Human Lifestyle

A generally relaxing day, with a late and slow start, watching Country Tracks on the box and chatting with Gill.  But then my planned evening was thrown into disarray.  I was going to meet my new facebook friend Faye at City Screen and get a ticket to see Peeping Tom, a film made 50 years ago, and a bit of a landmark in the history of cinema.  But she sent me a message saying she had decided to stay in as her husband was due home after a short break... and I asked her if I could buy her ticket off her. 

So, I said I'd cycle over and collect that later, and I did an hour's work outside which was lovely.  Then in for a late lunch and Gardener's Question Time, and after this I got on my bike and went over to South Bank.  I was pleased to see Faye in person as we've chatted on facebook, and both her and her husband Trent seem like nice and interesting people.  Faye was playing with her cute little 3 year old son, who eventually overcame his shyness and we played a bit.  Then her 2 year old woke, but he didn't overcome his shyness before I had to go.  Faye gave me the ticket, wouldn't accept any money so I promised a bag of dried fruit and some balloon animals as and when we meet again.

From Faye's I cycled on to Miller's Yard and picked up 4 sacks of oranges and one sack of plastic bottles to  recycle.  And a quick cycle home, picking up some long lanky pruned branches on the way home.

Gill had added to my stew and so I had a plate of that and soon after 7, got ready to head down to City Screen to see Peeping Tom.  I hadn't done any research other than what was on the invite page on facebook, ie it was an early study of voyeurism and warped sexuality, not something I'm overly interested in, but interested enough to consider seeing the film.

I enjoyed the film and will write a brief review later.

A quiet day; highlights were cycling down to Country Fresh, visiting Maria on the way back. Returning from Maria's, I spotted a pile of logs in a friend's garden, someone who'd given me logs in the past. As they weren't in, I put a note through their door asking if they'd be happy for me to take the logs.  A bit later, I got a phone call from Linda, my friend, saying that actually they'd purchased a Morso stove and those logs were very much wanted!  I was delighted, as I think some of my green 'stuff' may have rubbed off on them. 

I also got a confirmation of a Fiddlesticks booking at the end of the month, and I did a load more fruit and the usual round of washing up, logpile building and assorted parenting stuff like taking hot water upstairs for a child's bath.  I really enjoyed Gardener's Question Time on Radio 4 as it was from Bradford and included questions about how to grow various tropical things which don't grow well in Bradford.  So a day with not a lot to write about, but a low carbon day nevertheless.

Woken early as the morning sunshine came straight through the unlined curtains and was very bright. I had breakfast and then as Gill had a bath, I got in after her to reuse the water; the bath was so short that I couldn't sit in it with my legs out straight. It was nice and hot though and I had a good scrub. I went to dry off in the bedroom, and as the sun had moved round it had become less bright and I went to sleep for a couple of hours, getting up again at 10.30ish. Luxury!

I had noted that there was the raft race this morning at 11, and from the house we could see boats converging from all around the bay. But no-one else wanted to come to see the race, so I went down by myself. The race had just started so I went to the finish and got a good spot to see all the rafts come in... they took almost an hour to come in, and it was a lot of fun. There was a probable father and son in a sea-going canoe, the child was collecting water bomb balloons which had been thrown at incoming rafts but hadn't burst, and threw some of them back into the spectators. At least three rafts were unable to get to the finish by themselves and got a tow in. Several rafts broke up on the way, although a couple of these did still make the finish line. This event raised thousands of pounds for the RNLI... at least £250 entrance fee per raft, and then street collections (there were apparently 25000 spectators) and other fundraising. They were hoping for £70k today.

When the last raft had come in, I walked along to the Co-op and got bread and soya milk. Then back to the house for 1pm and lunch.

I had my sandwiches whilst watching Monster Moves, and had some laughs with the boys, play fighting/horseplay... we call it 'bundling'... but at 2pm I wanted to have some quiet as I wanted to listen to Gardeners Question Time. Immediately after this, the rest of the family were ready to go out so I took them to the beach at Bracelet Bay... much complaining about having to walk down a steep hill and then up one to get somewhere they weren't sure about.... but once on the beach the complaints disappeared and we played in some soft sand, letting our feet sink in up to our ankles... and then we made a long sand barrier to divert a stream, and made the pretty sand-dribble turrets all along it, and enjoyed watching the erosion that happens when the stream is forced to turn a corner.

