Thursday 19th January 12

A really packed and perfect day.  Everything fitted together really well.

I got up just after the boys went to school by taxi and left the house an hour later just after 9am to get a bus sometime before 10.  At the bus stop, something happened which put me in a positive mood for the rest of the day.

I started chatting with a woman who like me was waiting for the bus which was a couple of minutes late.  She was waiting for her mother and they were heading to Leeds.  I told her that I was heading to Seacroft to donate platelets.  She said that I was really lovely to do that, as she had received platelets on several occasions as she had leukaemia. She thanked me for what I was doing.  I nearly cried.

I read some NewScientist on the bus and before long was at Seacroft, a few minutes early.  The donation went normally, 3 units in just over an hour. 

Can't remember if the evening held any highlights.

Friday 23rd December 11

Didn't have to get up TOO early.... about 8.30 so I could leave the house at 9.15 and get the 9.45 bus to Leeds.  My platelets donation appointment was at 10.50, and it all went very smoothly, I gave 3 units in 78 minutes.  The woman next to me, a psychiatrist doing her first donation, was on a timer of 87 minutes to give two units, and the chap beyond her was like me, donating 3 units, but he was doing it in 95 minutes.  I have no idea why I'm so quick.  Is my blood hyperactive too?

I collected quite a few aluminium cans on the way back to the bus stop, and got a message from Glenn saying he was ready to meet me.... I was still in Tadcaster when I got this so I asked if he could hang on til 2.30.  I visited Country Fresh and Freshways on the way home, and got in at 2.25, Glenn arriving 10 minutes later.

It was good to see him, we chatted as I lit the stove, had a sandwich and then after an hour, I had to go out to pick up something from the chemist, so Glenn went on his way... he'd been doing some shopping  in York and was heading back to Scarborough.

I did a few bits and bobs around the house, emptying the vacuum cleaner, washing up, filling log baskets, contributing to the evening meal.... and later, watched 'Titanic' on the telly, which was really good.  Gill's seen it twice before but this was my first time.

Friday 16th December 11

A very early start.  I had to be in Meltham near Huddersfield before 10am... meant I left the house at 7.30 to get the 7.55 train which got into Huddersfield at 8.44, and I then got the Number 324 bus to Meltham at 9am.  It all went very smoothly, which is pretty normal for public transport.

I found the venue for the Pre-School Playgroup building, a Church Hall, very easily but couldn't find the door as two seemed sealed shut and one was locked.  However, the locked one was eventually unlocked and I was let in.  I talked through what I was going to do and what their timings were before getting changed.  I had only agreed to do the circus show for them but I thought that for the money they were giving me, they could have the balloons too, and they were pleased with this.  My only deadline was to be finished for 11.45 for Father Christmas to visit.

The shows went well, although they weren't easy as the children were very young and that has it's difficulties when you've a circus workshop show and a balloon workshop... however, the grown-ups seemed happy, no child burst into tears and nothing went wrong.  And I finished on time, got paid, and was waiting for the bus back to Huddersfield by 12.10.  The train came 10 minutes after I got to the station and I was home before 2pm.

I then got busy with the chainsaw as I really want to clear the front garden, as I'm expecting to get more logs over the winter, and I need to make space.

I made some tomato, onion and red pepper soup when it got dark at 4ish, and at 6 the family had that, along with bread.  Delicious. 

Friday 2nd December 11

Got up at 9am and got busy with phoning Equity as I found that my membership expired on November 30th and I need to be insured for this weekend.

I paid for 3 months membership by phone and card, and got a certificate of cover on the Equity website, which I was able to take a copy of and email to my client in Robin Hoods Bay.

I went to buy bread, and installed a compost bin for Eve up the road.  Then I went to St Nicks to pay for that bin, which Keely delivered a few days ago, and bought another to install at David's house.  I put it over his fence as he wasn't in.

I got home for lunch and after that, moved a few bits around in the garden, as Gill had asked me to, and then made a batch of gungo pea, carrot and tarragon pate, similar to hummus but all the ingredients (barring some rape oil, bouillon powder and soy sauce) were free, and it was all cooked for free... and took just 5 minutes of hand-held whizzer to convert it into 7 tubs of delicious spread.

It didn't take me long to get myself ready to go away for the weekend.... Gill went to pick up the boys by taxi and I cycled down to the station with all my stuff plus a cool-bag of food.  I paid in two cheques in town and got out some cash to keep us going for the weekend.  I met Gill and the boys in the ticket place and got our tickets to Scarborough, using our family railcard which halved the cost.  The train was crowded but we all got seats, but not together.  I chatted with a lovely 80 year old woman called Jean, and the journey went really quickly.

