Allotments 4 All

Oh well, another holiday comes and goes.  Just returned from a truly fabulous two weeks in the Vendee.  We rented a lovely little gite just outside of Royan.  Enjoyed oysters, muscles, crabs, gooeeey cheese and far to much red wine.  The kids had a glorious time on the long long long clean clean clean beach.  I managed to get stung by jelly fish - not to badly I am glad to say.  We all have wonderful tans and were so relaxed we found it hard to sleep at night!  It was lovely to go shopping and only be able to purchase locally grown fruits and veggies, locally produced dairy products, locally butchered meats and locally harvested shellfish.  Now home, the garden looks like an arid plain and as for the allotment....well, I managed to fill a carrier with beans, pick a basin full of cherry toms, gather 20 cucumbers, 6 courgettes bigger than marrows, fill a carrier with carrots and another with beetroot....but all of my lovely seedlings have gone, I assume frazzled off in the sun.  My darling Ava goes back to work tomorrow and the children and I are planning to do some gardening...have decided a redesign is in order - some things are going to have to go as I cannot keep watering, so a dry garden it will have to be.

Emma, welcome back!  Glad you had a good time.  We are wondering about the Vendee for next year so glad to hear about the good beach, food etc. 

We were only away a week but the garden/plot seemed to have changed so much so I can imagine yours must have been more so.  We too lost lots of seedlings etc, and my hanging baskets as my daughter forgot to water, she feels really guilty now bless her... 

The best thing about having your hols early in the holidays is that there is a nice long stretch in front now of having fun with the kids, I love it.  Have fun...

T.

Glad you had a great time on your holidays EJ! Welcome back, you have been missed!  You must have lots of loverly happy memories to look back on. Hope you have recharged your batteries so you can get back to the lottie and all its challenges! :D busy_lizzie

Welcome back, EJ, our very own Chutters Queen ;D Great to have you back and nice to read of the relaxing hol you've all had......sure it's given special memories to the children.

Now to cope with the freezing/bottling etc.etc. of the produce that's ripened while you've been away? but....word of warning :o....don't don't look behind you! Lots more on the way.....

;D

EJ, Glad you had a great holiday. Very interested in your post as we (6/8of us) are definitely visiting the Vendee area in the spring. Charlies great niece has moved there and at the weekend we were with her Mum and Dad who have just retired from teaching and are going over on  9th. They are staying for a few months and then deciding if the will live there permanently. So we have open invitations to visit.
Lorna.

Oh Lorna, we would go like a shot!  It is such a beautiful place.  Fields full of sunflowers, maize and grapevines.  Wonderful local vino, sold in wonderful little shops.  Along the swampier areas, lots of little local oyster producers and you can buy bags of oysters for just a couple of euros, plucked fresh from the water!  And fresh fruit and veggies bought at little stands along country lanes.  Oh and don't forget the great weather!  It is a very different way of life and I can imagine it takes a while to adjust.  Definately go Lorna, I am sure you will have a wonderful time!

Emma must show son John your posts. He is very keen on going and as he loves driving he wants to do a weeks tour. As he is also in to vehicles he is going to try and buy a 7 seater so we can all go in one vehicle. Something to look forward to. Thanks for the info.
Lorna.

Takes me back to my our first gite holiday in Brittany - fabulous days. Glad it was so wonderful, memories really are priceless.

So nice - but it hurts so much to get back to Alldays & the like?

Thank goodness for the veg patch.