A really good day, starting off with our son saying that he wanted to talk about his behaviour yesterday. We agreed to have a family meeting after lunch. So a good morning, even though it was raining, we enjoyed the fact that the school was closed because of the NUT strike and had some fun times.
So after lunch we all four of us sat down but one child got either bored or upset by the content of the conversation, and the other had an anger outburst as he didn't like what he was hearing back from the grown-ups. He did calm down again though, and I introduced him to the 'talking stick' concept, where in a group situation, whoever holds the stick can talk, and others do not interupt. He loved this as we practised 'active listening' and he didn't interupt us either when the time came for us to air our feelings. We ended up by briefly looking through the parenting class manual so he could see some of the work we'd been having to do. We didn't do any more than that, although we want to try setting some family rules again (we did try but it didn't get very far!) Right at the end, the other child came back in and we had a 'proper' family meeting and all was well.
So, happy family members today. The boys had several visitors during the afternoon as school was closed.
I went for a Green Festival meeting in the evening but as Baz and Rob couldn't make it, I didn't go into Space 109 but waited outside and fielded all-comers and we went to the Spread Eagle for a chat/meeting/drink. Good to do this and it was a productive meeting.
Showing posts with label Space 109. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Space 109. Show all posts
An exhausting day.
Woke early as in an unfamiliar place on a carrymat on Anna's living-room floor. Anna and her daughter were getting ready to go to the little girl's breakfast club and then Anna to go to work. Anna took her child to the club and then came back to have her breakfast, get her lunch ready and then she walked with me to where she could point out where the bus stop was. There was quite a long wait for the bus and when it came the driver said he wasn't going all of the way and I'd have to change buses. However I chatted to a friendly old lady who used to train greyhounds for racing, and that helped the hour with 2 bus journeys go more quickly.
Eventually got to Kings Cross/ St Pancras and found the info about a train which would get me to where I wanted to be.... and it left at 11. I split my journey and visited a friend, getting back to York at 5.3o... but the roads were packed and the bus home didn't come til 6.10, getting in at 6.40. I'd phoned Gill from a payphone in the station and she had a baked potato ready. I had to go out again at 7.10 to go and pick up the key to Space 109 where there was a meeting of York Green Festival at 7.30.
This was a very good meeting, well attended and I'm so glad that Baz is heading it up this year and my roles are smaller and well-defined. The meeting lasted 2 hours and I got home just before 10.
Woke early as in an unfamiliar place on a carrymat on Anna's living-room floor. Anna and her daughter were getting ready to go to the little girl's breakfast club and then Anna to go to work. Anna took her child to the club and then came back to have her breakfast, get her lunch ready and then she walked with me to where she could point out where the bus stop was. There was quite a long wait for the bus and when it came the driver said he wasn't going all of the way and I'd have to change buses. However I chatted to a friendly old lady who used to train greyhounds for racing, and that helped the hour with 2 bus journeys go more quickly.
Eventually got to Kings Cross/ St Pancras and found the info about a train which would get me to where I wanted to be.... and it left at 11. I split my journey and visited a friend, getting back to York at 5.3o... but the roads were packed and the bus home didn't come til 6.10, getting in at 6.40. I'd phoned Gill from a payphone in the station and she had a baked potato ready. I had to go out again at 7.10 to go and pick up the key to Space 109 where there was a meeting of York Green Festival at 7.30.
This was a very good meeting, well attended and I'm so glad that Baz is heading it up this year and my roles are smaller and well-defined. The meeting lasted 2 hours and I got home just before 10.
I took the boys into school as there was considerable resistance by one of them, and Gill feared him cycling off in the opposite direction. But they both behaved perfectly and there were no problems.
The day was lovely, did a bit of housework, some stuff in the garden, had a sleep, read some NewScientist and at 3pm Gill went to pick up our youngest and at 4 I cycled down to pick up the other one from Drama Club.
I then spent some time turning a compost heap and tidying up some mess in the back garden.
Just the easygoing sort of day that I like.
At 7.30ish I went out to meet up with folks from York Green Festival who were waiting outside Space 109, which I was supposed to have booked. I was going to book it for yesterday but last week got a message from Baz saying it was booked for tonight, and I thought he'd booked it... but neither of us had! So we had a short meeting outside and he went to the Spread Eagle with several others and I went on to The Black Swan for a CRAG meeting with a journalist who was taking pics for, I think, The Observer.
