Mornjng all. Need to regain some calm - woke all excited about being in the garden all day, but before starting had to chase up my final pay, which 'mysteriously' didn't turn up in 20 April. Chased it, was assured there'd been a mistake and I would be paid on 20 May... guess what? This is not some incompetent individual like Clari has to deal with, this is a vast council with (I know) a policy of never paying anything they can get away with ignoring. They're trying to get me to wait until 20 June now, with all the usual empty assurances that there was a mistake (my a**e - that is a lie, it's policy) but it'll all be sorted out if I'm just patient. I am furious, and chasing it is such a waste of time and energy, which is what they rely on.
And breathe!
Think I'll go and do some weeding.
'If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.'
I've just been chatting to my Hosta friend in Surrey. He built Bowdens' Hosta Ddsplay at Chelsea this year so I'm especially looking forward to seeing how they did.
Hubby is off to his nursery on the way back so hopefully a few wee treasures will be arriving later.
Dove, I've asked for "Fireworks" after seeing that lovely plant you bought last year.
That's a lovely hosta. Before we left I gave away a lot of hostas in pots to good homes, keeping some for me, and I seem to have given away my last Sum and Substance so that's on my list if I ever see one here. Current fave is Dreamweaver.
LG - send a stiff letter to the chief exec saying you know all about the council's policies having been an employee and that you will be charging interest and shopping them to the LG ombudsman if payment is not forthcoming within 7 days. Send it registered post.
Thanks Busy but too far. I got all my hostas from clematis man in Belgium - clematis.be if anyone's looking for some - so might just have to arrange a visit if I'm up there again.
Love Chelsea on Tuesdays and the price of a ticket is about the same as for a premier league footie match and you get 12 hours' guaranteed pleasure and not just 90 minutes with a possible disappointing loss and a rip off pie. The atmosphere is so much better on members' days too with people happy to take their turn at the front to let everyone see everything and get their photos. People like Chris B, Matthew W and Adam are happy to talk to punters too - unlike MD who turns his back.
I've done my list of purchases from yesterday and looked them all up for size and flowering times and so on for planting spaces and diary purposes. That'll larn me, buying interesting foliage but unknown plant! A daphniphyllum and a pistachio which may turn out to be male or female but I won't know for ages. Both just 5€ so not a huge gamble but i'd like some nuts.
More painting this morning, trying to cover a strong blue wall for the umpteenth time, and then gardening. Herbs and treasures to plant and some fresh weeds to spray n the potager so we can get planting. The tunnel is nearly ready for its plastic lid.
Have a good one all. Clari - if you get a 2nd dog, don't go for anything remotely terrier like..
Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
"The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
The world is a slightly better place today. Thank you all for your good wishes - feeling a little better but will take it easy, since I'm travelling down to London tomorrow on the train. At least I can snooze on the journey...
LG, so sorry you're having problems getting paid. You might have to resort to threatening letters, like Clari...
Hosta, I'll look out for Bowdens' hosta display and for the asiatic primulas.
At the moment I can only summon up one when thinking about Chelsea but hopefully by Wednesday I'll be well enough to enjoy it. Topbird, I solved the "too short to see" problem last year by being there before the gates opened at 8am, and managed to get round the show gardens before the crowds appeared. I don't like crowds either, Fairy, but found I could avoid them ok... strange to be with so many people but "on my own", not needing to talk to anyone unless I chose to do so...
The moggy has stopped throwing up, so that's a bonus, too!
Since 2019 I've lived in east Clare, in the west of Ireland.
Sorry Liri. Meant to wish you better but forgot. I agree about getting there early and Chelsea is fine to do on your own or with friends. I've done both and always end up chatting to strangers about plants. What's not to like?
Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
"The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
I'm so nervous for them. It's their first chelsea and everything came on earlier this year because of the warm spring. They're too small for any refrigeration options.
For those who find the Chelsea crowds (or the idea of them) difficult, you could try Hampton Court. I went to Chelsea and loved it but then I went to Hampton Court and that's my show of choice now. Lots of the same people showing, but much more space. It's busy, but you can breathe - and see!
I was going to wait until the payroll guy gets back to me 'by the end of the week' (yeah, right) but you've prompted me to write to the head of service (step in between my former boss and Chief Exec) asking him to intervene. Given that I resigned and he wouldn't speak to me for months, I'm not hopeful, but I'll take it to the next level if he doesn't deal with it. He might, just to shut me up.
'If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.'
