Friday 25th September 09

I enjoyed several things today, including an early start when I settled down to write up the minutes of the York Green Festival meeting on Wednesday. This took several hours during the morning and Gill went out to have her hair cut. I didn't manage to finish the write-up, as I got distracted.

I was due to meet Hannah my Re-enactment friend during the afternoon, but she rang and put it off til Sunday afternoon. But I had to go into town anyway, as we're doing a SUMA order next week and I needed to shuffle some money around our accounts and put a cheque in from Melody. I looked in on the York Rotters stall after this to see where it was, as Parliament St is full of Food Festival stuff.

I decided to pop in to Kyi-Po on the way back, as I'd heard a rumour that because of their behaviour, Matthew and Sarah had been beaten up or even stabbed. Now their behaviour towards me hasn't been very nice, but whatever they've done I don't believe that they deserve this kind of treatment. I also wanted to ensure that I don't remain in their list of persona non grata, so I went in and chatted to them for a while. I was frank about my displeasure about their behaviour towards me, but also said that I was sorry that they had been attacked. Sarah showed me her huge bruises, but I didn't ask for any details about what happened. I didn't spend a long time there and soon arrived home.

However, I only had a half hour or so to have a wash and brush-up before I needed to get off to the station to get the 4.37 train to Scarborough for the launch of the 10:10 project there. I had been invited by Jane Gresham, a passionate activist, to do a talk to introduce the Age of Stupid film. On the way over I was able to continue typing out the Green Festival minutes, as I took my laptop and this train had a plug to keep my laptop knackered batteries going!

The venue was just across the road from the station, the Stephen Joseph Theatre, and I found my way through a labyrinth to the room Jane had been given. I was very happy to meet my friend Sarah there, and I chatted with her til the event started.... at about 6.30. Jane did introductions and I did my bit, perhaps 10 or 15 minutes.

I started with an introduction and a quick plug for Professor Fiddlesticks (people always like to know what you do!) Then I shared my green journey from the 1980s when I chose to live an 'environmentally friendly' lifestyle, which was soon labelled as 'low impact', and then during the 90s, when I got involved with Local Agenda 21, it was renamed 'sustainable'. It was at this time when I signed all my letters 'yours in sustainable development'. But more recently, my approach is relabelled 'low carbon'. I explained how I know it is low carbon, by using carbon calculators, and review your score regularly, such as I do with The Carbon Account. I didn't spend a long time talking about why I've chosen to live like I do, just a mention of climate change and more of an explanation about peak oil, and wanting to leave this precious resource in the ground for my grandchildren's grandchildren to use, sparingly. And that I wish to be remembered as a responsible ancestor, not a selfish and greedy ostrich. Finally, as I'm a solutions person, I covered, briefly, personal actions and group or community solutions, then how politicians can help... both councils and governments. I referred to the 10:10 movement and then introduced the film.

Then the DVD of The Age of Stupid was played. I didn't watch the first half, but finished typing out the Green Festival minutes. However, I did watch the second half and as usual, it rendered me into a blubbering wreck. I only just pulled myself together for the Q+A straight afterwards.

There were some interesting questions, observations and comments. And I think I made a few good points. Enough for two people to buy me a drink afterwards.

My train was just after 10pm and soon I was in York and home.

Friday 11th September 09

For me, today was a good one. I didn't have a lot to do... just a bit of preparation for the weekend. I enjoyed time with Gill, time on the computer, quite a bit of time in the garden, and at the end of the school day, went to get our youngest.

One success was when the Wii appeared to go wrong, and there were unbelievable ructions about the disc not loading and the machine being a complete waste of money. I calmly asked the child remaining in the room to take the disc out and turn the whole thing off for a moment, and then restart it and put the disc back in. It worked and I thanked the obedient child. I called upstairs and told the upset one that I had got the think 'rebooted' (which I thought was the correct term) and got another huge earful about it not being a reboot as this would have erased all the WiiMe characters and scores and everything. I apologised profusely and bade hm come and see it working again. And so all was peaceful again, save the aggro usually associated with two brothers 'sharing' the Wii. Phew. Parenting!

The most interesting thing which happened today was a phone call from a friend whom I'll call 'B' for this story. He regularly walks past Kyi-Po, a vegan shop on Goodramgate. He is a supporter of ethical living and admires what Sarah and Matt have done. However, he had noticed that they started selling alcohol and tobacco, and was a bit perturbed about these less ethical products, and had discussed it with his girlfriend. A few days ago he noticed a notice advertising the arrival of 'triple strength vodka' and so he, without thinking, walked in and said something to the effect that he'd noticed the new products and wondered why they were selling them?

