Thoughts slowly turn to winter

I've been reading reports that a serious drop in temperature is likely within the next two weeks or so, so I have started to think about protecting or moving anything which is likely to be damaged by severe cold. Last year, although it had done fabulously well earlier in the year the perpetual spinach turned to slime when the really cold weather started, and potatoes stored in the garage also suffered badly.

So I have already started picking the remaining spinach leaves. Last night I made a huge pan of chicken and spinach saag which just kept growing and growing. Very nice and lots for the freezer. Spinach soup will be coming up next as there is still loads to pick. Regarding potatoes, Him Indoors is less than impressed with my plans to bring the remaining stocks inside. This will require a very radical rethink of our limited under-the-stairs storage cupboard which is already packed to the rafters. It will also mean we need to be 100% sure that we don't bring any unwelcome vermin in from the garage with them. However, I can't think where else to store them.

And a brief update on yesterday's post: hats off to Thompson and Morgan for a prompt response to my emailed complaint. They got off to a bit of a false start by promising to send me a new pack of garlic. Garlic? It was the onions which were rotten, not the garlic. Anyhow that little misunderstanding was quickly cleared up and they have promised me that a new batch of onions will be delivered. Not a refund, admittedly, but it was the onions I wanted in the first place. So as long as they turn up (before the snow does) I'll be happy.

Gutted

Yes, that's me. Gutted. After all that work, there is some pesky animal eating the allotment produce which I have stored in the garage.
I first noticed that one of the apples had been nibbled, and threw it out thinking that I had simply made a mistake in storing one without noticing that the birds had got at it. Then on Friday there was a second apple with a chunk missing. Him Indoors then checked through the sacks of potatoes (I wasn't brave enough, fearing that there might be a rat lurking at the bottom of one of them!) 3 of the varieties are fine but something has been having a good old munch on the Pink Firs.
I always plant on the basis of "one for me; one for the wildlife" and I take it as read that things are vulnerable and will be eaten by all manner of creatures whilst growing at the lottie. However, I had naively thought that once stored in the garage they would be safe as long as they didn't rot.
From now on I will be allowing the dog (a terrier) to roam much more freely in the garage and will even encourage next door's cats in (although not at the same time, obviously) in the interests of pest control. Bloody vermin!