Tuesday 17th May 11

Oops, overslept, and woke at 9.33, realising I had agreed to meet Tony at 9.45 outside Alligators.  I washed, dressed, got a cereal bar and a banana and jumped on my bike.... and got to Alligators only a few minutes late.

We'd got an appointment at the Police Station to talk through the World Naked Bike Ride risk assessment.  The Police in North Yorkshire have a policy not to do any traffic management, so our 'how to reduce risk' section, which included references to 'police escort' didn't go down too well, but we included it as it was the obvious way to make the ride safer.  However, in the end, the officer who saw us gave us two possible ways to deal with the junctions and the problem of the peloton getting split.

So I regarded the meeting as a reasonable success, and Tony and I had a brief chat afterwards before I cycled into town to deal with David's water ingress problem.  I arranged to meet up with someone who uses the space under David's flat, to see where the water had got in recently, just to confirm which wall had the problem.  I then went to see David who had Richard with him, and Richard's friend John.  Gill messaged me; she'd brought the bike lock key into town so I could pick up our youngest at 3.30.  She popped in to see David, as she hadn't seen where he lives, or met him.  I was pleased they've now met.

I then took David to St Martin's Church, on Coney Street, next to City Screen, to hear the lunchtime organ concert, today being performed by Robert Sharpe, who's the Director of Music at York Minster.  The organ was a simple one, no foot pedals, and the pieces played included some Camidge, J.S. Bach, John Stanley and Mozart.  I enjoyed Samuel Wesley's 'Hornpipe' most, I think, but found all the pieces very simple (ie a keyboard played with one pair of hands), a bit boring and a bit comical.  The sound of the organ reminded me of steam-powered fairground organs.  But there was nothing I disliked, and I'd be happy to take him again; indeed, I am booked to do so! David enjoyed it very much, I was glad to learn.

I took him to Browns with Richard and John, and they met with Carolyn.  I went back to David's flat and met the person who has access to the space under it, so i could see the offending wall.  This will help me describe the situation to the Environmental Health when I speak to them.  I went back to Browns and John bought be a sandwich and coffee.

I had a quick look around the cellar with Richard and we found another source of moisture from the soil pipe from the upstairs toilet.  That can be fixed fairly easily, I think.

I then got off to go to the Steiner School to pick up our son and 3 outers of soya milk.  And a log on the way home.  Our son pedalled so hard on one section on the way home that he broke his chain.  We phoned Cycleworks to find if they could do it.... no, had to wait til Thursday.  We phoned Cycle Heaven and yes, they could do it in half an hour.  I loaded up his bike onto my trailer and took it to Cycle Heaven; Ash sorted it in 5 minutes and didn't charge me much.  I love Cycle Heaven, it's the best bike shop in York.

I got home and did a bit of chainsawing... some nice offcuts rescued from a skip recently.  Then I came in and flopped.  What a day!

Friday 6th February 09

Gill was feeling tired this morning so I took our youngest into school... the ice has more or less gone so he cycled with me rather than taking a lift.

Soon after I came back I zoomed into town to meet Chris from the Jorvik Viking Centre to try on a costume for the Viking Festival launch. The festival looks really good (download this pdf for the festival programme) and I feel much more confident about my role in the launch event on the evening of 17th Feb. I went to the Building Society to get a cheque out to pay for the extra insurance for the fire show.

I decided to take a slight detour and head for the cycle track and was pleased to see yet more logs being harvested from 'weed trees' growing out of the top of the cutting wall (it's an old railway line, with brick-lined cuttings). If these trees were allowed to keep growing, they would slowly destroy the masonry, so although it looks a bit bare without them, it is best that they are removed. The chaps were happy for me to take another load. I saw that one of them was loading up a trailer and I asked him if he would like to deliver some to me, and gave him my business card. I said that I would pay him for a delivery. He said that he was taking some to his mother near Selby and would see if he could fit me in.

So, spent most of the afternoon working on the risk assessment requested by the insurers. I've done loads of risk assessments before but they are still quite tedious, and this one took nearly 2 hours to put together. I just hope the insurers will accept it!

