Driving rain wont stop me !

So,

1. Collect pallet(s)/take garden waste for compost bins
2. Order potatoes

These two to be done while Tom is playing football.

3. Make up compost bins for the rubbish to go in. (because it can't go back in the garage now that's been sorted out, otherwise I fear there would be some complaints!)
4. Mark out boundary to the top (East) having checked with Derek on where his plot ends, then mark out where the shed will go and the first permanent bed.
5. Sickle/scythe down grass on first bed and dig up turf and deposit by compost bins.

...that was the list I made myself during the week and gave myself 3 hours to get it done in, as there is no way I could get away with staying out any longer than that. Now of course I'm keeping an eye on the weather hoping it will stay dry and after a hectic Halloween, Tom decides he's going to take it easy and not go to football in the morning. Even better I think as rain is not forecast until later in the afternoon.

By 10am I've filled the car with all my tools and the trusty Ikea blue bag with everything I might need, the garden waste and head off to collect the pallets. I can only get one in the car, so having done that, I'm at the allotment ready to unload and get to work. No sooner have I got my boots on, when it starts to rain and over the next 3 hours, gets worse and worse.

Thankfully, Derek and Ali are there and help me unload the car and I manage to get one thing on my list done by checking with Derek on his plot and boundary...so all going to plan so far.

You can see from the photo what a mess the 'top' of the plot is and I soon get to work clearing this, leveling it off, marking the boundary and working out where the shed will go. That's the shed I'm planning to build, using my excellent woodworking skills, of course. Start to fill some old bags with the rubbish I can't compost from the plot and with the rain worsening, I see the Trading Hut is open and dive in there to sort out the potatoes.

Nigel on hand with the forms, so there I go ordering 3kg's each of Accent, Charlotte and Cara...as well as some for my Dad, as at 80p a kilo, that is great value, so I'm told. So my first expenditure of £7.20. Thankfully, these wont come until Feb next year, so that's the deadline for the other beds.

Now it's the compost bins which need fixing together with the pallets I've collected and corrugated iron sheets left lying around. With a bit of trial and error I manage to cobble something together and empty all the garden waste into it and am ready to continue filling with what comes from clearing the first bed. I took the photo just before I left and couldn't find the energy to cut up some of the carpet lying around to go on the bins, so used the corrugated sheets...I just hope it's still standing next week, when I go back.

Now for the really hard work, plenty of time to go and still full of energy. I clear the grass as much as I can and this is emptied in the compost bins using my wheelbarrows, yes wheelbarrows, as 2 were left under all grass on the plot and seem to work so that's good news. You can see them in one of the photo's.

As I begin using the spade to get rid of the turf, John ventures out of his dry shed and having watched me for a while, comes over for a chat and impart some advice on me. '' You need a mattock for that'' he says. Now, being a novice I'm all ears. Derek's got one of those and one shout later and Derek is there demonstrating how easy it is to clear a plot with one. Then before you know it John and I are in the Trading Hut with Nigel and I'm now the proud owner of a mattock at a reasonable price of £19.75........and as for the credit crunch, well I only had enough for the potatoes, so was given it on 'credit'. Now you cant say fairer than that. I'm feeling a part of the Allotment family already. Must remember to have the money next time, Nigel is a big bloke. Number 1 on the list for next weekend.... so spending up to £26.95 now.

Let me tell you, in the pouring rain and mud it's not easy, especially for someone like me that spends all week sitting at a desk in the dry and warm (just like I am now). I set to it, swinging the mattock and with a determination set my eyes on the marker I set up for the end of the bed. Time is ticking away, I'm soaked through, yet I'm not going to give up. I feel encouraged when I look up, to see that Derek is still working away with his flat cap on, the door to the Trading Hut is open, so Nigel is in there somewhere and I can still hear John laughing away(so someone is in his shed enjoying a cup of tea and keeping dry), so I'm not alone!!!!

Anyway, with 1pm fast approaching, I finally get it done, pack all the tools away and take the 3 photo's just to prove I've done something, then off home to see everyone. Give them all a laugh when I emerge from the garage with only my pants and fleece on, as everything else is soaked and covered in mud.....

But, oh the achievement I feel. ...now just 5 more beds to do, lots of double digging, planting, etc, etc.

I now have 5 days to get a new list for the next 2-3 hours stretch on Saturday and it will have to be Saturday, as we're meeting up with some friends on Sunday...so I'm really hoping it's going to be dry this time.