Saturday 25th July
Written by Kash
Captain's Log, Stardate 4623.7.
GoodGym arrived at Grove Farm on the very edge of Ealing space. Not a single raindrop has been seen here for weeks. It's now the third month Admiral Mike has been stuck in the dry Costons Ditch in search of Japanese knotweed, an invader from a faraway land, threatening the fragile Ealing ecosystem.
Having chopped, trimmed, sawed and broken their way through the dense vegetation, the landing party, instead of knotweed, encountered ruins unlike any we had seen before. The settlement included a makeshift table, a birdcage, and a baby cot wedged into the ditch.
"It's kind of creepy to see this here," commented Medical Officer Gus, who joined the research party from faraway GG Hounslow to study the impacts of nettle stings on blood circulation.
No one had a hypothesis for why the colony had been abandoned, since the wild fruit and traces of water in the ditch suggested the location could sustain life.
Officers Afshin and Steph pressed forward with their hedge trimmers set to kill any bramble and hawthorn on their way. The tricorder pulled out by Science Officer Sevan to perform environmental scans started recording inexplicable readings. The officer figured out the GG Ealing crew was approaching the Harrow Neutral Zone.
Uncertain whether a potential violation of Harrow space could be interpreted as an act of war, the crew quickly collected samples from the ancient civilisation and evacuated the site. They carried with them the birdcage, the table and the baby cot, along with an oversized crowbar, a pallet, a bathroom tile and a variety of ancient glass vessels.
Among the artefacts was a mysterious Żywiec Trade crate, which only Captain Kash could identify. She hailed from an entirely different galaxy, in fact, from one of the moons of Planet Żywiec, whose inhabitants reached the pinnacle of civilisation, having developed industrial beer production and shipped their crates with goods all the way to the Ealing system.
Although the landing party had to beam themselves out of Grove Farm, Admiral Mike will closely monitor the location and dispatch another expedition of redshirts there in August. If you want to enlist for that voyage, watch this space for a new mission next month!
Saturday 25th July
Written by Sevan
Like many gardens around London, Ms C's was looking thirsty. If you'd seen Sirat in the cinema recently, the scene was similar. A parched mini-desert with a thumping dance music soundtrack, courtesy of a festival in Boston Manor Park half a kilometer away.
Ms C asked the GoodGymers to water all of the plants in her garden. She especially prizes her roses and today, her fern and tomato plants were also important to hydrate.
"My plants will love you because you're feeding them" - Ms C
"I hope they remember it" - Sevan
"They will. Once you do a good turn, it comes back to you in buckets" - Ms C
The buckets worked in 2 directions. Kash and Sevan were emptying them to water the plants and in return, they were being refilled with good vibes.
With the watering completed, the second task was to trim some of the roses back as they'd grown too tall. Secateurs and loppers were used by the pair as they tried and failed to avoid getting hooked on the thorns. Eventually, they managed to unhook themselves and complete the cutting back to Ms C's standards.
There was a side quest with Ms C's airer. The lines were tangled, so Kash and Sevan straighted them out. Next, it wouldn't lock in place in its open position. The second problem the GoodGymers couldn't solve, so it might be time for Ms C to invest in a new one.
The end result was a well watered and much neater garden, which, with the rain forecast on Sunday, should keep Ms C enjoying her outdoor space for a few weeks.
Saturday 25th July
Written by StephDucat
I was back at Ms M for gardening of the front garden. Knocked several times : no answer but i could see all the windows were open and hear some of her boys chatting. Rang her, she answered and said ah ok, then her young daughter opened the door in PJ's...seems that the children were all napping late afternoon. I got the tools and the children went back to their naps. I picked up the rubbish to avoid it getting stuck in the mower, used the secateurs to cut some thick weeds, removed all the bindweed that invaded the corner of the wall/house. Then mowing a very dry front garden, but as Ms M doesn't have the grass bag on the mower it just sprayed it all on my legs and the walk way - very dusty!! I picked all i could and filled 2 bags, then sweeping time with a traditional brush(see pic)
Saturday 25th July
Written by StephDucat
My 2nd coach weekly visit - normally run or walk but today it was mountain biking for a change. Pedal power today
Friday 24th July
Written by Jacquie de Bidaph
I stayed on at the Soup Kitchen today for the lunch session, serving the clients with the delicious meal cooked by Chef Andrew. It’s always interesting chatting to the guests, both regulars and newcomers, and hearing their stories. As usual, it was a busy lunchtime and, once most people had been served, I took over washing up duties in the kitchen. It was a varied day with different chores making it all the more fun!
Friday 24th July
Written by Jacquie de Bidaph
I started the day at Ealing Soup Kitchen by serving coffee, tea and cereal. As always it was a rush at 11am when the doors opened and we had a long queue at one point. But it quietened down once everyone had been served and I was asked to help sort clothes - as that room was short of volunteers. It’s always fun sorting the bags of donations - even if my dust allergy does trigger a sneezing fit!
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