Tuesday 16th March 11

A tough day, but mostly good.  I had agreed with my friend Edwina that I'd go and help her with her garden project today; she said she'd be in from 11am.   I set off in good time to go and get two compost bins from a freecycling friend, who was in this instance not freecycling but selling them, as they were new just a few months ago. 

However, my journey didn't start too well.  I was cycling along Thief Lane where Newland Park Drive comes in from the left, and a car was coming along.  I could have accelerated and gone in front of the car, at some risk of pissing the driver off, so as it was the car's right of way, I coasted and waited for it to pass, then pushed hard on my pedals, in too low-a gear (I hadn't changed into an appropriate gear for starting off) and the chain slipped and I fell off.  Beware standing on pedals!  I fell onto the road, banging my knee, and my cycle helmet on the ground, and the handlebars walloped me in the stomach.  Fortunately there was no traffic that close, just a van driver who stopped and asked me if I was OK?  Well I was walking wounded; I knew I'd bloodied my knee but my abdomen felt worse, bruised.  However, I just had t continue on my merry way.

I got to Woodthorpe and rescued the compost bins and put cash through the letter box.  They went on the trailer one inside the other, and I went round to Edwina's house just 5 minutes away, and got busy in the garden.  I put one of the bins in a temporary position, on a sheet of plastic, and when the garden is done, I'll be able to transfer the bin and materials to a permanent position.   I did a lot of bramble removal, and then started digging a border, which had nettles and dandelions in, and a few daffodils which I transplanted into the lawn at one side.  The brambles were difficult to dig up, partly as several had rooted into a low wall which I'll need my wrecking bar to remove.  I worked for 4 hours, with a short lunch break. 

At 3 I went via the racecourse and a logpile to the Millennium Bridge and on to the Steiner School, to pick up our youngest.  I had a nice chat with Catherine Heinemeyer about the possibility that the Steiner School, which is a private fee paying school, might become a 'free school'.  There is a lot of support for this, but some strong dissent, people happy with the status quo, and it seems likely that the will of these people will probably prevail.

A good cycle home, and I collapsed for an hour before cycling down to see Richard.  We spent quite a bit of time together, he smashed up a pallet and I converted 3 boxes worth of compostables into 3 sacks and a carrier bag of chestnuts, which I'll try to salvage.  I collected a sack from Freshways and came home, washed up, boiled a pan of chestnuts, did emails, had tea, decided not to go out to the Steiner School AGM and had a quiet evening in.

Thursday 28th January 10

Up relatively early compared to recent days, and by 10 was doing housework and being busy. A bit later in the morning I went to do some work in the garden, which was lovely as the sun was shining. I did more of the annual bramble pruning and some more compost heap construction.

Gill had an appointment in town so I went to our youngest son's class assembly, where the class puts on a little play or show. I didn't realise that my lad was the compere! He introduced the 3 different groups (Eboracum Romans 2000 years ago, Georgian ladies and today's schoolkids) and at a couple of intervals he helped explain the plot. He has a lovely clear voice and did it with confidence. I was really proud of him. But then he wanted to go to drama club, and be picked up at 4pm. So I cycled back home, did half an hour's sawing with the bowsaw, and cycled back. We then walked home together, which was nice.

I did a little more outdoor work but had a Fiddlesticks enquiry, and some interesting emails to deal with. Catherine from York Rotters started a facebook page for York Rotters, which is great, and I invited lots of my friends to join that. I also saw that my blog counter had gone past 20,000, which is pretty amazing. That's since Sept 08.

We had a small tea, Gill had made some rissoles with the rice from yesterday and she made 'burgers' with them, one each in a roll. Bits and bobs of salad, was very nice.

So, during the evening I had a lot of computery work to do, I did this whilst half-watching the TV and keeping the stove going as it has gone cold again. Brrrrrr.....

