Moving and Parents

Things really have been quiet up here these past few weeks on the allotment. It’s the Big Move at the end of this week so I have been furiously shoving things in boxes and bags for what seems like forever and calling Dave pretty much every night to get him to pick up my stuff and take it back to his. Where does all this stuff come from? I’m sure that in my current flat, everything in there fitted perfectly but you can hardly get into Dave’s living room without tripping over boxes of my CDs and books.

Ma and Pa came and visited over the last weekend where we discovered a lovely Italian restaurant just down the road from New Flat and I took them to see the allotment. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, there really is a lovely walk down to the allotment from Dave’s flat. He lives (and soon we live, ooh!) along the New River Path, which is a aqueduct that starts from Hertford and runs all the way down into Islington. This week on our small section of the path we witnessed a family of coots, a cormorant and a crazy Canada goose that had the white head and neck of a duck. It was weird and I wished I had a camera on me as he really was a freak of nature (in a nice way though). If I see him again I’ll snap him for you.

I was rather dreading showing the parents around the lottie. It felt like I was showing them round my messy bedroom knowing full well I had plenty of time to have tidied it up. But they liked it. They didn’t quite realise how big it was and were pleased that I had quite a bit growing and were most impressed with the huge marrows I have yet to harvest (and won’t be harvested for a while yet – kitchen utensils are in a box somewhere so it’s takeaway food for me for the rest of the week. Shame.)

We also discovered the first borlotti bean pod growing (very pretty) and the runner beans have started flowering too, which is nice. I’m still slightly worried that it’s going to be a little late for them (they’re still only about four foot tall) but I should get a meal from them at least.

Last but not least Dad said he’d come over and visit again in autumn and spend a couple of hours digging and weeding for me. Hooray! A friend to help! I don’t think that Dad quite realised what he said until he said it, but the offer’s there now and I shall hold it to him. But don’t worry Pa, there will be a pint or three in it for you.