Those who find they're touched by madness, chit down next to me...*

Ok, seriously overdue for some blogging.


I'd planned to do a sort of garden/allotment-themed blog entry a few weeks ago, but didn't get around to it, so this is a sort of catch-up entry.

In an attempt to speed up the onset of Spring, I couldn't wait to sow some seeds. So, about a month ago I did my usual early sowings of pepper/chilli/tomato seeds in the propagator. I'd acquired a huge heated propagator from a car boot sale for £5, so that's now occupying a large chunk of the space in the conservatory. Yeah, the space in between the leaning tower of craft materials and junk and the dogbed ...one day, no doubt, it will all come tumbling down.




Each year I carefully plant these things and several weeks later I have some dehydrated limp, gangly seedlings that are desperate for some light and tlc. (Mostly light, as they can usually survive without being serenaded or having their toenails clipped). My solution has been to do a sort of DIY reflector, made of tin foil and cardboard.







Does it work? Well, sometimes. The - very fetching - DIY job on the kitchen windowsill seems to work fine (behind that cardboard are two seed trays of leek seedlings, honest).







The one amongst the leaning tower of craft materials isn't working so well. Perhaps this is because being hidden amidst the leaning tower of craft materials there isn't actually alot of light to reflect.

Anyway, I noticed yesterday that my nice little pots of tomato seedlings were looking half dead. Same thing every year. I get enthusiastic, then get distracted. Never mind, I'll just plant some more.

Tomato plants (ok, use your imagination) ->




Today I braved the allotment with the kids. There's something comforting about looking at the allotment plots at this time of year. Of course it's lovely when all the crops are growing, but if the crops are growing then so are the weeds which means WORK: neverending weeding and hoeing and digging. At least this time of year it's too wet to dig and the most I can do is cut down some brambles, do a bit of pruning, shift compost around a bit, and generally have a tidy up (with the reassurance that the weeds aren't growing while my back is turned).

One plot is looking ok. The other one, well, let's just say that I've just ordered a huge roll of heavy duty weed suppressant...that's my equivalent of two fingers up at the allotment Weed Police.








The Weed Police Suspect
(honest Officer, it wasn't me) ->














I set the kids to work.
Funny how they always like the destructive jobs...

(Couch) potatoes, chitting.

Chitting is what your 1kg bag of Tescos King Edwards does, even if you put it in a light-proof bag in the darkest cupboard, under the stairs. However, if you want to grow potatoes you have to carefully coset your darling little seed potatoes in egg boxes in a warm, light place to do exactly the same thing. Makes sense huh?->

*Apologies for the title. I was desperately trying to find some sort of pun around chitting, but once I realised that The Drifters song lyrics didn't contain the line 'chitting up on the roof' - or even 'sitting up on the roof' - I had to resort to James's 'Sit Down'. In case you're curious, or even if you're not, lyrics are below:

If you want to sing along, try this Youtube vid with the words http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bRD51qEJ8t4&feature=related

Alternatively their rather strange vid at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ew7Zkkucos8

(the vid's fine, but don't let the kid read the comments underneath, unless they want to learn some new rather-unpleasant vocabulary!)

I'll sing myself to sleep

A song from the darkest hour

Secrets I can't keep

Inside of the day

Swing from high to deep

Extremes of sweet and sour

Hope that God exists

I hope I pray

Drawn by the undertow

My life is out of control

I believe this wave will bear my weight

So let it flow

Oh sit down

Sit down next to me

Sit down, down, down, down, down

In sympathy

Now I'm relieved to hear

That you've been to some far out places

It's hard to carry on

When you feel all alone

Now I've swung back down again

It's worse than it was before

If I hadn't seen such riches

I could live with being poor

Oh sit down

Sit down next to me

Sit down, down, down, down, down

In sympathy

Those who feel the breath of sadness

Sit down next to me

Those who find they're touched by madness

Sit down next to me

Those who find themselves ridiculous

Sit down next to me

Love, in fear, in hate, in tears

Down Down

Oh sit down...etc