Human Lifestyle

Well a funny old day.... Up early, something to do with taking a child to school but he didn't go in the end.  I removed myself from the situation, and got busy in the front garden, sawing and splitting the Ash logs left by Mark.  I also did a little bit of work in the back garden, but not much.

I had quite a bit of time indoors too, sorting out the Student Loan stuff and a whole load of gigs in York libraries over the summer, which I'm looking forward to.

I'd agreed to go and see Helen at 4.30 in El Piano, as she'd been at her regular Tuesday workshop, and we had some great chats, as usual.  Helen also had something for me... my only birthday present this year, a book by David Byrne, of Talking Heads fame, about his cycling adventures, called Bicycle Diaries, which looks like a really good read. Thank you Helen.

We parted at about 6 and I cycled straight up to Tang Hall Library for the Hull Road Ward Planning Panel, which was interesting as the Council have agreed something called an Article 4 Direction, which means, if it's agreed, that if a home owner wants to change the use of the house from an ordinary residence to a 'House In Multiple Occupation' or HMO, they'll have to apply for planning permission.  An HMO is a house or flat with 3 or more tenants who share a kitchen, bathroom or toilet.  The best definition I've found of an HMO is here. This will mean that the numbers of houses being converted into student homes might be slowed down, as it might be possible, if Article 4 is agreed, to refuse planning permission for the change.  I will be writing to the Council to support this Direction, as so many local residents have told me that they are worried by the number of student houses constantly being converted.

I got back home at about 7.30 and did a bit more work outside, before coming in for some soup (out of a tin) and a sandwich.  

Another good day.  Got up at a civilised time when the phone rang and it was Bridget from the Rowntree Society, replying to my enquiry about David donating some memories to their memory project.  She's going to invite him to an event on 17th May.

The rest of the day unfolded slowly... I did some more work out in the garden, including, at last, planting a third of the potatoes.

At about 4 I cycled down to town via Dower Court, where I was eventually able to get in and put 36 leaflets into letterboxes.

I got a cheque to pay my National Insurance and paid in a cheque which repays me for my train ticket down to UK Aware.

Then at 5 I met Helen at El Piano, which was lovely, and then we both went to see David, and we all went to City Screen, and met Dave and Chris.  Helen got the 7pm train home and David and I wandered back through York to his house, and I got him his food and went at 8pm.

Back at home, Gill had created a curious meal... a very 'short crust' pastry base which had failed to contain a quiche... so it was a cross between a quiche and an omlette.  I enjoyed it though.  Then I had an hour's phone call with a woman I met through a facebook friend who's going to open a small eco-friendly campsite in France, and she wanted to pick my brains about compost toilets and how to heat shower water.

Later, I did a bit more work on the York World Naked Bike Ride, and various other writing jobs.