Another nice 'n' late morning, I'm loving these holidays, not having to get the little darlings up and ready for school.
So, up after 9 and phoned Pauline as there was an outstanding invite from her to go and cut up some old Xmas trees for her little stove. I said I'd be along later in the morning.
So got up and out of the house after 11, and zoomed over to Pauline with loppers and bowsaw to do a few minutes woodchopping, collecting a pallet from a skip for her, and a builders bag so she can turn out her fabric compost bin and refill it. Then I had a real coffee with her, and a very good in-depth chat. She is such a caring person, concerned about a mutual friend and discussing how best to help a complicated situation.
I arrived back home bearing a magazine called Living Woods which she has subscribed to, as she has dreams of owning a little woodland. It looks excellent! I look forward to having time to read it...
I sorted out the sacks of goodies I brought back from Country Fresh, including 3 big red peppers and about 17 big tomatoes. So I washed and trimmed the tomatoes, nothing seriously wrong with them, just some physical damage, so had to reject the equivalent of about 4 of them. The rest I added to a big saucepan with a finely chopped onion, 3 garlics (also thrown away!) and a stick of celery, and stewed this all on our faithful logburner. When simmered for half an hour, I added some basil and bouillon, and Gill whizzed it to make a pizza topping. Gill made pizza dough and then two pizzas.
Immediately after tea, I zoomed off to the Merchant Taylor's Hall in town to give blood. As I hadn't booked in, I had an hour's wait... perfect, just perfect for reading Living Woods, which I really enjoyed. And when the time came to donate, I managed to do my pint (?) in 4 minutes 56 seconds! Fast! And a fast cuppa and biscuit, I cycled home, finding a large willow log at St Nicks and naughtily lifting it onto my trailer. My puncture wound did not explode! I also picked up a couple of sacks from Freshways and was home before 9, feeling great.
Gill gave me some cake and a coffee and I settled down to try to write my last column for Community Care. I am very good at getting distracted, though!
Showing posts with label Column in Community Care. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Column in Community Care. Show all posts
Not too brilliant a start to the day but the kids did get off to school more or less on time.
I then had breakfast and caught up on emails etc and just before Will arrived I got washed and dressed. Will came to work towards another attempt at a funding application for YorkLETS, so that we can go from a paper-based organisation to an 'online' web-based one, where members can control their own offers and wants rather than have to go through the core group. Will had downloaded and printed off the Awards for All information, so we went through this and transferred some of the info from the previous application form which we ran out of time to submit.
We had coffees and chats and it was really nice to see him on good form. I then had to do some more emailing to sort out various LETS issues, and at about midday made a return phone call to Community Care who phoned yesterday, and was told a new date for my next column, and the one after that... and then the reason for the phone call yesterday, they are making some changes and that second column will be my last. My blog will also finish. I have mixed feelings about this as I've enjoyed the chance to write about things I care about, and I've enjoyed being paid to do the columns, but it's been really difficult to find something new every week to blog about. So in July, I'll stop writing for them... and will be seriously looking for another publication who'd take me on. Anybody want to give me a job? Maybe this space will give me time to finish my book!
Later in the afternoon, we all took a trip into town and ended up having a family meal in Pizza Hut which was quite nice. We don't eat out very often and this was a bit of a treat. We walked home.
I then had breakfast and caught up on emails etc and just before Will arrived I got washed and dressed. Will came to work towards another attempt at a funding application for YorkLETS, so that we can go from a paper-based organisation to an 'online' web-based one, where members can control their own offers and wants rather than have to go through the core group. Will had downloaded and printed off the Awards for All information, so we went through this and transferred some of the info from the previous application form which we ran out of time to submit.
We had coffees and chats and it was really nice to see him on good form. I then had to do some more emailing to sort out various LETS issues, and at about midday made a return phone call to Community Care who phoned yesterday, and was told a new date for my next column, and the one after that... and then the reason for the phone call yesterday, they are making some changes and that second column will be my last. My blog will also finish. I have mixed feelings about this as I've enjoyed the chance to write about things I care about, and I've enjoyed being paid to do the columns, but it's been really difficult to find something new every week to blog about. So in July, I'll stop writing for them... and will be seriously looking for another publication who'd take me on. Anybody want to give me a job? Maybe this space will give me time to finish my book!
Later in the afternoon, we all took a trip into town and ended up having a family meal in Pizza Hut which was quite nice. We don't eat out very often and this was a bit of a treat. We walked home.
Ahhh, a lie-in! how nice! I got up at 10 and Gill was already at Art, so I finished off my column on cosmetics and sent it in. This took til lunchtime, mainly because I got distracted by Scrabble on Facebook and chat, and interesting links... but by late lunch, was finished.
Gill came in and got a picnic together and went on the bus down to town to meet her 'Ladies who Lunch' friends, Melody and Alison, and had a picnic with them in Museum Gardens.
I just mooched around, dealt with a couple of phone calls, did some housework and planted some broccoli, calabrese and curly kale seeds.
My friend Robin had made contact with someone who lives near him who has just taken down a holly tree and passed my her details to me, so I rang her and she said it would be OK to go within the next hour. So I refilled my chainsaw with lube oil and got the loppers, and cycled over to near the Hospital along the Route 66 cycle track.
She'd taken down one holly, and I cut up the two trunks which she'd denuded of side branches. But a sizable one metre stump remained and I eventually removed that, leaving a 30cm stump. There was one other job she wanted doing, removing an overhanging branch of a sycamore. This was more difficult as my chainsaw, or perhaps the electric supply to it was malfunctioning. But I did manage to get some of it down.. but after an hour and a half working there, I'd had enough so I loaded up my trailer with some of the holy logs and went. I'll go back in the next week or so and finish the job.
Home to a happy house, nice tea and pleasant evening. I was disappointed that Newsnight focussed on the budget and didn't have Ethical Man on.
Gill came in and got a picnic together and went on the bus down to town to meet her 'Ladies who Lunch' friends, Melody and Alison, and had a picnic with them in Museum Gardens.
I just mooched around, dealt with a couple of phone calls, did some housework and planted some broccoli, calabrese and curly kale seeds.
My friend Robin had made contact with someone who lives near him who has just taken down a holly tree and passed my her details to me, so I rang her and she said it would be OK to go within the next hour. So I refilled my chainsaw with lube oil and got the loppers, and cycled over to near the Hospital along the Route 66 cycle track.
She'd taken down one holly, and I cut up the two trunks which she'd denuded of side branches. But a sizable one metre stump remained and I eventually removed that, leaving a 30cm stump. There was one other job she wanted doing, removing an overhanging branch of a sycamore. This was more difficult as my chainsaw, or perhaps the electric supply to it was malfunctioning. But I did manage to get some of it down.. but after an hour and a half working there, I'd had enough so I loaded up my trailer with some of the holy logs and went. I'll go back in the next week or so and finish the job.
Home to a happy house, nice tea and pleasant evening. I was disappointed that Newsnight focussed on the budget and didn't have Ethical Man on.
Woken with a phone call from a friend who's applying for a job and wanted to check that I was OK being a referee. When the post came I had to do some fairly urgent paperwork and this took til lunchtime. I got an email reminding me (or telling me for the first time, I think) that I have a column due in today, so I emailed back expressing surprise, and have til tomorrow lunchtime to get it in. Some thinking time needed.
