Up early as had an outstanding job to do, to take the cooked cherries and separate the flesh from the stones. I decided to try to do it using a sieve and wooden spoon. This meant I got a good lot of cherry juice and some solids, and some flash/stone mix, the stones I extracted manually when I became aware of them, but I didn't have time to remove all of the stones. I froze an ice-cream tub full of cherry juice and a bag of flesh with a few stones left in it. Obviously the pile of extracted stones will get composted.
By this time it was midday and I'm due to go to Manchester because tomorrow I'm at the wonderful Disability Awareness Day.
So, time to go offline and get my Fiddlesticks kit together and get down to the station!!!
I got to the station with all my clobber in the trailer and bought a ticket to Stockport. I got a train in about 5 minutes... lucky!
Met a nice granny on the way over to Huddersfield, and after that read my NewScientist and was soon in Manchester Victoria. Headed straight over to Night and Day, was pleased to see Sean, Swin, Laura and Colin, Robert, and later Simon and Ian arrived. I had a mocha and enjoyed chatting.
People started drifting away at 5 so I went back to Piccadilly with Colin, Laura getting a ride on his wheelchair. I then took the train out to Stockport, where Janie said she'd meet me. I was very pleased to see her again, it's been a long time. Her son was waiting at home and it was good to see him too; we get on well. Her older son and husband Mark were in Cardiff, supposed to be having a game of blind cricket, but they'd got there and it had been rained off.
I had a bowl of soup, really nice carrot and borlotti bean, and then, helped by the younger son, cut their hedge with the electric hedge trimmers. Janie finds this quite difficult as the machine is a bit unwieldy, and Mark finds it a bit difficult as he's blind. So I was happy to do it for them.
Janie went to the station to pick up Mark and their eldest, and when we'd settled down for half an hour, Janie and I walked into Marple to get some drinks. On the way back I suggested looking in a supermarket bin... and there were large numbers of packets of frozen fish fillets and breaded chicken fingers. We filled Janie's bag with enough to fill her freezer. I love being a Freegan, even if it's not the sort of stuff I eat! Miles better than landfill....
So, then had 2 bottles of pear cider and some good chats with Mark and family, and relatively early to bed, and was able to borrow a desktop computer to do my blog and play a bit of Scrabble before sleeping.
Showing posts with label Janie and Mark. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Janie and Mark. Show all posts
Saturday, 9 July 2011
Monday, 26 July 2010
Monday 26th July 10
A bit of a rude awakening as I'd promised a Freecycler to have a skip-salvaged CD ready for her when she called at 8.15 this morning.... but I hadn't got it ready.... so when she arrived, Gill woke me up and asked me where it was. I knew exactly where it was, and came down and retrieved it.
I had breakfast and did a bit on the computer, but at 10ish I gathered some bags of riddled compost together as Caroline had asked me to supply 8 carrier bags full, and I'd agreed to deliver as I was heading for the station this morning. So that was my first stop, and she was generous with £20 for 8 bags.
My next appointment was with the 11.35 from Manchester; Janie was visiting, and I suggested she bring her bike so we could explore more easily. We cycled through the city and ended up at St Nicks which I think was a bit of a revelation for her, and it was good to see Jean at work on her 'square foot garden' and to show Janie the different foodplants growing there. Then home and Janie met Gill and the boys, and then helped me down the garden, mainly doing some riddling of several sacks of compost. But although I could have spent all day down the garden, I thought that Janie might get bored, and anyway, I wanted to show her Country Fresh and Alligator before they closed. So after a coffee we set off to visit these two shops, and I had a laugh with Shirley at the first place and then Cherry at Alligator. Cherry recounted an old tale of her as a child tormenting me at the Buddhist Centre, nicking my circus equipment and winding me up. Funny, I don't remember, I find that the majority of children are perfectly OK, and I think I deal with them without getting too worked up!
Anyway, we wheeled down to the Millennium Bridge and stopped a while there in the rain, but then headed for the Cafe in Rowntree Park and sheltered there for a bit, chatting.
Then it was time to go to the station and send her back to Manchester..... what a nice friendly day, good to spend this time with her.
I came home and cooked a home-grown courgette and a thrown away pepper to have with a pastie Gill had bought for my tea.
I had breakfast and did a bit on the computer, but at 10ish I gathered some bags of riddled compost together as Caroline had asked me to supply 8 carrier bags full, and I'd agreed to deliver as I was heading for the station this morning. So that was my first stop, and she was generous with £20 for 8 bags.
