Right, I'm off to The Pixies tonight. Not looking forward to the Snake Pass. But the gig will be great. Support from GANS, whom I don't know but my mate I'm going with says are great.

Singing in a charity event at The Crucible tonight. Only one song amongst many, but it's still a thrill, given how many productions I've seen here.

Just back home. Met my sister on the train back. Neither of us knew the other was making the journey.

Meanwhile, my minor contribution about David Attenborough is to say that I had a book as a kid of a children's series he did called Fabulous Animals. It was about mythical beasts - the lamia, yetis. I have had an ongoing fascination with kraken ever since. I read the book until it fell to bits.

How would one diagnose gout in a toe? No reason.

Voted. Saw a kingfisher on the Porter at Pear St bridge, the furthest into Sheffield ever for me. And a nuthatch nest. Trained a couples of v promising newbies at work. Off to choir this evening. All good today.

I'm listening to long-loved favourites by way of good vibrations. You may know that I love Wir Sind Helden, and Nur Ein Wort in particular. And this is a brilliant a capella cover. www.youtube.com/watch?v=dAD8...

The good news is that someone's just decided to let off a shed load of fireworks in Nether Edge.

Now I'm in tears at Tom Waits. Which is fair enough, but it does speak to my being a bit haywire.

Weird day mood wise. Very upbeat this afternoon at our choir rehearsal, despite my mistakes and some rubbish news about one of our members. And then in tears just now watching Sam West going birdwatching. My mind generally is in anxious and full force gale overdrive. Normal things are awkward.

Spoke to one of my oldest friends today for the first time in a couple of years. Really lovely. I said to myself I should try to reconnect with a few I miss knowing. Not all have been successful, but it's definitely a worthwhile pursuit.

@barcajim3.bsky.social @thejase.bsky.social @beardedgenius.bsky.social @stanchow.bsky.social 🙏🙏❤️

Meanwhile, I've just opened my balcony doors in a failed attempt to ID a bird song. High double peep. But I was greeted by a badger ambling down the path alongside my flat. Pleasing.

I see Dubai authorities have arrested Daniel Kinahan. Eyebrows duly raised. He's an OFAC (US) sanctions target, amongst other things. I will follow with interest.

Just finished Elif Shafak's novel There Are Rivers In The Sky. Sad, and horrifying, and hopeful all in one. And then there's the Tigris running through it on the nature of identity and how that can be appropriated, both now and from centuries past. Recommended.

Started watching a Gene Tierney movie. Because, well, Gene Tierney.

It makes sense that Whiskey Pete and his Zionist cohorts would choose to invade on Easter weekend. The religious psychosis that has warped their brains has been the cause of death & destruction for millennia. Of course, we won’t know a thing about it until it’s well underway. Ask yourself… WWJD?

Wish me luck lads, I'm starting to sort my clean laundry. I may be some time.

Erm, got back from London by train today. Unpacking my case, I've found this in an outside pocket. Zero to do with me. Who on earth put it there??

Well, tomorrow I head down to London. My son gets married on Friday, which is bloody brilliant.

I have just been introduced to this, which is true, but also barely scratching the surface. www.youtube.com/watch?v=VYEb... #DonaldTrumpIsAWanker #Fugue

#StandingStoneSunday Standing Stone in my garden. Made by my husband @steverochestone.bsky.social with the inscription 'All Shall Be Well' in memory of my Mum. Quote from Julian of Norwich.

The next one is There Are Rivers In The Sky, by Elif Shafak. I should make notes as I go, I think. Don't know a thing about it. One of the others saw it recommended, so here we are.

Well, the book club I've joined triumphantly assessed Ali Smith's How To Be Both last night. We agreed it's a book (a really thoughtful one, and I wish I'd had time to see the frescoes when I went to Ferrara a couple of years back. Blame Bruce.).

Here's Matches, which is the one I've acquired the lyrics for. Written in Much Wenlock, I'm interested to note. youtu.be/3hw604WrlzI?... #KatherinePriddy

The good news is that vinyl plus of the new @katherinepriddy.bsky.social album These Frightening Machines has arrived. If you don't already know her, you need to. Brilliantly written songs.

'These Frightening Machines' - my third album, is out now! 🥹 I've poured everything into this release and I am so, so proud of it. Now the songs are ready to take on new meanings elsewhere... I hope you enjoy it. You can stream and purchase it here: kpriddy.lnk.to/TFM

This IPSO adjudication against the Telegraph is quite something Confirms their story titled: ‘We earn £345k, but soaring private school fees mean we can’t go on five holidays’ was completely fabricated, with the family involved non-existent and stock pictures used www.ipso.co.uk/rulings/0210...

This is my brother-in-law @steverochestone.bsky.social and his partner. BBC News - Sheffield stonemasons win Swiss snow sculpting competition - BBC News www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

We won a match!?! Had forgotten what it's like. #WWFC

Was able to walk home through what was the general cemetery here one night last week. First time it's been light enough to do so this year. The Merlin app reckoned there was a crossbill in the park. Yeah, not at all sure about that. Only if it's a very confused and lost one.

@katherinepriddy.bsky.social Evening Katherine. I trust you're enjoying the shows. I'm annoyed I didn't spot your recent email in time to get one of those CDs. Have you come across Marie Dresslhuis? She's Canadian, I think, and did this, which is stunning: www.youtube.com/watch?v=AYBE...

That was from Tim. My best was this, by #MarieDresslhuis. Sadly, she's in Vancouver. I think this is stunning; will have to hope she comes over here. The Aftermath. www.youtube.com/watch?v=AYBE...

Really strong set of #WeeklyMusicCall songs this pm. One of which was this, new from Labi Siffre. Gorgeous. www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Ura...

One of those #WeeklyMusicCall days which was almost entirely composed of corkers. Will post in a bit.

Help wanted. Can anyone identify the clothing worn by the young woman in this portrait photo by W.T. Furniss who is buried at Wardsend. It looks like work wear e.g. munitions worker (the period is right) but the scarf/neckerchief and fascinator(?) are a bit of a puzzle.

The current #thetenx5 lists flying around here are killing me when it comes to shortlisting for my #WeeklyMusicCall. Even without those, there's a lot of great regulations at the moment.

About bloody time with Jöro.

I hope to find out if I'm going to be a grandfather or grandmother tomorrow, as it were. One potential piece of news, in the latter event, made me cry.

I wish to strongly recommend the brilliantly manned Annabelle Chair legs to you. Try Shoo-Fly for starters. youtu.be/wMTjvjxG1eU?...

Anyone in London/ who sees shows: I'm down next weekend with an unexpected evening to kill. What should I be seeing?

Disco Inferno 🔥🔥🔥 #BurnsNight

Good Night From The Drummer, My Friends. Sleep Tight.

They know what they say is untrue, they do not care it is untrue. The media know that what they repeat is untrue, they do not care it is untrue. Their supporters know what they are told is untrue, they do not care it is untrue. Telling the truth is not enough, unless people care about the truth.

I really like The Brothers Comatose - I commend them to you - and here they are with Sweet Sally doing a cracking take on Bob's Don't Think Twice. www.youtube.com/watch?v=nMlW...

An interesting range of #vinyl coming up for auction here tomorrow. www.the-saleroom.com/en-gb/auctio...

'It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a library in possession of a good Jane Austen biography, must be in want of some googly eyes.'

"A Change Is Gonna Come" (1964) - Sam Cooke 🎶🎧 #coffeebreak www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z5zD...