Brrr

It's certainly turned nippy these last few days - but I always say when the nip is in the air, you've just got to work that bit harder. Mind you, you tell this to the kids today!

I had my brother's youngest Kylie-Dido or whatever her name is with us over the weekend. All tattoos and body piercing - just what is that all about? In my view, the only tattoos you should be able to see on a lady are those you shouldn't be able to see.

Anyway she came down with my brother and due to some happening twixt her and our kid she needed to take her mind off things and offered to help me in the garden. To be honest, I'd got loads to do and could have done without company. But as it happens it didn't matter - she spent the whole afternoon muttering 'whatever' and texting countless similarly work-challenged and tattooed mates.

What is the world coming to?

Anyway, it was another day of battening down the hatches. I decided to cleaning and sharpen my old tools beofre storing them carefully for the winter. I have a very careful routine for looking after my tools. First of all I give them a good clean in warm, soapy water and then dry them thoroughly.

All those with wooden handles get a light rub down with a bit of sand paper beofre sharpening then oiling the blades. I then tend to wrap them up in old horse blankets and whilst it might seem a bit excessive, when I take them out again for the spring, they'll be in perfect nick.

So that was my weekend done - I also put away the hoses after rinsing and checking for leaks. Then it was a good tidy of the borders and a sit down in front of the box with a cup of tea and a slab of the long-suffering's Ginger Cake.

And Kylie-Dido just sat there and chewed gum.

Bring back National service, I say.