A real marked change in the weather here. The snowdrops, primroses and daffs are out, and the green man is smiling at me. The darkest days are behind us. Yay!

My colourisation of Hazel Brooks, film noir goddess nicknamed the "Human Heatwave". She is travelling on an American Airlines plane in the 1940s. Seats facing each other. Usually a sleeping area further down the plane.

I’ve been much more verbose on Bluesky today than I have been in months. That’s because I genuinely feel I’ve nothing of value to add to the community and the conversation. But today I made a concerted effort to write and post, and many of you lovely people replied. Thank you. ❤️

I’ve seen Bluesky sex people talking about edging. You know, getting all hot under the collar about teasing but not actually arriving, so when you eventually do it’s double bubble. Amateurs. Real edging is me deliberately not watching Pottery Throw Down until ‘Box is back. Oh god. 🔥 Can’t wait.

Drop a crush from your youth… Want to hear some weird shit? Back in the 90s, before the internet was mainstream and there was no texting, and me and ‘Box were but youthful hatchlings… She had vivid dreams of her soul mate, and so did I, and we are both what we dreamt. I know, it sounds woo-woo.

Bit of a thread, this one… 🧵 bear with... I was thinking earlier about legacy, and what Britain’s greatest contribution to the world might be. It’s not democracy, or Shakespeare, the Reformation or the Magna Carta. No siree.

Sundays, bloody Sundays, right? I have a difficult relationship with Sundays. When ‘Box is here it’s a day of calm, of laying in bed for far too long, of bacon butties, a steamy bath, a lazy afternoon by the fire in the pub, cooking together and an evening by the stove holding hands. (1/2)

Went for a walk and saw this wee beastie parked under a bridge, next to a sign saying the road will closed tomorrow. Are we finally getting the potholes repaired? Do miracles happen? Stay tuned…

I was watching Star Trek:Starfleet Academy the other day when I heard something unexpected. So much so, I had to rewind and check the subtitles. Seems Star Trek is getting its kink on, y’all.

I now have heartburn and an insatiable thirst from all the saltiness. 🙄

Just made myself a lunchtime fry-up as it’s Sunday and I fancied a treat. Chunky smoky bacon, black pudding, fried eggs, mushrooms, baked beans and white bread buttered toast. Oh, and a large Yorkshire tea. I shall now nap on the sofa by the fire and hope for some lovely dreams…

Just had a complete systems outage of the brain where I confused Yvette Fielding for Yvette Cooper. And now I’ve said the name Yvette so many times it’s sounding funny as a word. Also, you don’t meet many Yvettes these days, do you? Though I once has mate who owned a Vauxhall Chevette. #Yvette

Violets are blue, Roses are red, My birds knockers, Are as big as my head. #valentines #romance

“The Sweeny, The Sweeny…” by Sweep. (This was sent to me by a friend from a Facey account, credit to a Mark Devine who posted it). .cc @hannahcooper.bsky.social

That first cup of tea on a Sunday is always the best cup of tea of the week. (Countered by Mondays being the absolute worst).

A friend of mine just happens to be living in the same village as Peter Mandleson. They say it’s currently swarming with police and reporters…

There's no hard evidence.

😳😱 www.bbc.co.uk/sport/articl...

A friend just sent me this. Many LOLs.

Good lord! I’ve the daffodils have started to bloom in my garden already! Not even February yet (just). It’s a sign!!!

Awoniyi !!! #nffc

Will it ever stop raining? Rain. Rain. Rain. More rain. And rain forecast every single day next week until Saturday. Sipping wine on a Sunday with ‘Box, lounged on the sofa, on the decking, still feels a very very long way away.

I mentioned on here that I hadn’t had a cold, flu (or Covid ever) in 15 years. Me and my big mouth, huh? I came down with whatever is going about on Tuesday. Dreadful raw cough by Friday. However, it’s clearing up now. If I go another 15 years virus free I’ll be just in my 70s !!! AARRGGHH 😱

Pick up the nearest book. Turn to page 42 and post the second sentence. ‘Oh? What’s wrong with it?’

Just did some napkin maths. The circumference of the earth is ~25,000 miles. So ‘Box flew the equivalent of about 1 and ⅔ times around the world travelling here last year. Wowsers.

‘Box, whose generosity knows no bounds, bought me this smart light tree for my birthday. It can play animated ‘scenes’ such as sunrise or sunset. It’s been a godsend on dull dark mornings to be able to simulate the sun coming up. The pics don’t really do it justice, save to say, I love it!

How is it only January the 18th? Then again, the evenings are now noticeably lighter than they were a month ago, and the snowdrops have pushed through… but still, roll on spring! Can’t wait to be able to sit outside again, in the early morning sun, with a cup of tea.

🚨ISS News: NASA say that the crew member who was ill and returned to earth is doing well, and now having a meal with colleagues.

