Back behind the wheel

With thanks to Enterprise car rentals, I now have transport again which should enable me to complete a few immediate commitments and help look for replacement (long term) transport arrangements.

I can't say it was easy getting back in the driving seat - having been a passenger with both Lynne and Richard over the last few days all I could visualize was all the potential accidents awaiting at every bend, junction, cyclist, pedestrian etc. Didn't exactly make for a pleasant experience.

Picked up the hire car today and made a trip to the recovery garage to recover the tax disc from the old Focus. Recovery chap confirmed the Focus was taken for salvage this morning.

Insurance will I guess take its time. Solicitors are now on-board regarding personal injuries - so who knows where this will lead to.

Planning to do some work this week though taking it steady.

Prior to the accident I had registered for the Gloucestershire British Heart Foundation bike ride and I fully intend to complete this on the 15th May. So if you have a few pounds spare I'd really appreciate a small sponsorship donation. The reason I do this ride is that I lost my father to heart problems in 1996, so the least I can do is to try to raise a little amount to help the BHF in its research and care programmes.

Donations can be made on-line at: http://original.justgiving.com/nigelcleaver

Thanks

and things could have been very different….

So, this week started very well in fact – riding off the back of a very pleasant afternoon out on Sunday, visiting the National Trust Hidcote gardens. Got some good inspiration from seeing some of the early Spring planting schemes and putting some ideas together for a client’s border improvements.

I had a positive response from my job application with the National Trust and was invited to attend a job interview later in the week (Wednesday).

The week ahead looked very promising with confirmed gardening rounds now in place, and the potential of additional work to be confirmed shortly.

Dodged a few rain showers on Monday and Tuesday while removing roses (my pet hate) and severely pruning and re-training some winter jasmines (Jasminum nudiflorum).

Wednesday duly arrives, and the interview takes place at Snowshill. All appears well as I make my journey home. That is until waiting to rejoin the B4077 road near to Ford I am involved in a car accident. Whilst stationery and waiting close to the road junction, another vehicle coming at speed from my right-hand side takes action to avoid hitting a car crossing the road from opposite me and collides into the drivers side front wing with such force that my Ford Focus is re-orientation 90 degrees to the left and propelled 2 car lengths into the road side verge. Air bags explode, head collides with the side window, air-bag burn/abrasion to my left arm and I’m left wondering what the … happened there. With the burning smell coming from the exploded air bags my initial reaction was get out quick the car’s on fire. Thankfully my driver’s door worked ok.

Suffice to say had I been waiting 2 or so metres closer to the white road markings at the junction I probably would not be here. The driver side front wing and wheel was hit with such force (guessing at least 50mph impact speed) that it was embedded into the engine compartment. My car is a write-off, the body twisted.

Thank the Lord..

Others in the colliding vehicle were taken to hospital with what looked like neck and whiplash issues – but I really wasn’t paying much attention.

Checked out at the hospital later that evening to ensure no concussion or lasting damage. Seems ok. Large bruised bump on my head with sore forearm. Today (Thursday) a head-ache, and little patience to make and receive countless telephone calls to insurance / garages / hire-car folks. And really hacked off that I’ve lost a good reliable car to boot.

Still things could have been very different.

Wednesday evening did end on a positive note – you are now reading the blog of a National Trust employee! J Really please about this – and something to get my gardening fingers stuck into as well as my own business.

I've started - there may be risks.. ah well

I'm really pleased that the new business is slowly but steadily getting going.

With a few recommends and some chance encounters, various jobs are appearing. Having visited both Gotherington Nurseries and Blooms on a regular basis to source plants and do some research, I can tell spring has sprung with all manner of tempting plants appearing - just waiting to be purchased by unsuspecting 'gardeners'. Also, I am seeing some marketing opportunities with some local businesses having a frontage to their business but having very poor planting - there are opportunities here to sponsor and provide plants and offer 'free' maintenance along with my business advert....so if any readers of this blog know of any such 'opportunities' please get in touch. Email via my web-site.

I'm enjoying putting some planting plans and plant suggestions together for some clients as this is stretching and improving my plant knowledge.

The allotment is just about ready for the spring sowing/planting to begin. Last week onions, shallots and garlic were planted out. All had been started off under glass at home to ensure they had a good start and to avoid being taken out of the soil by birds - who seem to delight in tugging out the newly planted onion sets before they've even started to grow and leaving them out on the soil surface to dryout/rot!

This week I'm hoping to get parsnip seed sown and the 2nd early potatoes planted.

On the Woodmancote Church front, I'm organising a Woodmancote May Day stand this year. I'm really looking forward to this, as I'm hoping this will turn out to be a good community event. Currently plans are in place to have a fully covered marquee so that we can sell plants under wind/rain proof conditions, and also provide information stands to inform the village community just what Woodmancote Church gets up to, who we are and who we support. Weather wise, May Day can be one of two extremes (fine weather or pants...)

If ever you have a few moments spare and want to be inspired to get up and 'just do it' (whatever just do it might be), take a look at The Big Africa Cycle. I've heard this guy (Pete Gostelow) talk, and he was very inspirational in that whatever you might want to do in life, you can only do so much planning. At some point you have to start doing it - take risks; risks that you don't even know about - but he seems to revel in the experience. His current endeavour cycling Africa has been fascinating to follow with his 'tweets' and his online blog/record.