Human Lifestyle

Up at 8.50am when Gilly came upstairs saying she had to get washed and dressed, so she could take something into school which had been left behind. I told her that I would do it, and quickly got washed and dressed, got my bike out and delivered the thing to school by about 9.10.

Then Gill and I sat on the sofa, chatting whilst I was doing email stuff, until about 11, when I needed to get ready to deliver my compost to Rich and Moz... and have lunch with them. I also needed to get a shopping list together as I was planning to come back via Sainsburys. I set off with 4 sacks of very well matured compost at about 11.40, slowly as this was perhaps 70 or 80 kg, and I used the cycle track to get over to Burton Stone Lane where my buddies were waiting for me, and happy to show me their new house. They have a small yard with some pots of old soil in, and mainly dead plants, and the compost is to pep up the existing soil to enable them to grow a few crops and flowers to brighten up the yard.

I met Alex, who's the new singer with The Falling Spikes, who was visiting and writing songs with the more long-standing members. We chatted and listened to assorted tracks, on Spotify and YouTube... and then at 1.30 pizza materialised and that went down a treat.

Moz and I walked up to his ladyfriend's house, and Jenny was expecting us... she'd invited me to give her some advice on ground-elder removal. I was unable to give her good news on ground elder, apart from it being edible... which she knew anyway.

I left at about 2.45 and bombed into town, through to Sainsburys to get margarine and bread, and I was tempted by a bottle of cheap Baileys.

When I got home at 3.20, another visitor was waiting... Sue, whom I'd met at St Nicks a few days ago, had said she'd be coming sometime between 3 and 4, to collect some 'tiger worms' to start off her wormery. So we chatted a bit and when the restof the famly came in, we went down the garden to pick up some worms. Many of my compost bins have quite tight fitting lids, and worms seem to like sitting in the lids, which makes collection or harvesting very easy. So we collected quite a few... certainly enough to start one or two small wormeries. Sue also wanted a carrier bag of riddled compost, so altogether I'd had a good day of sales and info-sharing.

I had meant to get into the garden to sort out some compostables, but I got a email from some people in Bradford who wanted info on community composting, and this reply took some while.

And then tea was ready... a really thick tomato soup, and a slice of tasty nutloaf with fried mushrooms. Yummy!

And then it was soon time to go to the Black Swan for a World Naked Bike Ride planning meeting. Good to see Tony and Hugh... we more or less finalised the route, and discussed various other issues.

I got back soon after 9 and watched some of the 'Canoe Man' drama, washed up, played Scrabble on facebook, and did more washing up.

What is a house without flowers, and I can tell you even if I am tired and coming home late after work. I will always make time for flowers. Here are some pictures of the flowers in the house.

Adrianna from Dreams of Perfection sent in this nightstand, dresser and mirror that she got for $60.

The great thing about this dresser, nightstand and mirror is that they are pieces that can be found in almost every town, and they're very easy to transform in a day or two.  


Since Adrianna is all about hand painted details (one expertise among many!), I thought of some different options that would allow her to dress up her pieces a bit more than the standard solid color treatment.  Here are some of my favorites.

I am quickly passing by with some pictures of the results. Like I am working every day from 7h30 till 18h in the evening, I don't have a lot of time to do miracles in the household. Luckely we have the weekend to work a bit on the house. Soon I will have some holidays to finish some rooms.

A very smooth morning... excellent. Wonder why some mornings are filled with tears and difficulty, whereas others are really easy? Weird!

Anyway, a good day followed. Gill and I continued to sort out the upstairs rooms... I rehung a door which had been bashed off it's hinges, and Gill had refilled the screw holes with plastic wood and this seemed to hold the screws pretty well, and the door is back on.

Once I'd done this I spent some time in the garden getting some compost ready for delivering to a friend tomorrow... and when I came up to the house, the Suma delivery had just been and Gill was signing the cheque.

At 1pm I went to the Black Swan and met a new friend, Maxine, and had a coffee and a chat. I think she'll come to the next Green Drinks. I'm happy to promote sustainable lifestyle choices with individuals, groups, or to people I've never met, like through this blog or using journalists. And I love meeting new people.

From here I cycled on to Bishophill, to see Pauline and help her with her renewables. A few days ago, she was down to her last log to feed her smokefree Clearview Pioneer, but she did manage to get a few off another friend... enough to last til today, when I arrived with my bowsaw and chopped up assorted lengths of timber she's acquired over the past few weeks. And in return, I had a very nice cafetiere of coffee and a relatively short chat. But at 3 I had to go... via Country Fresh, picked up 3 boxes of recyclables and a bag of groceries.

When I got in, Gill had gone to school to pick up our youngest and I stayed in to wait for our eldest... but he didn't appear and came in quite late after going to drama club, which we were happy to hear about. A bit later, Sarah, whom I know through St Nicks came to pick up her share of the Suma stuff... and she was happy to have a tour of the composting demonstrations, which she found inspiring, I was glad to hear!

