Lettuces and Cream by John Evans

of him. The children were not at all happy at having to get back to school. For a start, apart from their first day when Jan had driven them down to the village, the two darlings had to walk across a field, over a stream on a rickety footbridge, and through a deserted farmyard leading to the tarmaced narrow lane, known as the Top road. Then a walk downhill to the ‘main’ road to catch the school van, and of course coming home they had to walk up the steep lane. When dry it wouldn’t be so bad but Jan, and to a lesser extent Mike, were very concerned how they would cope in bad weather, and dark evenings. Which as it was September wouldn’t be far away.
    ‘They’ll be fine, don’t worry so much, Jan,’ then changing the subject, ‘it’s a good thing that I ordered the glasshouse and tunnels before we left home. It’s saved a lot of time. With any luck we should have our first crops by March. They’ve got one up already,’ Mike spluttered.
    ‘Don’t talk with your mouth full,’ Jan said playfully, adding, rather more thoughtfully, ‘March seems a long way off.’
    ‘Yes, I know, we need some money before then. I think the pigs might be the answer.
    ‘Won’t we to have to spend out more though, to get it started.’
    ‘Yes but I can do the work in the barn myself, build the pens, concrete the floors and that. Trouble is getting the stuff down the track. No own wants to deliver. I think I’ll have to get a van so I can go and get the materials myself.’
    ‘How much will that that cost?’ Her face crumpled with concern.
    ‘I don’t know, but we could always get a loan or something. I’ll have a look round and try the local paper and I think there’s a garage in Porth. An old banger will do, nothing fancy. I’ll ask Keith where he got his old van.’
    Jan was not entirely convinced it was a good idea, spending more money to get money, but Mike was so energetic can confident and she supposed this is how working for ones self worked.
    ‘Well, love, you know best what’s needed.’
    Mike wasn’t too sure that he did know best. The money was running out fast and there was so much to spend it on. Even petrol for the car was more expensive around here. The cheapest they could find was in Porth, and in the recent ‘new’ money that was thirty-three pence a gallon. He still thought in ‘old’ money, so that was a hefty six shillings and eight pence. And with winter coming on there would be the additional expense of heating the draughty old house. The convenient and relatively cheap gas fires of town already a distant memory- no mains gas here. And of course there would be the cost of Christmas. Mike was hard working and enthusiastic but not very good at planning expenditure. Jan had always dealt with most of the bills and stuff like that, and of course the money used to come every month, rain or shine. How very different this new life was already turning out to be. However, as his dear old grandmother would have remarked, ‘Going forward is much easier than walking backwards.’ Jan and Mike had already committed so much to this enterprise that forward it had to be.
    ‘I think after lunch I’ll start cultivating the soil in the tunnels that are finished. It’s going to take a while, I’ve got to clear the pasture grass off first before I can use the Rotavator to till the soil. But still, it will be easy in future; a crop or two will break up the soil nicely.’
    Jan had no knowledge of horticulture so simply responded with a cheerful, ‘Okay love,’ and busied herself clearing up the kitchen.
    ‘What are you going to do this afternoon?’ Mike asked
    ‘If I’ve got time I’ll do some more clearing up in the barn, especially if you’re going to build pig pens.’
    ‘That’s a good idea, Darl, it will be a good help to me have the place clear.’
    ‘But tomorrow, it is Friday tomorrow isn’t it? I lose track of the days out here now that we don’t have our old routine. Anyway, in the