Parkinson's Law?

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It’s a recognised fact that work will always increase proportionally to the time allotted to it. Consequently I’m now like a cow’s tail…all behind.
I got up this morning full of good intentions, with which, I’m told, the road to Hell is paved. Made a cup of coffee, and stepped outside to test the air. It was cold! But, at least it was dry, for the time being. At last I could get up onto the overgrown bank at the back of the shed.
Have you ever started something and then wished you hadn’t? Within 30 seconds my feet and the bottom of my jeans legs were soaked. We’ve had an awful lot of rain lately and no, I can’t abide wellies.
Still, I had company. If Cookie spends the night in, then she’ll be out in the garden with me the next day. She was into everything, pouncing on anything that moved, even my feet.
I stood and surveyed the task before me. Nothing difficult, I thought to myself. No brambles, and not many nettles. Oh! Complacency, hang thy blessed head!
Knotweed! Great stands of it. It was like a mini forest.
That’s what devoured the time. About half of it is still there, waiting for another day to batter me into submission.
However, there was one thing, apart from the thousands of calories I must have burned off, that made it all worth while. In amongst the headhigh foliage I found (well, no, ‘cos it wasn’t really lost) a forgotten compost bin. That tells you how long it is since I’ve been up there. Anyway, after a bit of a struggle, I got the lid off. Oh joy! It was about a quarter full of lovely dark brown, crumbly compost… and spaghetti. Well, that’s what it looked like.
Long white, light-starved shoots had grown up through the compost and then, being weak and spindly, had collapsed on themselves. I cleared those out, then feeling very pleased with myself, went in for lunch.
That was when it decided to rain…again. Just one heavy shower and that was it.
I returned to my labours. Of course, everything was now dripping wet, but at least the sun was making an effort…and I’d had a brainwave. Oh dear!
Now, anybody that knows me will tell you that I don’t exactly go off half cocked, but sometimes I don’t think things right through, with the inevitable consequences. Been there? Thought so.
In the shed was one of those big green plasticcy (is that a word?) canvas garden bags, you know the ones, like a huge carrier bag. I’d transfer all that lovely compost into that, and use it to top up the raised bed. Good thinking, yeah?
Cookie sat up on the shed roof in the sunshine, looking at me as though I was mad, while I filled the bag.
You’ve guessed it. When I’d finished I couldn’t lift the b…… thing, could I. To add insult to injury, a gust of wind had caught the empty compost bin and toppled it over. It now sat, upside down and at an angle, in the middle of the
steps. There wasn’t enough room to go round it, and I couldn’t climb over it. I had two choices; kick it down onto the path, or grab hold of it and drag it back up again. I chose the latter. Of course, the bin was wet, slippery and dirty. Use your imagination. I just luuurv gardening!
A cup of coffee and two rollups later, I decided to have a change of scene and put the last few plants in the east side border, but that blasted bag of compost was still bugging me. Eventually, I had to go back to it. I’m sure it sniggered as I arrived.
After a few moments thought involving planks, rollers and the like, I ended up grabbing hold of one end, dragging it along the top of the bank and bumping it very carefully down the steps. There are only four, and it worked quite well, and wonder of wonders, I didn’t spill any. Of course, sod’s law, the raised bed is at the opposite end of the garden, along a slight uphill gradient. When the border is in full bloom I’ll post a photo and you can see how far I had to drag this dear bag.
The raised bed now has a new layer of goodly compost, ready for the Dahlias and Argyranthemums, but I decided enough was enough. They could wait a bit longer. Cookie and I took a stroll round the garden.
Once again, most of the things I planned for today ended up in a cocked hat, but the sky is clear and the sun set in a broad flush of deep rosy pink and apricot, so all looks set fair for tomorrow. Unless, of course….

Fuchsia magellanica

I see no fish!

Go ‘way. I’m hunting.

• 10 Jun, 2009
• 9 likes

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