Posts
Mornjng all. Need to regain some calm - woke all excited about being in the garden all day, but before starting had to chase up my final pay, which 'mysteriously' didn't turn up in 20 April. Chased it, was assured there'd been a mistake and I would be paid on 20 May... guess what? This is not some incompetent individual like Clari has to deal with, this is a vast council with (I know) a policy of never paying anything they can get away with ignoring. They're trying to get me to wait until 20 June now, with all the usual empty assurances that there was a mistake (my a**e - that is a lie, it's policy) but it'll all be sorted out if I'm just patient. I am furious, and chasing it is such a waste of time and energy, which is what they rely on.
And breathe!
Think I'll go and do some weeding.
I've just been chatting to my Hosta friend in Surrey. He built Bowdens' Hosta Ddsplay at Chelsea this year so I'm especially looking forward to seeing how they did.
Hubby is off to his nursery on the way back so hopefully a few wee treasures will be arriving later.
Dove, I've asked for "Fireworks" after seeing that lovely plant you bought last year.
That's a lovely hosta. Before we left I gave away a lot of hostas in pots to good homes, keeping some for me, and I seem to have given away my last Sum and Substance so that's on my list if I ever see one here. Current fave is Dreamweaver.
LG - send a stiff letter to the chief exec saying you know all about the council's policies having been an employee and that you will be charging interest and shopping them to the LG ombudsman if payment is not forthcoming within 7 days. Send it registered post.
Thanks Busy but too far. I got all my hostas from clematis man in Belgium - clematis.be if anyone's looking for some - so might just have to arrange a visit if I'm up there again.
Love Chelsea on Tuesdays and the price of a ticket is about the same as for a premier league footie match and you get 12 hours' guaranteed pleasure and not just 90 minutes with a possible disappointing loss and a rip off pie. The atmosphere is so much better on members' days too with people happy to take their turn at the front to let everyone see everything and get their photos. People like Chris B, Matthew W and Adam are happy to talk to punters too - unlike MD who turns his back.
I've done my list of purchases from yesterday and looked them all up for size and flowering times and so on for planting spaces and diary purposes. That'll larn me, buying interesting foliage but unknown plant! A daphniphyllum and a pistachio which may turn out to be male or female but I won't know for ages. Both just 5€ so not a huge gamble but i'd like some nuts.
More painting this morning, trying to cover a strong blue wall for the umpteenth time, and then gardening. Herbs and treasures to plant and some fresh weeds to spray n the potager so we can get planting. The tunnel is nearly ready for its plastic lid.
Have a good one all. Clari - if you get a 2nd dog, don't go for anything remotely terrier like..
Good morning all!
The world is a slightly better place today. Thank you all for your good wishes - feeling a little better but will take it easy, since I'm travelling down to London tomorrow on the train. At least I can snooze on the journey...
LG, so sorry you're having problems getting paid. You might have to resort to threatening letters, like Clari...
Hosta, I'll look out for Bowdens' hosta display and for the asiatic primulas.
At the moment I can only summon up one
when thinking about Chelsea but hopefully by Wednesday I'll be well enough to enjoy it. Topbird, I solved the "too short to see" problem last year by being there before the gates opened at 8am, and managed to get round the show gardens before the crowds appeared. I don't like crowds either, Fairy, but found I could avoid them ok... strange to be with so many people but "on my own", not needing to talk to anyone unless I chose to do so...
The moggy has stopped throwing up, so that's a bonus, too!
Liri,
I'm not sure which name our friends will be under. Either Staddon Farm Nursery, or Penny's Primulas.
They seem to be moving away from the former to the latter, but need to let customers know they're the same folk. If that makes sense.
Sorry Liri. Meant to wish you better but forgot. I agree about getting there early and Chelsea is fine to do on your own or with friends. I've done both and always end up chatting to strangers about plants. What's not to like?
Not just me then?
Hubby was always asking " Do you have to talk to EVERYBODY?"
He's from London ,and therefore has no social skills
Hosta, I've just found them in the catalogue.
I'm so nervous for them. It's their first chelsea and everything came on earlier this year because of the warm spring. They're too small for any refrigeration options.
You're right, Hosta. I've no social skills.
Liri, I do hope you feel better soon.
For those who find the Chelsea crowds (or the idea of them) difficult, you could try Hampton Court. I went to Chelsea and loved it but then I went to Hampton Court and that's my show of choice now. Lots of the same people showing, but much more space. It's busy, but you can breathe - and see!
I was going to wait until the payroll guy gets back to me 'by the end of the week' (yeah, right) but you've prompted me to write to the head of service (step in between my former boss and Chief Exec) asking him to intervene. Given that I resigned and he wouldn't speak to me for months, I'm not hopeful, but I'll take it to the next level if he doesn't deal with it. He might, just to shut me up.