Our bus to Robin Hoods Bay came 10 minutes after we got to Scarborough, and we got a family rover ticket as it was cheaper than 2 adults and 2 children.

We arrived soon after 6pm and walked to The Victoria Hotel, where Rob, the chap who'd booked me, had arranged for us all to stay... I won't get a fee, but do get a family break for 3 nights... in a really quite posh place!  The boys had a twin room, and we got a double... but they got the sea view!

Gill had made a quiche earlier, so we had that and then went down into the bay to see if we could find some chips.. a bit of a treat.  The chip shop fries in beef dripping, so wasn't suitable for us, but a hotel did some quite expensive chips but in vegetable oil, so I got 4 take away chips and we ate them on the slipway, buffeted by a strong wind.

And back to the hotel. I went to ask to borrow an iron and ironing board, and Gill did my costume so I'm tidy tomorrow...I've a show at 10.30 in the family room of the hotel!

The hotel has free WiFi so I was able to do things on my laptop, which kept me occupied.

Just as we were settling down for the night there was a huge crash which made us both jump, and a picture had fallen off the wall.  Very odd!

Wednesday 23rd November 11

Well today I was due to go to donate platelets at Seacroft Hospital in Leeds... I took pears to Scoop, and spotted the preparation on Walmgate Stray to burn the big pile of brushwood which had been piled up since summer when the new fence was put in, and I'd asked the Council not to burn, but to leave as a wildlife resource.  As I cycled down to Scoop, at about 9.30 the little bulldozer was being taken out of a trailer behind a tractor, and as I cycled past again, the workmen were setting fire to the big pile of brash.  This is bad practice; if having a bonfire, it is far better to move the material to be burnt to an area near the storage pile, which may very well have got wildlife living in it.  The fire should have material added to it from the initial pile, but on Walmgate Stray, the big pile was torched in a very lazy and uncaring manner.  I was quite angry, and started composing a letter complaining about this.

I cycled on to the train station to get a bus. I had a bit of a drippy nose, but thought this might be an allergy, rather than a cold, so I decided it was OK to donate.

I donated 3 units of platelets in 67 minutes. I didn't feel that brilliant during the donation, and the staff asked me if I was well enough to donate.  However, I do get a runny nose fairly often, and have done since childhood.

Bus back, came home, flopped, and went for a lie down.

However, I needed to collect the unsold pears from Scoop, and then there was a seminar on sustainable development, organised by the University International Development Society.  The speaker was Professor Piran White, Deputy Head at the Environment Department.  It was a good overview about what sustainable development entailed.

Later, I wrote to the Press about the Council's bonfire, and copied in Andy D'Agorne, who'd been party to the discussion earlier this year.

Tuesday 11th October 11

I got up at 8am after 5 hours sleep and got slowly ready to go to Leeds to donate platelets.  My appointment was at 10.50 so I aimed to get to the station for 9.45 and get the bus to Seacroft.  I had a nice chat with a guy who'd just arrived from Pakistan whilst waiting at the bus stop, he had an electronic ticket and was concerned that the bus was late.

I dozed on the bus but kept half an eye on where I was; didn't miss my stop.

The platelet donation went very smoothly, I gave 3 units in 67 minutes, which is awesome.

On the bus on the way home Gill texted me to ask if I could pick something up for her so I got home eventually after 2, and had some sandwiches for a very late lunch.

And a fairly quiet day then progressed; sorting out the tomatoes which started drying last night, having the soup which I started making last night which Gill finished this afternoon.  Cracking hazelnuts.... the usual type of evening!

Sunday 2nd October 11 Beverley Food Festival

Woken by my phone at 8am and went down to the breakfast room.  Sharon, I think her name was, wasn't expecting me, as somehow the message had come through that I didn't want breakfast.  I NEVER don't want breakfast.... it is the most important meal of the day for me!

Anyway, I had a bowl of cereal and some toast, beans, tomato and an egg fried hard, and three cups of coffee, and an orange juice.  I then went to my room, got changed, and went to the Market Square to find Helen, my handler today, to find out where she wanted me to be.  She had disappeared but her colleague Helena suggested working in front of a building which I've done my show in front of each time I've done the Beverley Food Festival.  However, it was no longer an empty cinema, but a Browns department store, and it looked like it was going to open later that day.  So I couldn't stay there.

I went and devilsticked outside the main marquee whilst the event was being opened, and then one of the Beverley Town council people suggested I work outside a Building Society which wouldn't be opening today, so I got set up there, and got a Council van moved as it was part blocking the view.

