Allotment Adventures: Gardening as Housework

Posted on May 7, 2025 by nicdempsey

I still haven’t sown anything on the plot, as the amount of weeding and prep is still just insane!

It’s all about weeding and tidying and it takes so much longer than I think it will. First let’s talk about good things. There are baby strawberries, the potatoes are making an appearance.

Potatoes

The peony is flowering despite the absolute state of the bed they live in and the murder attempts by the loganberry and grass..

This weekend, I went back to the bed next to the gooseberries and dug out some more bindweed, then I added a layer of cardboard, topped up with compost and covered for the time being. I know that I have bindweed issue there and the cardboard won”t stop it but it’ll slow it down. In a week or two I’m going to set up some bamboo and grow black beans there, with lettuce underneath.

Then I started again on weeding the gooseberries, I’m not done but I finally cleared a path through, I’ll go back to it and do some more but I find gooseberries disheartening and prickly so I’m just doing it a bit at a time.

A path through!

Then I had a go at the rosemary, it has got a bit big for it’s boots and it’s time for a massive hair cut. As I was doing this I had an idea for the spare bed as it fits the space. I’ll fix it, fill it up with compost and use it for some of my new herbs. So I moved the bed to where I want it.

Asparagus and strawberry bed and a slightly smaller rosemary, with an idea of where the new bed will be

I also cleared, cardboarded, topped up and covered the boxes next to the rosemary. The arch up it is in need of repair or replacement, so I’ll have a think about what to grow in them, I was thinking about squash but that will be determined by whether there is an arch.

I did a small bit of bed tidying near the polytunnel and admired my roses.

This makes me so happy

There is so much to do! Priorities for May are netting the fruit bushes, getting beds topped up, weeding and sowing some seeds indoors.

I’m going to be busy!

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Miscellany: Bank Holiday

Posted on May 6, 2025 by nicdempsey

Happy Tuesday!

Yesterday was the first May Bank Holiday, last week, we had ridiculous weather for the end of April but it got cooler over the weekend. English weather!

On Monday, I potted some tomatoes and then went to a funeral, it was for Richard’s mum and I’m really glad I did, it’s not so common anymore to turn up for funerals but if you can it’s important. It was at Mortlake, the last time I was there was for my Dad’s funeral, so that was a bit weird.

There is a footpath under there

Under usual circumstances and afternoon in a pub by the river would have been fantastic, especially as the tide rose and our path was cut off.

Tuesday, I had intended to be in the office, but I’ve had a return of spending the first couple of hours of the day throwing up and then I miss the commute window and it’s easier to work from home! But I’ve had a productive work week despite the day and a half spend not working this week, so all good.

I’ve spent a lot time waiting for buses this week

The second half day holiday was to take mum to the doctors, it was lovely to have a doctor that listened and confirmed that Ma is doing everything right. She send Ma for an x-ray on her hand, which we managed to get done straightaway (and it seems just to be a flare up of her osteoarthritis, so she’s going to need stronger painkillers because it’s really sore) and a neurology referral. Apparently, the average wait time for neurology is 12 weeks so I’m expecting that the appointment will probably be on my birthday, because Ma being in the hospital or injured in early August seems to be the pattern of my 50’s but I’m just pleased that something is happening.

Over the weekend, I went to Mum’s for our usual Saturday, we shopped, I did some of the housework Ma has problems with (although I’m not convinced that she’s making it up as she hates to clean floors almost as much as I do!

Squirrel on the roof

On Sunday, I sorted out the house and made sure I had food sorted for the week and hit the plot in the evening! In fact, given the weather, I spent a lot of time last week, watering the plot! Monday was more plotting and a bath for sore muscles..

Plans for this week very mild, office Tues to Thurs, it’s reporting week for me. I’ll go to Ma’s Wednesday evening and even though it’s cooler, there will be watering of the plot as we aren’t getting rain for the foreseeable future..

Have a good week!

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The Last Month of Spring

Posted on May 1, 2025 by nicdempsey

I made no plans for 2025, if I had chosen a word or phrase for the year it would probably have been ‘keep up’. It takes me a while to change and adjust to new things and that’s what I’ve been trying to do.

