Floor fitters are coming tomorrow to fit a new vinyl floor in the conservatory and kitchen. I'm dreading it because I don't like upheaval in my space but it's the last thing on the list for a couple of years so I just have to get through the next few days and keep smiling.

Donkey Kong Bananza is a huge amount of fun! Silly and satisfying. Really enjoying it.

Oh and believe me, if you have a kid with autism, you have already blamed yourself and others have probably blamed you, at some point.

The question is not whether or not it causes autism. The question is why do they want you to believe that it does. Who benefits? Who loses? What's the left hand doing while you're watching the right hand? What don't they want you to see?

I don't know how many times I have to say it, write it, produce formal documents to prove it but no, my deaf, severely learning disabled son cannot sign his own passport, cannot come to the phone to confirm his identity and cannot attend an interview. He does not read, write or speak. FFS.

It's interesting that what I couldn't figure out yesterday, was obvious today.

James O'Brien hit it out of the park this morning as he narrated a formal state occasion. Hilarious.

Today I'm wishing everyone the week they deserve. Because that's as polite as I can be, with The Situation being what it is.

Busy week just concluded. Getting ready for another one which features science, gym, guitar, parenting, new oven, art, study and all the living bits in-between like cooking, laundry, cleaning and sleeping.

132 days ago I decided to learn to play guitar. I am not musical. It's not something I did as a child at school. When I first picked it up I had to learn everything from how to hold it, to what the strings did, how to tune it, how to get the pick out of the middle of the bloody thing...

Went to Farmoor for a walk in the sunshine. Came home and played guitar for over an hour til my left hand complained and now M has cooked barbecue chicken. Awesome Saturday!

It's going to be a dry day so the summer garden shelter is coming down, to be packed away till next year. Autumn really is here.

I wish I was better at living with disruption during home improvements. We've got people in this week to repair and repaint our kitchen* and despite managing to feed everyone else I've failed to feed myself properly and take my meds all damn week. *Rather than replace the kitchen.

Crazy weekend of Getting Stuff Done in advance of two weeks of Getting Stuff Fixed. September is going to be really busy.

Repeat to self: I am just tired. Sleep tonight will fix that. I am not going mad. It's just fatigue.

M up all night with vomiting bug then Z up for the day at 5am = exceptionally tired me. Wife. Parent. Scientist. Today I have three hats to wear all at the same time.

So I'm loving the new job, I've enrolled on my penultimate MSc module, I'm still enjoying learning guitar & I've signed up for a mixed media art course. It feels like I have woken up after years of struggle & isolation.

Though my last role wasn't bad. After all not many people can claim to be a wizard at Moving Time. But it was lonely and I was bored. So all that studying was / is worth it!

Life in the Science team continues apace. I'm handling chemical data & learning new software. The absolute best thing is working in a team that enjoys working together. After 5 years of doing an admin based, solitary, back office role, it's a welcome change!

Ah. Results day. Not for us. Our 18 year old doesn't read, write or speak. I gave up mourning those things on his behalf a long time ago. It prickles but it doesn't sting.

Today was a good day.

Ah. The capo! I get it now! Learning Kenny Roger's the Gambler and it's awesome and I'm terrible but who cares?!

Saturday mornings: weekly food shop delivery & put away, laundry, Nintendo with Z.

It's been what feels like a HUGE week but it was actually quite a normal week, we just ran out of sleep by Thursday morning 😯

Mostly I'm torturing my neighbours with a really slow version of Hanson's mmm bop, O Sole Mio and Mr Presley's Hound Dog. Be grateful you don't live near me!

Been learning to play guitar for nearly 4 months. My fingers are healed and I can play for nearly an hour before my hand cramps. Progress is really slow mostly because Dm is an absolute git but, it's not a race. I haven't really moved beyond A, Am, D, DM, E and Em but that's OK. I'll get there.

Spike is exploring their new pot!

My bluesky is an absolute leftist woke echo chamber. Well done, everyone. Keep it up. ❤️

Today's cherry tomato harvest. Still plenty on the plants for tomorrow. So delicious.

Looking forward to the Ashes this winter. Planning to go nocturnal & watch every ball while snuggled up on the sofa with copious hot chocolate, thick socks & blankets. Absolute scenes! Can't wait!

One of those quietly effective workouts where everything goes to plan, you follow what your coach wants you to do and there are no fireworks, personal bests or showing off. That'll do.

1. Discovers old Pott'd kit during a crafting clear out. 2. Use it or chuck it? 3. Makes crappy pinch pots. 4. Buys more clay. 5. Makes better slab pots. 6. I am the Queen of New Hobbies!

First day in my new job today. This science stuff is harder than it looks!

5 years ago today we lost our Mum to complications of CoPD. We were in lockdown. She had a non COVID chest infection that her body couldn't fight, ending in a heart attack on the ward, after which she never woke up. I miss her more with every passing year. I didn't know that was possible.

This is Orba, a Calathea Orbifolia who resides on my window sill because she didn't like being on the shelf next to Tim 3rd. When it gets hot I think I'll need to move her back to the shelf though. There's being in the spotlight and being in too much sunlight!

I finished Severance yesterday. I am so cross with Mark S!

I passed my MSc module. The one with the horrible group project. Phew. The penultimate module starts in November 25 and runs till May 26. Which means that I should graduate in May 27 if all goes to plan. I'll be 53 years old.

This is Clive, a Neon Pothos. I hope he will turn my little box room office into a jungle.

And these two arrived today. This is Bonnie (left) and Esme (right).

And this is DaddyTim who was gifted to M from a good friend who knows their plants, several years ago. DaddyTim is a big plant now in a 35 cm pot.

This is Tim the Third, another descendent from DaddyTim.

This is Tim the Second, also descended from DaddyTim.

This is Tim the First,a Spider Plant descended from DaddyTim.

This is Spike. A Snake Plant gifted for my birthday in 2023 by one of my best mates. Spike gave me some of my confidence back after I lost a bonsai many years ago.

We lost Delta in February this year and we miss him every day. M cannot contemplate the idea of us ever having another cat. But I need something to nurture so I have bought a tribe of tiny houseplants.

I think one of the reasons I find solo parenting hard is that Z is 18 years old & still requires almost solid engagement from me. When he's bored that means switching activities every 25 minutes. I've been doing this since he was five and I'm just knackered now.

5 days until I get the result of last year's epic slog through the worst course ever. 14 days until I start my new role working in the Environmental Science team! 107 days till I start studying the penultimate year of the MSc!

Severance is a wild ride.

Still learning guitar. My fingers have neat little calluses now & I can practice for an hour without any pain. Progress is s l o w but that's OK, it's not a race. Some days it goes really well, other days it really doesn't. Practice. Practice. Practice.

But honestly, being on holiday with people who don't want to be there is also an unhappy experience. And paying for a week or three nights and only ever making through the first one is also frustrating. Hence why I don't bother anymore.