A good day, took a while to get started but was busy... a phone call inviting me to hand over money to advertise Professor Fiddlesticks in the Yorkshire County Gazette. I suggested that I might be willing to write an editorial if they gave me a free ad... or indeed, I wouldn't even need an advert, just a mention under the writing about green entertainment. But when the email came through, they still wanted £52 off me. Not sure what to do.
Later, I made up a batch of seed compost, 9 bread bags full, and I decided to try to sterilise or at least reduce the numbers of viable weed (and tomato!) seeds in it, by microwaving each bag. I did 4 bags, and cycled them down to Richard so that growers can have something local and home made to start their plants in. I used 2 buckets of leafmould, 1 bucket of loam (from skipped turves), and 3/4 of a bucket of rich compost, so a fairly low nutrient and dense growing medium (heavy and dense because of the loam) which is good for starting seeds off in. I mixed the ingredients on the riddle, and when all was riddled, mixed them in the pile before bagging them up. Each bag got 2x 5 minutes in the microwave oven, turning it over to do both sides. I've suggested that they should get a donation of £1.50 or £2 per bag at the shop. I'm not really bothered how much I get really, it's just good to know that growers are avoiding peat, and using recycled materials.
I kept myself reasonably tidy and clean though, as at 7.30 I was due to be ready to work at the Fulfordgate Club. I actually arrived there shortly after 7, to suss the place out and see where I was due to work. The event was a British Legion fundraiser, organised by a charismatic old chap called Jack Redfearn. He'd got a good selection of entertainers for his cabaret, the first to go on was the Main Street Sound, a 'Ladies Barbershop Chorus', who rehearse in Acomb. They were excellent, I especially enjoyed their version of 'Aquarius' from 'Hair'. I had initially been told that I'd be going on after the 'Barber Shop Quartet' as Jack called it (there were 17 of them!) but at the last minute, Jack changed the running order and 'squeezed' an accordion player in after Main Street Sound, so my slot of 8.15 to 9pm now started at 8.40. I got ready during the accordion singalong ('We'll Meet Again' etc etc) and then launched into a truncated version of my show... I knew it would be shorter than my usual one hour, but I managed to do it in 30 minutes. If it hadn't had been for Lisa and another Main Street member coming out and doing things, it would have been even shorter! But it seemed to go all right and several people came up afterwards and commented on it, positively. Several people asked for my business card, so I might get some bookings off it....
I did a few balloon models round the tables and was then persuaded to go and get some food, as there was a good spread provided. There was beef curry, chicken curry, beef and leek pie, chicken and mushroom pie, and I think even a dish with chicken AND beef in it!!! I had a small plate of trifle... but I reckon the jelly stuff might also have been gelatine-based. I got changed, picked up my paperwork, loaded the bike trailer and came home. I was glad I'd had something to eat before I'd gone off to work.
A late night as I watched a video off Peter Reynolds' blog, which was very good.
Later, I made up a batch of seed compost, 9 bread bags full, and I decided to try to sterilise or at least reduce the numbers of viable weed (and tomato!) seeds in it, by microwaving each bag. I did 4 bags, and cycled them down to Richard so that growers can have something local and home made to start their plants in. I used 2 buckets of leafmould, 1 bucket of loam (from skipped turves), and 3/4 of a bucket of rich compost, so a fairly low nutrient and dense growing medium (heavy and dense because of the loam) which is good for starting seeds off in. I mixed the ingredients on the riddle, and when all was riddled, mixed them in the pile before bagging them up. Each bag got 2x 5 minutes in the microwave oven, turning it over to do both sides. I've suggested that they should get a donation of £1.50 or £2 per bag at the shop. I'm not really bothered how much I get really, it's just good to know that growers are avoiding peat, and using recycled materials.
I kept myself reasonably tidy and clean though, as at 7.30 I was due to be ready to work at the Fulfordgate Club. I actually arrived there shortly after 7, to suss the place out and see where I was due to work. The event was a British Legion fundraiser, organised by a charismatic old chap called Jack Redfearn. He'd got a good selection of entertainers for his cabaret, the first to go on was the Main Street Sound, a 'Ladies Barbershop Chorus', who rehearse in Acomb. They were excellent, I especially enjoyed their version of 'Aquarius' from 'Hair'. I had initially been told that I'd be going on after the 'Barber Shop Quartet' as Jack called it (there were 17 of them!) but at the last minute, Jack changed the running order and 'squeezed' an accordion player in after Main Street Sound, so my slot of 8.15 to 9pm now started at 8.40. I got ready during the accordion singalong ('We'll Meet Again' etc etc) and then launched into a truncated version of my show... I knew it would be shorter than my usual one hour, but I managed to do it in 30 minutes. If it hadn't had been for Lisa and another Main Street member coming out and doing things, it would have been even shorter! But it seemed to go all right and several people came up afterwards and commented on it, positively. Several people asked for my business card, so I might get some bookings off it....
I did a few balloon models round the tables and was then persuaded to go and get some food, as there was a good spread provided. There was beef curry, chicken curry, beef and leek pie, chicken and mushroom pie, and I think even a dish with chicken AND beef in it!!! I had a small plate of trifle... but I reckon the jelly stuff might also have been gelatine-based. I got changed, picked up my paperwork, loaded the bike trailer and came home. I was glad I'd had something to eat before I'd gone off to work.
A late night as I watched a video off Peter Reynolds' blog, which was very good.
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