I was busy from then on in, continuous workshops and interaction and all sorts, 100% full-on.  At about midday I took a short break to go and buy a pie for lunch, and I also got two 750ml bottles of 'Gold from the Wold' Cold Pressed Extra Virgin Rapeseed Oil for £10.  But this only took 10 minutes, and another 5 minutes to eat the pie, with various children hanging around and watching for my last mouthful, to then home in and ask if they could have a go with the 4 wheel unicycle, or Deborah the Diabolo (Derek's blind sister) or juggling...... but I wanted a change so I did an hour and a half of balloon modelling, finishing at 1.55 to go and sit in the Market Cross building to do a composting workshop.  Only 4 people turned up to this.... but it was still worth doing.

So from 2.20 through til after 4pm I was busy with more circus and balloons, without a break, full-on again.  That's how I like it as the day goes really quickly!

I waited ages for the bus home.... including walking down to the railway station to see if it would be quicker to go that way, but it wasn't.  Beverley really needs a direct rail link with York, in my opinion!  Anyway, the bus came and I dozed on it all the way to York and collapsed when I got in.  A busy weekend.

Saturday 1st October 11

A busy busy day: cycled up to Haxby in the morning to help with the York Rotters compost bin sale.  I took the jars of different sorts of compost from yesterday with me, and showed lots of people what they might expect to get from the bottom of their bin in a year or two.  I took the leafmould jars and the jar with lots of worms and other beasties.  I stopped at 11 and cycled back, collecting some sticks on the way, and got back at 11.40.

Then at 1pm I set off, in Fiddlesticks costume, to the Central Library, 'Explore' to do the final show for the Summer Reading Challenge 'Circus Stars'. I called into the Anti Gravity Shop to buy a new 'two wheel unicycle' as my old one has got too old to support my weight.  I did my show from 2.10 til 3, and had a lovely response. I'm now in a position to submit an invoice for all my summer's library gigs. 

Came back home via the cobblers to re-stick my Fiddlesticks boot sole, and via another place to get new shoelaces.  Then came home via Richard, and collapsed as I was really hot and tired.

Later I got all my kit together and jumped on a bus to Beverley, and dozed on the bus, got myself booked into the Cross Keys and had a quiet night before the Beverley Food Festival.

Tuesday 13th September 11

Quite an exhausting day.  I had a platelets appointment at 10.50 so I cycled down to the station to get the 9.53 bus to Seacroft.  I used the new entrance to the station, the one between the river and Leeman Road, which avoids the potentially dangerous roads around the station front.  The only disadvantage is that there's no bike racks around that North end of the station, and I had to walk and scoot down to the other end, along the platform.

However, it is still a better way to get into the station.  I like it.  I went to the bus stop and minutes later, had my £6 return to Leeds and began to read my NewScientist.  But at one of the next stops, my old friend John Redpath, who used to be the Town Cryer of York, got on, and we sat together.  I was pleased to be able to have a conversation with him, as after the Peace Festival, several people said to me that I should be a town cryer, as my voice would easily allow me to do it. He gave me several tips and suggestions about how I could approach becoming the town cryer, if I wanted to!

We were soon on the outskirts of Leeds and I got off at Seacroft, and walked back to the Blood Donor Centre.  I was swiftly processed and on the platelet machine, and this time the needle didn't go through my vein, but properly into it, and I was able to donate 3 units of platelets in 77 minutes... a bit slower than the previous donations, but still 3 units, when most people give only 2.  I like being a superdonor!

I had a bag of crisps, chocolate biscuit and coffee from the Donor Centre for lunch, and got the next bus back.... I felt sleepy and couldn't concentrate on my magazine, and was soon back at the station in York.  I cycled via the Building Society (compost cheque in) and my dentist, who had seemingly forgotten me and not invited me back for a check-up, and Millers Yard (picked up one sack of half oranges) and then home via the cycle path and St Nicks.  When I got in I was surprised to see it was already 3pm, and I was due to collect our youngest at 3.30pm!  I had a quick sandwich and bombed off to Fulford Cross.

I part walked, part cycled with him sitting on the rack, and we were home soon.  I spent an hour relaxing on the computer, before getting ready to go to work for David at 6pm.

We went to City Screen, and met Ceri and Richard, and had some good conversations.  And soon back to put his meal in the microwave and I got away at 7.45, so I could zoom home for my tea, and more pear peeling.

A very busy day, was quite tired during the evening.... but no earlier to bed, sadly!

Saturday 3rd September 11

Quite an early start... had been asked to be in Chapel Allerton by 11.30, to be working at midday.  So I worked back and left the house at about 9.15, and got a train bound for Leeds at 9.57, due in at 10.30ish.  This all went smoothly.  I then walked along to Vicar Lane to the bus stop outside the Co-op Bank which I'd found out (by phone this morning) was the place to wait for the Chapel Allerton buses.  I got chatting to two lovely people, who used to live in Chapel Allerton, but now live in another part of Leeds, but who go to the Chapel Allerton Festival every year.  They were in their 80s, and the woman was very chatty and lively, curious about my unicycles and entertainment.

