A lazy start to the day and a nice morning with Gill. We both worked inside the house for most of the day... I had assorted paperwork and admin to do and Gill did a bit more work on my accounts. I got a booking in Malton next week and to the Beverley Food Festival in the Autumn. I enjoyed reading this NewScientist article about the value of friends on social networks.
A bit later I did some work outside but really this was a comparatively uninteresting day. I harvested some ground elder for tea and rescued some broad beans from the unsold 'resources'; Gill made a nutloaf with yesterday's rice plus breadcrumbs and cashew nuts, grated carrot and chopped onion. This was lovely, a delicious tea.
The highlight of the evening was getting 74 points in Scrabble for TOILETS. Oh, and a nice chat with Kerry whom I met at the Northern Green Gathering a couple of years ago. She is currently what NewScientist would call a 'weak tie' but I think she'll get on well with another of my friends and my prediction is that we'll all meet up in the next few months. Then it will be a stronger tie. My friends are some of the most important parts of my life, and my life is considerably richer because of the assorted social networks I'm part of.
Showing posts with label NewScientist. Show all posts
Showing posts with label NewScientist. Show all posts
Thursday, 15 July 2010
Wednesday, 2 June 2010
Wednesday 2nd June 10
A good day with not too early a start, so had a lie in til after 9, and then a fairly quiet nothingy morning doing I don't know what. But I had a date with Cycle Heaven whom I'd asked to fit an new Weber trailer hitch, as the old one has almost worn through. It is an excellent piece of equipment, and the rubber thingy inside lasts quite a long time, and when that disintegrates with the exceptionally heavy use I give it, the metal links rattle but continue to do the job, but they do gradually get thinner and this is my third hitch in maybe 12 years, not sure exactly.
On the way into town I popped into the Council's Civic Amenity Site (skip site or recycling site) at Hazel Court, with a whole load of electrical stuff that Ben asked me to take in, a couple of electrical things I'd found in skips and wanted not to go to landfill, a sack of scrap iron and two sacks of soya milk cartons. I had absolutely no hassle with the gentlemen there and the sign saying no cyclists has been removed. I think we have won. A victory for common sense and sustainability over petty rules. I'm pleased with this.
So then into Cycle Heaven and the wonderful Ash modified the trailer hitch to make it compatible with my pannier rack. In the hour that it took, I walked into town, tried to visit Pauline but she wasn't in, and found somewhere to sit for a while. At 2pm I went back and handed over my money and cycled away happy, with a now non-rattley trailer.
Back via Country Fresh and Freshways.
Late lunch, and then a bit of time on the computer... and had a phone call from NewScientist who are interested in Novaterium and greener funeral options. I'd actually been thinking last night that I'd like to write an Opinion piece for them, and I suggested this. I hope someone will get back to me with a positive response.
Spent more time in the garden, composting and pruning and shredding and planting some beans.
A good day.
On the way into town I popped into the Council's Civic Amenity Site (skip site or recycling site) at Hazel Court, with a whole load of electrical stuff that Ben asked me to take in, a couple of electrical things I'd found in skips and wanted not to go to landfill, a sack of scrap iron and two sacks of soya milk cartons. I had absolutely no hassle with the gentlemen there and the sign saying no cyclists has been removed. I think we have won. A victory for common sense and sustainability over petty rules. I'm pleased with this.
So then into Cycle Heaven and the wonderful Ash modified the trailer hitch to make it compatible with my pannier rack. In the hour that it took, I walked into town, tried to visit Pauline but she wasn't in, and found somewhere to sit for a while. At 2pm I went back and handed over my money and cycled away happy, with a now non-rattley trailer.
Back via Country Fresh and Freshways.
Late lunch, and then a bit of time on the computer... and had a phone call from NewScientist who are interested in Novaterium and greener funeral options. I'd actually been thinking last night that I'd like to write an Opinion piece for them, and I suggested this. I hope someone will get back to me with a positive response.
Spent more time in the garden, composting and pruning and shredding and planting some beans.
A good day.
Wednesday, 7 October 2009
Wednesday 7th October 09
A slow start to the day... I was able to have an hour of reading the NewScientist which was great... although I'm still 3 weeks behind!
But got up at 10ish and did some more sorting in the conservatory... taking down more dead Yam vines and collecting it all in a huge saucepan, and then taking off the little balls from the leaf axils and collecting them together so I can give them to people and plant more next Spring... I have hundreds!
Had a delivery of new bolts and wing nuts to hold the Composphere together, as the ones it was supplied with were no good, and I contacted the company, who said yes, this was true, and they'd send some different ones. I spent 20 minutes making the sphere spherical again.
Then I put all the Yam vines and tomato haulms together with a large load of other compostables and went down the garden to load up the Composphere. I also picked two pumpkins and a squash, loads of beans and some nasturtium seeds.
I also did a small amount of log splitting whilst waiting for our eldest son to come home, and I visited Country Fresh which has a new groovy green paint-job. Lovely!
Later in the evening I heard the excellent news that the power company E.ON have decided to not build the dirty coal-fired power station at Kingsnorth, supposedly because of the economic downturn meaning that electricity consumption is down. I'm sure that the widespread opposition and criticism also had something to do with it. See
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/oct/07/eon-cancels-kingsnorth-power-station?commentpage=1 for the announcement and the reaction; loads of comments.
I got a call from a friend who wanted some help understanding some forms which had arrived so I popped round and looked through them, and talked her through what I thought she should do, and explained her options. A little bit of advocacy work... I may need to help her fill them in.
Late on I sorted through a load of thrown-out pears to salvage what I could to dry. A wet and messy job, interspersed with trips back to the laptop to have goes on Scrabble.
But got up at 10ish and did some more sorting in the conservatory... taking down more dead Yam vines and collecting it all in a huge saucepan, and then taking off the little balls from the leaf axils and collecting them together so I can give them to people and plant more next Spring... I have hundreds!
Had a delivery of new bolts and wing nuts to hold the Composphere together, as the ones it was supplied with were no good, and I contacted the company, who said yes, this was true, and they'd send some different ones. I spent 20 minutes making the sphere spherical again.
Then I put all the Yam vines and tomato haulms together with a large load of other compostables and went down the garden to load up the Composphere. I also picked two pumpkins and a squash, loads of beans and some nasturtium seeds.
I also did a small amount of log splitting whilst waiting for our eldest son to come home, and I visited Country Fresh which has a new groovy green paint-job. Lovely!
Later in the evening I heard the excellent news that the power company E.ON have decided to not build the dirty coal-fired power station at Kingsnorth, supposedly because of the economic downturn meaning that electricity consumption is down. I'm sure that the widespread opposition and criticism also had something to do with it. See
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/oct/07/eon-cancels-kingsnorth-power-station?commentpage=1 for the announcement and the reaction; loads of comments.
I got a call from a friend who wanted some help understanding some forms which had arrived so I popped round and looked through them, and talked her through what I thought she should do, and explained her options. A little bit of advocacy work... I may need to help her fill them in.
Late on I sorted through a load of thrown-out pears to salvage what I could to dry. A wet and messy job, interspersed with trips back to the laptop to have goes on Scrabble.
Friday, 10 July 2009
Friday 10th July 09, Hebden Fringe
Pretty hectic morning as lots to do and not enough time to do it, but did manage to get down to the station in time. So the morning included a fair amount of paperwork, a trip to Country Fresh, taking the sacks of shredded tree collected last night down the garden from the front where they were making things look more untidy than usual. Also went to the shop for Gill, to get pasties for tea (she will eat with the boys on the train) and assorted medications. Had quite a bit of ringing to do, and email confirmations of work.
But by 2pm I was just about ready to go to the station with all my Fiddlesticks stuff and other things for 3 overnight stays, one in Hebden Bridge, one in Warrington and one in Sheffield. A busy weekend ahead.
Good chats on the train with a nice 'just retired' lady who's husband has a terminal illness and she wanted to talk... She got off in Halifax and very soon I was in Hebden. Jan, my handler from the Hebden Fringe met me and took me to the venue where I was performing, a school just off the main road. I had about 45 minutes to get ready, so I actually had a good 20 minutes reading a recent NewScientist (I'm still a month behind!) about Gravity, the mysterious force...
