Wednesday 26th January 11

A paperwork morning; I'd found a missing booking letter in my diary/journal whilst looking for the info for the RSA Harrogate event, so I penned a reply and cycled it over to the Malton Road area.  I popped in on John Bibby too, whilst I was in the area, and he invited me to chop up a big log he's had outside his house for years.  I'll do that when he invites me to go and spend the day doing it.

Then bombed into town to pay in a composting cheque and pay our annual gas and electricity bills.  I came home via Country Fresh and said hi to Richard and got home in time for lunch.

After lunch I got the second bike sorted out, so our eldest could cycle down to the Steiner School with me, get some exercise, and I'd take the youngest's bike on my trailer (he went to school in a taxi with Gill) and we'd cycle back.  This worked well... there were no problems getting there and coming back was even easier.  I picked up a pallet on the way back and when home, did a bit of chainsawing to chop up this and another pallet, and chop some logs too.  Did some stacking until it started to rain.

Gill got an offer of a ticket to see The King's Speech with Melody, so I got the children sorted for bed.

Still feeling emotional about Mozaz, but pleased to see his friend Sam has set up a website in his memory, with it's first purpose to help co-ordinate his funeral.

Gill came back having enjoyed the film and had a good night out, and used the day rover bus ticket she got when returning from the Steiner School this morning.

Friday 20th March 09

A good day, up quite early but Gill took our boyo into school, as she's walking back with four of them! I did a bit around the house and got ready to go to town to do paperwork and meet my visitor. So, popped into see Richard to have a giggle about his more than 15 minutes of fame on Street View and then headed into the Building Society to pay in two cheques and get out one to pay half of our Council Tax. Then to the bank to pay in a SUMA order cheque and the Council Treasury to pay them, and onto the station for 11.30 which is when Chris was supposed to arrive. I met him at the Compost Doctors training a few weeks ago and he seemed like someone I would get on with, so we've connected via Facebook and I offered to show him St Nicks.

Chris turned up at 11.45 and his 2 year old son was very cute! We walked through town and got to St Nicks, the boy having fallen asleep by now. I was able to do a very quick tour... after all he works at Skelton Grange Environment Centre and for a year taught Leeds schools how to compost. Wish he was in York! He took a few photos as inspiration, such as the cut-out dustbin and the Komp 250 compost bin with the perspex front. Got home by 1pm and had lunch together, and then had a walk down the garden to look at all of the various compost bins, wormeries, fruit trees and more. His little boy enjoyed the trampoline.

Chris left at 3ish, as Gill went down to school, and I continued tidying up the back room as we've got a horde of little boys coming... I love the Ewbank!

When Gill and the noisy boyses came back, I went to Somerfield (aka for humour, Scummerfield) and got mayo and chocolate, and then I went down the garden to do more riddling.

Gill made a pizza for tea... not her best as she used goats cheese which was too salty for me.

Happy family today. An excellent day!

Friday 21st November 08

I took out little un to school and came back to try to tackle the pile of paperwork which has built up. Found our house insurance had lapsed, so renewed that with the Co-op (more dividend!) and sent off various cheques and letters etc. Got a nice email from my Mother who's holidaying in New Zealand, and replied to that, and arranged to stay with an old friend in London when I go down next week.

Spent most of the day inside, computer, paperwork, stoking the stove, washing up, slicing fruit to balance precariously on top of the stove on cake racks... a reasonably productive day.

I collected our youngest and in the playground, one of my friends, a Dad collecting his child, had an episode of his Epilepsy, which he has often told me about. I think it is a form of 'Petit Mal'... the first time I've witnessed this. Two of us led him to somewhere where he could sit down, and I stayed with him as the other person went to get someone from inside to see if he could be taken home in a car. I was glad he had forewarned me and that his other friend knew what to do.
Cycled home and soon our eldest arrived back from 3 days of outdoor activities at Bewerley Park. He had suffered from motion sickness in the coach on the way home and was in a bit of a state, feeling sick and refusing to come inside. I stayed with him outside and chatted to him about what they'd been getting up to, and the sickness wore off and he came in and 'normality' returned to our house!

Nice tea, but both boys exhausted and in bed by 8.15, amazing!

Gill and I had a peaceful evening, I chatted to Ali on typeSkype and then had to reply to a parental email accusing me of naming my children on this blog and being too open and honest.

Well the children are not named on any of this blog because I don't give personal details of any 'minor' (despite loads of other blogs naming and having photos etc of children!) But the accusation of being too open is closer to being justified, although I choose not to put lots of details and although it may look like a very frank and open autobiography, there's lots not shared with all and sundry. I am aware that some people have a voyeuristic side, and that this blog might feed that. I am aware that some small-minded people take the piddle and criticise me about my lifestyle... but I have chosen to ignore these, and do not publish rude or stupid comments. When I was young I got bullied... and today people still get bullied. It could be about accent or voice, hair colour, choice of clothes or musical preferences, parent's job or lack of a parent... bullying and teasing happens and whether or not my offsprings' behaviour is mentioned in this blog, they will get teased about something. I choose to write this because for over 20 years I've written every day, and now (some) people are interested in green issues, they might be interested in the mundane day to day life of a low-carbon approach to living a modern life. And as I'm a parent and still trying to be a good one, I sometimes include my failures and successes in this blog too.

If anyone thinks I am doing anybody a huge dis-service, then please tell me. And if you think it's OK to have this kinda stuff out there in the blogosphere, again, let me (us!) know, because I just don't know if the majority of readers think it's acceptable or if it's wrong. The comments box is there for your opinions. I will publish all polite and relevant comments even if they are critical of what I do in writing this blog, referring to the possible effects and repercussions on other people.