The bus came.  As I queued, the bus driver shook his finger at me through the windscreen.  He said 'no bicycles'.  I politely told him that they weren't bicycles, but in fact unicycles. He was adamant that he wouldn't have them on the bus, and he began to sulk.  Several people, including the 80+ year old couple, chimed in and said things like, 'he's going to a charity gig' and 'they are the tools of his trade', and eventually he, grumbling, let me have a ticket.

The journey didn't last long and the lovely old couple told me when to get ready for the correct stop.  As I left the bus I slipped the driver a pound coin and said 'get yourself a half pint on me'.  He still looked grumpy.

The day got a lot better from here on in.  I found my 'handler', Amy, who talked me through what she wanted me to do.  I did a half-hour very quick run through my show, then a fair bit of unicycle-about and when it got too crowded, some walkabout, and later, a one hour show, followed by more random interaction... mainly giving out balloons.

It all drew to a close at 5pm and I was glad to get on a bus (easily this time) and then walk to the station and come home.  Another tiring day.

Monday 29th August 11, Spofforth Gala

Quite an early start.  I got more things... mainly myself, cleaned up, and then went to get my bike, but when I saw that, I decided not to even risk cycling to the station!  So I got a taxi to the station and got the 10.11 to Harrogate.  At Harrogate I got a taxi to Spofforth.  I decided I'd get a taxi more easily from Harrogate than Knaresborough, despite Knaresborough being closer to Spofforth.  Anyway, we had a nice chat, and I got to Spofforth before 11.30, very good timing. 

This gave me space to have a quick wander round the stalls.  I got Gill a present... a box set of watercolours.  I avoided buying some tiramisu which looked very delicious. Then I got changed and on the way out was delighted to see a house martin nest in the porch of the village hall.

I got started just before midday, unicycling round, interacting with people, being foolish but clever.  At 2.30 I did a one-hour show, which went well,after which I did a few balloon models and oversaw workshops.  My taxi came at 4.50 and took me to Knaresborough... more good conversations with the driver.

When I got in to York, I walked to David's... and was accosted by Mark Wallis, who used to be Mr Yellow.  He's selling a large walking globe... did I want it?  I don't think so... transporting it is just one issue!

I got changed at David's and we went for a coffee and met up with a friend of his called Elizabeth, whom I rather liked too.

I walked back towards home with all my gear... and luckily there was a number 10 bus which took me up Hull Road for under £2.

I was exhausted but happy.  Helluvaday!

Friday 8th July 11

Quite an odd day.

I had arranged to do a children's party in the afternoon near Bishopthorpe, but when discussing this I realised I had a platelets donation appointment in the morning.  So what we agreed was that I'd cycle my kit to the venue and then walk over to the bus stop on Tadcaster Road, go to Leeds, donate platelets, come back, walk back to the other side of the Racecourse and then do the party.

Well it didn't work out quite as planned... I left home at about 9.15 and got to my client's house within 20 minutes.  There was no-one around, so I put my bike and trailer in the marquee in the garden and walked over to Tadcaster Road, which took about half an hour I think.  There was a bus stop near the top of Middlethorpe Drive, and I had less than 10 minutes to wait until the bus at 10.18.

Some nice Polish visitors on the bus, and we were soon in Seacroft where it was just starting to rain, but I got to the Blood Donor Centre before it tipped it down.  All went smoothly until the nurse put the needle into my vein to let the blood flow into the centrifuge, and it hurt a bit, which is unusual, as usually it's not uncomfortable at all.

The machine started doing it's pumping and whatnot... and when it got to the returning my blood minus platelets, the nurse noticed a bit of swelling around the needle area, and it became obvious that the pressure of the return had ruptured my vein and some blood was getting into my tissues.  It might have been that when the needle went in, the wall of the vein had got damaged, but impossible to say.  The procedure was stopped, amid sincere apologies.  I invited them to try the other arm but no, they didn't want to do that, or weren't allowed or something.

So I was given a leaflet about bruising and told to have a drink and sit down for a few minutes before leaving.  I was asked to come back in 8 weeks, which would give my arm plenty of time to recover.

Back to the bus, which came in 10 minutes, and I was soon back in York, £6 poorer and nothing to show on my donor record for it.  I walked back over the racecourse through the woods and arrived at the party venue soon after 1pm.  I had a bit to eat with the other guests and at 2 got changed so I could do my show at about 2.30, in the marquee in their garden.  We were lucky to have this, as a thunderstorm arrived, with heavy rain which was so loud on the roof that it was quite difficult to do the show at times. However, the 6 year old birthday boy and his friends all had a good time, and the adults enjoyed it too.

