Wednesday 3rd September 08

Both boys off to school today.

I decided to read a daily email I've subscribed to, about the trial of the protesters accused of damaging Kingsnorth Power Station. Their defence that it was (is) necessary to cause some damage in order to prevent greater damage, likened to breaking a window to rescue a person from a burning building. If you would like to get a daily blog entry about this interesting trial, click here. On October 7th, there is another trial of climate change protesters, those who stopped and occupied a coal train near Selby, the 'Drax 29'. That trial is in York Crown Court and it's important that it receives lots of publicity, as climate change is the most important threat ever to face humanity. I believe that these individuals are bound to be looked back upon as brave heroes with insight, not criminals, and their claim that causing a little bit of disruption or damage is necessary to draw attention to the importance of this issue. For an interesting take on the global crisis of too many people emitting too much pollution and possible 'geoengineering solutions, see this article by James Lovelock, the originator of the Gaia Hypothesis, written in The Guardian.

I did a lot of 'house admin' today, including taking our meter readings to put on The Carbon Account, to record the household's carbon footprint. I really do recommend this way of keeping a check on your transport and energy-related carbon footprint. Join up and become my Carbon Account friend!!!

I had brought back a load of plastic tubs of grapes, each with a few mouldy ones and mostly good ones, so I sorted through and washed and blanched the good ones, balancing a tray of them on the woodstove to make nice little sweet (and free!) raisins...

Gill went to pick up our youngest from school and I got ready to go down to the station to get the 4.12 to Hull to attend the 'Co-operative membership Co-operation in Your Community meeting, which starts at 6ish in the Feren's Art Gallery. The idea was to let individuals and organisations know about the Community Fund, and as two organisations I'm involved in have received money from the Co-op, I was a speaker. I arrived a bit early and sat in the gallery reading my NewScientist, trying to catch up as I'm 5 weeks behind!

The food arrived and I ate heartily and hopefully healthily... and at 6.30 we were invited into the lecture theatre to hear presentations from Darren the local Co-op person, Stefan who told us all about the funding streams and how they work, and then three community groups who've benefitted from their money... Yvonne from Harrogate Car-Free Day on 24th September, David from Ryedale Special Families and Michelle and Becky from Goole's Hinge Centre. Finally, I did my bit!

Got the 8.56 train back to Doncaster, cursed when the possible connecting train up to York pulled out of the station as we pulled in, sat in the waiting room for over an hour (finished a NewScientist) and got the 11pm train back to York. Fortunately I'd made a friend on the train, a 20 year-old chap working as a night-time secyrity guard in York, so we chatted. Home by midnight...

Sunday 27th January 08

Up at a very respectable 10am... no hangover or negative effects from last night's outing.

Made up my muesli and had breakfast and watched some telly, and lit the stove so I could have a coffee which I had halfway through Countryfile. Also did emails and some computer organising whilst watching Countryfile. A nice, slow easygoing morning....

A good lunch too, then cycled to Cycle Heaven to have my bike sorted out... it needs a working front light and the chain comes off when I move the bike backwards in the highest gear, and the stand is loose. They said it might take over an hour so I went to visit Pauline and we had the usual good chats and coffee along with woodchopping... some offcuts from local builders and a couple of pallets, so she'll have a few toastie evenings on renewables! We talked about the project she's co-ordinating, St Clement's Community Hall, and psychology/ personality tests and various other things. I left at 3.30 and collected my bike, feels like new!

When I got home, we needed some provisions so I went for a walk with my 10 year old to the Co-op and that was good to do... and when he got back he went to finish his homework, which was about World War Two and Hitler. Quite a tough subject for a 10 yr old!

I made myself some tea, mostly yesterday's, reheated. Got ready to have our babysitter and go out with Gilly, something we don't do very often, so it's a real treat.

Simon came at 7.15 and we got on our bikes and went to the Pivo Bar in Patric Pool and attended the first 'No Miles High Club' for people who have not flown during the past year and are committing not to fly for the next 12 months. Members get a discount at some local shops, and tonight got free drinks. One member won a Eurostar ticket! We met up with some of the CRAG folks and Green Party people. We had an interesting conversation with a farmer who grows Miscanthus, a fast-growing grass which is harvested annually and is sold to Drax Power Station to add to the coal and help produce electricity.

Got back at 10.30ish and had a relaxing hour with Gilly before doing emails and blog...