At 5.30 most of the audience had assembled, under a dozen adults and the same number of children, so quite a small 'intimate' event. As usual, we started with a couple of warm up acts from the audience, and then straight into my routine. At least 3 of the lads were already into circus tricks, and afterwards I found out they attend a circus school in Rochdale I think. So they knew what things were called and what they did, and were keen to come out and do stuff... excellent, and for me it was a perfect gig.
I finished on the dot of 6.30 but some of the people wanted to play so I let a 10 minute workshop take place before packing up and walking the 5 minutes to Mark and Jennifer's house. This is a 5 story 18th century terrace... amazing! Lovely to see friends whom I'd got to know in York and their two boys, one the same age as our eldest and a little one quite a bit younger. Their 17 year-old daughter is on the verge of leaving home and doesn't spend much time there.
Jennifer was just serving up a rice and beans meal, and halfway through this Gill and the boys rolled up, having had tea on the train as planned. Very soon Jennifer and Gill went out to see an actress called Linda Marlowe perform some of Carol Ann Duffy's poetry, from 'The World's Wife'. I did a little Fiddlesticks show for the boys and a neighbour Mark invited round, with her little boy. That produced riotous laughter and wonderment.
Then Mark and I left the older boys playing and went on a short walk over the other side of the valley and up to a place where there's an amazing view. Their youngest came with us and it was fun walking with him, carrying him sometimes, swinging him and having him on my shoulders. He's so small and it brought back memories of when ours were little.... lovely!
Got back in at almost exactly the same time as Gill and Jennifer who'd enjoyed the performance.
But by 2pm I was just about ready to go to the station with all my Fiddlesticks stuff and other things for 3 overnight stays, one in Hebden Bridge, one in Warrington and one in Sheffield. A busy weekend ahead.
Good chats on the train with a nice 'just retired' lady who's husband has a terminal illness and she wanted to talk... She got off in Halifax and very soon I was in Hebden. Jan, my handler from the Hebden Fringe met me and took me to the venue where I was performing, a school just off the main road. I had about 45 minutes to get ready, so I actually had a good 20 minutes reading a recent NewScientist (I'm still a month behind!) about Gravity, the mysterious force...
At 5.30 most of the audience had assembled, under a dozen adults and the same number of children, so quite a small 'intimate' event. As usual, we started with a couple of warm up acts from the audience, and then straight into my routine. At least 3 of the lads were already into circus tricks, and afterwards I found out they attend a circus school in Rochdale I think. So they knew what things were called and what they did, and were keen to come out and do stuff... excellent, and for me it was a perfect gig.
I finished on the dot of 6.30 but some of the people wanted to play so I let a 10 minute workshop take place before packing up and walking the 5 minutes to Mark and Jennifer's house. This is a 5 story 18th century terrace... amazing! Lovely to see friends whom I'd got to know in York and their two boys, one the same age as our eldest and a little one quite a bit younger. Their 17 year-old daughter is on the verge of leaving home and doesn't spend much time there.
Jennifer was just serving up a rice and beans meal, and halfway through this Gill and the boys rolled up, having had tea on the train as planned. Very soon Jennifer and Gill went out to see an actress called Linda Marlowe perform some of Carol Ann Duffy's poetry, from 'The World's Wife'. I did a little Fiddlesticks show for the boys and a neighbour Mark invited round, with her little boy. That produced riotous laughter and wonderment.
Then Mark and I left the older boys playing and went on a short walk over the other side of the valley and up to a place where there's an amazing view. Their youngest came with us and it was fun walking with him, carrying him sometimes, swinging him and having him on my shoulders. He's so small and it brought back memories of when ours were little.... lovely!
Got back in at almost exactly the same time as Gill and Jennifer who'd enjoyed the performance.
Tuesday, 3 February 2009
Monday 2nd February 09
As there was lots of snow this morning, Gill walked our youngest to school as cycling might have been difficult. I was therefore lucky to have a lie-in, after breakfast, and after ringing SUMA with our order which I would have inputted via the website last night, except Gill's lost the password... I read NewScientist and dozed. And then slept. Til midday... catching up on all the late nights I have and hard-working weekends... It is a rare treat to have such a lazy morning.
However, had a more active afternoon, doing housework, and at 3 cycled down to school with our sledge in the trailer. Our youngest was delighted to see me with it and I attached it to the trailer and cycled round the playground pulling him, and through some of the Science Park, but the more well-used roads were clear of snow so he sat on my luggage rack and the sledge went in my trailer. I wonder if it'll get used tomorrow? More snow is forecast.
I built a logpile outside the front door... we're getting through loads of wood, with both stoves going for most of the time to keep the house warm. Then cycled round to my GP's and after that, Sainsbury's to get mayonnaise and nice bread, Edam cheese and paracetamol.
Gill had cooked up a stir-fry with savoy cabbage and a pie, which was nice, and soon after this I gathered my paperwork together and cycled down to the monthly LETS meeting. No-one had been appointed chair so I got an agenda together and facilitated the meeting... and we were finished in an hour. The main topic was the funding application to see if we can go 'on the web' which will make administration so much easier, and members will be able to put their own info on the website.
Home by 9.30 and a peaceful couple of hours deleting emails... binned nearly 1000 out of my inbox, and now I can get emails again, as my provider had told me my inbox was full. MUST keep on top of this! It's a nightmare getting so many interesting emails each day!
However, had a more active afternoon, doing housework, and at 3 cycled down to school with our sledge in the trailer. Our youngest was delighted to see me with it and I attached it to the trailer and cycled round the playground pulling him, and through some of the Science Park, but the more well-used roads were clear of snow so he sat on my luggage rack and the sledge went in my trailer. I wonder if it'll get used tomorrow? More snow is forecast.
I built a logpile outside the front door... we're getting through loads of wood, with both stoves going for most of the time to keep the house warm. Then cycled round to my GP's and after that, Sainsbury's to get mayonnaise and nice bread, Edam cheese and paracetamol.
Gill had cooked up a stir-fry with savoy cabbage and a pie, which was nice, and soon after this I gathered my paperwork together and cycled down to the monthly LETS meeting. No-one had been appointed chair so I got an agenda together and facilitated the meeting... and we were finished in an hour. The main topic was the funding application to see if we can go 'on the web' which will make administration so much easier, and members will be able to put their own info on the website.
Home by 9.30 and a peaceful couple of hours deleting emails... binned nearly 1000 out of my inbox, and now I can get emails again, as my provider had told me my inbox was full. MUST keep on top of this! It's a nightmare getting so many interesting emails each day!
Thursday, 4 December 2008
Thursday 4th December 08
Gilly walked down to school with our youngest, in the snow. Then she went into town on the bus to try to get something dry-cleaned, but town was empty and the dry cleaners was closed. So a wasted trip... and she waited at the bus stop for ages to come home, but there'd been some kind of accident West of York and there were no buses coming through, so she walked home and arrived cold and with really wet feet.
I however had a lazy morning, with just a bit of washing up to do and filling the logbaskets. Read some NewScientist and played Facebook Scrabble until Gill came in at nearly midday.
After lunch I cycled into town to pay some bills and get some cheques out... one for another 3 year's NewScientist subscription, my Equity dues and my Chartered Institute of Environmental Health dues.
Got home on the dot of 3pm and got ready to go to Green Thumbs at school, where Julia had printed off the Assembly text I wrote, and we discussed various ideas with the children. Julia and I read through it out loud and most of the children seemed to like it. We also learned the song written by the 6 year old about Mission Nutrition, with the little girl's mum teaching us the choruses first and then the two verses. It's easy to sing, sounds lovely.
I came home via a logpile and brought another trailer's worth home.
We all had tea together, pasta and veg with yessterday's soup as a sauce for those of us who like sauce. Soon after this I got on my bike again and cycled down to the Merchant Adventurers Hall where the Blood Donation service was holding a session, I'd booked myself in for 7.10 and was processed and out by 8.15... quite quick, and as usual, painless.
Then went to visit Anita to collect the SUMA catalogue and her cheque. I met her friend Bruno whom I got on well with, discussing business waste recycling (he owns a shop) and 70s/80s music (he's a DJ) and Anita gave me a humourous book on parenting. I wonder if it might help us?
