Thank god we paid the mortgage off

ladybird1106

Thanks greenbee that definitely makes getting out the car less painful.

Cherryfudge regarding the fish, I did have some smoked peppered mackerel, no reaction. So think it might be something the company of the other is adding. Chiropractor was able to straighten me out and advise was pretty much the same as greenbees.

We have quite a high new settee badmemory so this isn’t an problem now.

That’s a more positive view of things beanielou thanks.

Had a very busy weekend up at the plot. Finally tackled the rampant bramble at the back of the orchard area. Managed to convince Mr🐞, not to attack it with hedge trimmers to the floor. Probably not the best day to do it as it was so sunny but anyway. Long thick sleeved jumper, long thick denim skirt and gauntlets on. Still managed to acquire scratches through my clothes. I managed to get rid of all the old or dead vines and kept the new stuff that will hopefully produce fruit. We then fixed the frame surrounding it. it’s about 5 and half foot tall and it’s designed to keep the bramble off the floor and contained a bit more. Lots of material to burn hopefully later this week. Finally got the brassica netting off.Picked the first forced rhubarb of the year. It’s a glorious pink colour. Picked an armful. Gave my allotment neighbour some. Froze some, roasted some and stewed some. The stewed, I then strained, added sugar, simmered for about 40 minutes and made a lovely rhubarb syrup which we added to Prosecco. Like a peach Bellini. Mum came for her sleepover , so made her favourite tea after giving her a card and present (pink coat off V). Mr🐞picked some daffodils for his mum from the plot.
Sold a couple of items via the bay and V. Not a lot of money made. Having major issues with something I’m trying to return. Apparently the seller didn’t collect the returned parcel as the address they were given to collect from doesn’t exist?????. So it’s coming back to me again. Will have to escalate it once it arrives😤.
I’m at the drs this morning to discuss the possibility of starting hrt, which reminds me I need to sort out my prepayment certificate. In other health news, I’m putting my SAD lamp away as I feel I no longer need it. I’m pleasantly surprised how much it helped me cope with the winter doldrums. Worth every penny.
Time to get the youngest chair in the car, college today.
love 🐞

ladybird1106

Drs went okish. Lovely dr really made me feel comfortable and was listening to what I had to say. We’ve agreed to hrt patches on the lowest dose they do. I had to come off the pill due to acute migraines that would last for days on end. The dr says the dose is lower than the pill and I should hopefully be able to manage. She then went on to talk about my weight 😭, I’m currently 2 stone overweight and then she took my blood pressure which was high😭. I was surprised at this as my blood pressure has been generally normal. So……… I’m going to be strapped to a 24 hr heart monitor late April. Oh joy. So after a long chat with Mr🐞I’m going to try and bring it under control before then although after lots of research change can take up to 3 months 😭. Anyway it’s spurred me into getting lots of healthy non processed food in. I got back on the rowing 🚣 machine as she said although I’m exercising 🤣 I need to be elevating my heart rate. Did 10 minutes on that and then 2 x 10 minutes brisk walks. New app on my phone by the nhs to record my steps and briskness. I miss cheese already. This morning I’ve already done yoga 🧘🏻‍♀️ incorporating poses to help with HBP. Also dusted my bike off and rode to pick up my olio requests.
Time to get miss giddychops out.
love 🐞

badmemory

Just to say that I only have to look at a medical professional for my blood pressure to go shooting up & those BP monitors hurt. I had one a few years ago & every time it worked my BP went shooting up & I was sitting doing nothing at the time. The only time it didn't shoot up was when I was standing ironing & didn't realise it had started.

Cherryfudge

Taking action is the best thing you can do - even if it takes a while for the results to show, it's still worth it. Cheering you on!

ladybird1106

Badmemory I think I have white coat syndrome too.
Thanks cherryfudge will need cheering on as food has been an emotional support for so long.
Yesterday was housework day so the House is tidy again. Had the windows open to let lots of fresh in.
Went up to the plot late afternoon. Cleared another 2 herb beds of weeds. Lost a sage bush but considering they’ve been in awhile can’t complain. Hopefully will have a replacement by the end of the year. Started on the potato area, fairly easy digging which was a nice surprise. Mr🐞 insists on digging it over then rotavate. However my wise elderly neighbour suggested I loosen the soil and then rotavate. So we’ve halved the area to see which method works best. Although Mr🐞 did point our neighbours rotavater is a beast of a machine compared to ours. Worth experimenting as the latter method could save time and our backs as we age. The seedlings at home are doing well, hopefully will be able to pot on the tomatoes at the weekend. Leeks seedlings I brought up to the plot have coped so will take the 2nd tray up tonight. We are due to burn all the bramble and woody cuttings tonight.
Another sale on V posted - funpot currently stands at £195. I’m waiting for money to go through for a couple of sales in the next couple of days that will take me over the £200 mark🥳.
Time to use natures tumble dryer and then get miss giddychops out for a walk.

Love 🐞

Watty1

Could you try a third of the bed rotavated with the neighbours "beast"?? A third the usual method, and a third with your rotavator ? I do love an experiment 😀 And an effort vs time vs produce acheived spreadsheet?

(creeps out of door)

ladybird1106

no need to creep out the door watty1, it’s something to consider.
love 🐞

greenbee

how about transitioning to no dig? I’ve found it remarkably successful so far, and I started with poor, compacted soil so was way behind you.

ladybird1106

hi greenbee, we are trying to to transition to no dig. We have 2 half plots ( we have 3 and half allotments between us and fil) that we don’t dig over every year which is the brassica area (likes a sturdy ground) and the squash area ( shades out any weeds). However, due to crop rotation those areas get dug over the following year. We just can’t seem to produce enough compost to cover such a large area. The potato area last year I just dug a hole and popped a potato in. This was because Mr 🐞 had hurt his back. This year he’s back and it’s got to be done the way his grandad did it, even though we had the best crop when I did it my way😤. I do have the Charles downing book. I’m trying to do cut/hoe and drop gardening though, to improve nutrition. We are also using green manures but unfortunately they too need to be dug in.
Any tips on trying to work smarter not harder are welcome.
love 🐞

greenbee

I’m pretty sure that green manure can be done as chop and drop rather than dug in. Certainly the buckwheat grown as a cover crop for sugar beet locally wasn’t dug in, although I realise that’s on a different scale! I have help from a gardener, but it’s a constant battle as he’s a ‘tidy’ gardener (despite claiming not to be 🤣) so weeds out my calendula/forget-me-not/phacelia, but only hoes the perennial weeds that need digging out… However, I couldn’t manage without him for the mowing and heavier jobs I have while I’m still making the garden, so I grumble and get on with it.

I also struggle with making enough compost, so I’m trying a water barrel for borage/comfrey tea, and another for perennial weeds in the hope that drowning them will make them usable. Also a hot bin, a leaf bin, and using old builders bags to supplement my compost bins on the days when there is too much in the way of grass clippings. But I have had to buy in mulch and compost for the past couple of years as I’ve only been here two and a bit years and the soil was/is appalling.