01/02/17

The day started very badly and went down hill until I finished work.  We had a lot of rain during the night and the ditch that runs along side of my orchard was running very full.  I built a sand trap on in front of the potted section last summer and as I expected the grate in front of the pipe was blocked by leaves that had washed down the ditch;.  It was about twenty to six in the morning and still fully dark when I went out to clear it before going to work.  I looped the strap of my torch around my wrist in case I dropped it whilst raking out the leaves and sticks.  As expected I dropped it, as not expected the damned strap broke and it fell into the murky water.  It was, as I have said, pitch dark and my torch was in the bottom of the sand trap, yes I did swear a little and then some.  It didn't help.  I managed to rake the remaining detritus off the grate and gave up on my torch, meaning to order another from Amazon during the day, I forgot.  The day went further down hill as it progressed but I don't intend to  recite the details but on the good side i did get finished by half past four.  When I got home there was enough light for me to shovel out the muck from the bottom of the sand trap.  yes I found my torch covered in mud and it was still on and working.  I didn't believe it but the thing had spend eleven hours submerged in mud and water and had survived and was still shining.  It wasn't sold as waterproof but this one is.  The batteries did run out by the end of the week but I forgave them all things considered.  See you Monday.