Rice-based tea, assorted phone conversations, lots of emailing, and rounded off the evening with an excellent film called The Flying Scotsman, about a rather quirky cyclist, Graeme Obree. A good day.

Woken by screaming and yelling at 8am. I feel so sorry for our neighbours. I came down to see if my quiet presence might help smooth the exit off to school, and it did, with one child. Great!

However, there was an absolute refusal from our youngest so I quickly got dressed and got my bike out and Gill and I plonked him onto the pannier rack and took him to school, and he was not late. Hooray. (and, when he arrived home at 3.40, he reported having a brilliant day, so it was worth it)

I had a lot of assorted paperwork to do and Gill did a vast amount of sorting and tidying upstairs. I was doing the washing up after buying bread before lunch and she came down, beaming at me, told me she loved me, and pulled my left hand towards her, and slipped on my long-lost wedding ring. This went AWOL at least two years ago... I had taken it off as I was getting eczema underneath it and put it 'safely' in a pot on the sideboard (so I thought!) and that was the last I saw of it. I wondered if it had slipped off into one of my compost heaps, or had disappeared somewhere else.. but I had obviously put it safely somewhere, just forgotten where. It was on the dressing table in our bedroom; this hasn't been tidied or cleaned for, ahem, some while!

After lunch I cycled round to South Bank to visit a Freecycler who had advertised some logs on Sunday. I'd emailed him and said I'd be unable to come on Sunday but if there was anything left on Monday, that would be good. So, as there were some logs left, I popped over and picked some up. The householder, John, had moved in less than a year ago and had just finished doing up the house, and was starting on the garden. There had been a row of huge bushy Leylandii, two collapsed apple trees and a selection of other trees. I was the seventh visitor to take some wood... most of the apple had gone, and so I only got a few chunks of that, but I took a trailer full of Lilac sticks up to 7 cm diameter. We had a chat about fruit trees, compost and conflict resolution... the usual range of conversational subjects I have with strangers!

From here I recrossed the Ouse on the Millennium Bridge and cycled into Fulford to my agent's house, as I had a booking letter from him I needed to get back to him. And from him through the University back home.

I had a quick tea... mashed potato, pastie and peas, and set out on my second Freecycle trip of the day. Someone else had offered a load of bricks... so I thought that I'd add to the bricks for the wall, and get a trailer load. I managed to get 37 in one load... 6 in each pannier and 25 in the trailer. The Freecycler didn't have time to let me go and pick up a second load, but an extra 37 'clamp bricks' for nothing is worth having.

Despite the rain, I did an hour of shredding before it got too dark to continue. I came in and helped with some homework, cut some fingernails and settled down to watch Newsnight and do more washing up.

Another work day, so I started with a shave as I was feeling a bit over-fluffy, and wanted to make a good impression. I'd been invited by James to come and do a Fiddlesticks party for his young daughter, who turned 4 this week. However, this wasn't a usual booking, as James had found me at least a year ago via this blog (I think) as he has a keen interest in green issues, and we'd become facebook friends and chat pretty regularly, comment on each other's posts, etc... but never actually met. So I was looking forward to meeting James.

I left the house with all my kit in the trailer just after 11.30 and got to the station in good time, got my ticket and went to wait for the 12.18 on the usual platform. The train looked like it wasn't going anywhere and I hoped the train strike hadn't started early. I checked the board and whoops, the Harrogate train was leaving from Platform 10, in 2 minutes. I got to it with 30 seconds to spare... phew!

I had lunch on the train and was pleased to see James waiting at Pannal station, as agreed, when I left the train. He took me to Follifoot Village Hall where I met his wife and some friends... I got changed and then his 4 year-old daughter showed up with Granny, and soon lots of party-goers too. Virtually all of the 30 or so children were 3 or 4, with perhaps one older one.. but all the parents stayed and that made it a really good audience. I was very pleased that some of the grown-ups were 'game' and were happy to join in, and the show went well, as expected.

Then birthday tea, and after that, there was the balloon workshop... again, the parents did really well and helped their offspring make balloon animals, and I helped a bit too... The competitions at the end were fun too, and we finished on time, and everybody was happy, especially me, as I enjoyed myself, as usual.

James and family were happy and he took me back to the station in time for the 5.20 train. I slept lightly for most of the way back, as I always find gigs really tiring.

I came home via Country Fresh which was closed and they hadn't left anything out for me, so went to Freshways who had got 4 sacks for me, which I somehow managed to balance on my unicycles, pannier rack and handlebars to get them home... i do like my compost heaps to keep hot, so the more the merrier!

