Veggie Patch Up and Running

Paul finished spreading out the topsoil on the veggie patch whilst I was working on filling the raised planters. There was a little left over from the first pile that has been continued down for the lawn-to-be.

On Tuesday I went over to Jean's with Penny. Unfortunately the spare seed potatoes she had said I could have had unbeknownst to her been crushed by William. However, there were a few lying about that we collected. We then called in on my friendly topsoil provider to say thanks and I dropped off a couple of jars of jam. Then on to buy some seed potatoes.



Yesterday I started planting them. Four rows done when Penny arrived to help. We switched back to soil sifting. I got another row planted when Penny went. Out earlyish this morning and I got the rest in - as recommended the whole plot has been planted. It doesn't look much different but the wooden stakes mark the rows - seven and a bit and 90+ seed potatoes...



Penny came back over today and we finished loading the third planter. I have already planted some lettuces in the first one.



The herb patch to be has also been filled in, although I may add another barrow load as it has settled a little. It does make the path there look very crisp though.



And I still have quite a lot of topsoil left to make a start on the fruit tree bed once I have finished digging it over.


Oh - and I also hit my cardbox target of the top 18000 7s and 8s this evening - a bit later than my earlier gung ho prediction but still ahead of the defence of my Scottish Open...

Playing In The Dirt

I had a phone call on Friday lunchtime from Margaret - was it okay if Clive got the topsoil in the afternoon. Hurrah!

So Rob, my friendly freecycle provider, had estimated he had about 10 tonnes. Our estimates indicated we needed 3.7 cubic metres for the veggie plot, which most conversion to weight say multiply by 1.5 for tonnage. The rest would fill two of my planters...

First load arrived mid afternoon. It was a tight fit but Clive has obviously had lots of practice as he reversed tractor and large trailer through our gates and all the way to the top of the garden to the veggie patch.

Clive returned to get the second load.

There was one enormous boulder in the pile which Paul loaded into the barrow and wheeled around to the long bank to keep my rock from the day before company. I set about spreading the soil and removing the weeds/stones as I went. Paul came back to help.

We had not quite finished when Clive returned with the second '5 tonnes' - we still have an enormous pile on the veggie patch!

Second pile dumped next to the top planter.

Dodging showers I went back out to start loading the planter. Paul came back out to 'help'. He may have patience in most things but gardening is not one of them - loading topsoil, weeds and stones that I then had to go through...

I have almost filled the first planter now, and I would guess have used less than a third of pile number two.

Extension Part 37

It was all go this week - well, from Tuesday...

Roddy (painter) has been here. The ceiling has been treated with a fire retardant and walls painted.

Mark has been here working on the paving. It is all laid now, just needs pointing.

Alan (big Alan - joiner) has been here and we now have window sills and skirting boards in the sunroom. Still needs completing in the utility room.

Wally (electrician) and helpers were here yesterday and now we have some of the lights fitted and working.

Will it all be finished within the year - watch this space...

It's gardening, Jim, but not as we know it...

I am stuck in the house waiting for the wind to drop.

Was making good progress on the fruit tree bed but yesterday put a spanner in the works.

The first rock encountered would not budge. I excavated around it to find a second one above and overlapping the back of the first. The best part of an hour spent to get them both out.

A little later and another one found. It was disguising itself as a stone. Okay, a large stone and not the iceberg of a rock it turned out to be.

Same situation as before. It's like one of those puzzles where you have to do everything in the correct sequence.

I thought when I removed a few slabs of sandstone behind it that I had it, but no. This rock was not for moving...

I continued excavating all around it - yes, there was another one wedged against it, and a biggie. Half an hour working around it and out it came.

Should be all systems go now, but no, the first one still wouldn't budge.

I worked my way deeper with fork, spade and trowel. And deeper.

Its true nature was now becoming apparent - a monolith.

I kept digging down until I got to the bottom of it.

It was now moving a couple of millimetres when I got the fork under it but not enough to free it.There was nothing trapping it anymore - it was just too damned big.

This called for drastic measures - I went and got Paul.

I suggested going to see if Margaret had a crowbar but Paul decided he wanted a go with the fork. Ten minutes later and between us it was freed.

Now to get it out - I could just about hold it up with the spade for Paul to drag it out. Paul wheeled it around to the long bank this morning where it will be rehomed sometime in the future.

Extension Part 36

Progress at last!


Wednesday the floor was covered in polystyrene.


Thursday by a chocolate box insert and the heating pipes curved up and down around it.


Friday and it was all encased in cement.

I was very pleased to see that the lorry delivering the cement made it through our entrance, albeit very slowly and carefully, so hopefully the same will be true when we get the main bulk of topsoil needed for the rest of the garden...

No Coat Needed

What a glorious morning for the dog walk.

