Family history, looking after chickens and sowing our seeds... (From Warrington Guardian)

Family history, looking after chickens and sowing our seeds...

2:46pm Tuesday 3rd April 2012 in Your Say

Had a lovely relaxing time this winter sitting at the computer designing and making greetings cards, researching numerous hobbies and interests and also renewing my interest in genealogy.

Which incidentally is now far more advanced than when I began researching this subject 30 years ago.

I was only able to find records at the relevant Churches or on the St Catherine’s index of births marriages and deaths held at St Helens library.

After making weekly appointments to view these records waiting hours in all kinds of weather to catch the bus to the town and trying not to drink more than a sip of tea before I began my journey so I wouldn’t have to visit the toilet as this could sometimes loose me my place in the research room.

Now I can do all my research online in the comfort of my own home, cup of tea at hand and toilet only yards away.

Bliss!

After spending years looking for an order of filiation for my great grandfather (born out of wedlock in 1817) I found this in the National Archives. What a fantastic feeling.

Even though we’ve spent lots of time on the computers we’ve still had the chickens to look after. We’ve had them for almost a year now and they’ve each laid an egg a day for most of that time so that’s around 1400 eggs.

They also make lovely pets.

We’ve managed to sow most of our seeds now and have the tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, melons and aubergines in the conservatory waiting to be planted in the green houses at the allotments at the end of the month.

The brassicas, peas, runner beans and numerous trays of flowers are in the cold green house at home waiting to be planted out hopefully after the last frosts.

The onion and shallot seedlings/sets are on the patio waiting to be planted out after Easter. We had everything under control at the allotments ready to plant every thing out at the end of the month and were relaxing at home.

Then on Thursday afternoon we had a call to say that the allotment sheds had been broken into. Whoever it was, was mainly interested in taking the tea, coffee, sugar and biscuits from most of the sheds.

They also took cups, a kettle and a primus. They must have fancied a brew. They also took a ten year old jacket, small tool box, radio, drill (that once it’s lost it’s charge would be useless) and a hundred year old spade that wouldn’t be out of place on the antiques road show. Most things would be of no use to them.

Indeed most allotmenters operate on a low budget and their sheds only contain tatty old tools, weed killers, sprays, packets and bottles of noxious substances that in the wrong hands can cause a lot of damage. The stupid senseless act of these people caused a lot of damage to our sheds.

Allotmenters work hard enough tending the land without having to clear up after people who think they have the right to help themselves to other people's property.

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