Mariah Carey has a vocal range of five octaves (trivia courtesy of Spicks and Specks which I watched while cleaning the cottage today). The lad next door has a vocal range of five notes - none of which he quite achieves. Unfortunately he rather fancies himself as a singer and is presently wandering around their paddocks strumming on a guitar and regaling the neighbourhood with his dubious talent. Let this be a warning to all parents that, while it is all very well to encourage your children to have faith in themselves, you must also teach them what bits to have faith in.....

Tomorrow will be 25 which will be a bit warm for getting the chainsaw out, but since the following day will be 10 I feel I have no choice. Meanwhile the rain they promised has been hanging around all day but does not want to take the plunge.

I spent more time in the bathroom today - waxing the bentwood chair I put my clothes on, clearing out the vanity unit, throwing out ten year old mascaras and such like. I now have sufficient cosmetics to do my face, and that is all. At the rate of consumption they should see me out so that is good. Another cosmetics bag contains all the tiny tubes of sample stuff you get, and that will get hauled out for use when I feel the need to moisturise. Meanwhile the remnants of Dead Sea Salts have been poured into a bath and I had a nice long soak. I am amazed at the number of cakes of soap I own - I seem to acquire fancy soaps at a far faster rate than I use them - and yes, I do bathe daily!

A load of washing was the last on the list and that is now tidied away for use, and I am. most unusually, sitting in my pyjamas at this early hour enjoying the aftermath of my bath.