A fairly quiet day... I cycled round to the bread shop to get Yesterbake, and then to the Co-op to get goats milk for the people in the house who like dairy, cereal for me, margarine and paracetamol for the painful people, which today includes me, with a headache.
Stress today helped by a phone call from the school, asking where was our son? I was absolutely gobsmacked... I'd given in a letter, by hand, yesterday, explaining why he was away before Christmas and why he hadn't gone in yesterday. The communication within that school is abysmal! So my head was full of schooling problems... I really don't want to have to deal with this.... the school should be good enough to send our children to without them feeling so much fear they can't go in.
I usually feel better if I'm doing something outside the house, so I dismembered 4 waste pallets with my chainsaw and pure muscle, pulling the bits of wood apart to make stackable planks and nice long-burning cubes of wood with easy-to-pull-out nails in, once the cube is mostly charcoal.
In the afternoon, Gill had an appointment and I was just settling down for a late lunch when there was a knock at the door and there was my old friend Maggie, whom I haven't seen for ages, with two small dogs on lengths of string! She said she'd walked up to B+Q for something and had walked past our house and recognised the logpiles. She put the dogs in the back garden, tied to a bench, and came in for a coffee and chat. We got to talking about a chap we both know, called Andy S. whom we both called a friend at one time. However, he stole a bike from Maggie, and he's borrowed a large sum of money from one of my friends and not paid it back. Maggie told me about someone else who Andy had possibly hoodwinked, so I sent this person a message on facebook to find out more. What I want to do is to alert the police about this abuser so no-one else suffers in the future. I'm wondering how to get the message out without being accused of slander/defamation or getting a brick through the window.
I did a favour for Maggie who had taken out a stainless steel sink from somewhere and had it sitting in her back garden, and she asked me to put it on Freecycle. By the evening I'd had 4 replies and sent them Maggie's phone number. So I hope one of them gets it!
Anyway, Maggie stayed quite a long time and so I was unable to work with the boys as I'd planned to, after lunch, to get emails and letters sent off to family members to thank them for Christmas gifts. However, our eldest didn't need much persuasion to email some thank yous, but letter writing is a completely different thing. More stress.
Anyway, Gill came back, I did some more work outside til it got dark, and for tea I had a pile of old rice with a pool of pumpkin and parsnip soup in the centre, with some unidentified pickle on the side.
The highlights of the evening were watching a good programme on BBC4 about the brain, and finding an interesting forum called SelfSufficientish, which I joined, and read quite a few posts. The site is run all or partly by my friend John Headstrong, whom I met whilst getting involved with the (We Love The) Earth Centre thing in spring 2010, and I loved this YouTube video about the Robin Hood Tax which he's put on his blog.
Finally, I was pleased to find out today who the mystery visitor was, with the Internet Service Provider based in Buckingham. It is the spouse of an old friend whom I've known for a very long time, dealing with insomnia and getting ideas about domestic food and energy security, Transition communities and peak oil. I'm delighted to have been 'useful' and to have helped an old friend. So, 'hello' and your message made me smile!
Showing posts with label co-op shop. Show all posts
Showing posts with label co-op shop. Show all posts
Another late lie in... I'm going nocturnal, as is usual when I'm not forced to get up at a sensible time. However, I had a busy day. I went to the Co-op to get cereal and marmalade... Gill cannot live without Seville marmalade, apparently! But the Tang Hall Lane Co-op didn't have the crunchy cereal that I like, so I went to the Hull Road Co-op, which did. I popped in on Debbie, who was not yet a Grandma.
A bit later Gill said she was going to go to Marks and Spencer in town to spend her £40 voucher given to her by her sister Linda; yesterday she'd spotted that they had a DAB radio which would enable her to get Radio 7 which has various things on which she'd like to listen to. I said that instead of her buying yet another bus ticket, I'd cycle down and get it. BUT I wanted to see if there was an energy efficient digital radio, as I'm aware they use quite a bit more power than analogue radios. So I found this page about DAB radios, and this list of energy efficient DAB radios. Fortunately it had one of the models Gill had seen yesterday in M+S, a PURE ONE Mini, for £45. This only uses 2w when in use, and 0.8w when just left plugged in. Obviously when unplugged or switched off at the wall, it uses no power!
So I cycled down to Country Fresh and bought a bit of fruit and veg, and picked up a small box of compostables. From here I went on to town, handed over Gill's voucher card and a fiver and within 30 minutes was back home. Gill was delighted. Now all she needs to do is to learn how to use it!
At about tea time we got a text message from Debbie; her son had become a father to a little boy, so Debbie's a Granny! She'll be over the moon!
Gill was putting a load of washing on in the washing machine in the conservatory, and said she could hear running water in there. But nothing was obvious. Later, she heard it again and suggested I go and check the studio, which has a flush toilet and my compost toilet. I found that a pipe had burst in the freeze and was now flowing freely into the little room which has both the (unused) flush loo and my commode which is the 'business end' of my compost toilet set-up. I switched off the stop tap which is in there and spent an hour clearing up, pulling up the carpet, moving stuff, and by 11pm had put the dehumidifyer in there to start it drying out. What a bummer. However, this will force us to declutter in there, which it desperately needs. I know we're not the only people with burst pipes, and we're lucky it's in an outbuilding.
A bit later Gill said she was going to go to Marks and Spencer in town to spend her £40 voucher given to her by her sister Linda; yesterday she'd spotted that they had a DAB radio which would enable her to get Radio 7 which has various things on which she'd like to listen to. I said that instead of her buying yet another bus ticket, I'd cycle down and get it. BUT I wanted to see if there was an energy efficient digital radio, as I'm aware they use quite a bit more power than analogue radios. So I found this page about DAB radios, and this list of energy efficient DAB radios. Fortunately it had one of the models Gill had seen yesterday in M+S, a PURE ONE Mini, for £45. This only uses 2w when in use, and 0.8w when just left plugged in. Obviously when unplugged or switched off at the wall, it uses no power!
So I cycled down to Country Fresh and bought a bit of fruit and veg, and picked up a small box of compostables. From here I went on to town, handed over Gill's voucher card and a fiver and within 30 minutes was back home. Gill was delighted. Now all she needs to do is to learn how to use it!
At about tea time we got a text message from Debbie; her son had become a father to a little boy, so Debbie's a Granny! She'll be over the moon!
