The Cold, The Pumpkin and the Halloween Tomatoes

So, here I am again, in my little corner of the study. The doors to the garden are NOT open today as it is unneccessarily chilly. I am being entertained by 2 things:

a) showtunes (currently on Chess- how I love Elaine Paige when I can't see her face)

b) the cat, who is chasing something invisible to everyone other than her and keeps leaping inexplicably into the air then looking disgruntled. Earlier she was eating some paper. She then moved on to tinfoil, at which point I intervened.

Through the window to the garden I can see the scarlet leaves of a *insert name of tree here* tree which is turning out to be very beautiful in autumn. I know I should know the names of things in the garden but I am giving myself small, manageable goals when it comes to that skill. I have spent the last few months focusing on vegetables. (I've done other things as well, I haven't just been sitting in the garden, staring intently at them)

In Vegetable World (that sounds like the best theme park EVER) the garden is looking a little less exciting as it was a few months ago. This is because the season changed (ah, nature) and also because we ate everything. We also assumed that as soon as it's not 30 degrees, tomatoes don't need water any more. This is NOT TRUE. Needless to say, our tomato plants now look like are dressed as dead zombie tomato plants, all ready for a late Halloween party. Imagine what tomato plants would look like if Tim Burton designed them. Welcome to our garden.

I have to admit that I have no idea what to do with any of our vegetables now we've eaten all the good bits. Do we dig them up? Do we leave them and wait for them to grow new good bits? I think a little bit of consultation with Mr Titchmarsh may be in order.

The pumpkins were particularly emotional to pick. We grew a great big one and a little one. They weren't orange, but a lovely deep yellow, the colour of the campervan. I chose to see this as a wonderful coincidence rather than seeing it as them not being ready yet. Unfortunately, we ate them the wrong way round. We picked the little one when we had 6 people round for lunch, resulting in everyone having ONE AND ONLY ONE tiny cube of pumpkin each, then the massive great big one when we had ONE person round for dinner, resulting in far too much pumpkin, far more than any of us could manage without feeling physically uncomfortable.

We will learn next year. That is, if we get any pumpkins next year. I really have no idea what happens now.

In campervan world, Joni is still bringing much needed sunshine to our street. The show will be going on tour in the Spring/Summer next year (when we may or may not have vegetables again) and we are all very excited. Well, I'm not sure that the cat is excited. When we came back from Edinburgh, it took her over a week to forgive us for going away and even then it was done with a look of 'well, we can all PRETEND that it didn't happen, but I have the RSPCA on speed dial..)

I can't wait to take Joni on the road. We are going to update the story that I tell and it will reflect the months between Edinburgh and the current day. Lots of adventures have been had and there are many more to be had. It's approaching the time of year when VWs don't like the weather (we learned that the hard way last year with an 11 hour journey between Edinburgh and Preston) so we know now that she needs to hide under a blanket until the Spring. What a wonderful idea.