Sunday 5th July 09

Up at a civilised time and was please to see Valerie's expression when she saw the life-sized Native American figure that Gill's been making for the past couple of weeks. Val is involved with a theatre group and Gill's helped with set painting before, and this time has created a standing Native American for the next production.

Then I spent quite a bit of time tidying the conservatory, pruning tomato side shoots and winding the leaders around their supporting string, and potting up some sprouting ginger that I've rescued from the compostables. I've also got some other tubers which I don't know the name of which are beginning to poke out a spiky green shoot. I'll pot them up too!

After lunch I cycled down to the station with my eldest and bought our rail tickets for the trip to Weston Super Mare, plus two bikes... and was happy that it only cost £47 for the both of us, return. Excellent. The only slight problem is that on the way down we have a 4.20 to 9.30pm journey... a bit late. We'll stay with Lucy that night.

Came back via Argos to see what kind of tents they have, as last year my tent ripped and is not really repairable. The camping shop in York doesn't have any with the shape I want, and neither did Argos.

So, after an afternoon collecting logs from Woodlands (how appropriate!) and loading a compost heap, I had some time on the computer googling tents. I found relatively few with the shape etc that I wanted but there is one which is on sale in various places. I'll phone tomorrow...

Finally, did my Carbon Account meter readings...

Saturday 4th July 09

Another work-day today. I had to be at Headlands School in Haxby by 11am, so I got ready to leave home by about 10.15, with trailer-full of circus gear, unicycles and modelling balloons. I decided to go in costume as it is sometimes easier to arrive and just get going rather than have to change into my performance clothes. It was only about 30 minutes cycle, so I was there in time for the start.

I'd been provided with a little gazebo as cover from sun or possible rain, on the edge of the playground. It was a usual 'school fete' type event... tombola, DJ, Army stall, crazy bike track, beekeeper... BEEKEEPER? That was a first for me... I've never seen a beekeeper at an event like that before! Nice! I had a very busy time, but a 20 minute break when the dance troupes did their performance, so that's when I had my sandwiches.

The rest of the afternoon went smoothly... I was impressed with the perseverance of a 10 year old lad who came to me pretty early on saying he wanted to learn the unicycle. I asked him to start on the 4 wheeler.. which he found very easy, and then the 2 wheel unicycle which he also balanced on really well. So I showed him how to get the pedals in the right position before trying to mount, and the best way to get started by hanging on to a window ledge on the side of the playground. He continued working at it, shared some of the time with another lad and for a short time a girl, but he kept on coming back to it. By 3pm he was unicycling across the playground! Awesome...

At 2ish I scaled down my devilstick tuition and juggling workshops and got the DJ to announce that I'd be making balloon animals for a small donation to Headlands. I had a busy hour and generated over £10 for the school. They were delighted and I was knackered and hot. I was given my cheque, packed and cycled off, stopping by Freshways to load a very heavy sack of compostables onto my pannier rack.

Home at 4pm and Gill announced that the boys had been taken to the cinema by Ros and would be back at 6.30... wow, freedom at the weekend, so Gill and I made best use of the space.

So a happy evening, boys post Ice Age 3 and us feeling contented, a nice tea of cold Bulgar wheat 'salad' with added feta cheese, olives, broad beans. Lovely.

Friday 3rd July 09

A working day today, but didn't need to leave the house til midday or after. So a slow start to the morning, but was ready in plenty of time with everything in the house packed up... and then it got darker and darker and the heavens opened. I rang my employers in Castleford and they said we'd be working inside the Bridge Arts building.

I got the 13.09 train and a sweet old nun sat next to me... Sister Rosemary from The Convent of the Good Shepherd in Manchester. She'd been visiting her family in York and was happy to chat. Lovely!

I got off at Leeds and had my sandwiches whilst waiting for the 2pm train to Castleford. Then it was only another 17 minutes on the train. It was raining in Castleford, but it was less than 10 minutes walk to the venue on Sagar Street. I got changed and was 'up and running' with my circus stuff by 1.50pm. There were several other stalls there... the ones I liked were
'Teddies for Tragedies', who knit little teddy bears to give to children in less than fortunate situations, and some historical re-creators called Time Tarts who were very friendly. I chap turned up with a bag of diabolos and proceeded to perform some absolutely amazing tricks, including with two diabolos on one string. 'GT' as he likes to be known did quite a bit of diaboloing, and I then did my little show... the tricks not nearly as sophisticated as his, but I make up little stories with mine and explain how the diabolo works... whereas he did his amazing tricks in silence. I was pleased he liked my act as much as he said he did. I offered to help him develop his entertainment a bit, and told him I was willing to give him info about Equity, insurance, advertising, risk assessments, how to ask for fees and more.

