Annual allotment dinner

Once a year those that work together in the garden by the river meet to eat and drink and swap notes. That the garden is by the river should give a clue as to this years major theme...

We have been submerged and swept away, in various ways. The amazing cement 'dance floor' that Roland made for the group -weighing at least a ton - was swept into the adjoining field along with other stuff. Roland, above, has been in the Ariege and missed it all; here he is looking at the photos of the destruction. It is amazing. Kat and Louise are laughing at his shock rather than the damage, I think.

Bernht and Jutta hosted the event, for Bieke and Wilhelm, Norbert and Louise, Kat and Roland, Isobelle, me and Bob. What a cosmopolitan group :) - dreadful photos, sorry all - 

The tradition is that we all bring food made from vedg grown on the field and this year didn't quite make it, though the intentions were pure. Still there was pumpkin puree, leek and potato soup, apple pie - not bad. The other food delicious and if not grown by the team, it might have been!

Bieke led the speeches in three languages, translating as she went. She - and Bob, of course - are the only original members of the team, so long ago that no-one can remember.

The challenge now is to try and find, repair, clean and replace the fences and replant where necessary.

We tried to write a gardeners song and, deciding it had to be in french, got immediately distracted by the language. To dig depends on the type of implement you use and what you are digging...