Sutton Bonington Show 2011

This is my local show and the one I'm most involved with being on the committee and arranging the programme of talks each year, so I like to put in plenty of entries across the range of categories. And believe it or not at 5a.m. yesterday I was to be found in the kitchen cooking! I was determined to get a ticket in the 'men only' rock cakes class, after 11 years of complete an utter failure...not even a third. This year I was armed with a surefire recipe from Ian Simpson and Fiona Shenfield of Scottishland. However, my first attempt went something like this!

Not to be defeated I quickly knocked up another mix and didn't leave them in the oven quite so long this time. The result was a lot better, but I still didn't win anything yet again!. So it appears not only do the Scots send me 2nd rate peas they also send me duff recipes too! To be fair the judge was wavering between mine and another plate for the third place ticket so I really must have been 4th which is as near as I've ever got. There's always next year!

As I say, I put a shedload of entries in each year and my car is absolutely packed to the gunnels, even the passenger seat is loaded with my flower exhibits. I have various contraptions for making sure they are secure for the trip but it's still a very slow journey as I try to ensure none of my dahlias snap during transit.

As for the show I got 21 red cards, mainly in the veg classes, but I also picked up bonus wins with dahlias and cacti. For the 10th time I won most points in show and this year it was television's Midlands Today presenter Dominic Heale who did the honours with the prizegiving. Thoroughly bloody nice chap.

I got best veg for my long carrots which was a very nice change after a few iffy years and I've got plenty of equally good, if not better ones to come. I reckon I may put this one down to seed. And no....before any other tits apart from Unsworth ask those are not my footprints on the fridge!

As usual Leesa managed to construct a superb trug for me. Thankyou my dearest! We even managed to fool the judge by using one of the leeks that had gone to seed and was actually oval in profile section.

This year was the 25th Show and it's a big country fair these days attracting thousands of visitors, so there's plenty to see and do, including the dodgems at which I was particularly skilful and wily. My neck should recover by the end of the week I'm told. Bloody kids came from nowhere!