I got a phone call from a new LETS member who had listed that they wanted some structural timbers, so weeks ago I said, yes, I have some tanalised timber which I don't want to burn, and want someone to use... so this person said they could be with me in 10 minutes! She came by car. However, I was happy that she and her husband will be able to use about a dozen lengths of timber, also helping to tidy our front garden, slightly! She was also happy for me to deliver, as she said she'd have to get a friend with a van. I can do it with my bike and trailer, in two or three loads. Fortunately they are just 6 minutes cycle up Hull Road.
I popped out to get some bits and bobs for Gill from the Co-op and bakery, and on the way back found a large rosemary bush in a skip, one where previously the owner had said I could have something out of it. So, I loaded up my trailer with lots of lovely-smelling rosemary, and then a nice chap called John walked past and asked if I wanted some bits of tree he'd just removed from next to his garage where it was beginning to cause some structural damage. I went to check, and he had quite a bit of Ash and Elder, already chopped up and some of the twiggy bits already bagged up. I was very happy to accept his offer. The alternative was him driving it down to the Hazel Court recycling depot.
So a good haul of compostable and stove-able material. I delivered the tanalised planks up the road, and came back via John's logs and twigs. I got completely engrossed in processing the twigs and at 7.15 Gill called me... it was Dave from City Screen ringing and reminding me that I was due to be at a meeting at 7pm... whoops! I quickly cleaned up and jumped on my bike, and was at City Screen to meet up with Dave, Edward and Barry for 7.30. We discussed the forthcoming showing of Age of Stupid at City Screen on 26th April, who is going to speak at the panel discussion afterwards, and how we are going to publicise it, on top of the existing publicity offered by City Screen.
Back by 9pm, via the cycle track logpile, where someone else has been removing logs... so I'm not the only log burner in York! (Well, I knew this, but renewable fuels are an increasingly valuable resource.)
Spent til 2.30 am writing my column, on 'Buy Local'.
I got a phone call from a new LETS member who had listed that they wanted some structural timbers, so weeks ago I said, yes, I have some tanalised timber which I don't want to burn, and want someone to use... so this person said they could be with me in 10 minutes! She came by car. However, I was happy that she and her husband will be able to use about a dozen lengths of timber, also helping to tidy our front garden, slightly! She was also happy for me to deliver, as she said she'd have to get a friend with a van. I can do it with my bike and trailer, in two or three loads. Fortunately they are just 6 minutes cycle up Hull Road.
I popped out to get some bits and bobs for Gill from the Co-op and bakery, and on the way back found a large rosemary bush in a skip, one where previously the owner had said I could have something out of it. So, I loaded up my trailer with lots of lovely-smelling rosemary, and then a nice chap called John walked past and asked if I wanted some bits of tree he'd just removed from next to his garage where it was beginning to cause some structural damage. I went to check, and he had quite a bit of Ash and Elder, already chopped up and some of the twiggy bits already bagged up. I was very happy to accept his offer. The alternative was him driving it down to the Hazel Court recycling depot.
So a good haul of compostable and stove-able material. I delivered the tanalised planks up the road, and came back via John's logs and twigs. I got completely engrossed in processing the twigs and at 7.15 Gill called me... it was Dave from City Screen ringing and reminding me that I was due to be at a meeting at 7pm... whoops! I quickly cleaned up and jumped on my bike, and was at City Screen to meet up with Dave, Edward and Barry for 7.30. We discussed the forthcoming showing of Age of Stupid at City Screen on 26th April, who is going to speak at the panel discussion afterwards, and how we are going to publicise it, on top of the existing publicity offered by City Screen.
Back by 9pm, via the cycle track logpile, where someone else has been removing logs... so I'm not the only log burner in York! (Well, I knew this, but renewable fuels are an increasingly valuable resource.)
Spent til 2.30 am writing my column, on 'Buy Local'.
Up quite early so could do my review of Age of Stupid for my Column in Community Care. It wasn't easy to write, as my first draft was over 500 words... I have to try to keep it under 350!
But I got it done by lunchtime but had a fairly quiet afternoon too. But this was most welcome as I was tired. I did go and get my bike trailer from the menders, cost me £23 but I got a receipt this time which I'll save for my accounts. I popped in to Country Fresh and got some plums which my boys like, and cucumber, tomatoes and eggs, plus two boxes of compostables.
I pulled apart a compost heap after this, one made of pallets. I put the contents in the bay next to it, this being it's first 'turning'. I also dug up the contents of a nearby dalek which has rotted down really well and put this on the big riddle, to start making my potting compost. I had topped the dalek's contents with some turf, so there was a good mix of soil and compost already.
At 5.30 came in and cleaned up, using the composty hand-washing water to water and feed the houseplants. I first wash my hands in cold clean water, with the plug in the sink, and scrubbing the compost off with a scrubbing brush. Then I scoop up the water and dribble it into various houseplants. Then I finish off with a bit of soap. I don't give the plants this, despite it being biodegradable.
I cycled down to David's to pick up the LETS bank paperwork, and had a good chat about some of the issues which Age of Stupid had thrown up, and a conversation on Facebook about flying.
But he was going out so I didn't spend long, and cycled up to Bootham to see Liz, who used to be our Treasurer and I needed her signature to take her off the account, and we had a short but good chat.
Came back via the cycle track, and brought home a large and long tree trunk, not on the trailer (far too long and heavy for that!) but held to the frame of my bike with several tightly stretched bungees. The heavy end of the trunk stuck out over my front wheel, the narrower end out over the trailer, the whole thing being a bit longer than my bike and trailer combined. Felt a bit odd to cycle, initially, but I got used to it quickly.
So, home, I reheated the long-lasting mushroom soup and used it as a sauce for the pasta left over from yesterday. So, a use it all up meal. There were homework shenanigans this evening, and I did my best to keep out of it. Any involvement from me generally exacerbates the difficulties being experienced, which is a pity as I'd love to help.
I did a huge pile of washing up and prepared 3 pineapples for drying on the stove.
But I got it done by lunchtime but had a fairly quiet afternoon too. But this was most welcome as I was tired. I did go and get my bike trailer from the menders, cost me £23 but I got a receipt this time which I'll save for my accounts. I popped in to Country Fresh and got some plums which my boys like, and cucumber, tomatoes and eggs, plus two boxes of compostables.
I pulled apart a compost heap after this, one made of pallets. I put the contents in the bay next to it, this being it's first 'turning'. I also dug up the contents of a nearby dalek which has rotted down really well and put this on the big riddle, to start making my potting compost. I had topped the dalek's contents with some turf, so there was a good mix of soil and compost already.
At 5.30 came in and cleaned up, using the composty hand-washing water to water and feed the houseplants. I first wash my hands in cold clean water, with the plug in the sink, and scrubbing the compost off with a scrubbing brush. Then I scoop up the water and dribble it into various houseplants. Then I finish off with a bit of soap. I don't give the plants this, despite it being biodegradable.
I cycled down to David's to pick up the LETS bank paperwork, and had a good chat about some of the issues which Age of Stupid had thrown up, and a conversation on Facebook about flying.
But he was going out so I didn't spend long, and cycled up to Bootham to see Liz, who used to be our Treasurer and I needed her signature to take her off the account, and we had a short but good chat.