Whilst the cake was being 'done' I blew up plenty of balloons for the second show, which again went as expected, and was fun for all concerned.  Some lovely feedback from children and their parents at the end.  And a cheque from the lad's mother.

I changed and cycled off at about 4.30 and was back home exhausted by 5pm. I took all the circus gear off the trailer and put the bike away, and came in to relax for a while.  Gill microwaved a potato which I had with the last of the nutloaf.

I did an hour in the garden after this, chopping up some comfrey for putting on top of the soil in the planters of tomatoes in the conservatory.  I did a few other jobs too, before it got too dark to do any more.

And another late night, writing, chatting, sorting out my things for the weekend ahead.

Sunday 19th June 11

A good day, hardworking.  And an early start which I didn't appreciate much.  But I needed to get the 9.15 train over to Huddersfield, to get the 10.15 bus to Golcar, to be at Colne Valley Garden Centre before 11 to start work.

My role today was to be part of the Green Fair that the Garden Centre had put on.  We had agreed that I would do some Professor Fiddlesticks until 12.30, and then a talk on composting followed by lunch and then back to more Fiddlesticksing until 3pm.  Sounded like a good mix.

The public transport worked exactly as planned, and there was a very cute little baby I kept on making giggle, which passed the time.  I got to the venue with at least 15 minutes to spare. I was shown an area where I could work, in one of the undercover retail areas, and I asked to see the outdoor possibilities as it was quite a nice day weather-wise. The outdoor area was a bit further on than the greenhouses and covered area, and would have less 'footfall' so I opted for the under cover area, but asked if I could swap the facepainting area for mine, and I got a better 'stage' area.  The face painter, Julie, seemed happy with this.  I got changed and immediately there were families who wanted to try the devilsticks, or the 'four wheeled unicycle', diabolo or juggling.

So I had a pretty full-on time with hardly any breaks in the flow of children and their parents or grandparents, and I was surprised when Sami, my main handler, came in and told me it was almost 12.30.  Time flies when you're busy.

There were just 3 people wanting info on composting.  But this was good as I could deal with their concerns individually.

After this, Paddy, the Centre Manager, showed me the outdoor area again, which the company are developing.  He told me about the difficulty they'd had with a 'bottle digger', as the garden centre is on an old landfill.  However, they've built a pond and a kids play area, and have chickens, and are wondering about opening up the wood beyond as a nature trail or something.  I suggested that they might want to come and see St Nicks as that is also on a landfill and is now a nature reserve, and a wonderful community resource. He asked me to email him with details.

I had a quick chat with two chaps from Gardinia Windows, who are a Huddersfield company who have just started fitting photovoltaic panels.  They also had an ingenious display, a glass pyramid, with each side being a different sort of glass.  Inside was a pair of lamps, ones which gave out a substantial amount of heat.  One side was single glazed, and the glass was hot to the touch.  Then there was a pane of standard double glazing, which was a bit cooler.  I'm not sure what the third side was, but the fourth side was argon filled and the most energy efficient sort of double (maybe triple?) glazing, and it kept so much heat in it was quite cold to the touch.  I thought this was a really good way of showing the difference between the various sorts of glazing available.

I then got on with what I'd been contracted to do, and entertained more families and chatted to Julie the facepainter, as it was a bit quieter.  3pm soon came and I over-ran slightly, but the manager paid me, I got changed, bought a Sempervivum (houseleak) which I liked the look of and went to get the bus.  Julie chatted with me at the bus stop but she was heading down to the shops so she went there when I got onto the bus. 

The transport back was once again trouble free and I got back to York at about 5.15. 

A fairly nondescript evening followed, with washing up and getting bath water for our youngest, and a nice chat on facebook with Serena, one of the World Naked Bike Ride participants I've made friends with.  Happy John.

Friday 10th June 11

A day dominated by going to Leeds to donate platelets for the second time.

I had an appointment at 11.15 so I got down to the station for soon after 10 and there was a bus at 10.23, which got me to Seacroft Blood Donor Centre for 11.15.  I was on the platelet removal machine by 11.45 and in 61 minutes I donated 3 units of platelets.  Two minutes slower than last time but still much better than the average donation of two units in 70 minutes.  My count from last time was down on the count done when I gave blood and had it tested for platelets, where it was 165,000 per cubic millimetre, down to 135,000... but this is still much higher than the average of 200,000 to 250,000.  I wonder what it will be this time.  I'll only know when I return in July.