Gill was putting a load of washing on in the washing machine in the conservatory, and said she could hear running water in there. But nothing was obvious. Later, she heard it again and suggested I go and check the studio, which has a flush toilet and my compost toilet. I found that a pipe had burst in the freeze and was now flowing freely into the little room which has both the (unused) flush loo and my commode which is the 'business end' of my compost toilet set-up. I switched off the stop tap which is in there and spent an hour clearing up, pulling up the carpet, moving stuff, and by 11pm had put the dehumidifyer in there to start it drying out. What a bummer. However, this will force us to declutter in there, which it desperately needs. I know we're not the only people with burst pipes, and we're lucky it's in an outbuilding.
Quite a tough day, without Gilly around. She rang before we got up from a payphone in the hospital, as her mobile was out of power. Later, I rang the ward and then she rang back. She had eaten and was feeling well, and awaiting some tests.
I made porridge for the first time in, well, decades, as it was requested by our youngest. Apparently it was very good!
I asked the boys if they would go and buy some bread, cereal and goats milk from the Co-op, and with a bit of persuasion, they did. Later I did a quick trip to Country Fresh where I got fruit and vegetables and 2 sacks of recyclables.
I had a short time on the computer and got a telling off from our niece for mentioning that Gill was in hospital, but I said that I'd not mentioned any gruesome details and it was the best way to tell people what was happening (and why I couldn't do several things I'd planned to do today) and also, the status privacy was limited to friends only. She later apologised for her outburst, but I'm glad she cares so much about her Auntie. Maybe she doesn't realise that some people share all sorts of stories on facebook, like this sad and moving one. I did get dozens of messages wishing Gill well, people saying that they were thinking of her, praying for her, keeping her 'in the light' and sending hugs, best wishes and all manner of positivity. Let's hope it works!
Mid afternoon I told the boys they had to come off the computers to do some physical activity, and gave them ample warning of the time to get off by and said if they weren't off by that time, they wouldn't be allowed on after tea. This worked. We spent quite a bit of time with two spades breaking up the ice off the pavement in front of our house, and also Dave and Marion's next door. I tried to get them started on the pavement in front of Ken and Di's but they weren't having it. Several pedestrians walked past and thanked us, so we knew it was a worthwhile thing to do.
The boys then read quietly and I split a few logs and stacked for a bit, until it was too dark to continue. Then I came in and sorted tea. I fried sweet potato slices on the stove, and a large ordinary potato too, made a toastie for one of them and eggy bread for the other. I had a thrown-away instant couscous thing someone gave me plus a (frozen) pastie that someone gave me, cooked on the stove.
At about 8pm I took bathwater upstairs for one of the boys and had a bit of a to-do, then realised I'd left one of the big cans filling up downstairs, and it had overflowed. Not too badly though. And then the sink wouldn't empty. I couldn't find the plunger and my cupped hand wouldn't shift it. I tried a wire, no joy. Eventually I found a slim siphon tube which I slipped as far down as possible and blew hard. This caused a black fountain to come out of the overflow. So then I covered the overflow and the plughole as best as I could and blew hard... and bingo! It worked. A bit later I poured a load of boiling water down the hole to shift any grease and loose biofilm. I could have done without this hassle today.
Gill had got herself a hire phone next to her bed (I think) and we all had a chat with her. She'd had some investigations and nothing had been found, so she'll be released tomorrow, but will go in again as an outpatient soon to have more investigations.
So a really busy day, on the go most the time, and missed Gill... her company and her contributions to managing the house.
I made porridge for the first time in, well, decades, as it was requested by our youngest. Apparently it was very good!
I asked the boys if they would go and buy some bread, cereal and goats milk from the Co-op, and with a bit of persuasion, they did. Later I did a quick trip to Country Fresh where I got fruit and vegetables and 2 sacks of recyclables.
I had a short time on the computer and got a telling off from our niece for mentioning that Gill was in hospital, but I said that I'd not mentioned any gruesome details and it was the best way to tell people what was happening (and why I couldn't do several things I'd planned to do today) and also, the status privacy was limited to friends only. She later apologised for her outburst, but I'm glad she cares so much about her Auntie. Maybe she doesn't realise that some people share all sorts of stories on facebook, like this sad and moving one. I did get dozens of messages wishing Gill well, people saying that they were thinking of her, praying for her, keeping her 'in the light' and sending hugs, best wishes and all manner of positivity. Let's hope it works!
Mid afternoon I told the boys they had to come off the computers to do some physical activity, and gave them ample warning of the time to get off by and said if they weren't off by that time, they wouldn't be allowed on after tea. This worked. We spent quite a bit of time with two spades breaking up the ice off the pavement in front of our house, and also Dave and Marion's next door. I tried to get them started on the pavement in front of Ken and Di's but they weren't having it. Several pedestrians walked past and thanked us, so we knew it was a worthwhile thing to do.
The boys then read quietly and I split a few logs and stacked for a bit, until it was too dark to continue. Then I came in and sorted tea. I fried sweet potato slices on the stove, and a large ordinary potato too, made a toastie for one of them and eggy bread for the other. I had a thrown-away instant couscous thing someone gave me plus a (frozen) pastie that someone gave me, cooked on the stove.
At about 8pm I took bathwater upstairs for one of the boys and had a bit of a to-do, then realised I'd left one of the big cans filling up downstairs, and it had overflowed. Not too badly though. And then the sink wouldn't empty. I couldn't find the plunger and my cupped hand wouldn't shift it. I tried a wire, no joy. Eventually I found a slim siphon tube which I slipped as far down as possible and blew hard. This caused a black fountain to come out of the overflow. So then I covered the overflow and the plughole as best as I could and blew hard... and bingo! It worked. A bit later I poured a load of boiling water down the hole to shift any grease and loose biofilm. I could have done without this hassle today.
Gill had got herself a hire phone next to her bed (I think) and we all had a chat with her. She'd had some investigations and nothing had been found, so she'll be released tomorrow, but will go in again as an outpatient soon to have more investigations.
So a really busy day, on the go most the time, and missed Gill... her company and her contributions to managing the house.
I got up at 10ish and by the time I'd had breakfast and woken up properly, it was too late to go into St Nicks and help with their coppicing task. I ought to have been there when things were starting. I'll try to get to another EcoActive day task.
So I had a quiet day, with an hour or so working outside, chainsawing and stacking. I cycled round to the bakers in the morning and bought cereals at the Co-op.
Once again I had quite a lot of time on the laptop, keeping the stoves going, making sure my boys were OK, doing kitchen stuff, jarring up dried fruit.
