Where did April go for goodness sake, the month started cold and grey but eventually warmed up with several sunny days here, and now we are " at average temperatures for the month" according to the weather men. This morning I heard that we might be short of rain all through May which seems really silly after the months of wet.
I've had a few thoughts about our month on the simple Suffolk smallholding and these are our ups and downs. Achievements and things not so good.
1.We earned more than we spent which is always a good way to be. Helped by having the guys working on the Sizewell Outage staying on the campsite - one lot go and another lot arrive. Its the first time we've ever had any here before so I don't know where they stayed in the past.Also Him Outside got paid for the big shed-shifting job and some other gardening work he had been doing throughout March and April.
2. I finished cross stitching another small present for Christmas. BUT I've not picked up my needle since then.
3. I worked out a recipe for onion bhajis which will be a regular part of our home made curry meals from now on.
4.The garden gave us our first of this years crops,- Radishes, Lettuce,Rhubarb,Purple sprouting Broccoli, Chard and Asparagus. The cool spring meant that we still had Leeks, cabbages and onions too.
5. We got the campsite shower done and made a recreation room out of the end of the shed.
6. I found a pair of comfy walking boots for £20 - thought I was going to have to spend more than that.
7.Started blogging and found its lots of fun with many nice people.
8. Kept the food spending under my budget - JUST ! even though its a bad month for stuff of our own.
9. I had another birthday with lots of presents and pretty cards from family and penfriends.
10. Earned an unexpected £30 from the 30 money saving tips thing.
11. Found several things we needed from carboots for finishing off the campsite.
12.Got the new poly tunnel frame up
13. Got my self-employment Tax form done.
14. New chickens now all laying so about 8 dozen a day to sell which they do most days.
15. Had good germination on most things for this years crops.
BUT
Had to buy a new hoover when I set fire to the old one!
Had to buy a new better doorbell so we could hear campers coming to the door.
Him Outside had a big spend on a new hay turner as the one we've had on permanent loan for the past 19 years has finally got un-repairable. ( Hay making is a good source of income for us so this in an investment for future years.)
With trees now coming into leaf it's obvious that nearly all the 100 Ash trees that we planted in January 2011 have the Ash Die back disease and will have to be desrtoyed. So Sad.
That was April for us. How did your April go?
