Monday 3rd January 11

What a comfy bed!  Although Jess's flat was cold, I'd been given two duvets and was therefore nice and warm, and it was a firm mattress so I slept well.

Got up around 10 and had a bowl of Weetabix and a sprinkling of porridge oats with a few bits of dried apple ring broken on top.   Watched YouTube videos, including some blasts from my past, Osibisa and Steve Hillage. I logged in to facebook and saw a friend had posted about the death of Pete Postlethwaite, which made me cry as he was my favourite actor, especially after his wonderful performance in Age of Stupid.  What a shame, he was only 64, and by all accounts a lovely bloke.  This coloured my whole day.

Jess was mending Nomi's handbag which had poorly constructed handles, so Jess was replacing them with several lengths of tough rope and then sewing leather round to make a nice looking handle.  But this meant we didn't leave the flat til well after 11, and I wanted to get the 12.19 train to York so I could be back in time for the opening of the BikeRescue HubStation.  Jess and Nomi were heading over to Leeds to buy material, so they waited for the bus, and I cycled down to the Interchange, which only took about 10 minutes, and I was there in time for the 12.05 train to Leeds.  But I said I'd wait until the later train, but they didn't get to that train so I had that hour quiet enough to read my NewScientist.

However, I met a cyclist with a folded Brompton who was going to the HubStation launch... a volunteer from Sustrans, and friends with my friend Gael.

Once in York I picked up my trailer and then had a toasted sandwich at ?Krunchies and then went to the new HubStation, the latest project from BikeRescue, headed up by Bernie Cullen, whom I have a lot of admiration for. The place was already crowded with York's cycling fraternity, Councillors, dignitaries. The building used to be an electricity sub-station, and in 2006 Bernie requested that the Council let it be used as a Cycling Centre.  It has taken £300,000 and 4 years to get it to what it is now... with space for secure bike storage, repairs, sales of reconditioned bikes, spares and accessories, a cafe, shower, and today, a lovely cake and loads and loads of happy people. One really nice touch is a window which will be permanently used for bike-based art.  It currently has a load of decorated plates in it, and is very pretty. It has been put together by Lu Mason, who I think may be the daughter of Tom Mason, one of my cycling friends who died a few years ago.

I stayed til about 3pm and then came away, I would have liked to take part in the ride through the city but I wanted to get home.  Popped in to Country Fresh on the way home though, and picked up a couple of boxes of compostables.

Back to a happy home, where all was well and our eldest had gone out to a film with friends... coming back having really enjoyed it.  Nice simple tea, and at about 7, I went out to the LETS meeting at the Seahorse... but no-one else turned up apart from two non-member ordinary guys who seemed happy to chat with me until their takeaway next door was ready.  I left at 8.30, cleared up some frosted Nasturtiums from the Edible York raised bed, picked up a pallet and came home. 

Gill was on the phone when I got in, chatting with my old friend Cathryn whom I've known since I was 18.  She is considering replacing her oil-fired central heating with a Dunsley Yorkshire woodburning stove, and wanted my advice or opinion.  Whilst on the phone, Gill suddenly got excited, saying 'Earthquake' but I didn't feel or hear anything.  However, after the phone call had finished, I switched on my laptop and went on facebook... and several other people had felt the tremor.  It was ineed a quake, Gill's third, and smallest.  Her first was in Nort Wales decades ago and it threw her to the ground.  We had one in York a few years ago, which was my first (and only!).  This time, Gill heard the rumble, the crockery on the Delft Rack clink slightly, and felt the tremor.  I was so focused on the phone conversation, I'd not experienced anything.

I rang my Dad at 10pm, to wish him a happy birthday as he's reached 70.  I wanted him to know I've not forgotten him, despite not being in contact for a while.