Another reasonably productive day, and a definite highlight at the end.
So, a slow start to the day... bits of washing up and stuff around the house, Gill went out to get a pre-birthday hair do, and came back looking even more lovely than she usually does.
In the afternoon, I took a shopping list to Country Fresh, picked up a couple of sacks of goodies, then went to Alligator and did the same. Round to Cycle Heaven to find out if the saddle I'd ordered was in yet, and weirdly the order had been cancelled. When I got in, I think I found out why... they did have one in. I'll pop in sometime and have it fitted.
From here I cycled along the West bank of the river and then crossed at Lendal Bridge to go and visit my dentist, as I was wondering when my next appointment was. I got a date in August.
Then on to see Sarah who used to run Kyi Po on Goodramgate. She found that the 'vegan only' fare wasn't attracting enough custom, so she started selling alcoholic drinks (vegan ones) and has now completely changed to being Gluggles, an off licence. Sarah had invited me to go there and pick up a few bags of flour which were left over from the old shop, and I was pleased to see Matt there. We chatted for a few minutes and he showed me the selection of local wines, including a range from Ryedale Vinyeards, and several from a little further away. We discussed carbon footprints and carbon rationing.
Then I went to Sainsburys to get cereal, bread, vegan ice cream (for Gill), asparagus (ditto) and cheese. And then home.
We had an early 'toastie' tea, as my eldest had agreed to come with me to a lecture at the University, as part of Insect Week. We set off cycling soon after 6pm and got to the Physics block in good time for the 3-part event. It was entitled 'The Wet, Weird and Wonderful World of Garden Insects'. First up was Duncan Sivell, who is the Biodiversity Acton Manager for Buglife, the only charity in Europe working to conserve all invertebrates. He talked us through the various insects found in ponds, such as diving beetles, scavenging beetles, Reed beetles, assorted sucking bugs including skaters, water scorpions and two sorts of 'skimmer', which I know as water boatmen, the dragonflies and damselflies, 'riverflies' including Caddis, May and Stone flies, and the true flies including one of my favourites, the drone fly, a hover fly which has a larva known as a Rat Tailed Maggot. He also talked a bit about ponds and the Million Ponds Project, which I think I'll register with, as I'm in the process of building one.
The next presentation was by Dr David Chesmore, who is very keen on moths and butterflies, but researches invertebrate noise in the physics/electronics department. He described his work as the 'Weird' bit of the lecture, and described how invertebrates make noises, and why, and then played some sound files for us, things like woodboring beetle noises, plant hoppers, grasshoppers, cicadas and more. I never knew that the Tiger Moth responded to bat noises by emitting it's own bat-like noise to confuse them. Or that some web-building caterpillars have sound battles to win access to each other's tent-like homes.
The final presenter was my friend Anneliese Emmans Dean, who is a brilliant poet and performer, and she presented some of her insect photos, stories and poems. I always enjoy what she does. I think she was definitely the 'Wonderful' part of the presentation.
My son enjoyed it lots, and we chatted to some of the other people for a while afterwards before cycling home. I was extremely happy to have had an evening out with him, really glad he said yes, and I think he was too.
Showing posts with label Buzzing by Anneliese Emmans Dean. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Buzzing by Anneliese Emmans Dean. Show all posts
A good day, mainly, as at 11am we had a treat, going to St Nicks to experience a performance of Buzzing, which I've seen before but the family missed it as they couldn't find the venue (it was in York as part of the Residents First Weekend perhaps a year ago)
In the evening, spent some time reorganising the page layout on my blog, have added a 'Links' section, as suggested by my friend Peter Sanderson, who has an interesting blog called http://earthquakecove.blogspot.com and researching my paid blog to be typed tomorrow, which I've decided is to be on Human Rights abuses in China.
In the evening, spent some time reorganising the page layout on my blog, have added a 'Links' section, as suggested by my friend Peter Sanderson, who has an interesting blog called http://earthquakecove.blogspot.com and researching my paid blog to be typed tomorrow, which I've decided is to be on Human Rights abuses in China.
My little boy's birthday, I got a lie-in and woke when he came in to open his presents which he was very happy with. I had to go to town before lunch as my chain broke on the way back from the model shop yesterday ( I accelerated too hard and a link streched and nearly broke, then the chain kept jumping, so I knew I'd done something silly). So off to Cycle Heaven, then a pick-up of compostables and visit to the building society.
Played with the kids during the afternoon, and planned the weekend. Decided the train times weren't conducive to go to the Northern Green Gathering, sad but there you go. But we are going to go to 'Buzzing' tomorrow at St Nicks, a poetry and pictures performance about insects, by my friend Anneliese Emmans Dean, see http://www.thebigbuzz.biz/
Put up the tent in the garden as the boys wanted to have a mini festival here. Also set up a 'single log bonfire' which is a very dry log split lengthways and set upright in a hole in the lawn. The splits are filled with resinous wood and twigs, paper, candle-ends, and lit. It needs some management but burns well, and if the top is level, can even be used as a place to cook with a pan set on top. Gill made pizza dough and a birthday cake whilst I was doing this, and we all ate together at 6pm, with fresh blackberries with the cake.
