Up at a horribly early 5am in order to get the 6.09 train to Bristol where I was to attend a conference focusing on relationships. I'd offered to bring my Fiddlesticks stuff down to do a circus skills session, so that if there were any children at the event, parents could leave them at my workshop and go off and do something else. Two CRB-checked people were due to attend to oversee the session,but as it turned out there were no children so the CRB people didn't have to attend... but the workshop went ahead as there were adults there who wanted to participate.
So I got to Bristol at about 10.45 and met a friend, and we made our way to the conference venue which was just 20 minutes walk from Temple Meads. I helped put the chairs out and once people had arrived I blended in and was just another delegate. I did play a part in one of the plenary sessions and my circus workshop went well too, with about 10 people participating. I got a lot from the day; lots to think about in the areas of communication, especially. I met quite a few people that I'd become friends with over the 'net and it was good to meet them in real life. There were a few people I'd met before and a friend from London whom I'm fond of. I met loads of people whom I might now be in contact with and all-in-all it was a great for networking. The event was all good apart from one niggle when someone misunderstood something I was telling someone, and got upset, but they weren't part of the conversation, they had just overheard something and got hold of the wrong end of the stick. No harm done, I offered an apology for any lack of clarity on my behalf and enjoyed the rest of the event. No point in getting upset when the overall tone of the day was pretty jolly and positive.
I stayed over in a hotel about 15 minutes unicycle away... I was glad to be able to glide through the streets quite quickly and got a relatively early night, compared to my usual 2 or 3am crash time.
Monday, 22 November 2010
Saturday, 20 November 2010
Friday 19th November 10
A really good day, included a fair bit of house management... washing up, as usual, and fruit, and preparing some squash for tea, and taking compost down the garden, and 3 sacks of leaves which mysteriously appeared in the front...
I waited in for a Freecycler Ian to come round and picked up some of the remaining demijohns, buckets and corks, siphons etc. Then I got a phone call from Barry asking whether I had any plastic buckets... I laughed and said 'you're in luck, I've just taken delivery of a load of them' and he said he'd come and collect. But then he rang again and said his car had broken down, so he wasn't coming. He'll come next week.
I zoomed into town to put in a cheque and on the way back called in on Rich and picked up a couple of bags of stuff which I condensed into one.
Sometime after 5pm, our friends Jennifer and Mark came round with their delightful 4 year old son, and they had tea with us. I had to get ready for a gig so I wasn't particularly sociable and left with all my gear, and in costume, at 6.45. The gig was in Bedern Hall, a lovely venue, for Barbara who was celebrating her retirement. I knew a few of her guests, which felt odd, as I was working... doing a few circus workshops with anyone who would try, being saucy with the yoyo balls and balloon models, joking, chatting... about an hour and a half of fun, and then at 8.45 the meal was served and I departed with my cheque. Nice!
So back soon after 9pm, and had a bit of Gill's quiche and got ready for going to Bristol tomorrow.
I waited in for a Freecycler Ian to come round and picked up some of the remaining demijohns, buckets and corks, siphons etc. Then I got a phone call from Barry asking whether I had any plastic buckets... I laughed and said 'you're in luck, I've just taken delivery of a load of them' and he said he'd come and collect. But then he rang again and said his car had broken down, so he wasn't coming. He'll come next week.
I zoomed into town to put in a cheque and on the way back called in on Rich and picked up a couple of bags of stuff which I condensed into one.
Sometime after 5pm, our friends Jennifer and Mark came round with their delightful 4 year old son, and they had tea with us. I had to get ready for a gig so I wasn't particularly sociable and left with all my gear, and in costume, at 6.45. The gig was in Bedern Hall, a lovely venue, for Barbara who was celebrating her retirement. I knew a few of her guests, which felt odd, as I was working... doing a few circus workshops with anyone who would try, being saucy with the yoyo balls and balloon models, joking, chatting... about an hour and a half of fun, and then at 8.45 the meal was served and I departed with my cheque. Nice!
So back soon after 9pm, and had a bit of Gill's quiche and got ready for going to Bristol tomorrow.