Home via another logpile (I know all the tree-surgeons' dumping grounds in York!) but the icy cycle paths made the cycling quite exciting (read dangerous!). Home to an 'on tenterhooks' situation, once again sparked off by someone having to do homework and ending up letting fists fly. Completely unneccessary, very difficult to know what to do about it and leaving us completely mystified why this happens. But both boys got a kiss goodnight from me, and then Gill and I settled down to our usual 'post kids bedtime' routine of washing up and relaxing.
I however had a lazy morning, with just a bit of washing up to do and filling the logbaskets. Read some NewScientist and played Facebook Scrabble until Gill came in at nearly midday.
After lunch I cycled into town to pay some bills and get some cheques out... one for another 3 year's NewScientist subscription, my Equity dues and my Chartered Institute of Environmental Health dues.
Got home on the dot of 3pm and got ready to go to Green Thumbs at school, where Julia had printed off the Assembly text I wrote, and we discussed various ideas with the children. Julia and I read through it out loud and most of the children seemed to like it. We also learned the song written by the 6 year old about Mission Nutrition, with the little girl's mum teaching us the choruses first and then the two verses. It's easy to sing, sounds lovely.
I came home via a logpile and brought another trailer's worth home.
We all had tea together, pasta and veg with yessterday's soup as a sauce for those of us who like sauce. Soon after this I got on my bike again and cycled down to the Merchant Adventurers Hall where the Blood Donation service was holding a session, I'd booked myself in for 7.10 and was processed and out by 8.15... quite quick, and as usual, painless.
Then went to visit Anita to collect the SUMA catalogue and her cheque. I met her friend Bruno whom I got on well with, discussing business waste recycling (he owns a shop) and 70s/80s music (he's a DJ) and Anita gave me a humourous book on parenting. I wonder if it might help us?
Home via another logpile (I know all the tree-surgeons' dumping grounds in York!) but the icy cycle paths made the cycling quite exciting (read dangerous!). Home to an 'on tenterhooks' situation, once again sparked off by someone having to do homework and ending up letting fists fly. Completely unneccessary, very difficult to know what to do about it and leaving us completely mystified why this happens. But both boys got a kiss goodnight from me, and then Gill and I settled down to our usual 'post kids bedtime' routine of washing up and relaxing.
Tuesday, 2 December 2008
Monday 1st December 08
I took our youngest to school, with him making the decisions when to turn right (there are two right turns on the way into school, one off the Hull Road at the traffic-lighted junction with Windmill Lane and the other at the far end of Windmill Lane) and I'm impressed with his road sense and his hand signals.
Pottered around at home and then whipped off my Community Care blog about non-diagnosis and walking, and just before 11 cycled round to see Anita to share my news with her and give her the SUMA book, as she's an occasional contributor to the Food Coop. Stayed there for a couple of hours, also enjoyed the company of her current au pair, a 21 year-old chap from Brixton, hoping to make it 'large' in the music biz. Back for lunch, used up the last of the bread and went to get some more. Gill was having a rest-day but got up before I went to collect our little-un again.
Gill made a pie for tea, using yesterday's meal leftovers, a few extra tomatoes and a pastry lid... with broccoli and some little salad potatoes I'd rescued from a sack of allegedly compostables and prepared earlier.
After tea I went out to the LETS meeting which was only 3 of us, and I chaired and took minutes. David and I stayed behind for a while and chatted which was nice. Then, as agreed with Gill (who used to be a nurse) I took myself along to the Hospital as I gave myself a small burn on the stove door last night, by accident, and this evening Gill spotted a 'track' leading from it towards my armpit which indicates the first stage of septicemia or blood poisoning. However, the medics who eventually saw me said that it wasn't serious enough yet to give me antibiotics, and if it got worse I could go in again and see them, or it might get better by itself. Got back (with a log in the trailer found on the cycle track!) at 1am, having read another NewScientist... I think I'm back in sync with the right week again, for the first time in a year or so!
Pottered around at home and then whipped off my Community Care blog about non-diagnosis and walking, and just before 11 cycled round to see Anita to share my news with her and give her the SUMA book, as she's an occasional contributor to the Food Coop. Stayed there for a couple of hours, also enjoyed the company of her current au pair, a 21 year-old chap from Brixton, hoping to make it 'large' in the music biz. Back for lunch, used up the last of the bread and went to get some more. Gill was having a rest-day but got up before I went to collect our little-un again.
Gill made a pie for tea, using yesterday's meal leftovers, a few extra tomatoes and a pastry lid... with broccoli and some little salad potatoes I'd rescued from a sack of allegedly compostables and prepared earlier.
After tea I went out to the LETS meeting which was only 3 of us, and I chaired and took minutes. David and I stayed behind for a while and chatted which was nice. Then, as agreed with Gill (who used to be a nurse) I took myself along to the Hospital as I gave myself a small burn on the stove door last night, by accident, and this evening Gill spotted a 'track' leading from it towards my armpit which indicates the first stage of septicemia or blood poisoning. However, the medics who eventually saw me said that it wasn't serious enough yet to give me antibiotics, and if it got worse I could go in again and see them, or it might get better by itself. Got back (with a log in the trailer found on the cycle track!) at 1am, having read another NewScientist... I think I'm back in sync with the right week again, for the first time in a year or so!
Friday, 28 November 2008
Saturday 29th November 08 'Buy Nothing Day'
Walked into Swadlincote to get some provisions... I bought a loaf and some iced buns, Lorna got veggies and lasagne. So much for my participation in International Buy Nothing Day!
In the afternoon I helped her install her compost bin which has been sitting behind the house unused for months...
Tried to avoid playing with her kittens Kiwi and Fluffy, which are 13 weeks old and very playful, as I didn't want to set off my allergies which have been in abeyance for some time now, seem to be getting less as I get older.
So a chilled day, read lots of NewScientist and had lots of good chats.
In the afternoon I helped her install her compost bin which has been sitting behind the house unused for months...
Tried to avoid playing with her kittens Kiwi and Fluffy, which are 13 weeks old and very playful, as I didn't want to set off my allergies which have been in abeyance for some time now, seem to be getting less as I get older.
So a chilled day, read lots of NewScientist and had lots of good chats.
Monday, 17 November 2008
Monday 17th November 08
Woke at 3am with headache. Went downstairs for a lemsip (paracetamol) and put a log on the stove, and 10 mins later did a batch of washing up whilst waiting for the lemsip to kick in. Back to bed at 3.45 and slept til 8 when shouting downstairs awoke me. I went down to see if Gill needed any help... it was just our youngest being mightily resistant to putting on his socks and shoes! We all have our quirks, and he hates footwear..., putting on a sock and then off again, and on again, trying to get it 'just right'. Takes about 5 or 10 minutes per foot.....
When they'd gone I had breakfast and then went back to bed, with another lemsip to help me get better... I hope.
But nothing worked, headache all day, spent most of the day in bed. Gill is calling it 'Flu' but I don't think it is as Flu is a different set of symptoms and I had a Flu jab, so if it is Flu then it's a weird one.
The only good thing about today was that I got through quite a backlog of NewScientists! Oh, and a surprise visit from Damian and David, Gill's friends from the Arts Centre, who are back in York. Lovely to see them, but couldn't socialise much as feeling too poorly.
And I finished writing my column for Community Care, on reuse and repair plus Buy Nothing Day, which this year is on Saturday 29th November, just two days after the magazine comes out.
Spent some time trying to update Windows and when I got back on this blog, found my Bravenet Counter and Feedjit live stuff had gone... more than weird! However, my email to Feedjit was answered by Mark Maunder, the CEO/inventor of the tool, and he told me that the Live stats thingy was loading after the Bravenet counter, which was taking about 3 minutes. Also he explained a possible reason why the location/geographic database might be doing weird things, and told me he was developing a tool to allow users to confirm where they were. So that explains some of the weirdness...
Took bathwater up for our youngest and put the refilled can straight back on the stove so I could have one later, as if I'm going to try to go to work tomorrow, I might as well be clean but unwell rather than dirty and unwell...