Came back via the cycle track, and brought home a large and long tree trunk, not on the trailer (far too long and heavy for that!) but held to the frame of my bike with several tightly stretched bungees. The heavy end of the trunk stuck out over my front wheel, the narrower end out over the trailer, the whole thing being a bit longer than my bike and trailer combined. Felt a bit odd to cycle, initially, but I got used to it quickly.
So, home, I reheated the long-lasting mushroom soup and used it as a sauce for the pasta left over from yesterday. So, a use it all up meal. There were homework shenanigans this evening, and I did my best to keep out of it. Any involvement from me generally exacerbates the difficulties being experienced, which is a pity as I'd love to help.
I did a huge pile of washing up and prepared 3 pineapples for drying on the stove.
I managed to get our youngest into school on time but our eldest is unwell so he stayed at home.
I spent a chunk of the morning writing my column... did it on 'greener driving' which was interesting... ie acknowledging that if people HAVE to use their motor vehicles, there are things they can do which will reduce the cost to the planet as well as to their wallet. I enjoyed writing this and got it in at lunchtime. It'll be published in 2 or 3 weeks time in Community Care magazine.
After lunch cycled down to town with my poorly bike not letting me go at my usual breakneck speed (!) and put a cheque in and got some cash out so I could buy another £50 worth of Carbon Detox tickets, which I hope I'll sell at the York in Transition clothes swap tomorrow. I then went straight to school to collect our youngest. His bike has a puncture which was initially a slow one, meaning that I could pump up the tyre and it would last until he got to (or home from) school. However, it's now a fast puncture, so I strapped it onto my trailer and we walked home together, holding hands and chatting. A very enjoyable 'being a good daddy' experience! Helped of course by him 'being a good son'!!! Both boys had some time on the Wii and then on the computer after school, and barring one short outburst followed by a sincere apology, we had a really nice evening together.
I spent a chunk of the morning writing my column... did it on 'greener driving' which was interesting... ie acknowledging that if people HAVE to use their motor vehicles, there are things they can do which will reduce the cost to the planet as well as to their wallet. I enjoyed writing this and got it in at lunchtime. It'll be published in 2 or 3 weeks time in Community Care magazine.
After lunch cycled down to town with my poorly bike not letting me go at my usual breakneck speed (!) and put a cheque in and got some cash out so I could buy another £50 worth of Carbon Detox tickets, which I hope I'll sell at the York in Transition clothes swap tomorrow. I then went straight to school to collect our youngest. His bike has a puncture which was initially a slow one, meaning that I could pump up the tyre and it would last until he got to (or home from) school. However, it's now a fast puncture, so I strapped it onto my trailer and we walked home together, holding hands and chatting. A very enjoyable 'being a good daddy' experience! Helped of course by him 'being a good son'!!! Both boys had some time on the Wii and then on the computer after school, and barring one short outburst followed by a sincere apology, we had a really nice evening together.
A very smooth pre-school time... both boys got out of the house without a hitch, and in good time. I took our youngest down to school and bombed back to spend a little bit of time with Gill before her sister Jane arrived and the Media students came for their second day with me. They were due to come at about 10.30, but rang then and said they were having difficulty getting away from the campsite, apparently unable to find someone to pay!
So they rolled up at sometime after 11 and we headed off to St Nicks to see the assorted demonstrations of sustainable living..... things I don't have such as photovoltaic panels, rainwater harvesting, a solar hot water panel and the wind turbine. I found some more oyster mushrooms, demonstrating one aspect of 'Freeganism', ie free wild food, and on the way back, harvested some logs and sticks and popped into Freshways where Raj was most complimentary about the service I freely offer.
Over lunchtime, I cooked the mushrooms on the woodstove and had a long rambling interview covering much more than low carbon choices and freeganism. I think they enjoyed themselves. I was asked to do a bit of devilsticking and we had a final trip down the garden, which might be made into a speeded-up walk with normal-speed bits where I'm pointing things out, such as various fruit trees and other features. They left just before 3, in time to have a quick coffee and cycle down to school for the usual school-run.
Jane stayed for a bit to see the boys, and I started to try and tidy the conservatory, which is embarrassingly chaotic and cluttered. Mike her husband came to take her back home, and we all then sat down to watch Barack Obama's inauguration, which I found very emotional and tear-jerkingly wonderful. I spent quite a bit of time sorting out a sack of envelopes that school had given me to recycle... I removed excess sticky tape, tore off stamps, tore out plastic windows and screwed up the rest of the paper so it can form a carbon-rich layer in the latest heap.
I had some leek and potato soup and a chocolate bar a child wouldn't eat as it had got damp, and at 6 headed out to the Burton Stone Lane Community Centre, the other end of the route 66 cycle track. This was to participate in a Waste Watch and York and North Yorkshire Waste Partnership training session on reducing food waste. Luna and Felipe made it a really good session... there were lots of 'party games' as well as facts and tips. The aim is not dissimilar to York Rotters: once trained up, we are in a position to help others reduce their food waste... so we could attend roadshows or chat to colleagues, neighbours and family.
This finished between 8.30 and 9 and as I came home along the cycle track, I arrived home dragging a tree with me.
Gill had just woken up after dozing for two hours whilst the boys were playing on the computer... they headed up to bed pretty sharpish and I got on with various computery stuff. I still have to write a column before tomorrow morning....
So they rolled up at sometime after 11 and we headed off to St Nicks to see the assorted demonstrations of sustainable living..... things I don't have such as photovoltaic panels, rainwater harvesting, a solar hot water panel and the wind turbine. I found some more oyster mushrooms, demonstrating one aspect of 'Freeganism', ie free wild food, and on the way back, harvested some logs and sticks and popped into Freshways where Raj was most complimentary about the service I freely offer.
Over lunchtime, I cooked the mushrooms on the woodstove and had a long rambling interview covering much more than low carbon choices and freeganism. I think they enjoyed themselves. I was asked to do a bit of devilsticking and we had a final trip down the garden, which might be made into a speeded-up walk with normal-speed bits where I'm pointing things out, such as various fruit trees and other features. They left just before 3, in time to have a quick coffee and cycle down to school for the usual school-run.
Jane stayed for a bit to see the boys, and I started to try and tidy the conservatory, which is embarrassingly chaotic and cluttered. Mike her husband came to take her back home, and we all then sat down to watch Barack Obama's inauguration, which I found very emotional and tear-jerkingly wonderful. I spent quite a bit of time sorting out a sack of envelopes that school had given me to recycle... I removed excess sticky tape, tore off stamps, tore out plastic windows and screwed up the rest of the paper so it can form a carbon-rich layer in the latest heap.
I had some leek and potato soup and a chocolate bar a child wouldn't eat as it had got damp, and at 6 headed out to the Burton Stone Lane Community Centre, the other end of the route 66 cycle track. This was to participate in a Waste Watch and York and North Yorkshire Waste Partnership training session on reducing food waste. Luna and Felipe made it a really good session... there were lots of 'party games' as well as facts and tips. The aim is not dissimilar to York Rotters: once trained up, we are in a position to help others reduce their food waste... so we could attend roadshows or chat to colleagues, neighbours and family.
This finished between 8.30 and 9 and as I came home along the cycle track, I arrived home dragging a tree with me.