I awoke early to bright sunshine.

After coffee, ciggie and clearing card box it was off out with the dogs. I didn't want a jacket but have no suitable pockets in these jeans for the necessary pooper scooper. So I managed to loop one of the dog leads around it and off we went.

It's amazing what a drop of rain and a lot of spring sunshine can achieve. The verges seem to have shot up in the last week or so, including ours at the bottom of the long bank. Unfortunately when Paul wanted to strim it last week he discovered that a wee beastie had gnawed a hole in the petrol strimmer's fuel tank!

The cherry and crab-apple blossom is in its full glory - I think it's the best I have seen it since we moved up here. Most of the trees are in full leaf already - several weeks earlier than previous years. The blackthorns were covered in blossom a couple of weeks ago and it is only a matter of days now before the hawthorns follow suit.

The shrubs in the garden are also starting to flower, and I am already too late to do any serious work in the high bank as the footholds have disappeared under fresh vegetation.

My topsoil has not arrived yet but Margaret phoned yesterday to say it was not forgotten. A machinery breakdown meant that Clive was not able to get it last week but hopefully will early this.

In the meantime I have progressed on to the herb bed running alongside the path at the back of the sunroom. Day 1 saw slow progress as the number of small/medium stones and type 1 gravel meant I could not get the trowel into it very easily. Day 2 and I had a revelation - my sister had bought me one of those no-bending multi-pronged gadgets that you twist many years ago that I had never had a suitable use for, but it was absolutely perfect for this job. I progressed about four times as fast as day one, and it should get finished this afternoon.

Extremely Low Flying Helicopters

As we were taking the dogs out this evening we could hear a helicopter.

And then it came into sight, a chinook, just clearing (or so it seemed) our roof.

It banked around at the bridge and flew back over us.

And then decided to do it again.

Or maybe it was the other one.

Unfortunately I only managed to capture them on camera on their way home.

They Think It's All Over...

On the 18th Day of Digging...

Oh, how I had hoped that today would be the last. But no, the rain gods decided otherwise.

Early morning rain had turned the already muddy patch where the muck heap had been into a quagmire. Very slow progress picking the stones from the gloopy grey mud. And then it started to rain again.

I am trying to decide what kind of soil I have. Normally it is classified on a scale of clay through to sand. But I seem to have clay, sand and clay encrusted sandstone/sand! 

Back out after lunch when the rain had stopped.

I eventually got back to the place where I had failed to remove something buried the day before. The fork had kept hitting it but I could not budge it. I had assumed it was another length of the clay pipe I had been finding, but no. Today I got the fork under the end of it - a wooden post about two and a half feet long...

I battled on until about 6 p.m. despite it raining again and I have now completed it all except the narrow path I had kept as my route out for emptying the bucket of stones.

I will be out there again tomorrow - it must be finished by the end of the day as I have very kindly been offered 10 tonnes of topsoil on freecycle (enough for the veggie patch and at least one of the raised beds) and it is due to be collected on Wednesday.

Veggie Patch Saga Continued

So, end of day 15 in the veggie patch.

I can hardly believe how lucky I have been with the weather. Especially since the harbingers of rain, namely Jean and Margaret, have both been expressing out loud their desire. Last time they did we had the best part of two years non-stop...

I estimate about another three solid days work to go...if my knees hold out.

The muck heap migration has started, now in place for my preparation of the fruit bed.

The rest of the garden is now beginning to suffer from neglect. The rose bed needs weeding, nettles/brambles are re-colonising the high bank and I have a forest of ground elder in LB6/7.

On a positive note it looks as though it could be a bumper year for gooseberries.

Day 11 In The Big Brother Veggie Patch

And I was joined for the second day running by Penny. I dug and Penny helped in removing the stones.

I am now on the homeward run, on a roundabout route around the muck heap...

I am estimating about another week's work left.

Excluding relocating the excess muck heap down to the fruit tree bed to be.

I am on to the third raised bed for stone disposal. Not sure what I will do when that one reaches my desired drainage level.

Extension Part 35

It may be all go in the garden but it's all stop on the extension.

Thomas was here just over two weeks ago glazing the doors. Then he discovered a scratch in the glass of one of them and stopped. A replacement would need to be ordered.

Since then nothing, zilch, bugger all etc.

We had an email from Alan last week. He had a slipped disc and has been flat on his back. Apparently he should be fit after the Easter break. 

We have, however, sorted out the painter/decorator. The first quote we got was over twice the price of the other two. We have decided to go with our contractor's painter, Roddy, as the other two quotes were almost identical and Roddy will be doing the ceiling. But on Paul's suggestion to Tom that the ceiling could be done now while we are waiting for the floor we have heard nothing.

