Plan, path, pooch


Back at the plot for an hour or so this morning, did a bit more measuring and now I can tweak the plan, which is more or less to scale.

I managed to get the newly (re)discovered path cleared as far as the fence, as you can see. The concrete actually stops about 1ft shy of the fence, so enough room to fit in some hedge plants. I've started hacking north now, in the direction of the ash tree on the top right corner of the photo. The bank of earth must've been there a while, because the tree has put roots through it, 1.5ins thick, some of them.

I could have finished this area this morning, got as far as the tree, except for the shenanigans of Dixie, who I've been dog-sitting the last few days. Her most persistent misdemeanor has been barking. She loves the allotment, it's a kind of terrier heaven, with the odour of rats and foxes, and piles of earth to dig in. So she became immediately proprietorial and showed off by barking at any passer by. Anyone visible, in fact. As there's nearly always someone around, this meant non-stop barking. My head's banging with it. I usually like to do 2 hours work, but with Dixie at full volume, can only manage an hour. I pity anybody yesterday, Sunday morning, who was wanting a lie in.

And this morning she really blotted her copy book by escaping into the community garden next door, to the alarm of its disabled residents, and dirty looks from their carers. I thought I'd fixed the fence to be Dixie-proof, but she found a way. Wouldn't come back. The people there fled, and I went round to fetch her, but by the time I'd got there she'd hopped back into our plot, and followed me round, trotting up behind me.

So here she is, chained and shamed:


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