Another pile in

With not a lot of enthusiasm, but thinking I ought to take advantage of the rainless, sunny, day, out to the veg plot I went again. Another twenty five potatoes in. Gosh. However, the effort required to dig the trench and get the potatoes in situ rendered me with a desperate need to go and have  sit down with a cup of tea, thus I did not cover over the potatoes. In effect, I did a 'half job'. 

An hour later, enjoying a roasting in the sun, it came to me that the spuds were also having a roasting.

Things I have learnt today: that fence wire needs to be of the small mesh type because chickens can squeeze through the most amazing little space, especially if being chased. 
- that I must remember to put a layer of pea netting up against the fence wire if I am to keep my patience. 
- that chickens have an 'off' switch when it comes to knowing where they can forage, and where they can't.
- that chickens like pulling things out of the soil, like newly planted sprouting potatoes which have not yet been snuggled over with soil. 
- that I must be less slothful in future in regards to the planting of potatoes, that I must make sure not to leave the carefully planted row unattended even for a few minutes otherwise those chickens will do a raid and the spuds will have to be repositioned all over again which is not good for one's temper.

And thus we have twenty five more potatoes planted and covered up. I am not friends with the chickens because they have assumed ownership of the newly rotovated veg plot. I am not friends with the puppies because they have done no poos or pees in the hallway for the last few nights, so well done the girls, but no, they have been, and that is in the lounge, OK, so it is a building site in there, but that is not the point, doggies, especially puppy girls, go to the loo outside, and it is no good doing a jaunty swagger while they are being told off, it might work with Lester, but it does not work with me. I am not friends with Boolie either because he refuses to stay outside, but instead prefers to be inside so he can play 'chase the cat'. I am not friends with Gus for most of the time because he tends to do sneaky raids on the cat litter tray, the cat food dish if it has not been picked up, and any food within reach on the work surface or table. 

Apart from that, all is fine. Made some goats cheese today, which has turned out better than my first attempt. Made some bacon, and that has turned out better as well. Made some dandelion jam yesterday as a trial run. Will defo do again. Will plant some more potatoes tomorrow, weather permitting, and I will absolutely stay on site and get them covered up so they are safely away from foraging beaks. Made some nettle fertilizer, or rather stuffed a load of nettles into a black bin which I then filled with water, but it seemed to take an age to get the bin filled, well it would, because there was a hole in the bottom of the bin through which the water was gushing out. Not to worry, put all into another bin, and will wait with anticipation for the humungously fumey fertilizer to chuck up its fumes. 

As a side note, the French government have banned the use of nettle fertilizer, and it is against the law to even give instructions as to how to make it. Does that mean that I can expect the local gendarmerie to do a raid on us. Will we be frog marched away and interred. Will we be home for tea. Do I need to keep some clean underwear packed just in case. And most importantly of all, who is going to plant the rest of those flipping potatoes!