I think it is odds on now that it will be over a year from when the building work started. One month to go. Today is the anniversary of the roof being taken off the cowshed...

10 Things About VPTB

Paul has said that my posts on the veggie patch could become extremely boring: more digging, more stones, more rocks...

So something different...

1) Don't spend money on going to the gym - start a veggie plot from scratch!

2) It is more efficient to only two-thirds fill your bucket with stones before emptying it than to fill it to the top - when I can hardly lift it and end up waddling like a duck to the planters to empty it

3) Have a hot bath every evening to ease the aching muscles. I have rediscovered the delights of bubble-bath, and having a water meter is still cheaper than having a gardener

4) Rejoice in the moment the sun comes out

5) Don't worry about reverting to childhood and wiping your nose on your sleeve. Tissues are impractical when your hands are covered in mud...but remember to put your top into the wash...

6) Don't think about how much there is still to do - every forkful done is one less to do. Corollary - no matter how many times you dig an area there are always more stones that you missed :(

7) Don't think about the fact that you don't actually like vegetables that much - like children (so I'm told) it will be different when they're your own. And I will only grow what I like...

8) Don't think about the fact that it will take many years to break-even due to the four tonnes of compost/topsoil that is needed

9) When you need a break take one. Five minutes out is normally enough before I am itching to get back to it

10) Taking coffee out to the worker is more strenuous than the hard labour - Paul's foot hurts :)

Veggie Patch To Be - Eventually

Well, metcheck got it wrong. The weekend has been glorious here. It is meant to continue for another couple of days so no doubt it will be wet and windy tomorrow...

Six hours digging on Saturday and I completed the side of the steps to nowhere and then back up to the wall again. Paul brought me out a coffee at about 6 p.m. I had obviously overdone it with the heat and having not eaten - a sudden bout of nausea as I was sitting drinking my coffee...

Back out there today at around 11.15 a.m., but I took more breaks today. And when I wanted a coffee I drank it in the house out of the sun.

I decided I would work my way across the front today - the muck heap is a bit in the way to keep working my way from front to back and vice versa. So, six and a half hours out there today and I didn't even make it all the way across.

The problem is that the majority of the new back garden used to be a barn. And I am guessing that when it got muddy stones got laid down...and now I am having to undo years of damage.

Ten bucket loads of stones today from that tiny strip.

And that is not including the rocks and cobble stones...

<--Rock pile start and end of Day 3-->

Cardbox 37575

Despite the time I have spent gardening I have also been keeping up with and adding to my cardbox.

I reached the milestone of 20000+ questions in cardbox 10 today. 

My next tourney will be my defence of the Scottish Open over the weekend of 16/17 May. Should easily have got the top 18000 7s and 8s in by then if not the end of this month.

Rain Stops Play

Jean phoned on Monday - she had forgotten in the autumn to divide the plants I had expressed an interest in but if I wanted to go over she could do it now. She still had the list we had made last year. So I took over the two geranium divisions in the afternoon. After a walk with the dogs and grandchildren - stopping off to see the 'pet' lambs (very cute) - we did the garden raid. I am very pleased to have taught Jean a country fact - that a pheasant's nest is called a nide. She did have to double-check in the dictionary when we got back indoors...

I got everything planted when I got home. All look fine except for one, but it may still pull through.

I got some bedding plants from Aldi on Tuesday but they are still waiting to be homed. I did start tidying up my pots on Wednesday. Quite a few are cracked/broken - I need to salvage the plants and throw the worst pots out. I have spares now that I have been populating LB12.

Margaret phoned this morning - Paul had mentioned our need for topsoil to her again and she may be able to get some - should find out next Wednesday. This spurred me on to make a start on the veggie patch. So the best part of five hours digging out stones/weeds from mainly clay. The stones are being dumped in the raised beds, but there is a limit to how many are needed for drainage. I have completed the small area that I have earmarked for rhubarb at the back of the steps to nowhere and forked on some of the muck from the large heap up there. Then I continued down the side of the steps. I had just encountered a large rock when it started to rain. I managed to excavate it out of the ground before I made a run for shelter. The current weather forecast for the next seven days does not look hopeful...maybe just as well as I already have a blister/callus on my left thumb :(

It's That Time of Year Again...

And Paul has already submitted both our tax returns online and we await our rebates.

I have also sorted out this year's ISA. Lloyds 1 year fixed rate ISA has won my business. It is not the highest rate available at 3.0% (becoming 3.2% if over 30K) but it is fixed, which may or may not be a good thing. I am all in favour of fixed rates, at least for shortish periods, at the moment...

I could set it up over the phone and also set in motion switching my others into it. It is certainly worth checking the rates of any existing ones you have lying around - the rates had plummeted with the Bank of England base rate cuts. Apathy costs money...

