A tough morning trying to get both children to school. BUT they did both go, which was a result!
I had a meeting starting sometime between 10 and 11 (Jim at Semlyen IT is very relaxed) and this went well too... the website that my Canadian colleague Rory and I are working on is coming on well. Jim has a colleague called James, who's a student, who is putting it together using Wordpress.
I am so looking forward to getting it unveiled!
The meeting went really well, over an hour discussing lots of variables and listening to Jim's advice. But I didn't have time to write up our meeting to send to Rory as straight after lunch I had another meeting at St Nicks, the follow up to the difficulties I had last November when some complaints were generated because of how I behaved at a York Rotters stall at the Big Green Market. John at St Nicks has been having some conversations with people at CVS about how to proceed and how to find solutions to the problem.
Edward, who is an experienced facilitator and well versed in conflict resolution came along to be my buddy or some kind of moderator... he's known me for at least 15 years and he also knows John quite well... and funnily enough he was involved in designing the Environment Centre, although I'm not sure exactly what his role was.
We recapped on what the complaints were, and I was surprised to learn that three out of the four complaints were made by one person. I don't know who that person is, but my guess is that they probably have a general problem with me, and even if I had behaved perfectly, they would still have had a problem with me! So that person was upset about an ill-timed and inappropriate joke about burial positions (which I agree was a mistake) and also accused me of shouting at a member of the public which I didn't do, although I do know that I did make a comment back to someone who responded to my invite to tell me about their compost bin with a 'I don't bother to compost'. My question back at them 'Don't you care about the environment then?' was deemed by the complainant as unprofessional. Maybe it was, I don't know. They also didn't approve of me answering a question about Promession, the composting burial process that I'm very interested in. A separate complaint was made by a Rotter who said I'd interrupted them and contradicted them. As I don't know who this is, I cannot remember saying or doing any of that, but it wouldn't surprise me if I had done that if incorrect information had been given.
I am really pleased with some of the solutions that St Nicks are going to try. To enable me to go back to the stalls and work with members of the public, they are looking for a buddy for me, who would know something about challenging behaviour, ADHD and Aspergers, and would be trained up as a York Rotter. Their job would be to keep an eye/ear on me and to rein me in if I got too excitable and if I strayed into subjects that the Council, our funders, are uncomfortable with (ie compost burials and compost toilets).
I'm also going to be invited to help make a video, where the editing will enable my enthusiasm and knowledge to shine through, but any gaffs to be removed. The Rotters newsletter will have a featured Rotter section, so that individuals can write something about themselves, which might help other Rotters understand them a little more. All St Nicks volunteers will be invited to participate in 'diversity awareness training' which will cover disabilities and developmental disorders, sexuality and orientation, religion and race and probably more. This is a fantastic 'plus' for St Nicks to get out of what could have been quite a negative issue. Rotters will be offered communication training, so that we can all learn to speak to members of the public a bit better. I look forward to this.
The only as yet undecided things are how I deal with my role as the 'founder' of York Rotters, which St Nicks dispute as I only suggested the organisation be started, and it was founded by a team effort, with the Council and St Nicks in partnership, with me at most meetings. However, many people see me as the person who got the ball rolling, and I am therefore sometimes a spokesperson for the group. So, as yet, we don't know what to do if a media organisation rings up and asks my opinion about a composting or green subject, and wants to refer to me as the founder of York Rotters. I am comfortable with this, but I don't think the other management are.
We agreed to review the situation in six months time. I am pretty pleased with this. I do wish that the (critical words removed by request) person hadn't complained in the first place... but we cannot change what has happened, and nor the fact that people like me do sometimes piss people off!
I did a bit of work in the nature reserve for half an hour after this, and then loaded my trailer with some of the spare packing crate wood which wasn't used by the bee hive makers.
Home via Freshways, and then did half an hour of chainsawing until it got dark.
Tea was baked potatoes with the remains of the Quorn stuff from yesterday. The potato was delicious and I'd have the Quorn again to add variety to my diet, perhaps a couple of times a year...
I did a lot of writing during the evening... a long email to Rory and recording today's activities here. I feel it's been a really good day.
Showing posts with label Jim Semlyen. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jim Semlyen. Show all posts
Quite an early start as although my work in Leeds starts at midday, the train times mean I had to leave on the 10.11 train. And before this, I had to deliver the pumpkin soup to St Nicks.