I came out of the building at 1pm carrying a bag of crisps and some biscuits, and wandered over to the bus stop.  I collected a load of aluminium cans, and then watched the bus go past.... I was 1 minute late, all for about 20p worth of cans.  Never mind, I had the crisps and biscuit and chatted to a nice chap, and waited just half an hour for the next bus.  I enjoyed reading my NewScientist.

When I got to York I collected my bike and popped in to the building society to put in my cheque from Middleton Park, and visited the bank to see if a cheque had cleared.   I visited Richard to collect compostables and he gave me 4 boxes full and a large pile of strawberries.  When I got home I spent some time on the computer and then in the garden sorting out the compost donation, chopping several tens of kilos of potatoes. 

I came in for a late tea, at about 7, and Gill had done a nice simple rice dish.

Amongst other things I washed about 5kg of strawberries and sorted out some nice ones, and bits of nice ones, and liquidised them with banana, to make a puree which I then wiped through the sieve to get rid of as many seeds as possible.  This filled two trays which I carefully put to dry, balanced on the stove.  Banana and Strawberry fruit leather here we come!

Up til after 3 doing this, washing up and finishing off my writing.

Friday 13th May 11

A bit of a frustrating day, blog-wise, as I was keen to send my Mass Observation post to the website recording the day, but Blogger was down all day, and had lost my post, and was just showing Wednesday's as the last one.  However, I got on with various other things.

One of the things was to get a sack of riddled compost for Kay, and to fill a sack of unriddled out of a compost bin of finished 'raw' compost for her, and load my trailer.

I got a reply from a freecycler saying yes to the microwave.  He'll collect tonight.

I had an early lunch  and at 1pm got going to Kay's in Holgate.  This delivery took a much shorter time than expected, and I arrived at the station to catch my bus at 1.45.... and my bus was 2.38.  But there was an earlier bus, which passed Seacroft Hospital so I caught that.

As I arrived in Leeds it started to rain heavily so on my  short walk to the blood donor centre, I got quite wet. They were happy to deal with me despite my being earlier than expected. I read the standard donor forms and signed the consent, then had another nurse explain about the platelet donation.  I was told that the normal range of platelets in blood was 150,000 to 400,000 per mm3, the average being 200,000 to 250,000.  My count was 370,000 which was why I'd been invited to donate.  Most people donate 2 units in a session lasting between an hour and 90 minutes, but they reckoned I'd be able to give 3 units. If they extract platelets from donated blood, they need 4 units of blood to make one unit of platelets.  They explained about the anticoagulant added to the blood, and the possible side effects.  I signed up to donate.

I was connected up to the machine and it started a cycle of extracting a volume of blood, passing it through a centrifuge to separate red blood cells from the plasma and platelets, and then returned the blood.  I was connected up for an hour, when the machine signalled I'd done... 3 units in 57 minutes.  The nurses were delighted.  They encouraged me to come back in a month.  Whilst having a cuppa afterwards, I got chatting to a chap called John who was an experienced platelet donor, and he lived in York so gave me a lift back to the Tadcaster Road between Tesco and the Cross Keys on St Helen's Road.  I walked into town, taking 20 minutes, and then cycled home, feeling good that I was a special platelet donor. Each time I donate, I'll get two points on my donor record, which so far is 26 units of blood plus today's two units of platelets.  Even though I gave three, I still only get two units on my donor card.

I got in sometime after 6pm and lit the stove, and Gill made me some tea.  The Freecycler collected the microwave.  I had a fairly relaxing evening.... blogger eventually came back and I was able to submit my Mass Observation post.  I didn't get to bed til after 2am.

Thursday 16th December 10

A busy morning, dealing with the arrangements for our youngest son's schooling. 

In preparation for today's event, Gill made a load of small quiches with goats milk and goats cheese, after I'd been out to buy the milk.  I grated cheese as we'd promised to bring that, and I collected together a bag of dried fruit together. 

The YorkDistrict Home Educators were gathering for a Christmas party at 1pm at Rawcliffe Pavilion in Clifton Moor.  This is really convenient for us, as it is less than 5 minutes walk from a bus stop on Rivelin Way, with the No. 6 bus, which also goes along Tang Hall Lane, which is 5 minutes from us.  The only disadvantage is that this journey with the No. 6 takes 50 minutes, winds it's way through Heworth, Layerthorpe, town, crosses the river, almost gets to the station before doubling back, crossing the river again, going past the hospital, through the Burton Stone Lane/ Burton Green area, and eventually gets to Rivelin Way. 

So I reckoned that if we left the house at about midday that would be about right, but there were major shenanigans and messing around, so I announced that I had got all the mini quiches, cheese and fruit and was ready, and went outside the front door, as I reckoned my presence inside wasn't helping my mental health OR that of any family member.  I stacked logs for half an hour whilst things calmed down and people got ready.  When the bus came, about 5 minutes after we got to the bus stop, I got a family Day Rover for £7.40.