Gill had just woken up after dozing for two hours whilst the boys were playing on the computer... they headed up to bed pretty sharpish and I got on with various computery stuff. I still have to write a column before tomorrow morning....
Woke at 3am with headache. Went downstairs for a lemsip (paracetamol) and put a log on the stove, and 10 mins later did a batch of washing up whilst waiting for the lemsip to kick in. Back to bed at 3.45 and slept til 8 when shouting downstairs awoke me. I went down to see if Gill needed any help... it was just our youngest being mightily resistant to putting on his socks and shoes! We all have our quirks, and he hates footwear..., putting on a sock and then off again, and on again, trying to get it 'just right'. Takes about 5 or 10 minutes per foot.....
When they'd gone I had breakfast and then went back to bed, with another lemsip to help me get better... I hope.
But nothing worked, headache all day, spent most of the day in bed. Gill is calling it 'Flu' but I don't think it is as Flu is a different set of symptoms and I had a Flu jab, so if it is Flu then it's a weird one.
The only good thing about today was that I got through quite a backlog of NewScientists! Oh, and a surprise visit from Damian and David, Gill's friends from the Arts Centre, who are back in York. Lovely to see them, but couldn't socialise much as feeling too poorly.
And I finished writing my column for Community Care, on reuse and repair plus Buy Nothing Day, which this year is on Saturday 29th November, just two days after the magazine comes out.
Spent some time trying to update Windows and when I got back on this blog, found my Bravenet Counter and Feedjit live stuff had gone... more than weird! However, my email to Feedjit was answered by Mark Maunder, the CEO/inventor of the tool, and he told me that the Live stats thingy was loading after the Bravenet counter, which was taking about 3 minutes. Also he explained a possible reason why the location/geographic database might be doing weird things, and told me he was developing a tool to allow users to confirm where they were. So that explains some of the weirdness...
Took bathwater up for our youngest and put the refilled can straight back on the stove so I could have one later, as if I'm going to try to go to work tomorrow, I might as well be clean but unwell rather than dirty and unwell...
When they'd gone I had breakfast and then went back to bed, with another lemsip to help me get better... I hope.
But nothing worked, headache all day, spent most of the day in bed. Gill is calling it 'Flu' but I don't think it is as Flu is a different set of symptoms and I had a Flu jab, so if it is Flu then it's a weird one.
The only good thing about today was that I got through quite a backlog of NewScientists! Oh, and a surprise visit from Damian and David, Gill's friends from the Arts Centre, who are back in York. Lovely to see them, but couldn't socialise much as feeling too poorly.
And I finished writing my column for Community Care, on reuse and repair plus Buy Nothing Day, which this year is on Saturday 29th November, just two days after the magazine comes out.
Spent some time trying to update Windows and when I got back on this blog, found my Bravenet Counter and Feedjit live stuff had gone... more than weird! However, my email to Feedjit was answered by Mark Maunder, the CEO/inventor of the tool, and he told me that the Live stats thingy was loading after the Bravenet counter, which was taking about 3 minutes. Also he explained a possible reason why the location/geographic database might be doing weird things, and told me he was developing a tool to allow users to confirm where they were. So that explains some of the weirdness...
Took bathwater up for our youngest and put the refilled can straight back on the stove so I could have one later, as if I'm going to try to go to work tomorrow, I might as well be clean but unwell rather than dirty and unwell...
I took our youngest to school and came back in good time to get myself ready to go to work in Harrogate, for their CarFreeDay activities.
I got the 10.11 train and was met in Harrogate by a camera operator from BBC Look North who wanted to get some footage of me advertising the event. So we walked to the St Peter's Church and I got changed into Professor Fiddlesticks and went outside to unicycle around and invite people into St Peter's to see the exhibition materials from Sustrans, the Christian Ecology Network , FoE and others.
As I finished doing the unicycling around, the group toddle arrived... actually a group of about 10 mums with pre-school kids in push chairs and buggies. I don't know where they'd walked from, but they were the sort of 'customer' who might usually go places by car. I was expecting a school group to entertain but it turned out that the youngsters were these pre-schoolers! So I did a half-hour show aimed at the mums, Vicar and his helpers, and the CarFreeDay volunteers... which seemed to go well.
Then Yvonne invited me to come to lunch... which I wasn't expecting. We went to a mock-French place and the service was slow and several people didn't get what they asked for. I had a tomato soup and baguette 'pizza'. Thanks to Malcolm Margolis for this. At least the long wait allowed us to chat!
Back to St Peters where the displays were starting to be taken down, and I chatted to a nice couple called Rachel and Dan, with a cute baby, and an enthusiastic chap called Lee and his friend Adrian...
I went to get the 3.05 train but missed it by 3 minutes so read my NewScientist and got home before 5. On the Leeds 'Look North' there was a brief mention of Professor Fiddlesticks, see
http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediaselector/ondemand/england/realmedia/looknorthyorkslincs/looknorth?bgc=C0C0C0&nbram=1&lang=en&nbwm=1&bbram=1&ms3=6&ms_javascript=true&bbcws=1&size=16x9&bbwm=1#
It's about 3 minutes 20 seconds in...
Later in the evening I got a call from a friend/neighbour who had a bust-up with her 17 yr old daughter and she'd locked her out of the house, partly as the daughter had some large chaps with her and Mum was not feeling safe. I negotiated that the daughter came in, got her overnight stuff and rang one of her brothers who said he'd let her sleep over for a night. I stayed in the house whilst the daughter got her stuff together and left. Happy families eh?
Nearly finished my column on Electrics and Gadgets, but it's too long so will edit it down tomorrow.
I got the 10.11 train and was met in Harrogate by a camera operator from BBC Look North who wanted to get some footage of me advertising the event. So we walked to the St Peter's Church and I got changed into Professor Fiddlesticks and went outside to unicycle around and invite people into St Peter's to see the exhibition materials from Sustrans, the Christian Ecology Network , FoE and others.
As I finished doing the unicycling around, the group toddle arrived... actually a group of about 10 mums with pre-school kids in push chairs and buggies. I don't know where they'd walked from, but they were the sort of 'customer' who might usually go places by car. I was expecting a school group to entertain but it turned out that the youngsters were these pre-schoolers! So I did a half-hour show aimed at the mums, Vicar and his helpers, and the CarFreeDay volunteers... which seemed to go well.
Then Yvonne invited me to come to lunch... which I wasn't expecting. We went to a mock-French place and the service was slow and several people didn't get what they asked for. I had a tomato soup and baguette 'pizza'. Thanks to Malcolm Margolis for this. At least the long wait allowed us to chat!
Back to St Peters where the displays were starting to be taken down, and I chatted to a nice couple called Rachel and Dan, with a cute baby, and an enthusiastic chap called Lee and his friend Adrian...
I went to get the 3.05 train but missed it by 3 minutes so read my NewScientist and got home before 5. On the Leeds 'Look North' there was a brief mention of Professor Fiddlesticks, see
http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediaselector/ondemand/england/realmedia/looknorthyorkslincs/looknorth?bgc=C0C0C0&nbram=1&lang=en&nbwm=1&bbram=1&ms3=6&ms_javascript=true&bbcws=1&size=16x9&bbwm=1#
It's about 3 minutes 20 seconds in...
