Friday 16th May 08

A quite early start, woken by loud child noises, but Gill took them to school which was a treat for me to not have to do that. She found two dead baby moles on the school field and noticed that there were some empty plastic containers of what looked like chemicals had been (possibly) thrown into the Japanese Garden and she wondered if there was any connection. So she went into the office and asked about the plastic containers... and was told that the council had taken over the job, implying that the person who had been doing it, IRA Bob, who had been very aggressive with me (September 07) was not doing the work any more..... I wonder if the creosoted sleepers have anything to do with it? My research at the time indicated that creosoted sleepers were not allowed in school play areas and after I'd informed the school, Bob was asked to paint them... but since then, the paint looks like it has either come off or been absorbed, and the sleepers just look like creosoted sleepers. I want to find out more! I wonder if my original suggestion, that creosoted sleepers should NOT be used in this position, may have been the right thing to do? Gill and I even offered to buy one untreated sleeper.

Got home to a phone call from Jo saying that the York Rotters social had been cancelled tonight as too few people had said they were attending, so it's postponed. Jo and I met in town and went for a coffee at the Spurriergate Centre, I got my sandals repaired (the sole and upper had come apart) and I went to Barnitts to look at goblet blenders as ours has expired. I need to check with Gill about what type to get, how much to spend etc. The one which has gone phut was quite cheap.. perhaps about £30 and the motor hasn't lasted very long at all, about 3 years.

Collected a lot of stuff from Country Fresh and came home for lunch, Gill had been to say hello to her art-class friends and had then gone on to town to do the charity shops, and also visited Barnitts, to get another rat trap as one of our neighbours keeps mentioning that he's seen a rat. Next time he does, I'll ask him if he's set any traps or put down poison... not every rat in the vicinity is my responsibility or living in our garden! Just some of them......!

Did some work in the garden (set the traps!) and dug out a compost heap and got more planting media together, and all too soon it was time for me to go and pick up the kids. As I arrived, one of my offspring rushed out and headed for the gate... he'd been bullied or teased and had struck out at his tormentor, and was feeling guilty about his reaction. I went inside with him and the lovely headteacher listened to him and he calmed down very quickly. We had a good vigorous cycle home.

I did some more compost riddling and took some down to Country Fresh, where it is taken by customers 'for a donation'.

Gilly made a pizza dough and we all had individualised pizzas for tea.

Watched some good telly together, a lovely programme on trees and then Gardener's World, sadly without our favourite Monty Don. Hope he's ok!

I had been given a load of raspberries from Country not-so-Fresh and I sorted out the non-mouldy ones, stewed them on the stove and then immersed a load of dried apple rings in the stewed raspberries, let them soak up the juice and redried them... scrummy raspapple rings!!!

Had a long phone call with my dear friend Lucy whom I've known since my teens, and then had a game of Scrabble with Gill. We both put down two seven-letter words but I won. A good game, whilst listening to Jools Holland's musical guests.