Friday, 3 July 2026

Living the Good Life??


I was very sad to hear that Penelope Keith has died, my children and I loved 'The Good Life' programme, and watched it regularly.
And as a 'newby' gardener I decided I'd try and grow some veg. I was given seeds by some friends and some compost, I didn't have any pots, but saved any food containers I thought suitable. That first year I grew some tomatoes, lettuce and radish. All grown on a window sill and planted out in our small garden. They grew but they weren't all that successful, except for the radish which my children didn't like, and neither did I! 
But my then husband ate them, although quite critical of the tomatoes (they had bottom end rot) and the lettuce were very small. 
But I didn't give up and got some gardening books from the library and read what I should have done, and the need for regular watering and the need for a 'feed.'

My then husband, to encourage me bought me some wellies for Christmas! I should have been more grateful. because they were a very good pair, bought from the Chandlers that sold all the sailing gear. I wasn't impressed and never wore them!
But even worse was his decision to grow veg, because of course he could do it better than me!

I did write about it in this blog somewhere. 
I got home from town one day, to find he had hired a rotovator and dug up my garden.. I didn't speak to him for days and in the May school holidays, I took the children and we came here to my home.. my aunt had sent me the train fare. I left a note on the kitchen table.

The garden was back to lawn and flower beds a couple of years later. He'd lost interest and the weeds grew!  

Then three or four years later, his work wasn't going to well, and he was having problems sleeping. He joined us to watch the 'Good Life' and thought we should move to a Scottish Island and live off the land I said NO!! I wouldn't even talk about it and stopped trying to grow veg, I never had enough money anyway for seeds anyway!

Why do we women live in a shadow life, controlled by a man.
The day I decided to leave was like a new life was waiting for me.. and its been amazing ever since.

Chrisxx

6 comments:

Sue said...

We only live in a man's shadow for a while, the strong among us then up sticks and move on. Me and my second husband have lived many lives, had many homes and many jobs, instigated mostly by me. It's no wonder we always have lots to talk about. 😄

Live and Learn said...

So happy that you were able to find a new, amazing life.

My Piece of Earth said...

I lived in the shadows of a second man in my life for eight years, then decided at age 81 years to move on. The best thing I ever did, as my life now is ---mine, and enjoying every minute of it.
Happy you were able to find a new life.

Miss Merry said...

I'm glad that you had the courage to start your own life!

jabblog said...

Too often, women don't realise what's happening until they're enmeshed. It's hard to break away when you have children, but you've shown that it can be done.

Maggie said...

I used to love The Good Life, I think it probably got everyone believing they could live off the land, lol. I liked To The Manor Born too. She always reminded me a bit of my cousin, Marjorie, ha ha.