As a long-suffering customer of Yorkshire Water, I became subject to a hosepipe ban on 11 July. The next day I read in your Saturday magazine that I should enliven my summer by turning my garden into a water park: “All you need is a hose …” (From stargazing to slushy-making: 50 fresh ideas for a super summer on the cheap (some are even free), 12 July). Are you taking the piss? Hang on, you might just have given me an idea for keeping my garden watered.
Paul Comaish
Horsforth, West Yorkshire
• When Rafael Behr writes: “Ultranationalist ideology and a personality cult around the president are embedded in all public discourse as tests of loyalty” I had to check if he was referring to President Putin or Trump (Trump isn’t a reliable ally – but Nato dollars can be more persuasive than Putin’s propaganda, 16 July).
Kevin Quinn
Musselburgh, East Lothian
• Having read Is your home a health hazard? 15 surprisingly filthy everyday items, from taps to toothbrushes (17 July), I concluded that, as my house is clearly a breeding ground for bugs, it’s nothing short of miraculous that I’ve survived into my 80s with few major illnesses. It seems more likely that following the article’s advice might lead to a severe attack of neurosis.
Mary Gladman
Swindon
• Reading the Guardian sometimes makes me wonder whether we need to worry about everything.
Michael Fuller
Ampthill, Bedford
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