Reactions to Your Lottie and How You Deal With Them?

[Stacey Steve]

I think many people aspire to having their own little company, "being your own boss".

I know I did and I went for it, making wooden toys.

Started up at possibly not the best time in history, i.e. at the start of a recession and eventually went broke but I dodn't regret doing it, I got it out of my system and have a better understanding of how business actually works.

Now the allotments are my sanity cells and are the place where I can go and recharge the batteries as it were. Yes I do spend too much time there (OH states), yes I am a bit loopy (kids state), great place to dash about and play (states the dog).

I don't however hear anyone complaining about free soft fruit, have you some spare onions I can take to girlfriend's so we can make dinner, Wow what's in this salad etc.

No they will have to carry me screaming off the plots or as OH threatens, bury me on a compost heap.

[TonyF]

There is something very peaceful about an allotment that no garden can master.

The true meaning of an allotment, is solace, no matter what else is happening, you and you alone control this little piece of land. The next time someone offers advise shelve it, and remember what it feels like when you are there. When that feeling ceases to fill your heart with joy, then its time to give up, not before.

Mikey has it just perfectly - I don't need an allotment because my garden is so big and so isolated - we live on the outskirts of a very small village, in the woods essentially - and it's the sense of quiet and isolation in the garden that I love.

And my potager, what is really my allotment is away from the everyday garden - Jenny is responsible for the front, I do the back (potager/allotment) plus the heavy work at the front.

It's \amazing just how isolating that can be and the sense of real self it gives me - like an allotment or fruit and veg garden can do for others I'm sure.

[Shortie]

Yes, I too think that the allotment is very different to the back garden. I was explaining to big sis the other day that down teh allotment there's no telly or home phone or washing mahine etc in the background. When our bigger boy comes with me (he's 5) the imagination he has never ceases to amaze me too which is stiffled a bit at home with telly/games/whatever it be

I blubed at Mr Shortie this evening after a row with my Mum over my back garden and some painting work that's going on... he was wondering why I was sweeping the decking like woman possessed at dusk (lol!) and I told him the reason I want to make the allotment (and ideally both) work is that I'm being darned stubborn and want to make it work. Like he said... it's like a business - you put most of the work in upfront and reap the bigger rewards later

[Winged one]

Shortie, that sounds like your answer. YOU love your lottie, MR Shortie loves your lottie (or its produce) and your LO's love your lottie (for the fun and games).

(And besides which - think of all the good things about the digging and hoeing and raking - everyone else will find something else to nag about even if you give up, but at least this way, you can take it out on the ground and get lovely edible results rather than a big row or holes in the wall!!).

[SlugLobber]

Don't you dare give up the allotments! I'm 31, am the proud owner of a pair of slippers and show no shame at wanting to grow my own stuff!

Someone was once taking the mickey about me driving an old tractor and lorries one evening, moving them in prep for a show. I was saying how much fun I'd had...etc. He had the cheek to turn and say, 'You need a life!'.

I asked him, 'What did YOU do last night, then?'

He went on to tell me how he'd watched this, then that, then the other.

'Oh,' I said. 'You call that having a life, do you?'.

He didn't say anything else. It really riles me how people can make fun of someone else's hobby or say that you don't have time. Yeah, like you're a bloody slave to everyone else and don't deserve a nanosecond to do what YOU want to do!

You keep those allotments (both of em) and make sure you sit in front of the critics with some nice home-grown fruit/veg. Point out that they 'could do with losing a bit of weight' and suggest that they do some form of exercise, like 'digging' and 'weeding'. Also maybe point out that the reason people of old DIDN'T keel over with heart attacks and deal with obesity at the alarming rates we have in this country now is because they knew how to live a healthy lifestyle and appreciated hard work!

Rant over. And breeeeeaathe!!

[SlugLobber]

My allotment is brilliant therapy for depression Thanks Doc, don't need the pills any more (well maybe a few for when the SAD syndrome kicks in)

I am pretty sure that without ponies and the garden, I'd be on a right cocktail by now!

Oooh, sorry Shortie, but your folks have really made me mad.

[Shortie]

Oooh, sorry Shortie, but your folks have really made me mad.

Lol... Though I'm not mad, I think I just feel disappointed really. I hope I don't do this kind of thing to my two. yes I understand (and appreciate) advice when there really is a problem I've not seen myself - beit financial, health, etc.. but this harms no-one. You don't like the mess in my house? Don't come in then. Mr Shortie and I have been building up a housework routine which is making things easier, and should stop some of the critisism but I guess it'll extend to something else instead.

I'm going to try keeping the two lotties after my chat last night with Mr Shortie. He told me to keep it going and see how it pans out. You're all right, if I give either up now, I won't have a chance to get them back.

