Chatback #18

[Snadger]

I am still officially the Secretary of my old site which is 25 miles away from where I am living now.
I still get all the new plotholder requests and various paperwork even though I am now in a different County. I have diligently kept on top of the Secretaries post and have just called an AGM at the end of the month. We have an ongoing request for perimeter fencing that was blown down and I have been asked if I will dispose of some tree sections that have been left on site by previous occupants.
I have just put on a new chainsaw blade and intend visiting my old site and meeting my friend the Treasurer tomorrow morning.
At the AGM, hopefully someone will release me from the Secretaries mantle, but if not I may stop on and tend my old plot, if I can have it for nowt.

Take care folks.

[Nicos]

Mornin n'alln'all

Looks like today will be spent going over architect drawings and tweaking/revamping parts with several alternative suggestions.
I think I missed an opportunity in my career choice tbh

These are for a family member -not me - and I'm going to enjoy doing this.
Bit like planning out veggie beds but in 3D eh?

No doubt I'll be helping out too at some point with plaster boarding

Keep safe peeps.

See ya later!

[Bren In Pots]

Morning, its mostly rain for the day so I don't think I'll be out walking instead I'll be in my GH sowing seeds.
Enjoy your Sunday

[Florence Fennel]

Good Morning All Dry at the moment. Pan's on. Have a lovely Sunday

[Snoop Puss]

Morning all.

Very strange situation here now. On a practical level, though, petrol stations are allowed to stay open under the lockdown conditions, but the one in the village seems to have decided to stay closed. The weather forecast has worsened considerably: we're now forecast 20 cm of rain over the next ten days, meaning not only that the fields will be even deeper under water but that we'll need petrol because the solar panels won't be doing much. We have some, but the bad weather was supposed to last only two days. How they've gone from two to ten overnight I don't know. Maybe the weathermen and women were too busy keeping an eye on the coronavirus situation, rather than the clouds.

I found a new spring on our land yesterday, which might account for why the one further down the valley isn't doing much and why our fields below the spring are totally flooded. All the standing water in all our fields is full of stringy green algae. Sadly, the water in the well has a thick layer of green scum on it too. The idea was to pump from the well into our half-completed water tank and use that while we're not supposed to be driving anywhere. I'd use the new spring for washing and washing-up once it had been through the pressure cooker, but with all this new rainfall we'll never be able to reach the spring. It never rains but it pours...

About to go out with the dogs and then got loads of work to do, plus prepare for the downpour.

Doesn't look like it's going to be a great few days. But we have food, some water and petrol and, more importantly, a supply of dog and cat biscuits. So that's a plus.

Have a great day everyone.

[bramble]

Good morning all.
Dry but a little on the dull side.
Going for a walk on the beach.
May go to the park on the way.
Hope to spend some time in the garden.
Church has advised against going to mass.
Some churches have already closed.
Very strange times.
Stay safe all and have a good day.

[Thelma Sanders]

Mornings!
Grey and breezy here, showers are forecast for most of the day, so doubt much will get done outside

Snoop, it's madness when they do something like that when people have no chance of getting things like water (and fuel) in first. What are people supposed to do without water? Hope you get through without too much hardship...Good luck!

I think that they'll be telling the over 70s to stay indoors, very soon, so have got a bit extra in the cupboards just in case. Luckily we usually have access to safe drinking water, even if it tastes disgusting (well it does here, so much chlorine in it at times bleurgh!)

Have a good'un

[Snoop Puss]

^Water isn't an issue for most of the population, but we live off grid, so it is for us. If the builder had done what he was supposed to last year, we'd have 18 cubic metres of rainwater in a nice new tank to see us right.

Bit worried about all the rules for the elderly. Not sure I've really grasped them. My mum had a fall a few days ago and is currently in hospital. Not getting out in a hurry either, I think. But she can't possibly look after herself when/if they send her home. Ordinarily, I'd go back, but that's now impossible. One of my brothers could take her, I think, but he lives hundreds of miles away, so any follow-up hospital care will just fall by the wayside.