Gardening Blues

I felt a little deflated when I decided at about half past four that I had had enough. I was cold, the sun never breaking through enough to compensate for a cold wind. And looking at the forecast I cannot see when I will get out there next.

I hadn't made as much progress as I had hoped - certainly no ticks in boxes for jobs completed.

However, on reflection I had done a few things that had been on the radar. 

I dug out and divided the geranium from the raised bed at the top of the drive. I replanted two large pieces and potted up a third for Jean. I found a fourth small piece with a decent root and new buds which may or may not survive the shock.

I then did the same for two heucheras in LB5 which had become quite woody. I managed to get four 'new' plants from each, planting two of each back into the original bed and the others into the left hand end/top of LB12. 

Then I dug up three of the pulmonarias that I had split last autumn and planted them at the right-hand end of LB12.

I also planted one of my new plants, the cardamine.

The rest of the time was spent on more weeding and de-stoning of LB11.

It actually looks quite nice out there now...

Afternoon Out at Edrom Nursery

Today is not a gardening day - dull, windy, cold, drizzle turning to occasional rain. So I did the next best thing - I went to Edrom nursery. Jean declined the offer to accompany me and there was no answer when I phoned Anne. Oh well, I coped just fine on my own. I had a list...

I got the two daphnes (retusa and cheriton) and the juniper squamata blue star from the list. I also wanted a dwarf rhodo collection and a roscoea collection but the owners of the nursery were away at a show so I left a note with my phone number.

And then I went off-piste...

Three more pulmonarias:
Blue ensign (plain green leaves with the bluest of blue flowers), Diana Clare (silvery green leaves with dark blue flowers) and
Opal (silver blotched leaves with pale blue/lilac flowers)
I am hoping that I will be able to divide these in the autumn to increase my stock.

Two primulas:
Dark Rosaleen (dark green/purplish leaves red/pink flowers) and
David Valentine (mauve flowers)

Dryas suendermanii (cream flowers)

Fritillaria acmopetala (yellow flowers with maroon markings)

Aruncus aethusifolius (creamy white flowers)

Cassiope martensiana (small strange looking foliage with lots of small creamy white bell-shaped flowers)

Arisarum proboscideum (dark brown/purple spathes)

Andromeda polifolia compacta (pink flowers)

Cardamine waldsteinii (white flowers)

Dicentra cuccularia (white)

Aquilegia saximantana (blue flowers)

and something unlabelled that the lady on the till thinks begins with a P and was £2.50 - sold! If anyone knows what this is please leave a comment telling me :)

I had just relocated them to top of LB8A when a car came by slowly. A lady got out - I assumed it was someone who was lost, but no, she introduced herself as an avid reader of my blog and had come past to see my garden!

Note to Judy: Sorry but it was blowing a gale and raining and you took me by surprise, else I would have shown you around. If you want to come by in better weather I will give you a tour :)

Stones 'R' Us

LB12/11

Didn't think I was going to get out there today with the haar, but decided it wasn't too cold and there was no wind so ventured out at 1.30 pm. Within half an hour the sun broke through and the day was transformed.

Stone clearing duty again today. Had hoped to get some planting done but in the end decided it would be better to get the whole of the back of LB12 completed and then just sort of carried on with LB11. I have still got to do the area where the daffodils are, but I will wait until they have died back as they are only temporarily homed there.

It is still a bit of a mystery to me how I can remove so many stones - I have lost track of how many bucket loads - and the soil level goes up...

Completely lost track of time and it was only when I spotted David and Bracken walking up the path from the river that I looked at my watch - 7 p.m. Time to call it a day - the best part of five hours allowing for a couple of coffee breaks during the afternoon to give my knees a rest - enjoyed sitting on the new patio for the first time looking at the view to the river. The excavated path is a lot better defined now that I have removed the extraneous stones and crud from the back of the rocks.

It is a little daunting when I see how much there is still to do...and then there are the new beds inside the walls...and all the rest...

Gardening, Gardening and Yet More Gardening

I had been looking forward to this predicted good weather.

Tuesday I continued digging the path at L11. It is more like geology than gardening. I rediscovered the buried stepping stones/path and have been excavating them. I had to dig out two as they were too far down in the soil at a place where I need to get the soil level up, but hopefully I will be able to relocate them further along. I had to come in about 5.30 pm as we were playing bridge in the evening. Probably a good thing as four hours of digging and squatting to remove stones was not doing my back/legs any favours. Didn't quite get to LB10...

Wednesday and I had an easier day pruning some of the shrubs in the long bank. No idea if I should be doing them now but it is a lot easier to get to them at the moment. 