Gill fed me... well, gave me a plate-full of pasta and I fed myself, and soon after 7.30, Will popped round as he had asked me to provide him with a bag of seed compost and some tomato seeds, as he wanted to conduct an experiment using two different growing methods... one using hocus pocus, planting in moonlight and chanting, and the other just 'normal' planting. Well I think that was what he was going to do! Anyway, happy to let him have 10 Yorky's worth of compost, tomato seeds and egg boxes for planting in... and I look forward to the results!

A funny old evening, not sure what I got done but I seemed busy most of the time.

A busy day planned, so up at 8 so I could be ready for a 9am start... to cycle just over 3 miles to the Folk Hall in New Earswick for the AGM of North Yorkshire Credit Union. I got there in time for a coffee and a chat to my friends, some of whom go back to the early days of getting the Credit Union started.

This AGM is the first since the common bond was enlarged from living or working in the City of York, to the whole of North Yorkshire. The enlargement has been tough for the organisation, but things are looking good.. lots of people needing the services, and membership continuing to grow. I enjoyed the meeting.

I cycled quickly home as I didn't have much time. I had a quick lunch and packed my trailer with a lot of workshop stuff... and cycled the 7 miles to Wheldrake, via Elvington. The roads were very potholed and there was quite a strong wind, so it took 40 minutes. The gig was with some older Guides, aged 15 to 21. The venue was a nice hall, called the White Rose House, and I did a version of my show but less silliness and more showing how things work, then a workshop, which was great as they were so able.

So I really enjoyed this, and came back the same route... got home towards 5pm. So, parched and tired, I didn't do very much after getting in, apart from lighting the stove.

Upbeat day, although spent the morning on the computer catching up on yesterday's conference.

Then after lunch I took two medium sacks of seed compost down to St Nicks as Ivana had asked for some more. She also gave me the cheque for doing the Extreme Composting talk last week.

I cycled out of the back of the nature reserve to the Council depot, Hazel Court, with two broken toasters for their WEEE recycling. No hassles here this time.

Then down to my building society, to put that cheque in and transfer some money into out Co-op Suma account, as we're doing another order. And then to the bank to put that cheque in and one from a friend who participates in our food Co-op. I met my friend Jenny H and discussed a possible mediation session, but she might not be the best person for the situation which needs mediating.

From here I went to Country Fresh and got two carrier bags of fruit and veg, plus one sack and 4 boxes of lovely compostables. I got home just after our eldest son did, and he helped me unload the groceries. I then got busy in the garden... I pruned two of the small pear trees, removed honeysuckle from the James Grieve apple tree, pruned a shrub (can't remember it's name), cut down some brambles and dug out a compost heap into plastic sacks, to make space for turning another. I expect I'll do that on Sunday evening.

Gill created a noodles-based tea, with mushrooms, cashew nuts and asparagus. It was delicious. She'd made a microwaved cake for pudding which wasn't her best, according to her, but I enjoyed it...

Later I rang my Auntie in Norfolk and we chatted for nearly an hour. I also enjoyed watching Professor Brian Cox on the Jonathan Ross show, quite entertaining...


The important thing is not to be bitter over life's disappointments. Learn to let go of the past... and recognize that everyday won't be sunny. And when you find yourself lost in the darkness and despair... remember it's only in the black of night you can see the stars, and those stars will lead you back home. So don't be afraid to make mistakes, to stumble, to fall, cause most of the time the greatest rewards come from doing the things that scare you the most. Maybe you'll get everything you wish for... Maybe you'll get more than you ever could have imagined... Who knows where life will take you. The road is long and in the end... the journey is the destination.                                                    
                                                                                ~Author Unknown                                                                                                               

                                 Courtesy of Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles

I got up at about 6.30 so I could leave the house at 7.15 and be on the 7.44 to Sheffield. The train was crowded but I took my laptop so I could reply to assorted emails and delete some, as my inbox is too full again.

Just the other side of Leeds, the train stopped and after 10 minutes, an announcement came through that due to a broken down train in front of us, we were going to go back into Leeds and then take a different Sheffield the conventional way, although 20 minutes late.

I went to the taxi queue and asked people if anyone was going to the University... and luckily, there were a pair of sisters, farmers from Herefordshire who were going to the conference. So as well as having some interesting chat, the cost of my share of the taxi was just £2.

The Natural Burial conference was fully booked, about 100 people. It was hosted by the Department of Landscape, but with help from Sociology too... I registered, gave in my cheque and donned my name badge, and found people to talk to and share my interest in greener funerals.

In the lecture theatre, the head of the department Professor Paul Selman welcomed us and introduced the team. Andy Claydon told us about the mapping they have done. They have got 207 existing sites in the UK, 24 in the planning stage, and 11 proposed sites. The UK has the greatest concentration of 'green burial' sites, although the concept is spreading to Holland (2 sites), Germany, the US, Canada and Australia.

