I FORGOT THIS...

but I did remember to lower the photos!!

I decided that I'm too old and creaky to look after the pond any more so it would have to be filled in. This mess shows the poor old pond in July(no fish in it, thank goodness) covered with duck weed. I managed to find a small local firm who, for what seemed an exorbitant price but on a par with another quote, came to fill it in.

It was a good chance to get rid of those 'might come in useful one day' potsherds in hiding behind the bottom shed so those were dumped in the now-empty pond to act as hardcore. All sorts of other cracked pots were also thrown in, after all, every little helps!

The liner was folded over after the paving slab pieces round the edge were removed and added to the bottom of the pond, then the workmen brought in barrowloads of soil until it looked -

like this.  It was left for a few weeks until it had settled; in the meantime, I pulled up small pieces of pond liner which had been under the pond edging so there would be a clear run for sowing grass seed.

This is how it looks this morning after being transformed by Homebase's own grass seed. It has been cut a couple of times but Gillian hasn't been able to come due to the rainy weather so it needs a 'last cut' before the winter really sets in. And there are still some daffs waiting to be planted... I managed to fill these pots with new compost and plant tulips, crocus and violas in these and a couple more but it's a slow process. I don't usually garden unless there's someone else around to pick me up if I fall. The badger(s) have already had a go at 'the pond' and nearer the house, too, which makes the ground lumpy and potholed at the same time.  But at least it looks better than it did in July when it was a watery pond.

I wanted to advertise my Tiny Teds at the craft fair in Haddenham so made this banner using Bondaweb for the first time. Before I early-retired in the late 80s I copied all the wooden upper and lower case letters which the children used and they've come in very useful for lots of projects.

What else have I forgotten???