[cptncrackoff]

Afternoon all!

As predicted.. no fish..

..also, no sleep!

Nice to have the Kelly kettle out again though.

Off to see if the panic buyers have left anything at the shops in a bit, hopefully find something to go with the parsnips and PSB pucked from the allotment!

Took the hound for her first ever walk, all went well!

[veggiechicken]

Snoop, I don't think they'd discharge her without ensuring that she had care at home.
My Mum is my worry too. She's at home with carers 4 times a day and my brother and 1 (both over 70) take it in turns to give her lunch, do her shopping and laundry and are, basically, the only other people she sees. If Bro and I were confined to our homes (on age grounds) we would be unable to care for her.
I'm not worried about myself, but about her.

Its a tough call.

[Aberdeenplotter]

Afternoon all,

pretty miserable weather wise here. In fact pretty miserable all round. Can't even go out panic buying toilet rolls because the shop shelves are empty. I was looking forward to doing a talk to the gardening section of a Social Club in Aberdeen at the start of April not least because it was the one last occasion I foresaw between now and the time I meet my maker that I was going to be the youngest person in the room. All of them are over seventy and I'm not .

Anyway, enough pessimism, tomatoes all germinating nicely except my expensive show ones. Fingers crossed, they will come yet but I'll drum my fingers till they do.

Don't let this virus thing get you down,

[Snoop Puss]

Thanks, VC. I'm assuming that they'd keep her in as well, but these days you never know. Hope you all stay safe.

[Snadger]

Had a trip to my old stomping ground this morning. (Previous allotment site.) Disassembled my polytunnel frame and loaded it into the car along with various other items I wanted from the plot. I have to go back later in the month for the AGM to try and get someone else to take on the Secretaries post. While I am there I will load up the car again with more 'junk' for my new plot.
I took the chainsaw and cut up some wood for to keep the Treasurer happy. This had been fly tipped on site.

I was asked if I would make inroads to get some more main gate keys which require a letter from the allotment officer to procure them. The £20 returnable main gate key money is not working as no one returns the keys.

Drove back and emptied most of the car at my other plot in another County.

I'm cream crackered now so will enjoy my Sunday roast then take it easy fro the rest of the day.

Take care folks.

[rary]

Good afternoon, it was raining this morning when I was going to church, but the rain was off at the end of the service OH stayed at home as she was coughing all night, nothing to do with any virus I think she is having a slight relapse with the problem she has been having since December, I decided to go for some petrol and this should hopefully save me from having to go for it if things deteriorate, as OH wasn't coming with me I decided to go over for some seaweed first (you cut a stick when you see it) then once home I have potted on some onions, I have potted some into compost which I had mixed in some worm juice and some into compos I had mixed some chicken pellets, so will be interesting to see if there is any difference in growth, I have also put some of the seaweed into a tub of water for watering my plants with later, right need to go and prepare the tea, take care and remember if you have to self isolate you can always come onto the Vine
Where you may get driven up the wall quicker

[JanieB]

I took a friend to see their children yesterday. I do this every Saturday fortnight. I park near a Wilkos and decided to have a mooch round. Expensive mooch. I spent £48. But to be honest it’s stuff I can no longer buy in our town. Included 2 peonies, 6 dahlias, seed potatoes and some kitchen stuff. Oh and some attachments that will go on my Dremel.

I am wondering if the government actually go through with the isolation of over 70’s in their homes would this be legal. Much as I love my home, I was widowed 14 years ago and the thought of not being able to go out and do my own shopping, see my family and go to meetings (I’m a town councillor). I don’t want anyone else choosing my shopping. I will feel as if I’ve been imprisoned for no fault of my own. Apart from my age I’m pretty fit. I take chemo every day for my cancer but it’s not one that affects my immune system. It just makes me feel exhausted so I sleep through the worst of it.

We suggested at the last council meeting that we could hold them on skype and have now found that legally we can’t.

On a positive side, if the weather improves, my house and garden will get my undivided attention.