Garden in lockdown.

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Bill Bentley
Posts: 381
Joined: Thu Dec 26, 2019 6:40 pm
Location: Spain / Germany
Service details: 1970 - JLR RAC, 14/20KH, Para Sqn RAC, 14/20KH, Hereford, 14/20KH, 2 Para, DLOY - 1990.
Real name: Martin William Lester Bentley (Bill) (Basha !)
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x 29

Re: Garden in lockdown.

Post by Bill Bentley »

Cryptic crosswords, pop groups, I was a soldier then a farmer :? .
Never done a crossword and know less about music, but I can talk all day about rubbish :lol:.
Been a bit busy of late. Bloody Volvo had been playing up again, just before we head back down South. Got just a couple of days to get alternative wheels. Upset the missus, bought a minibus, wanted one from the start and she didn't.
If she keeps moaning I'll put my Royal Enfield in the bus and fit a seat for her on the trailer with the dogs :twisted:.
.
Arnie
Posts: 260
Joined: Sun Dec 29, 2019 12:42 pm
Location: Western Australia
Service details: Enlisted in 14th/20th King's Hussars on 2 Feb 1959.
Served Hohne and Rheindahlen 1959 - 1962
Libya 1962 Cyprus with C Sqn Dec 1963 - Feb 1964. Returned to Benghazi
then to Tripoli with B Sqn until Sep 1964. Left for Courses in NBC then to 7 Armoured Brigade till 1967.
Transferred to Intelligence Corps 67. First posting to Northern Ireland 67 - 70.
Singapore 70 - 71, Hong Kong 71 - 72. NI 72 - 74. NITAT (Northern Ireland Training and Advisory Team) 74 - 76. Berlin 76 - 79. Final Posting, Preston Int and Security Section. Stupidly Retired on 1 Feb 81, and emigrated to Australia.
Real name:
x 18

Re: Garden in lockdown.

Post by Arnie »

Bill, does Rahi see these posts of yours? If she does she must have a great sense of humour, to withstand the comment about the trailer seat. Brenda understands my horrible sense of humour. Sort of 'joke' I can never resist. When the cashier in any shop asks the question, "Do you want a bag for that?' My reply usually is, "No! I have one waiting at home for me". Of course, never when she is standing within earshot. Usual reply is something similar to Dick Emery, "Oooh, you are awful!!"
When are you departing for sunny Spain again? Whenever it is stay safe, drive carefully, in that minibus, and above all stay healthy. Best wishes for the journey.

Brenda and Arnie :D :D :D
Bill Bentley
Posts: 381
Joined: Thu Dec 26, 2019 6:40 pm
Location: Spain / Germany
Service details: 1970 - JLR RAC, 14/20KH, Para Sqn RAC, 14/20KH, Hereford, 14/20KH, 2 Para, DLOY - 1990.
Real name: Martin William Lester Bentley (Bill) (Basha !)
x 1
x 29

Re: Garden in lockdown.

Post by Bill Bentley »

Arnie,
are you nuts ? Of course she does not read any of my mail :? :?, I hope :shock: !

Already arrived, enjoyed my drive in the minibus, it does what I want. The Volvo had too many 'controls', worse than when I did my pilots aptitude tests :lol:. Ok, you can turn most of them off, but why then pay 10 grand for crap you don't want ? Also the automatic gearbox was not up to pulling over mountains. The manual 'with cruise control' was a dream. Fully loaded and pulling my bike-trailer (only 600 kg's) at 102 kph, it laughed at the mountains. It has the new(ish) 2 liter engine, diesel, and is very nippy. I only used 7,6 liters of juice per 100 km. On the way back up North, in Spring, the Volvo used 7,4 without a trailer; though admittedly we were going a wack faster:120 in Spain, 130 in France and 140 in Germany. So much for European equality.

Of course when we got back there was a lot to do in the tiny garden. Veg hardly has a chance here unless you are there to water it daily. So from now on it's 'only the hard'n come in the garden'.

What is amazing is that so much physical discomfort disappears when we are here. It was a hammer when we returned to Germany, within days the old aches and pains returned with a vengeance.

I also just want to remind everyone that dear old Bob Harrison is still very active in the background, working for all of our benefit along with the rest of the committee. Thanks Bob and a thousand cheers ! You know what I mean ;) .
Arnie
Posts: 260
Joined: Sun Dec 29, 2019 12:42 pm
Location: Western Australia
Service details: Enlisted in 14th/20th King's Hussars on 2 Feb 1959.
Served Hohne and Rheindahlen 1959 - 1962
Libya 1962 Cyprus with C Sqn Dec 1963 - Feb 1964. Returned to Benghazi
then to Tripoli with B Sqn until Sep 1964. Left for Courses in NBC then to 7 Armoured Brigade till 1967.
Transferred to Intelligence Corps 67. First posting to Northern Ireland 67 - 70.
Singapore 70 - 71, Hong Kong 71 - 72. NI 72 - 74. NITAT (Northern Ireland Training and Advisory Team) 74 - 76. Berlin 76 - 79. Final Posting, Preston Int and Security Section. Stupidly Retired on 1 Feb 81, and emigrated to Australia.
Real name:
x 18

Re: Garden in lockdown.

