A tough day, but mostly good. I had agreed with my friend Edwina that I'd go and help her with her garden project today; she said she'd be in from 11am. I set off in good time to go and get two compost bins from a freecycling friend, who was in this instance not freecycling but selling them, as they were new just a few months ago.
However, my journey didn't start too well. I was cycling along Thief Lane where Newland Park Drive comes in from the left, and a car was coming along. I could have accelerated and gone in front of the car, at some risk of pissing the driver off, so as it was the car's right of way, I coasted and waited for it to pass, then pushed hard on my pedals, in too low-a gear (I hadn't changed into an appropriate gear for starting off) and the chain slipped and I fell off. Beware standing on pedals! I fell onto the road, banging my knee, and my cycle helmet on the ground, and the handlebars walloped me in the stomach. Fortunately there was no traffic that close, just a van driver who stopped and asked me if I was OK? Well I was walking wounded; I knew I'd bloodied my knee but my abdomen felt worse, bruised. However, I just had t continue on my merry way.
I got to Woodthorpe and rescued the compost bins and put cash through the letter box. They went on the trailer one inside the other, and I went round to Edwina's house just 5 minutes away, and got busy in the garden. I put one of the bins in a temporary position, on a sheet of plastic, and when the garden is done, I'll be able to transfer the bin and materials to a permanent position. I did a lot of bramble removal, and then started digging a border, which had nettles and dandelions in, and a few daffodils which I transplanted into the lawn at one side. The brambles were difficult to dig up, partly as several had rooted into a low wall which I'll need my wrecking bar to remove. I worked for 4 hours, with a short lunch break.
At 3 I went via the racecourse and a logpile to the Millennium Bridge and on to the Steiner School, to pick up our youngest. I had a nice chat with Catherine Heinemeyer about the possibility that the Steiner School, which is a private fee paying school, might become a 'free school'. There is a lot of support for this, but some strong dissent, people happy with the status quo, and it seems likely that the will of these people will probably prevail.
A good cycle home, and I collapsed for an hour before cycling down to see Richard. We spent quite a bit of time together, he smashed up a pallet and I converted 3 boxes worth of compostables into 3 sacks and a carrier bag of chestnuts, which I'll try to salvage. I collected a sack from Freshways and came home, washed up, boiled a pan of chestnuts, did emails, had tea, decided not to go out to the Steiner School AGM and had a quiet evening in.
However, my journey didn't start too well. I was cycling along Thief Lane where Newland Park Drive comes in from the left, and a car was coming along. I could have accelerated and gone in front of the car, at some risk of pissing the driver off, so as it was the car's right of way, I coasted and waited for it to pass, then pushed hard on my pedals, in too low-a gear (I hadn't changed into an appropriate gear for starting off) and the chain slipped and I fell off. Beware standing on pedals! I fell onto the road, banging my knee, and my cycle helmet on the ground, and the handlebars walloped me in the stomach. Fortunately there was no traffic that close, just a van driver who stopped and asked me if I was OK? Well I was walking wounded; I knew I'd bloodied my knee but my abdomen felt worse, bruised. However, I just had t continue on my merry way.
I got to Woodthorpe and rescued the compost bins and put cash through the letter box. They went on the trailer one inside the other, and I went round to Edwina's house just 5 minutes away, and got busy in the garden. I put one of the bins in a temporary position, on a sheet of plastic, and when the garden is done, I'll be able to transfer the bin and materials to a permanent position. I did a lot of bramble removal, and then started digging a border, which had nettles and dandelions in, and a few daffodils which I transplanted into the lawn at one side. The brambles were difficult to dig up, partly as several had rooted into a low wall which I'll need my wrecking bar to remove. I worked for 4 hours, with a short lunch break.
At 3 I went via the racecourse and a logpile to the Millennium Bridge and on to the Steiner School, to pick up our youngest. I had a nice chat with Catherine Heinemeyer about the possibility that the Steiner School, which is a private fee paying school, might become a 'free school'. There is a lot of support for this, but some strong dissent, people happy with the status quo, and it seems likely that the will of these people will probably prevail.
A good cycle home, and I collapsed for an hour before cycling down to see Richard. We spent quite a bit of time together, he smashed up a pallet and I converted 3 boxes worth of compostables into 3 sacks and a carrier bag of chestnuts, which I'll try to salvage. I collected a sack from Freshways and came home, washed up, boiled a pan of chestnuts, did emails, had tea, decided not to go out to the Steiner School AGM and had a quiet evening in.
