Here is the next lot of photos from August 2008.......
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Monday, February 15, 2010
Part 2
Friday, September 5th 2008
It’s been a couple of weeks since we have been to the allotment. We decide to head over in the morning as the health visitor is coming to see Jo and Mylo.
Good effort today, our plan was to reach the boundary wall (the white house). Once again we hack and hack and make it there! We had some help from a nice chocolate cake we brought with us! In the undergrowth we find a 10ft wooden ladder, yep that’s how bad it is. Also, in the undergrowth is what appears to be an old metal water butt, that’ll come in handy (one day!)
It’s been a couple of weeks since we have been to the allotment. We decide to head over in the morning as the health visitor is coming to see Jo and Mylo.
Good effort today, our plan was to reach the boundary wall (the white house). Once again we hack and hack and make it there! We had some help from a nice chocolate cake we brought with us! In the undergrowth we find a 10ft wooden ladder, yep that’s how bad it is. Also, in the undergrowth is what appears to be an old metal water butt, that’ll come in handy (one day!)
Here Goes......
Okay, first post.
I started writing a diary in the summer of 2008 - I just found it on my computer, with no update for 12 months. So , here goes.
It’s July 2008, I am about to take 4 weeks off work to coincide with the birth of my 3rd child. This is longest period of time off I will have since I started my career after studying. Yep, I have the whole of August off, that means or I think it means Sunny days, the beach, relaxing, possibly even buying a hammock for the garden?
This is the bit where the record scratches and the reality kicks in!
What it means for me to have the whole of August off is rain, rain and more rain, add dirty nappies, a few precious hours sleep and yes you guessed it 3 kids in the house!!!
Having 4 weeks off starts me thinking………what can I do that is a little different and get the kids interested.
Well, as a kid growing up in Ely in Cardiff, I was for lucky to have a father and grandfather who were very much into growing their own fruit and veg. I liked nothing better than sticking wellies on and getting muddy!! I quickly got into the habit of planting spuds, digging trenches, watching the art of runner bean poles being erected, the bit I enjoyed the most…………going to St Mary’s Field in Ely and collecting cow pats!!! A bucket, a shovel and all the manure you wanted!!! I guess this was organic farming in the 80’s in suburban Cardiff.
So, fast forward to July 2008! I know what I will do I will contact the council to see if I can get an Allotment (the Mrs thinks I am nuts by now!). I eventually get my hands on a list of Allotment secretaries in Pontypridd. Thinking I have very little chance of getting my hands on a plot I start making a few phone calls. I have made 3 calls and I have had no luck. The 4th call is to a Mr Lewis of Taylor’s Field, unbelievably he says he has a couple of plots that are available. We arrange a meeting for Wednesday August 6th at half past 1!!!
Wednesday August 6th 2008
I am off to meet Mr Lewis at Taylors Field in Pontypridd, it’s half 1 and I am standing next to a busy main road looking at mature allotment plots, thinking right we can start with spuds, then carrots, onion yes definitely onions. It’s quarter to, still no sign of Mr Lewis, this could be the shortest Allotment Diary ever! Almost 2 o’clock, I need to ring this Mr Lewis find out what’s going on! His wife answers, she seems lovely even the way she didn’t say you fool there are two allotment fields on that road Mr Lewis is at Taylor’s you are at Mordecai’s. NOT A GOOD START.
Mr Lewis says that happens all the time, I think he’s lying, he is standing there in his wellies and all the gear, I am standing in my nice new diesel trainers, he must be laughing inside!!!!! He shows mw two plots, one next to a stream that regularly floods, now I know that is not good……… the other, well to call it a plot would be false advertising. I am thinking of calling BBC Wildlife and telling them I have something for them.
Mr Lewis tells me that I can have the plot for free for two years, where do I sign (that’s a saving of a tenner………tidy!). We shake hands and say our goodbyes, I say hello to my plot or small holding as I like to think.
