Tusday 16th November 10

A much busier day.  I got up early as there was a commotion downstairs but I was ineffective in solving the problem.  However I got busy with a bit of housework and at 10.30 got my bike out and headed to town as I had arranged to meet Naomi, and she'd suggested El Piano, my favourite place for a hot chocolate made with soya milk.

I met Naomi because she's a disability access campaigner and I too am fed-up with the discrimination that some people face... we also share an interest in circus skills.  She's a psychology graduate and has just got a job with Lime Trees, so we talked about child development and mental health issues too.  She asked me to help sort her compost heap (or lack of it!) at her new flat, so I think we'll be meeting again. 

I came home via Country Fresh and Freshways and hauled home a broken pallet too. 

After lunch I popped round to the house on Millfield Road which recently had a skip outside which provided me with a big haul of logs and privet sticks.  I'd seen the owner the other night and he'd invited me to take some more logs, so I took the secateurs and loppers round and helped them clear the back garden.  I got another load of privet, some hawthorn (my favourite wood for providing a really hot stove!) and some elder.  The owner appeared and was happy to remove the twigs I'd cut off and take them to his horticultural nursery, and he used his chainsaw to cut another elder trunk down.  I took a well-packed trailer full back, and then returned to collect a second load.

By this time it was dark and I was due to go to Leeds for a meeting starting at 6.30, so I had a tin of dolmades and a hommous sandwich for tea.  And then down to the station.... ran from the bike park to Platform 4 and got the 17.40 train with seconds to spare.  And was in Leeds by 6.08, and walked down to The Common Place for the Northern Green Gathering Annual General Meeting.  I've attended quite a few NGGs, and am a keen supporter of what they do.  I've provided composting services on several occasions.

I was pleased to meet my friend Dave Petty who is a long-term Director of the organisation, and there were several other familiar faces, and some new people who were friendly and nice.  There were 15 or 16 of us there, and after discussion of the accounts and a report of the past 2 years activities, there were the elections of Directors.  David and Andrea were re-elected, and Pete, Rowen, Keith, Nigel and Becky were elected as new Directors.  I was considering putting my name forward but as so many other people did, I kept my hand down. I probably have enough on my plate as is.

It was a good meeting and it looks like we have a potential venue for next year's festival, and there are some possibilities for having a presence at other festivals.

I didn't go to the pub afterwards, as I wanted to get home so I walked back to the station.  Once again there was a train just about to go, and I shelled quite a few pumpkin seeds on the way back to York.

I picked up a third load of logs from the Millfield Lane house on the way home.