Lost impetus

[caroline7758]

Realised I haven't been to my allotment for three weeks. I've used the excuse of cold and wet weather but there have been plenty of times I could have gone and know I'd soon have warmed up if I was working.
I'll have to go tomorrow because we've run out of onions here but won't be able to do anything else as we have a busy day with my dad staying and my daughter in a dance show.

Has anyone else got that "too much effort" feeling? Is it a seasonal thing?

[caroline7758]

[flossy]

   Oh caroline,  [ if I may use the phrase ]    ;D

   I thought it was just me !!!

   Even had thoughts of giving up the lottie because of all the work needed doing
   at home !     

    But saw the price of ' spuds ' in the supermarket today and told OH --  not gonna pay
    that when I can grow the b------ things for less than  a quarter of that !

    So, there you go --  guese I shall start again after Christmas,  as I have only had the plot
    for 18 mths,  think it's called ' growing pains ' .

   " onward and upward "

    floss xxx

[asbean]

It's the time of year, I think.  I went down this afternoon to get some spinach and put some leaves in the bin. It took loads of effort just to get there, and once there I felt as though I would have had more energy if I'd had my working clothes on.

I think because it's a slack time for growing, we need to have this slowing-down process - so that after Christmas when the days start getitng longer we can start all over again.

:) :) :) :) :) :)

[flossy]

   Yeah, asbean,

    It's that time of year  --   don't like these short days, feel like a ' polar bear '

     --  come Spring !!  shall loose all the fat !!   :-[

    Even have a compost bin at home so as I didn't have to keep trecking
    down to the plot.   ::)

    We will ' come through '  ' nil desperandum '  or sumink !!

     floss xxx

[saddad]

Well with the Lottie being at the end of the garden I always manage to get out, if only to pick sprouts or dig leeks!  :)

[flossy]

  That's what I am considering saddad, we moved to a very large garden after only having
   the lottie for  a few months.

   Have found it hard to divide my time between the two  --  don't like to neglect anything -
   but think one is going to win over the other.

   Reckon I should give the lottie over to someone who can give it the dedication it deserves,
   feel sad, but could develope ' no dig beds ' at home  [ clay soil ] and grow less   !

   More hard work but can take each day as they say.

   floss x


   

[Borlotti]

saddad, why are you sad.  An allotment and a garden, try living in London.  Back yard if one is lucky.  Would love to move but children/granchildren would miss me, I think.  My lovely, lovely allotment has kept me sane (I hope).  Was a bit cold up there today but picked some spinach and put some nets on the PSB as the pigeons or whatever have eaten most of it.  A bit depressing and wet up there today.  Roll on spring/summer.  Saw a bird the same size as a pigeon but was pink breasted, is that a wood pigeon, just having an arguement/discussion with OH.  Saw plenty of birds but one that looked like a sparrow but was a bit black in parts. 

[Levi]

The trouble with self guilt trips is they serve no good purpose. If you've got a life 'busied' by others, like the little people, it's hard not to feel every so slightly resentful at times. You're maybe just building up energy for the New (Growing) Year! Thing is I do this to myself every time there's a decent day or two and feel relieved when the weather's bad, how sad is that. I had major plans this time last year, to get as self-sufficient as poss. Got loads of taters chitted,  seeds sown early and managed to get an allotment in April but 'the family' changed my priorities and I didn't get half as much done as I wanted. Thank goodness my middle-aged-ness has helped me with that, never mind I'll do it next time stuff. Mine is a car journey away so I've got to decide whether it's worth the petrol or not but the other thing is that pressure we create can make something into yet another chore and takes all the pleasure out of it. I just try to remind myself that I'm doing what I want cos otherwise I'd be doin something else, but if you've got people relying on you, that's gonna be different. Dinna worry lass, it'll pass. Get the seed catalogue's out unless you've already sorted that, in which case pat yourself on the back!

[caroline7758]

Thanks for the support, everyone. Will let you know when my "get up and go"gets up and goes! :D

[saddad]

"Sad" was what my eldest said when he saw me lurking on yet another allotment website... so it stuck as my login name!!  ;D

[theothermarg]

Been feeling the same :-[ any excuse will do!! I have had a really bad cold so that was a good one. mine is a car journey away so some times the thought of losing a parking place outside the house is enough to put me off,how sad is that?
marg

[Levi]

Brilliant, (theothermarg), sounds a bit like we've been enlisted!

[Amazin]

Yup, my get up and go went without me this morning. It was a glorious sunny dry day too (though cold, obviously). My allotment's a drive away as well but I think the main problem for me is not having any shelter once I'm there. I don't have a shed so I'm seriously thinking of getting myself one for Christmas - 'scuse me a sec -

I'M THINKING OF GETTING A SHED FOR CHRISTMAS.

(sorry, just in case the offspring takes a mad turn and decides to read this)

At present I take a fisherman's tent with me, but even that's becoming a bit of a palaver. Funny thing is, I seem to get more done - or at least work harder - the worse the weather is and when I come home (cream crackered) I'm always glad I made the effort to go.

[Lady of the Land]

I feel the same- I think it is due partly to weather and to the shorter days. Although I think I have used this excuse as well to go cycling - I started going on a Saturday afternoon with local club and they then  started a slow ride on the Sunday as well so on some weeks have been to both.
If it rains I stay at home and do some cleaning this means that sometimes I rarely have time to clean. I did manage to get a cleaner which took alot of the pressure off but unfortunately she had to stop as was claiming benefits of some sort and was shopped by someone.

However if You do get to lottie and the sun is shinning do you still feel you want to spend the day there and not go home - I certainly find this. We tend to do project work in the winter- at present are removing a shed to replace it with a larger one with paved area which will be covered to use for storage and to collect rain water.

[Mrs Ava]

What with work, getting ready for Christmas, and having mum to stay for a week, I haven't spent any serious time on the plot now for a couple of weeks.  Pop up to keep a check, and pick, but that is all.  Popped up today and saw 4 lovely baby caulis - hope they don't mind the frost, the cavalo kale has loved the frost and is as black as night, plenty of spinach and chard, sprouts - small but perfectly formed, leeks have grown quickly and will now be used as I have finally used to the last of my Japanese onions, hardy lettuce have bulked nicely for boxing day salad, and the beetroot, radish and spring onions are holding their own to join the lettuce.  The carrots have been under fleece, fingers crossed they will be okay, I really must clear the rest of them, and the snips will be lovely roasted on Christmas day.  Don't know if the celeriac will be up to much now and I do still have some spuds to dig but I am working all this week so it will have to be next.  Now if only my purple sprouting would sprout!