At teatime, my little 'birthday boy' spoke to my parents on the phone, but his small voice was difficult for my Dad to hear or understand and the old man couldn't tell who it was until I took the phone off the little one and spoke to my dad and explained who it was. After they'd chatted successfully, I had a chat and my Dad told me that he was exploring getting an electric car called a G Whizz, he's already got a Toyota Prius, a hybrid petrol/electric. Then he asked me if I could clear my front garden of logs so when they next visit, they could park their car there. All other visitors put their car on the verge between the road and the pavement, or on the shared driveway, or round the corner on Lilac Avenue. So I said no, I couldn't remove my logs, which is how this house is heated and how we cook and get bathwater, as I wouldn't know where to put them and it would take ages. He put the phone down on me! A few minutes later, my ma phoned and told me that I'd been very rude to Daddy, 'after all they'd done for me' and that I'd be the loser. Then she slammed the phone down on me. This was so upsetting, as I've been getting on a lot better with them recently, and I didn't consider my response rude, just honest. I wonder if they'd want to park their car on the front garden if it were a veg patch? Why do they not respect my logging area? And why all this shit over a bloody car? Parking on the verge isn't such a problem is it? Never mind, our relationship has never been that good, and I don't care if they don't want to see me again. What I do care about is the Grandparent / Grandchild relationship, I hope that isn't damaged by our problems.
Gill and the boys slept in the tent, leaving me a long time to write and chat to my lovely friend in the US of A, who's planning to visit me in October, it's very exciting as we haven't spent much time together since I was a teenager... we have had an 18 year gap in our relationship, but she's been in my thoughts nearly every day all that time. Gill understands that K is very special to me, and doesn't mind my chatting so much, as she can see that it makes me happy... unless we have a misunderstanding, which is unfortunately easy on Googletalk, as there's only words no facial expressions or voice. Should get Skype really, but would need to upgrade to broadband for that, probably.
Bath late, first one since BGG!
Played with the kids during the afternoon, and planned the weekend. Decided the train times weren't conducive to go to the Northern Green Gathering, sad but there you go. But we are going to go to 'Buzzing' tomorrow at St Nicks, a poetry and pictures performance about insects, by my friend Anneliese Emmans Dean, see http://www.thebigbuzz.biz/
Put up the tent in the garden as the boys wanted to have a mini festival here. Also set up a 'single log bonfire' which is a very dry log split lengthways and set upright in a hole in the lawn. The splits are filled with resinous wood and twigs, paper, candle-ends, and lit. It needs some management but burns well, and if the top is level, can even be used as a place to cook with a pan set on top. Gill made pizza dough and a birthday cake whilst I was doing this, and we all ate together at 6pm, with fresh blackberries with the cake.
At teatime, my little 'birthday boy' spoke to my parents on the phone, but his small voice was difficult for my Dad to hear or understand and the old man couldn't tell who it was until I took the phone off the little one and spoke to my dad and explained who it was. After they'd chatted successfully, I had a chat and my Dad told me that he was exploring getting an electric car called a G Whizz, he's already got a Toyota Prius, a hybrid petrol/electric. Then he asked me if I could clear my front garden of logs so when they next visit, they could park their car there. All other visitors put their car on the verge between the road and the pavement, or on the shared driveway, or round the corner on Lilac Avenue. So I said no, I couldn't remove my logs, which is how this house is heated and how we cook and get bathwater, as I wouldn't know where to put them and it would take ages. He put the phone down on me! A few minutes later, my ma phoned and told me that I'd been very rude to Daddy, 'after all they'd done for me' and that I'd be the loser. Then she slammed the phone down on me. This was so upsetting, as I've been getting on a lot better with them recently, and I didn't consider my response rude, just honest. I wonder if they'd want to park their car on the front garden if it were a veg patch? Why do they not respect my logging area? And why all this shit over a bloody car? Parking on the verge isn't such a problem is it? Never mind, our relationship has never been that good, and I don't care if they don't want to see me again. What I do care about is the Grandparent / Grandchild relationship, I hope that isn't damaged by our problems.
Gill and the boys slept in the tent, leaving me a long time to write and chat to my lovely friend in the US of A, who's planning to visit me in October, it's very exciting as we haven't spent much time together since I was a teenager... we have had an 18 year gap in our relationship, but she's been in my thoughts nearly every day all that time. Gill understands that K is very special to me, and doesn't mind my chatting so much, as she can see that it makes me happy... unless we have a misunderstanding, which is unfortunately easy on Googletalk, as there's only words no facial expressions or voice. Should get Skype really, but would need to upgrade to broadband for that, probably.
Bath late, first one since BGG!