I spent quite a long time filling in a questionnaire to help a student with research.
So I had a quiet day, with an hour or so working outside, chainsawing and stacking. I cycled round to the bakers in the morning and bought cereals at the Co-op.
Once again I had quite a lot of time on the laptop, keeping the stoves going, making sure my boys were OK, doing kitchen stuff, jarring up dried fruit.
I spent quite a long time filling in a questionnaire to help a student with research.
I was happy to get a lie in, and Gill and I listened to The Archers in bed. Lovely.
I watched Country Tracks after this whilst having breakfast, and got a phone call from Barry Potter who told me he'd be passing my house within the hour. He wanted to come and check out the brewing stuff delivered a week or so ago, as he does a lot of brewing. I got dressed and he arrived, bearing gifts of cyder, metheglin, mead and some honey, as he has some bees.
He went home with six plastic buckets, three 1 gallon demijohns, two half-gallon demijohns, some airlocks, crown corks and straining bags, net curtains etc. Also, very pleased that he took two plastic crates for holding bottles. So I've managed to give away all the unwanted brewing stuff. Excellent!
So, a late lunch, listened to Gardener's Question Time and then went down to Country Fresh in a complete blizzard, and it was really nice to see Richard and we had a laugh, I did a bit of shopping and took away a sack of recyclables, although I won't be able to process them today as it's far too cold and snowy. I might chop them up in the garage tomorrow and take them down the garden ready to put on the most accessible heap. I called into the Co-op on the way back and was glad to get home with the assorted goodies.
I spent the rest of the day inside, not doing a lot, bar kitchen stuff. Hoping for an early night.
I watched Country Tracks after this whilst having breakfast, and got a phone call from Barry Potter who told me he'd be passing my house within the hour. He wanted to come and check out the brewing stuff delivered a week or so ago, as he does a lot of brewing. I got dressed and he arrived, bearing gifts of cyder, metheglin, mead and some honey, as he has some bees.
He went home with six plastic buckets, three 1 gallon demijohns, two half-gallon demijohns, some airlocks, crown corks and straining bags, net curtains etc. Also, very pleased that he took two plastic crates for holding bottles. So I've managed to give away all the unwanted brewing stuff. Excellent!
So, a late lunch, listened to Gardener's Question Time and then went down to Country Fresh in a complete blizzard, and it was really nice to see Richard and we had a laugh, I did a bit of shopping and took away a sack of recyclables, although I won't be able to process them today as it's far too cold and snowy. I might chop them up in the garage tomorrow and take them down the garden ready to put on the most accessible heap. I called into the Co-op on the way back and was glad to get home with the assorted goodies.
I spent the rest of the day inside, not doing a lot, bar kitchen stuff. Hoping for an early night.
A sleepy day. But I got up at 8.20 and during the morning took on a teacher role. The curriculum our son was following had got onto cells so I asked him to find me a range of answers about Amoebae. He did that with relish, and we went on to discuss organelles, symbiosis in lichens and corals, taxonomy and the differences between plant and animal cells.
Later, Gill went out and I did some work outside, in the snow flurries, moving green logs to a carefully stacked wall at the back and bringing nice dry ones from the store at the back to the front door stack. I love stacking logs. Makes all those childhood jigsaw puzzles worth it.
After tea I walked down to the Co-op and got cereals but they had some cheap bits and pieces which was nice, like a French Stick for 20 pence and a Mars Bar for 15p. Rare treat, I hardly ever buy chocolate.
I did lots of other bits today including some tidying around the stoves, sorting out nails etc, ready for recycling, also washing up, the never-ending washing up.....
And, late on, I got my CV finished. At least, finished to my satisfaction, and have sent it to my friend Beth who is a professional CV puller-aparter. She'll put me right!
Later, Gill went out and I did some work outside, in the snow flurries, moving green logs to a carefully stacked wall at the back and bringing nice dry ones from the store at the back to the front door stack. I love stacking logs. Makes all those childhood jigsaw puzzles worth it.
After tea I walked down to the Co-op and got cereals but they had some cheap bits and pieces which was nice, like a French Stick for 20 pence and a Mars Bar for 15p. Rare treat, I hardly ever buy chocolate.
I did lots of other bits today including some tidying around the stoves, sorting out nails etc, ready for recycling, also washing up, the never-ending washing up.....
And, late on, I got my CV finished. At least, finished to my satisfaction, and have sent it to my friend Beth who is a professional CV puller-aparter. She'll put me right!
I had a bath at 2am and went to bed at 3.
A good day, woke slowly and had a relaxing morning doing not very much and at lunchtime I summoned up enthusiasm to go onto the website I'm trying to write, to edit some stuff and add some more things to the maps.
I added the bit I wanted to, but found the maps had been edited and the things I'd spent ages getting right had disappeared. So I gave up, and wrote to the other people involved and asked for a tutorial.
I was left feeling a bit down about this and needed to get outside... Gill asked me to go to the Co-op for us. I got what we needed there and met a friend who was looking very jolly. We passed the time of day and he told me he wasn't living at home anymore, he had moved in with his fella. And, they had agreed to get married! I didn't know he was gay but I wasn't surprised, and asked him to make sure I was invited when they have their civil partnership celebration. This news cheered me up immensely, I am so pleased for him.
After this I popped down to Freshways and then back, to load up Robin's home-made tumbler composter for the second time, and to cut a hedge which has got very overgrown... and then shred all that material.
So, a fairly quiet day, got enough done during daylight hours, and in the evening took two Fiddlesticks bookings and also got confirmation of an invite to a Radio York Question Time thing on 26th April. I've got to write two questions and send them in... My first question is 'Why isn't the Green Party represented?'
A good day, woke slowly and had a relaxing morning doing not very much and at lunchtime I summoned up enthusiasm to go onto the website I'm trying to write, to edit some stuff and add some more things to the maps.
I added the bit I wanted to, but found the maps had been edited and the things I'd spent ages getting right had disappeared. So I gave up, and wrote to the other people involved and asked for a tutorial.
I was left feeling a bit down about this and needed to get outside... Gill asked me to go to the Co-op for us. I got what we needed there and met a friend who was looking very jolly. We passed the time of day and he told me he wasn't living at home anymore, he had moved in with his fella. And, they had agreed to get married! I didn't know he was gay but I wasn't surprised, and asked him to make sure I was invited when they have their civil partnership celebration. This news cheered me up immensely, I am so pleased for him.
