Glorious mud

This week I finally fulfilled a wish I’ve had for YEARS, and did a spot of ‘wild’ camping.

Small victories

Not making any impression on the scales

This tiny bird avoided certain death by running through the gap under the closed bathroom door

The adventure continues

I do totally have an excuse to use this photo. Read on

Yesterday was fun.

We nearly did it: Almost a whole week without a car

So, after what was in the end a sort of week of car-less-ness – Monday morning to Friday evening – here are my findings (*clears throat, shuffles papers*):

Day Five: Oops

It’s time to fess up: shortly after my car-free week began, I remembered that today is the start of our church weekend away.

Day Four: Space for cycling*

Begging for a cycle lane? – Photo by Town Mouse

Getting the bus to school is working well for us. By this I mean that we can leave the house ten minutes before school starts (never the intention, but often the reality), tear down the street, and cross the main road right in front of the bus so that it can’t move off until we’ve boarded it. We’re usually about two minutes late for school but nobody’s mentioned it yet.

Day Three: A car is not a wheelbarrow

‘Wheelbarrow’

Our street’s tug-of-war rope (every street has one, right?) is needed for the church weekend away. Could I drop it at a friend’s house so it can be packed into the minibus?

Er – yes…without using the car. I should add that the friend’s house is at most ten minutes’ walk away, but seriously, check out the size of that rope. Just as well I had a device in the garden that offers a zero-carbon rope transportation option, known as a ‘wheelbarrow’. 

Day Two: Kindertransport

A mum was telling me this morning about an opera called Kindertransport.

My first thought was, ‘Someone’s written an opera about sustainable transport for children!’ but she then explained… Anyway, it still makes a good title for Day Two of my car-free adventure, and you can turn it into an opera if you like (or into half a dozen films if you’re Peter Jackson).

My main problem is, I don’t have one of these:*

Day One: A car is not an umbrella

Well, today I have travelled a total of 12.6 miles without the car – 9.2 under my own steam – burning 87 calories in the process and saving more on car costs (£3.30) than I spent on public transport (£2.90).* Result…! AND the girls were not late for school. I am, it is true, feeling a little damp as I write this – but we’ll get on to that.

Saving polar bears in the suburbs

Tomorrow is Day One of what we hope will be a whole week without the car.

Shocking, I know! This subversive suburbanite mum intends to get through a week of school, kids’ activities, play dates, shopping, medical appointments and weekend entertainment without once getting into her oversized Volkswagon!

The Easter bunny is carbon neutral

This extreme action was prompted by a number of things, but a moment last week brought them all to a head.