There were a steady stream of 'punters' wanting to try devilsticks, juggling, balancing, diabolo and the four wheeled and two wheeled unicycles, as well as have assorted balloon models. At one stage a group of people assembled on the new bridge (it had stopped raining) and I was invited to go out with them. The bridge is brilliant! It's an S shape horizontally and is for pedestrians and cyclists. It connects a residential area with the town so that the people don't have to go to a busy road bridge. I love it. (See a selection of images here)

I left Bridge Arts at about 5.50 and got to the station 2 minutes AFTER the 6.02 train had gone. Oh dear! So I sat and read and waited for the 6.57 to Leeds. A good quick change in Leeds and back in York surprisingly quickly. I decided to pop in to the St Nicks' social and BBQ for something to eat... I had several veg kebabs and rolls with 'Linda McCartney' in them (!) and two pints of organic cider...

Home before 10, and was able to confirm with my son that he does want to work at the Big Green Gathering so he can get in for free. He has to do 6 hours for me to get the cheque back. If he doesn't do the work, they cash the cheque! He seemed quite excited about being 'part of the festival' and gave me big hugs! I'm really looking forward to it... I need to get train tickets and a tent! My last tent disintegrated in terrible weather at last year's NGG. However, I have only had two tents in about 20 years... so it's not bad going!

Settled down to do emails and blog, and watched one of my favourite films 'It's All Gone Pete Tong' for a second time...

Thursday 2nd July 09 Meeting the Prime Minister

Quite an early start as although I was told to come as I am (ie scruffy) I of course wanted to be reasonably tidy for meeting the VIP, whoever it is. So, cleaned and ironed tee-shirt and freshly washed shorts.... Did a quick email check and cycled off to the Credit Union Office where Nick took me in his car down to Sherburn in Elmet. There were lots of police around the library and people being searched on the way in. I offered my penknife to the policewoman who said she'd look after it until the visitor had gone. We found out that the visitor was to be Gordon Brown the Prime Minister.

The event was to thank three organisations and for the PM to tell them what a good job they were doing... the local SureStart Children's Centre which is based at the library, the Citizens Advice Bureau and North Yorkshire Credit Union, of which I'm the founder and member number one! NYCU is a good example of partnership working and use of technology, as we are just rolling out a web-based paying in system for use in libraries, are going to use PayPoint, and start financial education and a Junior Savers Account, which will be done in conjunction with schools and Children's Centres. There are other developments too, which I'm not at liberty to divulge. I had some interesting chats with people from North Yorkshire County Council, the Department of Work and Pensions and other agencies. I was pleased to meet John Grogan, who is perhaps my favourite MP. I've known him for at least 10 years and I like his friendliness and approach to life. He is one of the 'old socialists' from pre NewLabour days, and I'm surprised he's still with them. However, he is standing down at the next election. I asked him if he'd consider not doing that and going for the leader's job, as I think he'd make a smashing PM! His face crinkled up into his lovely big grin and said definitely not!

So the Prime Minister arrived, with hoards of TV cameras and photographers jostling to get the best view. A group of us was invited to sit in a ring of chairs, people from CAB and NYCU, as well as two people from the local community who had used the services of CAB. Gordon came from visiting another part of the library and went round the group, shaking our hands, then sat and conversations were had with some of the CAB people, the local people, then Mike from NYCU had his 5 mins, where he briefly outlined the history of the group and it's recent change into a county-wide service. He was careful to explain about the partnership working and innovative use of technology. I was not asked any questions and I didn't speak to the Prime Minister.

However, when he left I was near the door and said thank you for coming and he patted me on my shoulder. Very soon, Nick said we should go back to York, and he was able to explain about the developments following the conversations at this meeting. Very exciting and well worth going.

Nick dropped me off at Priory St and I cycled through town to Millers Yard, where Dylan had put aside six sacks of halved squashed oranges and coffee grounds. I carefully loaded these up and took them to St Nicks to their big composting area. They have regular deliveries of sawdust and wood shavings from a pet shop, so I layered the squishy oranges with the sawdust on top of the existing pile.

Glad to get home and have a couple of pints of water plus my lunch, sandwiches as normal.

Soon Gill got home and the boys followed, Melody soon arrived and worked out her SUMA order.

We need to defrost our freezer so Gill found an old nutloaf which is what I had for tea, with some home made tomato sauce on, and potato and broccoli.

After tea I did a bit of work down the garden and then popped round to Lynn's to deliver something for LETS. Raided two ripe skips on the way back... got a load of copper wire and wood from one, and more wood from the other. Excellent!

