Woke late and feeling grotty with throat feeling swollen, but decided to get up and get on without fuss, and as I have so much to do, starting with Fiddlesticks confirmations, as the summer bookings are coming in. I have 4 to reply to today, two which need an invoice and one which also needs a risk assessment.
We had three visitors for coffee in the morning, two residents of Emerald Street where we used to live and one of their young sons who was very cute, even though he wasn't feeling very well.
Then for lunch my friend Jo came and met Gill for the first time and we all had a nice chat over a sandwich.
After lunch I did some washing up and 3pm came so soon, my time to go and get the kids. But immediately I arrived back I cycled down to town and picked up my recyclables and paid in a cheque and also popped in on Bernie at Bikerescue, a bicycle recycling organisation which is organising a 3 day cycle event at the National Railway Museum, and I have been booked as Professor Fiddlesticks the unicycle teacher, on Saturday 5th and Monday 7th May, next weekend.
Nice tea made by Gill, based on bulgar wheat.
Monday, 30 April 2007
Sunday, 29 April 2007
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...
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...
Saturday, 28 April 2007
Saturday 28th April 07
A relaxed but productive day, spent with my family in the house and garden. The main thing I did was to get the boys to plant a lot of 'Jack Edwards Pea Beans', a climbing French pea bean which I first got from Sheffield Green Fair several years ago.
However the day started early as I was expecting a Freecycler to come and look at the big tricycle I want to sell (he didn't recieve a free one, and initially took up my offer of seeing mine with a view to purchasing it) but he didn't turn up. However Chris the more reliable Freecycler who wanted 'hessian sacks or similar' arrived to pick up a sack full of paper potato sacks, had a tour of the garden and was inspired. He said he'd just taken on an allotment so I gave him a sack of compost and a small baggie of dried Jack Edwards pea beans, which I urged him to plant immediately. I have just recieved a nice email from him thanking me for my generosity and also for inspiring him and his wife in their allotmenting and composting.
My children had fun riding the big trike (my wife cannot manage it as the steering is weird, compared to a two-wheeler) and I built a woodpile and tidied the front garden a bit. Gill made a start on sorting out the conservatory which has gotten very cluttered and needs sorting before the tomatoes go in.
Planting our favourite beans was fun... I made up lots of seed compost from loam, leafmold and a bit of rich garden compost, and mixed it 50:50 with some commercial seed compost I found in a skip last year. I had rescued a large number of plastic hot-drinks cups from a skip on Heslington Rd a few days ago and last night washed them and with a hot wire placed in the embers of the stove, melted two tiny holes in the base of each cup, four or five at a time, for drainage. The boys filled the cups with planting medium, dibbed a hole and poppoed a soaked peabean in each one. They must have done nearly a hundered, enough for us and lots to give to others. They are too good a plant to keep to oneself, everyone needs a peabean as they are truly delicious, and easy to grow.
At 1.30 I set off for Will's house in Clifton, along the cycle track ('Route 66') because one of his neighbours had given him about 400 vinyl albums to Freecycle or give away... this was advertised on Freecycle and YorkLETS, as a music giveaway from 2 til 4. I came away with about 20 records, including some Queen (which I don't know that well but want to hear more of), an original Jimi Hendrix, some Pet Shop Boys, Ultravox, some soundtracks to musicals which the boys might like, and more. I will write to Will and his neighbour and thank them. Quite a few other chaps turned up and everybody left with armfuls of old records, all free.
I spent most of the rest of the afternoon putting accumulated bits and bobs collected in the conservatory in several of the compost heaps, but I didn't manage to finish this task as the pile of cardboard, shriveled artechokes and sad onions was too big to get through, even though I continued after tea whilst the others watched Dr Who which I don't like.
My tea was good, though. I picked some chard and broccoli, and steamed that with thin strips of carrot, fried tempeh chunks and home-grown leek in sesame oil, added yesterday's cooked cauliflower at the last moment, and did a rich cheese sauce with red wine and stilton... terrific.
A quiet evening, just a bit of housework and my now habitual blogging which I enjoy doing.
