Nice jaunt to Belton House, our favourite local National Trust place. Featuring the most English lunch I can imagine and Margaret Thatcher tat in the local antiques centre.

Turkey … day one …

Morning. 'It's a baby beaver who has opened a bag of Minstrels in the forest and they have spilled everywhere.' He is very keen that I specify the Minstrels.

Lovely evening with the valet at Kushi-ya. Honestly that cheesecake was incredible. Then we walked home the long way round via *that* bridge. Perfect really.

That run nearly broke me. Too warm even with the rain. Saw a Little Egret and a couple of Trent Bridge facts that I left off last week. It has two war memorials on it (this is the boat clubs one) and a flood level wall showing the max heights of the river. Song of the run: Tove Lo, Heat.

Morning. Valet back on duty. 'It's a woodlouse. With no legs.' See what you've been missing? Today I should be running early to avoid the heat, yet here I am in bed still.

Could you possibly fetch my briefcase, Mrs Overall? I wish to show Miss Babs my theodolite.

Morning. Chazzer choice. My coffee art was so mediocre you get garden photos to distract you from it. It's looking nice at the moment: roses are incredible and I'm plotting more for next year. Also loads of photos, trying out the carousel thing.

Got a new tote bag for my weekly Fine Fare shops. Perils of Vinted: arrived smelling like a wet dog had died in it so it has been scrubbed like @hoywynllundain.bsky.social's doorstep.

Middle class rant incoming: how crap is the new Marks and Spencers Sparks programme? Finally managed to actually get some money and they email me breathlessly like it's a grand. Amazing job, Andrew.

Run via bridge, mural, lake and woods. Bonus fish action.

The post says 'don't be sad'. But the Major Oak dying has made me cry. A proper Nottinghamshire legend. A thousand years.

Morning. The valet is back. 'It's a pain at chocolate. From co-op'. Looks like a beautiful dayso my task it to find something interesting to do.

Start of my journey home. Some gritty Luton chic.

Earlier I rashly said Luton did not have any bridges. Can I apologise? I forgot this majestic arch. This is in Wardown Park: the house is pretty nice I think and has this rare octagonal post box which I used to admire as an admittedly quite odd child.

Hello Kettering my old friend. Barely time for a comfort break between connections, it's all go.

Starr of another joyful train odyssey. I usually moan, but today's good news is they've added loads of curvy seats at Nottingham Station so it's actually much nicer.

Morning. Chazzer choice. Was aimimg for lightning (to match torrential rain we've woken up to) but this is maybe... Swans? Off on the trains today so expect joyful updates from Kettering and other glamorous locales.

Found this 1997 series on iPlayer and am bewildered that I've never even heard of it. I love Pevsner's architectural county guides (see messy shelf) and never go on a UK holiday without at least one volume. Though how is this almost 30 years ago, Tempus fugit etc.

My @sundownerstudio.bsky.social print arrived and I love it. Even better than it looked online: thanks Sonia!

Bridge light run today. But I did see a deer, ruined church and a lake. Colwick is proving to be a very nice running route. Song of the run: Gusgus, David.

Morning. Valet back but 'It's not anything, it didn't work.' Scared dog I reckon? Planning a run but hopefully calmer than yesterday's bridge mania.

If you see this, post a picture of you in glasses 🤓 (Don't really have any without tbh)

Thanks to overwhelming demand from one person ( @sr1990.bsky.social ) I decided to run all the Nottingham bridges over the Trent. Took 9.5 miles, but worth it to quash those bridge obsession rumours. Bridges in east to west order, with top facts, follow in the thread.

Morning. Chazzer choice again. So I'm going to say this coffee pattern is a 1950s ish design inspired by my duvet cover. No further questions.

Old and new bridges.

Today's river walk featured a giant inflatable duck on the River Trent (reason unknown.) Plus selfie of me while my best mate took the piss out of me for being a narcissist.

4 women from pop culture who made you gay as a child (Basically Victoria Wood As Seen on TV)

Morning. 'It's the trophy I'm going to win today.' Yes, it's dancing competition time for the valet, no I am not going to watch. Looks like a nice sunny day to match my mug.

Realised I've been neglecting my old love bridge, so here's a revisit of the suspension bridge. Song of the grey and windy run: Man 2 Man: Male Stripper. The soundtrack to early 90s gay pubs.

Morning. 'It's a representation of the wicker man you see from the M5 on the way to Cornwall.' Just woken from a 9 hour sleep and feel sedated, which is nice.

The valet got these amazing hmd made presents from a student.

So this shite weather does seem to be liked by the dahlias, which have all come out this week. Totally Tangerine (final pic) still my fave: been flowering for a month and with luck will carry on until October.

Morning. Chazzer choice again because the valet is busy at work. So: is it a mouse or a Monster Munch (pickled onions flavour)? Also evidence that Cornishware is not the only stripe in this house.

Murky, wet morning but the thought of seeing my sweet sweet bridge got me out of bed. And I found the ruined church and Colwick Hall. Song of the run: Sigrid, Mirror.

Morning. Chazzer choice. Tried to do a mug (in a mug, fancy) but sadly looks more like Uncle Albert from Only Fools and Horses. Little My mug to speed the weekend on it way.

Made myself go for a walk to get my stupid steps count up to my stupid daily target and you know what? I felt better being out rather than slumped inside doom scrolling. Anyway, back to doom scrolling.

Morning. 'It's some kind of a person. I'm not sure.' Morph maybe?

Ran home and don't feel like death so I'm taking that as a win. Song of the run is Fischerspooner, Emerge. Came on during the last 1/4 mile just as my energy was flagging.

Ran to work and it didn't rain. Featuring bridge (obvs), castle and lake.

Morning. Chazzer choice today. Well, what have I drawm today? I'm going with the Teletubbies sun baby. And miraculously the sun is shining this morning. Plan is to run to and from work: let's see if that works out.

Rose time in the garden. I've come to them late in life, but blimey they are really worth it.

Without downloading new pics what is it like to date (and/or be married to) you?

Morning. 'Peony. Or a Poppy.' Wellz it's Monday and the rain on the loft window is not making a run feel appealing.

Today was the local vintage flea market and Safari Sale (think car boot from your front garden). Managed to spend £7 (pic 3). The valet very pleased with his £1 gamble on a Fraggle Rock jigsaw which turned out to be complete.

Morning. 'I'm going through an experimental phase. It hasn't worked.' Knuckle duster maybe? Anyway, Sunday and we have a flea market, car boot and safari sale (like a neighbourhood car boot) to attend. High chance of tat being procured.

Tonight's excitement was getting to Wagamamas, ordering food and then the valet realising he hadn't bought the right insulin. So I ran home, cycled back and got back to Wagamamas just as the food arrived. So now I am boyfriend of the year.

Amazing how much quicker you can run when it looks like it's going to piss it down any second. And yes I ran over the bridge (then immediately back over): still obsessed. Song of the run, Tove Lo: Heat.

My local zero waste shop has had a refresh and looks fantastic. Proper handwritten sign, 1950s colour scheme and all.

Morning. The valet is back. 'An ECG from the viewpoint of a doctor not wearing glasses'. Nice cheery yellow on a dreary wet day. Do I fancy a run? I do not.