Then went to school and brought our little one home. I then went back to the cycle track... and most of the tree trunks were gone. But some were still available so I took another load... I've had four loads now and that's added considerably to my store for next year's carbon-neutral fuel.

Went to post the paperwork off plus a Wedding Card that Gill's made for her nephew who's getting married over in Australia... she spent the afternoon writing a poem for them and making the card. It is lovely and very humorous.

I made my own tea... a roux-based sauce made with soya milk and some of the everlasting carrot soup, and stove-fried onions and pasta tubes. Filling and wholesome. I love onion... it's my favourite vegetable at the moment, especially as the current lot were free... the benefits of being a composter. I followed this by a pint of perry... not quite as wholesome but nice none the less...

A relaxed evening followed, the children were well behaved and happy and we all enjoyed our Friday night.

Tuesday 17th July 07

Started the day by checking emails, to see if there was any response to my document, and I was told that I hadn't actually filled in the full application yet! I looked through the pack I was given, and found a document alongside applications to close off roads, which I hadn't filled in, so I did this, contacted a colleague who will be able to transfer the listed risk assessment into the required format, in a box format.

I am finding the whole exercise very stressful and the red tape is a nightmare. I never knew it would be so difficult.

I went to town after lunch to deliver photocopied insurance details, and a blank pro-former of the box-style format risk assessment to my mate who'll transfer the info.

Wednesday 11th July 07

Took the children to school, my 9yr old dressed like a 'Punk' as part of his classes theme on 60's, 70's and 80's. Then home to get into town to deliver my map/plan of the YGF07, deliver some SUMA stuff to Peter at York Credit Union and meet up with ITV people in Out Of This World, to start filming.

We did a few shots of Duncan and me cycling through York, towards the ethical supermarket, and then some footage inside, with me greeting Marianne the manageress, and introducing Duncan who presents the programme. The programme is expected to be called 'Wood You Believe It? with Duncan Wood (hahahahahohohoho!) and will be broadcast in late September or early October on ITV Yorkshire. Duncan interviewed Marianne and then we went round the back to film the loading up of the bike trailer with 'unsold fruit and veg' (mustn't call it waste!) and then we did a couple of takes with us cycling past Clifford's Tower.

The next stop was at Martin's Country Fresh on Heslington Road, another two or three bags of unwanted materials for recycling. On the way back home I found some wood in a skip, but we decided that it would be too complicated to include that, so we did another take arriving back minus the wood, with just the compostables. I think they got some film of unloading and taking a barrowful down the garden, and there was lots of me sorting through the stuff and putting some aside for drying and eating, with an incredulous Duncan who hadn't yet sampled the delicious dried fruit I make on top of the woodstoves. They also did a couple of shots with me coming out of the compost toilet, and Duncan 'sampling' the 4 or 5 year old well-composted humanure and sawdust mix.

Then it was time to go to school, Duncan and I cycled down and the producer Charlie and camera person Tony ( I think) went in their car as they had loads of equipment. The TV company had cleared the filming with the school, and I did my usual daily routine of taking compostables out of the bins, putting them in the compostables bin and putting it all in the composter I installed to encourage the school to take more responsibility with their environment. The school has not taken their responsibilities seriously, including not electing me into the Board of Governers under a 'sustainability' ticket, and I am extremely angry that they aren't doing more to promote recycling and energy saving, which is why I do my daily compostables retrieval as if I didn't I'd explode and it would all get messy. So we filmed this routine! I explained that the school was good with their 'multicultural' education but not good when it came to sustainability, and I was determined to assist the school with reducing their carbon footprint, even if THEY weren't that bothered. I do feel a bit odd about this, but the school has had loads of chances to do better and they just haven't risen to the challenge. So I think I am justified. But there are bound to be repercussions.

The boys, Duncan and I cycled home after Duncan tried to interview them ,relatively unsuccessfully. Gill was filmed picking loganberries, we did some filming inside about the stove and the dried fruit and water heating, and finally back outside to check out riddling the finished compost and leafmould. All this will be condensed into 12 minutes apparently.