Friday, 19 November 2010
Thursday 18th November 10
A very peaceful day, although I had the headache again. The day slid by with not a huge lot happening apart from a meeting in town in the afternoon, and on the way back I went to Alligator and picked up a trailer load of compostable resources... and then came back via Country Fresh where there were 3 boxes of the same for me, which I balanced on top of the trailer and bungeed on to my pannier rack.
I was pleased to see that Shirley had sorted out some Persimmons, or Sharon Fruit, or as I remember them from a Chinese girlfriend Wai Fong Cheng, back in Leicester in the 1980s, the Chinese Love Apple. These are mainly yellowy orange, but have naturally occurring dark patches in the flesh. The ones with the most dark patches on had been thrown out... 14 good solid fruits, plus two which were a bit soft. So I had 16 persimmons to wash, remove the calyx, peel and slice into 4 slices, and put on the drying racks above the stove. When they are dry they have a curious date-like texture. They're delicious dried.
At 4pm, one of my LETS contacts sisters arrived, with a pre-arranged delivery of a big load of brewing equipment. Her father, who's made wine all his life, has now got too old for continuing to do his hobby, and the demijohns and plastic buckets were taking up too much space. So Vivienne contacted me and asked me if I'd be able to get rid of this for her. I said yes, of course, and so today she brought round 20 demijohns, 10 buckets and barrels, 2 boxes of assorted equipment and 2 plastic crates which could fit 20 bottles each. But fortunately I had seen a 'wanted' message yesterday on Freecycle for brewing stuff... so at 5pm, Rob came round and was really happy to pick up 3 demijohns, 3 plastic buckets and a selection of filters, muslin sheets, corks and a corking machine. Later, I called on a neighbour, Charles, and he was delighted to have 7 demijohns and some straining bags for his fruit press. I love Freecycling!
I put an 'offered' message on Freecycle and got 21 responses asking to be given the rest of the equipment. I contacted the most local and said yes, come tomorrow early afternoon, and sent a copied/pasted message to all the others saying sorry, and I'd hang on to their details in case of non-collection.
I made tea for the family; I cooked some Bulgar wheat, grated a carrot into it, popped some home-made raisins in, and this was a basic salad which was enjoyed by all. Gill and I had the last of the celery soup, and I had a waste avocado chopped up in with my Bulgar wheat.
At 6 I set out for the University of York People and Planet showing of McLibel. I've got a copy of the film on DVD but I haven't had time to watch it. The McLibel trial was big news in the early 90s, and the story is quite amazing. I remember the leaflet from the late 1980s, when I was getting into green issues and activism, and still have a tee-shirt from that era with MuckDonalds on it. This is a story that should inspire anybody wanting to make a better world or campaigning for a more just society. It shows that ordinary people... like Helen Steel and Dave Morris, can change society, get laws changed, and damage multinationals such as McDonalds, which has suffered and lost business since the trial. I do recommend watching this film, it can be ordered here.
I got back soon after 8 and did the washing up, kept the stoves going, dealt with fruit, and caught up with the email avalanche following the Freecycle offer of brewing equipment, and wrote my blog whilst watching Panorama about whether to tax fatty and sugary foods.
I was pleased to see that Shirley had sorted out some Persimmons, or Sharon Fruit, or as I remember them from a Chinese girlfriend Wai Fong Cheng, back in Leicester in the 1980s, the Chinese Love Apple. These are mainly yellowy orange, but have naturally occurring dark patches in the flesh. The ones with the most dark patches on had been thrown out... 14 good solid fruits, plus two which were a bit soft. So I had 16 persimmons to wash, remove the calyx, peel and slice into 4 slices, and put on the drying racks above the stove. When they are dry they have a curious date-like texture. They're delicious dried.
At 4pm, one of my LETS contacts sisters arrived, with a pre-arranged delivery of a big load of brewing equipment. Her father, who's made wine all his life, has now got too old for continuing to do his hobby, and the demijohns and plastic buckets were taking up too much space. So Vivienne contacted me and asked me if I'd be able to get rid of this for her. I said yes, of course, and so today she brought round 20 demijohns, 10 buckets and barrels, 2 boxes of assorted equipment and 2 plastic crates which could fit 20 bottles each. But fortunately I had seen a 'wanted' message yesterday on Freecycle for brewing stuff... so at 5pm, Rob came round and was really happy to pick up 3 demijohns, 3 plastic buckets and a selection of filters, muslin sheets, corks and a corking machine. Later, I called on a neighbour, Charles, and he was delighted to have 7 demijohns and some straining bags for his fruit press. I love Freecycling!
