Thanet Allotments

I attended a meeting for allotment holders a while ago hosted by Paul Verrall (Parks Manager) and Brian White (Planning). The intention is to sell off the Manston Road allotments in Ramsgate to use for housing and the money raised to be used to upgrade the rest of the allotments in Thanet. Allotments, nationally and locally, are now being recognised as an essential part of leisure and exercise for a large range of people as well as the production of fresh, frequently organic food and are to be encouraged. However one of the outcomes of the meeting was that allotments would be upgraded to a certain extent but with the good guy, bad guy act it was shown that although some of the money would be used the rest of it was to go into the council's coffers. The sale of that land should bring a lot more than Bury's Lowry but should only be used for allotments (some of which are in a dire state) and not for more councillors jollies.

Fuchsia

Why is it that you wait all season for things to come into bloom at the right time. All shows are now long in the past and we are well into autumn so why is my fuchsia deciding to flower now - no sense of timing these plants.

Christmas rush

Well I managed to finish making the Christmas cakes last night, delayed a day while acquiring extra brandy to soak the fruit in. I'm not quite sure why I still bother - habit I guess. I didn't manage to finish all the washing up etc until this evening though. I broke a handbag strap today so needed to buy a new bag but all the stores are into the Christmas rush already and trying to find things that aren't silver, gold or sparkly is becoming very difficult. I persevered and ended up with two replacement bags - sensible shopping!