Quite an early start as although my work in Leeds starts at midday, the train times mean I had to leave on the 10.11 train. And before this, I had to deliver the pumpkin soup to St Nicks.
So, I was up before 8 and had a shower and hair wash, Gill made my sandwiches and ironed my costume, I breakfasted and packed, loaded the bike. Gill was worried about my taking the preserving pan of soup on my bike, but it was quite easy and I got it to St Nicks un-spilled and with the loose-fitting lid still on. Catherine, our head Rotter, was pleased to see this.
Then onto the station and got my day return to Cross Gates. Once there, it was a 15 minute walk up a hill to the Church hall where Swiis Foster Care were having a half-term fun day, with about 20 children and the same number of adults invited. I arrived an hour early, as the next train of the day would have meant me getting there only minutes before being due to start, so I got the earlier train and had an hour to wait. However, there was an aerobics class going on so I sat quietly at the back and half-read, half watched this... I've never seen anything like it!
They finished at 11.30 and I got set up, got changed and the guests and organisers started to arrive. One of the staff, Gael, is a friend of mine from the Northern Green Gathering, and it was lovely to see her again. I was glad to be in costume to welcome the children, and I played throw/catch with my juggling balls, although one got lost. At 12.15 I started my show, and they were obviously completely un-used to live interactive entertainment. But quite soon I had nearly all of the children and a couple of the adults up and doing things, and the show lasted just over an hour.
As usual, whilst they were eating, I inflated a unicycle-wheel full of modelling balloons and then got everybody, including all the adults, having an attempt at making balloon animals. Lots of fun, finishing just before 3pm.
Got changed, got paid, got back to Cross Gates where I finished my NewScientist and was back in York for 4.20. Home via Country Fresh, where Martin had got me God knows how much unsold stock... I was only able to take two boxes of it on my pannier rack as my trailer was full of unicycles and juggling equipment.
I had a quick tea as soon as I got back, the boys were finishing theirs prior to going out to the St Nicks Pumpkin evening. I took my big pumpkin down, to enter it into the giant pumpkin competition, despite it being not much bigger than a human head. I decided to go via Country Fresh and picked up two sacks full of compostables and a big tray of grapes in punnets, each punnet having some mouldy grapes in, but, crucially, some good ones too! I left them in the punnets... and went to St Nicks and arrived at the same time as Gill and the boys who had walked down.
The pumpkin evening was very well attended, with quite a few folks I knew, including Jeremy Piercy, Jim and family, and Robin, to name but a few. My boys both carved a pumpkin, I had mine weighed and it was 24 lbs, and the biggest of three entrants! It looked like my medium pumpkin was the winner of the Giant Pumpkin Competition! Unfortunately, when the judge of the pumpkin carving arrived, Anneliese, and she chose her first, second and third from three age categories, neither of my boys won anything... but I won a new model of wormery called a Worm Cafe, see this (silent) video about how to use it! I was amazed.. I really hadn't thought I'd win. And it's worth close on £100! I balanced it precariously on top of the sacks of compostables and walked home with my family.
A quiet evening, slicing apples and sorting and blanching grapes. More raisins in a few days!
Showing posts with label Jeremy Piercy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jeremy Piercy. Show all posts
Wednesday, 28 October 2009
Tuesday, 29 April 2008
Tuesday 29th April 08
Woken by shouting, what a pity. However, I plodded down and quietly and sleepily went to sit down between the warring parties which did the trick... I didn't have to say anything or do anything connected to the previous behaviour, just a 'good morning darlings' and the aggression subsided and Gill was able to take them into school. I got ready to go and meet Pippa down the road to give her a tour of York.
When I got to the BnB Pips showed me some pictures of her trip to Morocco, on a so-called 'eco tourism' visit. It did look pleasant, but of course she flew there and back, and I've come to regard this kind of thing as a bit indulgent, whether it is 'eco-tourism' or otherwise. However, I don't judge my friends on their behaviour, as I like them for more than their lifestyle choices. I was glad to walk with her to the station with her suitcase in my trailer where she put the suitcase in storage for the day.
We walked into town and I parked my bike in St Helen's Square and locked it up. We then walked down to the Spurriergate Centre where she'd bought a card yesterday but then found it had a religious text in, and they were good enough to allow her to exchange it for a secular one.
