Freyja's 1st birthday

As Freyja's first birthday approaches (16th May) I'm wondering whether to go ahead and give her a party in the garden. I've been put off up till now with the prospect of bad weather, as our garden is huge and can host many, our house is tiny and can host, well a bout 3 people!! and parking is bad here too. I know, it shouldn't put me off. So I'm going to compromise I think and have family and a couple of friends. So now I'm onto wondering what kind of theme to have. I originally thought a madhatters tea party, then Mike said no, too freaky. Then I thought 'fairytale' and then thought, hmm to try hard and topical. I came across the idea of a bird themed party at  Bambino goodies and thought it was a great idea, as it suited the spring garden and also tied in nicely with my dad's love of birds (as we will also be remembering him, his birthday would be on the 17th). There are so many lovely things out there for children's parties now it's hard to know where to start. I love this garland, flowers I know but would tie in well with the idea. Then I came across this delightful bird garland although way too expensive for me, but it I have been inspired to think of a way to make it at home, with a potato cutter? Heals is also apparently good for party style decorations, like these windmills, very colourful and quite reasonable. As for the cake? it has to be this owl cake, simple but cheeky! and the dreaded party bags, I love this idea of design your own bag, on a simple cotton number.

Allotment gossip over a 7 hour session

Mike was kind enough to let me get down on the allotment for most of Saturday, very kind of him considering how hard work the kids are at the moment. It meant I could prepare a bed for roots, which was ironic really as I spent most of the time removing thistle roots in order to plant a different variety of root. I also managed to break the soil down enough to a fine tilth to plant seed, the first to go into my virgin plot. Thanks for your advice Green Lane, but I've stuck with my Franchi carrots, I think they were Nantes, but they won't be that early now, but hopefully should get a crop by the end of June. I built a barrier around them to try and prevent the cursed carrot fly, constructed from wooden post and black plastic, lined with carrots and garlic! Inside I planted carrots and parsnips and inter-cropped with more onions, lettuce, chard and spinach. Feels so much better to have got a bed sorted out at last! As well as that, I put in my maincrop potatoes. I'm slightly worried now about late frosts as I don't always have the opportunity to get there to cover my emerging seedlings with fleece, so it's slightly in the hands of the gods now. I don't know whether I will get time now to finish a bed for peas and beans, but fingers crossed the weather will hold and I can get down there at some point.

While I was there I met all manner of people! All women too! It was one of the reasons I took on the plot, to meet a few locals and find out more about what goes on it the village. It's quite strange the the two ladies that own the plot next to mine, are actually my neighbours at home! they both rent the farm cottages just behind mine. Funny that. There's lots of talk of celebratory wine and BBQs when the first crops are ready, I'm now looking forward to munching peas over Sauvingnon Blanc basking in late afternoon sun!

Planting

A cursory glance around the greenhouse revealed a lot of stuff has now gone in the ground, and I go really be doing with planting up my next round of goodies. So today I planted courgette, marigolds and wild flower mix, which I'll follow up with a second sowing of sweet peas, more peas, yellow beans and berlotti beans. I'm slightly concerned about the state of the soil at the allotment, still really heavy underneath a solid dry clay crust *sigh* not sure how I'll ever get that in a fit state for carrots!!

Dad's grave

I forgot to post these

Easter

This is a resurrected draft about Easter....

I've been quite busy since we have decide to market our house, we haven't done so yet as such, but we are frantically doing DIY before making the call. This is why I'm now woefully behind on my allotment planting scheme and blogging, but our house and LIFE comes first!

In the meantime we also had Easter, and a lovely one too. Mike and I went to visit the gramps in Berko over Friday to Sunday. Luckily we were given a day off from the kids on Sat, and spent a glorious afternoon in the pub, (Alford Arms, great place) eating superb food, then having a walk in the sunshine. Shame I was a bit hungover, otherwise it would have been truly perfect.

On Sunday we had the traditional Easter egg hunt and brunch of scrambled eggs and croissants, sounds terribly pretentious but we did! and Hugh managed to chomp his way through a whole easter egg. I think he understands chocolate this year :) Freyja had her first chocolate too and not suprisingly approved. Hugh left very dismayed and has been mumbling longingly Granny penna, grampa for a few days since.

Monday, we headed over to my folks for much the same, a big meal (yes another) followed by a rather shambling egg hunt, that involved Hugh's cousin Billy hiding a couple of eggs a bit too well (in his grumpy teenage fashion) and Hugh fumbling around not really getting the idea. I think he had chocolate egg fatigue by this point, if that is possible at his age. I have to say I missed dad, it's getting easier, but there's always that void where his booming voice and presence would be. I popped up to see his grave in the glorious sunshine. It would have been perfect had the wind not been whipping around the church so much. At least the daffs are out in their full glory now, and the flowers have overcome the constant munching from the rabbits. I definitely felt a lot closer to dad this time, and had an internal dialogue with him that felt like he was watching from over my shoulder and telling me about the view and flowers. I felt reassured and comforted. Here is the posy I made for his grave.

Asparagus, new veggie bed and house ready

Today my asparagus crown arrived from asparagus in Kent. I panicked slightly as my bed wasn't entirely ready for it's arrival having spent so much time concentrating on the house. I managed to get down to the plot tonight and pop them in, well pop them in wasn't the half of it, it meant a speedy going over of the still heavy clay soil (despite multiple double digs and additions of dung). There were some thorough instruction provided with the crowns, that involved digging trenches within trenches and small mounds to delicately perch the spidery creatures on, crikey and I was doing all this against the clock to get back home and finish my online shopping spot before it expires and end up with the most expensive loaf of bread in England, £6 with delivery charge!

