Christmas

Christmas

I feel I should record my Christmas, although it was uneventful; but it was enjoyable. On Christmas eve I was invited by Martina, a gardening friend, to share her Christmas meal with some other gardeners. Martina is German so used to having her Christmas meal on Christmas eve. I left late. and all the street lighting had been switched off, one of the energy saving measures here, so I ad to navigate my way home in complete darkness, which I somehow managed without falling over or knocking into anything.There was no moonlight and complete ptch-black darkness is something I haven' experienced since I remember having to cross an orchard in it at Summerhill school some sixty years ago. At leastt there were no trees to avoid this time.

On the day itself I got up, made myself some coffee ad toast and Messengered my daughter and family before going off to lunch with friends Steve and Jo, picking up Jean-Claude along the way. Jo had cooked a traditional Christmas meal which we all enjoyed and she and Steve gave me a portable greenhouse kit as a present. I think it will be very useful when I start gardening again, probably in March. I gave Steve and jo a print from artist neighbour Florence; I thought that as they will be leaving before long they should have a memento of Florence’s work to take with them. When I returned home late in the afternoon, dropping off Jean-Claude on the way, I phoned my son to see how his meal had been; I hadn’t phoned earlier because I knew he was cooking it.

On Boxing Day I had invited Steve and Jo and eight others but only five of them turned up so there was a lot of food left over. I decided the best way to use it up was to invite some of the gardening crowd over and that provided another enjoyable evening.

So, all inall, a very enjoyable if uneventful time.

Football on TV began again on Boxing Day and I have been watching a lot of it. While watching I’ve been tearing into small pieces all the cardboard and paper that I have accumulated over the period. The soil in my allotment is sandy and I’m hoping the bits of papre and cardboard will help it absorb water better. I’m assuming we will have several heatwaves again this year. I plan to dump that and garden refuse bit by bit on the allotment over the coming months and dig it in. I’ve already scattered considerable guano over the soil which should compensate for any nitrogen lost as the debris breaks down.

I’m already reflecting on what I want to grow this year and avoiding last years mistakes. Land cress and onions were clear omissions last year and I shan’t bother with potatoes this year. All vegetables are available here quite cheaply in season and I can’t grow them out of season so it’s a question of what I can and want to consume and what I can store easily. Steve and Jo have given me their gooseberry bushes so that will be an addition to which I may add further and I want to add some more lavender also. And I want to completely surround the allotment with sunflowers. Other than that I shll continue to reflect.

There is one sad aspect of Christmas to me, a function of my age and that of most of my friends: it is the exchange of cards and greetings. Every year I have to cross the names of friends who I know have died and wonder about those I do not hear from..