My Middle-Aged Gap Year
It turns out writing a blog every day is more challenging than originally anticipated. Both because it takes time to write and more importantly for anyone who has actually set aside their time to read these, to have something moderately interesting to write about.
For example, on Saturday I went to the gym... again! And I'm planning to go again today. Whilst three times in the space of six days is a big achievement for me, particularly having also managed a four-day streak on the peloton, it doesn't exactly make for engaging content. Went to gym, watched youtube to understand how to use cable machine, used cable machine, pick too heavy a weight, get sucked into cable machine.
Therefore I expect my blog posts will be a little more spread apart starting with this one.
The big news is that a neighbour told me that someone was looking for a keen gardener to take over a nearby allotment for a year. As one of those could not be found, he wondered if I would like to use it. He took me over to see the allotment on Friday. I was anticipating finely tilled, crumbly soil perhaps with the addition of some bamboo canes, cloches or even a polytunnel. Instead it more closely resembled a very overgrown lawn with a densely packed mix of grass and bindweed.
Unfazed I jumped onto the internet and ordered myself the 5 star rated 'Allotment Month by Month' by Alan Buckingham. Whilst his book doesn't cover how to turn an overgrown patch into something suitable to grow vegetables (I suspect it involves quite a lot of hard work), he did provide a helpful tip about not digging whilst the ground is waterlogged. Given it's raining today, that has allowed me to put off starting the clearing for at least another day or two. He also said that you don't really need many tools to maintain an allotment before listing around 16. A spade and a fork will have to do for now.
Then in other news, on Saturday we had a lovely night out with friends in Hitchin. I learned that the bar we were sitting in was potentially available for sale. It must be fate! My wife quickly pointed out it wasn't fate, it was just a bar for sale and I didn't know anything about managing a bar. Back to the drawing board.
Finally I wrapped up Sunday by cooking, again! I've actually cooked in between, given people generally need to eat every day, but didn't want this turning into a 'what we ate for dinner' blog. Here, though, I risked combining a couple of recipes (Jamie Oliver and BBC Good Food) into a pie containing salmon, prawn and a cheap white fish that I've forgotten the name of. Most importantly, it actually made for a pretty photo which is why I am including it here.