Later in the evening I got a call from a friend/neighbour who had a bust-up with her 17 yr old daughter and she'd locked her out of the house, partly as the daughter had some large chaps with her and Mum was not feeling safe. I negotiated that the daughter came in, got her overnight stuff and rang one of her brothers who said he'd let her sleep over for a night. I stayed in the house whilst the daughter got her stuff together and left. Happy families eh?
Nearly finished my column on Electrics and Gadgets, but it's too long so will edit it down tomorrow.
I took our youngest into school... I'm impressed with his road sense.
At about 9.30 I went to St Nicks (See their new website!) to help them with a group of 36 primary school children who have booked an 'eco day' with them. John had asked me to come today and Friday, two days work... paid and something I like doing, helping people understand about waste and recycling, composting and re-use.
So I was there from before 10 but the school party didn't arrive til nearly 10.30. They were given a brief intro to the centre from John ('Saint John') and then I took half the group as 'John the Rotter' and we discussed composting whilst John did something with the other half inside. We then swapped over and I had the other half for another 30 minutes. They loved the wormery and asked some great questions! Then it was lunch (in two halves again, the non-lunching half going to the play area) swiftly followed by a 'sort your waste' game. Then I had half the group for a re-use/recycle/dump game and a matching card-halves game..... then the second half for the same, whilst John took the other group to the Council's 'Eco Depot', which is the largest straw bale building in Eurpoe and has loads of PV panels, rainwater lorry wash facilities and now, a large wind turbine.
So, we were finished by 2.15 and I came home with a cycle trailer load of chunky branches which I saved from going through the hired shredder a few weeks ago, and have been donated to me.
I went to school to pick up my little one and came home tired, but needing to get on with my column which has to be in by the end of the week.
However, I had a phone call from BBC Radio York who wanted to interview me about tomorrow's Harrogate Car Free Day so I agreed to cycle down to the studio and chat to Gemma. When I got there, via my GP surgery to give in a repeat prescription request, she wanted to do two interviews, one on Car Free Day and one on York in Transition's eco building walk on 28th September. I obliged.
On the way back I went to Sainsburys to get Marmite and Ribena, and succumbed to one of their superb multi-seed loaves, which are delicious although expensive.
I cooked some fresh spaghetti and an onion/tomato topping for Gill and myself, and she made a microwaved cake to create a trifle using home grown raspberries, blackberries and a tin of 'summer fruits' I found in a skip. Delicious!
Later in the evening, watched Griff Rhys Jones on Anger which was very interesting since all three males in this house have some degree of it. I hope the second programme offers a few solutions! I wonder if they'll visit an AVP workshop or a graduate of one? I recorded the programme but I think it has too much swearing to show it to our eldest child. Pity.
At about 9.30 I went to St Nicks (See their new website!) to help them with a group of 36 primary school children who have booked an 'eco day' with them. John had asked me to come today and Friday, two days work... paid and something I like doing, helping people understand about waste and recycling, composting and re-use.
So I was there from before 10 but the school party didn't arrive til nearly 10.30. They were given a brief intro to the centre from John ('Saint John') and then I took half the group as 'John the Rotter' and we discussed composting whilst John did something with the other half inside. We then swapped over and I had the other half for another 30 minutes. They loved the wormery and asked some great questions! Then it was lunch (in two halves again, the non-lunching half going to the play area) swiftly followed by a 'sort your waste' game. Then I had half the group for a re-use/recycle/dump game and a matching card-halves game..... then the second half for the same, whilst John took the other group to the Council's 'Eco Depot', which is the largest straw bale building in Eurpoe and has loads of PV panels, rainwater lorry wash facilities and now, a large wind turbine.
So, we were finished by 2.15 and I came home with a cycle trailer load of chunky branches which I saved from going through the hired shredder a few weeks ago, and have been donated to me.
I went to school to pick up my little one and came home tired, but needing to get on with my column which has to be in by the end of the week.
However, I had a phone call from BBC Radio York who wanted to interview me about tomorrow's Harrogate Car Free Day so I agreed to cycle down to the studio and chat to Gemma. When I got there, via my GP surgery to give in a repeat prescription request, she wanted to do two interviews, one on Car Free Day and one on York in Transition's eco building walk on 28th September. I obliged.
On the way back I went to Sainsburys to get Marmite and Ribena, and succumbed to one of their superb multi-seed loaves, which are delicious although expensive.
I cooked some fresh spaghetti and an onion/tomato topping for Gill and myself, and she made a microwaved cake to create a trifle using home grown raspberries, blackberries and a tin of 'summer fruits' I found in a skip. Delicious!
Later in the evening, watched Griff Rhys Jones on Anger which was very interesting since all three males in this house have some degree of it. I hope the second programme offers a few solutions! I wonder if they'll visit an AVP workshop or a graduate of one? I recorded the programme but I think it has too much swearing to show it to our eldest child. Pity.
A hectic day which ended very late as I had a deadline for my column in Community Care.
However, during the day I responded to a call from a chap in Heworth area who called me and said he'd taken down a couple of trees in his garden and did I want the wood? Well of course I did! Has the World not had too much fossil carbon emitted? Is the Mona Lisa not the most famous smiling person ever? Is the Pope unconcerned about overpopulation? (am I veering off-topic here?)
So I cycled round to his place and there was a large pile of relatively thin 'logs', branches and twigs... but I am happy to have them as they've been carefully cut and stored, some even chopped to length and bagged (albeit in plastic sacks which have started to oxo/photo-degrade revealing rather damp/mouldy sticks!) so I collected two loads. There's at least another 5 loads to go! On the first trip I had a lengthy chat with him and his visitor Jo who'd interviewed me yonks ago on Hospital Radio about York Credit Union, and then a lengthy chat with his plumber Glenn who employed me once for a gig at the Hopgrove Playing Fields... but the second journey I spoke to no-one and did the return trip in 35 minutes...
In the evening I went to St Nicks to be 'an audience' to four novice presenters who have undergone training to get them ready to talk about Transition. I enjoyed pretending to be an OAP chap with a firm belief that there is an Ice Age on the way... after all, this was a popular idea in pre-global warming times not so long ago, and sometimes oldies still refer to it...
So several good presentations, gave feedback.
Back to the house at about 10pm where I put together my column, on water...
However, during the day I responded to a call from a chap in Heworth area who called me and said he'd taken down a couple of trees in his garden and did I want the wood? Well of course I did! Has the World not had too much fossil carbon emitted? Is the Mona Lisa not the most famous smiling person ever? Is the Pope unconcerned about overpopulation? (am I veering off-topic here?)
So I cycled round to his place and there was a large pile of relatively thin 'logs', branches and twigs... but I am happy to have them as they've been carefully cut and stored, some even chopped to length and bagged (albeit in plastic sacks which have started to oxo/photo-degrade revealing rather damp/mouldy sticks!) so I collected two loads. There's at least another 5 loads to go! On the first trip I had a lengthy chat with him and his visitor Jo who'd interviewed me yonks ago on Hospital Radio about York Credit Union, and then a lengthy chat with his plumber Glenn who employed me once for a gig at the Hopgrove Playing Fields... but the second journey I spoke to no-one and did the return trip in 35 minutes...