After at least an hour, probably two, we washed off the sand in the sea and went to the top of the beach where Gill was chatting to a nice chap called Steve who is a singer, who'd recently been working with Jon Lord of Deep Purple fame, and I had a nice chat with him. Then we left to go and find a place to eat, and I showed them the pier and we went to the Mumbles Pier Cafe. I had pizza and chips, Gill beans, chips and salad, and our boys had pasta Napoli and a veggie breakfast! And onion rings on the side. And a J2O each.... It was a nice meal and we needed the walk afterwards from the pier to Village Lane which leads up to Bryn Terrace.

I had wanted to go and explore the area behind the house, as there's a footpath up into the woods, but I just cuddled up on the sofa with Gilly and watched Antiques Roadshow, which Gill especially likes. She's got several antiques books and has pretty good guesses at what things are and what they are worth. Then I got trapped by Secret Britain and when this finished it was too dark to go exploring.

Gill woke me with a question.. do you want the good news or the bad news?

The good news was that she'd done a bit of tidying up and had found the envelope which had contained the birthday card from my Auntie Lizzie. I hadn't found the cheque for £25. The bad news?

It wouldn't pay for the cost of a new microwave oven... our old one had finally stopped working. This was the microwave that I got when I arrived in York in 1987, so it's had virtually daily use (in fact, several times a day as we do our hot drinks in it, or did) for 23 years. Not bad. RIP Electrolux Mealmaker.

So I posted two messages on Freecycle... one offering the broken microwave (well, you never know!) and one asking for a replacement.

A relaxed day ensued, although it seemed like I spent most of it at the kitchen sink! But I was delighted to get an email from Chrissie, offering me her unwanted microwave. I replied and later she rang me to arrange collection, this evening. Wow!

I was still in the house when Gill took the boys into town so I listened to Gardeners Question Time and did things with fruit, paperwork, computer. But I went outside once I couldn't do any more washing up, and took some compostables down the garden and loaded up another layer. I found some exotic looking yellow-topped fungi growing from the sawdust in the sacks... lovely!

Then at about 4pm I cycled down to Country Fresh to do a pick up and get edibles. I came home via Freshways and they had 2 sacks for me too. I feel another hot heap coming on!

I came in at 6.45 and ate the final slice of yesterday's veg pie, cold.... delicious. Then at 7.10 I bombed over to Dringhouses to collect the microwave, which is very small, compared to the enormous 1980s model. But it works and we are very pleased. Nice one Chrissie. Gill was dancing round the kitchen singing with happiness. Good ol' Freecycle! And Chrissie had got it from the British Heart Foundation second-hand shop, so it's 3rd hand! I like re-use!

As there had been no takers for the broken microwave, I started taking the door off; it will make an unusual planter, on it's side with the aperture uppermost. More reuse. Bob Flowerdew would be proud of me!

So, a good day.

Woke at 10. I got myself ready to go to the Low Moor Allotment Association AGM, which was at midday. I left home at about 11.25 and went to see Richard at Country Fresh, got some veggies and a big bag of cabbage leaves and sprouting onions.

Then I went round to the allotments, and as I was still too early for the meeting, I popped in on the People and Planet allotment where Dora greeted me loudly and warmly as 'Compost John', and yes, I was bearing a gift for their heap... all the cabbage leaves, etc.

I told them about the AGM and she and Zak came with me to the meeting which was outside as it was a lovely day.

A good meeting, left me feeling positive and buoyed up. I cycled past my old plot on the way back and it has been rotavated! The new allotmenteers look like they mean business!

I visited Debbie on the way back and chatted for 10 minutes, and got in for 2pm, for lunch and Gardener's Question Time on Radio 4.

Then I got busy in the conservatory... I planted LOADS of seeds... courgette, pumpkin, squash, yams (in the cups rescued from the Ceilidh, punctured at the base with a hot wire) and sweetcorn plus one or two other things. Lots more to do though...

Then it was tea time, I had the last pastie and the cauliflower/pasta bake which Gill threw together, followed by a slice of cake.

Then it was yet another meeting... down at Anna's, the York in Transition 'events' meeting, which was quite well attended and very upbeat.

I got in just after 10pm and wasn't sleepy til 3am.