So, I was up before 8 and had a shower and hair wash, Gill made my sandwiches and ironed my costume, I breakfasted and packed, loaded the bike. Gill was worried about my taking the preserving pan of soup on my bike, but it was quite easy and I got it to St Nicks un-spilled and with the loose-fitting lid still on. Catherine, our head Rotter, was pleased to see this.
Then onto the station and got my day return to Cross Gates. Once there, it was a 15 minute walk up a hill to the Church hall where Swiis Foster Care were having a half-term fun day, with about 20 children and the same number of adults invited. I arrived an hour early, as the next train of the day would have meant me getting there only minutes before being due to start, so I got the earlier train and had an hour to wait. However, there was an aerobics class going on so I sat quietly at the back and half-read, half watched this... I've never seen anything like it!
They finished at 11.30 and I got set up, got changed and the guests and organisers started to arrive. One of the staff, Gael, is a friend of mine from the Northern Green Gathering, and it was lovely to see her again. I was glad to be in costume to welcome the children, and I played throw/catch with my juggling balls, although one got lost. At 12.15 I started my show, and they were obviously completely un-used to live interactive entertainment. But quite soon I had nearly all of the children and a couple of the adults up and doing things, and the show lasted just over an hour.
As usual, whilst they were eating, I inflated a unicycle-wheel full of modelling balloons and then got everybody, including all the adults, having an attempt at making balloon animals. Lots of fun, finishing just before 3pm.
Got changed, got paid, got back to Cross Gates where I finished my NewScientist and was back in York for 4.20. Home via Country Fresh, where Martin had got me God knows how much unsold stock... I was only able to take two boxes of it on my pannier rack as my trailer was full of unicycles and juggling equipment.
I had a quick tea as soon as I got back, the boys were finishing theirs prior to going out to the St Nicks Pumpkin evening. I took my big pumpkin down, to enter it into the giant pumpkin competition, despite it being not much bigger than a human head. I decided to go via Country Fresh and picked up two sacks full of compostables and a big tray of grapes in punnets, each punnet having some mouldy grapes in, but, crucially, some good ones too! I left them in the punnets... and went to St Nicks and arrived at the same time as Gill and the boys who had walked down.
The pumpkin evening was very well attended, with quite a few folks I knew, including Jeremy Piercy, Jim and family, and Robin, to name but a few. My boys both carved a pumpkin, I had mine weighed and it was 24 lbs, and the biggest of three entrants! It looked like my medium pumpkin was the winner of the Giant Pumpkin Competition! Unfortunately, when the judge of the pumpkin carving arrived, Anneliese, and she chose her first, second and third from three age categories, neither of my boys won anything... but I won a new model of wormery called a Worm Cafe, see this (silent) video about how to use it! I was amazed.. I really hadn't thought I'd win. And it's worth close on £100! I balanced it precariously on top of the sacks of compostables and walked home with my family.
A quiet evening, slicing apples and sorting and blanching grapes. More raisins in a few days!
So, I was up before 8 and had a shower and hair wash, Gill made my sandwiches and ironed my costume, I breakfasted and packed, loaded the bike. Gill was worried about my taking the preserving pan of soup on my bike, but it was quite easy and I got it to St Nicks un-spilled and with the loose-fitting lid still on. Catherine, our head Rotter, was pleased to see this.
Then onto the station and got my day return to Cross Gates. Once there, it was a 15 minute walk up a hill to the Church hall where Swiis Foster Care were having a half-term fun day, with about 20 children and the same number of adults invited. I arrived an hour early, as the next train of the day would have meant me getting there only minutes before being due to start, so I got the earlier train and had an hour to wait. However, there was an aerobics class going on so I sat quietly at the back and half-read, half watched this... I've never seen anything like it!
They finished at 11.30 and I got set up, got changed and the guests and organisers started to arrive. One of the staff, Gael, is a friend of mine from the Northern Green Gathering, and it was lovely to see her again. I was glad to be in costume to welcome the children, and I played throw/catch with my juggling balls, although one got lost. At 12.15 I started my show, and they were obviously completely un-used to live interactive entertainment. But quite soon I had nearly all of the children and a couple of the adults up and doing things, and the show lasted just over an hour.