Sunday 18th January 09

Woke late and didn't feel that comfortable with such a lot of cleaning activity going on so I went outside to take cardboard down to the current compost heap, then cycled to Hazel Court to take drinks cartons, batteries, and some scrap iron for recycling. On the way out I was gently accosted by one of the operatives who explained that bicycles were not allowed up to the area where cars go, and that I should leave my stuff down at the pedestrians area. However, this area does not cater for drinks cartons or scrap metal, so I told him that I intended to continue using the normal area. There does not seem to be any sensible reason why cyclists should be singled out as not allowed... as when drivers get out of their cars to take stuff to different receptacles, they too become pedestrians. I will send in my application for a permit to use my trailer and see what happens. In the meantime, every now and then, I'll take in my tetrapaks for recycling, and use the correct 'bring bank'. Grrrr.. I hate stupid regulations!

Anyway, came back feeling refreshed and invigorated, having done my recycling and had a good-natured discussion where I stated my case clearly and politely.

Or kitchen was immaculate! Thank you Linda!!

Had lunch, said goodbye to Linda and got the stove going whilst listening to Gardeners Question Time on the radio and doing emails. Then I went and did some more tidying in the garden... mainly cutting back last year's blackberries and putting the chopped bits on the compost.

Listened to a little bit of York's best radio station, Equinox 107, which broadcasts on Sunday afternoons. Also popped down to Country Fresh to pick up a bag of resources, and cycled it down to put most of it on the new compost heap.

Tea was mainly reheated stuff from the previous day, but also broccoli and butternut squash. Lovely as usual. Gill is feeling much better and is up and about, keeping active and is eating well.

A fairly quiet evening, warm and cosy, watched an amusing documentary on the work of Health and Safety Inspectors, called 'The Fun Police'. Tried to do some writing. (other than this!)

26th December 08

A nice start to the day, with a phone call from Lorna who's up in Yorkshire visiting her sister and asked if she could visit us all this evening. I came down and lit the stove as it's cold, and breakfasted.

Gill went out with our eldest to go and look for a Nintendo Wii, as he's been saving up for one for ages, after enjoying using one at a friend's house earlier this year.

I went on my computer and our youngest played on Spore on the other computer.

The others came back, they'd walked into town, got a good deal on a Wii and walked back. They'd got a basic Wii Sport with added games, steering wheel, extra user remote and probably other stuff... for an all inclusive price which was quite a bit cheaper than all the bits if bought separately. So what's going to happen is that he'll have the basic stuff he's saved up for, and keep earning and saving so he can buy the extra stuff off Gill.

We had a late lunch of the last of the leek and potato soup, and I did a small amount of work outside, pruning out this year's brambles, some chainsawing (just 10 minutes) and splitting.

Lorna dropped in after tea (which was tomato soup, home-made of course!) and watched the boys and Gill setting up the Wii whilst I filled up the aquarium that our youngest got for his main present. Lorna had never seen a Wii before so was just as amused as we were to watch our eldest having a virtual boxing match, very entertaining and fun.

Lorna left at about 9 and I set to and made another batch of tomato soup on the woodstove. This is what you do with a glut of tomatoes: chop two onions and a stick of celery, and fry in the biggest heaviest pan you have. Add a job lot of chopped tomatoes, followed by a couple of chopped beetroot and two red peppers. Stew for a couple of hours with the lid on and then let it go cold overnight without taking the lid off. Tomorrow morning I'll add some herbs and bouillon, balsamic vinegar and soy sauce. Then whizz with the hand-held blender and bring it up to heat again... it will be delicious!

Whilst this was bubbling, I watched Nine Months, a rather rubbish American film, and played Scrabble with my various Facebook friends.

Saturday 2nd February 08

Not that brilliant a day as Gill mentioned homework to the boys and there was an outburst of anger and very difficult to cope with behaviour.

I went to the allotment and did more bramble removal, digging up the roots of invaders.

When I came back I planted the raspberries that Aunty Lizzy sent, there were 33 of them, and I put them into the circular bed at the bottom of the garden which is quite shady, but raspberries will cope with that kind of situation, whereas other things I've tried to grow there have not done very well.

Baked potato for tea, the Heslington-grown ones from Martin's, very tasty. Richard thought they would be 'Estima' but the name wasn't on the sack.

Quiet evening. Did a load of fruit peeling and slicing for drying, and watched a bit of telly with Gilly.