From debt to freedom...

Cherryfudge

Is that the porch you 'found' when clearing away stuff a year or so back? It sounds an enviable plant nursery. I like following your gardening as the spring comes earlier to you than us, and it's great to know it's on its way - besides which, you actually grow lots of things that I only get as far as dreaming about!

Well done on all the clearing out. You must love reclaiming your space, and getting rid of the unwanteds.

I hope your son takes to driving. With longer evenings on their way, I expect that will take up quite a few of them.

Spendless

Yes I vaguely remember the porch being 're-discovered' or able to be used for a diff purpose.

The older boys from what I've read  have always seemed to follow a little more 'knotty' path (for want of a better description) than their sisters, so it's heart-warming to read that one called in for breakfast pancakes  recently  and the other has now got the confidence to want to learn to drive.

You must be claiming more and more space - it's been an on-going situation for a long time. Glad you're now reaping the benefits

savingholmes

Good luck with the planting / seed sowing. I ought to get back into it again. I have the seeds and the trays... somewhere.... 

Honeysucklelou2

Thank you Cherryfudge, Spendless and SH.

Yes it is the reclaimed porch that a couple of years ago was filled floor to ceiling with tools to the point that I couldn’t actually walk from the inner front door to the outer front door. I also had no key so couldn’t sort it until the consent order went through. Now it is light and airy. The big side window looks out to fields beyond and it is quite a  sizeable space. Perfect for plants 😉

Today hasn’t been quite so productive. I went to Job 1 to get a couple of things done that I never seem to have time for in the normal working week. I made us all pancakes for lunch and then drove DD4 to visit DD1 before getting back in time to go to Job 2. I don’t feel I’ve been home long enough to do anything very useful but will try and tackle the ironing mountain tomorrow.

savingholmes

Why iron? Hang stuff up to dry. Get a reverse action tumble dryer. Buy clothes that don't need ironing. Reclaim the time like you did the porch... 

You do you - but I hope you make time to relax.

Honeysucklelou2

Thank you SH! I don’t bother ironing the clothes, just the bedding!!

Today has been weird and wonderful in equal measure! The DDs decided to go on a sisters shopping trip today and DS3 had an unexpected invitation to a friend’s house so I was completely alone for 5 hours. It was so, so weird!  Normally I have between 4 and 8 people in the house depending on the day and I have at least 20 with me in either job so it’s just the commute to work that I am ever alone but my mind is so busy thinking through all I need to do that I’m not conscious of it. Today I was!  I used the time to get some work done for Job 1 for next week and then escaped into the garden!  

I sowed some Phlox “Crème brûlée”. These are a variety I grew for DD1’s wedding and they look so beautiful, a mix of pale purple and a caramel like colour. Beetroot was sown  in plugs and left outside as they are hardy annuals and will hopefully give me a bit of time to get some beds ready. I had a tray of Forget me Nots that I’d sown last August, so got them planted between the emerging tulip leaves. Also sowed some Cosmos seeds. These are a picote pink variety so they have white flowers edged with a vibrant pink.  Yesterday I got some rhubarb seeds  sown…these are a long term project. Unfortunately I lost the plants I planted out at the allotment so need to grow some more! 

After all the sowing, I headed up to the allotment. I have a lot of work to do there. In an hour I was able to chop back a few of the big brambles and rake them up along with some of the old nettle stems from last year. I’ve lost one pane of glass from the greenhouse which is pretty good going when you consider the number of alerts we’ve had for very high winds!

Home made lasagne for tea…I  do enjoy having more time to cook when I’m away from Job 1

Cherryfudge

That sounds like a wonderful day! Good to have the work prep out of the way and sow some dreams. Wrestling brambles is a good way to round it off too: you can see the results and enjoy the fact it will pay off by saving work once they get growing.

lucielle

Sounds like you had a very busy day and enjoyed the quiet time. 

L

savingholmes

Well done on the sowing. Sounds like you had fun.

Honeysucklelou2

Thank you Cherryfudge, Lucielle and SH.

Today I confess that I had  a lie in and caught up on reading  diaries and challenges. When I got up, it was such a lovely day. 2 DDs, DS3 and I went for a long circular walk on the cliff path. The sea was turquoise, the sound of the waves splashing against the bottom of the cliff and the cries of the gulls as they swooped and glided through the air along with the sea breeze in our faces made it simply wonderful. Days like these fill me with joy.