Wednesday 1st July 09

A late start for me; but I was up in the night as I heard noises outside and had to go and check... after which I lay there listening... how annoying! Then the dawn chorus started. Loud.

The broadband internet wasn't working so I made a few phone calls and found that a BT interchange was down and they were attempting to fix it. It was off all day.

So I did a variety of other things including taking some little yam plants down to Country Fresh to let them go to other people... and collected three boxes of compostables.

Cut a hedge, riddled another 9 carrier-bags worth of mature compost. Cut back more brambles. Watered wilting plants. Drank lots of water so I didn't wilt.

However, during the evening the internet started working again so I spent at least an hour dealing with emails.

Tuesday 30th June 09

Nice slow start to the day... I came down and heated water on the gas-cooker to wash up. Our gas boiler has gone wrong; it needs occasional re-pressurising (I don't understand this) and when Gill twiddled the knob yesterday, it came off. So we're not using the gas boiler at all, even for instant hot water. And of course, it's too hot for the stove, so we have no hot water except for doing it in a saucepan on the cooker.

I don't mind doing the washing up, even before breakfast. There is some sort of satisfaction with rendering a jumbled pile of used plates and mugs into neatly stacked and clean, ready to use crockery. I'm not so keen on doing cutlery, but that has to be done too. Also, I collect the rinse water and water the tomato plants with it. VERY satisfying!

Sorted out various hotel and BnB visits for later this year. This involved a couple of hours phoning and working out logistics.

Anyway, a good day, did quite a bit inside and visited B+Q for Gill who needed some lining paper to do a 'Red Indian' figure as a prop for a play. I also did loads of riddling of some very mature compost... yummy! (almost!)

After lunch the plumber came round and fixed the knob back on the boiler. I think it took less than 5 minutes. The bill will be in the post....

I got an exciting phone call from Mike at York (North Yorkshire!) Credit Union asking me what I was doing on Thursday... as there was a proposed meeting with an important person, and did I want to come to this? I said I was available, and Mike told me that the person was so important that I'd need to be security checked. Wow! I wonder who it is? I have my suspicions but will just have to wait and see.

I cooked tea, rice with onion, celery and some other bits, with added plantain which I cooked yesterday, with fresh home-grown broccoli, and a tomato and onion sauce. I loved the plantain... a really fruity addition to a slightly spicy rice dish. I hope I get some more of those in the compostables!

After tea I popped round to Lynn's to discuss the publicity needed for the LETS Healthy Living event in 3 weeks time, and spent an hour chatting to her.

Back in time for another hour or more in the garden, in at 10 and the internet was down.. I had a phone call from Ben and his was off too, so it must have been the exchange or something.

It came on just after midnight so I caught up then.

Monday 29th June 09

A productive morning as I removed my son's bike back wheel and took the tyre down to Cycle Heaven to get a replacement. I went via Hazel Court civic amenity site, cycling 4 sacks of drinks cartons (including 2 from school) and some electrical equipment rescued from skips and some other metal to get this all recycled. I had a little chat with one of the workers there, and said that officially, cycles were not allowed up there, and I'd been refused a trailer permit. I said I refused to tip all my recycling on the ground at the entrance as had been suggested, and the operative said that taking the recycling from the pedestrian area up to the recycling skips was a health and safety issue in itself.

So, feeling happy about the sensible attitude of the workers there, I went on to put two cheques in and on to Cycle Heaven. There I asked if I could have a large cardboard box, as our youngest needs to make a life-size prop for a school assembly, so I cycled home with a box that a bike was delivered in... excellent! Home via Country Fresh and Freshways, also found some more electrical equipment sticking out of a bin bag left for collection, so that will go for recycling soon!

Enjoyed my lunch and helped Maria with a self-employment query over the phone.

During the afternoon I tried to catch up on a load of paperwork, phoning etc, connected to my Fiddlesticks work. But when it cooled down a bit I went to do some compost riddling and loading up my new pallet bin. My favourite activities, with my robin friend filling its face with centipedes and little beetles. Lovely!

I popped out to the Co-op for some provisions for today's tea, and Gill put them together whilst I did more outside work, including picking loganberries.

On the way home from the shop I stopped to chat to a chap who's skip I'd raided, to thank him for the Freecycling opportunities it had afforded. Ended up having a good chat and he gave me some strawberries from his back garden. I might end up helping Mike with his garden, he's only just moved in and needs some help. Nice chap.

I came in to make some tea for tomorrow... onion and tomato base mix, and some plantain, gently fried in chunks. Probably will add it to rice.

Quiet evening, maybe a bit too warm... and that was without the stove! Enjoyed strawberries and loganberries with vegan ice-cream.... yummy!