We got to the event just after 1.30 and there were others still arriving.  Our eldest immediately found a group of boys his own age and was all smiles and laughter, it was so good to see.  Our youngest was determined not to enjoy any of the event and therefore didn't.  I enjoyed chatting to one of the other dads and a few mums, and helped by doing a short spot of 3 ball juggling workshop, and lots of clearing up at the end, taking 2 sacks of paper plates and food waste back home on the bus to put in the tumbler.  It was good to meet some other home educators, and although I'm only slowly coming to terms with this change in my life... and not really enjoying it, this event will have helped me move towards acceptance.

When we got back it was dark.  I lit both stoves as the house was cold.  Tea was yesterday's nutloaf and I made a sauce with the rems of the leek and potato soup and some dead pasta and cauliflower. It was delicious!

I kept myself to myself this evening, didn't interact with the children, thought it best not to, and just let them do as they wanted.  I fielded a phone call from Jonathan, a teacher at the Steiner School, about us coming to see the school and discussing our youngest going there.  I also had a crisis message from a friend who's an alcoholic and has an Aspergery boyfriend who had put the phone down on her as she'd admitted to having had a drink, which although he's a drinker himself, he disapproves of.  Complicated, and I'm not sure I was able to help much, but I did ring and listen, in case I was able to help.

Saturday 2nd October 10

A work day... but a different sort of work to my usual stuff.  I'd been booked by the Pickering Civic Society to help with their Eco Day, and talk about low carbon living and carbon footprints and the Credit Union.

So I got up soon after 7am and got myself to the station for just after 8, and waited for the bus which was timetabled to arrive at 8.22.  I met a gent who's a York Rotter and chatted with him in the queue, but when I got on the bus there was a single space on the front seat on the top deck, which was good.  I chatted to a nice woman from Leeds, Adele, who works at Jimmy's in the shop and was very pleasant.

I met Judy from the Civic Society when I was walking through Pickering, she was putting up notices about today's event.  I walked on to the Civic Hall where there were stalls from the Energy Saving Trust, including a driving simulator which gave a score about how energy efficient the driver was, a local school which is beginning to grow foodplants, compost and undertake other sustainability measures.  There was a permaculture stall and John Brown the Recycling Officer.  There were a couple of beekeepers, and Susan had brought some tree seedlings and insect hibernacula... plastic pipes and bottles with hollow plant stems, corrugated cardboard and straw in them, to provide overwinter shelter for insects such as lacewings and ladybirds.  There were also hot drinks and biscuits available.

My role was to chat to visitors and help the day flow.  I was able to talk with dozens of people about carbon footprints, diet, transport, peak oil, composting and quite a few other related subjects.  I also gave out quite a few Jack Edwards Pea Beans, in their pods.  I think Susan and Judy were happy with what I did.  I had a sandwich and a coffee for lunch when it quietened down but was busy from 10am til 2.45, when I said my goodbyes and walked back to the bus stop and soon the bus took me back to Malton, and a change of bus to get back to York.

I was glad to get on my bike and go home, via Country Fresh who loaded me up with compostable resources.

So, a good day, and although I'm not sure, I think there will be a cheque in the post.

Thursday 19th August 10

The forecast was rain but later in the day, so before it started I went to find a bit of firewood for later, as I anticipated needing the stove. Gill rang George and Rhona and discussed whether to meet up at Plantasia in Swansea today, but George said it was expensive and good for younger children, and the Waterside Museum was better and free. He offered to come and collect us, Gill couldn't persuade him to let us get the bus in. So he dropped Rhona off at a cafe in the Marina area, and came to pick us up.

When we got into Swansea he parked near the new and controversial tower block ... which I quite like and find attractive... and we walked past this and looked at the bay, and then walked quite a long way around the Marina, past the statue of Dylan Thomas and into the Waterfront Museum where Rhona was waiting.

Due to our long walk it was after 12.30 and some of the group were hungry, so we had lunch here, then had a leisurely wander around. It is an excellent museum; I could have spent much longer here but some of the group were ready to move on. But it was now raining, so George took us to the Leisure Centre where there is a good swimming pool, flume, water slide, river ride and much much more. We went to the viewing area and watched... but neither of the boys wanted to be bought swimming trunks and get into the pool so we just watched for a few minutes.

It was still raining hard but we needed to get back. Gill had seen George and Rhona talking about how to get us home, as George's car only had space for four passengers. But we said it would be perfectly easy for us to catch a bus back to Mumbles, and this is what we did. We got a purple FTR bendybus as far as Brynmill Lane and then, our luck was in, the 2B to Limeslade came in just 2 minutes later! We'd got a family day rover for £8 and this got us all the way to the stop really near to our house, with no hill-walking needed. I lit the stove as soon as I came in and dried off a bit, then took the umbrella and walked down into Mumbles for bread, milk, potatoes, baked beans, mushrooms and chocolate.