We had a good discussion, about our public meeting next month and about the various aspects of carbon reduction that we as individuals we are trying to achieve. We agreed to meet just before the public meeting on Carbon Offsetting to finalise what we are going to say and present. I'm going to try to get a speaker from an offsetting company and/or some publicity materials, and possibly the short film 'Cheat Neutral' which is basically anti-offsetting. We had a poster advertising the meeting brought and we need to construct a press release.
The day was lovely, did a bit of housework, some stuff in the garden, had a sleep, read some NewScientist and at 3pm Gill went to pick up our youngest and at 4 I cycled down to pick up the other one from Drama Club.
I then spent some time turning a compost heap and tidying up some mess in the back garden.
Just the easygoing sort of day that I like.
At 7.30ish I went out to meet up with folks from York Green Festival who were waiting outside Space 109, which I was supposed to have booked. I was going to book it for yesterday but last week got a message from Baz saying it was booked for tonight, and I thought he'd booked it... but neither of us had! So we had a short meeting outside and he went to the Spread Eagle with several others and I went on to The Black Swan for a CRAG meeting with a journalist who was taking pics for, I think, The Observer.
We had a good discussion, about our public meeting next month and about the various aspects of carbon reduction that we as individuals we are trying to achieve. We agreed to meet just before the public meeting on Carbon Offsetting to finalise what we are going to say and present. I'm going to try to get a speaker from an offsetting company and/or some publicity materials, and possibly the short film 'Cheat Neutral' which is basically anti-offsetting. We had a poster advertising the meeting brought and we need to construct a press release.
Another fairly early morning as noisy downstairs so I got up and took the boys to school, although they were pretty horrible before setting out, and both apologised to me when they got to school. My youngest had spent so long not putting on his socks that I put them on him for him, in anger and he wasn't happy, nor was I. But we got to school on time, which is better than some people who are still coming to school when I'm coming back home.
Spent most of the day on the computer trying to sort out the bloody risk assessment which is not easy as I think I should be detailed and include everything which could affect the punters at the festival, and the boss at the council says I should only include those things connected with the Festival and what we bring onto site. I find her difficult to deal with, she's sarcastic and I don't like this approach. But she's the boss and could cancel the Green Festival so I cannot upset her!
Got the kids at 3 and then did some more sorting, this time talking to the PA person about Portable Appliance Testing and how we can ensure that all the musicians get their instruments certificated as electrically safe. Then sometime after 4 went to Scarcroft Green for 'Green on the Green', to see my CRAGger friends, Rotters, St Nicks-ites and other greenies.
At 5pm, when the event finished, Jo, who was working on the York Rotters stall, and she came to the Rowntrees Park with me with the maps she's printed off for me. Walked round in the rain checking out the venues for the live music, stalls, solar cinema and DJ area. Talked to the Park staff about power points and access to water.
Then cycled home and got in shortly after 6pm, and Gill had created a good tea of bulgar wheat, veg and chestnuts.
Went back on the email after this, and bombed into town, picked up the Space 109 keys and went to get on with the meeting. The meeting went well, several stallholders attended and we had a good meeting. This will be reported in my other blogspot blog, the York Green Festival blog, http://ygf2007.blogspot.com/ when I write it up.
Then went to the Blue Bell pub with Martin and Graham, and had some really interesting chats about relationships and the various different styles of relationship which now exist and are named and described. Fascinating, thought provoking.
Came back tipsy and had a good email and Googletalk session with K, didn't get much else done though!
Spent most of the day on the computer trying to sort out the bloody risk assessment which is not easy as I think I should be detailed and include everything which could affect the punters at the festival, and the boss at the council says I should only include those things connected with the Festival and what we bring onto site. I find her difficult to deal with, she's sarcastic and I don't like this approach. But she's the boss and could cancel the Green Festival so I cannot upset her!
Got the kids at 3 and then did some more sorting, this time talking to the PA person about Portable Appliance Testing and how we can ensure that all the musicians get their instruments certificated as electrically safe. Then sometime after 4 went to Scarcroft Green for 'Green on the Green', to see my CRAGger friends, Rotters, St Nicks-ites and other greenies.
At 5pm, when the event finished, Jo, who was working on the York Rotters stall, and she came to the Rowntrees Park with me with the maps she's printed off for me. Walked round in the rain checking out the venues for the live music, stalls, solar cinema and DJ area. Talked to the Park staff about power points and access to water.