I had a late start... after all, I got in last night at nearly midnight and then Gill and I stayed up chatting til after 2am and then we didn't get to sleep until after 3. So I woke and dozed and slept til about 11.

I did a big wash-up after breakfast.

And a late lunch, listening to Gardener's Question Time on Radio 4, but got outside after this. My main job today was to get up into the James Grieve apple tree and remove all the unwanted honeysuckle. I found a honeysuckle 'volunteer' a few years ago and thought it would be a good idea to replant it next to the apple tree. Little did I know how well it would do, and it had climbed right to the top and started to get too much for the tree, and was shading it so much that last year, the amount of apples was quite reduced. So a couple of weeks ago I cut the main stem of the honeysuckle and today I put my ladders up and cut out all the now dead winding vine, pulling it out and feeding it through the shredder. This was a messy job... I got completely covered in bits of lichen and dead honeysuckle leaves.

I also sorted out the cans and bottles from last night and flattened the cans... with a little bit of help from the energetic feet of a pre-teen. Gill took our younger one for a jolly in the park with a couple of his friends.

Tea was a burger thing made from the tea Gill made last night, a rice and bean creation... I think she mixed it with breadcrumbs, and used a hommous pot as a mould, and fried it. Had it in a bread roll, with salad. Had this watching Countryfile.

Later I had an intense discussion on facebook about flying... all triggered off by the Icelandic volcano's ash cloud stopping flights in the UK and most of Europe. Lots of people are delighted about this... comments about airline companies going bust and the like, and lots of comments about the peace and quiet and the clear skies, but some other people don't understand this point of view and I've challenged their view that they have a 'right to fly'. My opinion is that as flying is the single biggest contributor to climate change that any individual can decide to do, and that climate change is already killing people and will certainly kill vast numbers in the future, that flying is directly connected with their deaths. This view doesn't go down too well with some of the frequent fliers who have been inconvenienced by the volcano.

And then I found this NewScientist article by my favourite York author. It maybe that we have to get used to more disruption. Not that I mind that much....

Well, a reasonable morning to start with but things deteriorated and after lunch, Gill took both boys to town to buy some Lego, which is one thing which absorbs them completely.

I then had a quiet lunch and did loads of washing up and then got trapped with the Winter Olympics and facebook, and then at 2pm, Gardener's Question Time on Radio 4. Always enjoyable!

As soon as the family came home I went out to start sorting out the conservatory, which has a lot of stuff built up in it. There were lots of potato sacks. There were lots of elastic bands. Lots of drinks cartons (mainly soya milk) which I flattened and put in a potato sack for cycling down to the civic amenity site sometime soon. I took wooden veg trays to the front for recycling into kindling, lots of stuff to the dustbin which is full for the first time I can ever remember, and lots down the garden for composting.

I was really busy for about 3 hours... but the conservatory still looks extremely untidy. Perhaps will do some more tomorrow.

I came in when it was too dark to do any more. Gill had made a rice-based dish which was filling and tasty.

Quite a peaceful evening, watched the exciting Winter Olympics and then Derren Brown who is another great performer.

Woke slowly and suddenly realised that I had a visitor booked in to arrive at 9.30 so leapt up and raced downstairs and gobbled breakfast and was washed, dressed and outside the front by 9.30 when Gordon from Freecycle arrived with his female friend who's name I've forgotten.

He had posted on Freecycle that he wanted some compost so I replied that I could let him have a bag of it for free but if he wanted multiple bags, I'd like a donation. He said that he wanted to grow a few vegetables so I emailed back that I'd let him have some Jack Edwards Climbing Pea Beans as well. So, we'd already had a lengthy email conversation before he arrived.

I gave them a tour of the compost-making facilities and he had got a 35 litre rucsack and a bin liner, which we filled with riddled best mature! He was very happy with the beans too, and gave me a donation for them. I hope we meet again as he seemed like a very nice chap.

I then set off for Rowntree Park where York Rotters was holding it's annual Worm Charming competition. The aim of this is to try to get earthworms living in grassland to come up onto the surface, buy running on the spot, drumming, putting water on the soil and other methods. The secondary aim (primary perhaps!) is to have a compost information stall which dispenses advice, leaflets etc. I arrived in time to help set out the plots, although Catherine's husband was already on the case with the tapes marking out the 2m x 2m squares. I did some announcing with my big voice, and we got most of the 16 plots filled with a team. Kate and I dispensed pond water from watering cans when requested, but there was a severe lack of worms... not surprising as the Park 'lawn' was post-flood, almost devoid of grass, and very very compacted.