Sarah obviously felt this was an attack and yelled that what business was it of his to say what they could and could not sell...? B kept calm and said that if she had listened to what he had actually said, which was a question not anything else. Sarah continued her defensiveness and aggression and B left as he could see that he wouldn't get an answer or even a polite discussion.

Today, B was walking past, deep in conversation with his girlfriend... they didn't even look at the shop. Suddenly, Sarah and/or Matt (I am telling this story second hand, I wasn't there, so fine details might not be 100% correct) leapt out and confronted them, yelling about 'do gooders' interfering and poking their noses into other peoples' businesses. Somehow my name got dragged into this, as some weeks ago I asked them if they had a ramp to enable my friend, a wheelchair user, to get into their shop. I had a similar experience of defensiveness and abuse, and have since received unpleasent messages and hostility from both of them, despite my being a supporter of their venture. So there was a confrontation in the street, with Matthew shouting and using foul language towards B and his girlfriend, who had nothing to do with the situation at all. A crowd gathered and even the traffic stopped as it was such a commotion.

B rang me to tell me about this as I was slandered and called all sorts of names (including Matt saying I'd threatened to take him to court, which is complete rubbish!) and B wanted to warn me not to go near the place as he felt these two were capable of much more than verbal abuse. I'm very surprised by their attitude. I'm quite shocked, as surely, a shopkeeper should try to be as polite and nice as possible, as every penny you earn counts. And I was considering going in to get some more lemongrass mayonnaise which I got from them a few months back... but in the light of what has happened today, I think I'd be a fool to go in!

All that the shop-owners should have done was to say 'we've started selling these products as they too are vegan and they sell well' or words to that effect.

I did spend quite a bit of today thinking about B's experience whilst building the latest compost heap and putting some prunings through the shredder. I can only think that the shop owners have some sort of persecution complex. And no-one I know is critical of what they are doing or opposed to them or their shop... until today that is! I am going to find out if what they said about 'not being able to have a wooden ramp available for wheelchair users who want one being against the planning regulations' is true or not. I think it's nonsense.

Anyway, I had a good day and got quite a bit done. Good chats with Rich a the fruit shop, friendliness at Freshways too. Got on well with the kids and Gill. What more could I want from a Friday?

Friday 19th June 09

Got up at a more normal time but Gill returned soon after taking out little one off to school... he cycles on the road with me, but on the pavement with Gill (I do not understand this) and as he was on the pavement, he crashed into a wall and banged his tummy on his handlebar stem and was quite traumatised and upset. So he didn't go to school today. I would have been a lot stricter, but Gill and I do have parenting differences and these days I usually back down instead of argue that my opinion is more valid or better.

I visited Country Fresh and picked up some fruit/veg shopping plus a good load of compostables.

A day or two ago, Ali had suggested that she might come to York today, so she got a train and arrived sometime after midday. I met her and her PA Kaisa off the train and spent the day as a tourist in York. We took a trip on one of the YorkBoats, two of which are wheelchair accessible, via a pontoon at Kings Staith. Kaisa didn't come on this, and had an hour free time (though still being paid!) but then came with us to a coffee shop which had WiFi, as Ali had some Uni work she had to send off, and hadn't had time back at home to do this. Then we went to find a place where we could meet again for tea (Slug and Lettuce) and Kaisa went again and Ali and I went to have a look at Artfulness on Goodramgate, but there was no access ramp available so we couldn't get in. The owner of the shop was very vague and not at all apologetic, and we had a similar response to the situation at Kyi-Po, the vegan shop where Ali would have bought some stuff, had it been easy to get in. I find this situation embarrassing and it makes me angry that shop owners don't think of wheelchair users who wish to get in 'under their own steam' as it were, and make a wooden ramp or have one made. Don't they realise that places with good access get more visits from the increasing numbers of people using wheelchairs (ageing population) and the shop makes more money? Duh! Is it rocket science? No, it's a £20 wooden ramp. And the lack of thought to provide a ramp is discrimination, and verging on illegal.

So we went to another shop which was lucky to have level access, and Ali bought herself something there. We met Jonathan and Charlotte in Kings Square, and chatted until it was time to go to the Slug and lettuce, where we ate for half price as Ali had found a coupon online, and printed it off. Filling and good company. I get on well with Kaisa too, despite her lack of English meaning some things go over her head or need explaining.