Thursday August 14th 2008
First proper visit to the allotment. Decide to take the kids with me, Dylan and Catrin. Dylan is 10, I’m not quite sure if he is really up for it, but decides to come along anyway. Catrin who is 4 is well up for it, wellies on, gloves, her mini garden set, I’ve found my helper!! I think they are a little disappointed when they realize what we have taken on!!
It is one of the few bright, balmy sunny August days of 2008. We get up there at about 6 in the evening. It is still warm as we set about chopping down lots and lots of weeds. We stay up there until dusk, I show the kids the stream and we head home. Joanna, my wife is panicking as its dark when we get back!
I started writing a diary in the summer of 2008 - I just found it on my computer, with no update for 12 months. So , here goes.
It’s July 2008, I am about to take 4 weeks off work to coincide with the birth of my 3rd child. This is longest period of time off I will have since I started my career after studying. Yep, I have the whole of August off, that means or I think it means Sunny days, the beach, relaxing, possibly even buying a hammock for the garden?
This is the bit where the record scratches and the reality kicks in!
What it means for me to have the whole of August off is rain, rain and more rain, add dirty nappies, a few precious hours sleep and yes you guessed it 3 kids in the house!!!
Having 4 weeks off starts me thinking………what can I do that is a little different and get the kids interested.
Well, as a kid growing up in Ely in Cardiff, I was for lucky to have a father and grandfather who were very much into growing their own fruit and veg. I liked nothing better than sticking wellies on and getting muddy!! I quickly got into the habit of planting spuds, digging trenches, watching the art of runner bean poles being erected, the bit I enjoyed the most…………going to St Mary’s Field in Ely and collecting cow pats!!! A bucket, a shovel and all the manure you wanted!!! I guess this was organic farming in the 80’s in suburban Cardiff.
So, fast forward to July 2008! I know what I will do I will contact the council to see if I can get an Allotment (the Mrs thinks I am nuts by now!). I eventually get my hands on a list of Allotment secretaries in Pontypridd. Thinking I have very little chance of getting my hands on a plot I start making a few phone calls. I have made 3 calls and I have had no luck. The 4th call is to a Mr Lewis of Taylor’s Field, unbelievably he says he has a couple of plots that are available. We arrange a meeting for Wednesday August 6th at half past 1!!!
Wednesday August 6th 2008
I am off to meet Mr Lewis at Taylors Field in Pontypridd, it’s half 1 and I am standing next to a busy main road looking at mature allotment plots, thinking right we can start with spuds, then carrots, onion yes definitely onions. It’s quarter to, still no sign of Mr Lewis, this could be the shortest Allotment Diary ever! Almost 2 o’clock, I need to ring this Mr Lewis find out what’s going on! His wife answers, she seems lovely even the way she didn’t say you fool there are two allotment fields on that road Mr Lewis is at Taylor’s you are at Mordecai’s. NOT A GOOD START.
Mr Lewis says that happens all the time, I think he’s lying, he is standing there in his wellies and all the gear, I am standing in my nice new diesel trainers, he must be laughing inside!!!!! He shows mw two plots, one next to a stream that regularly floods, now I know that is not good……… the other, well to call it a plot would be false advertising. I am thinking of calling BBC Wildlife and telling them I have something for them.
Mr Lewis tells me that I can have the plot for free for two years, where do I sign (that’s a saving of a tenner………tidy!). We shake hands and say our goodbyes, I say hello to my plot or small holding as I like to think.
Thursday August 14th 2008
First proper visit to the allotment. Decide to take the kids with me, Dylan and Catrin. Dylan is 10, I’m not quite sure if he is really up for it, but decides to come along anyway. Catrin who is 4 is well up for it, wellies on, gloves, her mini garden set, I’ve found my helper!! I think they are a little disappointed when they realize what we have taken on!!
It is one of the few bright, balmy sunny August days of 2008. We get up there at about 6 in the evening. It is still warm as we set about chopping down lots and lots of weeds. We stay up there until dusk, I show the kids the stream and we head home. Joanna, my wife is panicking as its dark when we get back!
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