Just in passing, an update on Pepe, Marcela had appointments yesterday and today, so she has done the hospital visit whilst out, I will visit tomorrow, and hopefully Pepe will come home Saturday. I am informed that he is doing great, the Vet has said that, he is a strong brave dog, which we already knew. He is putting some weight on his damaged leg, but that is probably due to still being on intravenous pain killers.
The Vet nurse, took him out whilst Marcela was there, and he didn’t want to return, he kept trying to walk to our car, Marcela had to help get him back to his cage. So far so good, long may it continue, but as we know, it’s early days yet!
Yesterday, I started another project, the Guest bedroom wardrobe can wait!, I am going to make a Router table in my workshop Table saw, it will replace the support wing of the table, and reduce wasted space in the workshop. I have bought a router insert plate, but first I need to get the router table made, and work out how I am going to attach it. There is no rush for this, so it’s going to take some time.
Today, it was wellingtons on, then stick in one hand, and machete in the other, it was down into the Orchard to do some clearing.
There is some native grass, that grows two metres or more high, it’s used for cattle, but since we have none, it has to be managed, unfortunately, Marcela’s Associate, had not cleared it, leaving it to grow up into the Avocado, and banana trees…time for some work.
With a sharp machete, it didn’t take long to cut it all down, finding a few more Lady Finger Bananas (miniatures) nearly ready to pick
After which, it was time to make my way back up the slope, which was no easy task, this was where my stick came in, it’s a heavy duty tool handle, but ideal for keeping me upright.
Thank goodness for the time I had spent, placing old tyres as steps, they certainly came into their own today!
There is a fantastic crop of avocados on the trees at the moment, whether they make it all the way to market depends a lot on the climate, if we don’t start getting some sun, they will remain stunted and fall off the trees, but if summer does come, or at least a few days sun each week, Marcela is in for a bumper crop.
I then mixed up a batch of industrial weedkiller, the neighbour doesn’t maintain their land to my standards, and they have a wild climbing flower, which is invasive, it had grown all over the fence between us, in the orchard, and is spreading across our land, the fence is my responsibility, and since I cleaned it all off 18 months ago, replacing a number of posts, I didn’t want it damaged under the weight, nor do I want it growing into our avocados, so spray it was, and I wasn’t particular, they had cut it back to the fence line on their side, however the root system is also on their side, so if I have killed off any of their vegetables in the process… tough!
The only benefit from their lack of maintenance, was that they have another fruit, cidras / Citrons, which grow on creepers, and one had grown across into one of our avocados, I managed to get 12 fruit.
Personally I don’t like them, they don’t have a lot of taste, the fruit is hard to describe, it looks a bit like the inside of an apple when you cut it open, what taste there is, doesn’t appeal to me, however, I guess if you are brought up with them, then your opinion is somewhat different!
At least that’s another job, scratched off my list, I cut the hedges yesterday, and hopefully tomorrow, I’ll have time to cut the lawns, I might then have some time to sit down with Pepe, when he returns.
Whoever said, retirement was for putting your feet up, must have lived in a Studio Apartment, I have never been busier. I wouldn’t have it any other way, but there are times, when I wish I had more time to pick up a book, or in my case an eReader, and just drift away for a few hours!
An Englishman in Colombia 