My next appointment was with the 11.35 from Manchester; Janie was visiting, and I suggested she bring her bike so we could explore more easily. We cycled through the city and ended up at St Nicks which I think was a bit of a revelation for her, and it was good to see Jean at work on her 'square foot garden' and to show Janie the different foodplants growing there. Then home and Janie met Gill and the boys, and then helped me down the garden, mainly doing some riddling of several sacks of compost. But although I could have spent all day down the garden, I thought that Janie might get bored, and anyway, I wanted to show her Country Fresh and Alligator before they closed. So after a coffee we set off to visit these two shops, and I had a laugh with Shirley at the first place and then Cherry at Alligator. Cherry recounted an old tale of her as a child tormenting me at the Buddhist Centre, nicking my circus equipment and winding me up. Funny, I don't remember, I find that the majority of children are perfectly OK, and I think I deal with them without getting too worked up!
Anyway, we wheeled down to the Millennium Bridge and stopped a while there in the rain, but then headed for the Cafe in Rowntree Park and sheltered there for a bit, chatting.
Then it was time to go to the station and send her back to Manchester..... what a nice friendly day, good to spend this time with her.
I came home and cooked a home-grown courgette and a thrown away pepper to have with a pastie Gill had bought for my tea.
Sunday, 11 July 2010
Sunday 11th July 10 Disability Awareness Day
One of my favourite events of the entertaining year today, the fantastic DAD at Walton Hall Gardens near Warrington.
I had as close to a usual breakfast as can be had in someone else's house; Janie had even gone out of her way to get soya milk, and there were a good mix of cereals to start me off for a very long day. I was really pleased that all the family decided to come to DAD; Janie drove and Mark and the boys went in the back... with me with my chunky plastic foot sitting in the front. We got to the site just in time, just before the 9.30 cut-off time to go and park in the performers car park at the back of Walton Hall.
I showed them where I was working, in the Arts Marquee, and dumped my equipment and costume and walked down with them to the pedestrian entrance where we picked up a programme which has a map and list of exhibitors and attractions. Then I got back to the Arts Marquee and got changed and launched into a 10am til 5pm shift.... devilsticking, teaching diabolo, encouraging timid kids to try the yoyo balls, showing teenagers how to juggle, letting people try the four wheel and two wheel unicycle, and I got through nearly 100 balloons too. Laura turned up.... I met her at DAD last year and we've been in regular contact ever since. Now she's got her own flower stick (like a devilstick but with tassels on each end) and a twirling staff.
My hosts had a good time too... the best news that I heard was that Mark had somehow got himself involved in a blind cricket match, where the ball is identified with sound... and he turned out to be really good at it, and got invited to join the team. Apparently they train fairly near Stockport and this is a fantastic opportunity. I look forward to hearing updates! Well done Mark!!!
I hope the lads had a good time too, although I didn't get much feedback from them, although both of them did some circus stuff. Oh and Janie is now a juggler too.... she can do a pretty good 3-ball cascade of at least 6 throws in a row, which I was very pleased with.
5pm came and I packed up to go... and Laura invited me to have something to eat before I caught the train home. So we walked down towards the free bus, but stopped to talk to the people who are campaigning for Walton Hall not to be sold to be converted into a posh hotel by the council. This decision would mean that the Gardens around the Hall would be much less likely to be used for events like DAD. If you want this area to remain in public use, please check this website and sign the petition and join this facebook group.
The free bus queue was entertaining but we were soon at the bus station, quite close to a Chinese 'all you can eat for £8.50' restaurant, where we both had a good selection of things. It was lovely to spend this time with Laura, and then at the station afterwards waiting for my train. I feel very lucky to have her as a friend as she is a totally unique and fun individual, wacky sense of humour, very caring, never short of something to say.... hey, a bit like me really!!!
My train came and it was a fairly uneventful journey apart from chatting with Jo, trainee accountant from Leeds, wearing a 10:10 round her neck, which sparked some conversation.
But soon back in York, and home by 10ish.... glad to see my lovely family who had been in the Treasurers House garden watching our youngest perform in a play connected with the Mystery Plays.
Later, I watched 'Bend it like Beckham' on the BBC which is a really good film.
I had as close to a usual breakfast as can be had in someone else's house; Janie had even gone out of her way to get soya milk, and there were a good mix of cereals to start me off for a very long day. I was really pleased that all the family decided to come to DAD; Janie drove and Mark and the boys went in the back... with me with my chunky plastic foot sitting in the front. We got to the site just in time, just before the 9.30 cut-off time to go and park in the performers car park at the back of Walton Hall.
