Thursday 18 August 2011

Preparations are underway

Finley (No.5 Grandson) wanting to get on with some farming!
 The time is fast approaching when we will be setting off for Lefkas again.  With this in mind we have started getting things together for the "homeward" trip.  We will not have the usual overload which have had on previous trips in fact I'm hoping that we do not have to take the top box back with us this time which will be the first time in three years that we have not done so.  There are a few biggish items but I think that up to now we can stow these away safely in the car with the seats down.  Ebay has been getting a bit of hammering this last week in order to supply various bits which we have so far managed without in Greece but will make our life a little easier.
Arbour after it's haircut.
 Other than that it's been another week of getting everything in good order in the paddock in preparation for it making it's annual attempt at going back to wilderness.  My Youngest Grandson Finley really wants to help and is fascinated with the garden tractor, unfortunately he's deaf so has to be very closely supervised when machinery is being used.  I have taken all the plums off our Victoria plum tree this week, We've had a real bumper crop probably the most we've ever had on the tree, over 30 stones of fruit.  Most of the village has been given some and my father in law, Geoff, has been "hawking" them around the countryside trying to raise a bob or two as he's a whinging pensioner!
Perhaps some cider manufacturing?
The arbour collapsed under the weight of snow last winter so it had to be reinforced earlier in our visit home and now that the flowering has finished on it (well almost) I thought I would give it a severe haircut and try and cut down the weight in case there is a great deal of snow again this winter.  This has the added advantage of having loads of offcuts to feed through the shredder and mulch the rest of the flower beds with.

As well as a bumper crop of Plums we are also absolutely inundated with apples and pears, unfortunately these won't be "fit" enough to keep by the time we go back to Greece so will probably end up being wasted to a large extent, although Gray (No.1 Son) has been going to produce cider with them for several years now and not got around to it.  I think I'll stick to drinking wine as we could be in for a long dry time if we depend on the home brew availability.

Just in closing I would like to add that my great buddy Allen, has got the all clear from his prostrate cancer problem this week.  Best news I've had in a while and although there are still tests and samples to be sent in periodically it means he can return to a near normal life again and will be heading out to Cyprus later in the year.  Well done Al.

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