Thursday 29th December 11

Getting ready to go to Sheffield.

I cycled down to town to put a cheque in, and onto the station where I bought tickets with the family railcard and waited for the rest of the family.  We got the 11.34 and by 12.20 we were in Sheffield, and we walked up the hill behind the station towards Norfolk Park, towards Thomas and Katie's house.

There was a strong wind blowing up the hill, and horizontal rain. I walked faster than Gill and the boys, with most of the bags of luggage.... and there coming towards me was Thomas, who greeted me warmly.  He continued on to go and meet the others, and told me to get on to the house to get out of the rain.

It was lovely to see his 3 kids, my nephews and niece, and see how quickly they're growing. Thomas had prepared some roast vegetables and I helped him make a nutloaf, and at about 2pm we had lunch.  Wholesome and filling... and immediately afterwards Tom and I went outside to split a large pile of cedar logs which had been dumped on his drive by a grateful patient.

Then Tom ran out of space to stack the logs I was splitting off, so we cleared out a couple of matured log stores, compacting them into a third area, leaving space to fill.  We really enjoyed working together, and did well over an hour of hard work.

However, they'd all been invited to a friend's house for 5.30 so at about 5, my Dad arrived in his car and the four of us decamped with him and drove the 10 or 15 minutes to Walkley where Mummy was waiting for us, and had cooked a lovely meal of...... nutloaf and roast vegetables!

We were given rooms for the night and were all very comfortable.

Friday 4th March 11

Quite an early start as I went round to Maria's with my eldest so he could do his science lesson and I moved about 20 sacks of compost in the wheelbarrow from the back garden, through Johan's workshop and tipped them out into the front garden, in piles all over, so that Maria can rake or brush them over the soil.  I finished that in about 40 minutes and then carried on digging out the second New Zealand bin and putting it into the third, removing sticks and stones and rubbish... not that there was a lot of rubbish, but a few uncomposted tea-bags, bits of plastic, etc.  The sticks went on the top of heap number 1, with all the fresh material on.

Maria and our lad did experiments to see how quickly hot water cooled down in differently insulated receptacles.  Simple, but good hands on experiments, good to see scientific technique being done.

We came back at the same time Gill came back from the Steiner School, she'd been volunteering at the shop.

I was sorting out something outside when a neighbour, Jamie, stopped by, and invited me to see his logpile!  He was planning on getting a stove; he'd visited me a couple of years ago and seen the stoves.  However, he hasn't got round to it, and he's just learned that his wife has a serious illness, so he's selling his logpile for £50.  I said yes, because it is a mix of hardwood and softwood, well seasoned, and there's a lot of it. I think £50 is a good price.

I came back for lunch, and arranged to go and see David on Sunday night. 

In the afternoon I needed to sort out various things as I'm going to Sheffield tonight to attend the Community Composting Network meal, and tomorrow the AGM and conference.  I'll be staying over at my brother's house.

I popped down to see Richard to give him another 5 bags of seed compost, collected 4 sacks of 'resources'.  I also collected two trailer loads of logs from Jamie round the corner.  Then needed to get ready to go to Sheffield!

I got to the station in good time to get my ticket and take the bike (no trailer!) over to Platform 9 to get onto the Plymouth Train, which went via Leeds and Wakefield to Sheffield.  I got into Sheffield just before 7 and it didn't take me long to cycle up to the Blue Moon where the Community Composting Network members were gathering for a social meal.

As usual with Blue Moon, the food was excellent, and I enjoyed meeting the other CCN people, some of whom I knew and others I got to know!

It wasn't far from Blue Moon to where my brother lives, behind the station, and I found myself slowly tacking up a huge hill but it was really only about 5 minutes cycling uphill, the rest was either flat or down a gradient.

I got to Tom's at 10pm, and he and Kate were out at an event, so I knew there were babysitters there.  They left as soon as I'd got my bike into the garage, and I went on Tom's computer to chat on facebook, before peeling off to bed and reading more of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, my World Book Night title.

Saturday 27th February 10

Up at a reasonably civilised time of 8am in order to get ready to leave the house for about 9.30 with the boys, to get the 9.40 bus and the 10.44 train to Sheffield.

Long ago my younger brother Thomas had arranged to host a family get together so that our boys, who don't see their grandparents very often, could have a meeting... also with their cousins whom they get on with extremely well.

Over the past couple of days we agreed too that Gill could have a day off, away from the male dominated environment, and have a peaceful few hours. Although Gill loves seeing the extended family, she felt that she needed to have a rare bit of 'me time', and everyone concerned was happy with that. I suggested that instead of doing housework or tidying or stuff like that, she could do some art... making the cards with her water-wash and ink technique which she enjoys so much. Her eyes lit up at the thought!

