Friday 3rd June 11

Another busy day, and boiling hot.... perfect for the Manchester World Naked Bike Ride, which I'm really sad I'm not going on.... The weather is forecast to be slightly cooler tomorrow for our York ride, but not cold or rainy...

So, first thing I was awoken by Gill saying she thought that there was a swarm of bees in our big pollarded willow.  She wanted to ask me what we should do about it.  I groggily went to have a look and was unsure whether they were honeybees or something else.  It certainly wasn't what I understand as a swarm.  Just a load of bees obviously going in and out of a cavity in the tree.

So I got up and rang a beekeeper who's number we have, and then went on the York beekeepers website and rang some of them.  A bit later, Tom, who has I think he said got 90 hives, came round with his grand-daughter and he identified the bees as bumblebees, not honeybees.  He said they'd be there til about August and then the males and queens would fly off and the colony would disperse.  But it's a really good thing to have as they are excellent pollinators.

I had a fairly busy day, including doing a bit of digging out of a cubic metre of compost in a NZ bin, transferring it to a builder's bag. I did get out on my bike, visiting a friend in town to have a conversation about a mutual contact who's been taking advantage of vulnerable women, and I've collected a few stories about him, and am hoping to do something about it.

It was a very hot day and I got quite sweaty so before I went to work, I had a really good hot shower, a totally solar shower.  Soon after 6 I got off to Naburn Village Hall for a charity fundraiser, where I was doing a balloon modelling entertainment.  The event was to raise funds for an orphanage in Uganda, and it was a lot of fun.  I may get time to write more about it, but I was also invited to write something for the Press website so I am going to get on with that.

Saturday 5th June 10

Up early as working today, over in Harrogate. The gig started at 11, so I had to get the 10.11 train, which meant leaving home soon after 9.30. As I had very limited time at the Harrogate end (the train was due to get in at 10.43) I decided to travel in costume, and I cycled down to the station with my bag of sticks, balls and diabolos, two unicycles, a pedal go and a fun wheels, two bags of balloons, something to read on the train and my sandwiches for lunch. No problem!

A hassle free ticket purchase and ride over to Harrogate, and then a 10 minute walk to Party Fever which had a gazebo outside covered in baloons and contained a facepainter. There were several people with collection buckets, as the event was a fundraiser for St Michael's Hospice. I met the boss and she showed me where I could work, which was on the South side of the street, facing the shop, and fortunately in the shade, as it was a very hot and sunny day.

So, I worked from 11 through to 1.30 when I had 10 minutes for lunch and carried on til 2.5o, when i quickly packed up and got to the train as it drew into the station. The day in Harrogate was really jolly and I had a brilliant time, lots and lots of positive interaction. I worked with several groups of teenagers, quite a few talented individuals, lots of small children and a surprising number of 'game' adults. I did loads of balloons, plenty of devilsticking, diabololing and unicycling. I taught 3 people how to do the 3ball cascade, the basic juggling pattern. I got paid a charity fundraiser size fee, about half my average, and it all worked like clockwork. The trains were on time and I read most of a NewScientist whilst on the train.

I called in on Country Fresh on the way back but didn't take recyclables, I just got some fruit and veg, and a cucumber plant as one of the ones I got a couple of weeks ago has died.

So, when I got home I needed some quiet time, and after I unloaded, I went upstairs and listened to Tracey Smith's Taunton Hospital Radio-over-the-net on Apple AM. I like this as she is reasonably bonkers and the music she plays is ok too, nothing too cheesy. I had tea upstairs whilst avoiding Dr Who. I chatted with a friend on facebook and played Scrabble, a good couple of hours relaxation.

But I had a Freecycling offer I couldn't turn down, a load of pallets and a tree trunk over in Leeman Road. So I hopped on my bike and bombed over to the other side of the city, and then very very slowly brought back four large pallets and a 6 foot tree trunk on the trailer... possibly the heaviest load I've ever towed home. I'm glad the roads were quiet.

So, a busy and productive day which I enjoyed and I think I brought some happiness to quite a few people, plus raised some money for a worthwhile charity.