After this I popped down to Freshways and then back, to load up Robin's home-made tumbler composter for the second time, and to cut a hedge which has got very overgrown... and then shred all that material.
So, a fairly quiet day, got enough done during daylight hours, and in the evening took two Fiddlesticks bookings and also got confirmation of an invite to a Radio York Question Time thing on 26th April. I've got to write two questions and send them in... My first question is 'Why isn't the Green Party represented?'
A good day, I took our youngest to school... most of the way, as yesterday.
I picked up another load of packing case wood and then did some sorting of this and some sawing, but it started raining so I put the stuff away and came in, at about 11am.
But we needed bread and stuff from the chemist so I cycled round to Tang Hall Lane, and then, as I had to take back a carton of soya milk which when I opened it, was curdled like yoghurt, to the other Co-op on Hull Road.
Then some inside stuff, emails and facebook messages, washing up and talking with Gill, and lunch.
I had a few bookings and phone calls to deal with after lunch and all too soon it was time to go to school to pick up our youngest, and he came back home sitting on my bike rack.
I popped down to Country Fresh for groceries and brought back a load of compostables too. I spent about an hour in the garden before it got too dark to continue.
Sad to get a message during the evening that a friend of mine has seemingly tried to end her life and is now in hospital, having been found after a friend reported her missing. I arranged to go and see her in hospital tomorrow.
Nice teatime, quiet evening...
I picked up another load of packing case wood and then did some sorting of this and some sawing, but it started raining so I put the stuff away and came in, at about 11am.
But we needed bread and stuff from the chemist so I cycled round to Tang Hall Lane, and then, as I had to take back a carton of soya milk which when I opened it, was curdled like yoghurt, to the other Co-op on Hull Road.
Then some inside stuff, emails and facebook messages, washing up and talking with Gill, and lunch.
I had a few bookings and phone calls to deal with after lunch and all too soon it was time to go to school to pick up our youngest, and he came back home sitting on my bike rack.
I popped down to Country Fresh for groceries and brought back a load of compostables too. I spent about an hour in the garden before it got too dark to continue.
Sad to get a message during the evening that a friend of mine has seemingly tried to end her life and is now in hospital, having been found after a friend reported her missing. I arranged to go and see her in hospital tomorrow.
Nice teatime, quiet evening...
A better day, mood wise, and after lunch was able to get out and visit Country Fresh for two sacks of compostables and then to Freshways who also had done a clear out and had frost-damaged cucumbers for me (two boxes) and 2 sacks of mixed stuff. They also invited me to take two boxes of bananas which are darkened by the cold, but the fruit itself is perfect within. I hadn't got room on my trailer.
Then to the Co-op to do general shopping and had a nice chat with Maria. They had no soya milk in the fresh milk section. (We're just out of it; need to do another SUMA order) Came home and Gill asked me if they'd got any long life soya milk, so I cycled back and yes, they did have, so I bought three different types to see which one (if any) we like!
Then on to Freshways again and they gave me the frost-tinged bananas... so many! What am I going to do with them? I haven't space to dry them all, and the racks are full of kiwis! I put a message on facebook and considered freecycle. I cycled round to Bob's but he wasn't there, although one of his housemates was, and he took two bunches. Deb took two as well, but I'm still left with two big boxes worth, probably 100 hands between them. I ought to rig up some racks hanging off the crockery shelf which goes all around the room.
The Facebook message got several results... I'll be able to offload quite a few and I got literally dozens of recipes and ideas about how to use them.
A lovely evening... had a real game of Scrabble with Gill and listened to Sting on the telly playing some nice tunes from Newcastle and the North East, peeled bananas to dry on the stove and shelled pumpkin seeds, these still from 2008! I wish I could find a little 'kitchen sized' hand-operated pumpkin seed cleaner, which removes the crunchy outer shell and leaves the succulent seed in the middle. I'm currently doing them by hand. I looked on Google for these machines and all of them are kitchen sized... literally, as big as a room!
So, a good day. Thankfully!
Then to the Co-op to do general shopping and had a nice chat with Maria. They had no soya milk in the fresh milk section. (We're just out of it; need to do another SUMA order) Came home and Gill asked me if they'd got any long life soya milk, so I cycled back and yes, they did have, so I bought three different types to see which one (if any) we like!
Then on to Freshways again and they gave me the frost-tinged bananas... so many! What am I going to do with them? I haven't space to dry them all, and the racks are full of kiwis! I put a message on facebook and considered freecycle. I cycled round to Bob's but he wasn't there, although one of his housemates was, and he took two bunches. Deb took two as well, but I'm still left with two big boxes worth, probably 100 hands between them. I ought to rig up some racks hanging off the crockery shelf which goes all around the room.
The Facebook message got several results... I'll be able to offload quite a few and I got literally dozens of recipes and ideas about how to use them.
A lovely evening... had a real game of Scrabble with Gill and listened to Sting on the telly playing some nice tunes from Newcastle and the North East, peeled bananas to dry on the stove and shelled pumpkin seeds, these still from 2008! I wish I could find a little 'kitchen sized' hand-operated pumpkin seed cleaner, which removes the crunchy outer shell and leaves the succulent seed in the middle. I'm currently doing them by hand. I looked on Google for these machines and all of them are kitchen sized... literally, as big as a room!
So, a good day. Thankfully!
I got up quite early as I knew I had quite a bit to do today, and I settled down to try to do my Community Care blog, but I failed as I couldn't concentrate. And then I got a phone call from a friend who I met at the Northern Green Gathering, who'd posted a 'status' on Facebook asking for information on 'green funeral options', and I'd replied and said we ought to have a chat. She was wanting to plan her own funeral and convey those wishes to her solicitor. So, I went through the 4 legal and available methods of body disposal, and their relative carbon costs, and social aspects, as a funeral and/or place to remember the deceased is important for those who loved that person. I ended up telling her about the 5th method, not yet available, Promession, and hopefully she'll be able to make a decision as to which she would prefer for her own body.
Gill headed off to town soon after getting back from taking our youngest to school, as she had a dental appointment. I went to Thomas's for Yesterbake bread, the Co-op for cereals and flour, and to deliver a cycle helmet, on loan, to Lynn who'd asked last night if she could borrow one. I had a chat with her... her garden was looking good.
