Geoff gets stuck in.

It's funny thing about neighbours. Geoff lives next door but one to us. He and his wife are lovely people, usually looking after our place whilst we are away and great to pass the time of day with when we're going out or coming back. Like most of the people at our end of the cul-de-sac we exchange Christmas cards as well. But, even after nearly 14 years of living here they remain just neigbours and this applies to all the people around us. People don't come in for a cup of tea, we don't go there, we all live our own lives in our own little boxes but we rub along well together until such time as a new neighbour with annoying habits upsets the equilibrium.

Enough of this philosophising, Geoff had decided that his moss ridden lawn had outlived its usefulness so was going to replace it with something rather less demanding - raised beds set within shingle (or gravel) Being a retired brickie he should know about levels and he certainly has many bricks around - perhaps he'll have some I can take to the allotment?

We spent the morning down in Ashford (Kent) at Dobbies, buying a tool or two and looking at their new stock then went over to John Lewis at Home for our March allocation of free hot drink and cake and a look around at their store. John Lewis at Home (and Dobbies) are both out of town stores, the sort I railed against being built in Maidstone so how do I reconcil going to these places in other towns?

The afternoon was spent at the allotment, clearing more of the new plot as well as turning over the soil and tidying up the old strawberry bed and the space where the potatoes are going this year. A very chilly wind and grey, not the sunshine they promised us. But you don't get cold when digging.