Friday 18th November 11

Woken by a huge rumpus so I came downstairs and sat quietly blinking on the couch next to the culprits, and it quietened down, thank goodness.

Gill went to school with our youngest as she was working in the shop, getting it ready for the Advent Fair tomorrow.  I'd agreed to go in from 12 til 2 and chop vegetables in the cafe.  So at 11.30 I closed everything down at home and set off on my bike, popping in to see Gill briefly in the shop before going up to the cafe.  I spent an hour chopping red cabbage, then had a few minutes eating a sandwich and chatting to a nice woman called Pam, and then chopped up 14 big onions, finishing at 1.55.

I came home via Alligator, picked up a trailer load of compostables and another couple of boxes at Country Fresh, and one at Freshways, and got in after 3pm, ready for a coffee!

Wednesday 18th May 11

Despite going to bed at 3am last night, I got up before 8 and cycled our little-un into school, and I took a pair of secateurs and a builders bag, as I had said that I'd do some gardening to Dave Fryer, and he'd suggested pruning out some low-growing roses and other shrubs... prickly ones low down needed removing to reduce the possibility of a child getting scratched and prickled.

I found some sycamore saplings which I removed, and a whole bunch of nettles, and quite a bit of other stuff... including rose suckers.  I chopped it all up and took it through the school in the builders bag and investigated the compost heap I created before Easter.  Over the holiday someone had put a whole load of quite thick ivy and other climbers on it, whole, and then covered this with a thick layer of grass clippings.  Composting fail.

I had to redo the heap, pulling the ivy etc up, breaking up the thick layer of grass clippings and cutting the ivy into shorter lengths.  I hope that whomsoever did this bit of 'lazy gardening' won't do the same again.  Maybe I'll offer a composting workshop and share the knowledge that stuff needs to be cut up and mixed in order to rot down well.

I spent a couple of hours doing the gardening stuff (and also helping move stage block boards from downstairs up to the Eurythmy room) and then got fed up... and tired, so I came home, but via Alligator and picked up a trailer-load of biodegradables.

I did some sedentary stuff at home, before and after lunch, but before collecting our son again, I went to the building society and paid in two cheques.  I collected some fruit and veg scraps from Country Fresh and took them to the Steiner school to add to their rather dry compost heap, to act as an activator.  Next time I go in I'll take a garden fork and give the pile a good stir.  There's a mature pile too, which needs riddling.  I'm wondering which riddle to take in to deal with this.  I'd quite like to take the motorised one, which would do it quickly and painlessly, but not sure how it would transport.

We got home easily and I then got on with a bit of outside stuff, another load into the Compostumbler and I watered the beans and tomatoes in the conservatory.

Gill made a pile of rice and veg for tea which was simple and filling.  I set off soon after for the Green Party meeting in the Guildhall, the 'post election' meeting, with analysis of how we did.  Although we didn't increase the numbers of Councillors, we came second in Micklegate, Guildhall and Clifton, and did well in other places too.  It was a good meeting, but I was pleased to get away at 9.30.  I did pick up a pallet on the way home though....

Monday 7th March 11

A grumpy day mostly.  I got up early as Gill was taking our youngest to school in a taxi. and then going on to the Credit Union to put some money aside so we can pay the Steiner School for the second term in May.  So they were ready more or less on time and as they got going, the taxi broke down.  So they had to wait for a replacement one.  Apparently they weren't very late and people were rolling in behind them.

I tried to do some home education and failed. This is what caused my stress today.  I was glad to see Will, who arrived just before 11, to do some maths with our home-schooler.  Gill arrived back then too.

I helped Gill do some sorting out, as we have Hector coming to install a new sink tomorrow, a Freecycled stainless steel sink which we hope will be less yukky than the white enamel one we have now... He's also going to put up a new shelf, which will give us more storage space.

I managed to get outside and do some more prep for getting the 50 sacks of compost up to the front.  I think I'll need to do this for the best part of a day... but maybe it won't take that long.  I stacked a load of cut logs from the front into the covered shed down the garden, and dismantled another compost bin ready for re-installing it in a rat-proof  way, up off the ground more than it was previously.  They like hiding places, so the less cover they have, the less likely they will be attracted to the heaps.

At 2pm I set off with some of my circus gear to the Steiner School, plus our youngest's bike on the trailer. Angela, the class 8 teacher, had requested that I go in and help one of her 3 children (yes, a very small class!) with his 'walking ladder' trick.  I cannot do the walking ladder, but as I do assorted other physical skills, including balancing and unicycle, I was able to go through some of the science.  So I covered pendulums (as a ladder or unicycle are similar to a metronome or upside-down pendulum) and gravity, and how best to learn (little and often) and how playing and experimentation is the best way to learn too.  The 50 minutes seemed to go well. 

I cycled home with our youngest, a good ride, but as he arrived home he too had a teen turn and this didn't help my headache. 
Ros came round and needed help with her bike, as it had a flat tyre and her pump seemed to be letting more air out than in... However, I managed to get it hard and ride-worthy. 

Gill made toasties for tea.  Then, although I wasn't feeling like it, I went to the LETS meeting, as I have an obligation to go... and within about 10 minutes of the company of my friends there, I'd cheered up considerably.  It was a laughter-filled meeting, minimally chaired by Melody.  At the end of the meeting, I gave a copy of 'The Curious Incident' to Kay and Ben (to give to Jill).  After the meeting I went looking for the skip which had the beer in it a few days ago, but it had gone, so no rooting around in that tonight.

I was happy to get home and warm up as it was cold in the pub.  I did one batch of washing up and then got trapped into facebook and Jango.