Saturday 16 February 2008

Saturday 16th February 08

Started the day by completing the front garden clear up, and got it done by the time the parents rolled up in their Toyota Prius. They seemed pleased I'd made a space for them to park, although I still don't understand what the problem is about parking on the verge between the pavement and the road... everyone else does who comes here in a car, unless they park round the corner on Lilac Avenue, off the main road. Anyway, they arrived and we had a hot drink and a nice chat, and after a lunch of sandwiches we went for a walk to Hull Road Park where there was a bit of footie and frisbee and playing on climbing equipment.

They left fairly soon after this and I got on with some leafmold riddling in the garden.

Had a good evening with Gill, beat her soundly at Scrabble but she didn't mind....

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

re the parking: perhaps it was your parents way of getting you to clear up your front garden which,judging by the length of time it took you to clear it, must have been in a right mess. maybe they are concerned what the neighbours think of the front of your house. these things do matter to the community around, even if they might seem a bit petty.

if you have off street parking you should really use it , otherwise turn your front garden back into a garden.

Compost John said...

Thank you 'anonymous' for your observations, concern and advice.

Firstly, what I do in the front of my house is nothing to do with my parents... they are not now 'in charge' or responsible for me. As an adult, I am free to do what I want (within reason!)in my front garden.

Secondly, I do not see woodpiles as 'a right mess' even though it was untidy and different to my neighbours' front gardens. In some countries, the size of your woodpile indicates your wealth... in which case I am a rich man!

Thirdly, my neighbours on one side own one car and often three are parked there. The other side owns two and often have three parked. All the other front gardens in this line of houses have cars parked on them. I do not see parked cars as attractive, indeed, to me, they represent unsustainable western lifestyles. My wood-strewn garden, however, represents an attempt to shun fossil fuels and use renewables, much more attractive.

I do care what the community thinks and hope that they are able to see that my attempt to be green is positive and forward-looking. I have never complained about my neighbours' car habits to them. I do not accept any criticism of my heating and cooking being done on smoke-free woodstoves, or my need to collect waste wood and prepare it and stockpile it for use in a year or two.

I don't need off-street parking as I don't have a vehicle which needs parking. Our bicycles fit in our garage very nicely. The front garden functions perfectly as a wood reception and processing area, and processed fuel is stored round the back as well as around the side and front of the house.

Sorry to be defensive but I found your comment critical and probably coming from a non-green who doesn't understand the vital importance of reducing one's carbon footprint. If you are in York, or come here ever, I welcome visitors to come and see my woodstoves, and have a cuppa from them and share some dried fruit which I make on them. Do contact me if you wish to take me up on this.
John

Anonymous said...

I am actually a very green person and am anti front gardens being paved over for reasons you know as well as I do, however, if there is off street parking then it should be used as such and not filled up with stuff so that the car has to be put on the road anyway! I feel the same about garages being used to hoard junk leaving no space for the car!

You find looking at parked cars aesthetically displeasing, so maybe your neighbours think the same of your messy logpile, notwithstanding your green lifestyle.

I dont see why your parents cant comment on that similarly I am sure you have things to say about the way your parents run their lifestyle.

If you didnt care what they thought of you you would have not tidied up. I see your defensiveness as a sign they pressed a button, quite rightly so.