As usual, whilst they were eating, I inflated a unicycle-wheel full of modelling balloons and then got everybody, including all the adults, having an attempt at making balloon animals. Lots of fun, finishing just before 3pm.
Got changed, got paid, got back to Cross Gates where I finished my NewScientist and was back in York for 4.20. Home via Country Fresh, where Martin had got me God knows how much unsold stock... I was only able to take two boxes of it on my pannier rack as my trailer was full of unicycles and juggling equipment.
I had a quick tea as soon as I got back, the boys were finishing theirs prior to going out to the St Nicks Pumpkin evening. I took my big pumpkin down, to enter it into the giant pumpkin competition, despite it being not much bigger than a human head. I decided to go via Country Fresh and picked up two sacks full of compostables and a big tray of grapes in punnets, each punnet having some mouldy grapes in, but, crucially, some good ones too! I left them in the punnets... and went to St Nicks and arrived at the same time as Gill and the boys who had walked down.
The pumpkin evening was very well attended, with quite a few folks I knew, including Jeremy Piercy, Jim and family, and Robin, to name but a few. My boys both carved a pumpkin, I had mine weighed and it was 24 lbs, and the biggest of three entrants! It looked like my medium pumpkin was the winner of the Giant Pumpkin Competition! Unfortunately, when the judge of the pumpkin carving arrived, Anneliese, and she chose her first, second and third from three age categories, neither of my boys won anything... but I won a new model of wormery called a Worm Cafe, see this (silent) video about how to use it! I was amazed.. I really hadn't thought I'd win. And it's worth close on £100! I balanced it precariously on top of the sacks of compostables and walked home with my family.
A quiet evening, slicing apples and sorting and blanching grapes. More raisins in a few days!
Up quite early as today I did have the Askham Bryan York Rotters gig so I was ready to go by just after 9, so went through Bishopthorpe Road, up Scarcroft road and out along Tadcaster Road and Moor Lane and over the new junction on the A1237 which I hadn't circumnavigated yet. I like the cycle facilities.
The Askham Bryan event (summer fair?) was on the big field but there were other things going on elsewhere such as a dog show and plant sales. I went to visit the chainsaw and log-wrangling area, and chatted with the various tree surgeons before it got busy and I had to get back to the Rotters stall.
The York Rotters mini-marquee had already been put up by Chris and Jean, and as I got into volunteer mode, Jo rolled up on her trusty bike. Jo is York's second most enthusiastic composter and we really worked the (small) crowds! My 'hook' was, when people walked past and looked at our cut-away dalek-bin with all sorts of compostable stuff in it, to ask them if they compost, and if the answer was affirmative, to ask them (excitedly!) to tell me about their compost heap! This isn't what a punter might expect, but it was in many cases irresistible and allowed a conversation to start. Invariably, people have questions about various aspects of composting... what can go on, cooked food, how to physically manage the heap, how to use the product... and more. I had a brilliant day, spoke to loads of people and met quite a few folks I knew, including Kit from around the corner, Martin from the Green Festival and several people who knew me as Fiddlesticks.
Jo went after lunch and was replaced by Claire, and we went on til 4.30pm. I helped her put the marquee down and start to pack up but needed to jump on my bike by 4.35. I cycled back through the village and then North via the ring road, which delivered me to Rawcliffe Bar 25 minutes later. I was due to meet Jonathan at 5.15 at Zippos Circus, to meet Martin Burton the Founder and Director, to be given a tour and see the show.
This came from the fact that there was an article in the paper about animal rights protesters removing publicity about Zippos, which has horses and budgerigars, including going into shops and saying they were from Zippos, and saying they had been forced to cancel and taking the posters and fliers away. I had responded with a letter saying I had some sympathy with them, and Martin Burton had written in the next day inviting me to come and see for myself (see clickable links in 3 June post).
Martin was waiting in the ticket office and when Jonathan and I turned up, took us for a coffee and a chat about how he had arrived at being the Director of Zippos Circus for the past 35 years. He had started out doing teacher training but had done some busking as a clown and escapologist, and this he felt was more his kind of thing. He told his parents that as there were not many jobs for middle school drama teachers, he'd do a few years as a performer and then settle down into teaching. He declared that he had been a disappointment to his parents as he'd never gone back into teaching and his mother still occasionally joked to him about getting a proper job... He'd done a load of touring with his clown troupe but the problems with different venues meant he needed a venue which would be the same each time, so he got a big top.. well, his first was a large frame tent, but at least the performers could get used to the venue!
