Chairman’s Chit Chat March 2024
It is exactly a mile (according to my car mileometer) from our house to the allotment site. If I have nothing heavy to carry down to the plot, or nothing even heavier to bring back home, it is uphill all the way back, so I like to walk rather than take the car. This is good for me, as I need the exercise, it is good for the planet, as I am not burning any fossil fuel, and – just as important – it is good for my wallet, as I am not using any expensive petrol.
What I term “heavy” tools, such as forks, spades, rakes, hoes and so on, are homed in the allotment shed. There are however a few “light” tools which I like to have with me all the time and they live in a backpack.
Now, I am not sure if this item should be called a “daysack” or a “rucksack.” I know it isn’t a “Bergen”, which is the huge thing British Army infantry have to lug around on their back when in a combat zone. Anyway, whatever it is called, it is always with me on allotment duty whether I am on foot or in the car.
Of late it seemed to weigh more than it used to and needed more effort to lift on to my shoulders. I decided to empty all the contents and do a stock check. The usual, everyday essentials were present and correct – trowel, hand fork, a pair of secateurs, a ball of soft twine, plastic labels and a couple of permanent markers. Add to this a bright orange plastic dibber, a twelve-inch wooden ruler and four pairs of gloves. Yes – four pairs of gloves. I have dermatitis on my hands (the result of too much gardening?) and there are different styles and designs of glove suitable for different jobs. So far so sensible.
The next few items you could perhaps be classified as non-essential but good to have. In this category were found a tenon saw, a pruning saw, a three-metre measuring tape and an open pack of 4-inch nails.
Last, but not least, there was quite an array of the utterly bizarre. Representing this section we have a pair of pliers, two cigarette lighters (I don’t smoke!), one half full, the other half empty, a moveable spanner and astonishingly a teaspoon.
Hmm…… maybe I need that Bergen after all?
Tags: backpack, gloves, tools