WhatsApp have just blocked me for apparently sending spam. WTF?

Have vague plans to head to Richmond Park to try and photograph the lunar eclipse but the promised clear skies don't look terribly likely right now.

We love the Thames path but don’t like recent changes made by the council. Instead of rumble strips and pinch points, the council could have installed more mirrors to cover blind corners. Wandsworth resident Theo has set up a petition asking to improve the Thames path: www.change.org/p/urge-wands...

French trains are generally great but the admittedly cool double decker thing makes boarding a busy train an absolute nightmare as people try and haul bags and children up narrow steps. And I can't fit my adaptor into the socket to charge my phone - must buy a European USB-C plug.

Having dinner on a terrace at a restaurant in France and one of the women on the neighbouring table is on her third cigarette of the evening, blowing it in my direction. So glad we banned smoking in public places in the UK.

Have just rewatched the 1995 Pride & Prejudice - what a great production it was. It's stood up well over 30 years.

Why I 🧡 the web. drawafish.com Just draw the fish. Trust me. 🐟

Am in Europe so an hour ahead of the UK and did not need to stay up watching football. On the other hand, totally definitely HAD to stay up to watch the football. Chances of the final finishing in normal time?

To the man who, so desperate to get on the train that he pretty much put his thumb over mine on the not-yet-operational door button - just don't, yeah?

Cycling round Richmond Park this morning and the line of cars, mostly with a single occupant, waiting to get out of Richmond Gate stretched back to Pembroke Lodge. Why do we continue to allow the park to be used as a commuter route for motor vehicles?

Blimey. I do love a penalty shootout.

Today I have established that working from the rowing club is not productive. Need 129 words to hit 1,000 on the 2,500 word feature I'm supposed to be writing ... this is definitely going to be finished on Monday!

Been a while since I caught a late-night Easyjet flight to Gatwick. Now in expensive Uber home. Doors opened so close to the last train time I honestly didn't think I had a hope of catching it, so didn't run, but annoyingly missed it by 5 minutes so maybe I could have made it. Grr.

💭 Dare to dream of... safe cycling for families in outer London! 📢 We're calling on Sadiq Khan to invest in the parts of outer London where it simply isn't safe for families to cycle together. 📨 Call for change by emailing the Mayor today: bit.ly/43YSUC7

Today was a good day. In 20+ years rowing on the Tideway, I've never been to Tower Bridge; today, we took five women's eights down there. It was epic.

🚫 Since the council installed anti-cycling barriers along the cycleway in Wandsworth Park, parents and children cycling to school are being put at risk. We’re calling for their immediate removal! 📢 Join us and write to [email protected] and [email protected]

Caught up on Doctor Who, for which I had already been spoiled (short of not looking at any social media or news sites since Saturday, not sure I could have avoided being spoiled). It was all rather complex and I'm not really sure what to make of it. OTOH I am quite tired, so ...

Rowing event #1 of 2025 in the books! worldrowing.com/2025/06/02/m...

Got to airport about 2hrs 20 before my flight only to discover check-in not open, so have now been standing in a queue for 40 minutes ... of course am already checked in but no separate bag drop 😵‍💫

Something fishy about this sob story (1) The photos are stock shots taken in 2012 and 2014, available from Shutterstock and Alamy—links below. (2) There’s no trace of bankers Al and Alexandra Moy anywhere other than the Telegraph 🤔 www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/... www.alamy.com/stock-photo-...

Had a lot of fun volunteering with @wandsworthcycling.bsky.social at the eco fair on Saturday and speaking to a few people about cycling in the borough - still lots to be done to make it safer, including more protection to enable everyone to get around on a bike!

Went to see Thunderbolts*, because I enjoy a Marvel and they are better on the big screen. Enjoyed it very much and looking forward to where they take this new era of stories.

This morning was just glorious. Sightseeing row to Westminster (well, I drove a launch).

Fabulous.