What I don't understand is why parents sometimes still try to control your life rather than guide it. When I was younger I had my eyebrow pierced. I know not everyone like them. I was told it comes back out or I move out. So what did I do? Took it out, sulked for a long time about it, moved out not long after and had a tattoo instead. Try making me take that off . It might not have been the best of reason to have a permenant mark made on my body, but it was my push back and I still don't regret it to this day. Admittedly most people haven't a clue it's there as it's on the small of my back but I know it's there and why I had it done

Sorry, rant over. And breeeeaaaathe and stretch

[OverWyreGrower]

When I was younger I had my eyebrow pierced. I know not everyone like them. I was told it comes back out or I move out. So what did I do? Took it out, sulked for a long time about it, moved out not long after and had a tattoo instead. Try making me take that off . It might not have been the best of reason to have a permenant mark made on my body, but it was my push back and I still don't regret it to this day.

I had a tattoo at 18, I was trying to be rebellious!
I got it whilst my mum was on holiday, and when she got back I proudly showed her, expecting her to be horrified and tell me off...

She said "That's nice dear..." and wandered off So much for rebelling!
My sister now has 6 tattoos and several piercings, and my mum has been find about them all - she's very hard to faze!

[Shortie]

My sister now has 6 tattoos and several piercings, and my mum has been find about them all - she's very hard to faze!

Bloomin' heck you're lucky. I wanna be one like that

[Seahorse]

I think the bottom line is that you *chose* Mr Shortie, your RL pals and all of us here! I'm certain your parents love you, even if they don't 'get' what you're about... but I know who I'd listen to

[Pumpkin Becki]

Jeez Shortie! It must be wearing you down, but after all, it's your life!

I have a raft of hobbies - card making, scrapbooking, dolls houses, I'm trying to write a book. We're also building our own house whilst renovating our existing one to sell...and we've go an allotment. All that ontop of a more-than-fulltime job.

I have to content myself with just dabbling in everything at the moment, I also have elderly relatives who I don't see nearly enough, but they understand that my life is crazy at the moment.

So I don't get all the ironing done each week, and the house hasn't been vaccumed since the dawn of time (not really worth it with all the renovation work) - if I can snatch half an hour a week either in my garden pottering or up at the lottie I'm a happy bunny (although not overflowing with produce!) - it also keeps me close to my mother who I lost to cancer nearly eight years ago - gardening was in her soul and I very glad she passed it on to me.

Really think this through - are you thinking of giving up your lotties because you feel you can't manage, or because everyone else tells you that you can't. They are very different things. Trust Mr Shortie, he'll give you the truest picture...mines just started complaining that the house is a mess...I'd better stop typing now!

[kirsty b]

I had a tattoo at 18, I was trying to be rebellious!
I got it whilst my mum was on holiday, and when she got back I proudly showed her, expecting her to be horrified and tell me off...

She said "That's nice dear..." and wandered off So much for rebelling!
My sister now has 6 tattoos and several piercings, and my mum has been find about them all - she's very hard to faze!

Bit like my parents!! My sis is in the navy and had her first one at about 18 and Dad didn't even raise an eyebrow!! I had one at 20 when living in Plymouth, its only little and a lot of the time I forget its there.
Dad's reaction to that was going out and getting his own seeing as his daughters both had them. Said he felt left out!!

[di]

Pleased to hear you've decided to go with your heart~sure you won't regret it!
How old are your little ones?Ours are 6&4 & it's def getting easier having them up there~when we 1st started they needed constant supervision but as time goes by they're getting really good at finding stuff to do & most of the time stay off the veggies & don't pick stuff till we say they can~except for the years 1st strawberry that Ash couldn't resist even tho it was still white!!They've got their own little play area with a few bits on it that doubles up as our picnic area & that really has helped~Andi built them a little den so they've got some shade & they'll often sit in there colouring(or fighting!!).All the best x

[Comfreyfan]

Shortie, don't listen to the negative brigade. If you listen to those who say 'you can't', you start to doubt yourself and believe them. Listen to those who say 'you can' or even better those who offer to help out with the chores to make it easier! Anyway, growing your own today is the responsible thing to do!

[Shortie]

Shortie, don't listen to the negative brigade. If you listen to those who say 'you can't', you start to doubt yourself and believe them.

To be honest I think that's where I started heading until you chaps sorted me back out put me on the straight and narrow

Andi&Di, Mine are 5 and nearly 1 so it can be tricky as we can't leave little bubs to amuze himself like bigger bubs does. So the compromise is that I get up with the boys one day a week so Mr Shortie has a lie in and the other day he gets up with them and I go to lottie nice an early before anyone is up and I stay there till lunchtime. Okay I don't get lie-ins anymore but I'm prepared to give them up for the lottie When I go down after work during the week I'm either on my own, with bigger bubs or everyone comes down and Mr Shortie usually ends up leaving me holding bubs while he wanders off to harvest and water, LOL!!!