Crop Failure
by MrZebra on Jun.09, 2009, under The Garden
There will be no sunflowers this year – not unless I plant another batch. I returned from holiday to find that the slugs had eaten every last one of them.
I will hopefully plant some more, however “real life” has taken a turn that will severely curtail my outdoor activities this summer. I’ve been offered the opportunity of a second job. I already have a full-time job, 8:30 to 5:30, and so taking on another job in the evenings and weekends is a real push – however I managed it over Winter and so maybe I can manage it again. I’m very short on money, and the house needs some expensive repairs.
I am disappointed that I will not be able to spend any time outside this summer – I had been really looking forward to planting some things and watching them grow. Now it looks as though I will be lucky to find enough time to cut the grass, let alone do anything else. However, the extra money will undoubtedly be very helpful. The house needs to be re-rendered, as the render is hollow or falling off in patches. Re-rendering should help relieve some of the dampness in winter. Many of the stone walls and outbuildings are crumbling and in desparate need of repair. I had planned to do it myself but now I will not have time, so I will have to pay for those to be fixed as well. In spite of this, the freelance work should hopefully pay enough that I will come out on top.
It is a shame to lose another summer, stuck in front of the computer while the world continues on its path around me, however I need the money and so I will have to put my plans on hold for yet another year. C’est la vie.
June 25th, 2009 on 3:34 pm
Hi Mr Z, Sorry to hear about your sunflowers. They must have been a gourmet meal for those slugs! The choice between money or time is an ongoing nemesis for most of us. While it may be worth it to take on extra work this year, make sure that you aren’t over-stretching yourself or you will end up too tired to be able to do the things that you want to do next year. The key to it is to try to work smart and only take on extra contracts that pay a lot in relation to the amount of hours that you will have to work. Otherwise, the time and doing things yourself is a better use of your time. Keep going. Jazz X