Putting one's body through the mill!

I've accepted the offer of an allotment and started work on it last Tuesday with two hours before soup and bread and one and a half after.

I haven't been so tired for many years.

Nothing a hot bath and a night's sleep didn't put right!

I was out there for another two ours yesterday morning.

Enjoying it tremendously.

It's in a bit of a state with couch grass, thistles and nettles doing well.

The bonus is that I have been left a good small wooden shed with a spade and maybe a resident rat under the floor! Also two compost bins and a good 'fence' which is probably there to kill the effect of the wind as it races across the flat terrain.

Most of the ground was under an inch of water on Tuesday. Yesterday the water level was six inches below the surface.

As I always suspect that weather conditions are good for something . .

most of the weeds over a foot high were yankable with ease - that got rid of most of the tall ones including the thistles - the nettles are another matter and take some removal - the battle continues! With a sharp spade, I was able to dig through the couch grass.

Transferred some black polythene that had been left behind to a new patch and await the absence of sunlight to work wonders!

There's also a semi communal heap of horse manure steaming away with easy wheel-barrowing distance. I've yet to understand the rules of access to this!

The guys I've met down there are great. Very warm, friendly and helpful. It strikes me that allotmenting attracts a special kind of person - which must be why I am there.

Glad to see some nut tackling the weeds next to their plot I reckon.

I find that I love a challenge - so this is my cup of tea,

Be interesting what I have to say in a year's time!