So, we arrived at about 10 and I got tickets with the family railcard making the one adult and two children well under £20 for a day return. We spotted that the next train to Sheffers was 10.25, so we got that... and it was a fast train, via Doncaster, so just 50 minutes. Tom had asked us to arrive between 11.30 and midday so we walked slowly to his house (which is only 10 minutes brisk walk from the station) and when we arrived, my parents were already there, and it was good to see them as I haven't had much contact for a year or so.

Immediately all the 5 children resumed play... they just play together so nicely, as if they've been apart for just a few minutes! Soon my sister and her husband arrived, so all three siblings were together for the first time in ages. Various people had contributed to lunch, and there was a good spread with something for everyone (the youngest cousin just wanted a slice of bread, but Tom and Kate have a breadmaker so there's always a fresh loaf available) and I liked the caramelised onion tart best.

Tom has made friends with a local tree surgeon who had delivered a load of logs plus a large pile of shredded tree... and Tom wanted the shreddings to be put in his woodland where I think my Dad had been busy with a lawn-mower, making paths through the ivy, and the wood-chips were destined to cover these paths. We did perhaps 30 wheelbarrow trips between the three of us, and my mother and Tom's youngest filled sacks with woodchip so that Anna can use it for her work compost bins, which are currently under performing with too much fruit and tea bags and no carbon-rich material.

After the woodchip removal, we had a coffee and Madeira biscuit and then Tom and I did some log-wrangling... he has a petrol chainsaw with a not very good chain (at least one tooth missing, and pretty blunt) so he did the chainsawing and I split and stacked. Home from home!

We worked til after 6pm whilst the children played.

However, all good things have to come to an end, so at 6.35 we set off back to the station and caught the 6.50 train back to York. I think the boys would have liked to stay!

Tom had made us peanut butter sandwiches for tea on the train. We got the No. 10 bus back as far as Merchantgate but the First service stops at 8pm now, so we walked from town to home, getting in at 8.15.

Gill had been busy with her art and had created a brilliant canvas based on a picture of a Peter Randall-Page photo of one of his boulder sculptures under a tree (it's on the front of 'Granite Song' with photography by Chris Chapman). She had really enjoyed her peaceful day.

A peaceful evening too, boys exhausted and happy.

Saturday 26th December 09

We both woke late, which wasn't good as we were expecting visitors and had to tidy up one of the rooms to make it presentable... I whizzed the soup and chopped up a Turk's Turban squash and microwaved it before roasting it in the oven.

Then at midday, my younger brother Tom, his wife Kate, her mum Jenny and three children arrived; we were a bit flustered but soon calmed down and made coffees and chatted, then warmed the soup and rolls, and served the with slices of roast squash. This seemed to be reasonably received.

We had a bit more chat and then Tom wanted to visit York centre, as Jenny hasn't seen it for 10 years and that was her first visit... so the visitors piled into the car and I went with them, we drove to the Monkgate car park and I took them to the Minster, where we looked at the roof bosses designed by Blue Peter viewers and tried to find the oldest tomb... then out to Stonegate where were entertained by my friend who's name might be Michael Mime, or purpleman, who was doing his cyclist 'statue' and for a donation in the tin, offers to paint the donor's hair purple.

From there we looked briefly into Barley Hall, walked down The Shambles and into Whip-Ma-Whop-Ma-Gate and then to the Anti Gravity shop, where Martin was only too happy to shop the children some of his awesome 'Yoyo Monster' tricks. Then back to Monkgate and Tom gave me a lift back to Hull Road as he was going this way back to Sheffield anyway... A lovely visit, I really enjoyed seeing them.

A large pile of washing up faced me when I got back home but I ploughed through it bit by bit whilst playing Scrabble on facebook, blogging, persuading the children to go to bed and encouraging Gill with her lovely arty doodles!

Sunday 30th December 07

Woke with backache despite the firm mattress, but once had got up it went away as usual.
Good hard working morning managing the pile of stuff which answers for a compost pile... things just lobbed on, not managed at all! So I did some management! I'm good at compost pile wrangling.... dug it all out and put it onto a plastic sheet, put some layers of partially rotted leafmould into it plus some compost probably made from animal bedding, and chopped up some of the larger twigs and sticks, and forked it all back again, well mixed and aerated.

Lunch was soup and a sandwich, then showed Mummy my laptop as she's thinking of getting one, and then we were driven over to Norfolk Park to see Thomas and Katy and their kids again. As it was nice weather, I chopped logs (split them with a maul) and then stacked them when Tom came out to split the rest of the pile

Saturday 29th December 07

Up early to go to Sheffield, as we had been invited to visit my parents to see their new house. Got a taxi to the station as we missed the bus, and got the 9.30ish train which took just 50 minutes to get to Sheffield. Then a little walk through the interchange to go to the 'Walkley' bus stop... and was in Upperthorpe/Walkley/Birkendale by 11am. The house is sort-of between all of these areas, not in the middle of anywhere.

