WottaLottaClutta

[FredFromOssett]

Just spent a productive day emptying the shed on the allotment, to clear the area in readiness for a new shed going up at the end of the week. Whilst the emptying has been a bit of a chore, it has provided an excellent opportunity to go through the drawers and clear out some of the dross. It is amazing how much rubbish accumulates over the years; all those bits and bobs which 'may come in useful' - but never do! Fortunately I developed a fairly ruthless streak on going through everything; good job the dustbin gets emptied next week. Mid year resolution; try to keep the new one tidy and uncluttered. Some hopes.

[Westi]

'The Come in Useful Someday Stuff'! Sneaky stuff really because it generally does come in useful - right after you clear up & throw it away you have the perfect job it could be used for!

Westi

[oldherbaceous]

I've got all sorts of very useful stuff in my many sheds, but when i'm looking for that one special item, that i know i have got, it's the only item i can't find...I bet cook has moved it....

[old codger]

I've got all sorts of very useful stuff in my many sheds, but when i'm looking for that one special item, that i know i have got, it's the only item i can't find...I bet cook has moved it....

Why blame cook for every thing, you know very well you have put it up and forgot where you have put it,with a memory like yours. You would be lost with out Cook ,doing all the house work and getting you out of trouble over the Lottie.

[robo]

My dearest says im the worlds best hoarder of useless rubbish at home our garage is 38 feet long and I struggle to get from one end to the other , down the plot ive a 9 x 8 shed that you cant see the floor for things that will come in handy, now that we spend time in spain ive two brick sheds that are getting near to bursting one is the battery shed for the solar system the other is for the generator , I think that makes me an international hoarder

[peter]

Robo is The International Man of Mystery!

It's a mystery what's in my domestic and foreign sheds.

[Elaine]

It must be universal, this problem...our allotment shed was an utter tip. Husband just dumps everything and I gave up trying to sort it cos he grumbled that he couldn't find anything. The turning point came when we had a lot of break ins on the site....our shed got done and the policeman said what a mess the burglars had made. We had to shamefully confess that it was always like this ....on the other hand, the burglars (not the B-word I would really like to use ) were probably put off, as they didn't take anything...I reckon they took one look at the clutter and couldn't be bothered to search any further!
An awful lot of damage was done on other plots/sheds that night but they have got the culprits.

[Elaine]

PS. The shed is now all tidy and sorted. For a while.....

[robo]

So they got the thieving barstuards good I bet they get 7 days community service which will give them the chance to find the next places worth robbing, our allotment has been done twice in the last month up to now they have had away with a barrow and a rotavator prior to this you could leave anything on your plot and it would not get touched
apart from the spuds I had taken last year and that wont happen again, funny thing is our
allotment is in the worst part of town

[Monika]

It's one job we shall have to do shortly, but at the moment there is still stuff in here which will move to the outside when the weather dries up enough.

But some funny shed news: this morning I was planting spray chrysanthemums near our shed, with the door open, when a swallow twice flew into the shed, examined the roof and flew out again. Wish I could leave the door ajar or saw a hole in it so that the swallows could get in and out for nesting .... So many barns and old farm building around here have been turned into houses without adequate provisions for swallows, house martins, swifts and bats.

[Elaine]

Yes Robo, they got the lads who robbed and vandalised our site twice in one month. Five lads aged from 12 years to fifteen years old. They didn't actually steal anything...everything they took from folks plots was found on other plots around the site. They did a hell of a lot of damage though. Our friends on the plot next door, had their shed completely wrecked and everything which could be spilled was scattered all over, from compost, fertilizer to the tomato ketchup they put on their bacon butties. Another neighbour's shed, they actually went in through the roof...stupid thing was, the door was unlocked as they hadn't repaired it from the previous break in. Other folks had their poly tunnels slashed, greenhouse glass smashed, plants pulled up and stuff thrown about.
Yes, they have got community service...100 hours graft on our site, supervised at all time by the PCSO who has been dealing with it all. So far, they have been clearing overgrown parts and repairing the roads...understandably, not many people want them on their plot..I certainly wouldn't.

[Redfox]

Coming up to the time of year where I empty out my shed and put it all back in tidy. never lasts for long though . it's only asmall 4x6 shed.

[WestHamRon]

Yes Robo, they got the lads who robbed and vandalised our site twice in one month. Five lads aged from 12 years to fifteen years old. They didn't actually steal anything...everything they took from folks plots was found on other plots around the site. They did a hell of a lot of damage though. Our friends on the plot next door, had their shed completely wrecked and everything which could be spilled was scattered all over, from compost, fertilizer to the tomato ketchup they put on their bacon butties. Another neighbour's shed, they actually went in through the roof...stupid thing was, the door was unlocked as they hadn't repaired it from the previous break in. Other folks had their poly tunnels slashed, greenhouse glass smashed, plants pulled up and stuff thrown about.
Yes, they have got community service...100 hours graft on our site, supervised at all time by the PCSO who has been dealing with it all. So far, they have been clearing overgrown parts and repairing the roads...understandably, not many people want them on their plot..I certainly wouldn't.

I'm fortunate in that I haven't suffered vandalism, not having an allotment.
I don't mean to come across as "preachy", but wouldn't it be better to allow these kids to work on your plots so they can see the benefits of all the hard work you put in?
They may then see the damage they do when they think they're "only having a bit of fun".

[Elaine]

Yes, WesthamRon, that's the idea behind it.
So far, only one or two of the plot holders affected by these lads' wrecking sprees have had them on their plot.

I got my first look at them last weekend....not very encouraging. One was arguing with one of the PCSOs, that he was hungry and wanted something to eat.. "LIKE NOW" despite the fact they had only just arrived on site. Another was sat playing with his mobile phone and nothing the PCSO said made him get off his bum. Two of them were shoving each other about, getting rather het up and the PCSO was trying to sort them out and the last lad was just stood there looking sulky.

I later saw them half heartedly shovelling some hardcore onto a hole in the road...all of them still looking mutinous.

I'm still not convinced that making them work on the site will have the desired effect though....

[robo]

You should have tied them up then tar and feather them, you would not get your allotments vandalised by them again especially if you use hot tar