Tuesday 8 February 2011

Monday 7th February 11

A good day, as I finally got the last of the sawdust riddled!  The huge pile which has accumulated in my logging area over the past 6+ months, on top of a blue plastic tarpaulin, has been separated into 13 sacks of fine damp dark sawdust, perfect for compost toilet cover, for compost heap carbon-rich layer, plus four sacks of larger bits of bark, twig and wood chips which didn't go through the riddle but are too small to try to dry off, and will go in layers on the compost heaps and in the tumblers.  Finally I got 4 paper potato sacks full of big chunks of bark, sticks, bigger chunks of wood which will dry over the next year in these paper sacks in the garage (which is well ventilated, unintentionally!) and will end up as kindling for the stoves.

This was the bulk of my outdoor work today.  But before lunch I went to Thomas The Bakers and got £2 worth of Yesterbake, ie two loaves and 4 bags of rolls.

After lunch I cycled down to town, battling the wind, to go and get a cheque out for Justin, our 'pet' electrician.  I called in to see Dylan and cycled back along the cycle track from Rowntrees all the way to Hull Road.  I picked up a few sticks on the way, plus one willow log.

For tea I had the potato salad with a fried egg sandwich, followed by an out of date and therefore free yoghurt.  I'd never buy yoghurt, as it conflicts with my 'wannabe as close to vegan as possible' lifestyle, but I'd rather eat the yoghurt than put it on the compost heap or let it go to landfill.

Then soon after 7pm I cycled down to the Seahorse to attend the monthly LETS meeting.  I was pleased to meet Melody locking up her bike, and inside already, Will and Kay.  We had a fairly quick and very upbeat meeting, and then a good chat to sort out forthcoming social events, which will include a seed swap at Melody's, a possible Equinox party out at Escrick, and a Multicoloured SwapShop party at Kay's in May, on my birthday...

Melody and Kay went, Will and I stayed and chatted, and another two chaps came in to have a drink.  We overheard something they were saying, having found a leaflet about the Quilt Museum, so Will and I both had a bit of a story about that, and then they overheard our conversation about my youngest going to the Steiner School.  Turns out that one of them, Tom, had gone to the Steiner School and had loved it.  He was really positive about it.  It also turned out we have some friends in common.

We left at about 10 and I came home knowing that I had to wash up our 'Le Creuset' casserole dish and use the onions and tomatoes I'd saved from the Freshways bags I'd just picked up on the way back from the LETS meeting.  So that's what I did between 11pm and 1am, but this made all the rest of my regular evening routine an hour later, so went to bed after 3am.  But at least my family will have some delicious wholesome tomato soup to eat tomorrow. Or is that later today?

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