He either helped organise or was responsible for the London International Festival of Circus back in the 1980s, where there was his 'traditional' circus, with clowns and jugglers, horses and, I think ducks, alongside a new or 'alternative' circus with no animals and things like people climbing ropes naked, and initially there was some mutual animosity and mistrust. But this went as the respect for the different approaches grew.
He has always had a lot of respect for the horses and other animals in his circus, and disapproves of wild animals being kept and used. Both the horses and budgies have been living alongside people for countless generations, and they are trained using positive reinforcement, never punishment. The horse trainer will sometimes go and just observe the horses in the paddock for hours at a time, and as soon as one does something he would like it to do in the ring, he gives it an edible treat of 'pony nuts' which are made of grain and horses love them. If the animal does this again, he gives it another. The whip which is used in the ring is not used for actually whipping the horse, it is a visual signal. I watched this closely during the show, and not once did the whip actually touch any horse. There is more info about the horses on this part of Zippos website (just click on 'animal welfare') .
Martin took us for a walk around the circus, showing us his chip-fat powered vehicles (all of them and the generators are powered by used cooking oil) and the low energy lightbulbs, making his chip-fat bill not quite as high! The loose-box stables, designed by Born Free had the 4 Palomino Arab-cross stallions in the front of the big top, where members of the public could see them, and the two grooms live very close to them so if there's any distress or problem, they would hear. One of the grooms came to the door of his caravan as we walked round, so they are listening all the time. The place where they pitch the big top must always have a paddock area, as the horses spend quite a bit of time outside, running free. Their travelling horse box has a ramp at the rear and at the side so that if there is a 'rear shunt' the horses can be taken out of the side.
We looked into the budgerigar caravan and heard a description of how they line up to get into their cage when the show is about to start, which I found hard to believe until I actually saw the show.
Most of the show is human, not animals. There is one part where the tiny Fallabella horse gallops round following one of the huge Palominos, and a part where the Palominos go round the ring and turn circles, and one of them rears up on it's hind legs, which is part of it's mating behaviour (which is why they use stallions). The budgie act was good, I really enjoyed that as I'd never seen performing birds. But for me, the best bits were the high wire, the aerial stuff, trapeze, rope work, jugglers and diabolo player, the Marinhos 'Wheel of Death' (brilliant!) and dancers. I'm not a big fan of clowns but enjoyed their many skills and their timing.
Martin chatted to us during the interval (and said hello to Jim Semlyen, who was there with his children and mother) and afterwards too. He took great pleasure in telling us as much as he could, and answering any questions, and I was left in no doubt that the animals and people are cared for, loved, respected and certainly not mis-treated. I came away feeling much more educated about real circuses, and the situation they find themselves in with regards to the tiny but vocal minority of animal rights protesters. I hope that these protesters concentrate on the few circuses left with wild animals, and leave Zippos alone. And if they do want to really see how Zippos treats their animals, I'm sure that Martin would show them around just like he did for me.
For a taste of what Zippos Circus is like, watch this 3 minute slideshow. Or go and see it yourself. And say hello to Martin from me!
I said my goodbyes to Jonathan who was there by automobile and I cycled home, getting in about 9pm. All was well at home, with a friend visiting and getting ready for a sleepover.
The Askham Bryan event (summer fair?) was on the big field but there were other things going on elsewhere such as a dog show and plant sales. I went to visit the chainsaw and log-wrangling area, and chatted with the various tree surgeons before it got busy and I had to get back to the Rotters stall.
The York Rotters mini-marquee had already been put up by Chris and Jean, and as I got into volunteer mode, Jo rolled up on her trusty bike. Jo is York's second most enthusiastic composter and we really worked the (small) crowds! My 'hook' was, when people walked past and looked at our cut-away dalek-bin with all sorts of compostable stuff in it, to ask them if they compost, and if the answer was affirmative, to ask them (excitedly!) to tell me about their compost heap! This isn't what a punter might expect, but it was in many cases irresistible and allowed a conversation to start. Invariably, people have questions about various aspects of composting... what can go on, cooked food, how to physically manage the heap, how to use the product... and more. I had a brilliant day, spoke to loads of people and met quite a few folks I knew, including Kit from around the corner, Martin from the Green Festival and several people who knew me as Fiddlesticks.
