Cat1 has just killed the 2nd magpie. Eldest has declared she is going to fail her history gcse.

We had two magpies nesting in the tree in the garden. Past tense because cat1 has just killed one and eaten its head (probably condemning the whole family). Just how much bad luck has he brought on us?

Beautiful evening #UnconfinedWalks to find the local rspb reserve. Found the edge of it plus bonus danger sign but needed to get back for Eurovision. Very dry spring here (April only had 5% normal rainfall) so already cracks in the field

Educational and surprisingly warm #UnconfinedWalks following a self guided walking tour tracing witch hunts in Manningtree (4 women were hanged on this green). Girls fascinated by a working phone box (60p min call) and an ancient oak called Old Knobbly

Deliberately went to Morrisons to buy the favourite cat food and spent £30 on bits and bobs. Just got home and realised I forgot the cat food...

Paleography and language help needed, please! I'm cataloguing papers from early 1900s and come across this... I think includes something about next Tuesday?! It is in a bundle of correspondence to Arthur Stanley. Any help gratefully received!

The lilac bush in our garden is just starting to open up and the smell is amazing

Watching TOTP2 solo because youngest has a trial shift at same restaurant as eldest (but pot washing). This will either be a massive success or total failure. Will be a long evening of worry i suspect

Lovely spring like #UnconfinedWalks after dropping a parcel off. An end wall of ivy filled with nesting birds tempted me down Meeting Lane which had a little cemetery tucked along it and a pathway leading to fields and the top road via disused gravel pits. Had to get back for taxi duties sadly

And now just to ruin my mood (after obviously a full day at work, traffic on way home, grabbing half an hour in the garden, forcing 18yo to do revision, sorting food, parenting etc) i try to cancel obscenely high car insurance renewal but system is down... and it auto renews tomorrow

Just heard the ice cream van - summer is on its way

Nice #archives #rarebooks #library job going in #Lincoln, where my career started out a very long time ago now. @ciliprarebooks.bsky.social informationprofessionaljobs.com/jobs/librari...

Dreamt my Dad decided to use awful plastic wrap tiling all over my kitchen as a surprise (we need a new kitchen), got lost driving around looking for Ellen's school (around a combi of Alnwick and various seaside towns), went to her old one based in Go Outdoors (eldest needs walking boots), no food /

#UnconfinedWalks to get eggs from the honesty box at the end of the road before the sun disappeared. New post box topper, daffs and epic magnolia true on the way

My daughters always give me breakfast in bed for my birthday and mothers' day treat. Unfortunately they are now teenagers and I am still waiting ... been awake for over 2 hours and a bit hungry now. I'm also not allowed to get up and 'do' anything (and no, i suspect they won't hoover/ do dishes etc)

Was asked specifically to come in today for maintenance to go upstairs whilst colleague had class downstairs. Get in to find colleague has rearranged it for tomorrow. After struggling to get 15yo into school this morn, traffic, need to leave early to sort birthday tea and getting up an hour early

There will be cake and a cocktail later plus spa day tomorrow, but first a day at sixth form

Today is the annual posh lunchtime work thing. Am currently babysitting waiters who are poring champagne. Expect this will be the highlight tbh

Not bragging but I just got an 8 in Countdown (glaciers)

Chilly #UnconfinedWalks to post a parcel. Saw a mile post, fire hooks which commemorate a huge fire which burnt down all the thatched cottages in the village in mid 19c and a pretty brick wall

15yo went bowling with friends for a birthday. Bowling booked at 3.30pm but she had to leave home at 11am due to buses (met at bowling alley and I was working). She has just been dropped home and not been fed. Not impressed- now cooking her pasta...

Rashly invited people over tomorrow. Now regretting as I've been out every night this week bar last night, plus working. Out again tonight so going to be an early start tidying tomorrow...

Functional #UnconfinedWalks to pick up and drop off parcels. Too soggy for many pics but glad I didnt take the car

Feeling old tonight - eldest is at the Mika gig in London with her friend, youngest is doing her nails (so she can show them off at school tomorrow before half term). I've cooked tea, done dishes and am now in pjs...

Highlight of my week was coming across this copy of the Evening Post from 1728. Look how tiny it is! Also had an edition from 1793 which is literally 4x the size...

