Lots of work this autumn on the Allotments

After many weeks of picking all the vegetables from the plot, it has now become bare and all that remains is the last few strands of a once tall runner bean plant and some potato sprouts.

We have just spent the weekend at the plot tidying up the areas that have been overtaken by weeds and planting for the new growing seasons, onions, garlic have already been put in and will be put in one row a month to ensure that there is continuous growth and then after a trip to Notcutts bright and early on Saturday morning, we brought three blueberry bushes which will fruit in July, August and September and one loganberry plant (which we realised is a cross between raspberry and blackberry!).

 Loganberries (Can't wait to pick them)

On Monday, I had the unenviable task of creating the fencing and putting chicken wire across the fencing to hold the new fruit bushes and the existing fruit to encourage growth in the correct directions, upwards and along instead of along the floor as happened this year as we forgot to put some up!

City Council Parks and kids using them

Do the parents of Birmingham feel that their local parks are a fantastic free resource over the summer holidays/half term?
Are the kids and the local residents making the most of the open space?
Do you people feel safe in their local parks?


This is an old piece of writing, an email i did to someone about the summer ativities...

After spending the afternoon in Grove Park, Harborne, for Grove Park family Fun day and Sports day run by Birmingham City Council Youth Services and ASB team. I spoke to a number of people in the park to ascertain whether they were enjoying their afternoon in the glorious sunshine and all the resources that had been put on by Birmingham City Council.

The answer to question one is yes, the parents that I spoke to said that the Grove Park that was on most peoples doorstep was a fantastic resource for kids. Most people lived on the estates and roads around the park and after receiving an invite or saw the posters advertising the event. Residents went on to tell me that it was the first time since the last major events 3 years ago that they had been to the park.
To say I was flabbergasted was an understatement, I practically lived in my park when I was growing up. So the answer to Q2, NO people are not making the most the facilities available.
When I delved further, I answered Q3, because of 2/3 events that have happened over the past few years in the park, they do not want their kids coming there or they are afraid of the youths that congregate in the park around the play area.

What can be done to improve the perceptions of individuals in area?

• Being educated that they were random attacks, communication from relevant personnel, more events like fun days and sports days to get people in the parks....

Is it just isolated to Harborne and Grove Park?

• No, I don't think it is unfortunately, perceptions of the incidents has overcome people common sense

Feedback was given to the organisers, so lets hope for more days as it was a fantastic success!

Karin Slaughter - Kisscut

BOOK REVIEW



Synopsis:

Saturday night dates at the skating rink have been a tradition in the small southern town of Heartsdale for as long as anyone can remember. But when a teenage quarrel explodes into a deadly shoot-out, Sara Linton - the town's paediatrician and medical examiner - finds herself entangled in a terrible tragedy. What seemed at first to be a terrible but individual catastrophe proves to have wider implications. The autopsy reveals evidence of long-term abuse, of ritualistic self-mutilation, but when Sara and police chief Jeffrey Tolliver start to investigate, they are frustrated at every turn. The children surrounding the victim close ranks. The families turn their backs. But when a young girl is abducted, it becomes clear that the first death is linked to an even more brutal crime, one far more shocking than anyone could have imagined. And unless Sara and Jeffrey can uncover the deadly secrets the children hide, it's going to happen again...

Personal Review:

I am a big fan of Karin Slaughter and have read a lot of her more recent books and when I spotted this book at the local charity shop I knew I was going to buy it.

Quick entry in the first scene and the beginning of the twists and turns in the first chapter, very typical Karin Slaughter, the action is quick fire and the storytelling is made for the page turner that develops.

The story itself was very detailed and the content of domestic abuse unravels and you start to suspect it is maybe the usual suspects then the twist that all is not as it seems, false identities, friends and families working together. All this makes for a very good read and a brilliant read that last me all of a day of reading!

Aldi, Lidl, Netto. Money Saving Experts!

Cutting down on the weekly shopping budget in these tough times is easy as far as i can see, that's what Aldi, Lidl, Netto, Home Bargains, Iceland and other low cost stores are for! Aren't they?
   

The first and only low cost food store was in Selly Oak (Aldi) and has been for approx 10 years primarily for students but more recently we have had a new Aldi built in Northfield and Edgbaston, does this mean more people are using them or are Aldi getting wise before the rush starts?

We do a weekly shop at Sainsbury's for the more hard to get items, items that the low cost, high turnaround shops can't and won't stock as this would mean items having a longer shelf life.
Food is increasing in price, i was reading the other day an article on food prices and was shocked to see basic items and how much the price has risen:

Baking Potatoes up 60%
Cereal Crops up 40%
Baked Beans up 64%

I was totally shocked but we have not really see these because we started using Aldi, at the turn of 2011, anfd due to the basics all coming from here we have not seen the price increase in fact we have seen out weekly shopping bill decrease by nearly £20 per week and we seem to buying more items compared to before.
Experts warn that the prices will keep rising over the next 10 years and with all the other bills increasing too, the pinch is really starting to hit home.