I enjoyed the process, and they found me quite easy to work with as I have had quite a bit of experience already.

When they had gone I dared to download my emails to find out if the Council have allowed my risk assessment. They haven't, and have found more wrong with it. I just am at a loss at to what to do. It's a nightmare.

I was as close to depressed as I've ever been this evening because of the difficulties I'm having with organising York Green Festival. I passed the message to my colleagues and asked for help.

Tuesday 10th July 07

A lovely day working in a local school, a circus day for year 3 children (7 yr olds) who have missed out on a school trip, so instead they had a fun day with me, dressing up, face painting etc.

I first did a 1 hour show and workshop with all 28 children, then came back for lunch. Then just before 1pm I went back and did 2 circus skills workshops with 14 children each, followed by a balloon show and workshop with all of them. A very satisfying day, quite reasonably paid, for lots of fun.

Had an early tea and was picked up by Erin the Recycling Officer in her car to go to the Ward Committee in Dunnington, to present a York Rotters info talk and questions session. Lots of interest in the Rotters stall, very satisfying.

Home to the stress and difficulty of my last chance to improve my documentation for the Green Festival later this month. Spent til 2am finishing it off and drawing the plan of the event onto the map of Rowntree Park.

Didn't write my personal blog, as no time.

I don't want to do this Festival organising thing again. I feel I have had very little help, and almost obstruction from the Festivals Officer who has been sarcastic, rude and quite unhelpful. I will complain about her when all is done.

Monday 9th July 07

Recovering from a busy weekend in Sheffield and Warrington, and spent the best part of the day doing the Risk Assessment for York Green Festival. Difficult.
Was told by the Council that what I have submitted so far is not acceptable, and if I cannot get something better in by 4pm on Weds, then they will cancel the event.

At teatime I went down to the school in Heslington to help with a York Rotters stall at the Ward Committee open air info day. I got my bike 'tagged' by the police so if it gets stolen and found, it can be scanned and it will come up as mine.

Home to write my paid blog which was about Live Earth and Sheffield Green Fair.

Then spent til 2am trying to make the Green Festival document fuller and more like a risk assessment that I was given last week as a template.

Not an easy task, frustrating and needed lots of concentration. Didn't write personal blog, no time.

Monday 2nd July 07

Well, a tough day, I took the boys into school as I won't be able to pick them up, and Gill and I share everything as equally as possible. At about 9.15, a Freecycler called Andrew called, who'd advertised for stuff for his garden, so I'd offered him some compost. He had the tour, and was as suprised as most people are about the range of things which are compostable... and he drove away with a sack of the stuff suitable educated and promising to put more materials on his new heap! Just the outcome I'm wanting.

Then went on the computer and tried to keep going with the Risk Assessment, adding several bits I'd forgotten. Did this for the best part of the morning and then after lunch went into town and picked up my Out Of This World stuff, then at 2 had a meeting with Tim Waudby who's co-ordinating the Children's Festival, and was having a meeting with the providers of the children's activities. Only one provider turned up though, but it was a good meeting anyway, we got some stuff sorted out. However he had been sent an email from Liz, who's in charg of all the Festivals in York, and she had slated my risk assessment, saying it wasn't nearly ready to give in. Oh dear!

Got home at the same time as Gill and the boys got back from school, and I had to get going on the risk assessment to make it more like something acceptable.

I've also got a paid blog to do, so started thinking about this, all I could think of was that I'm under pressure, so late on I logged onto the Community Care site and did my blog. I read it out to Gill, who said it was good, and as I pressed the button for 'save' the screen went blank and 'internet explorer cannot display this page' came up. After a bit of looking into the site a few mins later, I discovered I'd lost it. Felt really down. I had also had a lack of success trying to send a large 'attachment' containing a picture of the Rowntree Park to Baz, who's helping with stewarding, but the email was taking 20 to 30 minutes to send, and the line kept on closing for a second, and the email failed and I had to restart sending. Tried this half a dozen times before giving up. Tiscali dialup connection not brilliant. My mood not brilliant, despondent.