Monday 1st June 09

Although I had a headache, I had a good day. I got ready so I could be at Bish St Kids at 10am to do a session about waste, recycling and composting. I took a bag of recyclable and non-recyclable items, several bags of compost and a couple of plastic tubs with assorted 'minibeasts' in, like worms, slugs, woodlice, centipedes, staphylinid beetles and the like. Also took the rotasieve, which is always enjoyed by children.

This gig was the second of two they'd booked with me, the first being a Fiddlesticks show/workshop and today's being a John the Rotter appearance. The activities were very non-structured... first did what stuff was made out of, and how it was recycled, and what happened if it wasn't recycled. We even covered what blood was made out of and how it clotted, and white blood cells! I had just steered it onto composting when it was midday and lunchtime, so we had a break, lunch out on the grass under a tree (well, I was!) and then we continued outside with more compost beasties and riddling. The riddled compost was put on the herb-bed and the apple tree, and I went to a few good websites on their computer and bookmarked them, so they can be used at a later date.

I was away by 1.15 and on the way home popped into Country Fresh for some not-so-fresh stuff, mostly not from this country... Home before 2, came in and flopped. However, Gill was doing the child-pick-up so I continued flopping until they all got in when my energy came back; I picked salads, did some washing up and got on with things.

A LETS meeting during the evening, with a new member!

Wednesday 8th April 09

An early start as had been booked to go to Bish Street Kids playscheme in Bishopthorpe, so by 9.30 was loaded up with the full circus workshop kit, and cycled off down Heslington Road, Cemetery Road, across the Millennium Bridge and out to Bishopthorpe.

David the photographer, who had planned to come and record today's event, had phoned in unwell so I just got on with what I am good at; a one hour show and workshop, followed by a freeplay workshop, then lunch, more freeplay workshop, finishing with the balloon modelling workshop. The 20 or so children had a good time, so did I, and was finished by about 3pm.

Called in on David on the way home to wish him well, and came home to find a reasonably calm house. I had a bit of peace and quiet and then did some more sorting out in the garden. Got some more of Ali's compost ready, and a bit later, had a chat to her as she wants to come and collect some, to mix with the topsoil she's been given on Freecycle for her wheelchair-user friendly raised bed garden.

Ate tea all together and had some good giggles and chats, a peaceful evening mostly.

Enjoyed Newsnight as the return of Ethical Man was on, saving America from it's huge carbon footprint... well, kind of!