Wednesday 30th January 08

A day which started feeling low but got better.

I took the boys to school and then on the way back collected some sticks someone had dumped near a hedge, and went on to visit Sarah who had requested some composting advice from a trained York Rotter! She has a composter, but did not know where to put it, so I suggested a place which would catch the sun, allow juices to drain away but wasn't too near the back door to be blamed for flies or smells in the house. Then had a coffee and a chat; she's a trainee social worker and was interested in our experience of the 'Strengthening Families, Strengthening Communities' workshops.

Got home and got ready to go to SFSC which was good this week.

Home via Richard's fruit shop, picked up 2 bagfuls, and then got home just in time to go to school to pick up the boys, three of them again, and Gill took them all to Martial Arts as I waited in for our visitor, Richard the insulation expert. He came at 4pm and looked round the outside of the house, and the inside, and then had a wander down the garden as he's a keen gardener and composter too. Lots of really good chats and he will send us his recommendations and quotes.

Had a good tea of bulgar wheat and squash, and did my emails and got ready to go out for my second Rotters event of the day.... a Ward Committee meeting on Stockton Lane, working alongside Elizabeth the Council Recycling Officer (one of them!) promoting home composting and the cheap WRAP deal of a 220 litre 'dalek' for £8 (free delivery) or the 330 litre for £10 (free delivery)... with a pound reduction if ordered online (www.recyclenow.com/compost). We spoke to a dozen or so people, half of whom were alrerady composting but didn't compost cardboard, the others were new to the idea.

Left at 8 when the meeting itself started, and called in on James on the way home, who was very glad to see me as he says I'm his only friend apart from his care workers. I picked up some sticks from him and promised to go and visit next week.

Home before 9pm, tired but happier than this morning.

Later in the evening had a good game of Scrabble with Gill, and I'm back on form... I won.