Does anyone local know if the van at Minnowburn in South Belfast still serves pizza, or is it just coffees etc? Trying to organise a family walk and teenagers will be more enthusiastic if food is involved 🍕

Still harvesting carrots, mostly because I forgot. Will certainly get a pot of soup out of these. Stored sunshine.

Bit of an exodus underway, great to see. And the corresponding....what? Influx?

My dad was round for lunch today and told me that his bowls* club in Bangor apologised to members recently for having to put up the price of a pint. It's now £3.60 😲 *pétanque, in fact.

A Few Good Men is still a great watch. As well as Jack Nicholson, the actors playing soldiers on trial give fantastic performances.

Events coming up.

Ulster Wildlife have some great online winter talks coming up, if you fancy learning stuff in comfort while it's baltic out there. Only a few quid for non members. www.ulsterwildlife.org/events

This is tucked away late on the schedule tonight (10.40) but it's on iplayer. My husband worked on the programme and has got really invested in the story. I barely remember this but the flight was headed for Belfast. www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...

A local mechanic took a look at my car for something that I thought didn't seem right- it was at short notice, he was thorough, spent about 15 mins on it including driving it round the block, and took no payment. What an absolute January hero.

These doritos are reduced to clear. People don't know what they're missing. 😍😂

First run out for the supermarket walking boots, warm and comfortable, good job.

Perfect. youtu.be/xdUR76OUUUc?...

Perihelion, perigee and a full moon coinciding today. Could this explain why some have lost the absolute run of themselves? www.sciencealert.com/januarys-wol...

What happens if the secret traitor gets banished? #TheTraitors

Between my early start and spending yesterday and today doing battle with flatpack bedroom furniture, I'm not at all confident I'll see midnight. Especially if I have a drink. But victory is mine against the chest of drawers. 💪🏆

Great chat with my sister, bringing in numerology and Chinese astrology and cycles ending and new beginnings. Not usually my thing but I can see the appeal and the hope that it gives. 2025 is a 9 year and 2026 is a 1 year, start of a new cycle. I'm in.

Me and my sister and half of Belfast watched the sun coming up over Cavehill on the last day of the year. Cold but beautiful.

A few snowdrops are flowering, and may coincide with actual snow at the weekend.

Why do I find this tea so comforting? And buttery?

Definitely something special in the air this day 38 years ago. So many top tunes.

While I'm enjoying this, I can't work out why nobody has any reservations about providing a mysterious machine with their social security number and fingerprints, in order to get a wee blue card telling them their life potential. Every character just happily punches their number in.

It's all connected. That single tall fir tree is why so many of these birds are in this small area. The developers of the houses behind us also planted oak and rowans on the walkway. Still excellent bare root tree planting season, if you're inclined.

A fella chatting to Frank Mitchell on the radio last week claimed this was the best film ever made. Not sure how I've never seen it, but settling in now while others are out watching rugby/being sociable.

Picked up big son from Bangor, what a sky. Always gives me a smile when he pulls out his phone to snap the same gorgeous sunset that I just did. Not least because he's colourblind and so we're not seeing the same thing.

Not my forte, it turns out. 🫣

Tinfoil! 🤦‍♀️

This evening I have read that Chris Rea's wife Joan attended Stainsby Secondary Modern School. Wish this one got more airplay youtu.be/DJFf_7lltW0?...

A lovely afternoon spent in City Hall, being reminded that music and community and sharing a room with people in the same state of mind are all healing. Not a religious service but The Sanctuary Singers started with O Holy Night, and that was me and my sister set off.

This was as good as I hoped it would be, live. In spite of different personnel. youtu.be/DPTpBoYVD8Q?...

I have had a fab night out with my good friends tonight, which has reminded me that it's always a good idea to buy the tickets. Just buy the tickets. It'll be fun.

Just dropped these two, now 19 and 17, off at the airport. Eldest's Christmas present to his brother is a gig in Manchester. The transition to mother of young adults is mind-blowing.

I can't contain myself! Shared my excitement with the delivery guy and he told me he didn't get off the settee for 3 days when he bought his big tv. That's the plan once work is out of the way 📺

Next Sunday. www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/northe...

My sister's hair was even curlier than i remembered and we drank Stewarts yellow-packs coke out of wine glasses. Late 80s or early 90s, I think.

Delighted to have got a new school trip off the ground this week, despite saying i definitely wasn't leading one this year. Felt bad for the year 10s who might not get another opportunity. So we're off to Vienna in June 26!

Gingerbread is the new pistachio.

Storm Bram got my outside lights, they're still blowing about and looking the worse for wear. Stepladder out again tomorrow.

Only the second Bram I've ever heard of, I think.

This evening I have acquired a superb dvd collection off Freecycle, mostly for my teenagers. I can see the appeal of stuff that always works and that you own, and that won't disappear or get interrupted with ads.

Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life? Mary Oliver

I know this may look like an ordinary bend in a suburban Belfast road; it's anything but. At this time of year as you round this bend on your way home heading west, you can be met with the most glorious view of the golden sun, setting in a peachy sky that fades to deep blue. It's magnificent.

Stopped getting nails done this year but felt festive yesterday. So now they look like red wine.

Of all the spam emails i get, my favourites are from Exceptional Ron.

I can't watch this because, having grown up against a backdrop of a constant threat of violence, I know the long-term impact on the collective mental health of a community. You get on with your life, but it's not normal. That this is taking place on such a large scale there is just unthinkable.

Schools are heaving with viruses currently. I am holding out so far; 3 more weeks.

"You seem happier" Thanks, I deleted all my emails and went to look at birds instead.

I attended a talk during the week about careers in the film industry, and the audience (around a hundred 15/16 yo) was asked views on ai. Anyone love it? Couple of hands. Anyone hate it? About 5 times as many hands. Hardly robust data, but made me smile.

Gorgeous new tune for my winter playlist. youtu.be/aBpYk9vuneE?...