I wrote the other day about how good it feels when you deliberately make someone laugh. It’s probably like receiving a seal of approval.

I wasn’t quite sure though how good you’d feel if you unintentionally made someone laugh.

Last weekend I found out. There I was pottering around the garden doing my Monty Don impression. My youngest daughter, P, was sitting on the swing. On the garden path was a wheelbarrow full of guinea pig shit and saw dust – it was piled up.

I still can’t explain it but somehow I tripped and started falling. As I fell I put my arms out to grab something – anything – to stop me. I grabbed hold of the wheelbarrow handles but they were not enough to stop me falling flat on my face.

Embarrassing enough but it didn’t end there. As I grabbed the handles I up-ended the wheelbarrow thus depositing its entire contents over my head and shoulders.

P, bless her, was watching this and couldn’t quite believe what she’d seen. A slight grin appeared on her face and it was only when I looked straight at her did we both burst out laughing.

And, yes, it felt good.