Tuesday 30th June 09

Nice slow start to the day... I came down and heated water on the gas-cooker to wash up. Our gas boiler has gone wrong; it needs occasional re-pressurising (I don't understand this) and when Gill twiddled the knob yesterday, it came off. So we're not using the gas boiler at all, even for instant hot water. And of course, it's too hot for the stove, so we have no hot water except for doing it in a saucepan on the cooker.

I don't mind doing the washing up, even before breakfast. There is some sort of satisfaction with rendering a jumbled pile of used plates and mugs into neatly stacked and clean, ready to use crockery. I'm not so keen on doing cutlery, but that has to be done too. Also, I collect the rinse water and water the tomato plants with it. VERY satisfying!

Sorted out various hotel and BnB visits for later this year. This involved a couple of hours phoning and working out logistics.

Anyway, a good day, did quite a bit inside and visited B+Q for Gill who needed some lining paper to do a 'Red Indian' figure as a prop for a play. I also did loads of riddling of some very mature compost... yummy! (almost!)

After lunch the plumber came round and fixed the knob back on the boiler. I think it took less than 5 minutes. The bill will be in the post....

I got an exciting phone call from Mike at York (North Yorkshire!) Credit Union asking me what I was doing on Thursday... as there was a proposed meeting with an important person, and did I want to come to this? I said I was available, and Mike told me that the person was so important that I'd need to be security checked. Wow! I wonder who it is? I have my suspicions but will just have to wait and see.

I cooked tea, rice with onion, celery and some other bits, with added plantain which I cooked yesterday, with fresh home-grown broccoli, and a tomato and onion sauce. I loved the plantain... a really fruity addition to a slightly spicy rice dish. I hope I get some more of those in the compostables!

After tea I popped round to Lynn's to discuss the publicity needed for the LETS Healthy Living event in 3 weeks time, and spent an hour chatting to her.

Back in time for another hour or more in the garden, in at 10 and the internet was down.. I had a phone call from Ben and his was off too, so it must have been the exchange or something.

It came on just after midnight so I caught up then.