I put an 'offered' message on Freecycle and got 21 responses asking to be given the rest of the equipment. I contacted the most local and said yes, come tomorrow early afternoon, and sent a copied/pasted message to all the others saying sorry, and I'd hang on to their details in case of non-collection.
I made tea for the family; I cooked some Bulgar wheat, grated a carrot into it, popped some home-made raisins in, and this was a basic salad which was enjoyed by all. Gill and I had the last of the celery soup, and I had a waste avocado chopped up in with my Bulgar wheat.
At 6 I set out for the University of York People and Planet showing of McLibel. I've got a copy of the film on DVD but I haven't had time to watch it. The McLibel trial was big news in the early 90s, and the story is quite amazing. I remember the leaflet from the late 1980s, when I was getting into green issues and activism, and still have a tee-shirt from that era with MuckDonalds on it. This is a story that should inspire anybody wanting to make a better world or campaigning for a more just society. It shows that ordinary people... like Helen Steel and Dave Morris, can change society, get laws changed, and damage multinationals such as McDonalds, which has suffered and lost business since the trial. I do recommend watching this film, it can be ordered here.
I got back soon after 8 and did the washing up, kept the stoves going, dealt with fruit, and caught up with the email avalanche following the Freecycle offer of brewing equipment, and wrote my blog whilst watching Panorama about whether to tax fatty and sugary foods.
Thursday, 18 November 2010
Wednesday 17th November 10
Well a traumatic start to the morning but both children did go to school and this allowed us to get on with a variety of paperwork-type things, despite feeling stressed, tiredness and having a headache. I wrote and sent an invoice, received a cheque for the Pickering Transition event, and got the paperwork through for a series of 5 gigs as Father Christmas in Dewsbury and Huddersfield. I don't really enjoy being Santa Claus, although the excited kiddies wouldn't know that as I remain professional and do my very best. For me, being Professor Fiddlesticks doesn't actually seem like work most of the time, as I genuinely enjoy myself, and Fiddlesticks is more the real me than John Cossham is. But acting as Saint Nicholas is tough, it is definitely work, not play. I'd rather not get offered more Father Christmas gigs, unless the money is very good, which in these cases, it isn't. But I'm in a situation where I cannot afford to turn down any paid work, so I look forward to the eventual cheque and will ensure that I work hard and do a good job.
So, once I'd done some of this paperwork, and dealt with a sales phone call as politely as possible, I did some outside work... a load of chainsawing, collecting the final load of logs from the Millfield Lane house and processing them, and at 4, I cycled round to Beryl the Freecycler in Heworth, who had offered a pair of size 9 steel toe cap wellington boots, and I went to try them on. They fitted me perfectly and she was happy to give them to me. On the way back I got a heavy wooden pallet. I also collected one sack of fallen beech leaves from a nearby tree, and added these to the leafmould pile.
The boys came back having had a good day at school which was a relief.
In the evening I did a big pan of stewed apple, using the tasty cooking apples from our garden, and Gill made a celery soup which was really nice. Later on in the evening my headache went away, probably due to a second dose of paracetamol. I enjoyed the last of the 3 programmes on the National Grid... a fascinating subject.
So, once I'd done some of this paperwork, and dealt with a sales phone call as politely as possible, I did some outside work... a load of chainsawing, collecting the final load of logs from the Millfield Lane house and processing them, and at 4, I cycled round to Beryl the Freecycler in Heworth, who had offered a pair of size 9 steel toe cap wellington boots, and I went to try them on. They fitted me perfectly and she was happy to give them to me. On the way back I got a heavy wooden pallet. I also collected one sack of fallen beech leaves from a nearby tree, and added these to the leafmould pile.
The boys came back having had a good day at school which was a relief.
In the evening I did a big pan of stewed apple, using the tasty cooking apples from our garden, and Gill made a celery soup which was really nice. Later on in the evening my headache went away, probably due to a second dose of paracetamol. I enjoyed the last of the 3 programmes on the National Grid... a fascinating subject.
