Fran Farmer wrote:

:-)) I do agree about the great feeling that gives. I have a number
of 'mattocks' that are recycled, welded up then sharpened bitzers
that are made from the leaf springs from cars. They are superb to
use even for a woman of my years. I can swing one or other of them
for hours and not feel any ill effects unlike the big, real mattock
that we have stuffed in the back of the shed somewhere.

We get backpackers working here sometimes. Most of them are good workers
and we try to match the work to their capabilities. We had a young lady
from Japan who weighed in at about 41kgs (85lbs for those who live in the
boonies). At one point I handed her a mattock which she managed to hang on
to with difficulty and then she very politley asked what did I expect her to
do with it. I recovered my senses and took it back and gave her trowel. A
while later a strapping Austrian lad (whose hero was Arnie Swarzzennegger)
declared " I liiiike to diiiig". I thought to myself, I have just the thing
for you my boy.

D