When they'd gone I had breakfast and then went back to bed, with another lemsip to help me get better... I hope.
But nothing worked, headache all day, spent most of the day in bed. Gill is calling it 'Flu' but I don't think it is as Flu is a different set of symptoms and I had a Flu jab, so if it is Flu then it's a weird one.
The only good thing about today was that I got through quite a backlog of NewScientists! Oh, and a surprise visit from Damian and David, Gill's friends from the Arts Centre, who are back in York. Lovely to see them, but couldn't socialise much as feeling too poorly.
And I finished writing my column for Community Care, on reuse and repair plus Buy Nothing Day, which this year is on Saturday 29th November, just two days after the magazine comes out.
Spent some time trying to update Windows and when I got back on this blog, found my Bravenet Counter and Feedjit live stuff had gone... more than weird! However, my email to Feedjit was answered by Mark Maunder, the CEO/inventor of the tool, and he told me that the Live stats thingy was loading after the Bravenet counter, which was taking about 3 minutes. Also he explained a possible reason why the location/geographic database might be doing weird things, and told me he was developing a tool to allow users to confirm where they were. So that explains some of the weirdness...
Took bathwater up for our youngest and put the refilled can straight back on the stove so I could have one later, as if I'm going to try to go to work tomorrow, I might as well be clean but unwell rather than dirty and unwell...
Tuesday, 28 October 2008
Tuesday 28th October 08
Woke up dreaming and had a leisurely morning reading NewScientist about willpower! Very interesting...
At 11ish our friend Maria came round to tell us about her first term as a teacher... much more work than as a biologist at the University! Her son and ours played very happily on the computer, and he stayed for lunch when Maria went back home to do some marking. Whilst Maria was here I made pumpkin soup, this time with a tin of tomatoes in, with the other half of the pumpkin.
I did some work in the garden after lunch, clearing up leaves and other jobettes including emptying the compostumbler and putting the contents in a dalek. At about 4 Gill came out and said that Cycle Heaven had rang and asked me when I was bringing my bike in to have the disc brakes tightened... which I was going to do today but forgot!
So I went in to deliver my bike, plus Gill's which needs a service. I left them both there and came back on a Cycle Heaven replacement bike... I'll collect both the repaired/revamped bikes tomorrow at 2pm.
Gill made a risotto for tea which I added a few pickled walnuts to... tasty!
Later, Gill and I had a game of Scrabble on the board (which I won) but at the same time (whilst Gill was trying to come up with her words) I was playing Scrabble on Facebook and winning there too.
At 11ish our friend Maria came round to tell us about her first term as a teacher... much more work than as a biologist at the University! Her son and ours played very happily on the computer, and he stayed for lunch when Maria went back home to do some marking. Whilst Maria was here I made pumpkin soup, this time with a tin of tomatoes in, with the other half of the pumpkin.
I did some work in the garden after lunch, clearing up leaves and other jobettes including emptying the compostumbler and putting the contents in a dalek. At about 4 Gill came out and said that Cycle Heaven had rang and asked me when I was bringing my bike in to have the disc brakes tightened... which I was going to do today but forgot!
So I went in to deliver my bike, plus Gill's which needs a service. I left them both there and came back on a Cycle Heaven replacement bike... I'll collect both the repaired/revamped bikes tomorrow at 2pm.
Gill made a risotto for tea which I added a few pickled walnuts to... tasty!
Later, Gill and I had a game of Scrabble on the board (which I won) but at the same time (whilst Gill was trying to come up with her words) I was playing Scrabble on Facebook and winning there too.
Friday, 22 August 2008
Friday 22nd August 08
A lovely lazy morning, read quite a chunk of NewScientist and did emails, lots of York Green Festival stuff going on, as it's only just over a week away.
Got up at lunchtime and had a small lunch then went out into the garden to clear up the hedge cuttings and some woody bits which have been dumped in the front garden. It's a continuous job to try to keep the front reasonably tidy... like the painting of the Forth Bridge. As soon as there's any space, it gets filled with new material ready for processing.
I had an early tea..... Gill put it together.. cauliflower and nutloaf, and by 5.30 I was getting ready to cycle out along the Wigginton Road to Creepy Crawlies where the 'Snappy Beach Party' was taking place... and I was due to perform at this fundraiser. This was the first time I'd been to Creepy Crawlies, and it's an impressive space with good facilities.
I was shown a good place for my activity, which when I arrived was being used by a singer and pianist. I parked my bike and trailer up and waited for them to finish and move, and my friend Ali arrived with her daughter and carer, all the way from Sheffield. It had been quite an interesting journey for them... the little one's first train journey, and as the wheelchair space in standard class was occupied, they had to go in first class. They'd pre-booked, including seats for the carer and child, but there was a besuited NHS chap with laptop in this pair of seats who refused to move when asked, even though they had seat reservations. A bit later, when the ticket inspector asked where Ali was going, she said where and told him about the SNAPPY charity fundraiser, as the charity had had it's funding pulled by the Council and the NHS. The NHS man visibly bristled! This made Ali feel a little bit better about his refusal to vacate the seat!
At about 6.45 the singer/painist duo moved and I got myself unpacked and ready to go... the space was not ideal, rather cramped but the show went quite well, despite competing demands from other distractions, people walking through the stage area, loud amplified announcements, etc. I suppose you can't have chips with everything! I was glad to get that part of the evening finished and do some balloon modelling, much easier in the circumstances, and this activity raised some money for SNAPPY too.
I was able to spend a bit of time with Ali before she went to get in her awaiting charriot, and at 9pm I cycled home.
Got up at lunchtime and had a small lunch then went out into the garden to clear up the hedge cuttings and some woody bits which have been dumped in the front garden. It's a continuous job to try to keep the front reasonably tidy... like the painting of the Forth Bridge. As soon as there's any space, it gets filled with new material ready for processing.
I had an early tea..... Gill put it together.. cauliflower and nutloaf, and by 5.30 I was getting ready to cycle out along the Wigginton Road to Creepy Crawlies where the 'Snappy Beach Party' was taking place... and I was due to perform at this fundraiser. This was the first time I'd been to Creepy Crawlies, and it's an impressive space with good facilities.
I was shown a good place for my activity, which when I arrived was being used by a singer and pianist. I parked my bike and trailer up and waited for them to finish and move, and my friend Ali arrived with her daughter and carer, all the way from Sheffield. It had been quite an interesting journey for them... the little one's first train journey, and as the wheelchair space in standard class was occupied, they had to go in first class. They'd pre-booked, including seats for the carer and child, but there was a besuited NHS chap with laptop in this pair of seats who refused to move when asked, even though they had seat reservations. A bit later, when the ticket inspector asked where Ali was going, she said where and told him about the SNAPPY charity fundraiser, as the charity had had it's funding pulled by the Council and the NHS. The NHS man visibly bristled! This made Ali feel a little bit better about his refusal to vacate the seat!
At about 6.45 the singer/painist duo moved and I got myself unpacked and ready to go... the space was not ideal, rather cramped but the show went quite well, despite competing demands from other distractions, people walking through the stage area, loud amplified announcements, etc. I suppose you can't have chips with everything! I was glad to get that part of the evening finished and do some balloon modelling, much easier in the circumstances, and this activity raised some money for SNAPPY too.
I was able to spend a bit of time with Ali before she went to get in her awaiting charriot, and at 9pm I cycled home.
Monday, 4 August 2008
Monday 4th August 08
Nice slow wake up, actually read for half an hour before getting up... trying to catch up on NewScientist which I'm 4 weeks behind on...
But up at 9 and breakfasted with the boys, and at 9.30 looked at the computer to see if the events at St Nicks were suitable for them. I rang up and found there was space available, but when I told them to get dressed I was met by a wall of resistance, neither wanting to do anything 'so early'. I tried to persuade them but it is impossible to make children do what they have decided they are not doing.
So I went into town to pay in a cheque, get a cheque out, buy coffee and some other bits, and to St Nicks to swap the Comp 250 compost bin given up by Kate for a normal dalek bin, which she and I much prefer. So came home with shopping and a compost bin, for about midday, and the kids had been playing nicely in the garden, were about to have lunch, and then have 50 mins each on the computer.
