Tuesday 24th July 07

Another busy day, but woke when our 9 yr old knocked on the door to tell us it was 7.30 and he'd like breakfast. Yesterday he slid in quietly and we again asked him again to knock if he wanted to come in, in case we were doing anything which might embarrass him.... he had a huge paddy about this as he thought he'd been told off. This morning he told us he hadn't wanted to wake us up, just to see if we were awake... he can of course get his own breakfast these days, but the whole thing is a minefield.

I was able to do a bit in the garden first thing, before getting ready for work, at Manor School again, this time for a summer school Gifted, Able and Talented primary kids going up to secondary (I think). Gill went to pick up her new glasses and Maria came to babysit as I was leaving at 11.45 to start at 12.30.

The gig went really well, they were talented, several of them were already jugglers and diabolo players, and were good listeners and learners, it was a really good hour. We had 10 mins of instruction and information, then 45 mins of play, experimentation, trying stuff out, and 5 mins of showing what they'd learned at the end.

Then down to York again to visit Cycle Heaven to get my damaged wheel replaced, it didn't take long and cost just £20, and I was able to reload my kit onto the trailer and go to Rowntree Park to meet up with the Environmental Health people who were concerned about noise pollution. They were very supportive, unlike their colleague the Festivals Officer, and came up with common-sense solutions, and appeared to want the event to go ahead.

Then bombed home and Maria was still there, Gill doing accounts and Maria reading a book, they'd had lunch together and were just settled happily and the boys were playing without any grown-up input.

I did some housework and then had to go back into town to meet the Council Officer who's in charge of licencing the Rowntree Park, and discussed all sorts of issues with him and he too was very supportive and helpful.. quite a revelation after the feeling of a lack of help/support from the person who's supposed to assist festival organisers. I left feeling good, and picked up a huge load of compostables from Martin's Country Fresh, two sacks and 3 boxes, including a sack of bananas which hadn't sold even at knock down prices, perhaps 50 or 100 of them, I haven't yet got to the bottom of the sack! I've got loads drying on the stove though.

Tea was some out of date tofu with onions and yesterday's soup on top, with walnut bread from Masham. Delicious!

An evening of emailing and blogging and googletalk with K in US, we're enjoying our chats a lot at the moment. Also had to do some YGF stuff...