and again did not sleep particularly well. I had a wake-up call at 7.45. I felt a little nauseous when I got up, and put it down to nerves and lack of sleep. However, Kat was also feeling unwell the next day - we put it down to alcohol at first but it persisted through the day with her. We wondered whether it was something we ate - we both had had the salmon for dinner the night before.

Game 6: Martin Harrison
Martin is rapidly becoming my bogey player. I had played him twice before and lost both games. This one was no different. Despite replying on move 1 with ARISTAE for 91 it was all downhill from there. Martin bonused back on move 3 to get the scores level again. A 53 point X play by me was immediately negated by another bonus by Martin. Consecutive scores of 46, 41 and 31 by Martin meant that when I eventually got TONSILS on a blocked board I was still 24 behind.
L: -22: SSSSQX

Game 7: Jackie McLeod
This game started slowly for me, changing 6 tiles on move 3 and luckily bonused with LARIATS on move 4 to take a small lead. My replacement rack was not good other than a blank - CILVVY? with nowhere to dump CIVVY. I played CLY for 26, not happy with my leave of the 2 Vs. Luckily for me Jackie was also struggling. I contemplated changing the 2 Vs on the next rack - EILTVV? - but eventually played off VI to make an opening and my luck changed. I picked 2 Es to play VELVETEd on the next move to take a good lead. A couple of 30+ scores followed by ROSEHIP for 78, drawing the last S and blank. I played off the S for 35 - I had likely tiles for a bonus without the S. Jackie had played off the X one place before the middle bottom triple - with no I or U, I blocked the easy vowel dump and balanced. I then decided to block the spot for ZO to score 48 - Jackie then dumped ZO elsewhere for just 24, but blocking the bonus I had eventually got. However, Jackie had picked the Q with nowhere to play it.
W: +244: ??SSSSJ

Game 8: Phil Robertshaw
I bonused on move 2 with RESONANT, but Phil steadily pull back my lead. On move 7 I was contemplating WARRISON off a W - wasn't sure of it with 2 Rs but it is fine - when Phil saved me the worry by playing TWiRLInG there, with me obviously replying with GARRISON. It did not score as much and opened the triple for Phil. I had noted that not many Es had been played, and I picked 4 from the bag. Phil had also picked a few, as he played BEEN on the triple for 32 to take the lead. The best I could manage was EPEE for 15. The scores were very close now and my rack was deteriorating. AAEGIUU - I dumped GU for score and prayed for a double consonant pickup. I managed MT, and could then play AMATE for 32 to hang in there - IU was actually quite a good leave on our board with the Q needing UI to slot across, or a 6 starting with a vowel to the triple. I picked IOOMN, and then played IONIUM to take a 10 point lead, leaving 1 in the bag. I thought I had a good chance now - EEKOOLR would allow options for 2 move playouts. AANSTTVY were unseen, and Phil played NAY for 23 setting up VATS or VAST for enough points to win. I blocked it with EORL for 12, leaving an outplay of OKE/CORK/AWEE for 24 to win.
W: +10: SSSXZ

Game 9: Stewart Holden
I was never in this game. Stewart replied to my opening with a bonus followed by two 30+ scores. I bonused on move 4 with MASTOID, but was still slightly behind. Stewart continued scoring well,and I was forced to change on move 6. It was looking good when I held ?EINRT but then turned over the 7th tile to reveal the Q. I dumped it the next go for 11, and got TRIENEs the next go but again had lost the momentum and was still a bonus behind. My tiles improved and near the end I made an opening - could still win if I could playout with a bonus. Unfortunately Stewart immediately plonked down INSURED to inflict a heavy defeat when my ACORNED/DRACONE had nowhere to go.
L: -148: ?SJXQ

Game 10: Ed Martin
Whoever won this game would win the tournament. I was guaranteed 3rd at worst, and Ed was gurarnteed 2nd. I think this was a game full of nerves and mistakes on both sides. Ed opened with WHOM and I played AMOK below it. Ed played KERF, and I balanced playing AP off the F. Ed spent a long time - I was praying he didn't block the R. Eventually he played MOR/REV around the E of KERF. I inwardly sighed with relief as ENDANGER still went on, making MORE. Ed bonused straight back but gave me a 42 point reply. I picked the Z and could see 2 places to score heavily with it, until Ed played DoLTIsH killing both spots. I had AAEGRTZ, and was contemplating AGAZE but this opened a 9-x with E in 7th. I then saw a good set up play - RAG leaving ZETA to play down the side onto the triple for 80+. I went for it but Ed then just dumped QI there. I was forced on the next move to play AVIZE where I was going to play AGAZE, and Ed negated the score with WEEP on the triple. A war of attrition then ensued - there was only one opening on the board for a bonus ending with an S. We went through a series of one/two tile plays (we obviously both had an S) or changes. Ed won the war (I had had a bonus but dismissed it as misremembered/muddled). I made an opening for a 7, but Ed blocked it. With 4 in the bag I made a last-ditch attempt to win, playing BUS/SCOG onto the triple allowing a bonus from the B or hooking underneath BUS. I picked up 3 vowels and it was all over. Ed told me afterwards that he had REFUSER on his second rack but nowhere for it to go - until I pointed out that AMOK takes an S - for a score of 101...
L: -108: SJXZ

So, Ed won. Wayne had won his last game to overtake me into 2nd place and I had my guaranteed 3rd. I got a tourney rating of 185 - I needed another win to maintain my rating, and have dropped a point to 192.

The weekend was very enjoyable and extremely well run. Many thanks to John, Viv and Len. I got home around 11 p.m. last night - luckily the trains all ran to time so I was not stranded in York.

Car Crash at Todheugh

I interrupt normal service to bring you news of the car crash at Todheugh...

I had only just come into the house from photographing the garden when the phone went. My cousin Colin was trying to get hold of Paul as his computer wouldn't boot up. Paul is away playing bridge this weekend so the help desk is closed. After a quick chat I wandered into the kitchen to make a cup of coffee, and then got back to revising my 4s. I heard a loud bang, the dogs jumped up but I couldn't see anything out of the window. I went back to my studying. And then the phone went again. This time is was my neighbour Margaret asking whether I had seen the crash. There was apparently a car on its side just around the corner, and luckily no-one was hurt. I said I would wander out to investigate.

There was a Range Rover, undamaged, parked on the verge on the river-side of the road, and at the corner of our cow shed there was the blue Suzuki of Leslie, who lives on the other side of the river, on its side...



Leslie was on the phone to his insurers trying to describe where the accident had occured - it is a C road with no actual name. The owners of the Range Rover, who live in Edrom, had already phoned the police.

I decided to go back inside until the police/recovery vehicle arrived as it was cold. Shortly afterwards Margaret phoned again to say she had seen the police arrive, so I wandered back ouside.


They took statements from all concerned, and I pointed out that I think Leslie must have hit our wall as it now has a couple of large cracks in it...













The recovery vehicle turned up shortly afterwards. Its first job was to drag the Suzuki along the road to get it past our wall - there was a horrible sound of screeching metal as it did this. The truck then backed into the area in front of our barn soon-to-be back garden in order to pull the car upright again.




We were all surprised that it did not look anywhere near as bad as we had imagined. However, the man from the garage does not believe it will ever be seen back on the road again...

The last job was to winch in on to the recovery truck and take it away