I don’t like it when people compare their struggles to others, so I’m well aware that I’m lucky to only be balancing menopause with work and home and an allotment and being a person in the world. I am acutely aware of my privileges in doing this but it would be an understatement to say that I have found the last 10 months of adjustment difficult.

So I’ve not made grand plans, I’ve just coped and in the background of my mind I can see that my brain has been thinking about it. About what’s important to me and how I’m going to make it work.

I’m a fan of being kind to yourself and resting but sometimes being kind to yourself means giving yourself the kick up the backside you need. So this is my kick up the backside, if you are going through a similar period of change don’t feel that my way should work for you!

So this month it’s time to start making commitments and having goals again..

Home

  • The rigid commitment for May is that I get over to Mum’s every Saturday and Wednesday evening. Saturday’s are already something I do but I’ve been talking about getting over after work to take her out for a walk! She doesn’t much like the idea but I think it’ll be good for both of us!
  • I also need to stop half arsing the state of the flat, I’m never going to be a cleantok icon but I do need to make sure that certain things are done. I have a list of house jobs and I just need to tick them off every week.
  • I also need to reinstate golden hour and a proper sleep schedule, I’ve been back sliding so I need to sort myself out because that helps everything.
  • Finally as part of my weekly regimen, I need to food plan better. Interestingly, during Lent I was migraine free but the Easter weekend (when I reintroduced chocolate) I had a really bad migraine. So I’m back to cutting out processed sweets, cake and biscuits!

Work

There is only one thing on my work list and that’s to get into the office more. The current plan is Monday to Wednesday. Or at the very least Tuesday and Wednesday.

Exercise

Exercise is not something I enjoy but I really should start aiming to close the rings for on my Apple watch, at least five out of seven days! And do the same for my step count!

Allotment

The task list for the plot is never ending but by the end of May. I would like to have:

  • The polytunnel set up (with plants),
  • The beds all cleared.
  • Tomatoes and summer squash planted
  • The blueberry and fruit tree area netted
  • The rosemary pruned
  • To have made a start on sorting the iris and rose garden/pond

Lastly, I’d like to get back into the rhythm of posting here. Maybe it’ll start by committing to a Monday, Wednesday and Friday post here but I don’t want to overload myself!

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Allotment Adventures: Rhubarb Season

Posted on April 30, 2025 by nicdempsey

I’m a bit further along with the allotment tidy thanks to some time off this month.

Compost

First, the compost arrived.

So far so I’ve used it to plant potatoes and fruit trees. Two cherries and an apricot that are new to the plot and to pot up two more.

Potatoes and a cleared squash and bean bed.

I’ve also weeded and topped up the asparagus and strawberry bed and in the compost order was some ericaceous soil so the blueberries have been weeded and new soil added.

New trees

I have a plan to net this whole area, which I’m hoping to do next weekend and I have all of them in trays because I know that really helps the blueberries especially in the summer.

I’ve weeded most of the grass that came up in the front bed and I’m really pleased to see the tarragon coming back, I’ve also planted a pink and a purple scabious in there and will plant the Erigeron that I’ve ordered, when it arrives. I think with this area, I’m always going to be fighting the grass, which I find amusing as I used not to be able to get anything to grow here!!

Weeded up to the blueberries

Most of my time has been spent weeding the paths and I’m working my way up the plot to get the main path and beds cleared and ready. I’m up to the raspberries. Once the beds are cleared and the main path weeded, it’ll look a lot better. Then I need to deal with the overgrown beds at the side.

The indoor greenhouse is up and contains, cucumbers, tomatoes and sweet peppers and I’ll add to that this week with squash plants.

