Saturday 10 March 2007

Saturday 10th March 07

A weekend without paid work... but plenty to do. When I got up the boys were continuing their game of Superscrabble which they started a couple of days ago. To help them hurry up (we couldn't play it last night as their tiles were on the board) both Gill and I joined in and helped them. When everything seemed peaceful and good tempered we were able to slip away and spend 20 minutes upstairs, with no shouting or fighting downstairs. Bliss...

Later, I continued digging out a compost heap and putting most of the material in a builders bag, so I can reinstate the heap in a way which discourages rodents from making it home. After lunch, my usual pile of sandwiches, I cycled down to Cycle Heaven on the Filibus to collect my repaired Dawes.... the new front wheel feels fine, and will hopefully last as long as the frame will. The frame has already broken once, when I was transporting a huge load of logs and the bike fell over, fracturing the frame near the back wheel. I got it welded together by a lovely chap in Bishopthorpe, and I've been more careful since, especially as I think he's not trading anymore. I went on to a Freecycle contact who had offered me an ex-skip compost bin, minus bottom door and lid, but I'm sure I can resolve that problem. I spent quite a long time chatting and discussing gardening and other important issues over a coffee, a new friend I think.

A speedy cycle home via the veg shop and back rather later than planned. Gill had hoped that I'd be in earlier as we all could have visited a chap up Osbaldwick Lane, offering a second-hand computer which will enable my eldest son to catch up on his keyboard skills and speed, as he must be the only child in the class without a computer... and he's very slow in the ITC suite at school. I collected the Freecycled computer in the trailer, monitor, printer, scanner and keyboard, and we'll put it in the loft and let him have 40 minute sessions max at any one time. Our good friend Simon has offered to help set it up and show him how to get started, as well as provide some software for him.

I made my own tea, rice with pumpkin and sesame seeds and bits of other veg, all cooked up on the woodstove. Very wholesome and filling. Vegan too. Andy my Green Party friend called and came round, re paperwork for the forthcoming elections. Then Simon popped in as he was in the vicinity, and told us he'd help with our Freecycled computer.

A quiet evening doing various paperwork and 'office' tasks. Should be early to bed ttonight.

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