The Cottage Smallholder

Alphonso. Vibrant, dominant and loud. RIP.

Danny and some of his friends on the forum have plotted and planned our first Cottage Smallholder get together. It will be a chance to meet people that you’ve met in cyberspace and the excuse for a jolly good party.

The date is Saturday July 23rd 2011 and I’d like to extend the invitation to all readers of the blog. It seems a long way away now but if you’d like to come and meet other bloggers and us and our cottage menagerie make a note in your diary and email me through the Contact Us tab above.

Secretly, I suspect that D thinks it’s a great excuse for me to get the cottage in order. Our builder has been booked to repair our chimney and there will be a skip parked in the driveway in a month or so. The charity shops in Newmarket have been receiving hefty donations already. Although it might seem a long way away to you, I’m working like mad on the cottage and garden. If you do come to our party I might be on a stretcher.

We live in the village of Cheveley – near Newmarket. Postcode CB8 9DG. As this is a racing town, most local accommodation is booked way in advance. So if you plan to come, you need to book your accommodation fast. There are several good B&Bs in the village itself.

I’m really excited by this event! It will be a wonderful chance to meet people that we’ve got to know over the past few years. Unseen friends.

I’d love to hear your ideas on how to make it really special. I thought that it would be great to have an honesty stand where we can sell our stuff? A small exhibition area to display our paintings and crafts? A giant cake that I step out of naked just holding a small trowel? What do you think?

The cottage is quite small and although the garden is large, there is not much lawn left since we expanded our vegetable borders three years ago. Numbers are limited – so don’t delay if you’d like to come.

Writing this blog has taught me loads as it’s put me in touch with so many people who want to share. Your ideas have broadened my perspective and it would be so good to give you a hug in the material world!