However the day started early as I was expecting a Freecycler to come and look at the big tricycle I want to sell (he didn't recieve a free one, and initially took up my offer of seeing mine with a view to purchasing it) but he didn't turn up. However Chris the more reliable Freecycler who wanted 'hessian sacks or similar' arrived to pick up a sack full of paper potato sacks, had a tour of the garden and was inspired. He said he'd just taken on an allotment so I gave him a sack of compost and a small baggie of dried Jack Edwards pea beans, which I urged him to plant immediately. I have just recieved a nice email from him thanking me for my generosity and also for inspiring him and his wife in their allotmenting and composting.
My children had fun riding the big trike (my wife cannot manage it as the steering is weird, compared to a two-wheeler) and I built a woodpile and tidied the front garden a bit. Gill made a start on sorting out the conservatory which has gotten very cluttered and needs sorting before the tomatoes go in.
Planting our favourite beans was fun... I made up lots of seed compost from loam, leafmold and a bit of rich garden compost, and mixed it 50:50 with some commercial seed compost I found in a skip last year. I had rescued a large number of plastic hot-drinks cups from a skip on Heslington Rd a few days ago and last night washed them and with a hot wire placed in the embers of the stove, melted two tiny holes in the base of each cup, four or five at a time, for drainage. The boys filled the cups with planting medium, dibbed a hole and poppoed a soaked peabean in each one. They must have done nearly a hundered, enough for us and lots to give to others. They are too good a plant to keep to oneself, everyone needs a peabean as they are truly delicious, and easy to grow.
At 1.30 I set off for Will's house in Clifton, along the cycle track ('Route 66') because one of his neighbours had given him about 400 vinyl albums to Freecycle or give away... this was advertised on Freecycle and YorkLETS, as a music giveaway from 2 til 4. I came away with about 20 records, including some Queen (which I don't know that well but want to hear more of), an original Jimi Hendrix, some Pet Shop Boys, Ultravox, some soundtracks to musicals which the boys might like, and more. I will write to Will and his neighbour and thank them. Quite a few other chaps turned up and everybody left with armfuls of old records, all free.
I spent most of the rest of the afternoon putting accumulated bits and bobs collected in the conservatory in several of the compost heaps, but I didn't manage to finish this task as the pile of cardboard, shriveled artechokes and sad onions was too big to get through, even though I continued after tea whilst the others watched Dr Who which I don't like.
My tea was good, though. I picked some chard and broccoli, and steamed that with thin strips of carrot, fried tempeh chunks and home-grown leek in sesame oil, added yesterday's cooked cauliflower at the last moment, and did a rich cheese sauce with red wine and stilton... terrific.
A quiet evening, just a bit of housework and my now habitual blogging which I enjoy doing.
Friday, 27 April 2007
Friday 27th April 07
Yet another good day, as I recieved a Freecycle goody... a person who is moving house had two lawnmowers going for free and I cycled over to Stockton Lane to pick one up. Ours is about 5 or 6 years old and is on the verge of breaking, is making a horrible noise and needs either some attention, the motor reusing for a robot or other similar project, or putting in the WEEE skip (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) to be recycled.
On the way back, called in on my friend James who was in a bit of a state (he has an alcohol problem) but was pleased to see me, I think. I owe him a eucalyptus tree pruning, in part payment for his old chainsaw. Will do this within the next couple of weeks.
Then home for lunch and Gill went to a 'reading group' meeting, her first, organised by Melody our friend, who knows Gill doesn't get much time for reading. I went to the allotment to put in another two varieties of potato which was a very pleasent hour. I then went to school to pick up the kids, and as pre-arranged, went back to Suzanne and Andy's house and had a coffee and chat, as my boys played with their daughter. We left in time to get back for 5 and the boys' tea, which Gill had created, a veg stew, realy nice.
I immediately went to the veg shop for a compostables collection, came back for tea and then went down to town to collect an enormous load from Out Of This World, back again for 7.30pm and relaxation infront of the telly. Enjoyed our usual Friday TV, Gardeners World.
On the way back, called in on my friend James who was in a bit of a state (he has an alcohol problem) but was pleased to see me, I think. I owe him a eucalyptus tree pruning, in part payment for his old chainsaw. Will do this within the next couple of weeks.
Then home for lunch and Gill went to a 'reading group' meeting, her first, organised by Melody our friend, who knows Gill doesn't get much time for reading. I went to the allotment to put in another two varieties of potato which was a very pleasent hour. I then went to school to pick up the kids, and as pre-arranged, went back to Suzanne and Andy's house and had a coffee and chat, as my boys played with their daughter. We left in time to get back for 5 and the boys' tea, which Gill had created, a veg stew, realy nice.