On Sunday, I spent an afternoon in the garden at home trying to tidy up some scraggy areas, like the bit by the bins that has always been my overflow veggie patch. I edged it with some willow hurdles and log roll, created a path around the edge, then put a couple of big pots on the side. Now it looks very cottage gardeny. I got quite excited and decided to plant a load of veg in there as it was set to go in my greenhouse. Now I have a micro garden that includes broad beans, peas, salad potatoes, strawberries, basil, cucumber, onions and carrots - quite impressive I think

Spring fever

An up and down day. We spent the large part crazily running around trying to tidy the house and garden for the arrival of the estate agent for another valuation. I feel a bit sorry for the kids this week as they've definitely been sidelined while I put the house in order, well I justify their neglect with the promise of a bigger house - more space and happier mum!!

Hugh has been fighting another lurgy, yesterday his temperature rocketed in the evening to over 39.5C I was really worried, then it dropped just as quickly and he seemed fine today, if a little whingy. Tonight though, his temperature was very high again, and pulse very rapid so I thought it best that he go to A&E. Why is it always on a Saturday night? Anyway Mike is there with him now, while I mind Freyja at home, I was worried sick, but having just called him, I'm slightly reassured as Hugh was chatting on the phone and didn't seem too bad. Poor lamb, it makes you appreciate modern medicine when they are ill like that, I cannot imagine the pain and heartache mother's suffered in the past when children got ill.

Returning to the estate agent, he gave us good news, a valuation that meant we would be able to move if we could achieve that price. I'm not sure we will go with that particular agent as he seemed a bit green in his approach. We have made our decision who to market us, we just need to inform our bank about the mortgage, then it's all go!!

It was the Grand National today, a great tradition between my dad and I. He put a bet on Red Rum when we were little and won quite a lot of money, from thereon in it became a family tradition for us to have a bet each on the National. I was kind of hoping Dad would impart some knowledge to me from the heavens, but no, I won nothing today.

Here are some photos I took of the house looking nice, and garden too. Good to see the grass mown at last.

‘Here we’re all drunkards and whores,’ by Anna Akhmatova

http://www.poetryintranslation.com/PITBR/Russian/Akhmatova.htm#_Toc114734323

Here we’re all drunkards and whores,
joylessly stuck together!
On the walls, birds and flowers
pine for the clouds and air.

The smoke from your black pipe
makes strange vapours rise.
The skirt I wear is tight,
revealing my slim thighs.

Windows tightly closed:
who’s there, frost or thunder?
Your eyes, are they those
of some cautious cat, I wonder?

O, my heart how you yearn!
Is it for death you wait?
Or that girl, dancing there,
for hell to be her sure fate?

Wendy Cope's After the Lunch

On Waterloo Bridge, where we said our goodbyes,
the weather conditions bring tears to my eyes.
I wipe them away with a black woolly glove
And try not to notice I've fallen in love.

On Waterloo Bridge I am trying to think:
This is nothing. you're high on the charm and the drink.
But the juke-box inside me is playing a song
That says something different. And when was it wrong?

On Waterloo Bridge with the wind in my hair
I am tempted to skip. You're a fool. I don't care.
the head does its best but the heart is the boss-
I admit it before I am halfway across.

Wendy Cope

GE 2010

So a General Election is just weeks away, and was called today. It's what I've been waiting for and will anticipate the campaigns with relish. Unlike my peers, I love election fever ever since my dad took me for the first time to vote at the village hall, it marked a real right of passage for me. My family have always been quite passionate about politics and debate frantically at every family gathering, in addition to this my hubby works in the Home Office so I cannot avoid it really!

I'm still undecided who I will vote for. I'm a classic waivering mum, middle class and 35, so probably in one of the main swing voter categories, although our constituency is such a tory stronghold, it makes it hard to think anyone could dent their majority. I can only say I'm pretty sure I won't be voting Conservative unless they really convince me otherwise in the next 4 weeks. I've always made a bit of a promise to myself never to vote Tory when studying History of politics, at the age of 17, and have since never felt inclined to do so, probably until now. I have liked some of the sounds they've been making, but like many, I'm unconvinced by Cameron's integrity and experience as credentials for running the country. It's quite important though who will be in govt for the next ten years to sure up the economy, and in this time my mum will become elderly, my children will start school and I will set up my own business, so all these issues will be relevant to me. I've always thought though to think beyond my personal circumstances and vote for the good of the country and our future. If we were all selfish all of the time, what would be the point of a civilised democracy?

Happy Easter

This week has been a bit of a wash out to be honest. At least we are all approaching full health now. Hugh has bags of energy again.

On the theme of gardening I have managed to plant some more seeds, and pot up the rest coming on. I'm pretty much on track with everything, apart from the weeding at the allotment which is almost impossible when the ground is so wet.

Good news on the house front, we've had another valuation which has come close to the mark, meaning we are able to move if we can sell near the price they've suggested. Exciting stuff, I'm glad we can move up the ladder at last, but slightly sad having to leave Lamberhurst, we are going to make a move of considerable distance, so it means starting over again. Sometimes you just have to leave things behind.

We are off to Berko to visit Mike's parents for a couple of days over Easter, the weather looks shocking, so I expect it will be another indoor Easter egg hunt!