Making the beds

Another day where Lorraine and I worked like demons in the garden. All around us buds popping open and the trees almost visibly coming into leaf.

Lorraine was on a mission, while I mowed the lawn, planted rhubarb which Lorraine's pal Jo had brought round, and emptied a huge heavy pot full of a rock hard rootball of a dead bush, and most importantly bolted together the last two frames to make our second large raised bed. This last thing a tough and manly thing to have done, and it took a long time because the drill kept overheating so had to let it cool right down so had to do it two coach bolts at a time -- in half hour intervals having to finish twisting them in by hand for which Popeye forearms were needed. We now have three raised beds, one in the glasshouse, and the two main ones. The ground had to be arduously prepared, which Lorraine did, transplanting things away, such as a find of dense patch of chives, and moving daffodils and bluebells, of which we have an abundance. She and I hefted the heavy frames into place, too. Only one small raised bed to be made. Now just the small business of filling those beds with soil and planting the veggies in it. Lorraine has already germinated lots of onions from seed, so it's all rather exciting. 

In the afternoon, Lorraine's former colleague Rebecca called round for a cup of tea, which proved a welcome break. Cats smoothing themselves us while we sat down. The conversation made me pleased Lorraine stepped away from headteachering. We had a late lunch, embellished with our own home grown salad leaves. Eventually I went off at the end of the day to shower, but Lorraine still hard at it, adding extra ericaceous soil around the acer trees and so on.

Watched the first episode of a dramatisation of Great Expectations from the BBC while eating yesterday's fish pie. This one very bleak and sweary -- which certainly grated on me although I can see the argument for trying it -- and grey. 

No need to go to the gym after two days of hefting those blinking sleepers about.

Below the productive end of the garden -- an afternoon snap of the new raised beds, a bay tree, the glasshouse, garden shed and the former double garage, we call the work'ouse, behind.