RUNNING AND FERRET POO

I've been wondering how on earth to get more flowers on plants in my garden recently: how even to get things planted as seeds to come up at all.  I have come to the conclusion that the soil is not fertile enough, having been hidden under shrubs for years and years and doubtless never fed.

My Father in Law and God Mother M had various suggestions, peat-based compost being a complete no-no.  Bone meal or something was one suggestion; my parents stated that they had stacks of compost, but quite how they'll get it up to Cumbria I'm not sure.  Then it struck me that we had something far more useful close to hand (though it will need covering with top soil - which isn't a problem as I want to raise some of the levels anyway); something free and in regular supply.  Ferret poo.  And, as our ferrets have a very high quality diet (remains of roast beef; yorkshire pudding; custard) doubtless their poo will be high quality too.  So... next time Husband cleans their hutch out (and leaves the straw and droppings in a bucket for several days), they are going on the garden.

I'm optimistic that our garden will eventually be as fertile as the patch of grass where the pond used to be.

I'm also optimistic that if I get a job it won't then cost a huge amount to get someone in to set up my raised vegetable beds, do some weeding, and move the paving stones from the back to the side, thus finalising, for now, the layout of the garden.  What I also want someone to suggest is how I get the 6' high stinging nettles out of the ferret run.....

Talking of runs, I went for a run in Gelt Woods today, for the first time in getting on for two years.  It had even changed a bit: Hayton High Estate and Edmond Castle Estate have fenced off lots of their land, but it had the advantage of making the footpaths wider and also there weren't any stiles to climb over.  Then, when we got to the quarry, we found the footpath had also been widened and moved there.  My running companion and I decided that the changes were probably for the best.

It took us 3 or 4 minutes longer than usual to get to the railway viaduct at Middle Gelt Bridge, but at least that provides a base on which to improve, and generally I was running quite well and felt fitter than I had anticipated feeling.  We arranged to go again next weekend, and to make it a regular weekly outing if we can.  It would be great if I was going to the gym Tuesdays and Fridays and running on a Sunday: getting a job could limit that but on the other hand I do also need to earn some money.

Husband is busy doing the ironing and I've done the washing, washing up, baby's bottles etc.: so while he's occupied with that I'm going to bed to start re-reading Axel Munthe's The Story of San Michele, which I haven't read since I was in my late teens/early twenties.  I wonder if I'll enjoy it as much now?