Isabella Plantation in Richmond Park was looking stunning this morning ☀️🌺

Did the half-price ticket booth in Leicester Sq this evening with a friend and bagged decent tickets to Book of Mormon at a very reasonable price. Never seen it; loved it. And it's ages since I've been to a musical, it reminded me how good a good musical theatre actor is.

Hivemind: I have planted some plants on my balcony (tomatoes-to-be, variety of flowers), and the bloody squirrels which are numerous in this area are already digging in. They've almost totally deflowered a really pretty pelargonium in a pot. Anyone got a good, balcony-friendly deterrent?

In "wow stuff works occasionally" news, my stampless card was actually delivered to my friend. Thanks, Royal Mail!

Apologies to the friend who will not receive the birthday card I carefully chose for her because I forgot to put a stamp on it before dropping it in the postbox. 🫠

CRYING with laughter

Grr my neighbours are drilling on Easter Sunday. This is particularly annoying as I'm working on Easter Sunday.

Cannot describe how bad my hayfever is today. 🤧🤧

Today's vital learning is that screen recording while on a phone call with speaker on DOES record both sides of audio. Phew.

On the anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic, we thought we'd answer a question that's often asked, "If they raised the Mary Rose, why not raise the Titanic?" Allow our scaled diagram to explain...

🚣‍♂️ Good news that the Olympic quota for number of athletes in rowing remains unchanged for LA28. And while I know there's a number of people still upset about the elimination of lightweights and intro of beach sprints, having seen beach sprints in action, I'm excited: worldrowing.com/2025/04/09/w...

London Rowing Club have had this truck stolen overnight. White Ford Transit, double cab, dropside, with LRC flag on doors and bonnet. LD66 OTM but it may be on false plates. It may still be in the Putney area for a few days. @mattpinsent.bsky.social @almurray.bsky.social can you RT?

Note to future self: don't leave it 6mths before reconciling business bank statement with Xero, & keep a better track of the invoices you've sent and those you've prepared and then not sent. 🙄 Especially when they cross your financial YE and now you have to remember to account for the WIP later on.

I have been covering snowboard cross this winter and it's been fun; one of my favourite things is that France's Lea Casta, who's going to win the overall Crystal Globe, always races with her hair in plaits fastened by hair ties with frogs on them. (She's 19, she can definitely get away with this). 🐸

A morning at @wwtworldwide.bsky.social London today - they opened early for members so it was quiet and the light was nice.

No, Evri, you haven't delivered my big bag of compost by posting it through my letterbox. Also, not my letterbox ... Odds on said bag of compost actually turning up?

Watched Rose Ayling-Ellis's "Old Hands New Tricks" documentary about teaching BSL to a retirement home tonight. I sobbed. So moving.

Had a nice trip to Yorkshire this week to catch up with the parents, take in some sea air in Whitby and the delights of our little bit of God's Own.

This is bonkers. Also, a great read.

Arrived at an airport 80 minutes before my flight and was not in any way stressed about this. Barely recognise myself!

Happy International Women’s Day. I spoke to some inspirational female leaders in rowing for World Rowing this week: worldrowing.com/2025/03/08/t...

I've recently been catching up on podcasts and have just finished the Rest is History on the lead-up to WW2. Timing, eh?

The King and Keir Starmer must know that a Trump state visit will prompt a ton of protests (if I'm free, I'm going!) - maybe they are hoping for that, to make the orange buffoon realise how much of the rest of the world hate him?

The world is grim right now (although spring is coming), so here's something to hopefully inspire: an interview I did for World Rowing earlier this month with Paralympic champion Nikki Ayers of Australia. She was fab. I love doing the interviews for these pieces. worldrowing.com/2025/02/25/f...

The sun is peeping out .. thoughts start to turn to the summer. Would you like to help us run the regatta this year? hwr.org.uk/support/volu...

Rowers, please welcome @henleywomensreg.bsky.social to Bluesky! 🥳