Allotted Time

I was sorting through some cupboards the other day when I came across a book I'd read a number of years ago, Allotted Time by Robin Shelton.

"Robin Shelton was at a crisis point in his life - divorced, broke and suffering from depression - when he and his trusty mate Steve decided to take on a project, a chance to achieve something solid. They decided to rent an allotment.

What seemed like a good idea over a couple of beers became a daunting task in the cold light of day when faced with a patch of ground covered in grasses and weeds so wild Ray Mears might have found it intimidating. But through perseverance (and despite the baffling advice of their fellow allotment keepers) they managed to grow an impressive array of crops, and find a sense of purpose they had both been missing. Working the soil brought back happy memories of Robin's father who had died when he was sixteen, and drew him closer to his two sons. After months of hard work, both Robin and Steve ended the year wiser and much saner."

It's at this time of year, when unable to do much on the plot because of the weather, that I enjoy reading about other people's exploits. I thought that one of my readers might enjoy this book whilst taking a break from gardening, so if you fancy reading about Robin and Steve's allotment adventures, just leave a comment on this post by noon on Sunday the 14th of December 2014. A name will be drawn at random soon afterwards.