Found out in the pub that if you let the front yard get untidy, you can get a fine of about 50,000 HUF (over £150). I'd let mine go a bit as I was waiting for Hobo to turn up and do the rotavating before I converter my transformer machine into a mower. So I set mowing the yard as a priority job. Mowed all the easy bits then strimmed the rest. Found out my maths was a bit out with the oil/petrol mix by a factor of 40!
After I'd finished, and was getting a drink of water, there was a knock at the door. Expecting Hobo I found Miki, the local handyman. well, when I say "handyman" I mean in the Norman Wisdom sense, ie not at all.
I told him there was no work and he seemed to accept this but then went into some long speech about something or other and in the end I had to give him 2,000 HUF just to bugger off!
Mentioned it to Steve that night, mainly cos Miki told me not to.
Friday 28 May 2010
Thursday 27 May 2010
Strimming
Today I had a go at the old pumpkin field (which I referred to as "baked pumpkin field", much to Hobo's amusment,in my attempt at Hungarian!) which is now awash with weeds. Hobo reckons they're to tall to simply rotavate so I have to clear it 1st with the strimmer.
I managed to clear about half of it and, later in the pub, I was told that a neighbour said that it was Jo munka (good work) which is high praise indeed!
I've lost my newly planted hedge so I decided it would be best to find it and mark a line out with bamboo poles. I had a few accidents with the scythe and lost a few but a strimmer could easily take a yard of them out.
I managed to clear about half of it and, later in the pub, I was told that a neighbour said that it was Jo munka (good work) which is high praise indeed!
I've lost my newly planted hedge so I decided it would be best to find it and mark a line out with bamboo poles. I had a few accidents with the scythe and lost a few but a strimmer could easily take a yard of them out.
Wednesday 26 May 2010
Nádasd
Today I had to go get some petrol. The nearest station is in Nádasd, about 4.4Km away. I had toyed with the idea of taking the bike but in this heat it was unreasonable. In the end I settled on the plan of taking the bus there and walking back.
The usual bus driver is so used to me asking for Kormend that I had a ticket there before I managed to ask for one! Got off at Nádasd and made my way in a likely direction.
Found the place easily enough and while I was standing at a pump wondering which bit did what, the bloke in the station came up. I asked for ten litres, handing him the can.
In and out in ten minutes. I put the can in a plastic bag and the bag in my back pack and off I went.
I'd just got to the turning for Halogy when I smelled petrol. I quickly got the can out of my pack and discovered that the top hadn't been tightened properly so some had spilt. Lucky I put the can in a bag.
I managed to get halfway to Halogy before someone stopped and offered me a lift! Great
The usual bus driver is so used to me asking for Kormend that I had a ticket there before I managed to ask for one! Got off at Nádasd and made my way in a likely direction.
Found the place easily enough and while I was standing at a pump wondering which bit did what, the bloke in the station came up. I asked for ten litres, handing him the can.
In and out in ten minutes. I put the can in a plastic bag and the bag in my back pack and off I went.
I'd just got to the turning for Halogy when I smelled petrol. I quickly got the can out of my pack and discovered that the top hadn't been tightened properly so some had spilt. Lucky I put the can in a bag.
I managed to get halfway to Halogy before someone stopped and offered me a lift! Great
Tuesday 25 May 2010
Strimmer Time
Hobo tunred up today and set about planting the peppers and the hungarian tomato plant. He used the rotavator and did a bit of raking afterwards. quit effective I though. Its main use will be at the top end of my land where I want to plant some Barley and Sweetcorn.
We went to the pub with Steve and after some chatting Hobo scrounged some petrol off the landlord and we then set about filling the strimmer. Hobo had a go and cleared a path halfway up my land towards the bit I need rotavating.
A bit of a departure, a video instead of a photo:
We went to the pub with Steve and after some chatting Hobo scrounged some petrol off the landlord and we then set about filling the strimmer. Hobo had a go and cleared a path halfway up my land towards the bit I need rotavating.
A bit of a departure, a video instead of a photo:
Monday 24 May 2010
Bin day
Forgot to mention but yesterday was a bank holiday so the bins weren't collected.
There was a no show by Hobo but as I was a little under the weather it didn't matter so much. Took some photos of the apples developing on the apple trees. Not seen them at this stage before.
There was a no show by Hobo but as I was a little under the weather it didn't matter so much. Took some photos of the apples developing on the apple trees. Not seen them at this stage before.
Sunday 23 May 2010
Sunday
Today was a bit odd. Woke up at 10am in spite of setting the alarm for 6! Since I didn't have a drink the night before I couldn't blame that.
Did about an hour in the sun and managed to clear all the grass. I now have a small collection of haystacks.
