A work day... but a different sort of work to my usual stuff. I'd been booked by the Pickering Civic Society to help with their Eco Day, and talk about low carbon living and carbon footprints and the Credit Union.
So I got up soon after 7am and got myself to the station for just after 8, and waited for the bus which was timetabled to arrive at 8.22. I met a gent who's a York Rotter and chatted with him in the queue, but when I got on the bus there was a single space on the front seat on the top deck, which was good. I chatted to a nice woman from Leeds, Adele, who works at Jimmy's in the shop and was very pleasant.
I met Judy from the Civic Society when I was walking through Pickering, she was putting up notices about today's event. I walked on to the Civic Hall where there were stalls from the Energy Saving Trust, including a driving simulator which gave a score about how energy efficient the driver was, a local school which is beginning to grow foodplants, compost and undertake other sustainability measures. There was a permaculture stall and John Brown the Recycling Officer. There were a couple of beekeepers, and Susan had brought some tree seedlings and insect hibernacula... plastic pipes and bottles with hollow plant stems, corrugated cardboard and straw in them, to provide overwinter shelter for insects such as lacewings and ladybirds. There were also hot drinks and biscuits available.
My role was to chat to visitors and help the day flow. I was able to talk with dozens of people about carbon footprints, diet, transport, peak oil, composting and quite a few other related subjects. I also gave out quite a few Jack Edwards Pea Beans, in their pods. I think Susan and Judy were happy with what I did. I had a sandwich and a coffee for lunch when it quietened down but was busy from 10am til 2.45, when I said my goodbyes and walked back to the bus stop and soon the bus took me back to Malton, and a change of bus to get back to York.
I was glad to get on my bike and go home, via Country Fresh who loaded me up with compostable resources.
So, a good day, and although I'm not sure, I think there will be a cheque in the post.
Showing posts with label Pickering. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Pickering. Show all posts
Sunday, 3 October 2010
Sunday, 1 August 2010
Sunday 1st August 10
Up early to get ready for work and camping for a couple of days.
If all goes well, and there's no knowing that it will go well, Gill will bring the boys up to Pickering on the bus and we'll meet up after my gig, and I'll spend two nights under canvass with the boys.
It did all go well. I got the 9.52 bus to Pickering which got in soon after 11, and I made my way to the Memorial Hall where I suggested to Natalie, my handler, that I'd meet her prior to the 1pm start. However, on the way there I met the Treasurer of the event who introduced herself, so although Natalie didn't turn up, I think she knew I was around. She'd asked me to text her when I got in, but 3 buttons on Gill's phone weren't working so I couldn't input her number.
But I had lunch and got changed, leaving my clothes etc in the Memorial Hall and I made my way to the Market Street to find her and find where she wanted me to work. I'd been asked to do walkabout but she was happy for me to do my usual static show; I aid I'd do that for the first hour and then reassess what was to be done, whether walkabout was the right thing to do after that.
I found a good spot on a wide bit of pavement at the top of the street, and immediately got a good audience. But I had another 'first' today: I was doing a workshop with several children balancing sticks and a small family group started to walk in front of the kids, so I tried to stop them and asked that they go behind the audience. This in itself is not uncommon, there are some rude unthinking selfish people out there. However, this group pushed past me and to make the rude intrusion as entertaining as possible for the 100 or so people watching, I larked around behind the chap with the pushchair, making faces and holding my arms up over my head to look silly/scary... and the audience laughed, which was my intention.... but the guy suddenly threw his arm back at me and thumped me in the chest. I've never been punched before in my show. It wasn't a hard punch, but visible and shocking to the audience, so I went alongside the man and said "What you've just done is assault and if you don't get out of Pickering now, I'll call the police. People like you are not welcome in Pickering." He continued walking on... and I told the audience, mostly children, that they'd just seen an example of a rude and horrible person and I hoped that none of them would ever be as nasty as that. Over the next 20 minutes or so, several adults expressed their concern for me, and shock at what he did.
In the last half hour I did a long queue of balloon animals. I had an audience member called Shaun who had been watching the whole show and I chatted with him afterwards; he was a lovely guy. I find it odd that with some people, I just 'click' and I know I've got a friend. I hope we meet again, I think we will.
I finished soon after 3 and the Treasurer lady gave me my fee in an envelope. The feedback was overwhelmingly positive. I went to get changed and then walked back to the bus, and at 4.15 it came and Gill and the boys were on it.
Lovely to see them, some excitement about our little holiday. We were soon in Thornton Le Dale, and 4 minutes later at the Prospect Farm Campsite.
Paul showed us where to camp, right next to the trampoline, and together we set up the tent. We then walked Gilly back to the bus stop, had a brief explore of the village and put her on the bus back to York.
We met some other campers in a hired 'Commer' van, Mary and Mark, plus their two grandchildren and a cousin, all 16 and under, lovely people. I did a bit of balloon fun with them and the youngest had a go at making his own. Lots of fun, playing around, including with a frisbee.