In the evening I went to St Nicks to be 'an audience' to four novice presenters who have undergone training to get them ready to talk about Transition. I enjoyed pretending to be an OAP chap with a firm belief that there is an Ice Age on the way... after all, this was a popular idea in pre-global warming times not so long ago, and sometimes oldies still refer to it...
So several good presentations, gave feedback.
Back to the house at about 10pm where I put together my column, on water...
An excellent day, children on good form, and a really good gig near Hull.
I was getting ready to go when my parents arrived on their way to a garden open, but I had to go and get the midday train. I wrote my column for Community Care on the train between York and Brough... just took 40 minutes and when I counted my words, it came to 347... my limit is 350!
So got to Brough near Hull and was picked up by the dad and the two children and we went to South Cave to the family centre next to the church. Their Granddad was blowing up 'rocket balloons' and letting the children let them go, something I sometimes do in my balloon show, so I knew that would be something I couldn't do... but it set the scene for lots of fun, and both my shows went down a storm, so much so that they gave me an extra fee on top of my agreed fee.
There was quite a wait before my train home so had a pint at the pub near the station, and a good chat with a couple of locals.
So a satisfying day, and Gill and the boys had had some fun too.
I was getting ready to go when my parents arrived on their way to a garden open, but I had to go and get the midday train. I wrote my column for Community Care on the train between York and Brough... just took 40 minutes and when I counted my words, it came to 347... my limit is 350!
So got to Brough near Hull and was picked up by the dad and the two children and we went to South Cave to the family centre next to the church. Their Granddad was blowing up 'rocket balloons' and letting the children let them go, something I sometimes do in my balloon show, so I knew that would be something I couldn't do... but it set the scene for lots of fun, and both my shows went down a storm, so much so that they gave me an extra fee on top of my agreed fee.
There was quite a wait before my train home so had a pint at the pub near the station, and a good chat with a couple of locals.
So a satisfying day, and Gill and the boys had had some fun too.
A reasonable day... A slow start but at 10ish I got up as at 10.30 was expecting a visit from someone from The Stove Gallery/Pete The Sweep to fit a replacement 'Turbobaffle' which is the part of the stove which makes it smokefree. It sits in the top of the firebox and takes air from an inlet beneath the stove and the air is channeled through a long labyrinth within the baffle which heats the air up. The air then enters the firebox through lots of tiny holes, giving jets of fresh hot air, causing much turbulence and complete combustion, high thermal efficiency and 'smokefree' status. But an expensive bit of kit. The old one had somehow become overheated and had become mis-shapen and wasn't functioning at full whack. Will have to treat it with more respect. I will have to tell Gill NOT to leave the bottom-air open as this makes the stove too hot and can damage the turbobaffle. She often forgets to close it down after opening it up to ignite fresh fuel, and I come in to find it open and her getting on with whatever, having forgotten to close the spinner at the bottom....
So I waited for the stove person and got a phone call saying he'd be late. I split logs and cut sticks. Then the chap came, he was really nice and wrestled with the stove for a long time, eventually putting the turbobaffle in, replaced the rope-seal on the door and was interested to read my latest column, published today in Community Care, on 'Healthy Hobbies'.
Lunch and all too soon it was time to go to school. Gill got the boys, I attended the first AGM of the Green Thumb Gang and we agreed a constitution, all over in half an hour. I whizzed along to St Nicks to attend a sustainability surgery and give composting advice. This was followed by the Hull Road Ward Committee Meeting which was very quick.
Home for tea.
So I waited for the stove person and got a phone call saying he'd be late. I split logs and cut sticks. Then the chap came, he was really nice and wrestled with the stove for a long time, eventually putting the turbobaffle in, replaced the rope-seal on the door and was interested to read my latest column, published today in Community Care, on 'Healthy Hobbies'.
Lunch and all too soon it was time to go to school. Gill got the boys, I attended the first AGM of the Green Thumb Gang and we agreed a constitution, all over in half an hour. I whizzed along to St Nicks to attend a sustainability surgery and give composting advice. This was followed by the Hull Road Ward Committee Meeting which was very quick.
Home for tea.
Awoken by a shouting child unwilling to go to school... so I came down and changed the subject and took them both to school with no further hassle. A very good day followed... some conversation with Gilly and time sorting emails and researching my column, on clothing.
Then at 11 I set off to visit my dentist's, although I had an appointment with Cheryl not Prue, and got a lesson in how to do my teeth properly which apparently I haven't been doing. I promise to do better!
Then to Boots to find some daily anti plaque bacteria mouthwash, as directed.
And home with shiny clean teeth to have lunch with. Then got on with some woodchopping, as I now have a sizable pile of good fuel from Woodlands which needs a bit of management. Took several Fiddlesticks calls, including one firm booking, but managed to get quite a bit done outside too.
I got the kids from school, and Gill made leek and potato soup from the leek tops I rescued yesterday from the 3 sacks of wholesaler's waste. These trimmed leaves are just as good as the white stalky bits... if not better!
During the rest of the afternoon and evening wrote my column on ethical clothing decisions and at 11pm, sent it in to Community Care, in good time for publication next week.
Then at 11 I set off to visit my dentist's, although I had an appointment with Cheryl not Prue, and got a lesson in how to do my teeth properly which apparently I haven't been doing. I promise to do better!
Then to Boots to find some daily anti plaque bacteria mouthwash, as directed.
And home with shiny clean teeth to have lunch with. Then got on with some woodchopping, as I now have a sizable pile of good fuel from Woodlands which needs a bit of management. Took several Fiddlesticks calls, including one firm booking, but managed to get quite a bit done outside too.
I got the kids from school, and Gill made leek and potato soup from the leek tops I rescued yesterday from the 3 sacks of wholesaler's waste. These trimmed leaves are just as good as the white stalky bits... if not better!
During the rest of the afternoon and evening wrote my column on ethical clothing decisions and at 11pm, sent it in to Community Care, in good time for publication next week.
A lovely start to the day, Gill and I were able to spend some time together.
I finished my column on how to bring up kids in a low carbon manner... not easy to fit this into 550 words.
I got an email from the Alley Cats saying it was not them who had posted silly comments to my blog. I apologised for blaming them, and explained about my show being an hour and only being given 45 mins, which caused one of the problems of my over-running and them starting before I'd finished.
I hope that this calms things down. I have checked the wording of my post for Sunday to ensure it doesn't 'libel' them!
I got a very nice message back, accepting my apologies and explanation, which felt good as I don't enjoy conflict and don't want anybody to have un-necessary bad feelings about me or my lifestyle.
During the afternoon I got a visit from Friedmann who was returning the Humanure Handbook, and the evening's highlights were having Gill's home-made pizza, with a tomato/onion topping I made, and enjoying Pink Floyd on telly.
I finished my column on how to bring up kids in a low carbon manner... not easy to fit this into 550 words.
I got an email from the Alley Cats saying it was not them who had posted silly comments to my blog. I apologised for blaming them, and explained about my show being an hour and only being given 45 mins, which caused one of the problems of my over-running and them starting before I'd finished.
I hope that this calms things down. I have checked the wording of my post for Sunday to ensure it doesn't 'libel' them!
I got a very nice message back, accepting my apologies and explanation, which felt good as I don't enjoy conflict and don't want anybody to have un-necessary bad feelings about me or my lifestyle.