On the way back I noticed a skip with a large amount of turf in it, some rolled up, unused and ready to be stacked up and made into loam. I spoke to the owners who enthusiastically invited me to take the lot... and said I could sort through some other items as well! I took four trailer-loads plus what could sit on my pannier rack. The other items I rescued were some unopened toiletries and cosmetics, a mirror in a gold coloured frame and an old phone which I will put in the WEEE area at Hazel Court next time I go. But the turf will be most useful to me. It did take a while to bring it back and get it stacked neatly down the garden.
Later in the day, I was getting ready for the Green Festival meeting and I realised I had forgotten the Planning Panel meeting, so I fired off an apologetic email... my life is too busy, too unstructured and I'm probably trying to do too much. I expect a telling off from my colleagues for messing them around. I missed this one because I had to book the next block of meetings at Tang Hall Community Centre, I hadn't done that and the dates had not gone in my diary. No excuse really.
So at 7 I cycled off to the Green Festival meeting at St John's, and it was a really good meeting, very productive. It now looks like we have an event co-ordinator, so in my mind, this event is now more likely to happen rather than not.
Home before 10 and Gill had had a tough evening. She asked me not to go out on Wednesday evening.
Gill headed off to town soon after getting back from taking our youngest to school, as she had a dental appointment. I went to Thomas's for Yesterbake bread, the Co-op for cereals and flour, and to deliver a cycle helmet, on loan, to Lynn who'd asked last night if she could borrow one. I had a chat with her... her garden was looking good.
On the way back I noticed a skip with a large amount of turf in it, some rolled up, unused and ready to be stacked up and made into loam. I spoke to the owners who enthusiastically invited me to take the lot... and said I could sort through some other items as well! I took four trailer-loads plus what could sit on my pannier rack. The other items I rescued were some unopened toiletries and cosmetics, a mirror in a gold coloured frame and an old phone which I will put in the WEEE area at Hazel Court next time I go. But the turf will be most useful to me. It did take a while to bring it back and get it stacked neatly down the garden.
Later in the day, I was getting ready for the Green Festival meeting and I realised I had forgotten the Planning Panel meeting, so I fired off an apologetic email... my life is too busy, too unstructured and I'm probably trying to do too much. I expect a telling off from my colleagues for messing them around. I missed this one because I had to book the next block of meetings at Tang Hall Community Centre, I hadn't done that and the dates had not gone in my diary. No excuse really.
So at 7 I cycled off to the Green Festival meeting at St John's, and it was a really good meeting, very productive. It now looks like we have an event co-ordinator, so in my mind, this event is now more likely to happen rather than not.
Home before 10 and Gill had had a tough evening. She asked me not to go out on Wednesday evening.
Got up in time to take our youngest to school, and came back and tried to find some info on my computer about a balloon modelling workshop I'm wanting to go to on Wednesday. One of the UK's top balloonologists is doing a performance and workshop, and I want to go and learn some more... or at least get inspiration! But I found it difficult to find the info as other things kept on happening which were more immediate.
One of those was a dear friend Diane from Norwich ringing me and asking if I could do a favour. Our mutual friend G., who has some quite severe disabilities, has found himself in a tight spot financially and has no food in the house. He is expecting to receive a fuel payment on Thursday, which will mean he can go shopping, but until then, he's no food. Diane asked me if I could go to Alligator, and she'd put £20 on an account, and could I buy him some provisions and cycle them up to him? I said I could do something like that, but would ring him and ask what he wanted, and get back to her about the arrangements.
G. was surprised and very grateful and eventually got me a shopping list organised, some of which I can get at Thomas the Baker with the Yesterbake deal, some at the Co-op, some at Country Fresh, and a few bits at Alligator. I rang Diane and said that she didn't need to send Alligator any money, I'd cover the cost.
One of those was a dear friend Diane from Norwich ringing me and asking if I could do a favour. Our mutual friend G., who has some quite severe disabilities, has found himself in a tight spot financially and has no food in the house. He is expecting to receive a fuel payment on Thursday, which will mean he can go shopping, but until then, he's no food. Diane asked me if I could go to Alligator, and she'd put £20 on an account, and could I buy him some provisions and cycle them up to him? I said I could do something like that, but would ring him and ask what he wanted, and get back to her about the arrangements.
G. was surprised and very grateful and eventually got me a shopping list organised, some of which I can get at Thomas the Baker with the Yesterbake deal, some at the Co-op, some at Country Fresh, and a few bits at Alligator. I rang Diane and said that she didn't need to send Alligator any money, I'd cover the cost.
I also got a phone call from a family member who feels strongly I shouldn't ever mention about when things get difficult with family life, with bringing up children. I have already agreed to not put too many details, but I feel like I'm being blackmailed. Although this blog is ostensibly about low carbon living, I happen to be a parent, and that sometimes means I mention good times and bad times as a parent. Not everything in this diary relates to carbon emissions... there's all sorts of ethical dilemmas, and other things going on in my life which I personally feel happy to share with any reader. So I now have another dilemma... do I kow tow to someone who wishes to control what I do, someone I'd like to please and make happy... but therefore not feeling free to do as I want, or do I continue writing this blog as I want to, with occasional references to some of the difficulties which families sometimes have to face, and risk losing some of the small benefits that remaining in contact with this person might give? Do I get stressed and unhappy trying to ensure that my writing is acceptable to them, or do I keep the freedom to be myself and do what I want to do and have the knowledge that they are critical of me and don't accept me as I am, and are threatening no contact with anyone in my family because of this?
I wish they could have contact with the rest of the family and just leave me alone to do what I want to do, and accept my aspergery ways and accept me as I am. But from experience, that is unlikely. I will try to keep the blog appropriate and not put lots of details of what the children get up to but I cannot promise to 'never mention the children in a negative way' as this would give a totally unrealistic view of family life!
I did eventually find the balloon workshop info, and got train times to Featherstone which is where it's being held. I then went and did some shopping, for us as well as G.
Gill and I had lunch together and at 3.30 went to a meeting at school, which was good. Our youngest went home with a friend and eldest let himself in, and when we got in at 4.30, I collected the shopping I'd done for G. and shot off to get some fresh veg he's requested from Country Fresh and something else from Alligator. I then cycled all the way to the other side of York to deliver this to G.... but when I got there, I discovered I'd left the bread and hummus behind, doh! So I promised G that I'd come back and deliver these later.