I immediately went to the veg shop for a compostables collection, came back for tea and then went down to town to collect an enormous load from Out Of This World, back again for 7.30pm and relaxation infront of the telly. Enjoyed our usual Friday TV, Gardeners World.
Thursday, 26 April 2007
Thursday 26th April 07
A good day as the morning was very structured by the fact a group of us had to choose 6 applicants from 22 for the York Rotters part-time management post. Shortlisting for interviews next week, it's a fascinating process, but important we do it well and with integrity as it is someone's life we are dealing with, infact more than one person as 21 people won't get the job.
But it was reasonably easy to do as we were able to put all our combined favourites in one pile, discuss the 'maybes' using a tick-box grid based on the job spec, and get to our 6 for interviewing without much difficulty. We also discussed the questions we want to ask at the interview and who will ask them, and how we organise the 6 interviewees and the two parts of the interview process... the formal part and the less formal visit around St Nicks.
This all finished for lunchtime and I got home and had a good lunch and did some emailing and blogging and googletalking and then it was time to go to school...
The evening went well, a small meeting of the Green Festival organisers at Space 109... infact just two of us, but a good meeting nonetheless, and we kept it to one hour. This left time for a drink at the Blue Bell on Fossgate, which was really worthwhile.
But it was reasonably easy to do as we were able to put all our combined favourites in one pile, discuss the 'maybes' using a tick-box grid based on the job spec, and get to our 6 for interviewing without much difficulty. We also discussed the questions we want to ask at the interview and who will ask them, and how we organise the 6 interviewees and the two parts of the interview process... the formal part and the less formal visit around St Nicks.
This all finished for lunchtime and I got home and had a good lunch and did some emailing and blogging and googletalking and then it was time to go to school...
The evening went well, a small meeting of the Green Festival organisers at Space 109... infact just two of us, but a good meeting nonetheless, and we kept it to one hour. This left time for a drink at the Blue Bell on Fossgate, which was really worthwhile.
Wednesday, 25 April 2007
Wednesday 25th April 07
An excellent day, perhaps a little full, but towards the end of it was feeling really good, as I have achieved a lot today.
Got up as usual as the children were about to leave for school, and by the time Gill had got back I had justabout done my blog from yesterday, which I didn't feel like doing yesterday night...
Then went to visit my good friend Edward Harland, who is a little bit famous for writing a book called 'Eco Renovation' which explains various ways that houses can be improved to make them more eco-friendly, sustainable, low impact, low carbon, cheaper to heat, etc etc. It's a good book. He is running a project called Oasis which is connected with sustainability and wellbeing, and wanted to ask me some questions for inspiration and ideas, I think. We always get on well and connect brilliantly, I hope my visit was of some use to him.
Cycled back via Out Of This World and Oxfam (for Cafe Direct fair trade coffee big tub) and another friend for a quick coffee and met one of her friends Illaria, who was nice.
Then back in time for lunch and some housework and then oh so soon, off to school to pick up the boys. They'd had a good day and I was ok to go and do a bit of compost heap management, finishing off yesterday's turning from one dalek to another, and putting a fresh layer on the big hot heap.
Made my own tea on the woodstove.... leek and tomato with chunks of tempeh, a sour but tasty fermented soya bean sausage, with potatoes and lottie broccoli, and salad.
A productive evening because I managed to start the Green Festival Blog, the address of which is
http://ygf2007.blogspot.com/ and email address is ygf2007@gmail.com which my mate Simon has sorted out for us. Nice one Simon!
Also had another lovely googletalk chat, am really enjoying this. However got finished before midnight, amazing!
Got up as usual as the children were about to leave for school, and by the time Gill had got back I had justabout done my blog from yesterday, which I didn't feel like doing yesterday night...
Then went to visit my good friend Edward Harland, who is a little bit famous for writing a book called 'Eco Renovation' which explains various ways that houses can be improved to make them more eco-friendly, sustainable, low impact, low carbon, cheaper to heat, etc etc. It's a good book. He is running a project called Oasis which is connected with sustainability and wellbeing, and wanted to ask me some questions for inspiration and ideas, I think. We always get on well and connect brilliantly, I hope my visit was of some use to him.
Cycled back via Out Of This World and Oxfam (for Cafe Direct fair trade coffee big tub) and another friend for a quick coffee and met one of her friends Illaria, who was nice.