During the afternoon I got a visit from Friedmann who was returning the Humanure Handbook, and the evening's highlights were having Gill's home-made pizza, with a tomato/onion topping I made, and enjoying Pink Floyd on telly.
Gill took the boys to school, first the younger one and came back for the older one who had not got ready in time. He was late in therefore.
I went to a meeting with my favoutite agent John Liley at the Novotel, where we met the Catering Manager to discuss the Christmas entertainment I'm booked in to do. The Novotel has had a refit and it was useful to see the new layout before the gig. The manager was very positive about my contribution to the Christmas celebrations and it was good that John was there to hear this.
I got home just before Gill left for Scarborough to go to her Uncle Tom's thanksgiving for his life ceremony in his residential home, and the scattering of his ashes.
I tried to write my column and it came slowly, but got some done before going to school to get the boys plus one, they came home very well behaved and I cooked tea whilst they were playing on the computer upstairs. Their friend's mum came to pick him up and went, boys ate tea and Gill came back having had a good day.
I went to a meeting with my favoutite agent John Liley at the Novotel, where we met the Catering Manager to discuss the Christmas entertainment I'm booked in to do. The Novotel has had a refit and it was useful to see the new layout before the gig. The manager was very positive about my contribution to the Christmas celebrations and it was good that John was there to hear this.
I got home just before Gill left for Scarborough to go to her Uncle Tom's thanksgiving for his life ceremony in his residential home, and the scattering of his ashes.
I tried to write my column and it came slowly, but got some done before going to school to get the boys plus one, they came home very well behaved and I cooked tea whilst they were playing on the computer upstairs. Their friend's mum came to pick him up and went, boys ate tea and Gill came back having had a good day.
A pretty relaxing day, on the whole. Got up relatively late and had a slow morning and did some writing for Primary Times Magazine. Then at about 11am, some 'green' visitors came, Caroline and Alex, and their 3 year old daughter. It was because of their daughter they visited, as they are using biodegradable nappies and I had offered to find out how biodegradable they were, in my hot tumbler!
So they had a tour around the garden in the rain and then came in for a cuppa and discussion about stoves and other aspects of green living. They went and we had lunch... as it was a wet day we didn't go out or do very much, although I did spend a half hour putting some fresh stuff with the nappies to allow the tumbler to heat up more.
Did more writing in the evening, did a paid blog on World Responsible Tourism Day, and a column on a Green Christmas.
I got an email from the comment writer from a few days ago, when she asked me what my formal qualifications were to write a blog on environmental and ethical issues. She today gave me a contact email address and I was able to send her the original reply. I might try to put this reply on the blog too, someone says I can 'copy and paste', and this technique is new to me... but will try! Annabel's email address indicates she considers herself an eco-warrior, so I like the sound of her, hope she replies!
So they had a tour around the garden in the rain and then came in for a cuppa and discussion about stoves and other aspects of green living. They went and we had lunch... as it was a wet day we didn't go out or do very much, although I did spend a half hour putting some fresh stuff with the nappies to allow the tumbler to heat up more.
Did more writing in the evening, did a paid blog on World Responsible Tourism Day, and a column on a Green Christmas.
I got an email from the comment writer from a few days ago, when she asked me what my formal qualifications were to write a blog on environmental and ethical issues. She today gave me a contact email address and I was able to send her the original reply. I might try to put this reply on the blog too, someone says I can 'copy and paste', and this technique is new to me... but will try! Annabel's email address indicates she considers herself an eco-warrior, so I like the sound of her, hope she replies!
A better day than yesterday, although still feeling full of cold, with a runny nose and blocked sinuses. However just got on with the neccessary jobs around the house and in the garden. One of the jobs was to open the feather mattress thing from yesterday and put a layer of feathers on the current hot heap, quite a messy job. They will compost down very well though. I put a load of chopped potatoes on top to stop them blowing around, except there's no wind to blow them around, it's a fairly still day.
During the evening wrote my next column for Community Care, on food. Wrote it on paper (reused of course!) and then counted the words, as I'm supposed to do 350. I'd got it to 353, so I typed it in and sent it to them, asking them to do their wonderful editing stuff. They always come up with something good, they never massacre my work. Finished typing it in at 2am, my usual bedtime.
During the evening wrote my next column for Community Care, on food. Wrote it on paper (reused of course!) and then counted the words, as I'm supposed to do 350. I'd got it to 353, so I typed it in and sent it to them, asking them to do their wonderful editing stuff. They always come up with something good, they never massacre my work. Finished typing it in at 2am, my usual bedtime.
I got a lie-in til 8.30, as the noise levels increased downstairs as Gill tried to get the boys ready for school, so I came down and chivvied them out of the house. It's amazing how much more quickly an 8 year-old boy will put their own shoe on when you offer to help them do it... they then have to prove that they don't need help and actually get on with it!
I was due to go to town and do various jobs before my little holiday next week, but I had a very leaky nose and felt grotty, then I looked at my diary and saw that Simon from Yellow Pages had booked to come and visit me regarding my advertising with them, so I lit the stove and got a coffee and did some washing up, Gill went out as she has more stuff to do in town. I did my emails to find out if my friend had landed, but there was no message, so I wondered what had happened.
The Yellow Pages rep recognised me from the telly programme last week, and we took some time to get onto the subject of advertising Professor Fiddlesticks. I didn't want to spend any more money with them, but was persuaded to have a listing with Yell (dot) Com and to afford this I am not having a one-line listing in the Leeds directory, which has not given me many returns. Apparently the Yell advert will give me a better coverage. But Simon did his job well and I'll be paying more next year than this!
I got an email from Community Care saying would it be possible to get my column in by this afternoon? I did some online research about Ethical Investment, which I don't know much about, and continued writing my 350 words.
Then I got an email from St Nicks saying that they would be sending someone over to pick up my apple press and crusher at 2pm, for use at Apple Day on the 6th of October. So I had to excavate that from the studio, all the time sneezing and snuffling and blowing my nose, and feeling rubbish.
I got my column typed in by 3pm and cycled down to school to pick up the boys. My youngest asked if he could visit one of his friends, so he went one way, and I came home with the eldest, who only noticed we didn't have his brother once we'd got home! On the way home I chatted with a friend of mine, who's a chemist and very well informed, and she's not convinced that the paint on top of the sleepers will stop the creosote coming through, and she said if she felt brave enough, she'd raise it at school at a meeting tonight.
Once I got home I felt so poorly I went to bed and fell asleep with New Scientist in my hand. I was woken by a phone call from my friend, who had sent me some emails since landing at Manchester Airport, but they'd not got through to me. I was pleased she was safe and sound.
I made my own tea, finishing up the weird-tasting mushroom soup and putting some pasta in, left over from Gill's tea, and heating that on the woodstove, plus making some eggy-bread the same way, using a discarded organic loaf with the crusts cut off. It was very filling and dirt cheap, a good thing considering that I'm about to spend a large amount on a new bicycle.
After tea, before it got dark, I did a bit of putting stuff on the newest compost heap, and cut a bit more hedge. Then came in and sorted out the stove, got enought hot water for my boy to have a bath. Then I refilled the pans as I want to have a bath later. Gill and I enjoyed watching Carol Vorderman on BBC's 'Who Do You Think You Are?', about ancestry and family origins. We had a game of Scrabble and I won, again.
Enjoyed my bath at midnight.