When I got back home, there had been some interesting times. Our youngest had been out cycling around the University with the friend, but the friend cycled faster than he did and left him behind. Our little boy was then slightly lost and came over all miserable, as he didn't know how to get back to the friend's house. A lady stopped and asked him if everything was alright, and suggested to him that he find his way to a friend's house he DID know how to get to. Which is exactly what he did... and ended up at another friend's house just up the road from us. He knew that we had planned to be out, and the second friend's Mum wasn't in, so they just played. When that Mum came back, she rang and said that our boy had turned up at her place. In the meantime, friend number one was very unhappy he's lost his buddy, and his Mum was going spare trying to find our son, and was on the verge of ringing the police. So a bit of a fright, but everything turned out fine in the end.
I heard all this when I got back... and all seemed very peaceful and calm!
I did a second round-trip at about half ten, taking my trailer off to speed things up. I collected our youngest's school bag from where it had been left at the friend's house, and then cycled over the Millennium Bridge and over to G's house, delivering bread and hummus, and back over Hob Moor and home, an hours cycling exactly. Came back drenched with sweat and feeling very healthy. Whilst I'm cycling I mull over the things which have happened recently, it's good therapy, thinking time. I realised that I cannot have my life revolving around trying to please everybody, some of whom are very difficult to please! I do plenty of good things, live an ethical life - although not to everyone's liking, and I am happy with 99% of what I do. I cannot help if a few folks out there are unhappy with me. I see it as their loss and I'll live with the consequences; I will have to as I am unable to be anybody else!
Bed after 2am, as usual.
A reasonable day. Gill still feeling very poorly so I did all the shopping we needed... went to Thomas The Baker and the Co-op before lunch, and Country Fresh after, to get veggies and fruit, and then Scummerfield with my eldest (shock horror!) to get goats' milk. This was really nice.
I did a bit of chainsawing, splitting and stacking AND compost heap adding.
But the antibiotics seemed to kick in and Gill felt well enough to make a pizza which was delicious. I did a big tidy up of my piles of paper, finding multitudinous envelopes and sorting them into re-usable, compostable and 'have to tear out the window-able'. I then spent some time tearing out plastic windows and crumpling the rest of the envelope into a ball for composting... Envelopes are not suitable for putting with the paper recycling as the gum clogs up the recycling process and the windows are best put in the rubbish. I could just crumple up the envelopes with the plastic window.... and then remove the window out of the finished compost. But although I've put some complete envelopes with windows into various compost bins, I'm happy to spend a bit of time removing windows first.
During one of today's outbursts, our coat stand in the hall got broken which caused tears of guilt and regret. I didn't react or say anything, I just ignored the situation, as if I'd said or done anything, it would have caused things to get even worse. Therefore within a few minutes, everything had calmed down..... a good thing! I think I'm slowly learning to be a slightly better parent. Maybe. But in my day, pushing the coat stand over so it snapped would have earned some kind of punishment. Thus I feel as if I am partly neglecting my 'duties' as a parent, to instruct between right and wrong, to encourage good behaviour and discourage bad... parenting does give rise to so many dilemmas.
I did a bit of chainsawing, splitting and stacking AND compost heap adding.
But the antibiotics seemed to kick in and Gill felt well enough to make a pizza which was delicious. I did a big tidy up of my piles of paper, finding multitudinous envelopes and sorting them into re-usable, compostable and 'have to tear out the window-able'. I then spent some time tearing out plastic windows and crumpling the rest of the envelope into a ball for composting... Envelopes are not suitable for putting with the paper recycling as the gum clogs up the recycling process and the windows are best put in the rubbish. I could just crumple up the envelopes with the plastic window.... and then remove the window out of the finished compost. But although I've put some complete envelopes with windows into various compost bins, I'm happy to spend a bit of time removing windows first.
During one of today's outbursts, our coat stand in the hall got broken which caused tears of guilt and regret. I didn't react or say anything, I just ignored the situation, as if I'd said or done anything, it would have caused things to get even worse. Therefore within a few minutes, everything had calmed down..... a good thing! I think I'm slowly learning to be a slightly better parent. Maybe. But in my day, pushing the coat stand over so it snapped would have earned some kind of punishment. Thus I feel as if I am partly neglecting my 'duties' as a parent, to instruct between right and wrong, to encourage good behaviour and discourage bad... parenting does give rise to so many dilemmas.
For the boys it was a normal morning... I took our youngest to school... he's a brilliant cyclist, very confident on the road, great signaling etc, albeit a bit slow... and our eldest got himself out of the house in good time to walk to school with his friend.
I got back and Gill was getting the house ready for her to leave and go into hospital, and her sister coming to stay. She's only in overnight but still wanted a tidy house and food for the children ready! I did some cooking too, including making a veggie fruit jelly using some frozen loganberries, dried mango strips (which absorbed some moisture, re hydrating) and fresh apple. This proved to be a big success later on in the day, when we had it with dairy-free 'Swedish Glace' ice cream.
Anyway, we got everything ready for Gill to go away overnight, and just before midday, she got a taxi over to the hospital. I did a little bit more tidying up and went to get our little un at 3. When we got home, Gill's sister Linda was already here... it was lovely to see her, having come all the way from Norwich. We three lads were all glad to see her!
I went to the Co-op to get marmalade and bran flakes, and came back to heat up the stew with dumplings and cook some baking potatoes and peas. This eventually went down well!
I had a phone call from some media students who are coming to film next week about my attempts to live a low carbon life. Their results will end up on YouTube as well as help them get their degree.
At 8 I hopped om my bike again and shot off down the cycle track all the way to Haxby Road where Gill was lucky enough to have a room of her own at the Nuffield, although her gall bladder removal was on the NHS. She'd had the op and was very groggy but happy to see me. She'd done a lovely sketch of the Minster out of her window before the operation whilst she was waiting, and kept on making jokes about 'losing her gorm' and such like! What a darling! She had a coffee and a tomato sandwich, and I stayed with her for about an hour.
I picked up some logs on the way home and when in, had a really good chat with Linda who had had a lovely time with the boys.
Later, I did some work on the York in Transition website, uploading info about a meeting next week. I'm slowly getting better at this kind of thing, and am learning a few tricks, shortcuts and codes. Useful stuff, and fun too. Late to bed though...
I got back and Gill was getting the house ready for her to leave and go into hospital, and her sister coming to stay. She's only in overnight but still wanted a tidy house and food for the children ready! I did some cooking too, including making a veggie fruit jelly using some frozen loganberries, dried mango strips (which absorbed some moisture, re hydrating) and fresh apple. This proved to be a big success later on in the day, when we had it with dairy-free 'Swedish Glace' ice cream.
