After the success of the Bank Holiday in terms of getting household tasks done, I didn't want to lose momentum. As a result, I managed to motivate myself into ringing a local skip company, one of whose skips I'd noticed on the street where I live.

Quick musical aside: I have often walked, down the street before, but the pavement always seemed so incomplete before, now at last the trip, really is a pip, with a skip on the street where I live. Apologies to AJL.

I rang the skip hire firm as I travelled betwen offices this lunchtime (after I'd gotten a quick haircut) and arranged for it to be delivered same day. After my afternoon's work, I came home to discover the skip and, thankfully, that it was still empty. I changed, did a quick B&Q trip for paint, a shovel and a lampshade. Then I did a Morrison's trip for various supplies and returned home. Home at 7, it was time to tackle the skip loading.

As a quick bit of backplot, I should point out that my last attempt to rid myself of unnecessary debris was back at the end of July when I was between jobs and the world seemed full of excitement and promise. In a cost saving exercise, and with the help of my ex-girlfriend's dad, I hired a van and did several trips to the local tip. This involved a lot of sorting at the far end and was a total nuisance. However, a load of rubble sacks were removed and an entire garage was emptied of crap. What remained was a modest pile of shite outside my kitchen door.

Two things have happened since last July (actually, that's a lie - a lot of stuff has happened, but two of them are relevant). Firstly, there's been various bits of buiding work, which have resulted in things being added to the pile. Secondly, and this is the annoying bit, people have been seeing a dump outside a house and adding to it. We got a TV a few days ago... and it didn't even have Freeview.

I would have been rather peeved to come home to discover my skip already full of other people's crap. I will be even more annoyed if my drive becomes a dumping ground from here on in, since it is now totally clear of crap. In one sweaty 90 minute session I filled the skip. One two three, job's a good-un.

I came back into the house and had something to eat and then tried to motivate myself into doing something else useful. I decided to fit the new lampshade. This also involved refitting, so drilling and rewiring the ceiling light fitting. A simple job in the end and the jury is still out over whether the new lampshade is right for the job.

But there was more to do. I had another coat of PBW emulsion (that's pure brilliant white) to whack on the ceiling of my 2nd bedroom. It was the only ceiling which didn't get its second coat over the weekend - the paint supply running out. I set about the process of putting on this latter coat. I want a gorgeous finish. This involves edging with the paintbrush, then edging a second time with the roller, by hand up the ladder. Then comes the rolling by pole to join it all up. Bish bash bosh, job's a good 'un.

I was in the final straight of this task, with Elaine Paige playing on the Listen Again from Sunday (I missed much of it) and I noticed someone pushing a car along the street. I assumed they were trying to start it. It turned out that it had run out of fuel. I know this because I lumbered down to offer help. In the end, we pushed the car to a neighbouring street and parked it. Yes, after my night up and down ladders, following the heavy labouring and skip work, I was the motor in someone's vehicle. Brilliant.

I offered various extra bits of assistance, like transport to a petrol station or home or whatever. I was thanked, but the offer wasn't taken up. I think it's good when people help each other out. I'm not sure whether I was totally motivated by doing a good deed, or whether some of this was displacement activity to avoid the effort left back in the house.

Heavy with sweat, I returned to the house, completed the task and then did an encore by stripping out and painting the inside of a cupboard. I don't care too much how this looks, so long as it's basically clean.

And that was my evening. A lot of labour and a few moments of sweating so much that my glasses got streaks. The effect on my house is noticeable from the last few days. The living room is really coming on the outside is a new place. I've bought various colours of paint, since I can now start doing walls in some of the rooms. I'd like that.

I've one DIY night left this week and I'm not entirely sure how I'll spend it. However, there are plenty of things to paint and, with the exception of the colour for the walls of the front room, I have the paints I'm going to use. I have decided on colours and everything. Lovely.