Then cycled home and got in shortly after 6pm, and Gill had created a good tea of bulgar wheat, veg and chestnuts.
Went back on the email after this, and bombed into town, picked up the Space 109 keys and went to get on with the meeting. The meeting went well, several stallholders attended and we had a good meeting. This will be reported in my other blogspot blog, the York Green Festival blog, http://ygf2007.blogspot.com/ when I write it up.
Then went to the Blue Bell pub with Martin and Graham, and had some really interesting chats about relationships and the various different styles of relationship which now exist and are named and described. Fascinating, thought provoking.
Came back tipsy and had a good email and Googletalk session with K, didn't get much else done though!
A very full and busy day, including a good session of volunteering at St Nicks, a cycle to town to pick up recyclables and a productive York Green Festival meeting followed by a late night recording it.
The St Nicks stint followed taking the boys to school, I had to be at the Environment Centre by about 10 for a school group, and I took 3 groups and did a composting talk/question and answer session in about 15 mins each. Then they did a game/exercise with John and I was the scribe, writing things down as fast as possible.
Met up with Jo for lunch and we ate at the stone circle and enjoyed the John Lally Wood which is beginning to be a proper wood, with a canopy and a space beneath the trees.
Came home with a bit of time to spare before fetching the kids. Then zoomed down to town and picked up a load of recycling and came home and ate some of it.
After tea, went off to the Blue Bell to pick up the keys for space 109 and spotted something outside Lloyds TSB which I couldn't help but to go back and investigate... a pile of large flat cardboard sheets with large posters in amongst them... perfect for making a placard for the bike ride on Friday! They went in my trailer... reuse!
Then to Space 109 and tiptoed past the community meeting to the back room, where met up with several York Green Festivalers and we had a good meeting... but that's in another blog!
Up til 1.30 on the computer...
The St Nicks stint followed taking the boys to school, I had to be at the Environment Centre by about 10 for a school group, and I took 3 groups and did a composting talk/question and answer session in about 15 mins each. Then they did a game/exercise with John and I was the scribe, writing things down as fast as possible.
Met up with Jo for lunch and we ate at the stone circle and enjoyed the John Lally Wood which is beginning to be a proper wood, with a canopy and a space beneath the trees.
Came home with a bit of time to spare before fetching the kids. Then zoomed down to town and picked up a load of recycling and came home and ate some of it.
After tea, went off to the Blue Bell to pick up the keys for space 109 and spotted something outside Lloyds TSB which I couldn't help but to go back and investigate... a pile of large flat cardboard sheets with large posters in amongst them... perfect for making a placard for the bike ride on Friday! They went in my trailer... reuse!
Then to Space 109 and tiptoed past the community meeting to the back room, where met up with several York Green Festivalers and we had a good meeting... but that's in another blog!
Up til 1.30 on the computer...
I got up early but not as early as Gill who had got up and fixed the flat tyre which happened last night, and I cycled the boys to school.
When I got back I went into the garden to construct another pallet compost bin, or rather re-construct it in a different place, and refill it with fresh stuff (fresh is the wrong word of course).
At 11, as pre-arranged, Toby an English Student from University of York came round and we talked about my 'green' lifestyle and then had a walk down the garden to see the fruit trees and composting systems. He's having a 'green week' and writing about it for the student newspaper.
After lunch bombed into town and got a trailer load of compostables and visited the Building Society to get several cheques out, and got back in time for picking up the kids.
Several people are leaving York whom I will miss, including a lovely Oriental Brazillian lady who I chat with who picks up a child, not her own, and she gave me her and her husband's contact details back in Sao Paulo, also an Oriental family from Austraila are leaving, and we will miss them too.
Back at home I refilled the newly constructed compost bin and gratefully accepted Gill's offer of home-made Pizza and potato salad for tea, and then got ready for the York Green Festival meeting.
I picked up the Space 109 keys from the Blue Bell and let myself in, a good meeting was had, very fruitful. Afterwards, after giving the keys back, found a load of cardboard tubes which I thought shouldn't be landfilled, so brought them home to put on Freecycle. Re-Use is so much better!
When I got back I went into the garden to construct another pallet compost bin, or rather re-construct it in a different place, and refill it with fresh stuff (fresh is the wrong word of course).
At 11, as pre-arranged, Toby an English Student from University of York came round and we talked about my 'green' lifestyle and then had a walk down the garden to see the fruit trees and composting systems. He's having a 'green week' and writing about it for the student newspaper.