This year is test for me to see whether I can reasonably continue with a whole plot, without help from my mum and with one day a week. To that end, my long term plan is to put some perennials in the beds at the back of the plot. I’ve come around to the idea that a lot of time on the plot for me is weeding and I struggle to split my focus and find time and space for sowing plants, having beds that don’t need to be cleared and refilled every season would be a help. I have some perennial leeks in one of the beds so I’ll let them spread. This was a spur of the moment decision over the last week, so I’ve bought seeds for nine star broccoli and cottagers kale. They aren’t long lived perennials but they last a couple of years and I can propagate them. I think I’ll also plant up a bed of strawberries because I don’t feel I can have too many of them. So that’s four of those seven beds filled. It might also cut down on water haulage in the summer, if I only need to concentrate on the winter squash beds and polytunnel beds! That’s the dream

Rhubarb

The rhubarb is suffering a bit in the dry weather, I have been watering it but I still had to cut off three flower spikes yesterday! But I’ve made my first batch of jam!

Wildflowers are blooming!

Lots still to do, but I’m feeling more in control of the space!

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Monday Miscellany: Post Easter

Posted on April 28, 2025 by nicdempsey

Happy Monday!

I took the week before Easter off work and so last week only worked three days. It was good to have a break and catch up on some life admin. I had a hospital appointment and an eye test (and there are new glasses ordered and my bank account is still crying about it. Being short sighted is not cheap. But there has been some change so it was unavoidable. As a side note, the guy in the opticians was trying to explain that my prescription (-6.25 and I know blinder people!) wasn’t really suitable for the current oversized glasses trend. I explained that I did that in the 80’s (incidentally before he was born!) and wasn’t planning on trying again. I think I’m officially at that age where policemen are all younger than me!

We went out for Easter lunch and I got an Easter egg from the nephews but actually from Ben and Laura!

Nephew 2 modelling his garlic bread

I did some work on the plot (there’s more to do but I’m feeling happier about it!

The wildflower bed

Other than a three day migraine at the end of the time off, it was a much needed break.

This week features more time off the day job, I’m off today for a funeral and on Wednesday afternoon for a medical appointment for mum, even if I can’t get them to take her wobbliness seriously, we can get them to sort out decent painkillers for her hand!

The rest of the week is all about work, watering because we’re due some hotter weather and sorting the rest of my life out so I can do the other things effectively!

Have a good week!

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Recommended: Maybelline Vinyl Ink Lipstick

Posted on April 26, 2025 by nicdempsey

Part of my ‘things that make me happy’ in 2025 is a revival of wearing lipstick. Since I’ve been a teenager I’ve loved lipstick. Because Sarah did and she always looked great and when you’re 16, you copy your hero’s!

Yes I’m frowning but this is ‘Lippy’ and it’s been on for about 6 hours and through lunch!

So I wore bright red lipstick for a long time and then I stopped because lipstick, good lipstick requires maintenance.

This is ‘Awestruck’ and again about five hours on and coffee. Also post a haircut and a Jane blow dry!

But 2025 is a trash fire and I’m going to find some joy from something and Maybelline seem to have actually created a longlasting lipstick that doesn’t need to be really matt (although matt options and teddy tint are available and long lasting too!)

I’m fond of the colours Witty, Lippy and Awestruck!

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Allotment Adventures: Spring Springing

Posted on April 9, 2025 by nicdempsey

After two weeks of no allotment, I finally got to the plot at the weekend.

I’m still very behind but the front of the plot looks pretty good. I spent 4 hours and I didn’t plant or sow anything, I weeded and woodchipped some more.

There are gooseberry bushes in there!

I started with watering! It’s really dry, so the strawberries, garlic, asparagus patch, blueberries and, blackcurrants got watered. I did a quick clear up of the front paths and really worked on the area around the gooseberry bushes. The idea is that there is a path from the front of the plot to the asparagus patch at the back not that you can see the path for the grass and the cornflowers!

Also check out the poorly elephant garlic!

I started by the asparagus patch and we now have a weeded and wood chipped path around the back of the blueberries to the asparagus patch. Again the idea is that this will link to the path by the gooseberries.

I also weeded what was the sweet potato bed last year. I’m having a year off from sweet potatoes and I’m going to grown sweetcorn in that bed this year.

