I’d just like to state, here and now, for the record, that I don’t like gardening.

Having said that, I don’t want to have our garden in a state of complete wilderness and so, reluctantly, I will get out there to weed and keep it moderately tidy. It is my husband who plants things, who pots things on, and then, finally, plants them in the garden where I can pull them up, thinking they are weeds. I say, if he wants to protect his precious plants, then he should a) mark them clearly or b) do the flippin’ weeding himself!

Today, I was out there weeding. I was listening to a juicy crime story and losing myself in the plot as I cut down old peony stalks, grubbed up over-encroaching ivy and dug out twitch. Suddenly, there was a flutter in the flowering redcurrant next to me and there was a little robin, close enough to touch, watching me with a dark eye like a bead of jet and looking around for any small wiggling things I might have turned over with my fork. He was delightful and I enjoyed his company very much. He stayed around for a whole hour, and he made a cheerless job much better.

I find having company makes even the most tedious and unpleasant tasks better. When we cleared out my late parents-in-laws’ house, the job was made much easier by the company of my sister-in-law. Together, we were able to tackle much more than if we had spent the same amount of time by ourselves. It was an emotional job, especially for her, and the company made it bearable. There was someone to moan to and someone to share coffee breaks with. Once my husband had joined us, she had someone she could share old memories with and to consult with over what treasures to keep and what “treasures” were merely junk in disguise. Of course, we still ended up saving more than we should have and only delayed the inevitable decision to throw things out. Does anyone want three large boxes of classical LPs? Please speak now, because they are going to the dump next weekend!

I remember it was my hairdresser who helped me organise my crafting space. She is the most organised and tidy person I know, and she offered to help me because she just loves to organise. I was incredibly grateful, as I felt overwhelmed by the task.

When I worked as an image consultant, one of the services I offered was wardrobe reviews. Many people find the prospect of clearing out their wardrobe more than they can face and are prepared to hire a professional to come in and help. My assistance made a hard job easy and fun.

What tasks do you have that are overwhelming, or simply distasteful? Could you find someone to keep you company while you do them?

But I warn you, I’m not sending you my robin.

Mary

A Moodscope member