We had a good evening... cold pasta and salad bits for tea, and when it was dark we went to explore the forest above the campsite... and whilst we were in there I suggested that the wind up torch should be switched off, and amazingly, there were glowing things all around us. These turned out to be ends of rotten logs, some kind of fungal mycelium giving off low level light. I'd read about this as a child (possibly in 'Swallowdale' by Arthur Ransome, can anyone confirm this?) but never seen it myself. Therefore I was really pleased to see it! I think the boys were pretty amazed too.
Had an uncomfortable night as I slept between the boys, one snuggled up and head on my shoulder, the other preferred to have his head in my armpit and my arm around him. I didn't sleep well and was awoken by the cock crowing at 2 or 3am, and again constantly at 5am. I got up and had a wee at 7 and then fell asleep for 2 hours til 9, when the warmth in the tent woke me. We'd all had a fairly disturbed night, the boys commenting on my snoring!
If all goes well, and there's no knowing that it will go well, Gill will bring the boys up to Pickering on the bus and we'll meet up after my gig, and I'll spend two nights under canvass with the boys.
It did all go well. I got the 9.52 bus to Pickering which got in soon after 11, and I made my way to the Memorial Hall where I suggested to Natalie, my handler, that I'd meet her prior to the 1pm start. However, on the way there I met the Treasurer of the event who introduced herself, so although Natalie didn't turn up, I think she knew I was around. She'd asked me to text her when I got in, but 3 buttons on Gill's phone weren't working so I couldn't input her number.
But I had lunch and got changed, leaving my clothes etc in the Memorial Hall and I made my way to the Market Street to find her and find where she wanted me to work. I'd been asked to do walkabout but she was happy for me to do my usual static show; I aid I'd do that for the first hour and then reassess what was to be done, whether walkabout was the right thing to do after that.
I found a good spot on a wide bit of pavement at the top of the street, and immediately got a good audience. But I had another 'first' today: I was doing a workshop with several children balancing sticks and a small family group started to walk in front of the kids, so I tried to stop them and asked that they go behind the audience. This in itself is not uncommon, there are some rude unthinking selfish people out there. However, this group pushed past me and to make the rude intrusion as entertaining as possible for the 100 or so people watching, I larked around behind the chap with the pushchair, making faces and holding my arms up over my head to look silly/scary... and the audience laughed, which was my intention.... but the guy suddenly threw his arm back at me and thumped me in the chest. I've never been punched before in my show. It wasn't a hard punch, but visible and shocking to the audience, so I went alongside the man and said "What you've just done is assault and if you don't get out of Pickering now, I'll call the police. People like you are not welcome in Pickering." He continued walking on... and I told the audience, mostly children, that they'd just seen an example of a rude and horrible person and I hoped that none of them would ever be as nasty as that. Over the next 20 minutes or so, several adults expressed their concern for me, and shock at what he did.
In the last half hour I did a long queue of balloon animals. I had an audience member called Shaun who had been watching the whole show and I chatted with him afterwards; he was a lovely guy. I find it odd that with some people, I just 'click' and I know I've got a friend. I hope we meet again, I think we will.
I finished soon after 3 and the Treasurer lady gave me my fee in an envelope. The feedback was overwhelmingly positive. I went to get changed and then walked back to the bus, and at 4.15 it came and Gill and the boys were on it.
Lovely to see them, some excitement about our little holiday. We were soon in Thornton Le Dale, and 4 minutes later at the Prospect Farm Campsite.
Paul showed us where to camp, right next to the trampoline, and together we set up the tent. We then walked Gilly back to the bus stop, had a brief explore of the village and put her on the bus back to York.
We met some other campers in a hired 'Commer' van, Mary and Mark, plus their two grandchildren and a cousin, all 16 and under, lovely people. I did a bit of balloon fun with them and the youngest had a go at making his own. Lots of fun, playing around, including with a frisbee.
We had a good evening... cold pasta and salad bits for tea, and when it was dark we went to explore the forest above the campsite... and whilst we were in there I suggested that the wind up torch should be switched off, and amazingly, there were glowing things all around us. These turned out to be ends of rotten logs, some kind of fungal mycelium giving off low level light. I'd read about this as a child (possibly in 'Swallowdale' by Arthur Ransome, can anyone confirm this?) but never seen it myself. Therefore I was really pleased to see it! I think the boys were pretty amazed too.
Had an uncomfortable night as I slept between the boys, one snuggled up and head on my shoulder, the other preferred to have his head in my armpit and my arm around him. I didn't sleep well and was awoken by the cock crowing at 2 or 3am, and again constantly at 5am. I got up and had a wee at 7 and then fell asleep for 2 hours til 9, when the warmth in the tent woke me. We'd all had a fairly disturbed night, the boys commenting on my snoring!
Saturday, 23 January 2010
Sat 23rd January 10
Up at a reasonably early time, so I could have a beard trim and a bath before breakfast. The water was still hot on the stove from last night so it was a good bath and hair wash as today I am working in Pickering.
Breakfast, cereal as usual, and rang the bus company to ask about unicycles on their bus... no problem, as the rules say 'no bicycles' and I have unicycles, not two-wheelers.
