Grateful for anything, however small
You will have noticed that I’m doing no posting this year. This is because I am largely doing no gardening.
My vegetable patch, consequently, is a disaster zone. This is the only view I could find where my plot doesn’t look utterly overrun with weeds. Everything else is.
I’ll just about get a potato crop, and possibly some corn – if I look after it (vain hope). I may even get beetroot (which is close to indestructible). Everything else is pretty much fucked.
Oddly, I can’t even summon up the energy to care. Much.
Reason: My energies are so eaten up caring and worrying about my new job that there’s just nothing left for, well, anything else. I’m exhausted and distracted. Frankly, if I get anything to eat from this year’s gardening, I’ll just be catatonically grateful.
Two themes going on here Soilman.
Job creating lots of stress
Allotment suffering
What’s important?
Making a living, ie the job. But to do that you’ve got to be able to do the long haul.
In my last 3 years of work before retirement I was getting totally ground down. My allotment helped me survive. I didn’t get much done but I had a life outside the grind. It doesn’t matter that you’re not getting crops —- you are working for the dosh to buy your grub, not depending on growing it. But if you push yourself a little to go to your plot the “stolen” time in the fresh air, a bit of craic with other plotters, and the odd success(beetroots) will help you stay mentally fit to cope with work. Ask Mrs Soilman whether she notices any difference in you when you come back from the plots. I bet she says you’re more relaxed.
Nil carborundum illegitimi! And please don’t come bAck and say my dog latin’s wrong — you know my sentiment. I was a Grammar school boy, and did Latin, but they never taught you good phrases like this.
Best wishes, Ronnie
June 20th, 2014 at 11:02 pm
Agree with Ronnie.
Push yourself with the corn, even if that just means an hour once a week to water and weed a bit. It looks pretty good, I have to say. healthier than mine! Cover over over the unplanted areas with tarp and bricks/ cardboard/ whatever you are allowed to put down at your lottie to keep the weeds and whingers at bay.
And give yourself a bit of slack- whose life is the same from year to year? I know mine isn’t, and that I put in far more allotment time last year than I am doing this, but that’s just the way it is. Next year you may be more settled.
June 28th, 2014 at 10:57 am
It’s tough when starting a new job to think about anything, but making sure you fit in and are contributing. I’m sure you are….chill a little and fit in some gardening or other downtime, trust me (I was made redundant after 25 years with a company)it is important.
At least you’re having great weather or at least it was great weather where I was…I came back to the States with a great farmer’s tan earned in the UK 🙂
July 2nd, 2014 at 4:36 am
HI Soilman,
Long time no posts and in your last one you weren’t really in a great place re job. Missing your comments — hope things have improved for you.
August 19th, 2014 at 9:20 pm