June 2007

Ok so my May calender is a bit sparse and a bit boring. I will revisit it and make up some appropriate entries for the time of year.

Alanis Morisette was born in June though this is in no way ironic. Alanis Morisette and Morrisey have never been seen together in the same room.

1st June A Friday - I was in Bristol, well just outside, taking an examination to make me a qualified software tester. I think this officially makes me a 'professional' like a doctor, teacher or accountant. Woohoo! Or perhaps not, maybe just some kind of geek, how did it come to this? Wish me luck, not had my results yet!

Luckily, following a stressful three days learning, with the most fraudulent "buffet" lunch I have ever experienced, I was able to calm myself at the allotment for some hours, pottering mostly.

2nd June A Saturday. Today was a very exciting away match at the Colchester Avenue allotments. First of all I had a chance to visit one of my inspirees. The appropriately named Ms. Vines has recently managed to find herself a plot at the Colchester site and seems to be progressing nicely. Wonder if she has come across Ms. Squeeze yet? Given my overwhelming influence in her decision to get an allotment (I like to think) I thought the least I could do was offer to dig over a bed for her. Most of my digging has been completed now so I'm a digger for hire, it's cheaper than the Gym and less self regarding. This visit also gave me the opportunity to observe what are probably the only beehives in the entire Cardiff allotment community. To learn more about bees check out the website of Tim and Luke at WeeditandReap or have a quick look at my comments in I'm covered in bees! (when I've written it!, this will be a link to it just as soon as I have)

3rd June A Sunday. Rooted up my apparently failed French beans, planted in May, and replaced them with a fresh batch of beans sewn in a bed of my own compost. I suspect the first batch went out when it was a little too cold, or wet, or dry, or the soil is just a bit depleted in this section of the plot, the compost will help them along and I'll plant a green manure at the end of the year to perk the soil up!

7th June A Thursday. Played 11 a-side football tonight with some of the bigger boys, so no time to get to the allotment, even for watering. Luckily the weather wasn't as hot and sunny as the forecast suggested so no greenhouse cops were dying of thirst. The Tal-y-bont pensioners performed reasonably well, particularly as we had a couple of the grandsons playing (I'm being humorous here you understand, I'm not a pensioner yet, though I hope to be one day). Apart from one grandson who couldn't find the pitch, I will save his embarrassment by not naming him (Llion). Kids today eh, who'd have 'em. Don't want to blow my own but I executed a superbly struck shot on goal which easily beat both the goalie and the goal post, clattering harmlessly, but firmly, off the fence behind. There was a final score but it's not about winning and losing, it's about taking part.

9th June A Saturday. Hey! The French beans are popping up already, just shows what a nice warm soil and a mix of my special compost will do.

10th June A Sunday. I revisited an old battle ground today. The West Bank of my allotment has had a checkered history and there is some confusion over who it belongs to (What is it with West Banks?). Luckily my western neighbours are firmly of the opinion that it falls under my jurisdiction. This bank has been very irresponsibly administered in the past and it is only now that I'm beginning to fully reclaim it from the last of the carpets. This is an extremely strenuous and sciatica inducing chore, both deeply infuriating and deeply satisfying.

11th June A Monday. After work I entered round two of the battle of the carpets. I am definitely winning but there will have to be a major cull of bramble bushes before I can get rid of the carpets for good. Watch this space for my thoughts on the the great TCP versus Savalon debate, personally I recommend a course of TCP, for the encouraging stinging sensation and exquisite odour, followed by Sudacrem to soothe, moisturize and eradicate those delicate little rashes.

The good news is my allotment is expanding as I venture back into the bramble infested Northern sector. I have managed to relocate the compost bin in the decarpeted bank ready to start a new batch, more on compost in an entry to come. So major decarpeting, digging of huge alcove into the bank and relocation of compost bin all achieved in one evening. The only slight issue is the embarrassing wet patch caused by relentless digging. I apologise for the imagery here, but as I'm bent over digging shirtless in the blazing sun all the chest and belly sweat seems to find it's way to the slightly protruding gentleman's area of my shorts (protruding in the manner a trouser bunched due to bending, I should add. I mean I like digging and all but...).

Anyway, very hard work, no wonder I have a touch of sciatica tomorrow!

12th June A Tuesday. This is actually today! What I mean is it's now, I'm typing this on the 12th June, which means I'm kind of up to date. You all have Louise thank for this, I won't go into detail but her messages can be very inspiring.

Just a quick watering trip today, on the way to Tuesday football. I'm pretty sure we won today, though I don't keep score. The important thing with these games is to win, it's all very well taking part but if you don't come away with a win, well what's the point?

I can report that the french beans are doing extremely well, the sunflowers are putting on a couple of inches a day and all is good at the allotment.

14th June A Thursday. Mmm, I seem to find it difficult to leave the allotment sometimes. The words "I'll just do this before I go" pass through my mind once about every five minutes, then suddenly it's 9pm and I'm hungry with little time left for cooking. When you consider the other things that we men are supposed to think about every 5 minutes its surprising I had space for my parsnip related brainwave, more of this soon.

So eating at 10.30 again tonight, or just as soon as my red cabbage in red wine is done. I can recommend this heartily, and will post the recipe I'm using tonight just so long as it tastes good (smells delicious).

This evening, between thinking about one last thing and some other more exciting things I managed to plant out my french marigold, mizuna, ruby chard and basil seedlings. I then admired my sunflowers for a while, dug up some late potatoes, by mistake, followed by some earlies. In between I managed to have a long chat about tomatoes, aubergines, the blight and the suitability of council compost piles for killing off said viruses.

15th June A Friday. Woohoo, passed my exam, 34 out of 40! Another quick visit to Colchester Ave today. To collect some butternut squashes donated by Ms Vines and, as it turned out, some leeks from her neighbour, bonus.

Then off to my plot for a quick potter. Managed to build stage one of my melon hammock, check my trusses and water the greenhouse with water from my own butt! Glorious rain today too, so no watering to do for a week or so, excepting the greenhouse.

Today is Friday, so back home nice and early to prepare for beer and nonsense at the Albany.

16th June A Saturday. Did various things down the allotment, none of them interesting, sorry.

In the evening went to the new restaurant on the corner of Wedal Road, the Grape and Olive. It was one of the best meals I've had in a while. Jem, Ana, Will and Rachael made it all the more enjoyable! Plus, bonus, I bumped into German Mike and met German Jo for the first time. I now have the offer of some fresh bamboo which should be delivered to football on Tuesday, exciting!