Wednesday, 17 November 2010
Tusday 16th November 10
A much busier day. I got up early as there was a commotion downstairs but I was ineffective in solving the problem. However I got busy with a bit of housework and at 10.30 got my bike out and headed to town as I had arranged to meet Naomi, and she'd suggested El Piano, my favourite place for a hot chocolate made with soya milk.
I met Naomi because she's a disability access campaigner and I too am fed-up with the discrimination that some people face... we also share an interest in circus skills. She's a psychology graduate and has just got a job with Lime Trees, so we talked about child development and mental health issues too. She asked me to help sort her compost heap (or lack of it!) at her new flat, so I think we'll be meeting again.
I came home via Country Fresh and Freshways and hauled home a broken pallet too.
After lunch I popped round to the house on Millfield Road which recently had a skip outside which provided me with a big haul of logs and privet sticks. I'd seen the owner the other night and he'd invited me to take some more logs, so I took the secateurs and loppers round and helped them clear the back garden. I got another load of privet, some hawthorn (my favourite wood for providing a really hot stove!) and some elder. The owner appeared and was happy to remove the twigs I'd cut off and take them to his horticultural nursery, and he used his chainsaw to cut another elder trunk down. I took a well-packed trailer full back, and then returned to collect a second load.
By this time it was dark and I was due to go to Leeds for a meeting starting at 6.30, so I had a tin of dolmades and a hommous sandwich for tea. And then down to the station.... ran from the bike park to Platform 4 and got the 17.40 train with seconds to spare. And was in Leeds by 6.08, and walked down to The Common Place for the Northern Green Gathering Annual General Meeting. I've attended quite a few NGGs, and am a keen supporter of what they do. I've provided composting services on several occasions.
I was pleased to meet my friend Dave Petty who is a long-term Director of the organisation, and there were several other familiar faces, and some new people who were friendly and nice. There were 15 or 16 of us there, and after discussion of the accounts and a report of the past 2 years activities, there were the elections of Directors. David and Andrea were re-elected, and Pete, Rowen, Keith, Nigel and Becky were elected as new Directors. I was considering putting my name forward but as so many other people did, I kept my hand down. I probably have enough on my plate as is.
It was a good meeting and it looks like we have a potential venue for next year's festival, and there are some possibilities for having a presence at other festivals.
I didn't go to the pub afterwards, as I wanted to get home so I walked back to the station. Once again there was a train just about to go, and I shelled quite a few pumpkin seeds on the way back to York.
I picked up a third load of logs from the Millfield Lane house on the way home.
I met Naomi because she's a disability access campaigner and I too am fed-up with the discrimination that some people face... we also share an interest in circus skills. She's a psychology graduate and has just got a job with Lime Trees, so we talked about child development and mental health issues too. She asked me to help sort her compost heap (or lack of it!) at her new flat, so I think we'll be meeting again.
I came home via Country Fresh and Freshways and hauled home a broken pallet too.
After lunch I popped round to the house on Millfield Road which recently had a skip outside which provided me with a big haul of logs and privet sticks. I'd seen the owner the other night and he'd invited me to take some more logs, so I took the secateurs and loppers round and helped them clear the back garden. I got another load of privet, some hawthorn (my favourite wood for providing a really hot stove!) and some elder. The owner appeared and was happy to remove the twigs I'd cut off and take them to his horticultural nursery, and he used his chainsaw to cut another elder trunk down. I took a well-packed trailer full back, and then returned to collect a second load.
By this time it was dark and I was due to go to Leeds for a meeting starting at 6.30, so I had a tin of dolmades and a hommous sandwich for tea. And then down to the station.... ran from the bike park to Platform 4 and got the 17.40 train with seconds to spare. And was in Leeds by 6.08, and walked down to The Common Place for the Northern Green Gathering Annual General Meeting. I've attended quite a few NGGs, and am a keen supporter of what they do. I've provided composting services on several occasions.
I was pleased to meet my friend Dave Petty who is a long-term Director of the organisation, and there were several other familiar faces, and some new people who were friendly and nice. There were 15 or 16 of us there, and after discussion of the accounts and a report of the past 2 years activities, there were the elections of Directors. David and Andrea were re-elected, and Pete, Rowen, Keith, Nigel and Becky were elected as new Directors. I was considering putting my name forward but as so many other people did, I kept my hand down. I probably have enough on my plate as is.