Today was a treat day - more planting in LB12. But before I could really get going it needed to be re-weeded and de-stoned with my hand trowel. I decided to clear/plant small areas at a time so at least I did have some fun. Twelve heathers from Aldi. Some ajugas that I potted up last autumn from the plants in LB1 right at the road edge - they can fight with the weeds. I then divided the hosta I had brought up in a pot into three. Next the polemonium I had bought at a plant sale last year. Then I dug out the geranium Johnson's blue that was in the raised bed at the top of the drive. I split it into eight and have planted two and potted up the others for later. Then I dug up/relocated two other self-seeded geraniums from the rose bed. I also have a quite healthy looking spiraea growing there but it doesn't fit with my plans for LB12.

Tomorrow and I may continue with destoning/planting the back. I have quite a few heucheras and pulmonarias that need new homes and I am probably still in time to get some snowdrops relocated.

Words of Interest - HASBIAN

Just came across this in reaching the 17000 mark for sevens:

HASBIAN - a former lesbian who has changed her sexual orientation

Wasbian, wasband and yestergay have not made it in to the scrabble world yet although the first two do have valid anagrams...

Extension Part 34

Since my last post there has been very little progress - in fact some things have gone backwards. If that's what happens after a good school report maybe I shouldn't blog good weeks :)

The only success has been the almost completion of the wall copes by Mark a week and a half ago.

The underfloor heating was scheduled to go in on Wednesday but Alan let us know the day before that they were not coming. He was warned that it would not go unnoted on here...

We have had one quote for the painting so far. It was noted that the ceiling in the sunroom should have been treated with nullifire but hasn't been. Paul phoned Thomas to find out what was happening with regard to that as it was specified in the plans.

We have had a second painter around today to get another quote. We hadn't been inside the sunroom recently, and it is clear that three of the windows are not weatherproof after the strong winds and rain we have had recently.

We are still waiting to see the painter used by our contractors - was meant to come on Friday but he phoned to reschedule.

On a more positive note I have started planning what fruit trees I want for the back garden. I fought the gales yesterday to measure the 'fruit tree bed to be' and then drew a scaled diagram. I think I should be able to fit five 'pyramid' apple trees spaced evenly along the lawn side of the bed, a 'fan' cherry at the side gate wall and a few pear/plum cordons at the outer wall. I now have a list of my wanted varieties/rootstocks. This is all new territory for me but I am getting quite excited by the prospect. Won't happen till next winter though at the earliest but hopefully that will give me enough time to get the area ready.

Have Car, Will Travel?

Spurred on (well actually bullied for weeks by Paul) I got around to booking my car in for its MOT tomorrow. It doesn't actually  run out until Monday but I also need to sort out the road tax :(

This meant that I would actually have to drive it to the garage. The battery has been flat since the snow in February - I almost got to it in time for our battery charger to do the trick - probably just one day too late. So yesterday I called out our recovery service. Young chap arrived from Swinton, hooked up jump leads to his van and it started straight away. Ten seconds later and off he went, probably wondering why we hadn't done this ourselves from Paul's car. Well, that is because the last time we tried Paul couldn't get the battery cover off his and didn't want to use to much effort in case he broke it...

So I left the car running for about 15 minutes and then went for a pleasant drive in the country - lovely day to be in a car. Through Lintlaw and up to the A1 at Grantshouse, back towards Berwick diverting off to Coldingham. Past Edrom nursery which looked as if it might actually be open - it used to shut down over winter and open after Easter, but this may explain why the website doesn't mention opening dates. I would have stopped to find out but wasn't confident enough of the battery behaving at that point. Turned round and back home via Reston and Billiemains. 

Three quarters of an hour and 30+ miles later I have now parked it facing outwards just in case it was not enough...

LB8a Makes Its Debut

I decided on Sunday that I would brave the gusty winds as the sun was shining and it seemed a little wimpy to not be out there working.

I donned a woolly had to keep my hair under control and made a start on LB8. Penny's suggestion of using a rake to gather the surface crap was excellent. However, I can now see a load more weeds breaking through including some ground elder so another chemical warfare attack will be required. But that needs to wait for a non-windy dry day.

I then got digging again on the next bit along the wall. I was more organised this time - bucket at the ready to collect the stones. I must have filled and emptied it about ten times in progressing just over another metre. I also dug up quite a large section of a clay pipe buried underfoot...

Yesterday really was too windy and we had a couple of hail-stone deluges. I satisfied myself with browsing plant nurseries on the web, planning ahead.

Today the wind has dropped but it is toooo cold. However, I decided I really ought to measure the new bank sections to get a more accurate idea of how big it is.

So, armed with tape measure and rope I set to it. Fix rope at top with a stone at each designated section start/end and throw it down to the road. Tie a knot in rope where it reaches the road. Measure each section width along the wall. Measure each knot in the rope.

