Well Pump, watering issues, scaffolding and the Vespa

S cracked at the weekend and ordered a pump for the well.  It has arrived so we have that to sort.  With the current restrictions in place, watering the veg beds, herbs and plant pots is taking a good hour and a half each day we are here.  It isn’t even that effective.  Every Roma tomato (I have Roma’s and some large Marmande types outside and Moneymaker in the greenhouse) that has any colour on it has blossom end rot.  That would be inconsistent watering then!  Granted not being at home every day has a large part to play in that but lugging watering cans around the garden is a long way off ideal.  

The raspberries, such as they are, are all tiny.  They are going straight into the freezer as they are only going to be any good for cooking, assuming we get enough of them.  The strawberry plants are looking very sorry for themselves.  The only fruit (proper fruit - I know, technically, tomatoes, courgettes, squash etc are fruit……..) that is getting any water are those in pots.  This does not seem to be negatively affecting the blackberries, however.  

As to apples; the Bramley tree is shedding a lot though it has a lot on it, the Cox’s Orange Pippin is not exactly over burdened with apples this year, the Braeburn (patio pot) is actually doing surprisingly well and has some of the largest apples it has ever had.  

All three pear trees (Williams, Comice and Conference) have plenty of fruit on them.  I do wonder at the size though as the Williams are starting to fall (they are always the first but this is an about 3 weeks earlier than usual) and they are not that big.  If they were the Comice that might be quite handy for bottling (canning) but I don’t find the Williams the best for bottling as they are less firm than the others.

Hopefully, we can get the pump operational before the great rains of 2026 arrive, which should cut down on some of the time it I taking though might not solve the blossom end rot issue.  

On a separate note my colleagues, down Essex way, had a hosepipe ban imposed this morning.  Their water authority effectively flooded the A12 over the weekend.  You couldn’t make it up.  I am now resigned to Gallows Corner roundabout never getting finished and fully reopened!  

We heard from the builder at the weekend that scaffolding is going up this week sometime so the chimney stack can be repointed.  There was a hurried move round of vehicles to allow for that and one of the cars is now on its holidays at the MiL’s.  This was just as well as they turned up just before lunch.  My study is on that wall so let’s say the noise was less than ideal while I was trying to work.  It is, however, up so the brickie can do his thing and S can stop fretting about it failing in on his side of the bed.

The Vespa is now receiving some overdue tlc from S so it can take up its place in the motorhome garage for our future travels.  We are, however, wondering about the feasibility of it.  It was entirely effective before when we had motorhome trips but the last was coming up for 14 years ago now.  It is still only 50cc and we are a little heavier than we used to be.  No doubt we will find out!

Between the motorhome (assuming the part it is waiting on arrives), Vespa tinkering, well pump and the building works, August is looking potentially rather expensive.  Which is fine, everything was in the plan somewhere and moving forward is the objective.