Post by Arnie »

Bill, agree with everything you say about Bob Harrison, a million thanks to him for doing all the work and keeping the site viable. It is a shame about what happened to the old site and the advent of Facebook.
Its good to hear you are back in Spain. Is it your intention to move between the 2 each year. We had many ex pats in Oz who did the same, i,e., move between Oz in our summer and UK in our winter, till the present from China landed in our laps. Never looked into it but believe Oz is locked up tight as a drum, from outside as well as inside. Each state has it's own rules for lock-down so there is very little travel. We used to sit on our balcony and watch, and hear, planes either approach or depart from Perth. Then we got peace and quiet. Slowly starting again but I presume its only within travel between the states.
What kind of Minibus do you have? Once travelled from Berlin to the South of France in my early '76 model VW Passat pulling a caravan. Nightmare, in France as the French truckies, recognising the BFG Numberplate, deliberately got into my slipstream and almost tore the heart out of my engine. Vowed never to do it again. Of course now I doubt I will ever get the chance. Happy where I am!!!!

Stay well and stay safe. All our regards to everyone.

Brenda and Arnie. :D :D :D :D :D :D
Pinky
Posts: 425
Joined: Thu Dec 26, 2019 11:31 am
Location: Alberta, Canada
Service details: 1979 JLR RAC. 14/20H then that other regiment. 1979-2003
Real name:
x 20
x 35

Re: Garden in lockdown.

Post by Pinky »

Howdy,
Thanks for the updates and stories Bill and Arnie.
Both spot on about Bob too.
We've got the smoke here in southern Alberta from the fires in Oregon and California to deal with.
Battle of Britain day today, love watching those Spitfires and Hurricanes flying past.....
"Never was so much owed by so many to so few"
Stay safe
Pinky
Arnie
Posts: 260
Joined: Sun Dec 29, 2019 12:42 pm
Location: Western Australia
Service details: Enlisted in 14th/20th King's Hussars on 2 Feb 1959.
Served Hohne and Rheindahlen 1959 - 1962
Libya 1962 Cyprus with C Sqn Dec 1963 - Feb 1964. Returned to Benghazi
then to Tripoli with B Sqn until Sep 1964. Left for Courses in NBC then to 7 Armoured Brigade till 1967.
Transferred to Intelligence Corps 67. First posting to Northern Ireland 67 - 70.
Singapore 70 - 71, Hong Kong 71 - 72. NI 72 - 74. NITAT (Northern Ireland Training and Advisory Team) 74 - 76. Berlin 76 - 79. Final Posting, Preston Int and Security Section. Stupidly Retired on 1 Feb 81, and emigrated to Australia.
Real name:
x 18

Re: Garden in lockdown.

Post by Arnie »

Pinky, same could be said about Bob Harrison and his committee!!!! :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D

Arnie
Pinky
Posts: 425
Joined: Thu Dec 26, 2019 11:31 am
Location: Alberta, Canada
Service details: 1979 JLR RAC. 14/20H then that other regiment. 1979-2003
Real name:
x 20
x 35

Re: Garden in lockdown.

Post by Pinky »

Ha Ha Ha
Latest committee not tested yet? But I'm full of confidence, good bunch.
Pinky
Bill Bentley
Posts: 381
Joined: Thu Dec 26, 2019 6:40 pm
Location: Spain / Germany
Service details: 1970 - JLR RAC, 14/20KH, Para Sqn RAC, 14/20KH, Hereford, 14/20KH, 2 Para, DLOY - 1990.
Real name: Martin William Lester Bentley (Bill) (Basha !)
x 1
x 29

Re: Garden in lockdown.

Post by Bill Bentley »

Upon arriving back in Spain our little garden looked pretty devastated. A friend had been watering regularly but using tap water which is chlorinated (got bleach in it). When we were still here it had rained occasionally and we stored all the water we could get from the roof drainage; this had worked well for us. My next step is to use the water we pump out of the spa, when cleaning, and store this. With the filth residue in the water butts and the strong sunlight I'm hoping that the bleach will get neutralised. Arnie do you have any experience of this ? Active bleach is of course devastating to the microbiology in the ground, even if the H2O (can't get the 'high 2' !!??) water will keep the plants alive :? .

In the coming season we plan to start the tomatoes much earlier and harvest before we leave. The Rosemary and Basil survived well as did Chives, but most other herbs turned to dust :( . Cactus between the tomatoes is not an option :lol: :lol: .
Potatoes didn't even sprout and onions didn't grow at all :evil:.

Oh well, if gardening does not work, I've still got my Royal Enfield to buzz around on :lol: :lol:.
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