I really hate this plant - it's so invasive and I've never been able to find a way of completely killing it off. This spring I waged a war on the vile thing and managed to keep it under control pretty much. Imagine my disappointment to be feeding the dogs tonight and realise that it's popping through my fence now from my next-door-neighbour's garden - wail, wail and much gnashing of teeth!

It's funny though, even though I really hate it, it always makes me think of something really good - the Coasters then much later the Lambrettas had hits with the song, Poison Ivy - a much loved favourite of mine. I just can't get 'you're gonna need an ocean of calamine lotion' out of my mind whenever I'm dealing with the wretched stuff! It always makes me smile.

My thoughts of Mod days were rekindled at the weekend when we saw this in a crowd of scooters when driving towards Bracknell. The first thing I said to David was 'look - that one's got an ancillotti back rest - Jan'd love that' and if you note her comment - she noticed this one doesn't!

The whole Mod thing was a joy to me (and moreso to my sister, Jan) - we were both too young the first time round but in the late 70's we did the whole thing - Jan had a turquoise Lambretta, signpainted with her name, a parka with a target on the back and she rode around really proudly on it.

Me? I didn't ride a scooter but did wear black and white mini dresses, white tights, loads of thick black eyeliner and kitten heels - to this day I can't get rid of my hankering for kittens - as soon as I slip on a pair, I feel like a million dollars! I saw all the late 70's/early 80's mod/ska bands - oh how I loved seeing the Lambrettas and the Merton Parkas, as well as one of my all-time favourite bands, the Beat - two tone - ah heaven.....from then it was a small step to the Skalites, Robert Drummond and all the other wonderful old ska heroes. Then it was on to the brilliant Soul Brother Six, Otis, Aretha, Stax, Atlantic - experiences all linked together by fate and good luck.

It was through the whole Mod thing that I came across the Q-Tips - they held a really special place in my heart. What a wonderful band, what a wonderful sound and I met my buddies Claire and Sharon at a Q-Tips gig - then they introduced me to Colin and Paul and the rest is history. Oh nostalgia - I could go on all night......