Then back to the station where they got the 8.30 train, and I was back home by 9, full and tired from lots of walking.

Thursday 5th March 09

Gill woke me at about 8 to help her make a costume for our youngest's 'book day' at school. Several days ago, Gill asked him if he'd like to dress up for the day (school encourages them to dress like their favourite literary character on book day) and he declined. She offered to make a costume which would make him look like Twig from The Edge Chronicles, but he wasn't bothered. This morning, at 7.45, he said he WOULD like to go as Twig. So Gill got to it and found a fleece-like woolly jacket which needed the arms cutting off and cutting down the front and the blue stuff at the bottom taking off, and she came up to ask me to do it as it would take too much time, when she was getting them ready to leave the house... I asked her to hold the garment, stretch it, whilst I wielded the scissors. 2 minutes later, the costume was ready! The only difference between Twig and our son now is that Twig's hair is in small tufts, and to get our boy's hair into tufts would definitely take too long!

I went back to sleep for an hour, much needed after some very late nights and busy times...

However, when I did get up after 9 I had a good session of washing up and did my Carbon Account readings. At midday I went out to visit Pauline who had requested a wood-chopping session in exchange for a lunch and coffee. We had a lovely chat and I processed a pile of scrap wood for her. She's trialling a compressed sawdust briquette product and has also tried a paper briquette product, which is made locally by people with learning difficulties.

After Pauline, I popped into the bank and then Oxfam for £15 worth of coffee and Kyi Po for a chat with Matthew and I bought some delicious lemon-grass flavoured mayonnaise but resisted all of the large selection of organic booze they have in now... lovely though it may be!

Then onto Sainsburys for bread and Ribena and marge and some other bits and bobs.

I came home via the cycle track where I picked up 3 chunky logs, and when I got in at 5ish, I did a bit of chopping and stacking before having tea with Gill. The boys had already had tea and were happily playing with a friend, who is staying the night.

A peaceful evening with nothing notable.

Wednesday 5th November 08

A good start to the day. Gill took our youngest to school and then went to art. I had a relaxing morning.

Gill came back having drawn an apple which looked like a dog basket or ball of wool or possibly a tam o shanter hat.

We had a pretty good afternoon and then she offered to go to pick up our child if I would go to the only place in York which she'd found which sells 'Buffalo Mozzarella' cheese (phone poll of 4 or 5 places) so that my eldest can do his food technology class tomorrow. I called in on Kyi-Po on the way through town, and gave in the Planning Application forms from last night to the council.
I found the mozzarella needed at the delicatessen in the market.

I found a skip on the way home which had assorted electrical flex in it, so asked the electrician who was tipping stuff in it if I could have the wire... he was only too happy to know it would be recycled. I strip the plastic off with a craft knife and eventually take the copper to a metal merchants. Home via Country Fresh in good time to house/baby sit whilst Gill went to the parents' evening at the secondary school. Good news from school, which is nice to hear.

For tea I finished off the vegan beany hotpot from last night whilst the kids had a chips and omelet meal... and I went out to a short night out to Cafe Scientifique where Dr. Lynda Boothroyd was speaking about the science of human attraction, something I find fascinating.

Home at 9pm, joined the family in the loft watching fireworks from the Velux.

Thursday 17th July 08

I took the boys to school in the rain.

Had a fairly quiet day. I did go to town and get out the insurance cheque for the Green Festival, and sent it off. I popped in to the Kyi-Po shop for some soya ice cream which Gill likes, and then on the way home on the cycle track, got a trailer-full of logs.

I went to school at hometime to attend the End of Term Green Thumbs Gang party, and took my Fiddlesticks stuff to do a little show which was ok, not brilliant, but it added to the event.

I left early as I had an appointment with the Blood Donor folks and headed down to the Merchant Taylor's Hall and the Blood people took an armful. I like to give regularly, but last donated in March 07 as they lost my details off their computer and didn't invite me to donate... I thought they'd found something they didn't want in my blood and weren't inviting me back. But then last week I got the magazine they send out (so I was still on their system!) and I rang them to see if I was still wanted... and I was. Anyway, I'm usually quite quick with my bloodflow but this time I had a slow-down half-way through, but not enough for them to stop the donation, and I managed to fill my bag and left with a cuppa and 3 biccies in me.

On the way home I couldn't resist picking up another load of logs from the cycle track...