Jo went after lunch and was replaced by Claire, and we went on til 4.30pm. I helped her put the marquee down and start to pack up but needed to jump on my bike by 4.35. I cycled back through the village and then North via the ring road, which delivered me to Rawcliffe Bar 25 minutes later. I was due to meet Jonathan at 5.15 at Zippos Circus, to meet Martin Burton the Founder and Director, to be given a tour and see the show.
This came from the fact that there was an article in the paper about animal rights protesters removing publicity about Zippos, which has horses and budgerigars, including going into shops and saying they were from Zippos, and saying they had been forced to cancel and taking the posters and fliers away. I had responded with a letter saying I had some sympathy with them, and Martin Burton had written in the next day inviting me to come and see for myself (see clickable links in 3 June post).
Martin was waiting in the ticket office and when Jonathan and I turned up, took us for a coffee and a chat about how he had arrived at being the Director of Zippos Circus for the past 35 years. He had started out doing teacher training but had done some busking as a clown and escapologist, and this he felt was more his kind of thing. He told his parents that as there were not many jobs for middle school drama teachers, he'd do a few years as a performer and then settle down into teaching. He declared that he had been a disappointment to his parents as he'd never gone back into teaching and his mother still occasionally joked to him about getting a proper job... He'd done a load of touring with his clown troupe but the problems with different venues meant he needed a venue which would be the same each time, so he got a big top.. well, his first was a large frame tent, but at least the performers could get used to the venue!
He either helped organise or was responsible for the London International Festival of Circus back in the 1980s, where there was his 'traditional' circus, with clowns and jugglers, horses and, I think ducks, alongside a new or 'alternative' circus with no animals and things like people climbing ropes naked, and initially there was some mutual animosity and mistrust. But this went as the respect for the different approaches grew.
He has always had a lot of respect for the horses and other animals in his circus, and disapproves of wild animals being kept and used. Both the horses and budgies have been living alongside people for countless generations, and they are trained using positive reinforcement, never punishment. The horse trainer will sometimes go and just observe the horses in the paddock for hours at a time, and as soon as one does something he would like it to do in the ring, he gives it an edible treat of 'pony nuts' which are made of grain and horses love them. If the animal does this again, he gives it another. The whip which is used in the ring is not used for actually whipping the horse, it is a visual signal. I watched this closely during the show, and not once did the whip actually touch any horse. There is more info about the horses on this part of Zippos website (just click on 'animal welfare') .
Martin took us for a walk around the circus, showing us his chip-fat powered vehicles (all of them and the generators are powered by used cooking oil) and the low energy lightbulbs, making his chip-fat bill not quite as high! The loose-box stables, designed by Born Free had the 4 Palomino Arab-cross stallions in the front of the big top, where members of the public could see them, and the two grooms live very close to them so if there's any distress or problem, they would hear. One of the grooms came to the door of his caravan as we walked round, so they are listening all the time. The place where they pitch the big top must always have a paddock area, as the horses spend quite a bit of time outside, running free. Their travelling horse box has a ramp at the rear and at the side so that if there is a 'rear shunt' the horses can be taken out of the side.
We looked into the budgerigar caravan and heard a description of how they line up to get into their cage when the show is about to start, which I found hard to believe until I actually saw the show.
Most of the show is human, not animals. There is one part where the tiny Fallabella horse gallops round following one of the huge Palominos, and a part where the Palominos go round the ring and turn circles, and one of them rears up on it's hind legs, which is part of it's mating behaviour (which is why they use stallions). The budgie act was good, I really enjoyed that as I'd never seen performing birds. But for me, the best bits were the high wire, the aerial stuff, trapeze, rope work, jugglers and diabolo player, the Marinhos 'Wheel of Death' (brilliant!) and dancers. I'm not a big fan of clowns but enjoyed their many skills and their timing.