Anyway, we got everything ready for Gill to go away overnight, and just before midday, she got a taxi over to the hospital. I did a little bit more tidying up and went to get our little un at 3. When we got home, Gill's sister Linda was already here... it was lovely to see her, having come all the way from Norwich. We three lads were all glad to see her!
I went to the Co-op to get marmalade and bran flakes, and came back to heat up the stew with dumplings and cook some baking potatoes and peas. This eventually went down well!
I had a phone call from some media students who are coming to film next week about my attempts to live a low carbon life. Their results will end up on YouTube as well as help them get their degree.
At 8 I hopped om my bike again and shot off down the cycle track all the way to Haxby Road where Gill was lucky enough to have a room of her own at the Nuffield, although her gall bladder removal was on the NHS. She'd had the op and was very groggy but happy to see me. She'd done a lovely sketch of the Minster out of her window before the operation whilst she was waiting, and kept on making jokes about 'losing her gorm' and such like! What a darling! She had a coffee and a tomato sandwich, and I stayed with her for about an hour.
I picked up some logs on the way home and when in, had a really good chat with Linda who had had a lovely time with the boys.
Later, I did some work on the York in Transition website, uploading info about a meeting next week. I'm slowly getting better at this kind of thing, and am learning a few tricks, shortcuts and codes. Useful stuff, and fun too. Late to bed though...
Our eldest went to school today but the little one is still poorly, as is Gill, who slept most of the day.
I finished the minutes from last night and got then sent off, and did various other computer-based stuff.
Quite a boring day as could not go out to the allotment as I'd like to, although did go to the Co-op and bread shop before lunch and Country Fresh after, and brought back a large number of over-ripe bananas, some of which I made into milkshakes for the boys' puddings. I reheated the lasagne from yesterday and added broccoli and slices of butternut squash, both cooked on the woodstove. Gill had soup. I had both soup AND lasagne n veg... and some liquidised banana... and then felt too full for a few hours.
Boys behaviour mostly fine this evening, just one temper tantrum which resulted in a bottle getting knocked off where I'd left it to go outside for the recycling box, and it smashing noisily all over the hall floor. This I think shocked the tantrum-owner into a different mindset. Certainly, within a couple of minutes, all was calm again.
So a mostly quiet and, unusually for me, quite a boring day.
I finished the minutes from last night and got then sent off, and did various other computer-based stuff.
Quite a boring day as could not go out to the allotment as I'd like to, although did go to the Co-op and bread shop before lunch and Country Fresh after, and brought back a large number of over-ripe bananas, some of which I made into milkshakes for the boys' puddings. I reheated the lasagne from yesterday and added broccoli and slices of butternut squash, both cooked on the woodstove. Gill had soup. I had both soup AND lasagne n veg... and some liquidised banana... and then felt too full for a few hours.
Boys behaviour mostly fine this evening, just one temper tantrum which resulted in a bottle getting knocked off where I'd left it to go outside for the recycling box, and it smashing noisily all over the hall floor. This I think shocked the tantrum-owner into a different mindset. Certainly, within a couple of minutes, all was calm again.
So a mostly quiet and, unusually for me, quite a boring day.
Had a lie-in til 9!!!
Then after breakfast went shopping for Gill at Country Fresh and the Co-op.
Did paperwork, 3 invoices, and collected a booking letter from Woodlands and wrote a reply.
As our eldest son was having a fun day at school (he's in his last few days there) I delivered two cakes Gill had made for their 'banquet' and collected our youngest. Then at 5ish, went to the allotment and spent a good three hours weeding, managing compost heaps and testing potato plants... dug up two white spuds and found a few egg-size and smaller, and two reds and there were lots more. So that was satisfying.
At 8 went to collect my eldest son who's had a picnic, trip to the York Dungeon, water fight and banquet, and couldn't help giggling when he came to the door as he had obviously been having close contact with a chocolate fountain, and he had lots round his mouth and on hs shirt... but a big smile. They'd all had a good time.
Had a reasonable evening, spent some time on the computer in the loft, my laptop plugged into the stand-alone screen, as my screen is completely unusable.
Then after breakfast went shopping for Gill at Country Fresh and the Co-op.
Did paperwork, 3 invoices, and collected a booking letter from Woodlands and wrote a reply.
As our eldest son was having a fun day at school (he's in his last few days there) I delivered two cakes Gill had made for their 'banquet' and collected our youngest. Then at 5ish, went to the allotment and spent a good three hours weeding, managing compost heaps and testing potato plants... dug up two white spuds and found a few egg-size and smaller, and two reds and there were lots more. So that was satisfying.
At 8 went to collect my eldest son who's had a picnic, trip to the York Dungeon, water fight and banquet, and couldn't help giggling when he came to the door as he had obviously been having close contact with a chocolate fountain, and he had lots round his mouth and on hs shirt... but a big smile. They'd all had a good time.
Had a reasonable evening, spent some time on the computer in the loft, my laptop plugged into the stand-alone screen, as my screen is completely unusable.
First thing I did after an early breakfast was to move some chopped and split wood to the logstore around the back, as we are expecting a parental visit on Saturday, and they like to park their car in our front garden... which is currently full of logs, something they once complained about! So on Saturday, I'd like them to be able to park there.... and get no complaints!!! However I have a substantial amount of work to do before they are able to do that!
Gill and the boys got ready for a day out, and I cycled off to town to get a cheque out to pay the deposit for the front door, which I got from our savings in York Credit Union. Also visited Barnitts to get a file for sharpening my chainsaw, and popped into Cycle Heaven to get my bike stand tightened up, as it had become very loose and was interfearing with the wheel. Then picked up some stuff at Martins and then on the way home met Ben who asked me if I could load my traile up with some stuff he wanted taking to the University, so we cycled down there together, my trailer with a large parcel and luggage rack with two more. Home at midday.
Gill had taken the boys to Knaresborough on the train, so I had a peaceful hour or so with the stove and the computer...
Then had lunch and did some work outside before coming in and making tea for them, a stew with some good spices in, which when they came in after 4pm, I added some pasta to, which made it child-friendly.
I went to post the cheque to the door people and buy some bits and bobs in the Co-op, then to Summerfield to get my youngest son some goats' milk which he has instead of cow as it results in less allergies for him. On the way there I met a friend who was very interested to hear that we were going to replace our front door... and she was interested in having it if we had no use for it, as hers has no glazing and she wants to have more light in her hallway. It would be good to get it reused!
In the evening I got a phone call from Phil who is off to France in a couple of days, so he came round and had a glass of ginger wine and a chat, and looked at my soil sifter.