We are veggies, therefore our diets not consist of all the more expensive meat products that most of the population buy and I am constantly hearing that meat is more expensive. Instead of complaining about the cost, do something about it, do you really need the best cut?
No you don't make the change, get a less expensive cut or less expensive meat and do something different with it! Simple!

But is not just food though, discount stores are everywhere...groupon, wilkinsons, home bargains. The list goes on!

Holiday

Sorry for no post for a week! Not like me, I'm usually doing at least one a day but I have celebrated my 26th Birthday whilst sunning it up in Turkey for the week.

We had all sorts of problems on the way to airport! Credit Card bill came and had a shock to find non-authorised payments made, therefore late to take Cats to cattery and then we left the wallet at home so had to rush back to get it!

We made the flight by 10 minutes and only because we decided to check in before going to Park and ride did we make it!

Flew in from Brum to Dalaman on 17th and had hour long transfer to Fethiye to the SW of Turkey, this is a newish resort and the roads were awful. We had an all-inclusive package and it was a bargain in the scheme of things!

Staying at Lykia Botanika Beach and Fun club resort, here's a link to the website and a couple of pics: http://www.lykiabotanika.com/giris_en.php



Private Beach:


First time, i have been to turkey and thought the place was wonderful lots of culture, history and the views were amazing.

Some of the people though left a but to be desired! They seemed to be pushy, arrogant and self centred, the perfect example: we went to market on Tuesday in fethiye and they were targeting British people, letting most other people past and it showed grabbing us, shouting at us, we could not even look and i like to browse before i buy.

My biggest problem with everyone we encountered in turkey and i would have a problem with it anywhere, i go on holiday to spend their currency that is why we used bureau de change before we go, I DO NOT WANT TO BUY STUFF IN STERLING!!  just to help their bank balances as they get a good exchange rate. moan over!

Highlight: On my birthday, we did 12 island boat trip, the whole day was spectacular, we had great fun and would recommend to anyone. it cost us £20 each from our rep but you can get it from £10 if you go direct. we stopped at 4 islands in total, Calis, Gocek, and two others cant remember names of but all were different.

Rugby World Cup

So then, the semis have now finished and the long awaited Final is less than a week away (only because its at 0900 BST is it less than a week technically).

Lets have a quick overview of this penultimate weekend of World Cup action.



Wales V France - Well as a home nation, I was supporting Wales. Wales looked really good, the French dominated the beginning of the match but good defence. Then, the idiot of a referee ALLAIN ROLLAND, (Irish eyes were NOT smiling on him!) sent off Sam Warburton for a dangerous tackle. I am not saying Warburton shouldn't have been disciplined, yes Penalty yes to yellow but to send him off NO NO NO! Rolland destroyed all hope of Welsh comeback I thought then the French went awol for the second half, they have to thank Parra for his kicking in the first half because Wales were fantastic and hold their heads high.

I would can not wait for Wales to get Third Place they have been the better team throughout compared to France and have been harshly beaten



New Zealand V Australia - Two Words - Quade Cooper! What the hell, New Zealand born, Australian player and it showed. He obviously went out on a one man mission to make sure that his country of birth won this match. He was shocking, he dropped the ball, he miskicked, he threw silly passes...well just about everything he touched went wrong. New Zealand, lets not take anything away from them, they dominated possession 80% at one point, were big powerful runners, kicked intelligently. Really good Southern Hemisphere team, the best in the world. Yes, I would say so.



Something spooky could happen next weekend....in 1987 New Zealand hosted and Won the RWC, they beat France. In third, Wales and Fourth, Australia.
Well, the ties have been set up for the same finishes will it happen....time will tell.

Joy Fielding - STILL LIFE

BOOK REVIEW



Brief Description:
Beautiful, happily married, and the owner of a successful interior design business, Casey Marshall couldn't be more content with her life. Until a car slams into her at fifty miles an hour, breaking nearly every bone in her body - and plunging her into a coma. Lying in her hospital bed, Casey realizes that, although she is unable to see or communicate, she can hear everything. As the visitor gather at her bedside, she is horrified to discover that her friends aren't necessarily the people she thought them to be - and that her accident might not have been an accident at all. As she struggles to break free from her living death, Casey determines to find out and somehow expose the truth. Whatever it takes.

My Personal Review:

I was recommended this book from a friend, and it was given to me from this person. I had been given really good reviews on how there was lots of twists and turns, the old style Whodunnit type of book.
Well, it really did nothing for me. The offender was obvious from pretty much the start, there was no really build up to the climax and the rest of the book was Carey in a coma with people talking to her and she had her own voice and responded to the comments made.
I have passed it on, not giving my full opinion as some people really would enjoy this but just not me. I want a page turner, i want to not known who dunnit until the last few pages, the last chapter.