Martin chatted to us during the interval (and said hello to Jim Semlyen, who was there with his children and mother) and afterwards too. He took great pleasure in telling us as much as he could, and answering any questions, and I was left in no doubt that the animals and people are cared for, loved, respected and certainly not mis-treated. I came away feeling much more educated about real circuses, and the situation they find themselves in with regards to the tiny but vocal minority of animal rights protesters. I hope that these protesters concentrate on the few circuses left with wild animals, and leave Zippos alone. And if they do want to really see how Zippos treats their animals, I'm sure that Martin would show them around just like he did for me.
For a taste of what Zippos Circus is like, watch this 3 minute slideshow. Or go and see it yourself. And say hello to Martin from me!
I said my goodbyes to Jonathan who was there by automobile and I cycled home, getting in about 9pm. All was well at home, with a friend visiting and getting ready for a sleepover.
Happy New Year everybody!
Saw in the New Year with my wife, children (yes, both of them stayed up!) and our friend Alison. We spent most of the evening with Simon and Melody and their son, and we had a really lovely evening. Alison arrived later, she's also a close friend of Melody and Simon, so it was very cosy. We had some good food and a variety of drinks, games of Jenga and picture consequences, and played some tapes (Orb, Eatstatic, Deep Purple) and all in all it was a very enjoyable night. We have an excellent view over York from our loft window, so once we'd heard it was midnight we shot up to the loft to watch the fireworks.
Alison left at 1am and we did a little bit of clearing up before collapsing at 2.
Woke needing orange juice and paracetamol at 7am!
Woke again at 9, the boys had woken Gill at 7.30.. we'd hoped that their late to bed time might cause them to sleep in later... but no joy.
At midday, our first visitor of the day arrived, a bit of a suprise because I wasn't expecting Lorna to visit, but she'd been dancing the year out with her sister in Dunnington, and popped in to say hi on her way home to the Midlands. It was lovely to see her and for my family to meet her. I showed her the garden, despite the standing water and mud, and she stayed about an hour.
We had a bit o lunch and then another suprise, the always busy Jim Semlyen, with his 8 yr old daughter and his partner's two children. He was giving his partner some space, and it was really good to catch up. Our boys played really nicely with the visitors, even though they'd only met Jim's daughter before. We fed them, even though they hadn't come for food! Spent a couple of hours chatting, it was a really good New Year visit.
I did an hour of clearing up in the cold and wet before it got dark, then came in and did an enormous wash up and food prep... had earlier picked some 'Winter Mushrooms' off a productive log (also known as Velvet Shank due to their black stem, 'enokitake' in Japan and in Latin, 'Flamulina velupites') and had these with some onion and sweetcorn with a breadroll and potato salad.
Saw in the New Year with my wife, children (yes, both of them stayed up!) and our friend Alison. We spent most of the evening with Simon and Melody and their son, and we had a really lovely evening. Alison arrived later, she's also a close friend of Melody and Simon, so it was very cosy. We had some good food and a variety of drinks, games of Jenga and picture consequences, and played some tapes (Orb, Eatstatic, Deep Purple) and all in all it was a very enjoyable night. We have an excellent view over York from our loft window, so once we'd heard it was midnight we shot up to the loft to watch the fireworks.
Alison left at 1am and we did a little bit of clearing up before collapsing at 2.
Woke needing orange juice and paracetamol at 7am!
Woke again at 9, the boys had woken Gill at 7.30.. we'd hoped that their late to bed time might cause them to sleep in later... but no joy.
At midday, our first visitor of the day arrived, a bit of a suprise because I wasn't expecting Lorna to visit, but she'd been dancing the year out with her sister in Dunnington, and popped in to say hi on her way home to the Midlands. It was lovely to see her and for my family to meet her. I showed her the garden, despite the standing water and mud, and she stayed about an hour.
We had a bit o lunch and then another suprise, the always busy Jim Semlyen, with his 8 yr old daughter and his partner's two children. He was giving his partner some space, and it was really good to catch up. Our boys played really nicely with the visitors, even though they'd only met Jim's daughter before. We fed them, even though they hadn't come for food! Spent a couple of hours chatting, it was a really good New Year visit.
I did an hour of clearing up in the cold and wet before it got dark, then came in and did an enormous wash up and food prep... had earlier picked some 'Winter Mushrooms' off a productive log (also known as Velvet Shank due to their black stem, 'enokitake' in Japan and in Latin, 'Flamulina velupites') and had these with some onion and sweetcorn with a breadroll and potato salad.