A good afternoon, including a gardener in a flat-bed truck with a small load of Sycamore logs which he was only too happy to get rid of... Gill went into town despite being in pain (it is gradually getting better) to see if she could get some children's clothes, as our boys keep growing!
When she got back I went to visit Anna B, a friend from York in Transition who wanted confirmation that her compost heaps were ok... which they were! She swapped the advice and mixing for a few alpine strawberry plants. I cycled back via some logs, and came back to find Gill had made tea for the boys.
I cooked tea for Gill and myself, and then went out to the LETS meeting. Only 3 of us turned up. But it was a good meeting and we got quite a lot done, despite the lack of core group members filling available posts. However, YorkLETS will fold if we don't have some more volunteers to share the jobs that need doing if the system is to continue.
Home at about 10pm, with a couple of discarded conifer trees and a broken half-barrel from the pub... I offered to recycle them and they were happy that they weren't going to have to go to the skip-site!
But up at 9 and breakfasted with the boys, and at 9.30 looked at the computer to see if the events at St Nicks were suitable for them. I rang up and found there was space available, but when I told them to get dressed I was met by a wall of resistance, neither wanting to do anything 'so early'. I tried to persuade them but it is impossible to make children do what they have decided they are not doing.
So I went into town to pay in a cheque, get a cheque out, buy coffee and some other bits, and to St Nicks to swap the Comp 250 compost bin given up by Kate for a normal dalek bin, which she and I much prefer. So came home with shopping and a compost bin, for about midday, and the kids had been playing nicely in the garden, were about to have lunch, and then have 50 mins each on the computer.
A good afternoon, including a gardener in a flat-bed truck with a small load of Sycamore logs which he was only too happy to get rid of... Gill went into town despite being in pain (it is gradually getting better) to see if she could get some children's clothes, as our boys keep growing!
When she got back I went to visit Anna B, a friend from York in Transition who wanted confirmation that her compost heaps were ok... which they were! She swapped the advice and mixing for a few alpine strawberry plants. I cycled back via some logs, and came back to find Gill had made tea for the boys.
I cooked tea for Gill and myself, and then went out to the LETS meeting. Only 3 of us turned up. But it was a good meeting and we got quite a lot done, despite the lack of core group members filling available posts. However, YorkLETS will fold if we don't have some more volunteers to share the jobs that need doing if the system is to continue.
Home at about 10pm, with a couple of discarded conifer trees and a broken half-barrel from the pub... I offered to recycle them and they were happy that they weren't going to have to go to the skip-site!
Sunday, 1 June 2008
Sunday 1st June 08
Another excellent day... not too early a start, infact after breakfast I went back to bed to read NewScientist, a treat. Then went on the internet to research energy performance certificates for tomorrow's talk at CVS, whilst watching Countryfile. The research was interesting and I'm glad that I've been asked to do the presentation, as it has forced me to learn something new.
A good lunch, and the rain stopped so I went outside but came back in to listen to Gardeners Question Time and do the washing up. Our eldest got a phone call reminding him that he had been invited to a friend's birthday party in Selby, a swim party.
A good session in the garden, loads of shredding of brambles and hedge cuttings, and planted some squash and beans in the raised bed which I made out of two bay-window radiators, back to back. I decided to remove a lot of brambles from the hedges, as we have enough blackberries and they look untidy. I have rescued a second pair of bay-window radiators, which are even bigger than the first pair... so I'm using that as a compost bin for now but will top it off with loam and plant into it... the warmth will be good to help the squash get going... I'll have some ready in a couple of weeks to go in there.
Gill made a quiche for tea with Jersey Royal potatoes. I spent some time on Facebook and deleting emails..... far too many in my inbox!
A good lunch, and the rain stopped so I went outside but came back in to listen to Gardeners Question Time and do the washing up. Our eldest got a phone call reminding him that he had been invited to a friend's birthday party in Selby, a swim party.
A good session in the garden, loads of shredding of brambles and hedge cuttings, and planted some squash and beans in the raised bed which I made out of two bay-window radiators, back to back. I decided to remove a lot of brambles from the hedges, as we have enough blackberries and they look untidy. I have rescued a second pair of bay-window radiators, which are even bigger than the first pair... so I'm using that as a compost bin for now but will top it off with loam and plant into it... the warmth will be good to help the squash get going... I'll have some ready in a couple of weeks to go in there.
Gill made a quiche for tea with Jersey Royal potatoes. I spent some time on Facebook and deleting emails..... far too many in my inbox!
Saturday, 5 April 2008
Saturday 5th April 08
A funny mix of a day... up early as boys noise, but then went back to bed after breakfast and read NewScientist for an hour. The boys have homework to do and this is causing them stress, so there were tears and tantrums, but not too bad. Nothing we haven't experienced in bucketloads already.
Before lunch I spent an hour or more in the garden, turning a heap and sorting out plastic bags, harvesting worms from them and innocculating a tumbler to help speed things up. Came up the garden with an enormous sack of waste plastic and bits and bobs. Gill was impressed!
Late lunch, Gill went to town and I lit the stove so I could wash up. Had to ban my youngest from the computer in the loft as he had repeatedly ignored warnings to stop playing on the train simulator and get on with his homework. He's banned from using it for a week... not my rule, but Gill's, although I had to tell him, as Gill had escaped.
It was a relatively quiet day and when Gill came back some of the homework had been done.
During the evening I finally got my questionnaire sorted out, for my book.
If you want to fill in my questionnaire, please go to
http://www.thesistools.com/?qid=49233&ln=eng
thank you! It is for people who have given up using Cannabis and those who still use but have tried to give up.
Before lunch I spent an hour or more in the garden, turning a heap and sorting out plastic bags, harvesting worms from them and innocculating a tumbler to help speed things up. Came up the garden with an enormous sack of waste plastic and bits and bobs. Gill was impressed!
Late lunch, Gill went to town and I lit the stove so I could wash up. Had to ban my youngest from the computer in the loft as he had repeatedly ignored warnings to stop playing on the train simulator and get on with his homework. He's banned from using it for a week... not my rule, but Gill's, although I had to tell him, as Gill had escaped.
It was a relatively quiet day and when Gill came back some of the homework had been done.
During the evening I finally got my questionnaire sorted out, for my book.
If you want to fill in my questionnaire, please go to
http://www.thesistools.com/?qid=49233&ln=eng
thank you! It is for people who have given up using Cannabis and those who still use but have tried to give up.
Friday, 25 January 2008
Friday 25th January 08
The boys were very fractious this morning and I trudged downstairs early to 'be a presence' and hope to ensure that they got off to school on time. They did and actually Gill had a nice little game with them in the playground before she came home again, so all was well there.
Gill went to Art Class, I went back to bed and finished reading last week's NewScientist and at 10 got up to do my tax returns. I registetred on the website... and was told I'd have to wait up to a week for a PIN activation number to come THROUGH THE POST!!!! Blimy! They didn't tell us about that on the TV ads! How annoying as I am now ready to do the return. Well, I suppose I'll just have to wait OR do it on paper... except I have mislaid the paperwork. I am so disorganised! And leave things to the last minute, almost!
So lit the stove and got some washing up water ready so Gill doesn't come home to a pile of dirty plates and pans.
We had lunch together and chatted... and Gill needed to go into town to put a cheque in so I spent some time in the garden in the wind, split some logs and did some composting and stick cutting from the pile of hedge, then at 3 I cycled down to fetch the boys, came back via the woods to fetch more logpile back!
Gill made pizza for tea, which was lovely as usual. Later, after the boys were in bed, we had a game of Scrabble, and Gill thrashed me, mainly because of a super 7 letterer on the triple score, 'ovaloid'... nice shape Gilly!
Gill went to Art Class, I went back to bed and finished reading last week's NewScientist and at 10 got up to do my tax returns. I registetred on the website... and was told I'd have to wait up to a week for a PIN activation number to come THROUGH THE POST!!!! Blimy! They didn't tell us about that on the TV ads! How annoying as I am now ready to do the return. Well, I suppose I'll just have to wait OR do it on paper... except I have mislaid the paperwork. I am so disorganised! And leave things to the last minute, almost!
