Ratchets and their application to writing

Sorry I couldn't resist that. This is a non literary post... but still a burning issue for me.


Every time I've looked out of my bedroom window this winter the eucalyptus tree has caught my eye.

Not because it's beautiful, though it is, but because when I was pruning it last autumn there was a brach I just couldn't reach.  I went round the tree several times, carefully moving the ladder to avoid squashing any of the plants underneath.

Still I couldn't reach it and it's seemed like a reproach ever since.  Stupid but it's like that streak of paint on a skirting board that you forgot to clean off and now taunts you with being sloppy. 

Might be about to find a solution though courtesy of a local supermarket.  On one of her sweeps through the town looking for bargains my sister spotted a ratcheted lopper.  Now I don't get excited about equipment generally.  In fact I usually am less than enthusiastic about new stuff particularly of the technological variety. 

Too much to learn unless it's a switch on and it works.  In which case I'll take two.

But a ratcheted lopper might just do it. 

You see in our garden we have problems from quite a few trees that belong to the residential home at the back of us.  The council are responsible and every year the tree surgeons come and lop a proprotion of the trees at the back.  But in between them doing the ones at the back of us, we suffer, or at least our plants do from lack of light.

And I look longingly at the spindly branches that trail - surely I could reach them... if only.

If only I were 7 feet tall or had a magic piece of equipment that didn't cost a fortune, wasn't too heavy and worked every time.

Maybe this piece will be the right one - the match made in heaven for me and the job.

A break from the writing is indicated this afternoon and a quick trip to the supermarket to check it out.

I'll keep you posted.