Today is the first day I've been to look at the allotment since mid November and I've missed it. It's Christmas day in less than a week and I've been a bit busy and what with one thing and another I just haven't made the time to walk up the hill and see how things are looking. It's done me a lot of good. A combination of appalling middle aged hormones and a nasty dose of SAD has left me feeling sorry for myself. I don't know why I never remember that being at the allotment is the cure for all ills, but I'm sure it is. I've come home almost human.

This little robin kept me company while I dug up some leeks and parsnips. The broad beans I'd planted a while back have emerged but most of them have had their shoots nipped off by something, possibly squirrels, so I'll put the rest of the seeds in pots and take them up to plant when they're grown big enough to stand a chance against the wildlife. The squirrels look very cute and perky but they're a real pest these days. They don't seem to eat the plants they destroy, they just pull the tops off and leave them there next to the rest of the plant. Odd, and very annoying behaviour. Is there a squirrel psychiatrist out there?

Oh well, back to the pre-Christmas list-making. I hope I've now sorted out what we're eating and when. It's going to be so much easier this year because my Mum has decided she didn't use her small chest freezer enough so she's given it to us. Brilliant! We fetched it in the camper a couple of weeks ago and it's now installed in the airing cupboard in the space where the old hot water tank was. It was removed when the new boiler was fitted so we had the space available and because the freezer emits heat, the airing cupboard still warms the bedding and towels. Clever, huh? (Not my idea of course, J thought of it)
So far, I'm using it for Christmas stuff but it'll be really useful when the fruit's ready next year.

Happy gardening (and list-making)