New beginnings

 

So after much thought, I've decided to close this blog.  I'll keep it up but will close comments by the end of the week.  I'll now be blogging at Ali Lives Well on Less.

This is my 4th blog in 17 years but definitely the longest running one.  And it's a record of everything I've done and been through in the last 14 years.  It has a lot of personal details so those of you who have been here since the early days know how I got to where I am now!

It was thanks to you guys and my DIL that I picked up my phone and started making videos for YouTube.  It was thanks to you guys that my wee channel got it's first 500 subscribers which alerted the algorithm that promoted it.  And then the rest is history!  Current subscribers number is 6,846 and the total views is almost half a million!!! 😮 I've also been approached to review some products!! 😮😮

I'll still be blogging about all the same things on the new blog but there will be less personal details. And it will be mostly linked to the videos  Huge thanks to all of you who checked ways of finding this blog, I've tried to remove all photos and details that could identify my family to a wider audience.  

Comment moderation will be turned on as judging by some of the comments I get on YT, there are some weird people out there!!  There are also some genuinely lovely people out there who have been through some tough times so I hope that we can help each other.  A few folk have commented that despite retiring I'm still teaching!  And I kinda like that description although I do try very hard not to use my 'teacher's voice' 😂

So, huge big mega THANK YOU to you all for supporting me on the journey!!  I do hope you'll continue to stay with me as you all have a wealth of knowledge and experience too that's worth sharing.

Much love to you all 💕💕💕

Ali xxx

New blog?

 

I'm finding that the YouTube channel is taking up a lot of time but I still want to keep blogging too.  I don't want to link this blog to it as it has a lot more personal details here that I don't want shared to a wider audience.  That's why I don't mention this blog there.

I had an idea to set up a new blog which is connected to the channel.  I'll still write about similar things and maybe post more info on it like recipes/food stuff.  Can I ask for your help wise ones?

If you click on the link to the new blog, can you tell me if you see anything that links back to here?  I've removed my photo and profile so I don't think anyone would be able to find this blog from them.  I've posted a test post with a photo.  I've also turned on comment moderation so if you could try leaving a comment on it and letting me know what you see.

Ali Lives Well on Less

Beds and pears

 

Now that I've decided to give up the allotment, I've been gradually bringing things home.  I brought 3 more raised beds and put 2 in the front garden.  My Lovely Mum visited yesterday and despite the light rain, we tidied up the front, put 2 of the beds in the opposite corner and filled one (corner top left) with compost.  

I planted it up with snowdrop bulbs (rescued from a relative's garden) plus the 39p pansies and violas.  It wasn't my best effort but at least the plants are in.  It's not the best time to either buy compost/top soil or even get it free from my recycling centre so I suspect not much more will be done until Spring.  At least it looks like it's been cared for now!!

2 weeks after picking these pears off my mum's tree they were still hard!  So I poached them in pear cider with a little sugar and sliced lemons.

The kitchen smelled delicious!! 😋

I got 6 generous portions.  4 for the freezer, 1 for me and 1 for my son and DIL to eat.  I've now got quite a variety of fruit in the freezer for the upcoming Winter months.

When I reviewed my September spending (it's on YouTube HERE) I came in at £70 under budget!  I was really pleased with that.  I'll use some of that £70 to add some storecupboard items to my shopping this week and the rest I'll put into my savings/emergency funds.

My wee channel is growing fast, I now have over 6K subscribers and lots of folk are watching the ads.  The predicted revenue is very healthy so I'll definitely be able to make a lovely donation to a wee local charity before Christmas 😍

Letting go

Last week when I was at the plot I pulled up 4 of the raised beds and brought them home.  These are the B&Q ones.  Even if I was keeping the plot I knew I didn't want to do raised beds any more.  The weather had been unseasonably warm so I let them dry out a bit and then yesterday moved them around to see if it would be possible to put some in my wee front garden.

The view from above!!

I think I still have at least 3 or maybe 4 salvageable beds that I could put along the fence and into the corner, making a U shape.  Plus all the containers/pots in the pic.  I could grow a lot of herbs and botanicals plus it's South facing so lovely and sunny all day!! 🌞

I put these 2 in the back garden against the decking, just to see if they looked ok.  I think they will work!  Maybe beans/sweet peas that could climb up the railings?  I could throw netting over them to stop Miss Luna jumping in them!!  The back garden doesn't get as much sun but I did observe the sun's movement throughout the Summer and this bit does get a lot of light during the day and catches the late afternoon/evening sun.

Of course I had help!!🙄🤣

Thanks for all the comments on yesterday's post.  They helped me finally decide I'm letting the allotment go and will create something in my own gardens instead.  I also have a Community Garden within walking distance of the house where I could rent a large raised bed if I need more space in the future.

What shall I do with my plot?

 

If you've seen my allotment video from last week, you'll know that my poor plot has been really badly neglected this year.  Obviously moving house at the point where it needed work wasn't great timing.  But I've also not been going because Luna is a nightmare on the plot, eating everything and trying to get out over the gate.  To be fair Emma used to eat everything too but at least she didn't try to escape!!!

I keep asking myself if I should just give it up as it needs a lot of hard physical work or just try to start over and rethink what/how I grow.  I could move over to growing more perennials and more botanicals (like calendula/roses/lavender/herbs) that I could use in making lotions/potions and herbal teas.

Or I could move my stuff on the plot (like the raised beds and plastic compost bins) to my back (and front) garden and turn them into allotment gardens.  They're certainly big enough but I'd still have the Luna issue!!

I have around £150 left on my Dobbies gift voucher that I need to use in the next 6 months so I could get the plants and seeds I'd need but I'd have to commit to either plot or garden.

Any thoughts, wise ones??

Plants!

 

I popped out to Dobbies today to get ericaceous compost (to replant a blueberry bush into a bigger pot) and saw they were clearing out a ton of plants.  I saw these cute dwarf Sansevierias (Snake plant) in wee ceramic pots.  Reduced from £9.99 to £1.99!!! I got one for myself and one for my DIL who loves indoor plants.  They were definitely clearing space to put out new seasonal stuff.  If anyone is looking to get inexpensive gifts ahead of 🎄there were loads of different ones to suit all tastes.  Plus fancy plant pots and containers, propagators etc all half price or less.  Maybe check out any garden centres in your area if you don't have a Dobbies.  

I got £84.93 worth of plants for £15.23!!!  2 echinacea plants, a salvia, pansies and violas (they were each 39p a tray!!) to put in my front garden.  Although technically they were all free as I'm still using the amazing gift card my colleagues gave me when I retired! 

EDITED: Jury duty!!

 

Edited cos I'm an idiot! See photo at end.  I've always been terrible at matching days with dates.  Apparently I do it with months as well!!! 🙄🙄🙄

I got a letter on Saturday telling me I've been called for jury duty, starting on Wednesday this week!!  That's not much notice!  I've had to book Luna into daycare for the extra days just in case I'm selected and I'm pretty sure doggy daycare costs aren't refunded in expenses.  And it's not a valid excuse for excusal!

You phone a recorded message the night before to see if you're still needed.  Fingers crossed then! 🤞

I'm so annoyed as I had nice plans this week with my mum and aunt that are now hanging in the balance.  But if I get selected that will be my civic duty done for the next 10 years!!