I was due to go to town and do various jobs before my little holiday next week, but I had a very leaky nose and felt grotty, then I looked at my diary and saw that Simon from Yellow Pages had booked to come and visit me regarding my advertising with them, so I lit the stove and got a coffee and did some washing up, Gill went out as she has more stuff to do in town. I did my emails to find out if my friend had landed, but there was no message, so I wondered what had happened.
The Yellow Pages rep recognised me from the telly programme last week, and we took some time to get onto the subject of advertising Professor Fiddlesticks. I didn't want to spend any more money with them, but was persuaded to have a listing with Yell (dot) Com and to afford this I am not having a one-line listing in the Leeds directory, which has not given me many returns. Apparently the Yell advert will give me a better coverage. But Simon did his job well and I'll be paying more next year than this!
I got an email from Community Care saying would it be possible to get my column in by this afternoon? I did some online research about Ethical Investment, which I don't know much about, and continued writing my 350 words.
Then I got an email from St Nicks saying that they would be sending someone over to pick up my apple press and crusher at 2pm, for use at Apple Day on the 6th of October. So I had to excavate that from the studio, all the time sneezing and snuffling and blowing my nose, and feeling rubbish.
I got my column typed in by 3pm and cycled down to school to pick up the boys. My youngest asked if he could visit one of his friends, so he went one way, and I came home with the eldest, who only noticed we didn't have his brother once we'd got home! On the way home I chatted with a friend of mine, who's a chemist and very well informed, and she's not convinced that the paint on top of the sleepers will stop the creosote coming through, and she said if she felt brave enough, she'd raise it at school at a meeting tonight.
Once I got home I felt so poorly I went to bed and fell asleep with New Scientist in my hand. I was woken by a phone call from my friend, who had sent me some emails since landing at Manchester Airport, but they'd not got through to me. I was pleased she was safe and sound.
I made my own tea, finishing up the weird-tasting mushroom soup and putting some pasta in, left over from Gill's tea, and heating that on the woodstove, plus making some eggy-bread the same way, using a discarded organic loaf with the crusts cut off. It was very filling and dirt cheap, a good thing considering that I'm about to spend a large amount on a new bicycle.
After tea, before it got dark, I did a bit of putting stuff on the newest compost heap, and cut a bit more hedge. Then came in and sorted out the stove, got enought hot water for my boy to have a bath. Then I refilled the pans as I want to have a bath later. Gill and I enjoyed watching Carol Vorderman on BBC's 'Who Do You Think You Are?', about ancestry and family origins. We had a game of Scrabble and I won, again.
Enjoyed my bath at midnight.
Took the boys to school, it's sports day today, and as the field is so wet, it's all happening inside.
When I got home I started to work on my column for Community Care, my fifth, this one on Ethical Holidaying. Then Giles from the Co-op rang and invited himself round to deliver the Co-op banners and some fair-trade chocolate, recycled tyres pencilcases and Co-op labelled water bottles.
He arrived within the hour, we chatted about the York Green Festival and I gave him the tour of the garden, he couldn't stay long.
Got back to doing my column, needed to do some research on carbon offsetting and various other things, like 'The Man In Seat 61' (http://www.seat61.com/) who can get you info about train travel through Europe and beyond. A short break for lunch and carried on, then went to get the kids, but our youngest went to play with a friend, so came back with just our 9 year old.
However before that, did my composting of fruit and bits from the playground bins, and visited the big bins area, which had over 20 bin bags of paper just put into the ordinary bins. I went to the office to complain, and noticed that the new Japanese Garden, being installed by a chap I know is a bit of a cowboy, whom I refer to as 'IRA Bob', as he is open about supporting the IRA, had got a pile of old tarry sleepers there, ready to go in as a border. Tar-dipped sleepers are not now reccommended for use in gardens or schools, as the tar finds it's way onto clothes and skin, and it is known to be (or contain) carcinogenic components, and they smell horrible. So I told the office about them too. I hope they aren't put in, I hope if sleepers are needed, that untreated ones are used.
So as soon as I got home I bombed into town, to get a repeat prescription and marmite, and go to Out Of This World for my compostables pickup.
Home with veggie sausages and burgers, cooked them on the woodstove whilst I cycled back to Heslington to pick up our 7 year old, who'd had a good time playing.
Tea was vegan throwouts, tomato stuff I cooked yesterday and some very old/tired maize, not sweetcorn as wasn't sweet, was starchy but filling, and ok with the tom stuff on top of it. Gill put hers in the compost it was so disgusting. Best to grow own, or buy fresh, not reclain from compost collections!
After tea I spent a while loading up a 'sit and wait' compost heap, and doing some shredding of hedge clippings. Then came in and did a word count on the Community Care article, and it was 39 over. So did some good precis work and editing, got it to 344, six under my limit. Sent it in, a day early! Then did emails, watched telly and chatted on Googletalk with K over in America. Bathwater will wait til tomorrow morning. I have a gig tomorrow, have to be shaved and non-smelly. Bed after 1am, as usual.
When I got home I started to work on my column for Community Care, my fifth, this one on Ethical Holidaying. Then Giles from the Co-op rang and invited himself round to deliver the Co-op banners and some fair-trade chocolate, recycled tyres pencilcases and Co-op labelled water bottles.
He arrived within the hour, we chatted about the York Green Festival and I gave him the tour of the garden, he couldn't stay long.
Got back to doing my column, needed to do some research on carbon offsetting and various other things, like 'The Man In Seat 61' (http://www.seat61.com/) who can get you info about train travel through Europe and beyond. A short break for lunch and carried on, then went to get the kids, but our youngest went to play with a friend, so came back with just our 9 year old.
However before that, did my composting of fruit and bits from the playground bins, and visited the big bins area, which had over 20 bin bags of paper just put into the ordinary bins. I went to the office to complain, and noticed that the new Japanese Garden, being installed by a chap I know is a bit of a cowboy, whom I refer to as 'IRA Bob', as he is open about supporting the IRA, had got a pile of old tarry sleepers there, ready to go in as a border. Tar-dipped sleepers are not now reccommended for use in gardens or schools, as the tar finds it's way onto clothes and skin, and it is known to be (or contain) carcinogenic components, and they smell horrible. So I told the office about them too. I hope they aren't put in, I hope if sleepers are needed, that untreated ones are used.
So as soon as I got home I bombed into town, to get a repeat prescription and marmite, and go to Out Of This World for my compostables pickup.
Home with veggie sausages and burgers, cooked them on the woodstove whilst I cycled back to Heslington to pick up our 7 year old, who'd had a good time playing.
Tea was vegan throwouts, tomato stuff I cooked yesterday and some very old/tired maize, not sweetcorn as wasn't sweet, was starchy but filling, and ok with the tom stuff on top of it. Gill put hers in the compost it was so disgusting. Best to grow own, or buy fresh, not reclain from compost collections!
After tea I spent a while loading up a 'sit and wait' compost heap, and doing some shredding of hedge clippings. Then came in and did a word count on the Community Care article, and it was 39 over. So did some good precis work and editing, got it to 344, six under my limit. Sent it in, a day early! Then did emails, watched telly and chatted on Googletalk with K over in America. Bathwater will wait til tomorrow morning. I have a gig tomorrow, have to be shaved and non-smelly. Bed after 1am, as usual.
