Hillsborough Barracks.

Rome was built on seven hills and so was Sheffield, the similarity ends there. Before the start of this seven weeks I'd only been to Sheffield a hand full of times. I had heard of Hillsborough Barracks but had never seen it, and had no idea of the size of it, we were well impressed.

Hemswell Cliff.

Hemswell cliff is a disused RAF base in Lincolnshire 37 miles from home. It is now home to one of the largest Sunday markets in England plus the largest car boot sale I have ever seen. The old aeroplane hangars have been converted into shops and storage areas.
The old officers have been converted into cafes and shops, there are lots of furniture and antique shops.
For the record, Bumped into Ralph and Lynn Stalker haven't seen them for well over 12 months talked for about a hour then went on our way. Then dropped on Eddie and Christine Heliwell, by the time we left them all the stall holders were packing up to go home. We're better at talking than shopping!

First week over.

This is the outside of the hospital I am attending for my cancer treatment, Western Park in Sheffield, South Yorkshire.


This is the team in my corner, they are full of confidence and at the same time fill me with confidence.

This is the room and equipment that is used in the treatment of cancer.

This is me showing off. When I am having the treatment for real, my trousers are down to my thighs and my shirt is up to my ribs. The laser beams you can see are used to position me in the same place every time I go. The rays are fired first from the left side then the top, finally from the right. The whole process takes less than a minute.


Trousers up for modesty's sake.



The radiotherapists station and double doors to the theatre.

Pumpkins.

31st July> latest photo.
It looks like a good year for Pumpkins, they are coming on in leaps and bounds.
29th June> The size of a marble.
16th July> The size of a cricket ball. 31st of October who knows.

Yesterdays dinner.

All home grown, what can you do with these Una? Give me ten minutes Dave!

Grate the carrot, cut the tomatoes, leave the cherry toms whole, put the spring onions on top, add a boiled egg, lettuce, cucumber, beetroot, onion, sweet pepper, sweet corn, oven chips, hot and spicy chicken breast, bread and butter and a pot of tea, and away you go back to work!
A meal fit for a King.

Weeding, weeding and more weeding.

Allotments are hard work, really you should go once a day for at leased an hour just to keep on top of things. Leave it for a week and with good growing conditions, a little bit of rain mixed with a bit of sun and this is what you are met with when you next go. Today I spent four hour before dinner and three hours after weeding nonstop, and there's still plenty of work left to do.

Before> my Pumpkin patch not too bad.
Pumpkin patch> After.

Before> Runner beans, Courgettes and French beans right centre & left.
After>

Before> Sprouts and Beetroot somewhere in there.
After>


In all the years I have been growing this is the first time I have been successful with carrots, I don't know why I just must have done something right this year.

Wild flowers (weeds)

The most resilient plants in the allotment are the weeds, if the produce grew as easy it would be great. With this in mind I've taken a leaf out of mother natures book and set wild flowers (weeds) in my flower beds at home. This allows the dog and cat to roam freely with out doing damage to anything of importance. Peace reigns the flowers are pretty and everyone is happy.

Today in Selby.

Hedgehog.

The first one I have seen this year, this one is only a baby. When they feel threatened they roll themselves up into a ball, with only there spines showing.

Pumpkin flower.

Pollinating my pumpkins helping the bees out!

Male Pumpkin flower.

Female pumpkin flower wide open.

The same flower from the side, see the tiny pumpkin below the flower.

A male pumpkin flower closed, note no tiny pumpkin below the flower.

My newest best friend.

We go everywhere together, we've only known one another a short while but we have already been away together. If you are woman and don't know why, believe me you will one day SORRY.

Canada Day.

Last week we walked from Wrynose Pass over the top to The Old Man of Coniston, on the way we passed this Memorial to a Canadian Crew that lost their lives on this spot. I thought it fitting to publish this post today. Lest we forget, we say we wont but we do, I didn't know it was here but I do now and so does anyone that reads this. The story is on google, details on the stone.