The art of CLEANING

Michèle finds calm among the chaos of a burst pipe by doing a spot of tidying

- MICHÈLE A'COURT

You can tell the season's changing because I'm wearing my spring gumboots – pale cream ones, which are an optimistic alternative to my black and yellow, polka-dot gummies that take me round the garden from May to September.

Winter might be releasing its icy grip, but the rain won't stop and I have to remind myself this is the way of things where we live, and to not be furious that spring isn't always crisp sunshine with lambs frolicking amongst daffodils. There's mud, weeds, grey skies and a continuing need for gumboots.

I am, however, struck with the urge to spring clean. It started as a distraction – a way to soothe frazzled nerves. When life throws me lemons, I like arranging those lemons in careful rows, by size and shade.