In the 30 minutes, with perhaps 30 people drumming, jumping, wiggling forks and banging metal waste-paper bins with drumsticks, and lots of water, only ONE worm was found! The winning worm was only about 2cm long as well! But, a good time was had by all, and the stall attracted a lot of interest and I talked to a few people about composting, and helped them find leaflets about Bokashi, composting in yards, dealing with rats and reduced price compost bins, all of which they took away to peruse at leisure.

I came back via Country Fresh and brought back a couple of sacks of compostables, a pallet and some scrap wood for the stove.

Lunch was delicious... avocado sandwich and hommous sandwich.

I did some emailing etc whilst listening to Gardeners Question Time and then went out into the garden... and spent the whole afternoon there. Bliss. Friendly robins, really cheeky birds, completely unfazed by human presence, including perching on me from time to time, and allowing me to watch within centimetres its foraging in the compost heap I was turning. At one stage, one of them had 8 prey animals in its beak... a centipede, several beetle larvae, an adult staphylinid beetle, a couple of pupating beetles... and I was less than 20 cm away. I did a lot of compost management, dug out several bins including the Compostumbler. I also did a load of weeding, some more hedge cutting... a lovely several hours.

Came in for tea at 7. Did lots of fruit for drying. Washed up too. Busy busy busy...

A very productive day, and for me, pretty peaceful too.

After a civilised start time-wise, I went to the allotment, via Country Fresh where Richard had a little gift for me... an empty cigarette packet!

A couple of weeks ago he'd given me another empty packet, which used to contain 'Natural American Spirit' ciggies which Richard described as 'organic' but in fact, there is no organic certification on the packet. The difference between these and 'normal' fags is that these have no additives and are just cured tobacco leaf, with no 'reconstituted' tobacco and processed stems. Richard reports that it costs about a pound more than normal ones, but has very little taste and he prefers this. Today's offering was a '1st Nation' cigarette packet, which Richard described as 'Fairly Traded'. Actually, these don't have the fair trade logo, although the packet does describe them as 'Ethically Sourced'. Neither of these are safe or healthy, both have tar and Carbon Monoxide and they are an expensive habit. However, I think it'll make an entertaining paid blog post for Community Care. Lots of Social Workers smoke and might, just might, like to have a different sort of 'ethical' cigarette!

Anyway, collected my compostables and a lot of cardboard for mulching. I cycled round along Cemetery Road and down to the bottom entrance of the Low Moor Allotments, so I could go to the lottie shop... and hurrah, I got there in good time, and was able to rejoin the Low Moor Allotment Association, which meant that I could use the shop... I then proceeded to get 10 varieties of potato at £1 per kilo and a collection of seeds, making my bill up to £15.

I had very good session on my allotment... dug out two compost heaps and turned them, did a little bit of weeding and a lot of cutting back loads of marauding brambles. Got back just before 2pm, in time to have lunch, listen to Gardeners Question Time and do a bit of emailing, more stuff on Age of Stupid at City Screen in April.

Then had a good session in the garden, collecting assorted minibeasts for my composting classes tomorrow (kids love minibeasts!) and weeding, tidying, and some shredding too. Dug out my Compostumbler, putting most of its contents in a dalek and some excess in a builders 'dumpy' bag.

Gill made a lovely lasagna for tea, and I lit both stoves , to keep the place warm and as I need a bath tonight as I don't want to smell like a compost heap tomorrow. I watched a good programme on the Keck Telescope with both my boys, which was nice. A harmonious time this evening... and I did my blog on the so-called 'ethical' tobacco.

Not too early a start, but once up got the stove going so I could do the washing up, and watched 'The Big Questions' which was from York. Good to see my friends Claire and David Kennard being interviewed, although I'm not sure why they got front row... they always talk sense though, I have a lot of respect for them.

I recorded Countryfile and half-listened whilst I washed up, and at 11.30 cycled off to the allotment, hoping to get to the lottie shop before 12 which is when it closes on Sundays. However, I got waylaid in Country Fresh by a student journalist called Joel who was doing a piece about the shop and was interested in how the shop reduces it's waste stream. I 'paid my penny' for the bag of resources which in most other shops would be put in the bin as waste, and cycled to the allotment, missing the shop by 3 minutes, damnation!