Went in for a shower when Hobo turned up with some paprika plants and a free tomato plant. He's dead set on me having Hungarian tomatoes even though most of mine ARE hungarian. (I bought a pack of seeds some years ago and have been happily growing them in the UK)
He said he'd dig them in tomorrow and I said there'd be no need and showed him the Rotavator in the garage. Well, that was it! He was all fired up to give it a go and went and scrounged some petrol from some neighbours and filled her up. I gave him the handbook to read as, being in Hungarian, it was of little use to me.
He worked out which switches and levers to turn and gave the starter rope a pull and off he went at speed! He quickly throttled back though and gave it a turn through the area of ground he'd picked out for the paprika.
As I understand it, the previous owner had some raised beds there and, as a result, the soil was very fertile.
The Rotavator, unfortunately, just ripped the grass up by the roots and got jammed.
The plants cost 1500HUF but I didn't have any small change. So off to the pub to get some change and have a quiet beer which turned into one of Steve's famous sessions. Hobo kept asking me if 10am tomorrow was OK for digging but I doubt I'll see him given the state he was in!
Did about an hour in the sun and managed to clear all the grass. I now have a small collection of haystacks.
Went in for a shower when Hobo turned up with some paprika plants and a free tomato plant. He's dead set on me having Hungarian tomatoes even though most of mine ARE hungarian. (I bought a pack of seeds some years ago and have been happily growing them in the UK)
He said he'd dig them in tomorrow and I said there'd be no need and showed him the Rotavator in the garage. Well, that was it! He was all fired up to give it a go and went and scrounged some petrol from some neighbours and filled her up. I gave him the handbook to read as, being in Hungarian, it was of little use to me.
He worked out which switches and levers to turn and gave the starter rope a pull and off he went at speed! He quickly throttled back though and gave it a turn through the area of ground he'd picked out for the paprika.
As I understand it, the previous owner had some raised beds there and, as a result, the soil was very fertile.
The Rotavator, unfortunately, just ripped the grass up by the roots and got jammed.
The plants cost 1500HUF but I didn't have any small change. So off to the pub to get some change and have a quiet beer which turned into one of Steve's famous sessions. Hobo kept asking me if 10am tomorrow was OK for digging but I doubt I'll see him given the state he was in!
Saturday 22 May 2010
Saturday
The weekend started off with some blistering heat. Funny, its cold when we have cloud cover and boiling when its gone. I would expect cooler but not cold!
Anyway, I managed to clear about half the cut grass this morning and have 4 haystacks about shoulder height. If the sun stays out I'll be able to finish it off to morrow and then get on with some proper gardening! (Weeding and my spuds need earthing up. Oh and I need to keep an eye out for Colorado Beetle. Its one of the reasons the locals don't grow them)
Anyway, I managed to clear about half the cut grass this morning and have 4 haystacks about shoulder height. If the sun stays out I'll be able to finish it off to morrow and then get on with some proper gardening! (Weeding and my spuds need earthing up. Oh and I need to keep an eye out for Colorado Beetle. Its one of the reasons the locals don't grow them)
Friday 21 May 2010
Rain
Rained most of the morning so didn't get anything done except sneezing. I know sneezing doesn't count as a chore but sure feels like one!
Later, in the pub, Hobo said he'd cycle up to the station and get petrol. Puts me in a bit of a quandary tbh. Do I go to a station anyway, on the assumption that he'll forget or leave it? More beer perhaps?
Later, in the pub, Hobo said he'd cycle up to the station and get petrol. Puts me in a bit of a quandary tbh. Do I go to a station anyway, on the assumption that he'll forget or leave it? More beer perhaps?
Thursday 20 May 2010
New Shinies.
New Rotovator
Originally uploaded by A John Walters
My new Rotavator came today. Only its not just a Rotavator. Theres a load of add-ons that let you: Mow the grass, plough, unearth potatoes and rotavate. Yup, its a transformer toy for grown-ups!
Need to get a set of spanner or some such for when I need to strip the sucker down.
Heres the plough and mower attachment
Other shinies.
Oh yes, the 2-wheeled diesel tractor has morphed into a rotavator as it was about 50% cheaper.
Hay-fever is really bad this year or, perhaps, better as its in the afternoon I start sneezing like mad and dose myself up with anti-histamines.
Thursday 13 May 2010
Had a bloke scythe my lawn this morning. Turned up at 5:00am and finished at 09:30. Makes me feel like the Sun King tbh, having people scything my lawn.
Had to bite the bullet with all the mowing and digging I need t do so I've bought a petrol driven strimmer, for maintenance stuff, and a diesel two-wheeled tractor for pretty much everything else.
No sign of the Acacia column. Looks like the website isn't operational or the people running it are scared of dealing with English people. I will have to use bamboos for now to support the hops but its sub-optimal to say the least.
Had to bite the bullet with all the mowing and digging I need t do so I've bought a petrol driven strimmer, for maintenance stuff, and a diesel two-wheeled tractor for pretty much everything else.
No sign of the Acacia column. Looks like the website isn't operational or the people running it are scared of dealing with English people. I will have to use bamboos for now to support the hops but its sub-optimal to say the least.
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