Sunday 6th March 11

A really lovely day.... I managed to speak with my friend Edwina at last after several failed attempts, and I agreed to go and see her this morning.  I cycled towards the Millennium Bridge as she lives in Dringhouses, and then realised that this morning I'd be able to visit the Allotment shop, which is open on Sundays from 11 til 12.  To get though the kiss gate with my bike and trailer I had to uncouple them, but it only takes a minute.... Once on the allotment, I met Amanda, who was trying to carry a heavy sack plus something else, and she plonked the sack in my trailer.  But a minute later, whilst walking along, a chap with a wheelbarrow with a flat tyre passed us, and he asked me if I had a pump.  Which I did.  I had to change the fittings round, and even then it didn't fit as the valve on the wheel was pointing in a skewed direction, and the pump wouldn't fit on fully.  Amanda had by this time gone on her way, so I wasn't able to continue the conversation with her.

The shop had just opened, so I renewed my annual membership (£2) and bought 3 lots of seed potatoes for a pound a kilo, and some sweetcorn seeds, squash seeds and some onion sets, and that all came to about £7.  So I stowed them in a pannier and carried on to the Millennium Bridge, over the racecourse, turned the trailer over on a corner with some uneven ground, which damaged my new back mudguard (boo hoo) and when I'd sorted that out enough to continue, I cycled up to Edwina's house, which was easy to find as I'd memorised the map.

She has moved back from Manchester where she's been working (as a Police Officer) as her mother has died, so she's doing up the house.  The garage is going to become a living room, and she's built (or had built) a large wooden building in the garden, to house the garage stuff.  She wants to put in some shrubs, to clear some brambles and bits of concrete, and tidy up, and to possibly put in or help put in a path and some gravel.  Then she asked if I knew anyone who wanted a petrol lawnmower, so I suggested Freecycle, and over a coffee, I helped her register for that.  She had a skip outside her house, with two nice logs in it, so I asked if I could have them.  There was also a bit of copper sheet, some lead, lots of ferrous metal and various other bits, and she was happy for me to take a load to get it recycled.

She also wanted to get a compost bin or two installed, so I cycled round to a friend who is moving and has two recently installed bins that she doesn't want to take with her, and has asked if I can find a buyer.  However, my friend wasn't in, but a message later got a positive result.  I'll buy the bins, uninstall them and transport them round to Edwina's.

I cycled back over the Millennium Bridge, called in to see Richard, and picked up a box and a bag of goodies for the compost, and scuttled back home, for a late lunch.

I managed a bit of time in the garden after lunch, after Gardener's Question Time actually, and loaded up some stuff into the Compostumbler, including a roadkill duck, and found a load of worms to give to Will tomorrow to re-stock his wormery, and riddled some rich mature compost which will end up down at County Fresh.

I came in at 5 as I needed to get myself tidied up so I could get to David's for 6pm, as I was due to do my first bit of care-work for him this evening.  He lives near Stonegate so I went into town via Foss Islands Road and Monk Bar, and turned left at the Minster.  He was looking forward to going to City Screen for a coffee and a chat with Carolyn, whom he hasn't seen for a little while.  She's helping him get a care assessment.  An Austrian bloke and his two cute kids came to sit near us, which was a nice distraction.

After an hour I pushed David back to his house and he explained how he liked his meal making... soup and vegetables.  I did exactly as he had instructed and he said it was lovely.  I also washed up and tidied a bit.  I finished at 8pm, and came home.  Before having my tea, I cycled round to Jamie's to give him the money for the logs he's offered me, and a copy of 'The Curious Incident', both of which I think he was happy with.  Well, cash is always welcomed!  And a free book isn't to be sniffed at either....

I had a 'use it up' tea, the leftover linguine and veg from yesterday and the leftover couscous from the previous day.  It was a reasonable meal.

So, a good day... topped off with a celebratory 700th edition of The Sky at Night which was very entertaining.

Thursday 22nd January 09

Seemed like a busy day... I took our youngest into school and was busy around the house until lunchtime, when I cycled into town to get a cheque out for the Compost Doctors event next week, and pay in a cheque which I've just got for my gig on Christmas Day. The BACS payment I was expecting has not gone into my account. I also got a cheque out to pay for my allotment for the coming year, just over £30.

When I got back I got a phone call from the organisation about the bouncing BACS, and I asked them for a third time to send me a cheque. This was agreed this time! Hooray!!

I got home in good time to go and get our darling from school, he was in a good mood and we chatted about states of matter on the way home. The teacher had stated that there were three states of matter, solid, liquid and gas. Our little scientist put his hand up and said "there are actually four, as there's plasma". The teacher told the class that they wouldn't be learning about plasmas just yet.

As the children were heading for bed, I cycled down to Anna's for a meeting of York in Transition Media group. There were just four of us... me, Anna, Bryony and Ivana. We had a quick and business-like meeting, reviewing the past events YiT has put on, checking the publicity for the forthcoming planned ones and dreaming up future ones, just one per month.

I got home just after 10 and did emails and nominated my friend Dave Hampton for the 'future friendly' awards, as his creation 'The Carbon Coach' is really good. I have also been nominated for this award.

Quite a late night again, with Gill snoozing beside me. She needs lots more sleep than me, but also she gets up earlier and does the kids lunches etc, whereas I do the washing up in the evening... and lie in til 8am usually.

Tuesday 22nd January 08

Woke briefly when Gill got up and remember hearing noise downstairs... and was then woken at 9.40 when Gill came up to tell me that I had told her I had a meeting at 10am, in town. I had told her I was meeting Jo for a coffee, our first meeting this year... so I didn't have breakfast, just quickly washed and dressed and got my bike out, got to our pre-arranged rendezvous at 10.

Had an hour in a cafe, we talked about her holiday over Christmas, her health and relationship, her allotment, and how our friendship has supported her current situation of being off work and not well. It was good to see her again. I went to pay in a cheque and to pay for my allotment for the forthcoming year, just £28 or so for those in receipt of Tax Credit.. which we get as Gill does no paid work and I earn relatively little as an entertainer. Also visited Barnitts to get a replacement axe handle, which was nearly a tenner, as opposed to a new axe (maul) which was about £20. Also popped into the charity shop to see Debbie and her co-worker who was less flirty this time!

Home for lunch and felt much better than yesterday. I did some washing up and more fruit prep, then drilled out the broken axe handle and removed the doodahs (circular wedges) which widen the wooden bit so the head is firm... and put the new handle in the old axe head. However when I banged in the doodahs, the handle split lengthways a bit, which was annoying but I don't think it will prevent me using the maul safely. I could take it down to Barnitts to wave it at them, but I don't want to spend any more time removing the handle and doodahs as it took ages and was difficult. I'll just use the axe as it is and hope it performs as wanted!

We ate together... butternut and veg stew with dumplings which the boys love. We watched the second part of Summerhill, after which I went to do some reading and dealt with the usual pile of several dozen emails I get every day...



I got the kiddoes and brought back another one too, as requested by his mother yesterday. He was collected at 4.10, and I spent a little while finding out that the axe works just fine.