I got back extremely damp but with all the provisions and peeled potatoes whilst Gill did a mix of onion, green bean, courgette, mushroom and baked beans, and then the boiled spuds were mashed and plonked on top.... a very filling and wholesome nosh.

We watched a DVD of Toy Story, the first one, which I'd not seen before... it was great!

Then we watched a programme about the wildlife of the Himalayas and then another hour of archaeology. Whilst this was doing, I decided to do the washing up without the use of fossil gas, and put two saucepans of water on the woodstove, and when they were hot, poured them over today's plates, bowls and cutlery. I refilled the saucepans and got another batch of 'carbon neutral' hot water to pour over, and this meant I was able to do an 'ethical' wash up.

Saturday 14th August 10

An early start, as we had to leave the house at 8.30 because we were booked into the 9.05 Shrewsbury to Swansea train. This four hour journey was definitely part of the holiday... we could have chosen a quicker route, but it wouldn't have been as pretty or interesting. It was a lovely journey, lots of beautiful scenery, trees, mountains with clouds on their tops, valleys with livestock and interesting homes, farmsteads and rivers. The boys filled in a Michelin Eye-Spy book and I wrote down as many of the station names that I could. We had lunch at midday, sandwiches made this morning.

Then we were next to the South Wales estuary and then a steelworks. The train changed direction at the next station and we crossed the estuary and were soon in Swansea.

We had a bit of an argument about how to get to Mumbles... I wanted to get a bus but the others wanted to get a taxi. I found out where the bus was due to go from and we walked there, it was only about 7 minutes walk, and a bus came along immediately. There was some good humoured conversation amongst the locals and myself, but the boys weren't feeling like it. I found out that the taxi would have been about £17; the bus was £7. A helpful lady on the bus showed us where to get off and how to get to the 'Home From Home' office... we arrived at 2pm and it was due to open at 2.30 to let people get their keys. Gill and the boys went to find an ice cream, and I chatted to another early arriver, a nice old lady called Sue, from Northamptonshire, who was collecting a key for a house for her two daughters, and some grandchildren.

Gill and the boys came back, bearing 'BoojaBooja' ice cream (vegan) and much happier. I got the keys and directions to the house, which was down to the seafront, turn right and then third on the right, and back up the hill... about 10 minutes walk. We did eventually get to the house, on Bryn Terrace, and at the top of a steep hill. The house is apparently called Cymylau, which means 'clouds', an apt name when you look out of the window.

After an hour recuperating, we left the children playing with their Nintendo DSes and we went to the Co-op at the bottom of the hill, and got a rucksack full of provisions, plus several bags... including two little bottles of Welsh cider and two of Welsh Perry! That should be ample til next Friday.

I helped Gill make tea: pasta and veg, including the tromboncino squash from home. I then went for a walk which was lovely. I found a good place for some sticks for the stove (cold wet day forecast on Tuesday) and took some photos of the evening sun on towering clouds. I got back at 9pm.

Tuesday 3rd August 10

Slept much better as there was no cockerel at 3am and again at 5. And my position on the edge of the inflatable mattress was better than being sandwiched between my sons too.

I got up at 8 and started getting stuff together to go home... with a coffee offered from Mary and a visit up the field to give out balloon models as promised last night to about half a dozen children.

Eventually my two were up and breakfasted and we got the tent sorted and into its bag. We got the 11.02 bus back... we were the first on and therefore got the top deck front seats, the best view and a real treat.

We got into York slightly late, at about 12.25, and there was a number 10 bus home at 12.54, so I gave the boys the bus fare and went to get my bike, and then waited til the bus came and they got on and got their tickets, I then cycled home, and of course got home well before them. Gill met them at the bus stop and they reported having had a good time, thank goodness!

I had lunch and a couple of hours dealing with emails and catching up with the blog... and then went out to see Richard at Country Fresh, and when I came back I had a peaceful hour in the garden dealing with the result of this visit.

I picked a courgette and took it round to Debbie but she wasn't in, but I left it for her. I found a load of electrical flex in a skip so I brought that home to recycle the copper.

Gill bought a pizza for tea and had some veggie sausages in the freezer which needed using so we had those plus potato salad with home grown cucumber.

I had a fairly sedentary evening, lit the stove so I could get freshened up for tomorrow as I'm working. I looked up bioluminescent wood and it is colloquially known as foxfire. It is indeed caused by growing mushroom mycelium, although it isn't known what purpose, if any, it serves.