Total area is approximately 83.75 square metres. Total width is 21.42 metres and it tapers from 5.27 metres at the house end down to 2.28 metres at the gate end. It would be good to do this for the current LB sometime...obstacles permitting.

So from thinking I had almost finished the ground work/preparation I now find that I am probably only just over half way there what with the path along the wall and LB8 weighing in at a massive 31.84 square metres :(

I hadn't allowed for the extra two metres width from the existing bank to the start of the new wall - that area alone is over 10 square metres and is now LB8a  - don't want an LB13! 

Each section gets progressively smaller as the distance/slope to the road diminishes: LB9 = 17.6, LB10 = 13.4, LB11 = 11.5 and LB12 a mere 9.3.

The Bats Are Back

Forgot to mention that I spotted the first bats of the year on Friday evening...

Well, That Was Spring

It is back to the word study for at least a week looking at the weather forecast...

Still, I did get a load done. Unfortunately no photos - camera battery need recharging yesterday and weather not conducive today... Changed my mind and braved the 20+ mph winds...

Friday and it was clearing the top/middle of the long bank and other bits I had missed/ignored in previous forays. Doing my mountain goat impersonation as I clamber nimbly up and down - well, clinging on for dear life and praying I don't slip - as I try to gather the dried out moss and leaves from hidden caches underneath the shrubs. A good hour or so removing same from between the stems of the sedums, although this was at ground level. The mahonias give me a lot of pleasure when they are about the only thing flowering through winter but the fallen leaves in spring take great delight in pricking me at every opportunity.

I finished the day taking out all my aggression on pruning the LB buddleia. All my reservations over pruning the fruit bushes and roses disappear when it comes to the buddleia. Even fighting my way around the back of a berberis to get to the front-left and a mahonia to get to the front-right did not deter me in my hatchet job. There were only a couple of overgrown branches in the middle I just could not get the loppers to. Luckily Paul had wandered out so I got him to complete the job. It is now half the plant it used to be...

Saturday and I had promised myself a 'fun' day starting to plant up the LB extension. But I needed to clear the buddleia debris from the massacre first. Then I found an area missed at the back of the flowering currant. And then I thought I really should attempt the get the nettles out from under one of the brooms as this is the best opportunity I will get - ground relatively soft, nettles not too large and other plants not in the way yet.

So, an hour and a half later and time for a coffee/ciggie break as I gather my thoughts for the new planting.

First in a rhodondendron that was brought up in a pot from Sandhurst. It has never flowered up here but still looks quite healthy. I hope it survives the trauma and blossoms, so to speak. Next two more rhodos that I bought from Aldi two years ago and had never made it to the high bank. And then a dwarf rhodo bought last year from Edrom nursery. Next a twig from my cousin Maureen which will hopefully become a hibiscus. And another twig which is showing signs of breaking into life - my daphne from Lamberton nursery. Finally in the far end corner the Kilmarnock willow from Morrisons that was also living in a large pot. I was having trouble digging a hole large enough for it and had almost given up when I realised that the bottom two inches of the plant was actually polysterene chips from the drainage. After I carefully untangled the roots it fitted perfectly. I was also going to give my contorted hazel a new home but the sky had clouded over so I headed back indoors.

Half an hour or so later and the sun was back out and so was I. But I got sidetracked. The top couple of feet (width-wise) of the LB extension from the new wall had never been weeded/destoned etc and has been used as a footpath for the duration of the building work. Not only that but in places the ground level is too low and the breeze blocks are showing. Luckily further back it is too high so I am hoping it will work out.

So I started, getting just over a metre done of LB12 - I have decided to designate the LB extension LB8-LB12, each section corresponding to a section of new wall. However I really need to sort out the last section (LB8) before I can do the top. LB8 has been weed-killered but nothing else yet. Several rocks are piled up at the top waiting to be moved into position as footholds. I may need Paul to help when the time comes - some of the rocks are very large...

Spring Cleaning the Garden

I have been making the most of the good weather.

Tuesday saw me out clearing the crud and autumn debris LB5-7. The three different pulmonarias from Edrom nursery that I split and planted last autumn were discovered to be alive and well after I cleared all the leaf-litter. Also the half a dozen that I got from dividing my own large one have pulled through and are flowering - just had to remove a lot of dead leaves to get to the healthy new ones. I have also noticed lots of little pulmonaria seedlings growing in the trellis bed. Hmm - I guess they will be a staple of the long bank extension...

There was a short break early afternoon - Jean had invited us over to walk the dogs with hers. We had pre-muzzled them and Poncho had his harness on - but we needn't have bothered. See another dog around here or at the park and Poncho goes haywire...but at Jean's nothing...perfect little angel.

