I have, however, washed my windows. My mum gave me a good tip for washing windows: if you put a bit of rinse aid in with the water you don't have to dry off the windows, they dry naturally smear-free. Well, this is a load of rubbish, as there are smears all over the glass and I'll have to do them again tomorrow.

For the first time in over a month we had a weekend in Hampshire. Saturday morning we went blackberry picking. I came back with the customary reddened hands and scratched arms. The fruit wasn't as abundant as I had hoped - the rain earlier in the week had not helped - but we managed to pick enough for a couple of crumbles. There were quite a few that weren't ripe yet, so we may go out again next weekend. I don't even like blackberry picking.

My car had its MOT test later in the morning. A new discount store has opened next to the garage so after dropping off the car we went in there to have a look. It was quite good, a Lidl for non-food items - though with more known brands than Lidl. And it does have a couple of aisles of food items. It even had frozen ready meals made by CGF's uncles' company. We picked up a couple of shopping baskets and stocked up on bits and pieces. It wasn't till we got to the checkout that we remembered that the car was at the garage for the next hour and a bit and we had to walk back to CGF's.

While my car was away, I weeded CGF's driveway - block paving looks great until the weeds find their way through. From then on it is a constant battle. The car passed btw, with no problems - apart for a minor advisory that I already knew about.

In the afternoon/evening D-T came round for a natter and food and to try some origami. I tried some origami too, but not so successfully. D-T had texted me earlier in the month to say which weekends she was free, in response to my suggestion that we should meet up. Except I had never made such a suggestion. I had thought about it, and intended to, but checking through my sent texts showed that I never actually got round to it. Most odd.

Anyway, we had a good chat and I think D-T was pleased with the company. She lives on her own now and, reading between the lines, I think she is at a bit of a loose end at weekends when she isn't working.

Sunday morning I spent another couple of hours in the garden, catching up on a month's worth of weeding. I pulled up the peas and beans and dug over that patch of garden, ready for the next planting. Possibly some winter greens and some purple-sprouting broccoli for the spring. Will have to go to the garden centre to see what seeds are available.

In the afternoon we went to a barbeque - the maths department at CGF's new school. Luckily I have been learnt how to talk to scientists by Flanders and Swann: "The reciprocal of pi to your good lady wife".