Ouch

Yes, I have an ache in my back. It's all this work in the garden that I did this afternoon. There are two beds that weren't dug over at all last year and this afternoon I tackled one of them with the aim of sowing some spinach and parsnips in there.

But it didn't work out as it was supposed to do. The actual wooden frame of the bed was one of the first that I made when I did the earlier vegetable garden back in 2008. And made of 10mm timber instead of 25mm timber which I use now, it simply disintegrated when I dug around it. It's quite difficult having to replace a frame that is already well-settled into the ground but it had to be done. It took a while too, but at least now it's in place and doing what it ought to be doing, as you can see in the centre-foreground.

I only ended up giving it one dig-over, but it's thoroughly hoed and raked and hoed again. Tomorrow afternoon I'll give it another digging over, a hoeing and a raking, and then do the planting. Then I can see what it's like.

As for the other bed, that will be for the leeks. But it's not likely to be used for a while as I have only just sown the seed (in a tray in the verandah) and so it's not so important if it's not done before I leave. It will be nice to do it, though.

I had to cover everything up this evening. Last night the temperature dropped to 0.9°C here outside and it's threatening to be even colder tonight, as the sun made a slight appearance late this afternoon. That means a likelihood of frost and I don't want everything to die off.

This morning though, I had to spend much of it lying down in a darkened room. I needed to sort out my Belgian credit card ready for my trip, and this involved ringing a call centre there. And to my surprise and astonishment, I received a very helpful reply and (for once) some decent service. Totallly astonishing. I also did that work that was outstanding - this morning the inspiration arrived from somewhere and I took full advantage before it went again. But my list of things to pack is looking larger and larger, and I can't find half of the stuff that I want, like my earphones and my spare camera battery to name just two things. I can see this voyage turning into something of a debâcle if I'm not careful.