Yesterday I pruned the fruit bushes. It took all day. This is because it also involved lopping a dead conifer, a stand of something else that I have no idea what it was but I didn't want, and quite a few branches of another unknown tree/shrub that was fighting for space with my overgrown redcurrant bush. I could then get around the back of the currants. Now that I can see where the stems are coming from there is only one bush that I am not sure of - red or black? I am guessing red...

I was quite vicious with the blackcurrants - a lot of branches growing horizontally through the gooseberry bushes were cut right out as I could see a lot of well-behaved vertical growth further back. A couple had rooted where they were touching the ground and I have cut them off as new plants. Need to find somewhere to plant them. 

Got scratched all over my hands and ankles pruning the gooseberry bushes. Vicious blighters. Discovered another couple at the back that were previously hidden by the blackcurrants.  Also found a small self-layered gooseberry plant which I rehomed today. Must be up to about twenty now...

Today I pruned the rose bushes. Well, I removed the dead wood and where I could see a bud cut back to it - but several of the bushes are still quite tall as I couldn't see any buds low down on the stems. I am not cut out for pruning - excuse the pun. It breaks my heart chopping off very healthy looking growth when I am not convinced anything new will take its place. I dug out two dead bushes and planted two new ones from Aldi's. I then did a tidy up and weeding of the fruit bush area and pulled out yet more brambles.

Tired but happy. And tomorrow is another (gardening) day :)

Theobalds Park

I was away at the weekend at Theobalds Park, Cheshunt for a tourney. 

It was originally billed as the top 32 invitational event but ended up as a 16 player round robin. You just can't please some folk. Last year there was a lot of debate re the UK Master being only the top 16 and could it be expanded or a second division of the next 16 be added. So Amy and John organise a tournament along those lines and they did not support it. Their loss - I think our small but select band thoroughly enjoyed ourselves - good venue, very good food and good company.

I got the train down on Friday as Allan had been dithering over whether or not to go and I decided to book the train before all the cheap tickets went. I also lucked out on the extra nights at the venue - I got a £10 room rate on a special promotion for the Friday and Sunday nights as there was no way I could get home on the Sunday with the event finishing around 5 p.m.

I thought I was the only one staying Friday night but my phone rang - Amy and John were there and were going out to eat and did I want to join them. We had a nice meal in a local pub.

The scrabble was variable. As top seed I played everyone in order, starting at the lowest rated and at the end of day 1 was 7-1, and third overnight I think. Kevin McMahon, who had come over from Ireland was undefeated and Ed Martin was ahead of me on spread. I played two new players to me - Calum Edwards and Howard Wilde who are quickly rising through the ranks. Sunday and the wheels fell off a bit. I needed to win 10 out of 15 to preserve my rating so had given myself extra pressure of needing to win my last two games. Luckily for me Phil Robertshaw missed a 9-x and careful play at the end saw me through. A cagy game against Kevin and I reached my target of 10. My rating even went up a point as I was dropping a poorer result. I have 36 games in hand before I start dropping my UK Open points...

Well done to Ed on winning with an impressive total of 12 wins and to Kevin who came second with 11.

On Sunday evening Amy, John and I went out for a Chinese. This was a real treat for me. Yes, there is a Chinese in Duns that we have been to once but it felt more like a shop window and we were assailed by a schoolgirl doing work experience telling us her (very short and not very interesting) life history...

John dropped me off at the station after our cheapo Tesco breakfast. I waited till 9.30 to get the train into KingsX as I had an off-peak ticket. I had the perfect seat on the train home - just in from the baggage rack, forward-facing window and table. First time ever. And then the 'lady of a certain age' opposite tried to get me to change seats with her. But I don't travel well backwards so I'd rather not thankyou. 'Nor do I ' she responded. And then for good measure added '...as you may find out'. I still was not budging and as the train was not full she moved...

Extension Part 33

Well, where do I start.

Allan, Mark and Norman (previously known as A.N.Other) were here on Monday continuing with the paving. They were rapidly getting to the point where they could do no more until the utility room and wall around the path up there had been plastered.

What do you call it when you have your builders, plasterers and joiners on site at the same time? Answer: A miracle. It was rush-hour here on Tuesday!

Not only that but David and helper were also here to fit the railings and gates. It took them the whole day, and I think they look absolutely stunning. They have transformed the look of the whole garden area/walls.


Alan and Mark have started laying the copes underneath/around the railings/posts. The top of the steps up to the veggie patch and the base of the oil tank platform have been paved.



The plasterers started on the utility room and the inside garden walls. They were back today and have started applying the K-rend. It looks very dark at the moment but should become paler when it dries out to match better with the sun room. There is a small area just above the window that does seem to be more the colour we chose.

The utility room and lounge-sun room doors have been fitted. We have picked the required skirting boards - sticking with the same style as the lounge. The ceiling has been finished.

Wally was here yesterday doing all things electrical. We now have power sockets.

