Not like that!

You know the sort of thing – if Shakespeare were alive today he'd be writing lyrics for rock groups, and Beau Brummel would be doing the gossip column in the Daily Mail. I don't, of course, approve of that sort of thing. Except...

June: the new Isabella?

It's irresistible to think that Mrs Beeton (“The Book of Household Management, comprising information for the mistress, housekeeper, cook, kitchen-maid, butler, footman, coachman, valet, upper and under house-maids, lady’s-maid, maid-of-all-work, laundry-maid, nurse and nurse-maid, monthly, wet, and sick nurses, etc. etc.”) would today be running a website rather like Hints and Things. This treasure trove of practical advice is actually brought to us by June Jackson, a “plump, old, grey wrinkly living in the south of England” (her words, I hasten to add). She's a star.

June's starting point is that stuff about running a home, or even running your life, is nowadays not efficiently passed down from one generation to the next, so she stands in place of your extended family, doling out tips on cooking, knitting, sewing, gardening, cost-cutting, cleaning, healthcare, beauty... the list just goes on and on. It's all set out in the context of a Cluedo-like house plan, each room being devoted to a set of topics.

June hasn't written all this stuff – she has gathered the best she could find on each subject. So advice to brides comes from a commercial website, while winter safety tips come from West Sussex County Council.

There are also competitions, links to freebies, and adverts to pay for all the wonderful free advice. Don't struggle to get that stubborn stain out, or panic over an alternative when you run out of cream. Just go and see June. Oh, she does concrete mixing, too!

(From the Gateway to websites, select “Home & garden”. Hints and Things is a Key Link.)

A lovesome thing, God wot!

After all that housework, how about getting outside and visiting a garden. Somebody else's garden can be an inspiration and an example, or it can be an opportunity for an enjoyably-malicious “I could do better than that” hour or so.
The National Gardens Scheme is usually associated with (we hope) idyllic summer days, when we can rootle around somebody's pride and joy, maybe buy some cuttings, and have a cup of tea with home-made cake. But the scheme organisers recognise that people want things to do and places to go throughout the year.

So there is now a sprinkling of early-openers for which you can search by popping in your postcode and stipulating how far you will travel. Admittedly, I found few gardens near me with owners brave enough to risk a February opening, but it's nearly March and, from then on, the gardening world's your oyster. It's all for charity, so you can retain a virtuous glow of satisfaction as you turn your nose up at the roses and snigger at the chrysanthemums.

(From the Gateway to websites, select “Home and garden”. The National Gardens Scheme is under “Gardening”.)