The kids were very excited to explore the house and garden, and I helped my Dad take a gate off its hinges and then cut the hinges off the gatepost as the screws were completely rusted into the oak. Daddy is going to reposition the hinges and gate so it opens right back so he can easily get his car in.

Then we had lunch and soon after that we were driven to Thomas and Kate's to have our evening meal, and all the children played together so well. Anna and Douglas came too, it was lovely to have all three of us kids there, the parents and their grandchildren... the whole lot. We had the meal there as the folks don't have a proper cooker at the moment, and of course Thomas's house is so cosy and homely with it's two woodstoves!

We left after 8pm and when we got back to the parents' house, the kids were shattered and were soon in bed. We grown ups had a relaxed evening and watched a silly 'news bloopers' programme on telly, and were in bed soon after midnight.

Saturday 16th June 07, Heeley City Farm, Sheffield

Today had a fairly early start as had a train to catch to Sheffield. However before I went, two pieces of post came through the door... a huge phone bill for £200, much bigger than normal (this is the new normal!) caused by over indulgence in dialup blogging and chat... and a cheque from Community Care for the two columns already published and the 8 blogs I've submitted religiously every weekend or soon after. This made up for the phone bill!

Cycled with all my gear in easily transportable form to the station, bought a ticket and got the 09.44 which would arrive in plenty of time to get to Heeley City Farm. There were slight delays as the floods had damaged the signals, but we were only 10 mins late into Sheffers. Met a very pleasent woman (Kate) on the train who was going to a wedding in Derby, and finishing off her home-made wedding card, and she knows Jeremy Clines in York, whom I know as he's a St John's College Chaplain with a keen interest in social justice and sustainability. Apparently he's getting married next week and she'll be going to that on Sat and to the Cyclist's Touring Club rally on the Sunday, where she might very well meet me as I'm working at it! Small World!

I got the 53 bus to Heeley within 2 mins of arriving at the bus interchange, and was soon off at the right stop (helpful locals) and was soon at Heeley City Farm. Jo the Education Officer met me and showed me where I could work, and gave me a quick tour, including the nearby Heeley Festival activities.

My job was to do a half hour of unicycle-about, advertising my circus show and balloon giveaway. My brother Thomas and his wife Kate, with their three little charges were there, as was my Sis Anna and hubby Douglas and his mum, which was really nice. Also delighted to meet again with Lorna, whom I met at the National Railway Museum at a Fiddlesticks gig, and we connected really well then. I told her via email that I'd be here today and she came up from near Burton on Trent in her Mini to see me and have the Heeley City Farm experience!

The gig went well, everything as expected, lots of people liked it, some came by after and said they loved it. Hooray! How satisfying. As the family members had gone home I put all the kit into Lorna's Mini and she took me out into the countryside nearby, and we spent an hour sitting on a recycled plastic bench near Unstone, overlooking a good view and chatting. As Chesterfield was on her way home, she took me there rather than back into Sheffield, and I got a single Chesterfield to Sheffield and a train came within half an hour, got into York shortly before 8pm.

Picked up from Out Of This World before getting home, and had a quiet evening.

Sunday 29th April 07, Day-trip to Sheffield

A horrendously early start, 6.15, don't know why, apart from loud sparrows squabbling outside the window..

Got up anyway as have to be up early enough to get the 9.20 to Sheffield, as I'm helping to do some gardening at Anna and Douglas's house in Middlewood. Gill decided to stay at home and do some sorting, I cycled down to the station, tailing my 9 year old and with my 7 year old sitting on my crossbar. The roads were almost empty, good for practice cycling for my little beginner. Easily got the 9.20 and were met by my brother Thomas and his 3 kids at Sheffield Station, and we walked through the City admiring the various stainless steel sculptures and water features which are fairly newly installed. Also went into the Winter Gardens, before catching the tram up to Middlewood Terminus which is in the valley below where our sister Anna and her hairy hubby live, up a hill.

Good chats with Tom, proud to have taken part in a run (10km?) with 700 participants, he came 350th, ahead of his wife Kate, who goes out for regular runs and was therefore slightly put out. Their two 7 yr olds also did a short run, and Tom has also dabbled in a cycle race and said I should have a go as I'd be good at it. Never know, I might!

It was lovely to be all together, the three of us and Douglas, and the children all playing well together. Nice lunch and did a load of gardening... had been asked to revamp the compost heap but also did lots of convovulous root removal, nettle pulling and brick and rubbish excavation. Did a lot of work... oh and also helped Tom to take a wardrobe up their stairs which was a tight fit!

Tom and kids left after lunch but we stayed til after 4, and got the two trams back to the station and got a train within minutes, changed at Doncaster and were back in York by 6pm.

Very proud of my little boys who have behaved so well and been lovely, and also Gill who has worked extremely hard tidying the conservatory and the garden, ready for a couple of visitors tomorrow morning.

A long and exhausting day, not helped by a streaming nose and regular sneezing fits... possibly pollen allergy, don't really know...