Red cabbage!

No, not those kind of worms! Tiger worms!!!

I bought an "original organics" junior wormery, and had to send off for my worms with a postcard. The poor things arrived in the post today (They must have a headache from hitting the floor after being dropped through the letter box!).

Stupidly though, between buying the wormery a week ago and the worms arriving today, I have managed to lose the instructions. So, I had to try to remember what to do with it. Hopefully, they will be ok, they have all disappeared into the worm bedding, but haven't touched their food yet. (You would think they would be hungry after their trip, wouldn't you?)

Talk about bizarre clubs, but we have set up this weird collective up at work. In my office we have people living in three different boroughs, so we are doing our bit for the environment by swapping our rubbish!!!!

Why? Because no joined up thinking is going on between the bordering authorities and they are all collecting different things for recycling. So, as my doorstep collection won't take card (actually you are lucky if they take anything made of paper that wasn't originally a NEWSpaper), I am now swapping it and some more dubious plastic items (such as liquitab BOXES - type one plastic)for glass and type 1 and 2 plastic BOTTLES which they will collect.

We are doing this because we care about our effect on our environment.

But the real question is this: If we can organise this between us, why can't three neighbouring boroughs of the same county do the same. It would be far more efficient!

I need to come up with a business idea of my own. I am just sick of the daily grind, all the time for someone else to take the credit. I'm sure I could do well if I struck out on my own.

Problem is...That fantastic idea just hasn't turned up yet

My energy direct debit has been put up by £23 per month, so I am trying to save energy. One of my things is to use the tumble drier less. Today my shiny new brabantia drier arrived - it looks like a rotary drier but it attached to a wall and folds up flat.

I decided this was needed, as my current washing line is in a perfect position to garote anyone who steps out of the back door! (This won't look good next time I have a barbeque!)

In other news: I am seriously thinking about packing in my gym membership. They too have hoiked up the price recently, (but seem to be spending less on on their cleaning staff).

Unfortunately not in alcohol, but vinegar.

Today I have been making up jars of pickled shallots (to my mum's recipe!)and the house now smells of a rather unpleasent mixture of onions and vinegar. It'll be worth it when I can eat them in a few weeks time.

In other news I think I need to take a photo of my pumpkin seeds. I think one is actually alien spawn - you wouldn't believe how long it has grown since this morning!!!!!

No.1 Cheap compost bins!
My Aldi compost bin that I had for a few years is full and falling to pieces, so I thought I could do with a new one. However, the price of £40+ has been putting me off for quite a while. Howver at the weekend I came across this website where the 330litre bin cost only £10 with £1 discount for ordering online! I ordered it on Sunday, and my shiny new bin was waiting on my doorstep when I got home from work yesterday!

Unfortunately, I should have read the dimensions, because it was too big to fit through my front door I had to squash it (and several of my fingers in the process) to get it out into the back yard

No. 2 The joy of pumpkins
A further propagator excitement this morning was that 4 out of 7 pumpkin seeds have started to grow. I have tried many time to get pumpkin seeds to grow but have never managed to germinate any at all! Whoohoo!!

Without my new electric propogator!

Maybe this is a little sad, but every morning I rush down to see how my seeds are getting on, I am enjoying unprecidented success! (13 tomato plants, 5 aubergines, 2 chillis, and more basil and mint than you can shake a stick at!

In other news I have decided to reduce the use of my tumble drier, so I had ordered a wallmounted fold away drier.

I think these are sure signs of getting old when you get excited by these things - or maybe its a sign of contentment maybe?