Saturday 21st January 2006 - Weather: Blue sky but a nippy wind!

Mark bought me a new tool today. As we drove to Braintree to collect young stepdaughter we passed a garden with a big For Sale board outside and lots of bric-a-brac laid out. As we whizzed passed I spotted an old fork, so, on the way back, Mark pulled over and jumped out to have a look. He couldn't resist and the chap wanted five pounds, but all Mark had on him was 4.10, so after a little bit of haggling and jovial chatting, money changed hands, and he loaded it into the boot. I believe it is a mucking out/straw fork with rounded ends to prevent spearing baby livestock. ***(see note at end!) It will be ideal when we go to the stables to collect some more manure for my compost heap in a few weeks time ready for pumpkin planting. Most of my tools now are second hand and years old, and the irony is, these old tools go on and on....the lovely new shiney Wilkinson Sword fork Mark brought me snapped in two whilst carrying out some light digging in the garden!

At Christmas Nanny Lucas and Uncle Bill gave the kids Paperwhite bulbs to grow. These highly scented little daff like flowers, I have been told, are not hardy and really should be binned once they have flowered. Of course, I shall try and get them to come back again next year. However, after potting up and leaving in the conservatory, they put on lots of growth and all have lovely fat buds. Today I could smell them, and sure enough, the flowers have started to open. The scent is a mix between your great grandmas wardrobe and cat pee! However, they are very pretty and I have 2 inthe dining room and 1 is left in the conservatory as that will hold off the buds opening so as one fades, I can replace with fresh.

A little by-the-by, here are our baby hamsters! Had to give in and give them a really good clean out today as boy were they STINKING!! Phewee!! Eight babies, all with eyes and ears clear and open and all eating solids and drinking from the water bottle. We estimate they are 20 days old now. Around St Valentines day they will have to be seperated from mum as they will become sexually active, so a little trip to the pet shop I fear....just have to convince the kids!

*** Just wanted to add we found a website about the old fork that Mark brought for me and it is an old potato digging fork - the balled ends are to stop the digger from piercing holes in the lovely fresh spuds! Looks like it was a bargain to as this website sells that at around the fifty pound mark! I will put it to good use at spud digging time and will be very upset if I spike any!