So lit the stove and got some washing up water ready so Gill doesn't come home to a pile of dirty plates and pans.
We had lunch together and chatted... and Gill needed to go into town to put a cheque in so I spent some time in the garden in the wind, split some logs and did some composting and stick cutting from the pile of hedge, then at 3 I cycled down to fetch the boys, came back via the woods to fetch more logpile back!
Gill made pizza for tea, which was lovely as usual. Later, after the boys were in bed, we had a game of Scrabble, and Gill thrashed me, mainly because of a super 7 letterer on the triple score, 'ovaloid'... nice shape Gilly!
Monday, 14 January 2008
Monday 14th January 08
Was woken early.. well earlier than I would have liked as Gill wanted me to take the boys into school, so we set off at 8.30 and I got them to school and got back at 8.50, but as was so tired, went back to bed and tried to go to sleep. I'm not very good at going back to sleep once up (infact I don't get to sleep well unless absolutely exhausted) but I lay there after reading NewScientist and drifted off... and had what I now know of as a 'lucid dream', where the dreamer is partly in control of the dream, and aware of it after waking. I read about different states of consciousness in NewScientist a few weeks ago and it was then that I realised about lucid dreaming. This one was about learning to water ski, using my feet not skis, and then going up a ramp and having to jump but worrying about banging my head as the ramp was under a bridge. I went up the ramp and went so high I flew up in the air. In the dream I cannot remember landing so I don't know if I survived or died... it was a pleasant experience, and when it ended I got up refreshed and very aware I had been partly directing the dream. Weird!
I then went down the garden to try to finish off the hedge processing... and I did get one stage of it done... there are now no more huge lumps of hedge waiting for initial cutting up. Now I just have a pile of cut hedge pieces and a big pile needing shredding and an enormous pile of sticks needing to be cut up so that they can be bagged up for drying.
Came in at 12.30 and downloaded my emails. Got another from 'Dr Evil' who obviously thinks that there is some type of competition going on, as she posted 'Dr. E:1, The Prof:0... and I just don't understand quite what her problem is. If I don't like reading something, or watching something on telly, I don't read or watch it. So I don't watch horror movies or stuff with violence, nor do I read blogs about cars or cooking meat... it just wouldn't interest me, and I certainly wouldn't complain, as I firmly believe that it is an individual's right to watch scary films or get thrills from cars, regardless of my opinions which are just one person's opinions. 'Dr. Evil' thinks that her opinions are important; I agree they are to her, but not much to me, and I suggest she stops upsetting herself by looking at blogs with content which disagrees with her. I still wish her no harm or hurt, and believe that she has been damaged by society or some event in her past. However she does have responsibility for her actions today and I would respect her more if she would not post anonymously.
However her comment yesterday did make me think about why I post this blog. I started because I wanted people to know how someone lives with a low carbon lifestyle, growing some food, using renewable fuels, participating in community and having lots of supportive friendships, but now it is less that and more a way for people I know to keep in touch with what is happening in this household.. and it is read by friends in the UK and US, relatives in New Zealand and family members... as well as anyone else who wants to read it. And I really enjoy writing it... I wrote a daily diary for 20 years and this has now taken it's place.
I got the kids from school and then spent some time oiling their bikes and pumping up tyres, as they seem to be slow... well the youngest anyway. Then split logs for a few minutes, and came in and cooked a quite inventive meal of vegetable spaghetti (a squash which when cooked kind of fluffs up into fibrous 'spaghetti' like threads, with a beans and cheese covering and small potatoes, boiled yesterday and put on the woodstove tonight and crisped up in a frying pan. Was very interesting!
During the evening I prepared some free pineapple for drying and did some preparation for another column subject which has to be in by the first few days of Feb.
I got another anonymous comment on the blog from the same person, who's decided to drop the Dr. Evil moniker this time, who assumes that Gill works and does most of the childcare, and that having a blog is just an ego trip. Well she ought to know that I earn the money and do quite a bit of the childcare... perhaps not as much as half, but plenty more than some Dads do. And I'm very happy that my low-income and part-time work means that I have time to prepare renewable fuels and not have to pay loads for electricity and gas. She may know the phrase 'downsizing' which I have not had to do as I have never been up there with the high earners and highly stressed folks! I feel I have a very high quality of life and can therefore cope with any criticism from folks who probably don't understand how satisfying it is to live a 'green' life.
Oh, and I have worked out who the anonymous Dr. Evil is, too, as this latest message, which I won't publish as it's rude, gives me another clue. I am suprised though as she is friendly to my face. A pity really that she's reduced to posting anonymous defamitory comments! She won't get another mention on this blog and I hope she continues reading and perhaps gets inspiration to green-up her life, which is one of the aims of having a blog. Maybe she should write one, and I could write kind comments about her talents!
Had a lovely happy evening with the stove and Gill who was feeling a bit better than earlier as she'd managed to have a sleep.
I then went down the garden to try to finish off the hedge processing... and I did get one stage of it done... there are now no more huge lumps of hedge waiting for initial cutting up. Now I just have a pile of cut hedge pieces and a big pile needing shredding and an enormous pile of sticks needing to be cut up so that they can be bagged up for drying.
Came in at 12.30 and downloaded my emails. Got another from 'Dr Evil' who obviously thinks that there is some type of competition going on, as she posted 'Dr. E:1, The Prof:0... and I just don't understand quite what her problem is. If I don't like reading something, or watching something on telly, I don't read or watch it. So I don't watch horror movies or stuff with violence, nor do I read blogs about cars or cooking meat... it just wouldn't interest me, and I certainly wouldn't complain, as I firmly believe that it is an individual's right to watch scary films or get thrills from cars, regardless of my opinions which are just one person's opinions. 'Dr. Evil' thinks that her opinions are important; I agree they are to her, but not much to me, and I suggest she stops upsetting herself by looking at blogs with content which disagrees with her. I still wish her no harm or hurt, and believe that she has been damaged by society or some event in her past. However she does have responsibility for her actions today and I would respect her more if she would not post anonymously.
However her comment yesterday did make me think about why I post this blog. I started because I wanted people to know how someone lives with a low carbon lifestyle, growing some food, using renewable fuels, participating in community and having lots of supportive friendships, but now it is less that and more a way for people I know to keep in touch with what is happening in this household.. and it is read by friends in the UK and US, relatives in New Zealand and family members... as well as anyone else who wants to read it. And I really enjoy writing it... I wrote a daily diary for 20 years and this has now taken it's place.
I got the kids from school and then spent some time oiling their bikes and pumping up tyres, as they seem to be slow... well the youngest anyway. Then split logs for a few minutes, and came in and cooked a quite inventive meal of vegetable spaghetti (a squash which when cooked kind of fluffs up into fibrous 'spaghetti' like threads, with a beans and cheese covering and small potatoes, boiled yesterday and put on the woodstove tonight and crisped up in a frying pan. Was very interesting!
During the evening I prepared some free pineapple for drying and did some preparation for another column subject which has to be in by the first few days of Feb.
I got another anonymous comment on the blog from the same person, who's decided to drop the Dr. Evil moniker this time, who assumes that Gill works and does most of the childcare, and that having a blog is just an ego trip. Well she ought to know that I earn the money and do quite a bit of the childcare... perhaps not as much as half, but plenty more than some Dads do. And I'm very happy that my low-income and part-time work means that I have time to prepare renewable fuels and not have to pay loads for electricity and gas. She may know the phrase 'downsizing' which I have not had to do as I have never been up there with the high earners and highly stressed folks! I feel I have a very high quality of life and can therefore cope with any criticism from folks who probably don't understand how satisfying it is to live a 'green' life.
Oh, and I have worked out who the anonymous Dr. Evil is, too, as this latest message, which I won't publish as it's rude, gives me another clue. I am suprised though as she is friendly to my face. A pity really that she's reduced to posting anonymous defamitory comments! She won't get another mention on this blog and I hope she continues reading and perhaps gets inspiration to green-up her life, which is one of the aims of having a blog. Maybe she should write one, and I could write kind comments about her talents!
Had a lovely happy evening with the stove and Gill who was feeling a bit better than earlier as she'd managed to have a sleep.
