All I want for Christmas

He don't need to mate, Santa rides a Harley.

Chopper.

 

Chopper, re your post #10, I already volunteer at a place that is very much how you describe. It's a Visitor Centre run by the Kent Wildlife Trust. It's very rewarding work and I love going there once a week to help out, although I'll be having a break now until probably February.

My own Xmas gardening gift would be a team of jolly helpers to tidy up a couple of badly overgrown & tangled corners that I find difficult (well impossible) to get into any sort of decent shape on my own.

 

That is a good thing to do Tiarella.

My reason for thinking on the lines I posted is actually a bit selfish in some ways.

Besides having a few physical problems as a result of old injuries, I have over the last few years got more than a bit grumpy to say the least. I get very frustrated whn I cannot do the things I used to do so easily. Then I get angry, sometimes for days. Not a good idea to be anywhere near me when I am like that. Can be quite explosive.

I had a heart attack in April last year. When I was recovering I could just about manage to walk up the garden. Mrs Chopper set out a table and a chair and gave me some seedlings to pot on. I spent an hour doing that and needed to lay down, but carried on. Just doing that little job gave me the gardening bug. I now love my garden and am doing lots to it. I am reading everything I can get my hands on about gardening. I really never thought I would find something so interesting, that I used to think of as boring and tedious.

Besides making the garden look nice, having fresh fruit and veg, there is a huge added bonus. My temper has improved in leaps and bounds. I cannot be angry when I am working in the garden. The two just do not mix. It is without doubt the best anger management therapy there is. Fantastic feeling doing a job out in the garden and then watching the plants grow. Ok so there is no adrenalin, minimal risk but I still get an amzing buzz from it.

I have been very fortunate to have very good friends in the right place to help me when I have been in some rather tricky situations. I owe those people a lot. What better way of putting something back into the system than providing people less fortunate than me, with the massive benefits of being able to work a small plot themselves?

Not interested in the land being a source of profit for me. Money is not the most important thing in life. Just think of the satisfaction of seeing some ex soldiers being able to grow thier own. Seeing troubled or vulnerable kids getting stuck into something positive and keeping them out of harms way. Being able to donate spare fruit and veg to those less well off.

I will be buying a ticket on Friday.

Chopper.

 

You're right about gardening Chopper. If you want to be happy forever - get a garden.

Another thing I find very therapeutic is drawing and painting. It takes so much concentration it's not possible to think about anything else while you're doing it. Everything else just melts away. Even if you think you have no talent or ability (like me) you could give it a go. You'll soon be surprized by what you produce. You can just start with a pencil - you'll see what I mean.

PS. Sorry Chopper, I wrote this before I saw the fabulous leather and metal work you do on your other thread, but I'll leave it anyway.

 

What you are describing Chopper re ex servicemen happened after the 2nd WW at a place close to where I used to live. It is called Stonebyres, I don't know all the ins and outs but originally there were small cottages built and each plot had about 1 to 2 acres of ground so the "old soldiers" could be more or less self sufficient. Somewhere along the line the small cottages were bought by townies and extended, much of the land then had more houses "planted" on it.....pity.

I'd personally like to see green grass again for Christmas, had a thaw but not nearly enough to get rid of 3ft plus of snow. I fear it will be with us until Easter, maybe an enormous blow torch from Santa would be nice.

 

a guarantee of peace and happiness in everyone's life over christmas would be great please santa.....but failing that I would REALLY like a lawnmower for next spring that did not have a mind of it's own!...I am sure ours is possessed!!!! :hehe:

 

From Santa "All i Want for Xmas Is My Two Front Teeth" :D.
i had a cycling accident in summer, my 2 front teeth where broken. i had them removed and a small plate made . this plate "drives me round the bend". so santa please give me 2 Simon Cowell Porcelain dental implants . and if i'm not at home just put them under my pillow beside the tooth Fairy .

music.

 

You're definately all right about the garden being a haven it's where i am happiest. I would like santa to bring me a bigger garden so i could have goats, chickens and a pig and a bigger veg patch and a magic fairy who knows how to garden properly :hehe: Merry christmas all

 

I have just raked up as many leaves as I can that have fallen off my willow tree, they nearly coverd the lawn. I just want rid of that tree now, do you think Santa could find time to do it for me on his way round the world Christmas Eve.

 

I hope you achieve your dream, Chopper, it's a good one.