Today I burned the garden rubbish and set myself coughing again, but it had to be done; the heap of dead branches and dug-up tree roots was reaching for the sky. The damaged parts of the lawn are showing signs of life after two days of careful watering. Next week promises rain, so watering will continue for free.

As I tick off each task on the preparation checklist, I feel the tension crank up. I hope I never have to do this again.