Once again, thank you all for your messages of support. You have no idea how much they have helped. I had loads of tests done at the hospital today and have been given the all clear. It was unbelievably stressful and I feel quite sick with relief now but very, very happy.

Thank you all for your kind words. I was really down when I wrote the post but a day at the plot and in the greenhouse has restored my spirits a bit. I am going to pour myself a large blackcurrant gin (had a glut of berries last year ) now in the hope that it will knock me out tonight. One way or th...

Sorry to hear about your mum Nature's Babe. Do you live quite near the hospital or is it a long trip to go and see her?

Apart from mad sleepover (see earlier post) I am not sleeping well just now. Have a pain in my arm the same as the one I had two years ago just before I was diagnosed with breast cancer. Going to the hospital on Monday to get it checked out. I am so frightened. Don't know what I'll do if it has come...

I am sooooo tired. Child number 4 was still awake at 4am (he couldn't sleep he said) and then they were all awake again at 6.30 am Just think what we could achieve in a day if we had the energy of a 7 year old! My house and my plot would be pristine

I am hiding in the spare room just now. Mini-haggis broke up from school today for the easter holidays and in a moment of weakness/madness I said that he could have some friends for a sleepover tonight. My sitting room has been taken over by four seven year old boys who have eaten too much junk and ...

For once I am happy to see the rain too - I think that the wildlife pond which I dug a week or two ago for mini haggis must be full now. Can't wait to plant it up and seed it with some pond water.

Well done OH - yes I would like to think that most people would do the same but I'm not sure.

Morning Alan, (and a lovely one it is too in Aberdeen). I'm a bit more ambivalent about gulls I'm afraid. I love to watch them soaring on thermals and think they are amazing almost prehistoric creatures. They are also endearingly cheeky when it comes to feeding but they are a bit of a problem in man...

Snooky, I only have the large push pull hoe but am going to get the small one later this year. I also bought a draw hoe attachment for the Wolf handle - that is really useful too. I agree with Johnboy that hoeing seems to have fallen out of fashion with a lot of gardeners. I am a recent convert and ...

I love my Wolf-Garten push-pull hoe - thanks to all forum members who recommended it. I can cover a great deal of ground very quickly and hoeing once a week kept my plot in good order last year.

I got a bramble bush and a gooseberry. They are very small but the currant bushes I got a few years ago from Lidl have grown into great bushes - hope they have survived the move to my new lottie. Also bought a rose arch and a yellow climbing rose (the old boys won't approve) some seeds and a cloche ...

Thanks for the tip Johnboy. It was quite therapeutic making the pots - something to do when I am waiting for the sleet to stop. Roll on spring.

Hissing roaches.......... think the weed control fabric was dead romantic compared to that.
Hope you all had a lovely valentines day. I'm off to have a nice cup of tea and a lovely cupcake with a wee heart on it. Yum yum (trying not to think of appointment with personal trainer tomorrow though).

Thanks Primrose and OH - will give it a go. If we managed to get some frogspawn or newts mini haggis would be delighted. I had never really considered a pond before - aren't youngsters great - they constantly open your eyes to seeing things in a different way. I remember when mini H was about 2. I c...