🙄 I spent from 6pm to 7pm hoovering the upstairs and ‘Box office as it hadn’t been done since mid-December, a month ago. And I thought to myself, as the power is going to be out for a whole day this week for planned maintenance, I’ll get it done now. I don’t live in a pigsty, you know!

I spy a boy, I spy a girl, I spy the worst place in the world. (Hint: Heathrow, Terminal 3, Departures 😭)

Mmmmmm 😋 Birthday dinner: ‘Box homemade sirloin steak stroganoff. TREEEE-MENDOUS !!! (It really is)

‘Box, being ‘Box, has been WAY over the top with her birthday present 🎁 generosity. And now she’s cooking dinner for me too! I’m not worth it, but I do ❤️ her so much. Note: the girlie heart wrapping was due to Amazon delivering the wrong paper apparently 🤣.

All the Christmas decs have been taken down and put away for another 11 months. This year I put the lot up, even had two Christmas trees 🎄and a wreath on the front door. Now everywhere looks less sparkly and suddenly quite drab, but at same time it was time to move on to ‘26 proper.

Made a hearty chicken stew in the slow cooker today, that I saw on a YouTube video. Perfect for today’s snowy freezing weather. Served up with potato and root veg mash, tender stem broccoli and green beans. Yum and all natural goodness. 😋 And there’s a tonne left to freeze too!

That was shit. Asking for a refund.

‘Box on cooking duty today. OMG, what can I say - ribs cooked in her homemade Korean BBQ sauce, with big chips cooked with beef lard, green beans, and corn on the cob. Sorry. Getting a bit emotional 😭.

A little bird tells me it’s the start of a new season of The Great Pottery Throw Down tonight. C4 7:30pm. GET IN !!! Which will be us wringing out the last little bit of Christmas joy before January proper bites our arses tomorrow, Monday, 7:00 am, at -3°C. As Blackadder said “Bugger”.

We just got back from a late afternoon and early evening out. House thermometer and thermostat both reading 12°C 🥶. Operation “set the house ablaze” has been engaged. Part I was gathering frost covered firewood outdoors. Part II was lighting it. I like Part II better.

I’m not one who normally posts links to YouTube shorts, but genuinely found this really interesting. Especially as when me and her Box-ness get to spend a little time together at the end of the day, we both just instinctively touch each other like this. youtube.com/shorts/RrfkC...

Oooh, gettin’ a bit chilly, init? I’ve just brought in an extra lot of logs for the fire. Tempted to order a large dog basket from Amazon so I can just curl up and sleep here. (And ‘Box might actually appreciate me not being ‘there’ and ‘bothering’ her 🪄🤣).

Have had a lovely but hectic Christmas with ‘Box and my kids, hosting and driving the length and breadth of lil ole UK (fucking Birmingham motorways!!!) visiting family. Now. FINALLY. We’re back in our local- and OMG, have we missed this place. God, it is a tiny heaven. And how thankful I am.

Ahhh… We had a lay in, then bacon and egg ciabatta rolls with tea, opened pressies and tried them out, got the fire going, put on some tunes, had some posh chocolate, a wee dram, then had a good soak with bubbles in the old cast iron tub 🛀. Now time to make dinner together. So chill 😌🎄…

✨👼✨👼✨👼✨👼✨👼✨👼✨ 🎄🤶Happy Christmas everyone!🎄🎅 👼✨👼✨👼✨👼✨👼✨👼✨👼 Especially to any one on their own - I’ve also had a few Christmas days where it’s only me, and it’s lonely. But ‘Box is here today, and the skies are blue, and the fire is lit, and the food supplies runneth over. Love to you all!

Twas the night before Christmas, it was just me and ‘Box, Not a creature was stirring, but she was a fox, Her stockings were fishnet, put on with her care, So Jim bent her over, and pulled on her hair…! 🎄🎅 Happy Christmas you massive bunch of vicarious filth mongers! 🤶❄️

Had a really lovely Christmas Eve with ‘Box and my 3 kids, all now in their 20’s, who came over for an early Christmas Day - dinner and presents. Tomorrow it’s just me and she. They’ll see their mum. Then they’re back for Boxing Day and the day after as we do the whole ‘seeing relatives’ thing ❤️.

Sigh. M25 was a mess at 7:30am. Multi vehicle smash at J14, closing it entirely. Then another smash just as I arrived at the M25/M4 Heathrow exit where I narrowly avoided a strewn car, half in my lane. Then it took an hour to travel the Heathrow tunnel road and park (1.8 miles). But.. BOX BACK!!!

I think @madamegothica.bsky.social would approve.

Dear reader, she did WhatsApp me. And I’ve been in touch with the North Pole. But I’m getting mixed messages back - she’s been both naughty, yet also a good girl? Not sure who’s in charge at Santa HQ, but their comms are terrible.

@ionawonderbox.bsky.social …you could just WhatsApp me.