After some work on the grass is the front bed, it’s rampant and will need constant weeding. This is the problem with no dig and perennial weeds, it’s not quite as effective as the evangelical no-diggers would have you believe. Then it was time for the gooseberries. I managed to free one of bushes and wood chip around it but the grass is rampant.

One gooseberry bush

I look like I’ve been fighting cats. Is there a thornless gooseberry bushes, with eating gooseberries? If not they should get on that!

Also there were red ants in the wildflower bed on the other side of that and I need some nematodes because those things bite and I have sugar blood, so I stopped.

The forget me not is mad at the moment.

I’m pretty happy with the front half of the plot but I have some serious work on the rest of it. I’m taking next week off so I can spent some serious days on it and there is lots to do but spring is here so I better get a move on

Blueberries happening

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Monday Miscellany: COVID Recovery

Posted on April 7, 2025 by nicdempsey

Happy Monday!

The a couple of weeks ago, I attended a team training day in Canary Wharf. It was interesting, the morning was run by Mark Hunter, an ex Olympic rower (they’re always rowers) it involved a new commute on the Elizabeth line. The journey was fantastic, 10 out of 10 for speed and efficiency however, it was full of germs and infectious people and I caught COVID, which I also gave to Ma!

A Beijing gold and and London silver

In fact the whole weekend after the training day was cursed with minor inconvenience, by the Sunday it was clear that I was sick and honestly I was not well. It was like a cross between a cold and the flu, with a hefty measure of being really, really tired. And bizarrely none of my technology could recognise my face!!

But I’ve only left the flat, four times in the last two weeks, I missed three days of work, seeing Josephine (the rate we’re going, presents will be exchanged next Christmas!), and anything fun. I did go to Mum’s for Mother’s Day, I took lunch to Mum’s, but we were obviously both still recovering from being sick because after washing up, we both had a nap and we didn’t finish the wine!

Sky

Last week I’ve begun to feel better, I’m still sleeping a lot but I have managed to accomplish things at work and home. Im also back to reading and drinking coffee (when I don’t want to read it’s a sure sign that I’m feeling poorly). A work colleague told me that she could see I was feeling better because I was getting things done this week before someone reminded me! Honestly it’s been like wading through treacle.

It’s been really lovely to feel better and the weather and sunshine has certainly helped. The weekend was a haircut weekend so Ma and I did that and then on Sunday I finally got back to the allotment!

This week, I’m on my last week of work before I have some time off. I’m hoping that the compost arrives this week or next week because it’s time to start actually gardening!

Have a good week!

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Monday Miscellany: Strong Start

Posted on March 10, 2025 by nicdempsey

Happy Monday!

It’s been the most glorious couple of days of weather, we’re still only in March so it’s not going to last and according to the Met Office, today is the last day. Those first lovely weather days every year are like taking drugs, suddenly I have energy and I’m not quite so grumpy..

This week has been busy at work and I’m still (lovely weather notwithstanding) feeling a little bit discombobulated, I’ll live but I didn’t get as much done as I hoped and I’m feeling short on time and energy, I’m still in some pain, mostly low level cramping and uncomfortable with occasional forays into bloody unbearable but I got into the office for two days so that’s good.

However, it was a busy week at work and by Saturday afternoon, with a very long journey home from Ma’s (Brentford playing at home for a 5:30pm kickoff, combined with the first lovely day of the year equalled the longest journey up the Kew Road and over Kew Bridge and us all being kicked off at Great West Road!), I came home and went to bed. Which meant I missed Grace. Yesterday, I spent about 5 hours on the plot which I needed more than I realised.

This week, I’m kicking off the week with a mental health day, I’m going to work from home in the morning and take the afternoon off, so I can go and play in the dirt for a bit (and get the gooseberries weeded!).

Other than that no exciting plans, some days in the office, farmers market with Ma on Saturday. No major plans for the rest of the month, except work!

Have a good week!

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Sunday Music: Brother Ali – D.R.U.M.

Posted on March 9, 2025 by nicdempsey

I was late going to Ma’s at some point this year, which always means listening to Huey on 6Music. He played this and I was smitten:

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