Yepee - it's raining.

Don't you just love the English weather. One day last week I was basking out in the sunshine and actually getting out the suncream and the summer clothes it was so hot.

Today it's been raining for most of the day. Not that I'm complaining.

a) I'm a gardener, so rain is always good for the garden and refilling the water butts - although it does mean mowing the lawn more frequently.

b) We still have a water shortage here in the south-east and a total hose-pipe ban, as you've no doubt heard me comment before. It will at least help to top up the water table.

I'm not sure what stopping private usage in gardens and for washing cars will do. A mere trickle compared with car washes and the usage from hotels, offices and any public amenities. Apparently it's OK to fill your swimming pool (how many cars will that wash!)

I have two water butts in the garden and I'm considering getting a third.

I have a hippo in my loo - no really! Well, it's a filled water bottle that displaces the water in the cistern so you use less each flush. One third of a house's water usage - literally goes down the loo.

I shower in preference to a bath and in the summer I'll recycle the water from my bath/shower on the garden. Soap suds are fine as long as you don't water fruit and veg that you plan to eat and there will be some of that going in this year - more than my usual tomato and salad plants. (A power shower can use as much water as a bath).


Here are some more water saving tips:

• Turn off the tap when washing you teeth. If you brush your teeth for the recommended two minutes you could be wasting 12 litres of water each time. A family of four could save a bathful of water every day!
• Use energy efficient washing machines and dishwashers. These are A+ rated. I'm not about to say wash your clothes by hand but if you can, wash dishes in a bowl of water rather than a dishwasher.
• Don't use the half-load option on your washing machine. Wait until you have a full load. Save one wash a week and you'll save 5000 litres a year.
• Only fill the kettle with as much water as you need. This will also save electricity and reduce your fuel bill too.
• Repair dripping taps - these can use as much two bathfuls in a week if you don't fix them.