Monday 14th June 10

Up at a reasonably early time... early enough to see the children anyway, and then spent the morning doing a York in Transition facebook page update, and then a message about all the forthcoming events. I had a few Scrabble moves, a couple of phone calls about Fiddlesticks bookings and WNBR stuff. General 'paperworky' stuff!

During the afternoon I did a bit of chainsawing but I'm finding my chain is not really able to cut properly, despite my sharpening the teeth on it with a special little file. So I phoned Shannons/Kutters, the bike and lawnmower shop, and they found my chainsaw model and said they would order a new chain, for £18 plus VAT. I said go ahead. I could buy this part over the internet, but I like the fact that this local shop will repair things, and I've had my shredder and chainsaw repaired here, so I'll continue using it.

I cooked tea... the Chicken of the Woods, cubed, with an onion and flour to make a white sauce, and a few flavourings, and this made a 'Chicken of the Woods Fricassee' which could be reheated later.

Then I did quite a bit of work in the back garden, moving the compost heap from where the bee hives are going to go. I also wanted to move the Sun Mar 400 'CompostFlow' and I pulled it... and the cylinder came out of it's supporting cradle, trapping my finger and damaging some skin. However, I extracted it and then emptied the cylinder by hand, putting the contents into a builders bag. I'll find another position for this tumbler, where it will remain horizontal.

Then I did a lot of weeding/plant removal from where the pond will be... one day. I pulled out brambles and ground elder. I also planted a few more yams and beans in the radiator beds.

The compost removal had made me really dirty, so I came in at 8pm and had a shower. Gill and the boys had eaten... the boys didn't like the mushroom dish so Gill made them an omlette, but Gill had eaten some of the thing I'd made, with potatoes, carrots and peas. She wasn't feeling that brilliant. I microwaved a plateful and had some potatoes too, but within an hour I was feeling sick. Gill was sick, and felt much better.

I looked on the internet for bad reactions to Chicken of the Woods... and yes, apparently the older specimens, and ones growing on certain types of tree, can occasionally cause a mild stomach upset and headaches, dizziness, etc. Although I've had Chicken of the Woods many times before, this was the first time I'd had a bad reaction... indeed it's the first time ever that I've had a bad reaction from any mushroom. Once I'd vomited, I felt a lot better.

So, an unusual end to a good day.