But I did spend the next hour and a half doing my composting... emptied out a dumpy bag of overwintered and mature compost, and filled it back up with some nearly done compost from one of the pallet bins, removing larger sticks to put in the current heap.

I left at 1.45 and got home just in time to listen to Gardeners Question Time on Radio 4.

A quiet afternoon... did some stacking of Brazilian Pine and used the Compost Mate tool to aerate the current hot garden heap, which is still being added to and is risking getting compacted.

Gill did rice for tea. The boys did their homework. I washed up again.

Later, Gill and I had a game of Scrabble and she won for a third time in a row! I'm obviously losing my touch... too much Facebook Scrabble... perhaps it's sucking all my strength?

A nice relaxed morning and enjoyed Countryfile. It was good to see my friend Guy Wallbanks interviewed in Whitby about how to have an ethical St Valentine's Day. Then I enjoyed Gardeners Question Time. I spent lots of time peeling dozens and dozens of lychees, which were unsaleable as they have some little patches of mould on the outer skin. But when this shell is peeled off, the fruit within is absolutely fine... so did loads, then peeled the fruit off the stone, and liquidised this fruit pulp with some apples to make a wonderful juice. I'll convert some of this into fruit leather, but we had some nice perfumed juice drink with our evening meal...

Mid afternoon went for a cycle with my eldest lad. He had some homework to do, making a virtual tour of York, so we went with Gill's camera down to Heslington to get photos of his school, the park, Heslington Hall and parts of the University. He decided where to take the pics, I took him to the places he wanted to see.

Then we went down to Country Fresh and got some bananas and tomatoes, plus recycling, and then on to Freshways where one of the guys offered my son some bananas and he was unsure whether to take them... he's not used to the generosity that shop-owners display to me, their volunteer recycler!

Pizza for tea and then I took some lychees up to Wendy in part payment for the exercise bike... I sorted out a couple of dozen with minimal mould on, and she was happy with these.

Bathed both the boys in stove-water and a very peaceful evening.

Woke late and didn't feel that comfortable with such a lot of cleaning activity going on so I went outside to take cardboard down to the current compost heap, then cycled to Hazel Court to take drinks cartons, batteries, and some scrap iron for recycling. On the way out I was gently accosted by one of the operatives who explained that bicycles were not allowed up to the area where cars go, and that I should leave my stuff down at the pedestrians area. However, this area does not cater for drinks cartons or scrap metal, so I told him that I intended to continue using the normal area. There does not seem to be any sensible reason why cyclists should be singled out as not allowed... as when drivers get out of their cars to take stuff to different receptacles, they too become pedestrians. I will send in my application for a permit to use my trailer and see what happens. In the meantime, every now and then, I'll take in my tetrapaks for recycling, and use the correct 'bring bank'. Grrrr.. I hate stupid regulations!

Anyway, came back feeling refreshed and invigorated, having done my recycling and had a good-natured discussion where I stated my case clearly and politely.

Or kitchen was immaculate! Thank you Linda!!

Had lunch, said goodbye to Linda and got the stove going whilst listening to Gardeners Question Time on the radio and doing emails. Then I went and did some more tidying in the garden... mainly cutting back last year's blackberries and putting the chopped bits on the compost.

Listened to a little bit of York's best radio station, Equinox 107, which broadcasts on Sunday afternoons. Also popped down to Country Fresh to pick up a bag of resources, and cycled it down to put most of it on the new compost heap.

Tea was mainly reheated stuff from the previous day, but also broccoli and butternut squash. Lovely as usual. Gill is feeling much better and is up and about, keeping active and is eating well.

A fairly quiet evening, warm and cosy, watched an amusing documentary on the work of Health and Safety Inspectors, called 'The Fun Police'. Tried to do some writing. (other than this!)

A good day, we all had lots of time in the garden... the boys had a friend round, I riddled/mixed some compost, loam and leafmould and planted 3 tubs of potatoes.

I watched Countryfile and listened to Gardeners Question Time... a very relaxing day indeed.

