In message , rwakeford
writes
On 26 Jan 2005 22:31:25 GMT, Nick Maclaren wrote:

It'a funny thing but most of us right handed gardeners dig
left-handed,i.e. our left foot goes on the spade and our left hand goes
down the shaft. ...

Do we? Not in my observation.

He did say "most" and how many have you actually "observed" to make that
statement? ;-)

Well I'm left handed, very much so, and I push down with my right foot
and slide my right hand down the shaft, couldn't do it any other way so
maybe it's true.

That is interesting. I am also mostly left-handed and use a spade in
the way you do. I use a knife and fork, sow seeds, play a guitar, play
golf (rarely), cricket (ditto) and use a computer mouse right-handed. I
rarely iron because Bas does it but when I do it is left-handed and I
also use my left hand for (most) writing, sewing, chopping and stirring
of food. Many years ago, I played rounders left-handed. Perhaps many
'left-handed' people are really ambidextrous?

I used to find that people of an older generation were intolerant of
lefties but none of my three kids have ever mentioned it and neither has
my husband, (except when he borrowed a left-handed golf club from a
friend).

I am sure many studies have been conducted about left-handedness but
life is too short to indulge in following their progress. However, I
have noticed that there seem to be many more left-handed people around
these days. Perhaps that is something to do with the penchant of some
teachers in the 1950's to make all children in their class write with
their right hand. (In my case, my mother went to the school and
complained bitterly, so that was the end of that!)
--
June Hughes