Then a wander up to Barley Hall through the little alleyways, and had a look around that which was good in the daylight as I mainly see it at night when I've been working there as 'Jester Jigglesticks'. When we were walking down Stonegate, met Jenny my AVP friend, with one of her friends who was also receiving a personalised tour of York. Jenny suggested that we ought to go to Marks and Spencer on Parliament St, and go to the top floor 'Menswear Department' as there was a fantastic view over the roofs to the Minster. So true, one of the best views in York I think!
From there to The Shambles, Whip-Ma-Whop-Ma-Gate, the charity shop where my friends Debbie and Rosalind work, Barnitts (Pippa likes shopping so I thought she ought to see Barnitts!) and then up Petergate to Bootham Bar and onto Gillygate to go and see Dylan at Millers Yard Positive Living Centre (more than a Healthy Living Centre!) and then a quick pop into the Minster and Shared Earth, and then sat down to eat a pastie for lunch. Finally, a visit to the Guildhall where there was a door open I hadn't seen before, and it led to a tunnel under the Guildhall to the River Ouse... a bit of a treat for me too as I hadn't been down there before.
Then we said our goodbyes and I cycled home as I had a date with the pre-schoolers who were about to have a session with worms!
I collected several different types of worms from the garden, plus some other beasties including slugs, centipedes, millipedes and beetle larvae. I took these into the school and had a fascinated and captive audience for 45 minutes, including putting together a Wiggly Wigglers wormery which lets the children see how worms mix up layers of soil. Very satisfying to enthuse 4 and 5 year olds in the most important subject there is, viz respecting the Planet and all life on it.
I brought the boys home and we had a very quiet evening. Later in the evening I was on the computer and a friend from my teen years contacted me and told me how important I'd been in her rather troubled life, it was lovely to catch up and to hear how my friendship had been so important.. very moving.
When I got to the BnB Pips showed me some pictures of her trip to Morocco, on a so-called 'eco tourism' visit. It did look pleasant, but of course she flew there and back, and I've come to regard this kind of thing as a bit indulgent, whether it is 'eco-tourism' or otherwise. However, I don't judge my friends on their behaviour, as I like them for more than their lifestyle choices. I was glad to walk with her to the station with her suitcase in my trailer where she put the suitcase in storage for the day.
We walked into town and I parked my bike in St Helen's Square and locked it up. We then walked down to the Spurriergate Centre where she'd bought a card yesterday but then found it had a religious text in, and they were good enough to allow her to exchange it for a secular one.
Then a wander up to Barley Hall through the little alleyways, and had a look around that which was good in the daylight as I mainly see it at night when I've been working there as 'Jester Jigglesticks'. When we were walking down Stonegate, met Jenny my AVP friend, with one of her friends who was also receiving a personalised tour of York. Jenny suggested that we ought to go to Marks and Spencer on Parliament St, and go to the top floor 'Menswear Department' as there was a fantastic view over the roofs to the Minster. So true, one of the best views in York I think!
From there to The Shambles, Whip-Ma-Whop-Ma-Gate, the charity shop where my friends Debbie and Rosalind work, Barnitts (Pippa likes shopping so I thought she ought to see Barnitts!) and then up Petergate to Bootham Bar and onto Gillygate to go and see Dylan at Millers Yard Positive Living Centre (more than a Healthy Living Centre!) and then a quick pop into the Minster and Shared Earth, and then sat down to eat a pastie for lunch. Finally, a visit to the Guildhall where there was a door open I hadn't seen before, and it led to a tunnel under the Guildhall to the River Ouse... a bit of a treat for me too as I hadn't been down there before.
Then we said our goodbyes and I cycled home as I had a date with the pre-schoolers who were about to have a session with worms!
I collected several different types of worms from the garden, plus some other beasties including slugs, centipedes, millipedes and beetle larvae. I took these into the school and had a fascinated and captive audience for 45 minutes, including putting together a Wiggly Wigglers wormery which lets the children see how worms mix up layers of soil. Very satisfying to enthuse 4 and 5 year olds in the most important subject there is, viz respecting the Planet and all life on it.
I brought the boys home and we had a very quiet evening. Later in the evening I was on the computer and a friend from my teen years contacted me and told me how important I'd been in her rather troubled life, it was lovely to catch up and to hear how my friendship had been so important.. very moving.
Tuesday, 24 April 2007
Monday 23rd April 07
A fairly normal morning for me, got up before the kids were taken to school by Gill, I had breakfast whilst she was out and then tempted her back to bed when she came back. Lucky we have the time to do this... But I had a lot going through my mind and got up soon and started writing my 'Community Care' blog, on paper first. I've been told to get it in by Weds as the new-look magazine is published on Thursday and the blog goes with my first column, in this issue.