Had an attempt at Skype with webcams but it wasn't working well and kept freezing and not working that well. Hopefully we'll be able to get it sorted.
Gill and the boys got ready for a day out, and I cycled off to town to get a cheque out to pay the deposit for the front door, which I got from our savings in York Credit Union. Also visited Barnitts to get a file for sharpening my chainsaw, and popped into Cycle Heaven to get my bike stand tightened up, as it had become very loose and was interfearing with the wheel. Then picked up some stuff at Martins and then on the way home met Ben who asked me if I could load my traile up with some stuff he wanted taking to the University, so we cycled down there together, my trailer with a large parcel and luggage rack with two more. Home at midday.
Gill had taken the boys to Knaresborough on the train, so I had a peaceful hour or so with the stove and the computer...
Then had lunch and did some work outside before coming in and making tea for them, a stew with some good spices in, which when they came in after 4pm, I added some pasta to, which made it child-friendly.
I went to post the cheque to the door people and buy some bits and bobs in the Co-op, then to Summerfield to get my youngest son some goats' milk which he has instead of cow as it results in less allergies for him. On the way there I met a friend who was very interested to hear that we were going to replace our front door... and she was interested in having it if we had no use for it, as hers has no glazing and she wants to have more light in her hallway. It would be good to get it reused!
In the evening I got a phone call from Phil who is off to France in a couple of days, so he came round and had a glass of ginger wine and a chat, and looked at my soil sifter.
Had an attempt at Skype with webcams but it wasn't working well and kept freezing and not working that well. Hopefully we'll be able to get it sorted.
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.
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.
A good day, as I spent a lot of it with the boys... and did quite a lot of housework in the morning, made some mushroom soup for the evening meal.
I had a visitor fairly early on, Sarah the Critical Masser came with some biodegradables which she didn't want to throw away, wanted to recycle and compost, so I invited her to use my heap.
After this I cycled round to the bread shop and the library with both boys, they had ordered some books so we went to get these. On the way back went to the Co-op, then came home for lunch.
After lunch I went to town to the Big Green Market, as I wanted to go on the York Rotters stall again, as I'd enjoyed it so much yesterday.
Spent a couple of hours there, working alongside Jo and Candy, chatting to many enquirers, including Bob Breen, who runs ADDept, a York-based ADD/ADHD support group, and is a friend of mine.
Came home via Martins, who had a massive pile of veg offcuts for me. Home for tea, mushroom soup and a slice of a quiche Gill had created. As usual this home cooking was lovely.
My eldest son was keen on seeing the last night of the wonderfu interactive light show at the Minster (Evoke by Usman Haque) so we cycled down to the centre of York and joined the crowds at the Minster. The light show was good, and was then improved by a percussion duo called Bangon (http://www.bangon.net/) who did a superb performance. Following that there was a fire performance by 'FireSwingers' from Sheffield (http://thefireswingers.com/) They were very good, and used some fire props I hadn't seen before, including fire whip and fire skipping rope. My son loved it, and when we got home, he thanked me for taking him down. Good to be thanked without hinting!
During the evening watched Four Weddings and a Funeral on Channel 4, Gill's favourite film.
Also did some emailing and Googlechatting, but the latter didn't go well as my friend whom I chat with didn't appreciate that Gill asked what we were talking about and I gave her some brief details, then told my dear friend that I'd done this... oh dear, my open-ness and honesty has again got me into deep water. People just don't understand how I am, that I don't understand what is appropriate.
I wish I was a quicker learner!
I had a visitor fairly early on, Sarah the Critical Masser came with some biodegradables which she didn't want to throw away, wanted to recycle and compost, so I invited her to use my heap.
After this I cycled round to the bread shop and the library with both boys, they had ordered some books so we went to get these. On the way back went to the Co-op, then came home for lunch.
After lunch I went to town to the Big Green Market, as I wanted to go on the York Rotters stall again, as I'd enjoyed it so much yesterday.
Spent a couple of hours there, working alongside Jo and Candy, chatting to many enquirers, including Bob Breen, who runs ADDept, a York-based ADD/ADHD support group, and is a friend of mine.
Came home via Martins, who had a massive pile of veg offcuts for me. Home for tea, mushroom soup and a slice of a quiche Gill had created. As usual this home cooking was lovely.
My eldest son was keen on seeing the last night of the wonderfu interactive light show at the Minster (Evoke by Usman Haque) so we cycled down to the centre of York and joined the crowds at the Minster. The light show was good, and was then improved by a percussion duo called Bangon (http://www.bangon.net/) who did a superb performance. Following that there was a fire performance by 'FireSwingers' from Sheffield (http://thefireswingers.com/) They were very good, and used some fire props I hadn't seen before, including fire whip and fire skipping rope. My son loved it, and when we got home, he thanked me for taking him down. Good to be thanked without hinting!
During the evening watched Four Weddings and a Funeral on Channel 4, Gill's favourite film.
Also did some emailing and Googlechatting, but the latter didn't go well as my friend whom I chat with didn't appreciate that Gill asked what we were talking about and I gave her some brief details, then told my dear friend that I'd done this... oh dear, my open-ness and honesty has again got me into deep water. People just don't understand how I am, that I don't understand what is appropriate.
I wish I was a quicker learner!
Gill took the boys to school as I was up late last night, trying to do various work on the computer, and failing dismally, so I think she felt sorry for me. But their protests before leaving awoke me at 8.20 and I came down and did some washing up with last night's hot water from the woodstove, then had an interesting phone call, planned, from an Australian PHd student called Carmel, who's researching environmentalists and their beliefs. This took an hour and twenty minutes, I enjoy being interviewed as it helps me think about my motives, why I do things and whether my values are reflected in my behaviour.
Then I went onto my computer and got on with the risk assessment, which is really difficult. This went on til 3pm when Gill cycled to school and I needed a break and went to the Co-op, and then did a bit of work in the garden. I filled up a dalek and then dug out a large pallet bin with sit n wait compost in, and turned it into the next bay.
Came in at nearly 10pm and had a shower and sat with Gill for a bit, then got on with work.
Then I went onto my computer and got on with the risk assessment, which is really difficult. This went on til 3pm when Gill cycled to school and I needed a break and went to the Co-op, and then did a bit of work in the garden. I filled up a dalek and then dug out a large pallet bin with sit n wait compost in, and turned it into the next bay.
Came in at nearly 10pm and had a shower and sat with Gill for a bit, then got on with work.
