Not that late a start, woken by 'cooped-up child noise'. This is known as cabin fever by some, and indicates a need to get out of the house.
I had sent a message to Councillor James Alexander last night after I'd had a few fairly cryptic words spoken to me by Cllr. Dave Merrett about the balloon release... and I asked Cllr. Alexander if he had changed his plans to release the helium balloons? Today I got a reply... and YES! Councillor Alexander had changed his plans, and was going to keep the balloons tethered. A win.
Soon after midday, Sue came round to look through the SUMA catalogue, and spent about three hours looking through and making an order of 3 items, for £25.
I did a bout of chainsawing, chopping up 3 or 4 pallets, and then stacking dry logs and layers of pallet wood.
I went to buy a jar of coffee in the early evening, and found my bike back wheel had come off somehow, so I walked down to the Co-op with Sue, and when I came back (and she eventually went!) I sorted my bike out. It has a quick release wheel which had, well, quick released.
I had the last of the squash soup for tea and then cycled off to Green Drinks at the 3 Legged Mare. I was glad I went, as there was a new chap attending, called Kit, and if I hadn't had been there, he'd have wondered whether he was in the right place. Anyway, we had a good chat, and then Graham arrived, and then Melanie, so it was a worthwhile meet up.
I came back via a logpile and was glad to warm up.
Showing posts with label helium balloon launch. Show all posts
Showing posts with label helium balloon launch. Show all posts
A late start but quite a good day.
Probably the highlight of the day was unblocking a waste water pipe which runs from the downstairs toilet to the toilet downpipe... but the pipe goes through the wall and then goes nearly horizontally towards the sewer down pipe. There is a little bend in it before it enters the sewer pipe, but the shallow gradient means that water flows slowly along it...and our guest must have left the tap dripping, so the very low temperatures froze the trickle within the pipe. So I removed the U bend and emptied as much of the water out of the system as possible, and then put it back together and filled the sink with very hot water off the top of the woodstove. I then slowly poured a kettle full of boiling water over the external pipe.... and this worked, and the sink full of hot water disappeared, hopefully washing away some gunge too. To stop this happening again I'll have to replace the kink at the end with a straight bit, and then plug it straight into the sewer pipe, which will make a steeper gradient. Also, the tap must not drip when it's way below freezing outside!
I did a quick cycle to Thomas The Baker for a bag full of Yesterbake bread before lunch, but the next time I went out was to go to the Guildhall for 4pm, for the Environment Forum, the first meeting with our new chair, Kate Lock. Before the meeting I asked her if she thought we'd have time to have AOB, and if so, whether the balloon launch issue was something she'd be happy for me to discuss briefly. But luckily, a new member of the Forum, Councillor Dave Merrett, who's a Labour Party member, had obviously had some sort of discussion with Cllr. James Alexander, and he indicated that there were possibly plans to do something different with the balloons... perhaps the release is being re-thought? I'd like to think that Cllr. Alexander has had a think about how this stunt might look to the majority of the population who don't like the idea of killing wildlife with litter. I am very hopeful.
The Forum meeting went well... we spent most time discussing the future of the Forum, and I didn't say anything about the balloons, as Cllr. Merrett's hint was enough to make it less of an issue.
Gill phoned me during the meeting and told me the Planning Panel meeting had been called off due to the treacherously icy pavements. So I cycled home, found two pallets on the way, and arrived hungry for the pastie I bought from Thomas The Baker earlier. There were some cold vegetables left which I had too.
And a quiet evening, trying to get on top of some assorted admin stuff, writing up minutes, etc. But at 9pm I watched a BBC4 programme called The Joy of Stats about statistics with our eldest, who is very into science and maths subjects. A good programme. I sent a link to my son's email address for a fab website called Information is Beautiful, which has some of the images used on the programme.
Probably the highlight of the day was unblocking a waste water pipe which runs from the downstairs toilet to the toilet downpipe... but the pipe goes through the wall and then goes nearly horizontally towards the sewer down pipe. There is a little bend in it before it enters the sewer pipe, but the shallow gradient means that water flows slowly along it...and our guest must have left the tap dripping, so the very low temperatures froze the trickle within the pipe. So I removed the U bend and emptied as much of the water out of the system as possible, and then put it back together and filled the sink with very hot water off the top of the woodstove. I then slowly poured a kettle full of boiling water over the external pipe.... and this worked, and the sink full of hot water disappeared, hopefully washing away some gunge too. To stop this happening again I'll have to replace the kink at the end with a straight bit, and then plug it straight into the sewer pipe, which will make a steeper gradient. Also, the tap must not drip when it's way below freezing outside!
