For  years  now I have been taking a very aged relative to see her rather poorly son in hospital.   It’s quite an expedition for both of us and it starts back at her home even before the trauma of getting her into my car.  On one occasion it was chaotic – she couldn’t find her [...]

Knowing how to get the best out of your cleaning lady or company can be a bit perplexing at first.  I do know someone who gets in a real tussle with herself when the cleaner is due in.   These days my acquaintance is very frail and doesn’t always remember to clean up after visit to [...]

I do love having a clean shiny car.  I like even better having a clean shiny car that’s also possible to get into without climbing over bags of rubbish and dog associated hardware.    I’m not sure why some folk treat their only vehicle as a dust cart – I’ve seen no end of vw [...]

It’s impossible to understand how difficult washday used to be for every generation main thrust of washing machine purchase for the masses became possible.  I quite well remember the first little machine my mother had – it was a twin tub that you poured hot water in via a hose – it had agitation post [...]

When I was much younger and inbetween homes shall we say, I lived for a while in a hotel – not so grand as that sounds actually.  I needed a roof over my head and I offered to work for a room just whilst I sorted my affairs out.  The manager felt sorry for me [...]

I was visiting our newest out of town shopping and leisure development this week.  The weather had been dreadful with winds and scrawly rain causing the area to be really messy.  I hated the mess following folk into the very posh stores that line the main avenue.  I alrady get dispproving glances from the willowy [...]

I have been feeding the birds in my garden for years but only in the last three have I been taking greater interest in how they actually take their turn at the trough or feeding tables.  The smaller garden birds come down early on and peck at the dispensers – they’re crafty little blighters too, [...]

At this very hot time of year we do tend to use a huge amount of water on not very much.  It has become obvious to me personally in these last few weeks of extra ordinary and worrying heat, that I waste water and as I’m usually rather careful, this means that others must waste [...]

I was assisting at a function in a village hall recently.  I used to be actively involved in the same village, regularly attending fund raisers in the very same place.  It had dark roughly treated toilet facilities, the least inviting part of the operation.  The kitchen wasn’t a great deal better.  When village committees are [...]

In the last few years there has been an absolute explosion in the number of hand car washing operations springing up on old garage forecourts in every town and city.  They used to be very cheap, about £3 for an average family car.  Just the outside was washed – very vigorously, with high powered hoses.  [...]