Wednesday 9th March 11

Well, a sort-of nothingy day really, Hector arrived at about 11am as agreed, to finish off the plumbing job and to sort out the drawer-front which now no longer has a drawer, as the sink is a different shape to the previous one, and the drawer doesn't fit.  But there's still lots of storage space in the cabinet.

Hector took a couple of hours to finish the last bits, and we sorted out the payment.  He charges £7.50 plus Y7.50 an hour, or if a non-LETS member, £15 an hour.  He'd be happy to hear from York people if there's a plumbing, decorating or woodworking job you need doing; ring 01904 427483 or email him.

Whilst Hector was doing this, I got a message from Edible York about the cubic metre of compost I've put together, which will be collected on Sunday.  The message asked about a further 15 sacks to put in the Barbican bed, suggesting that riddled would be a good idea.  There was a query about the cost of the approx 20kg sacks, so I had a search around the internet for prices, and did some weighing of my compost.  I found that a litre of freshly riddled compost, ie quite fluffed up, weighs 500g, therefore a kilo is about 2 litres.  I think that compost from the bottom of the heap is probably a bit more dense and as less air-spaces in it, so might be 600g per litre, or a bit more.  The weight will also depend on how wet the compost is.  The sample I used was just moist.  So the approx 20kg sacks contain approximately 40 litres.  I sell the sacks for between £3 and £6, which is similar to some of the commercial compost prices.  My riddled compost, in 4kg carrier bags, is available for a suggested donation of £1 to £3, at Country Fresh, or I'm happy to deliver.

So then it was lunch and I got 11 carrier bags of riddled compost ready to take down to Country Fresh, 8 in the trailer, one in each pannier and one on the rack.  I cycled back with 3 sacks of compost-to-be.

When I came back, I went round to Jamie's round the corner, and collected another 3 trailer-loads of logs.... mainly very dry softwood, in lengths up to a metre.  So, to date, I've had 8 bike-loads and a wheelbarrow full.  There is more to come!

For tea I had the reheated pasta not used yesterday, and then at 7 I set out for the 3 Legged Mare where Green Drinks was due to happen.  Jennie and Tom were there, and then one other person appeared.  I was about to go at about 8.30 when Jane McWeeny arrived, and had posters for the Last Chance Saloon Band Ceilidh, on Sunday 20th March at the Tramways Club on Mill Street. (contact me if you want t a ticket!)

I got back at 9ish and had a quiet evening from then on in...

Tuesday 8th March 11

A good day as a lot got done.  Gill took our youngest into school in a taxi, and I got up as Hector was due to arrive at 10am to replace our sink and to put up a shelf.

I've met Hector through YorkLETS, I supplied a couple of bags of compost to Bronwen his wife, and saw that Hector did all sorts of jobs, including plumbing and joinery, for half Yorkys and half Sterling.  So we booked him to come and install the Freecycled stainless steel sink and drainer, and put up a shelf as we desperately need more storage space in the tiny kitchen.  We do such a lot of cooking and food preparation, this kitchen just isn't really suitable.  But there's not much we can do... and another shelf is a good move.

Once he'd got the old sink off, he could tell that the new sink fitted the hole -just - and that he needed some silicone sealant, some pipework to put the half-sink bowl (where a macerator could go) to attach it to the U bend, and brackets to hold the shelf up.  So I went to B+Q, and eventually got everything I was looking for.  I found a large plank in the garage, something I'd salvaged a long time ago, and Hector cut it down  to the right length, and it's now up over the top of the gap which connects the kitchen to the living room, the missing wall which is partly responsible for the lack of storage space.

Gill went to town with our eldest after lunch, to eventually pick up our youngest.  They went to Barnitts for something. I stayed in until Hector had finished, and then got my 30 sacks of compost up to the front, where I piled them all into a builders 'dumpy' sack, which holds a cubic metre.  The 30 sacks take up more than that volume.  They'll be collected on Saturday when I'm away, and used for Edible York's raised beds.  I emailed Chloe to ask if she wants the other 20 sacks brought to the front too.  They are destined for the Barbican beds, whereas the 30 sacks will go to Peasholme Green.

That took quite a while, but I also riddled a large pile of mature fine compost and got 11 carrier bags of sieved or 'graded' compost together.  This will mostly go down to Country Fresh.  I might offer some to Freshways too.

I really enjoyed washing up tonight.  The new sink is a bit of a novelty, and isn't fully plumbed in yet... Hector is back for an hour or two tomorrow.  But I like our nice shiny new-to-us sink.