It was a good meeting and it looks like we have a potential venue for next year's festival, and there are some possibilities for having a presence at other festivals.
I didn't go to the pub afterwards, as I wanted to get home so I walked back to the station. Once again there was a train just about to go, and I shelled quite a few pumpkin seeds on the way back to York.
I picked up a third load of logs from the Millfield Lane house on the way home.
Tuesday, 16 November 2010
Tuesday 15th November 10
A kind of nothingy day, although I did have a bit of an odd Fiddlesticks enquiry in the morning. It was from a GCSE pupil who was at school and arranging some sort of school celebration where an entertainer was needed. She wasn't very experienced at talking to a service provider over the phone, and I have no idea whether she'll come back to me. I'm not sure she understood how I negotiate the fee. But, we'll see!
Apart from that it was a quiet morning, and in the afternoon Gill went to town and I went out on the bike and came back with some logs. I did do some bits in the garden... pruning loganberries amongst other activities.
Probably the most notable thing today was that Gill got the next bit of secondary glazing done, in the downstairs loo, with a sheet of perspex and magnetic self adhesive stuff. She had a slight accident with the self adhesive strips but it still works, and immediately the house feels warmer.
I made tea... pasta salad and slices of stove-fried squash. But a pretty low key day with lots of this and that, bits and bobs. Tomorrow might be more focused.
Apart from that it was a quiet morning, and in the afternoon Gill went to town and I went out on the bike and came back with some logs. I did do some bits in the garden... pruning loganberries amongst other activities.
Probably the most notable thing today was that Gill got the next bit of secondary glazing done, in the downstairs loo, with a sheet of perspex and magnetic self adhesive stuff. She had a slight accident with the self adhesive strips but it still works, and immediately the house feels warmer.
I made tea... pasta salad and slices of stove-fried squash. But a pretty low key day with lots of this and that, bits and bobs. Tomorrow might be more focused.
Sunday, 14 November 2010
Sunday 14th November 10
Gill let me sleep in til 10 and I woke very slowly which was nice.
I had a slow morning but did some work in the garden before lunch, and after lunch, got ready to go to a gig off Bootham at 3pm.
The gig was quite tough. The audience were mostly 7 year old boys, who were noisy and restless and obviously unused to watching live entertainment. The mums, whom I encouraged to sit on chairs behind the children, chatted through the show, and although I asked several times for quiet, several mums chatted at the back near the kitchen, which didn't help the atmosphere of a live show. Also, the venue was hot which meant I got quite sweaty by the end of the event. So I enjoyed this party less than most, and I was worried that my strictness would have annoyed them... but apparently not. The mum who booked me said she was happy with everything and paid me the agreed fee... and by 5.15pm, I was cycling home.
I stopped off at Freshways on the way back and picked up a large sack of compostable which tore as I tried to pick it up, so I put stuff into a box and that went on the pannier rack with the sack on top. I had a quiet evening, didn't do much apart from eat, wash up, watch telly, play facebook Scrabble, dealt with emails and jarred-up the pears and pineapple.
I had a slow morning but did some work in the garden before lunch, and after lunch, got ready to go to a gig off Bootham at 3pm.
The gig was quite tough. The audience were mostly 7 year old boys, who were noisy and restless and obviously unused to watching live entertainment. The mums, whom I encouraged to sit on chairs behind the children, chatted through the show, and although I asked several times for quiet, several mums chatted at the back near the kitchen, which didn't help the atmosphere of a live show. Also, the venue was hot which meant I got quite sweaty by the end of the event. So I enjoyed this party less than most, and I was worried that my strictness would have annoyed them... but apparently not. The mum who booked me said she was happy with everything and paid me the agreed fee... and by 5.15pm, I was cycling home.
I stopped off at Freshways on the way back and picked up a large sack of compostable which tore as I tried to pick it up, so I put stuff into a box and that went on the pannier rack with the sack on top. I had a quiet evening, didn't do much apart from eat, wash up, watch telly, play facebook Scrabble, dealt with emails and jarred-up the pears and pineapple.
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