Up early and got busy doing things... breakfast, emails..... and then there was a knock on the front door. It was the head groundsman from St Johns College, with two gardeners, and their flat-bed truck with 3 HUGE slices of tree on.... asking me if I'd like them? I jumped at the chance, and said I'd be out in 30 seconds to help. Each lump was the buttressed base of a big lime tree.... a couple of weeks ago the college took down dozens of them, thinning the row of mature limes on Lord Mayors Walk by removing every other one.
So, each one took all four of us to lift, and I asked for them to be put in a place where I wouldn't need to try to move them. The other trees had been taken to a field near Dunnington, where someone at the college was a happy recipient, and the amount of wood would probably keep his stoves going for decades!
A bit later, I tried to split one of the rounds just with my maul... but the wood is slightly spongy and it didn't respond at all. So I chainsawed them into quarters, and then bashed these with the splitting maul, which worked.
I also did some clearing up in the conservatory, taking several trays of squishy pears out, and ready to take down the garden to the new compost heap. I put another couple of layers on, but have more to take down tomorrow.
Gill had a hospital appointment to see if her arthritis can be dealt with, so I made a pasta and sauce (on the woodstove of course!) and Gill was pleased with this when she got in.
I did some 'house admin': sorting out our energy bills. I had read the gas and electricity meters on Saturday and phoned Good Energy and left a lengthy message but I phoned them today because they hadn't got back to me. Based on meter readings on 21st January 2011 and last Saturday, 23rd January 2012, we have used 56 cubic metres of gas - 626 kwh, or 1.71 kwh/day. Based on this consumption for last year, next year's bill is £107.94. We use far more electricity, 1938 kwh, or 5.3 kwh/day, and Good Energy will charge us £362.62 for next year's consumption. So, our annual energy bills are £470, which for a family of 4 is pretty low, although I'd like them to be lower! I will pay these bills by bank transfer soon.
Oh! I got a postal delivery... of two bike tyres, not wanted anymore by my facebook friend Graeme, who has replaced his bike and had two new tyres spare. One has a kevlar anti-puncture lining. He didn't want anything for them, just the postage of £4.41; I sent him £5 via PayPal.
So, a good day, plenty of activity outside and plenty of 'work' inside!
So, each one took all four of us to lift, and I asked for them to be put in a place where I wouldn't need to try to move them. The other trees had been taken to a field near Dunnington, where someone at the college was a happy recipient, and the amount of wood would probably keep his stoves going for decades!
A bit later, I tried to split one of the rounds just with my maul... but the wood is slightly spongy and it didn't respond at all. So I chainsawed them into quarters, and then bashed these with the splitting maul, which worked.
I also did some clearing up in the conservatory, taking several trays of squishy pears out, and ready to take down the garden to the new compost heap. I put another couple of layers on, but have more to take down tomorrow.
Gill had a hospital appointment to see if her arthritis can be dealt with, so I made a pasta and sauce (on the woodstove of course!) and Gill was pleased with this when she got in.
I did some 'house admin': sorting out our energy bills. I had read the gas and electricity meters on Saturday and phoned Good Energy and left a lengthy message but I phoned them today because they hadn't got back to me. Based on meter readings on 21st January 2011 and last Saturday, 23rd January 2012, we have used 56 cubic metres of gas - 626 kwh, or 1.71 kwh/day. Based on this consumption for last year, next year's bill is £107.94. We use far more electricity, 1938 kwh, or 5.3 kwh/day, and Good Energy will charge us £362.62 for next year's consumption. So, our annual energy bills are £470, which for a family of 4 is pretty low, although I'd like them to be lower! I will pay these bills by bank transfer soon.
Oh! I got a postal delivery... of two bike tyres, not wanted anymore by my facebook friend Graeme, who has replaced his bike and had two new tyres spare. One has a kevlar anti-puncture lining. He didn't want anything for them, just the postage of £4.41; I sent him £5 via PayPal.
So, a good day, plenty of activity outside and plenty of 'work' inside!
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