I showed them where I was working, in the Arts Marquee, and dumped my equipment and costume and walked down with them to the pedestrian entrance where we picked up a programme which has a map and list of exhibitors and attractions. Then I got back to the Arts Marquee and got changed and launched into a 10am til 5pm shift.... devilsticking, teaching diabolo, encouraging timid kids to try the yoyo balls, showing teenagers how to juggle, letting people try the four wheel and two wheel unicycle, and I got through nearly 100 balloons too. Laura turned up.... I met her at DAD last year and we've been in regular contact ever since. Now she's got her own flower stick (like a devilstick but with tassels on each end) and a twirling staff.
My hosts had a good time too... the best news that I heard was that Mark had somehow got himself involved in a blind cricket match, where the ball is identified with sound... and he turned out to be really good at it, and got invited to join the team. Apparently they train fairly near Stockport and this is a fantastic opportunity. I look forward to hearing updates! Well done Mark!!!
I hope the lads had a good time too, although I didn't get much feedback from them, although both of them did some circus stuff. Oh and Janie is now a juggler too.... she can do a pretty good 3-ball cascade of at least 6 throws in a row, which I was very pleased with.
5pm came and I packed up to go... and Laura invited me to have something to eat before I caught the train home. So we walked down towards the free bus, but stopped to talk to the people who are campaigning for Walton Hall not to be sold to be converted into a posh hotel by the council. This decision would mean that the Gardens around the Hall would be much less likely to be used for events like DAD. If you want this area to remain in public use, please check this website and sign the petition and join this facebook group.
The free bus queue was entertaining but we were soon at the bus station, quite close to a Chinese 'all you can eat for £8.50' restaurant, where we both had a good selection of things. It was lovely to spend this time with Laura, and then at the station afterwards waiting for my train. I feel very lucky to have her as a friend as she is a totally unique and fun individual, wacky sense of humour, very caring, never short of something to say.... hey, a bit like me really!!!
My train came and it was a fairly uneventful journey apart from chatting with Jo, trainee accountant from Leeds, wearing a 10:10 round her neck, which sparked some conversation.
But soon back in York, and home by 10ish.... glad to see my lovely family who had been in the Treasurers House garden watching our youngest perform in a play connected with the Mystery Plays.
Later, I watched 'Bend it like Beckham' on the BBC which is a really good film.
Saturday, 10 July 2010
Saturday 10th July 10
Busy day.... up at 8am to get 10 sacks of compost down to the Barbican Edible York raised beds. I took the first 5 down and then continued into town to refill the Suma account as we've got a delivery next week and we'll have to pay the driver a cheque.
I popped into Country Fresh and Freshways on the way back and then took that lot down the garden and collected the next 5 sacks, and took them down. Lots of cycling!
Back at 11.45 to get ready to go to Manchester where I'm meeting with friends and then staying with Mark and Janie before going to DAD on Sunday.
The train journey was uneventful and quick, and I met Laura in the station, and in Cafe Nero we met Nomi and Jess, Ian, Amy, Simon (his birthday), Fiona, Katie popped in... and out, and in again, and there were others who's names I have forgotten or didn't learn. Then at 5ish I got a train to Stockport and Janie picked me up and we drove to Marple. It was good to meet Mark her husband again, and their two sons whom I get on well with, and it was interesting coping with their two overenthusiastic dogs.
As it was a nice evening I helped cut their front hedge, using a, electric hedge trimmer for the first time I think. Fun!
Tea was nice, pasta and veg stew, and as darkness fell we had a bit of juggling fun.
Later when the boys were in bed, I showed Janie some assorted videos including the Ethical Man ones that I am on.
I popped into Country Fresh and Freshways on the way back and then took that lot down the garden and collected the next 5 sacks, and took them down. Lots of cycling!
Back at 11.45 to get ready to go to Manchester where I'm meeting with friends and then staying with Mark and Janie before going to DAD on Sunday.
The train journey was uneventful and quick, and I met Laura in the station, and in Cafe Nero we met Nomi and Jess, Ian, Amy, Simon (his birthday), Fiona, Katie popped in... and out, and in again, and there were others who's names I have forgotten or didn't learn. Then at 5ish I got a train to Stockport and Janie picked me up and we drove to Marple. It was good to meet Mark her husband again, and their two sons whom I get on well with, and it was interesting coping with their two overenthusiastic dogs.
As it was a nice evening I helped cut their front hedge, using a, electric hedge trimmer for the first time I think. Fun!
Tea was nice, pasta and veg stew, and as darkness fell we had a bit of juggling fun.
Later when the boys were in bed, I showed Janie some assorted videos including the Ethical Man ones that I am on.
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