Then back in time for lunch and some housework and then oh so soon, off to school to pick up the boys. They'd had a good day and I was ok to go and do a bit of compost heap management, finishing off yesterday's turning from one dalek to another, and putting a fresh layer on the big hot heap.
Made my own tea on the woodstove.... leek and tomato with chunks of tempeh, a sour but tasty fermented soya bean sausage, with potatoes and lottie broccoli, and salad.
A productive evening because I managed to start the Green Festival Blog, the address of which is
http://ygf2007.blogspot.com/ and email address is ygf2007@gmail.com which my mate Simon has sorted out for us. Nice one Simon!
Also had another lovely googletalk chat, am really enjoying this. However got finished before midnight, amazing!
Tuesday, 24 April 2007
Tuesday 24th April 07
Well I got up before the boys left for school. When Gill came back we decided there was no time to go back to bed as when we get up again she wonders where the morning has gone, and today there's too much to do!
I needed to go to the allotment and try to get the first of the potatoes in. I spent nearly 3 hours there, did loads of weeding... mainly dandelions which are flowering all over the place and a few invasive thistles coming in from the edges. Also managed my lovely compost heaps.... in order to put some compost in the two potato trenches I dug and planted, just the first of 13, as each variety will go in a different row.
Home for lunch and then went to St Nicks to pick up the applications for the York Rotters part-time management post, which we are to shortlist on Thursday. On the way into the site, met a woman who was staring into Osbaldwick Beck which flows into a culvert and goes under St Nicks, she was Sylvia from the wildlife trust, the person responsible for wet environments, and she had recieved a report of a mink. Her interest in verifying this stems from the fact that mink eat watervoles, and there are currently no mink on the River Foss system and therefore the voles aren't threatened, but could be if mink appeared.
I picked up the 22 applications, photocopied an article in NewScientist about packaging waste for them, and also picked up a report about food waste packaging recycling.. compostable plastics I think.
Home and all too soon had to go to school as our youngest had reportedly had a headache and had burst into tears, so we'd been called to take him home. As soon as I had got him home I had to cycle back to pick up the other one. After this did some compost management, dug out and turned two of my bins, including one that had the bony remains of a cat, duck and rabbit, nearly totally composted apart from the bigger bones which went straight back into the current working heap.
Gill did a lovely tea of quiche, allotment potatoes, broccoli from the lottie and a kiwi jelly pie with some of the two trays of reject kiwis I was given last week.
Spent most of the later evening chatting with my old friend currently residing in America... didn't feel like doing any work or blog, but did email BBC Radio 4's 'Word of Mouth with some 21st Century Proverbs that Gill had written.
I needed to go to the allotment and try to get the first of the potatoes in. I spent nearly 3 hours there, did loads of weeding... mainly dandelions which are flowering all over the place and a few invasive thistles coming in from the edges. Also managed my lovely compost heaps.... in order to put some compost in the two potato trenches I dug and planted, just the first of 13, as each variety will go in a different row.
Home for lunch and then went to St Nicks to pick up the applications for the York Rotters part-time management post, which we are to shortlist on Thursday. On the way into the site, met a woman who was staring into Osbaldwick Beck which flows into a culvert and goes under St Nicks, she was Sylvia from the wildlife trust, the person responsible for wet environments, and she had recieved a report of a mink. Her interest in verifying this stems from the fact that mink eat watervoles, and there are currently no mink on the River Foss system and therefore the voles aren't threatened, but could be if mink appeared.
I picked up the 22 applications, photocopied an article in NewScientist about packaging waste for them, and also picked up a report about food waste packaging recycling.. compostable plastics I think.
Home and all too soon had to go to school as our youngest had reportedly had a headache and had burst into tears, so we'd been called to take him home. As soon as I had got him home I had to cycle back to pick up the other one. After this did some compost management, dug out and turned two of my bins, including one that had the bony remains of a cat, duck and rabbit, nearly totally composted apart from the bigger bones which went straight back into the current working heap.
Gill did a lovely tea of quiche, allotment potatoes, broccoli from the lottie and a kiwi jelly pie with some of the two trays of reject kiwis I was given last week.
Spent most of the later evening chatting with my old friend currently residing in America... didn't feel like doing any work or blog, but did email BBC Radio 4's 'Word of Mouth with some 21st Century Proverbs that Gill had written.
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