The difference between a traditional burial ground and a 'natural burial' is pretty small, in my opinion. A cemetery around a church or one of the big Victorian 'park' cemeteries have lots of headstones ('memorialisation') and graves in rows, and often little wildlife value. The graves may be deep enough for 4 coffins, with the top coffin lid being a minimum of 3 feet below the surface of the soil. Natural burial can be woodland burial or meadow burial, may be in an existing woodland, or a field which is becoming a woodland. Natural burial grounds often don't allow headstones, and most don't permit solid wood or chipboard coffins, or bodies which have been suffused with embalming fluid. Natural burials are often higher up in the soil profile, at 2 or 3 feet below the soil surface, which in theory gives a greater chance of an aerobic decomposition, reducing the amount of methane generated, which is one of my main 'issues' with ordinary burial.

The survey of British natural burial grounds showed that there is a lot of variety in their size, ownership, management, intended habitat and services available. Demand is growing, but it is still a tiny percentage of the total number of body disposals, as 70% in the UK are cremated, although this wasn't common until the 1940s.

After the coffee break, Jenny Hockey spoke about her research which was sociological, looking at the sites through the eyes of bereaved people. This was very moving, and showed why the relatives chose to inter their loved-one at a natural burial ground rather than a traditional cemetery or to go to the crematorium.

Then there was the report about the interviews with the funeral directors, celebrants and local community, also interesting. I learned such a lot!

Lunch was OK, but nothing was labelled so I had to try and guess what was meaty/fishy and what was veggie. The nicest looking thing there was one of the 'PJ taste' staff, a very petite student with a cheeky smile. But I had a cheese sandwich instead....

The afternoon session, back in the lecture hall, was started by Ken West, and enthusiastic and humorous retired chap who in his working life had done over 100, 000 funerals, based in Carlisle. He is one of the founding fathers of the natural burial movement. He took us through the legislation surrounding natural burial, which is far from simple or clear.

Then John Mallatratt from the Association of Natural Burial Grounds talked about that and its parent body, the Natural Death Centre. Lots more learning!

Then we broke up into our chosen workshops, and I went to one called 'the long term future of natural burial', and then 'the opportunities and constraints of natural burial', both of which were reasonably interesting. These were followed by the plenary feedback session... and suddenly it was 4.30 and time to finish. What a day... I learned SO much, a real eye-opener to a world I knew very little about.

I'd arranged for Ali to pick me up at 4.45 so we could go for something to eat together before I went home. I stood on the corner of Crookesmoor Road and Conduit Road, and the big church on Crookesmoor Road near this junction looked very familiar. It had been done up and was in use, but about 18 or 19 years ago, soon after I moved to York, my friend Rat moved up from Northampton to York, and lived on Haxby Road for a year or so, then moved to Sheffield, and lived in that church, which was squatted. I went to stay with him for a few nights, it was quite an experience! I'd love to know what happened to him... he has a very distinctive tattoo on the top of one of his arms, an eye with a tail, drawn by my then partner at a party in 1988, which he got tattooed on the next day...

And, weirdly, when in Blue Moon later with Ali, my old partner M came in and we chatted for half an hour, which was really nice. We also chatted to Jillian Creasy and another of Ali's friends, so it was a very social time.

I got the 8.56 train back to York and was glad to get into the house at 10pm to rescue the situation which was just getting a bit out of hand, pre-bedtime pre-teen madness.

I had a very late night, writing things up and catching up on emails, washing up, paperwork, but nothing planned for tomorrow so that's OK.

Hello dearies. I don't know where the last week went...I've been so busy prepping/planning for weddings that there has just never been enough time in the day to get to this post.

I'm also loving his new Home Collection collaboration with Vanguard Furniture.  Thom wanted his line to have a collected look, and wanted the pieces to collaborate and coordinate instead of match--I think he did a great job.  Here are some of my favorite picks from his new line.




Leather and nailhead? Yes, please!



Who wouldn't want to eat at this dining table??





These beautiful chairs were featured in his concept condo (Designer Showhouse) for House Beautiful.






I've always wanted a round dining table and have decided that that's the route I'll be going in my next home.  There's something so intimate, elegant, and yet casual about a round table and/or circular seating. 






Great shape & beautiful color with a linen wrapped drawer (which gives me a great idea for my nightstands!).





Beautiful cocktail table with an interesting, organic base.





If I brought this home, I think I'd attack it with some nail trim . . .






This is such a statement piece--of course you'll remember this featured in the Showhouse.



I love everything about this--the causal, the traditional, the rustic, and the glam.  I think I would've screamed if I would've been there when they put this together--fabulous!






Did I tell you I love mirrors???












The coffee table seen here is also a part of this line.


I love that the lines of the pieces are all so interesting in this collection.  Vanguard did good to hook up with Thom.


See more of this great stuff here.



(Showhouse photos courtesy of House Beautiful)