I did a quick cycle to Thomas The Baker for a bag full of Yesterbake bread before lunch, but the next time I went out was to go to the Guildhall for 4pm, for the Environment Forum, the first meeting with our new chair, Kate Lock. Before the meeting I asked her if she thought we'd have time to have AOB, and if so, whether the balloon launch issue was something she'd be happy for me to discuss briefly. But luckily, a new member of the Forum, Councillor Dave Merrett, who's a Labour Party member, had obviously had some sort of discussion with Cllr. James Alexander, and he indicated that there were possibly plans to do something different with the balloons... perhaps the release is being re-thought? I'd like to think that Cllr. Alexander has had a think about how this stunt might look to the majority of the population who don't like the idea of killing wildlife with litter. I am very hopeful.
The Forum meeting went well... we spent most time discussing the future of the Forum, and I didn't say anything about the balloons, as Cllr. Merrett's hint was enough to make it less of an issue.
Gill phoned me during the meeting and told me the Planning Panel meeting had been called off due to the treacherously icy pavements. So I cycled home, found two pallets on the way, and arrived hungry for the pastie I bought from Thomas The Baker earlier. There were some cold vegetables left which I had too.
And a quiet evening, trying to get on top of some assorted admin stuff, writing up minutes, etc. But at 9pm I watched a BBC4 programme called The Joy of Stats about statistics with our eldest, who is very into science and maths subjects. A good programme. I sent a link to my son's email address for a fab website called Information is Beautiful, which has some of the images used on the programme.
Well, a good day, relaxing but got stuff done. I enjoyed Country Tracks and then spent some time outside, visited Country Fresh and Freshways, and cleared a bit of compacted snow which was preventing the back gate closing. I helped make some soup. I kept the stoves going, washed up, dried pineapple, kiwi and red pepper.
In the evening I became aware of an event which is due to take place on Thursday, an anti-tuition fees rise protest in York. I support this 'cause' as I'd prefer that the Government got the billions it needs to deal with the deficit by getting the mega rich to pay their taxes properly. However, the event centres around a helium balloon launch, and I believe that this is akin to littering. The Marine Conservation Society has asked event organisers to not release balloons, as some of them end up in the sea, looking very similar to jellyfish... favourite prey of turtles, and balloons have been found in dead marine mammals, fish and birds. So I spent quite a while contacting people, including the organiser, Councillor James Alexander, but he said he was going to do the balloon launch, and seemed to me to care more about the short-lived spectacle than the effect on the environment and wildlife. I believe that the protest would be just as colourful and effective without letting the balloons go... and when they burst, the latex can easily be composted, recycled safely, rather than littering our oceans.
So I've organised a protest, and got busy contacting his colleagues, attendees of his protest, and the Press. Even if the planned balloon launch goes ahead, the subject of marine pollution will be raised and maybe other event organisers will be less likely to get involved in this stupid form of littering.
So, a very busy evening, wondering what the right thing to do is. I've had some degree of support, but will have to do more lobbying tomorrow.
In the evening I became aware of an event which is due to take place on Thursday, an anti-tuition fees rise protest in York. I support this 'cause' as I'd prefer that the Government got the billions it needs to deal with the deficit by getting the mega rich to pay their taxes properly. However, the event centres around a helium balloon launch, and I believe that this is akin to littering. The Marine Conservation Society has asked event organisers to not release balloons, as some of them end up in the sea, looking very similar to jellyfish... favourite prey of turtles, and balloons have been found in dead marine mammals, fish and birds. So I spent quite a while contacting people, including the organiser, Councillor James Alexander, but he said he was going to do the balloon launch, and seemed to me to care more about the short-lived spectacle than the effect on the environment and wildlife. I believe that the protest would be just as colourful and effective without letting the balloons go... and when they burst, the latex can easily be composted, recycled safely, rather than littering our oceans.
So I've organised a protest, and got busy contacting his colleagues, attendees of his protest, and the Press. Even if the planned balloon launch goes ahead, the subject of marine pollution will be raised and maybe other event organisers will be less likely to get involved in this stupid form of littering.
So, a very busy evening, wondering what the right thing to do is. I've had some degree of support, but will have to do more lobbying tomorrow.