The roofers were here yesterday/today fitting the cherry on top of the sun room. Rather them than me - it was pretty cold and windy. I have to admit that I was expecting it to be flush rather than a lollipop.

We collected a few more tile samples from Pearsons and also had a trip to Gala this afternoon to look at some more.

I have also been doing my Blue Peter utility room interior design. Scaled drawing of the room and paper cut outs of freezer, washing machine, laundry pulley and sink unit. We have already determined that it will be better to have an upright freezer rather than a chest freezer and have gone for the smallest sink/drainer in the catalogue. One base unit under the sink, worktop continuing from sink to the wall and one wall unit above the so far unknown sized boiler that we are assuming will fit in its allotted space. So far no units on the other side of the room. We may just put up shelving. I have started making a list of things that should live in there, but Paul doesn't see the need for any more cupboards. Washing powder etc can live under the sink, dog food tins can live in the wall unit. I would still quite like a broom cupboard...

DIY Disaster

Freecycle latest:

Offered Wood Duns

hi does any1 want bits and pieces ov wood couple ov good mdf bits rest scrap maybe cheap firewood pick up asap or will have to dump it thanx 

Now this perked up my interest, not because I want any bits of wood but the innovative use of the word 'ov'. Scrabble has long been missing a two letter word containing a V...

And then I read the next message from the above offeree and it just made me laugh...

wanted wooden rabbit hutch duns

hi tried to build 1 but failed does any 1 have an outdoor wooden hutch that they no longer use has to be ok condition as cant fix it up thanx so much

Extension Part 32

The sandstone paving was delivered on Monday morning.

On Thursday Alan, Mark and A.N.Other started on the patio. We were called out to say if we were happy with the proposed layout before it was set in concrete - or cement to be more accurate. Mainly grey with an occasional yellow just to break it up. Looked good to us.

Work continued on Friday on the paving around the back. Just hope the levels are correct and it meets in the middle :)

David phoned to let us know the railings and posts have been (re-)treated and are back with him to finish off.

When I called in on Penny earlier in the week she was determined to try to track down Scott the tiler for me. He was found working on a house just off the main square. The recession has not hit his workload and he is unlikely to be able to fit us in the near future, but he recommended the tiler from Opus at Swinton. However, I got some advice from him re tiles/skirting boards and he told us that Pearsons is now doing tiles - ask for Kevin and say Scott sent us.

We went down there on Friday. Pearsons also appears to be thriving - just opened a new shop area and still in a bit of disarray. Kevin cleared a load of stuff to get to the tile samples - I think they are still waiting for a lot more to come in. We picked a couple of maybes and then another four from the catalogues - Kevin phoned the company and hopefully samples will arrive next week. We declined the marble tiles at just under £120 per square metre - I have done a rough estimate and reckon about 30 square metres for the sunroom and corridor...

J(io)B(b)INGS

I did my first full pass of the 8-letter ????INGS yesterday. All 742 of them from memory. Okay - I missed about 4 but not bad. Taken me just over three weeks. I will re-test myself at the weekend.

Quiz: What are the four ????INGS words that are not valid without the S?

In the meanwhile it has been announced that the WYSC will follow on from the Causeway challenge in JB with another tournament for us oldies running alongside it. Another 25 games on top of the WSC (number of games 24 in past years but it could well be increased this time - we hope) and 45 games in the Causeway challenge. This may be too much of a good thing...

Other Progress Reports

Diet

Five weeks gone on the diet and half a stone lost. An 'off' day today - we have invited Penny round for Sunday lunch.

Garden

It was sunny yesterday when we took the dogs out at lunchtime. So I decided to make a start at weeding the far end of long bank extension, being the only part of the garden that was not in shade. Sod's law - the clouds came over even as I was getting my trowel out of the shed. I persevered for a couple of hours before deciding enough was enough, my fingers beginning to lose all feeling.

Scrabble

Still battling with INGS. Double consonants mastered first. Then CVVCINGS. Now working my way through the rest, doing one or two new letters a day. Got up to ???PINGS yesterday. 

It is hard work and involves many mnemonics and stupid phrases . Making these up can be really difficult - they need to be memorable, unambiguous and relate clearly to what is being learnt. It is also beneficial if the trigger word is the first alphabetically but I haven't always managed that.

??GGINGS involves many references to bras and breasts. I was quite pleased with ??SSINGS: Passing Gas - CH4? Smells Terribly Bad, which gives PASSINGS, GASSINGS, CISSINGS, HISSINGS, SOSSINGS, TOSSINGS and BUSSINGS.

Whilst this has been going on I have not been adding the next probability 7/8s to my cardbox or bringing more forward once I have cleared it...although I have added a few more suffixes - ITIC and ITIS over the last couple of days.