Next steps; grip-relaxing bimbling, and avoiding the temptations

foxgloves

Oh my days, you definitely overdid it! Here's me moaning about a pulled shoulder muscle from reaching too far to yank out a piece of bindweed! I'd have been on the floor after all your paving slab efforts!
F

KajiKita

Fair dos! That would have been an epic effort even without the flat tyre!! 😳
I’m glad you had a nice evening. I suspect more rest might be a better option today … 😉

KK

Suffolk_lass

foxgloves said:

Oh my days, you definitely overdid it! Here's me moaning about a pulled shoulder muscle from reaching too far to yank out a piece of bindweed! I'd have been on the floor after all your paving slab efforts!
F

I pretty much am!

dawnybabes

It’s tomorrow you need to worry about ! Have you any magnesium / Epsom salts you can have a bath in ? 

Suffolk_lass

I'm fine this morning, thanks @dawnybabes.  A little bit of residual stiffness in my arms (I am reasonably strong - I shift the honey boxes around that weigh 20+ kilos each).

I am struggling to balance the bank account with my spreadsheet this morning. Most vexatious! I can't for the moment see what I have done wrong, or omitted. 

While on the subject of money, our PBs netted us £125 & £25 this month, so my winnings this calendar year to date is running at 4.75%, and Mr Sl's at 3.18% with all winnings counting in our saved total but being reinvested, our joint holdings remain under 50% of the maximum £100k.

Pickings took up lots of time again yesterday, and I also chopped back the GBBS after picking the last substantial one. I think there are 5 or 6 Crown Prince too but no butternuts - they have turned out to be other squashes. Plenty of courgettes should thrive after a bit of shade removed and some of the triffid squash that was smothering them. Some of the raspberries are doing well, some are showing the virus that means they will be dug out this year, and a new raspberry bed will be put in, elsewhere in the garden.

We have booked a campsite for 2 nights this week, so we have a bit of a change of view. It's less than an hour from home but a chance to explore another walk in our County that keeps revealing lovely areas!

foxgloves

Lol at 'triffid squash', @Suffolk_lass.....I reckon that'll be the last time you listen to my veg growing recommendations!
Mr F couldn't quite believe it when I announced my plans to go out foraging this morning, as it's all I can do to keep up with our own homegrown stuff atm. Courgettes & blackberries particularly crazy.
F

Suffolk_lass

I have found some butternut squash! Yay! - there are a few growing as the plant attempts to escape from the Crown Prince bed, it is scrambling on the outside wall of the fruit cage! They will take much water and time to reach maturity so I must not get too excited. Also, with the triffid removed :-) I am hopeful the production of courgettes might improve. I have six plants and am averaging 5 fruits a day. Tomatoes and chillies remain sluggish but the daily attention to feed and water is helping. 

Yesterday I harvested a wooden trug full of plums. I managed to send my gardener friend home with a carrier bag full and sorted through to eat some, and put the ripe ones within reach of us both. (Mr Sl loves a few plums too). I also donated eight punnets (re-using the cardboard trays that some biscuits come in) to the community garden, along with four bundles of runner beans and four cucumbers.

In money news, my big CC bill has gone today, leaving a modest amount of money in the bills account until my pension arrives (not until 25th). I only have the window cleaner left to pay from this before that happens. The other running costs account is less empty, and Mr Sl's pension arriving on Friday. 

We are going to take the motorhome an hour away for two nights from tomorrow. I might pop into I must remember we don't need to take much with us as we are planning pub meals in two places while there. Just one breakfast and a light lunch (soup and bread). Our main objective is to test the replacement mattress I bought, for comfort. I have also bought a replacement cold box. This is a rigid built box that will step in when our ancient camping fridge freezer over freezes. I shall keep boxed salad and dairy products in it, on our longer trips.

Right, Mr Sl is walking the dog, while the ground is still cool, and I am waiting for my sourdough bread dough to prove, but I really should consider dressing, so I can water and pick before it is too hot!

rtandon27

@Suffolk_lass - I love the fact that you 'dress' to garden!  I routinely wander into the garden with a cuppa while still in pj's and an hour later find I've been pruning and/or picking!  There are days when I exercise first and then find myself still in yoga gear hours later!  All that to say that dressing is over-rated! 🤣🤣🤣

in_need_of_direction

glad to hear i'm not the only one (bar the exercise bit)

Suffolk_lass

Ooh err, not at tractoring time of year. They have cut the wheat but I'm expecting some sort of soil treatment (lime/chalk etc) any day now and me, bending over in my nightie, is more than anyone wants to see of a morning. Besides, clothes protect some bits from gribblies!