6 February 2006

I am a force of nature.

I have been working from home today and I have been uncharacteristically productive. Yes, I got loads of work done. Real work. The kind that pays the mortgage. But I’ve also achieved a lot around the house and even some plot-related tasks have been done. I’m that good.

I sowed some Aubergine seeds. This is a slightly odd and hopeful thing to do. I don’t really like aubergine very much, unless it is very thinly sliced, chargrilled and drizzled with olive oil. But this variety sounds as though it might be quite tasty - if I have any success with it. I am not at all convinced that I will. I’ve not grown aubergines before and suspect that they will require more complex care than I am usually able to manage. We’ll see.

I’ve also been looking after the birds in the garden. They’ve been getting through the seed and nuts only very slowly, but whenever I crumble up some fat balls for them, they are devoured immediately. I finally got the message ( “Fat! Fat! We need fat! Give us more fat! It’s cold out here!”) and rustled up a lard and seed mixture which has gone into some empty coconut shells that they previously cleaned out. I absolutely understand them wanting to fill up on high calorie nosh at this time of year - I feel exactly the same. But I am a whole lot less keen on lard.

I have also managed to put on my trainers and run down to the allotment, spend a few minutes measuring up (of which more in another post) and then sometimes jog but mostly walk back (it’s uphill coming back and I’m new to this exercise lark). It looks as though there has been some digging in the bed where I have sown the broad beans. The holes are too big for mice (unless they are bigger than I dare think about) so I’m not sure what’s been at them. It’s always irritating when anything I’m growing is eaten without my consent (don’t get me started on slugs!), but one of the things I love about the allotment site is that there are always signs of wildlife.

Then there’s the three loads of laundry I washed and hung out to dry, the sink full of dishes now sparkling on the draining board and the nasty bills I paid. For my next trick? Well, I’m about to start the arduous task of cajoling my hair into some semblance of respectability and trying to make myself look halfway decent before going for Tapas with a friend I’ve not seen since about September last year.

What a day! And all without chemical enhancement. Unless you count peppermint tea.

Filed under: Hard labour, Sowings — Clare @ 5:26 pm