Pixies and plans

God, has it been that long? In my defence I've actually been at the plot! No sign of eejits next door, though Mysterious Markers have appeared that leave me no possible conclusion other than a secret army of pixies have been recruited to plant things at 5am when nobody's looking. Or someone turned up one evening in the week and bunged some shallots in so that they could spend the weekend in the pub. But that's far less likely.

I have: Dug and raked and planted 3 types of leeks and 2 types of spring onions, all of which have failed to sprung.

Killed my sweet peas.

Had help! K from across the road, veteran of many a shared gin-soaked evening, gave up his afternoon in the Grapes to spend his hangover digging with me. He dug lots, I dug less. I was very pleased and grateful.

Discovered that K (a) is a big fat girl who couldn't get out of bed the next day because, I quote, his "spine is broken"; (b) is still at the denial stage of root removal as I was last year - i.e. if it isn't a foot long it isn't really there; (c) that it's catching. I really couldn't be arsed to properly go over the entire bed-and-a-half that K had dug, so dug a couple of trenches, shoved some new potatoes in, and made vague promises to myself about sifting the soil as I earth up. Yeah, right.

Dug another bed, also rather half arsedly, and slung some hardy peas in there. Doubt they'll even germinate, but it gave me a sense of achievement, and I have got another 4 varieties at home.

Dug out path on what eventually will be my brassica seedbed. Gave up. Dug out a few bramble roots. Gave up. Began compost heap and turf stack. You know what's coming. Refuse to feel bad about all the giving up, as at least I was there and did a bit. Two hours each day for four days is better in a way than eight hours over two, because at least I can move in the morning. Wonder if K will be up for more digging at the weekend? Will put him on bramble duty, hee hee.

Shent is really threatening the Mary Poppins thing in all the high winds. (Ceratonia - remember her umbrella? Afraid I'm going to go into the shed for shelter and land in a London street full of chirpy chimney sweeps). Can't do bugger all about it though.

Drew up complicated rotation plan for crops on allotment that would allow me to harvest year-round and try out all the seeds I have including the odd experimental ones. Went to plot. Realised plot half the size of the plot in my head that I've planned for. Oop. Alliums (i.e. onions, garlic, leeks) taking up far more than the 1/4 plot I've allowed for them because they were more or less all I could plant through the winter. Hmmm...