Monday, 17 December 2007
Monday 17th December 07
A lovely lazy morning following exertions yesterday, read lots of NewScientist and sent a letter to them for publication about particulate emissions from woodstoves, and how woodstoves can reduce someone's fossil carbon footprint.
The rest of the day was good too, put a couple of layers on a sit and wait compost heap, and dug out the 'Compostumbler' and put the contents into a 'dalek' to complete the process. Found the 'Belu' bottle, disintegrating quite well now, and put it back into the tumbler for another 'cooking'! Started to refill, including the roadkill from yesterday and woodchips from stumpgrinding ops over the road. Late lunch, started working on my book's questionnaire again, after several months away from the project. Collected the kids at 3.15 and then stayed in and made carrot and orange soup for our tea. Continued doing my questionnaire on the laptop. The next thing is to find a way of distributing it, may use 'SurveyMonkey'.
The rest of the day was good too, put a couple of layers on a sit and wait compost heap, and dug out the 'Compostumbler' and put the contents into a 'dalek' to complete the process. Found the 'Belu' bottle, disintegrating quite well now, and put it back into the tumbler for another 'cooking'! Started to refill, including the roadkill from yesterday and woodchips from stumpgrinding ops over the road. Late lunch, started working on my book's questionnaire again, after several months away from the project. Collected the kids at 3.15 and then stayed in and made carrot and orange soup for our tea. Continued doing my questionnaire on the laptop. The next thing is to find a way of distributing it, may use 'SurveyMonkey'.
Saturday, 8 September 2007
Saturday 8th September 07
Good to have a lie-in, finished last week's NewScientist, really enjoyed an interesting article on language and thought. When I got up, went into the garden and unloaded my bike from last night, still piled high with compostables needing to be bunged on a heap or possibly the tumbler, so did some of that. Also did some riddling, just for a change, as I haven't done any for a while, and there's umpteen sacks of finished material needing putting through the riddle, which will give me some good 'stick-heavy' topping material for the heap I turned yesterday, and needs to sit and do it's stuff, best under a layer of already composted stuff, and I use the chunky bits which don't go through the riddle, mulch quality.
However I had to come in and get tidied up as soon after lunch I needed to go to a gig in Copmanthorpe, so I had a bath and shave and hairwash so wouldn't be so furry and frightening for the 6 yr olds I'll be entertaining. Also my knees and forearms were composty, not a good image for a professional entertainer.
Went through Bishopthorpe and Acaster Malbis as didn't really want to go the A64 route, so it was quite a lot longer but much quieter and perhaps safer.
Excellent party, a lively lot, noisy and needed reminding several times about watching and listening and not talking during the show... so they didn't miss the opportunities to come up and have a go with stuff. The feather balancing went well, most audience members participated in this. Did the balloon show after tea, they were suprisingly good at it considering most of them were 5 or 6 years old. Anyway, I enjoyed it, so did they, and the mum also said it was a lovely party as she paid me, so I cycled home happy. I called in to Martin's veg on the way back, Richard had put 3 sacks of stuff for me to take, so I loaded them on to the trailer too.
Gill had created a bulgar wheat tea which I had soon after coming in at 7.30. A relaxing evening, enjoyed David Gilmour on telly.
However I had to come in and get tidied up as soon after lunch I needed to go to a gig in Copmanthorpe, so I had a bath and shave and hairwash so wouldn't be so furry and frightening for the 6 yr olds I'll be entertaining. Also my knees and forearms were composty, not a good image for a professional entertainer.
Went through Bishopthorpe and Acaster Malbis as didn't really want to go the A64 route, so it was quite a lot longer but much quieter and perhaps safer.
Excellent party, a lively lot, noisy and needed reminding several times about watching and listening and not talking during the show... so they didn't miss the opportunities to come up and have a go with stuff. The feather balancing went well, most audience members participated in this. Did the balloon show after tea, they were suprisingly good at it considering most of them were 5 or 6 years old. Anyway, I enjoyed it, so did they, and the mum also said it was a lovely party as she paid me, so I cycled home happy. I called in to Martin's veg on the way back, Richard had put 3 sacks of stuff for me to take, so I loaded them on to the trailer too.
Gill had created a bulgar wheat tea which I had soon after coming in at 7.30. A relaxing evening, enjoyed David Gilmour on telly.
Sunday, 19 August 2007
Sunday 19th August 07
Another lazy morning, this feels like a real summer holiday!
Spent some time in bed after breakfast, Gill listened to The Archers and I read NewScientist, then I watched Countryfile and did some writing. Also did some 'blog management' to make my blog more interesting and usable.
Left the house at midday to go to help at a York Rotters stall at 'York Pride', the annual Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender event in Rowntree Park. When I got there, it was still being set up, a bit late as the gates had been opened late, but it didn't take long. It was a tiny event compared to the Green Festival, and all placed up in the bandstand area. However it was a fun and goodnatured event, and I met quite a few people I knew, and our Rotters stall was well-visited and we gave out lots of advice and leaflets.
I met the partner of a friend who's involved in the Yorkshire Terriers, Yorkshire's Gay and Lesbian Football Club. Had a good chat with him and the issues surrounding sexuality in football. Apparently there are no 'out' footballers in the main football clubs and therefore there are several 'gay-friendly' clubs over the UK. The Yorkshire Terriers are working with mainstream clubs to try to get gay footballers accepted in the same way that black footballers have been more accepted since the 'kick racism out of football' campaign started. Interesting subject, I've not had such a long conversation about football for ages!
Spent some time in bed after breakfast, Gill listened to The Archers and I read NewScientist, then I watched Countryfile and did some writing. Also did some 'blog management' to make my blog more interesting and usable.
Left the house at midday to go to help at a York Rotters stall at 'York Pride', the annual Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender event in Rowntree Park. When I got there, it was still being set up, a bit late as the gates had been opened late, but it didn't take long. It was a tiny event compared to the Green Festival, and all placed up in the bandstand area. However it was a fun and goodnatured event, and I met quite a few people I knew, and our Rotters stall was well-visited and we gave out lots of advice and leaflets.
I met the partner of a friend who's involved in the Yorkshire Terriers, Yorkshire's Gay and Lesbian Football Club. Had a good chat with him and the issues surrounding sexuality in football. Apparently there are no 'out' footballers in the main football clubs and therefore there are several 'gay-friendly' clubs over the UK. The Yorkshire Terriers are working with mainstream clubs to try to get gay footballers accepted in the same way that black footballers have been more accepted since the 'kick racism out of football' campaign started. Interesting subject, I've not had such a long conversation about football for ages!
Friday, 1 June 2007
Friday 1st June 07
An extrordinary day, such a lot happened.
Firstly, the first copy of CommunityCare magazine popped through our letterbox, it has my second column in it which is about household appliances and energy saving, and also an excerpt from my weekly blog... this made me very happy as it is the first time I have seen it in print. Wow! I now feel like a published author... slight delusions of grandeur but I do have a right to feel pleased with myself, not everybody has a column and a blog in a national magazine!
see www.communitycare.co.uk/TheEthicist for my blog, as for the column I'm not sure if it's available on the net, it might only be in the printed mag. I'll find out.
Soon after that arrived I got a phone call from Lucy from the BBC, Inside Out, who are filming at tomorrow's St Nicholas Fields' Junk Swap, sorry, Big Recycle Day! I am performing as Professor Fiddlesticks AND John the Composter, and will be miked up all day. I then popped round to St Nicks to give them my confirmation letter about tomorrow and pick up a NewScientist I left for them to photocopy an article. I took a load of cardboard tubes which i had taken out of a skip a few days ago, as I know somone will use them for an art project or something.
After lunch I did a bit in the garden and then at 1.30 set off for the centre of town with the boys as we all had an eyesight test booked. I have one every year as I have family members with glaucoma and it's heritable, and the boys both had their first sight test. We left our bikes in the Out Of This World carpark and walked round to the opticians. The tests were fun and interesting, and all our sight is OK.