After lunch bombed into town and got a trailer load of compostables and visited the Building Society to get several cheques out, and got back in time for picking up the kids.
Several people are leaving York whom I will miss, including a lovely Oriental Brazillian lady who I chat with who picks up a child, not her own, and she gave me her and her husband's contact details back in Sao Paulo, also an Oriental family from Austraila are leaving, and we will miss them too.
Back at home I refilled the newly constructed compost bin and gratefully accepted Gill's offer of home-made Pizza and potato salad for tea, and then got ready for the York Green Festival meeting.
I picked up the Space 109 keys from the Blue Bell and let myself in, a good meeting was had, very fruitful. Afterwards, after giving the keys back, found a load of cardboard tubes which I thought shouldn't be landfilled, so brought them home to put on Freecycle. Re-Use is so much better!
Another busy day, lots of cycling and an excellent meeting in the evening.
Took the boys into school as Gill was knackered after so much dalek-making into the wee hours of the night, and the dalek would fit in my trailer but not on Gill's bike.
When I got back I finished off the funding letter for York Green Festival and then cycled to town with a Freecycled dolly cot that Pauline had asked me to pick up, visited 'Mail Boxes Etc' for photocopying and dropped off the letter with Melody who is attending the meeting that the funding decision will be made at.
Then picked up a large composting load from Out of This World and got home for a late lunch.
My eldest son was in his class assembly, about the 1960's, which is why he was in a dalek costume as Dr Who started in the 60's. This started just before 3pm and we both attended as parents are invited. There was music, a fashion show, singing, humour and some laughter when my lad's dalek-head tumbled off!
When we all got home I had to go and visit a Rotters enquirer in Haxby who had phoned the York Rotters helpline and said she had thought that her compost bin had failed whilst they were on holiday and it had overheated and 'all the worms had died'. This I had to see, and it was as I'd expected, just fine. It needed a bit of a stir, the worms were in the stuff at the base and it was quite a good compost heap, not the best I've ever seen, but certainly not the worst!
Home for 6pm and created a quick tea of cheap out of date rice and veggie sausages and vegan burger thingies, all cooked on the lovely woodstove. Wolfed this down and got finished just in time to cycle down to Space 109 for the Green Festival meeting. Tracy and Baz attended and we got a lot done, see blog http://ygf2007.blogspot.com/ for details.
Went to the Blue Bell on Fossgate after, enjoyed a pint and a half of perry, lovely, and had some good chats with Baz. Then cycled home and was greeted by Gill who had good news, a phone call telling that United Cooperatives have given York Green Festival £2000 sponsorship. WOW!
Took the boys into school as Gill was knackered after so much dalek-making into the wee hours of the night, and the dalek would fit in my trailer but not on Gill's bike.
When I got back I finished off the funding letter for York Green Festival and then cycled to town with a Freecycled dolly cot that Pauline had asked me to pick up, visited 'Mail Boxes Etc' for photocopying and dropped off the letter with Melody who is attending the meeting that the funding decision will be made at.
Then picked up a large composting load from Out of This World and got home for a late lunch.
My eldest son was in his class assembly, about the 1960's, which is why he was in a dalek costume as Dr Who started in the 60's. This started just before 3pm and we both attended as parents are invited. There was music, a fashion show, singing, humour and some laughter when my lad's dalek-head tumbled off!
When we all got home I had to go and visit a Rotters enquirer in Haxby who had phoned the York Rotters helpline and said she had thought that her compost bin had failed whilst they were on holiday and it had overheated and 'all the worms had died'. This I had to see, and it was as I'd expected, just fine. It needed a bit of a stir, the worms were in the stuff at the base and it was quite a good compost heap, not the best I've ever seen, but certainly not the worst!
Home for 6pm and created a quick tea of cheap out of date rice and veggie sausages and vegan burger thingies, all cooked on the lovely woodstove. Wolfed this down and got finished just in time to cycle down to Space 109 for the Green Festival meeting. Tracy and Baz attended and we got a lot done, see blog http://ygf2007.blogspot.com/ for details.
Went to the Blue Bell on Fossgate after, enjoyed a pint and a half of perry, lovely, and had some good chats with Baz. Then cycled home and was greeted by Gill who had good news, a phone call telling that United Cooperatives have given York Green Festival £2000 sponsorship. WOW!
