An Unbirthday gift from my brother - I will be the Allotment Queen!!

I arrived home from work today to find a parcel on the mat.I assumed it was for my hubbie as its his birthday next week... but no... it was for me!! How exciting!! I love pressies.I abandoned all thoughts of any other activity and immediately ripped it open. I am not one of your 'feeble, dainty, save the wrapping paper types'. I am a full blooded' rip the thing open as quick as you can and see what's inside' types instead.

And inside... joy unbounded... was a book.It was from my brother and his wife and is called 'Keeping an allotment' by Kevin Forbes.(Yes - I know... not this one, but I couldn't find my book anywhere for a picture...be patient!!)

I crumpled slowly onto the sofa as I started to read, dropping car keys and hand bag and any idea of lunch that I might have entertained...What a fab book! It is an 'unbirthday present' - so named because of a book we used to read when we were little, called 'The Unbirthday Present'. My brother and his wife had listened to me warbling on about an allotment I am going to see on Friday and had seen the book and thought ... 'perfect!'

And perfect it is. I know nothing about allotments or veg gardening, but this will help me through.At the moment its pages are creamy and pristine, but I imagine that in a few months time it will be dog eared, slightly muddy in a chic kind of a way, with remnants of allotment sandwich crumbs and tea stains from my new allotment flask...

How marvellous!! And how kind!! I am going to have to take that bloody allotment now...