Family Fun Day ~ part 1

Getting ready for our visitors:

(Yuck, just podded a pea there and a stinky caterpillar was inside; I'm trying to fuel myself up to write this, would you believe I've been asleep all day?! Right, enough waffle...)

The very first thing to occur on Saturday was a live Radio broadcast from the site at 8am. Thank goodness we have people like Mrytle and Austin who are good with the media, the rest of us just wanted to kept the head down and prepare for the day. I would freeze and/or stutter wildly if you tried to put me on live radio. Anyway, Andrew and I heard it on the way down to the Lotties and it was good, the interviewer seemed genuinely impressed with the place. But really, when you hear people you know on the TV/radio don't they sound really funny?

When we arrived the interviewing was over and the Council team where there erecting their big tent for the day. We waited and hardly anyone else could be found. Cripes, so much to do!! Here's were the HUGE thanks come in.... Without Bill, Meta and their beautiful daughter Aimee; Dougie, Beefy, Ronnie, Phil, Brenda, Muriel and Linda we would have been lost, worse than that we would probably both have had heart attacks and died on the spot! (N.B. if this ever does happen, compost us please x)

With this happy, hard working group of angels we whipped the place into shape in no time. There were Gazebos to get up (damn flat pack instructions without even a coffee in sight!), an Allotment Holders Stall to build and fill with produce, a plant sale table, my photography display made from scratch (silly girl ~ that had me crying away, the boys were so nice) and a whole children's Education area to set up and kit out! I don't know how we did it but we did and although Andrew and I worked just as hard, I can't thank those people enough.

So Andrew ended up as the unofficial leader and although stressed to the hilt, he was great (if I may say, slightly biasedly). Our shed was surrounded by produce, it was amazing. Eden lottie folk are mighty generous and the fresh onions, carrots etc just kept on coming throughout the day! We also had jams and chutneys, plants and lovely bunches of flowers. Then across the road we had the kids area, with a 'plant your own pot' section and a goodie bag section (thanks to the Northern Ireland Environment Agency) with loads of great stuff to take home.

So look! That is what we created, feast your eyes over what can only be described as evidence of loyalty and pride in the allotments and the friendships made there.