Thursday 14 February 2008

A Safety Tip.

All readings are taken from a sheltered location in our garden and cover a 24 hour period starting at 6pm.
Low Temp: 3.0C
High Temp: 6.1C
Rainfall: 0.0mm
Strongest Gust of wind: 1.0 mph.
Weather Today: Dry and overcast all day.
Today I have a little safety tip for you.
DON'T hold secateurs and a screw driver like this.

Unless you want a hand like this
I was up a ladder trimming the Ivy back that you see in the picture below when the accident occured. The bare bit of wall to the right of the top window is as far as I got, I was attempting to trim it off level with the bottom of this window. The secateurs were to snip the stem and the screw driver was to lever it away from the wall so I could get my hand around it and give it a pull. Everything was fine until I got a piece that decided to cling to the wall real hard, so I gripped the ladder with my left hand, the secateurs and screw driver also gripped by the left hand in a similar manner to in the above picture and I gave the stubborn Ivy a good old yank just at the same time as the Ivy put its hands in the air and said, 'OK - I give up'! Of course by this time it was too late and the first thing to absorb this extra energy was the blade of the secateurs. Need I say more?

A BLAST FROM THE PAST.
Friday 14th February 1992.
Lord? has been fussy today. He started the day by thanking me for the Rhubarb yesterday, 'Much appreciated' is what he said. In the afternoon he said the gardens were looking better than they had for quite a long time but is waiting to see if this standard can be maintained through the summer.
Got a letter from the building society to say that our mortgage has been reduced by £30 a month. This makes our monthly payment £101.
Went to Dave and Jackies house for a cup of tea - or in my case a can of beer, this evening.
Dave and Jackie were estate workers, Dave was the painter and Jackie the housekeeper and live just up the drive from us, we in the lodge and they in the gardeners cottage. Its funny because on the surface that estate would appear to be a far more hostile estate than this. We've been here two and a half years now and only ever been invited in to one persons house for a cup of tea.

6 comments:

Gordon Mason said...

Ouch! Funnily enough I have a scar at the base of my left index finger from a very similar accident 20 years ago. I was cutting down a piece of wire which had been supporting runner bean canes and the secateurs slipped. I very nearly took my finger off; looking down into the cut I could see bone. And I was a mile from home and on a bicycle. Had to cycle home with finger wrapped up in a grubby, and increasingly bloody, handkerchief. Happy days!

Jeanette said...

Gday Bob, Ouch that looks nasty, looks like it need a few stitches.Oh dear they should have been in a safety pouch or a pocket till ready to use..Hope your hand heals very quickly and doesn't keep you out of action to long.. Jen

Merle said...

Hi Bob ~~ So sorry you had that accident and it's one you most likely will not have again. We do learn.
Hope it heals up quickly for you.
Thank you for your comments at my blog about having tests ~ I have had many mammograms over the years as I had a mastectomy in 1979, Have been lucky not to have Cancer return. Take care of yourself, With best wishes,
Merle.

Margaret said...

Sorry you had an accident hope it is better by now. I have some Rhubarb in my freezer ( cooked). My friend up at Mt Tamborine brings it to me in season as it grows very well up there.) It does not grow here, too hot. we had it always in my childhood garden in Victoria I really love it.
Cheers Margaret.

La Tea Dah said...

I hope your hand feels better soon and heals up well. Ouch --- it must hurt!

LaTeaDah

Anonymous said...

Well written article.