Quite a relaxed morning, but before breakfast I unicycled along to the Co-op to buy a copy of The Observer, which has an article about CRAGs and part of the article is an interview with me. I then spent some time thinking about the Gardening Club at school and formulating a list of questions and things to think about for our first meeting, then emailed that off to the chairperson who has let me know we're meeting up on Wednesday.

I rang up my parents to tell them about the Observer article and had a brief chat with my Dad who did his best to upset me by comparing some of my views to those of Scientologists!!! I felt really insulted to be compared to these crackpots! I feel like I can't ring them up because of his behaviour towards me, which does upset me and I tend to 'retaliate' and this doesn't go down at all well! I'll have to do my best to not turn into him, and keep my mind open to other peoples' views... to at least give them the respect of listening to them and not instantly slagging them off and belittling them. It doesn't make you any friends!

Lunch was late but delicious, then did some washing up and listened to Gardener's Question Time on Radio 4.

During the afternoon I went down to the veg shop and then on to the lottie where I composted my valuable collected resources and then went on to my friend in Heslington to wish her a happy 40th birthday. Nice coffee and chat with her and her hubby, then back home.

A relaxed evening, researched my paid blog on Richard Branson's biofuel experiment, the first aeroplane journey using biofuel. Also had a successful skype call with my friend over the pond, which was wonderful.

Typed in my blog but it wouldn't save, so I lost it all after several hours work. Annoying.

Another day without the expected rain, so after breakfast (watched skiing on C4, Gill had recorded it) I set off for the lottie to do more cutting back and digging over. I met my lottie neighbour Tony who's a psychology lecturer at the University, and researches brain imaging, and a near-neighbour called ?Jackie whom I met at Simon and Melody's party apparently, and she's got lots more work to do than me..... her lottie is hugely overgrown and she has also had the letter warning her of disapproval.... We talked composting for a few minutes and then got on with our urgent work.

Went to Martin's veg/compostables palace on the way back... Richard had yet more pineapples for me, help! What can you do with over 20 pineapples when the racks over the stove are full and the house is hot from two stoves roaring away...? Well, Gill made a pineapple upsidedown cake with one and a half of them!

Back for just before 2pm, listened to Gardener's Question Time on R4 whilst having lunch, and immediately afterwards, went round with both boys to Maria and Johan's to collect two oak chair they are getting rid of, and Gill thinks they'll be useful here. The boys were invited to attend a martial arts/self defence workshop on Wednesday by their son, who last week went along and was the only child there, so he wanted some company.

Home to sort out some logpile (hand cut a pile of thinner logs with the bowsaw) and did a few minutes compost pile building and cutting twigs.

Tea was the butternut stew from yesterday, tasting even better after 24 hours standing.

Later in the evening I tried to input my paid blog to the Community Care website, the subject being the forthcoming programmes on Summerhill School, written by Alison Hume, daughter of my friend John Hume, who helped me start the Credit Union. He is very proud of her and told me about the film in December when we met up for a celebratory drink, 10 years after the CU meetings started. I wrote it all in but the thing wouldn't save, so I tried to save it on my computer (which I've done before when the website wasn't playing ball) but when I finished, it wasn't there and I lost the whole thing. After firing off an 'officially irritated' email to Commu nity Care, I tried again and this time it worked... so I spent til 1.30am retyping it in and then I checked on the public site... and it was there, thank goodness. What a palaver!

Got up early (well, 9am) and quickly had breakfast and then went to dispose of more hedge, before coming in for just before 11 to ring my brother and wish him a happy birthday, and then watch Countryfile... which today was all recycled material, which was a pity, but I took the opportunity to do emails and blog...

More hedge after that, came in for a 2pm lunch and lisened to Gardeners' Question Time on R4, then had another go in the garden, mainly removing brambles and feeding them into the shredder. Very satisfying to produce so much compostable material!

At about 3.45pm went to the allotment as I have to keep on top of that too, and did more bramble chopping, put a layer of veg waste sandwiched between bramble cuttings and then partly dug out one nearly mature heap and put it on top of another to make enough space for more chopped brambles. It's never-ending! Stayed there til dark, arrived back at 5pm.

Then went to the Co-op to buy bran flakes which ran out this morning, and got back in time to watch Time Team on C4, and try to do paid blog, but couldn't access the site, so will try later this evening.

Tried later and the website was still not playing.