I’ve been busy with a pre-Black Friday purchase of leaf grabbers. The brown bin is choked with leaves. I could have bagged it up and turned it into mulch but you know what, there’s too much else needing sorted. Compost bins are full to bursting and the bin is getting collected is fortnightly.

I’ve heavily pruned one laurel and doing the leaves highlighted the other one I’ve ignored and is covered in wild roses and brambles. So those have been clipped with my new secateurs (which are blissful to use) and the leaves and brambles compressed still fill 2/3 of my brown bin and it’s November! See why I was gonna need two bins now? Well I don’t regret saving £180 by not having an extra, especially as I now need to find another job.

Have you got skills and experience? I’ve worked since I was 13, doing all sorts of bits and pieces. Not as much H&S nonsense in those days: I’ve even covered for the baker’s holiday when I was 14, up with the lark and putting croissants into the steam ovens and then bagging up cakes all day. I worked through university for beer money, although this wasn’t appreciated when I was interviewing for ‘real’ jobs later, as I was asked what I do in my spare time: usher in theatres, work in delis and cafes? No, what are your interests? No time or money for any of that! Good practice for now then?

Life in the twenty first century? Actually, can I say it’s calmer? Nope! Now it’s about the family and keeping up with all that entails. But brambles still grow like aliens if you don’t pay attention. And it’s much easier to blog than it is fill in the hundredth job application… better get back to it!