.........Is there anybody out there?

The other evening I met up with My brother Ed, Sue and Rob who were taking a canal boat holiday along the Kennet and Avon Canal (Jen stayed at home - catching up on some sleep no doubt) . We had a very pleasant evening at The Three Magpies near Devizes. I can heartily recommend their steak and kidney pie and the spotted richard (presumably the p.c. version of the more traditional 'dick'). Whilst catching up on all things family (Jen's trip to India; Rob's 'head boy' election; Granny and Grandads garden etc) I found out that people do actually read this blog. So a hearty "hello" to everyone in Radnorshire, its nice to know someone out there reads our drivel any way - any comments on style & content gratefully recieved.

Heres a nice photo of the place Jen refers to as 'The Shire'

Future Springbok No.7 or 8?

Nick Koster

Yesterday we (Brian, Bess, Mum, Rich and I) went down to Swansea for the day . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

We went to The Mumbles and had an ice-cream and a play on the beach, then we had a walk around the park and Bess had her first proper go on a bouncy castle (she hasn't quite got the hang of it yet - bless) and then we went to the Liberty Stadium to see Nick (my cousin) play with the Springbok (under 20's) number 7 shirt on, in the Junior World Championships. It was the most amazing afternoon.

Earlier in the week Mum and I went to Cardiff Arms Park to see South Africa play England, for a place in the final. It was a real case of divided loyalties, but I'm afraid blood is thicker and all that and we were right in there with the Springbok supporters shouting like the best of them.

It was a foul, wet, cold night (at the beginning of our summer!) and the game didn't kick off until 9.30pm, which was a ridiculous time to start a game. Anyway, after running up and down that dark, damp pitch for 90 minutes England won (which was good of course), but disappointing too, because we wanted the 'greens' to win that night. That meant that South Africa would now meet Wales in the 3rd place play off and England would play NZ to win. That brings me back to our day out in Swansea . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

We met my Uncle Pete (Nicks Grandfather), my cousin John (Nicks Dad), JP (Nicks older brother - who is a fantastic rugby player too - watch this space) and Charlie (Nicks uncle), who had all flown over for the week to watch the tournament. That in itself was fantastic, but to then stand there as Nick ran out of the tunnel in the number 7 shirt, with the rest of the team and then stood in line to sing the South African national anthem, was a very proud and emotional experience.

Divided loyalties this time for Brian. He wore his brightest red Welsh shirt, sang the National Antem and encouraged 'his boys' all through the game, but he shouted just as loudly when Nick had the ball.


Bess proved to be a very loud cheer leader and "Come on Nick" could be heard quite clearly by the people on the other side of the stadium - she had a great time and going off on a bit of a tangent, asked if we were going again today! Bless her, start them early they say.


Anyway, I'm not going to give an account of the game (South Africa beat Wales 43 - 8), there is really no need. However, Nick scored a fantastic try (I thought I was going to wet myself!) enabled several others to do the same (I'm not biased, but he did) and then - and this is most exciting part - was awarded Man of the Match. I could have done with some smelling salts at this point! It was so well deserved and the culmination of a great afternoon.


We won't forget that afternoon in Swansea - the first of many occasions I'm sure, that we will spend watching a Koster in a green Springbok jersey.

Well done Nick - you truly are a star.

The winners of the tournament were New Zealand. They beat England 38 - 3. Well done to them, and to England for getting to the final.

Pesky Pigeons

Allotment update.

We know there are those of you out there who are eager for more news of the allotment.....well even if there aren't its all we've got to fill up our blog with this week - cue very dull photos of veg..................potatoes to be exact:

Despite the best efforts of the pigeons, who have eaten every sprout, cabbage and brocolli we planted, the rest of the allotment is doing fine...well "ok" at least. We've replanted all the stuff that the pigeons had eaten and covered them with netting (the plants, rather than the pigeons).

For the first time ever we have found ourselves in June saying things like "we could do with a bit of rain", we are turning into pensioners!! On at least two occassions we've got home to answerphone messages from fellow allotmenteers telling us of the latest pest to attack our plants.

Calm yourselves heres a photo of a bean............

A Place in the Sun

We have had some very wet and cold holidays over the past couple of years. The only photos we have of Bess on the beach she is wearing waterproofs or wooly hats. So whilst we were really looking forwrad to a few days away, it was with a certain amount of trepidation.

However, we needn't have worried. What a glorious few days - we got sunburnt, Brian suffered from dehydration and we scuttled to the cool of the shade on more than one occasion. Bess absolutely loved the beach - the paddling, rockpooling, sandcastle building and running around with no clothes on. And Salcombe was an absolutely fantastic location - a picturesque Devon fishing village perching on the edge of the mouth of the estuary. the town is bustling, the beaches golden, the sea blue and the views stunning (below the view from our house)

Salcombe is definitely now topping our list of favourite places to stay.

Tree- mendous

A few weeks ago one of our very freindly neighbours, Pete, said 'you might want to get the ivy taken off your tree because it was swaying a bit in the wind the other day'. Imagine the excitement when. after a particularly blustery weekend part of the tree at the bottom of the garden got fed up with standing alongside the rest of the tree and started to lean abit to the left. Clearly something was awry. Our neighbour's (not Pete) fence was also in danger of being demolished (in Stratton this rates as a major natural distaster waiting to happen). The men from the emergency tree surgery task force were quick to respond to our distress call. Getting at the tree was a bit tricky and we had to rope in our new freind Fi's driveway but the gallant lads from Cotswold Estates did a fine job. We were a bit worried that the whole tree would have to come out, but luckily not. However we now have a big gap in our hedge (and can see the houses at the bottom of the garden) and a big pile of firewood.

What Allot (ment)!

. . . . . . . . . what a difference a few days make (well 30ish anyway).

We've been digging, weeding, pruning, sowing, growing, watering, a bit more digging, weeding, pruning, sowing, growing and watering and it almost looks like an allotment. Its so exciting. If everything that we have planted grows (and a BIG thank you to all our kind plant donators too) we are going to be big competition for Tescos'! (that was the reason for doing this in the first place).

Well, on our patch we have got potatoes, cabbage, broad beans, cauliflour, raspberries, butternut squash, marrow, chard, red onions, broccoli, artichoke, gooseberries, rhubarb and blackcurrants (well, we think they are).

We've still got a bit to dig over and in that we are putting pumpkin, carrots (orange and white), spinach and radishes.

AND we've got our raised bed at home with peas, strawberries, lettuce, rocket, tomatoes, peppers, courgettes, cucumbers and herbs. I feel quite hungry now!

Well, if nothing else, the local pidgeons, slugs, snails, woprms, red ants, hedgehogs and badgers (yes, David on the next door allotment told me they are a bit of a menace) will be very well fed this year!

Watch out Chelsea Flower Show 2009 - we've got prize cucumbers to exhibit!

General Watt...my part in his downfall

Field report : Saturday afternoon was spent driving around in an eighteen ton tank shooting table tennis balls filled with paint at another eighteen ton tank. How much fun is that!

Thank you General Watt, Sah!

Pvt Taylor (B)