The day we met the Queen

Well today, dawned bright and early, even for those of us who are used to getting up before dawn!

Having polished shoes and medals and pressed skirts, shirts and trousers we headed to Exeter and the Barracks where we awaited the arrival of Her Majesty the Queen and HRH Duke of Edinburgh.

The Queen looked amazing and stopped to chat to lots of us, including Miss LJ who spoke not only to Her Majesty but also to the Duke. Not bad for 13 years old! Anyway here is a picture of me in my uniform today, I'll hopefully paste some others with HM Queen in them when others send them to me...I was a bit busy to take photos! :o) A day, I and 1800 others will no doubt remember forever.

Hello Teddy!

Ok I know I missed a Tuesday, life is busy don't you know! :)

Latest News is the arrival of a rather lively cocker spaniel called Teddy.

He's 14 months old and a real live-wire.

As you can see, Miss lumpjumper junior has fallen for him in a big way. I'm more concerned about his training so we've signed up for a 4 week course with Just Dogs, Devon. It's more likely us that need training rather than Teddy. Anyway it's going to be a very busy Christmas.

He may not be so impressed shortly as we are getting him "done" on Tuesday so he'll be wearing a lampshade over the Christmas holiday. Mr LJ has just fenced in the garden so he can't escape as he is a bit of an inquisitive soul.

One advantage I can see is that we will all get a little more exercise than we do currently. He's also getting trimmed on 7th Jan and we'll see how much better he looks by then. I have a feeling our lives are about to change forever.

This has been a really big party week, dinner on Friday with some of the cadet staff, then cheese and wine evening Saturday, and friends for lunch on Sunday. This weekend is no less busy, with the Sqn dinner on Friday, for which we are wearing posh frocks.

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Hopefully I should be able to update this again next Tuesday, if not, have a very merry christmas and a peaceful and prosperous 2010

Ok will try again!

Long time no blog! Shall try and update this every Tuesday from now on, as that is my evening in!

Lots to tell about the lottie, things grew, things were harvested and the beds have been dug ready for next season!

The french beans were a bit of a disappointement, never growing more than 6 inches high and yielding one bean each. On closer inspection they never broke through their newspaper pots and so I'm assuming this stunted their growth!

Exciting gardening news, in May I got a greenhouse, courtesy of Ma and Pa who gave it to me as a pressie! This year I grew tomatoes, peppers, chillis and gooseberries in it!

Sister from Australia and my australian niece built a scarecrow in July, named "Lotttie" obviously! and she is standing proudly in the bean bed! She lost her head in October and has yet to be re-headed! She is wearing some fetching Australian clothes (not sure how they will stand up to a Devon winter!) I took some pictures but can't find them now.

We had a lovely holiday in Lanzarote in August with daughter and her friend K8. Although not the smooth start to the holiday we would have wanted! But THAT is a whole other story!

So now winter is upon us, the gales and rain of the last few weeks have been atrocious and as I type this the wind is battering the front of the house AGAIN! A busy few weeks ahead, this Friday the choir are helping with the switching on of the Christmas lights in OSM and then singing at the Christmas market on Saturday and then it's the Advent Carol Service on Sunday! Busy busy busy!

So until next Tuesday when I'll try and remember to blog......bye y'all x

Spring Madness!

Managed to get up to the allotment twice this weekend.

On day one, Mr LJ made some duckboarding out of some old pallets so that we could make a central path. He even made one with a slope to get the wheelbarrow up!

We watered the rhubarb well and also the raspberries and gooseberry. On Sunday we started to construct another two raised beds. The bed with the artichokes in it and the bed that will have the first early potatoes. Looking back to our first few days on the allotment we've come quite a long way. Here is a picture of the rhubarb I planted last weekend, still alive and starting to grow! and the raspberries and gooseberry.

21 Feb 09 First Plantings

21 Feb 2009 - first plantings!!!

The sun was shining and it was the first day since all the snow and ice that I could get up to the allotment

I remembered this time to soak the raspberries and gooseberry bushes in water for an hour before they were planted which gave me plenty of time to dig in some more manure and fertiliser. It also gave mum and dad a chance to join me. Mum did a sterling job in tidying up the only original bed left, that with the globe artichokes in it, (or are they cardoons??

Dad continued with the last of the beds, as I helped with the pulling up of the couch grass roots. I'm sure there are lots still in there but at least there are less than there were.

I planted the gooseberry and the raspberries in the fruit bed as you can see on the left. I staggered the raspberries either side of the wire supports as I had read in an article somewhere that this was possible when planting summer fruiting raspberries, well as my dear dad says " They've two chances!"

I also staked my claim to my plot with my newly made number sign! Beautifully crafted by my dear husband in the garage from one of his many off-cuts of wood! I love it! It shows it's mine and that I take a pride in it. Although as you can see in this last picture, the rest of the plot isn't looking as attractive yet. I need some ideas for the paths, I fancy woodchips but maybe grass would be better even if a lot of work?? I just don't know. Anyway, next job is to complete the raised beds, and enclose them in wood. I must also start to sow some seeds at home ready to transplant in the late spring.

Family visit to the Lottie part 2

The blogger is only letting me upload one photo at a time tonight so there may be a few extra posts!

Here's the rest of the party i.e husband and I making beds, adding manure and making supports for raspberries, which we didn't plant in the end because we forgot to soak them for an hour and when we remembered we were too knackered and wanted to go home!!!

When we'd finished, a little bit more done!

And me and mum at our most loveliest!!! LOL!!!! Dressed in all the best gear for the lottie!

Family Trip to the Lottie- 31 Jan 09

Mum and Dad visited the lottie for the first time!
So I got them to do a little digging!!!