Well I finished the book and went to the book club... thankfully another woman disliked it as much as me as there were 2 who loved it! Very weird

Still going but nearly finished (book club is tomorrow night). Definitely would not recommend. None of the characters are likeable, the plot too far fetched and too many minor errors (dating inconsistencies and language). Interested to see what the other women think...

Short #UnconfinedWalks round the block. This hedge is next level (as my teens would say) - the height, shaping and spacing is so impressive

I love this wallpaper so much. Easy to match up, slightly textured and so pretty

The cat is still trying to tempt me back into bed an hour after I got up...

Lovely 3 mile long #UnconfinedWalks this afternoon via 2 pubs (no stopping unfortunately) and the Great Ouse Valley Way. Saw horses, geese and lots og dogd

So i've been offered half of my deposit back for the house with a vague list of things they had to replace... all of which sound like reasonable wear and tear after nearly 5 years. Do I settle or gamble by going to ombudsman?

Short #UnconfinedWalks to post misdirected post back. New valentine's themed post box topper, sculpture of a bird in a garden and maybe communal swings when it warms up a bit....

A friend is starting a monthly book club in a pub near where 15yo will be at cadets at a similar time. Perfect! I'm 2 pages into the first novel and already getting bristley 'this must be set 25 years ago or is so outdated' vibes... hopefully it will improve...

It seems I have hit the crazy age where some school friends have kids who are driving (me), some just starting primary school and some who are going on fabulous holidays and spoiling nephews (my 2 friends who came to watch panto this weekend!). Amuses me anyway....

Come to get manure and strawberry plants from the allotment... not sure I want to now!

Spent 40 mins on the phone to TalkTalk sorting the final bill i thought had been resolved in Nov, 15yo is now being referred for school absence and taxman says I owe over £300 incase you were wondering how today is going (oh and was meant to be chaperoning panto tonight but my dbs didnt arrive)

Quick #unconfinedWalks after a frustrating and unproductive day (teens, traffic, cat, work) but at least my book had arrived at the locker! Pic of hansel and gretal post box topper and party conservatory on the way....

I need a DBS to chaperone my daughters and others at the panto this week. Its been stuck with the police since 27th Nov. Guess I'll be selling raffle tickets instead....

Yes I have cleared a space on the window sill for the cat to watch the collar doves...

Todays automatically generated emails from school just about sum up parenting my youngest: 2x student of the lesson, 1x warning that her attendance this school year is 85% (she was ill for a week which didn't help) and 1 detention for not completing online homework....

Even after over a decade sometimes I'd just like a phone call with my mum (yes I'd be in a foul mood afterwards but at least she would actually listen and respond to what I said rather than just ignore or minimise what I say which the rest of my family do). Life sucks sometimes

Emailed letting agent to ask about when i'd get my deposit back (been over 2 weeks) and apparently the garden is in such a state it will cost more than my £1127 deposit to fix. We mowed the lawn in December so of course it is muddy. This was the garden. I've asked for receipts...

Was meant to be in the office today but none of the 3 cars blocking my red car on the drive have moved yet... one appeared at midnight last night, one on NYE and my neighbour has gone away for a few days leaving her car sticking out.... still waiting for snow to melt enough to be able to get out

Lovely v brief #UnconfinedWalks earlier with youngest. Finally found some water, signs of spring and weird massive sheds with vents and silos (no idea whats in there)

Finally got our first bit of redirected post today (I arranged it on 15th Dec, meant to be active from 24th). Was it my chaperone card for panto? Was it a bunch of Xmas cards? Bills? Nope. Junk mail. Sigh.

So the ex friend who bullied me out of Brownies has just messaged me for first time in 3 months to tell me the other leader has had the operation she has waited a week for. I know (we visited hospital yesterday and she messaged tonight). Assuming ex friend is marking her territory but oof, grow up!

Normally I quite enjoy working between Christmas and New Year (a bit of normality amongst the chaos). This year, meh. Not helped by half unpacked chaos... and even the cat has abandoned me for a sleeping child

Lovely #UnconfinedWalks to find the holy well at Holywell. Daughters sadly at wrong age for stop in pub (too old to be excited by new places, too young to drink alchohol) so straight back to jigsaw/book/unpacking.