A blistering hot, clear-skied weekend. Out in the allotment on Saturday morning, initially with Lola and Neve, though Lola didn’t last long, needing to return for the loo. Anyway, got a fair bit done by lunchtime:
- 5 rows pink fir on left of onions
- 1 row roma next to beans on path side
- 1 row san marzano next
- 2 rows Rooster on inside next to beans
- 2 defender, 2 clarion, plus one which may well be a Zucchini in the courgette bed. From left.
The rest of the day I spent helping Isa prepare for the evening, when Sabrina, Tim and kids were due to arrive for dinner. Isa had been cooking since early that morning: grilling veg, making a mango and quinoa salad, making pastry for an (it turned out) utterly fantastic crostata di fragole. I popped off to get some ingredients, then made tandoori chicken and a rhubarb fool. By the designated time, we had the food pretty much done and the table set. Then, ten minutes before kick-off, Tim rang to say Sabrina had done her back in and they couldn’t come. Aargh! Well, it worked out anyway. Samuel and Sascha came for dinner and then we all cycled over to Sabrina’s with the puddings and some food for them.
Sunday morning and back in the allotment, planting 5 rows pink fir apple above the two rows of rooster on inside left. 
Then sorted out the greenhouse, taking the staging out and planting out five cucumbers (cucino and avanti F1, I think) and 6 peppers (four mavras and 2 sweet mixed, I think). Then a quick shower and off on a sweltering drive down to Mill Hill to see grandma and Mike. We went cross-country through the Shelfords, Fowlmere, Barley, Barkway, Puckeridge and then straight down the A10/M25/A1. It was a good run and we got there in 90 minutes, arriving just 5 mins outside our 3-4 pm window.
I nearly ran over Mike, who was out in the drive finishing off a major hedge-trimming exercise. We had tea and cakes and chatted about this and that. Grandma was looking well though she has lost a little weight. Lola was lovely with her, asking questions, listening, often coming to her; she asked her to come out in the garden where she and Neve were playing. So we all did.
Monday:
Planted out another five rows of tomatoes: Roma, St Marzano, Roma, St Marzano, Samdar.