Holiday movie, anyone?

I just muted an account from a name I haven't come across in well over 20 years. Back in the Good Old Days of Usenet, this person was of unutterable smugness. He spent months arguing why our local group, of which he wasn't a member, shouldn't be allowed to set up an offshoot for ads.

Although factually correct, one of these "facts" is not like the other. I do wonder sometimes about people who write these stories. It's like saying a well known actor who just snuffed it was "best known" for appearing in Corrie for a couple of years after a career in major movies.

I remember going there loads when we were kids. I never realised it opened in 1970. Bro once sent one of his chums a postcard to "First house past the industrial hamlet going out of town" BBC News - Abbeydale Industrial Hamlet reopens after refurbishment - BBC News

This is probably the closest we had to a "family bible". It was a wedding present from one of the guys Pa was in Hall with. Along with Ma's Penguin Cookery Book, it's what Bro & I learned to cook from. We spent hours picking recipes to make.

Today's new house mates. Luke and a bunch of Dark Troopers.

New 7yr old lad in the kids' class, followed by a new 57yr old lady in the adults' class. Both seemed to enjoy learning to hit people and are looking forward to next time. 🥋

Also.

It seems as though a lot of apps have updated today and definitely some not for the better.

My solar app has had an upgrade today. Still not sure if I like it as much as the old version. I need just over 20kWh to hit 3MWh since 4 July 2025. Will I get there tomorrow?

This time next week it'll be gone 8pm, and still light at 7.30.

The problem with Waitrose little treats is that you get no choice. Latest voucher is a box of Twinings tea bags, which I don't drink. I suppose I could donate them to someone in the office. Sometimes what's on offer is out of stock for weeks. I'd rather just have a quid off what I do use.

YTD PV generation has passed YTD grid consumption on the equinox. If it hadn't been for the boiler being out of commission at the beginning of Jan, I'd have done it at least a week ago.

Anyone heard from @cha0tic.bsky.social recently? He seems to have been quiet of late.

Boss showed me his legs on a Teams call this afternoon 😱 I pointed out a possible issue, which turned out to be correct. This is the conversation we had on the way home.

I've spent 3 days using Copilot to automate a manual monthly process. It won't work because our IT security protocols won't allow Power Query to access the file within our servers. So I've got Copilot to write the explanation for IT how to fix it & presentation to the IT Governance Committee!

Worth a read:

Almost 24kWh today with 3 days standing charges' worth of export 🥳

Bro & I haven't discussed what we're going to do with Pa's ashes. I feel as though I should keep some in a tobacco tin in a drawer in my desk at home, maybe without all the old resistors and tiny screws.

If young men like John are interested in women not having abortions, maybe they should talk to other young men and tell them that men are the leading cause of abortion. However, in every single case, it is the pregnant woman who decides what happens, not anyone else - especially men.

Internet down at work. It's not the WiFi, must be the result of yesterday's maintenance. The joy of cloud computing means we're all stuffed.

Forman orderly queue!

Please for the love of everything check that you and your kids are up to date on their vaccinations. No matter how old they are.

Yoyo Ma rules!

I've been at Ma's for the weekend. We have done various shopping, banking & admin tasks, but I'm just sending Bro a list of things that still need doing. He's taking her to the hospital tomorrow, so can pick up some shopping & help her apply for a postal vote (she didn't renew before it expired).

I reserved the latest Jack Reacher audiobook from the library in November. I started listening to it today on the way up the M1. Slight delay due to me shoving in a Georgette Heyer while I was waiting for it to be available.

After nearly 4 months, lots of messing about & several emails from Bro threatening to report the utter incompetence of their bereavement team (if they don't sort his complaint he still will) Pa's life insurance has finally paid up. We're still waiting for another well known financial co to pay out!

I seem to be rewatching the X Files.

Mr Farage realises being in charge and taking the flack for inherited 💩 is less fun than talking 💩 about other people. BBC News - Nigel Farage regrets running 'bankrupt' Worcestershire Council - BBC News

Nasty sounding rain & wind going on outside.

Just had a long tailed tit nibbling my nuts!

Greggs omlette roll

Geraldine wondered when Alfred would finally take the hint and purchase one of those exciting new motorised carriages. Parking by the lake would be so much less tiring than having to walk. #GirlsOwnCC

Thankyou for sharing! 🫶🏾

Every year, I post this for International Women’s Day. It was written in 1975 and I’ll stop when we no longer need to read it. Don’t hold your breath. #IWD2026

Connections Puzzle #1000 🟩🟩🟩🟩 🟦🟦🟦🟦 🟪🟪🟪🟪 🟨🟨🟨🟨 Skill 95/99 Uniqueness 1 in 109

I'm going to see Iolanthe in Northampton on 1 May Tantantara, tzing boom! 🎺🥁

Just booked to see Dear England at the Birmingham Hippodrome next week. I was so impressed that there were no additional fees on top of the ticket price that I added a donation. Just need to sort out my Old Fogey Railcard now, as I'll be using it a bit in the next few weeks 🚂

Just renewed my membership of Historic Royal Palaces. That's an expiry date I can work towards.

On Tuesday I asked Copilot to produce a simple automation for a task I do every month. 3 days later, after lots of me going "I don't have that option" and it not following instructions, it's come up with a completely different solution.

Walked home through the country park for the first time this year. The trees and shrubs are beginning to burst out and the birdies were singing their little hearts out at 5.30. Noisy blighters! The benefits of walking to work are legion.

The actual reasons - all can be valid, some are more believable than others 1) He doesn't give a sh*t about anyone & tt will take more than a few dead USian soldiers to annoy MAGA 2) He thinks it makes him look strong (it doesn't, he looks deranged) 3) Israel told him to & he is too weak to say no

Why do people who design website like to put little exploding or rotating circles in as placeholders / while something is happening. I've just had 2 sites in a row do this. It's massively triggering for my migraines and is completely unnecessary.

That's 2 days of gas & electric standing charges paid, even with the newly reduced SEG, and looks like it's going to be sunny all week.

🅦🅞🅡🅓🄸🄿🄻🅈 #1167 🌟 Length Score: 100% 💫 Rare long word found! 🚀 Letter Score: 72 🔗 Play Wordiply: www.wordiply.com 🎬 Today's starter: 🅂🄴🄿🅃

Tragic!

For assorted reasons, tonight's Curry Club was only attended by 2 people. According to the ancient Laws of Usenet, it was therefore classified "a date".

My request for compressed hours is officially approved starting Monday. I've been trialling it for 3 weeks to see how it goes. With all the extra work getting stuff ready for Council last night, I'm now 8 hrs up, so will be having some Fridays off before year end 🥳

Huzzah!