Then picked up a couple of bits from OOTW to take back for recycling, and I was given my monthly honourarium, a small payment to thank me for volunteering to do their recycling for them. As well as compostables, I also take a few glass bottles and steel and aluminium cans home. All but the aluminium cans go in the household recycling kerbside box, but I keep the aluminium as it's valuable and every now and then visit a scrap metal dealer and get a few quid for every sack. When on a low income, every pound counts!
Bought some vegan ice cream for Gill and carefully cycled home. I am so proud of my little boys, cycling on the road and developing good road manners and sense.
Then, within an hour or so of getting back, I set off for the Minster to meet up with folks participating in this month's Critical Mass cycle ride, and whilst I waited I chatted to a woman visiting York from Glasgow, and helped somone who had lost their watch by suggesting going to the De Grey Rooms Tourist Information Centre, as they'd be the nearest help place to perhaps leave a message for the police, incase it was handed in. Then the Critical Mass set off, only about 20 of us but with music playing and bike bells tringing we slowed the traffic down momentarily (ie no more than 5 mins at any time) and pulled over to let buses through. Critical Mass is relatively small in York but very effective in London and bigger cities. Lots of people gave us thumbs up and positive comments, and as always some folks vent their anger and call us names. We always keep smiling and upbeat, it's based on having fun. We ended up going up Huntington Rd, down Haxby Rd and Gillygate, Bootham and Clifton Bridge, through Leeman Road and then down to the Millenium Bridge and up New Walk, a good hour's cycle ride.
I peeled off and came home up the Heslington Road, and as I came onto the Hull Road and got ready to turn right into my house, witnessed a car crash... probably known in the trade as a 'shunt'. What happened was a car driver who had apparently been driving very very cautiously saw me coming down in the opposite direction with my hand out to turn, and perhaps assumed that I was going to suicidally turn in front of them, so they braked sharply. The car behind them braked to avoid a collision with the cautious driver, and the driver behind her, who was far too close, couldn't stop or just didn't, and rammed hard into the bigger tougher car. The driver at fault completely smashed the front of her car... she was young and inexperienced, but the more careful driver just had the bumper taken off. The driver that stopped unneccessarily just drove on and dissappeared, and they were ultimately responsible for poor driving in the first place.
I stopped and said to the driver who had been driven into that I would be a witness, and I then helped the very shocked driver-at-fault by giving her some support and offering her access to the phone in the house. My neighbour's son Graham and I pushed the smashed car onto the pavement and I swept up plastic and glass shards. The front driver was able to drive away but the younger one was offered a lift by Graham back to her house in Fishergate. Much as though I don't like cars (and accidents like this are just one reason!) I would not wish this experience on anyone and felt very sorry for both shocked women. Not a nice thing to happen at all, but no injuries to speak of.
So came in, now 8pm, and made a quick burger from an out of date tofu thingy and some granary bread. My youngest child needed some goats milk as we'd run out (he has this as he's less phlegmy at night using goats' milk) so I went to the shop. The young lady in the queue in front of me tried to pay with a card but it wouldn't work, so I offered to pay for her groceries and said she could pay me back. She and the staff were astonished, but she gratefully accepted so she was able to go home with her £15.40 worth of groceries, plus my business card which has my name and address on. She came round within half an hour saying that she could not draw any money out and couldn't pay me now, very apologetic. I told her not to wory and to pay me back when she could, and we chatted for a few minutes about composting... potentially another convert!
So an amazing day, and late on in the evening a good and friendly chat with my friend in America, and then watched telly with Gill.
Firstly, the first copy of CommunityCare magazine popped through our letterbox, it has my second column in it which is about household appliances and energy saving, and also an excerpt from my weekly blog... this made me very happy as it is the first time I have seen it in print. Wow! I now feel like a published author... slight delusions of grandeur but I do have a right to feel pleased with myself, not everybody has a column and a blog in a national magazine!
see www.communitycare.co.uk/TheEthicist for my blog, as for the column I'm not sure if it's available on the net, it might only be in the printed mag. I'll find out.
Soon after that arrived I got a phone call from Lucy from the BBC, Inside Out, who are filming at tomorrow's St Nicholas Fields' Junk Swap, sorry, Big Recycle Day! I am performing as Professor Fiddlesticks AND John the Composter, and will be miked up all day. I then popped round to St Nicks to give them my confirmation letter about tomorrow and pick up a NewScientist I left for them to photocopy an article. I took a load of cardboard tubes which i had taken out of a skip a few days ago, as I know somone will use them for an art project or something.
After lunch I did a bit in the garden and then at 1.30 set off for the centre of town with the boys as we all had an eyesight test booked. I have one every year as I have family members with glaucoma and it's heritable, and the boys both had their first sight test. We left our bikes in the Out Of This World carpark and walked round to the opticians. The tests were fun and interesting, and all our sight is OK.
Then picked up a couple of bits from OOTW to take back for recycling, and I was given my monthly honourarium, a small payment to thank me for volunteering to do their recycling for them. As well as compostables, I also take a few glass bottles and steel and aluminium cans home. All but the aluminium cans go in the household recycling kerbside box, but I keep the aluminium as it's valuable and every now and then visit a scrap metal dealer and get a few quid for every sack. When on a low income, every pound counts!
Bought some vegan ice cream for Gill and carefully cycled home. I am so proud of my little boys, cycling on the road and developing good road manners and sense.
Then, within an hour or so of getting back, I set off for the Minster to meet up with folks participating in this month's Critical Mass cycle ride, and whilst I waited I chatted to a woman visiting York from Glasgow, and helped somone who had lost their watch by suggesting going to the De Grey Rooms Tourist Information Centre, as they'd be the nearest help place to perhaps leave a message for the police, incase it was handed in. Then the Critical Mass set off, only about 20 of us but with music playing and bike bells tringing we slowed the traffic down momentarily (ie no more than 5 mins at any time) and pulled over to let buses through. Critical Mass is relatively small in York but very effective in London and bigger cities. Lots of people gave us thumbs up and positive comments, and as always some folks vent their anger and call us names. We always keep smiling and upbeat, it's based on having fun. We ended up going up Huntington Rd, down Haxby Rd and Gillygate, Bootham and Clifton Bridge, through Leeman Road and then down to the Millenium Bridge and up New Walk, a good hour's cycle ride.
I peeled off and came home up the Heslington Road, and as I came onto the Hull Road and got ready to turn right into my house, witnessed a car crash... probably known in the trade as a 'shunt'. What happened was a car driver who had apparently been driving very very cautiously saw me coming down in the opposite direction with my hand out to turn, and perhaps assumed that I was going to suicidally turn in front of them, so they braked sharply. The car behind them braked to avoid a collision with the cautious driver, and the driver behind her, who was far too close, couldn't stop or just didn't, and rammed hard into the bigger tougher car. The driver at fault completely smashed the front of her car... she was young and inexperienced, but the more careful driver just had the bumper taken off. The driver that stopped unneccessarily just drove on and dissappeared, and they were ultimately responsible for poor driving in the first place.
I stopped and said to the driver who had been driven into that I would be a witness, and I then helped the very shocked driver-at-fault by giving her some support and offering her access to the phone in the house. My neighbour's son Graham and I pushed the smashed car onto the pavement and I swept up plastic and glass shards. The front driver was able to drive away but the younger one was offered a lift by Graham back to her house in Fishergate. Much as though I don't like cars (and accidents like this are just one reason!) I would not wish this experience on anyone and felt very sorry for both shocked women. Not a nice thing to happen at all, but no injuries to speak of.
So came in, now 8pm, and made a quick burger from an out of date tofu thingy and some granary bread. My youngest child needed some goats milk as we'd run out (he has this as he's less phlegmy at night using goats' milk) so I went to the shop. The young lady in the queue in front of me tried to pay with a card but it wouldn't work, so I offered to pay for her groceries and said she could pay me back. She and the staff were astonished, but she gratefully accepted so she was able to go home with her £15.40 worth of groceries, plus my business card which has my name and address on. She came round within half an hour saying that she could not draw any money out and couldn't pay me now, very apologetic. I told her not to wory and to pay me back when she could, and we chatted for a few minutes about composting... potentially another convert!
So an amazing day, and late on in the evening a good and friendly chat with my friend in America, and then watched telly with Gill.
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