But it's also Monday, my compost collection day, so I broke off my writing to cycle down to town and visit Out Of This World and had a nice chat with Marianne the manager, whom I'm trying to persuade to visit my composting operations some day. Also popped in on the Coop Bank for cash and Boots for my asthma medication refills. I've had asthma since childhood and it's now totally managed, so well I wouldn't know I have it... unless I stop the twice daily puffer when it gradually makes itself known again.
In York, wheeling bike and well-loaded trailer along, I met Jeremy Piercy who when I first met him in 1987 when I moved to York had just opened a shop in Goodramgate called Fairer World. Within a few years it had changed its name to Shared Earth and is now in Minster Gates/High Petergate, and he has another 6 branches all over the place. He is passionate about Fair Trade and his shops support quite a few communities in far-flung places. He told me of his plan to do a walk through Britain next summer promoting Fair Trade, and asked if I might be interested in helping with the cyclist-with-luggage bit of the walk. He also wants publicity, I said I might be able to assist.
As it was gently raining I didn't go and plant the potatoes, which urgently need planting, but got on with my blog preparations. Enjoyed my big pile of sandwiches for lunch and got on with writing. An interuption from David the Freecycler and Vicky his friend, who have given us a couple of redcurrant bushes and returned the trowel they borrowed. Vicky wanted to see the garden so that took a half-hour out of my afternoon, but didn't mind as she was delightful and interested, and if a tour of the garden might inspire someone else to grow their own or compost their wastes, then it's worth it.
Collected the kiddies at 3 and then got on with some various activities before being fed cauliflower, carrot, out-of-date tofu sea cakes and an experimental savoury pancake made from potato flour. I like experimental!
After tea spent under one hour typing in my Community Care blog before going out to the second CRAG meeting. This is either Carbon Rationing Action Group or Carbon Reduction Action Group, apparently there's been some debate about it on a CRAG discussion forum. a good meeting, about our mission statement and aims, and some other bits and bobs.
Had two pints of Strongbow with 'lemonade top' as it isn't sweet enough for my liking without it, and the meeting was jolly and good natured and ended late.
Home in time for..... blogging!
But it's also Monday, my compost collection day, so I broke off my writing to cycle down to town and visit Out Of This World and had a nice chat with Marianne the manager, whom I'm trying to persuade to visit my composting operations some day. Also popped in on the Coop Bank for cash and Boots for my asthma medication refills. I've had asthma since childhood and it's now totally managed, so well I wouldn't know I have it... unless I stop the twice daily puffer when it gradually makes itself known again.
In York, wheeling bike and well-loaded trailer along, I met Jeremy Piercy who when I first met him in 1987 when I moved to York had just opened a shop in Goodramgate called Fairer World. Within a few years it had changed its name to Shared Earth and is now in Minster Gates/High Petergate, and he has another 6 branches all over the place. He is passionate about Fair Trade and his shops support quite a few communities in far-flung places. He told me of his plan to do a walk through Britain next summer promoting Fair Trade, and asked if I might be interested in helping with the cyclist-with-luggage bit of the walk. He also wants publicity, I said I might be able to assist.
As it was gently raining I didn't go and plant the potatoes, which urgently need planting, but got on with my blog preparations. Enjoyed my big pile of sandwiches for lunch and got on with writing. An interuption from David the Freecycler and Vicky his friend, who have given us a couple of redcurrant bushes and returned the trowel they borrowed. Vicky wanted to see the garden so that took a half-hour out of my afternoon, but didn't mind as she was delightful and interested, and if a tour of the garden might inspire someone else to grow their own or compost their wastes, then it's worth it.
Collected the kiddies at 3 and then got on with some various activities before being fed cauliflower, carrot, out-of-date tofu sea cakes and an experimental savoury pancake made from potato flour. I like experimental!
After tea spent under one hour typing in my Community Care blog before going out to the second CRAG meeting. This is either Carbon Rationing Action Group or Carbon Reduction Action Group, apparently there's been some debate about it on a CRAG discussion forum. a good meeting, about our mission statement and aims, and some other bits and bobs.
Had two pints of Strongbow with 'lemonade top' as it isn't sweet enough for my liking without it, and the meeting was jolly and good natured and ended late.
Home in time for..... blogging!
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