I loaded my bike trailer with all my kit and cycled to Gillygate to Craft Basics, where I replenished my peacock feather stock... they do get very battered in my shows, with kids using them to balance on their hand. I got to the station in good time to lock up and unload and get to the bus stop, where I met a friend who was waiting for his fiancee... he was very happy, more so than usual, so we had a laugh, and then the bus arrived. Fortunately the bus driver didn't have a problem with the unicycles and I had a pretty relaxing ride to Pickering.
I went to the Forest and Vale Hotel, where Maria (who works for Lunchbox) had put together one of the best themed parties I'd ever seen. There was a large marquee with seaside- stuff there, including a beach, a donkey (life-sized model) to sit on, a horse-racing game, hook-a-duck and throw the hoop stalls, and me with my circus stuff, plus lots of other circussy stuff like mini stilts, two other unicycles, spacehoppers and more! In adjacent rooms there were 3 Nintendo Wiis, a crystal ball woman and a ball pool/soft play area. I didn't see beyond this, but there might have been another marquee too, for a bar perhaps?
I had some sandwiches and talked the event over with Maria and at about 2pm the guests (about 100 of them) were due to come out of the hotel and walk down a long ramp, within a long thin marquee, down to the beach area. I was waiting for them on the unicycle and led them down, and at 2.30, did the first half of my show (warm-up acts from the audience, juggling, devilsticks and balancing) which went OK. At 3pm, ice creams arrived and a tattoo artist offered transfer-type tattoos. One little girl kept on coming to show me her latest one, all up her arms.
Then at 3.30 I did part two, diabolo, yoyoballs and unicycle. This then continued into a freeplay workshop, mainly unicycle toys but juggling and devilsticks too, through til 5.30. Chris, the dad of the 2 year old boy this party was in honour of, was kind enough to get me a nice pot of coffee during this workshop time, and at 5.30, handed me my fee in an envelope. Lucky me, loads of fun and then getting paid!
I got changed clothes and went for the bus, which arrived at 5.55, with a change and 40 minute wait at Malton for the next bus to York. I got into York at 8pm, and was home by 8.30, knackered but happy. That has to be one of the best party events I've been to for quite a while.
If anyone wanted a really good 'do' organising, I would certainly recommend Maria Farrugia, who has a wealth of experience, see her CV here. She did this gig as Maria, a friend of the family, not as part of her Lunchbox work, and she's not actively looking for more work, but I'd still recommend her!
So, a bowl of tomato soup and a sandwich for tea. Lovely!
Breakfast, cereal as usual, and rang the bus company to ask about unicycles on their bus... no problem, as the rules say 'no bicycles' and I have unicycles, not two-wheelers.
I loaded my bike trailer with all my kit and cycled to Gillygate to Craft Basics, where I replenished my peacock feather stock... they do get very battered in my shows, with kids using them to balance on their hand. I got to the station in good time to lock up and unload and get to the bus stop, where I met a friend who was waiting for his fiancee... he was very happy, more so than usual, so we had a laugh, and then the bus arrived. Fortunately the bus driver didn't have a problem with the unicycles and I had a pretty relaxing ride to Pickering.
I went to the Forest and Vale Hotel, where Maria (who works for Lunchbox) had put together one of the best themed parties I'd ever seen. There was a large marquee with seaside- stuff there, including a beach, a donkey (life-sized model) to sit on, a horse-racing game, hook-a-duck and throw the hoop stalls, and me with my circus stuff, plus lots of other circussy stuff like mini stilts, two other unicycles, spacehoppers and more! In adjacent rooms there were 3 Nintendo Wiis, a crystal ball woman and a ball pool/soft play area. I didn't see beyond this, but there might have been another marquee too, for a bar perhaps?
I had some sandwiches and talked the event over with Maria and at about 2pm the guests (about 100 of them) were due to come out of the hotel and walk down a long ramp, within a long thin marquee, down to the beach area. I was waiting for them on the unicycle and led them down, and at 2.30, did the first half of my show (warm-up acts from the audience, juggling, devilsticks and balancing) which went OK. At 3pm, ice creams arrived and a tattoo artist offered transfer-type tattoos. One little girl kept on coming to show me her latest one, all up her arms.
Then at 3.30 I did part two, diabolo, yoyoballs and unicycle. This then continued into a freeplay workshop, mainly unicycle toys but juggling and devilsticks too, through til 5.30. Chris, the dad of the 2 year old boy this party was in honour of, was kind enough to get me a nice pot of coffee during this workshop time, and at 5.30, handed me my fee in an envelope. Lucky me, loads of fun and then getting paid!
I got changed clothes and went for the bus, which arrived at 5.55, with a change and 40 minute wait at Malton for the next bus to York. I got into York at 8pm, and was home by 8.30, knackered but happy. That has to be one of the best party events I've been to for quite a while.
If anyone wanted a really good 'do' organising, I would certainly recommend Maria Farrugia, who has a wealth of experience, see her CV here. She did this gig as Maria, a friend of the family, not as part of her Lunchbox work, and she's not actively looking for more work, but I'd still recommend her!
So, a bowl of tomato soup and a sandwich for tea. Lovely!
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