It's the 41st consecutive day when it's rained in Exeter, and I'm starting to wonder if an ark will be enough... here it comes again, for another soggy ride to and from afternoon lessons 🚴‍♂️🌧️☔ (radar image from www.netweather.tv/live-weather...) #rain #exeter #devon

I must resist... I must resist... I must resist... Oh, dammit, go on then. It's a robin! How can I resist? 😉🤣

Without naming your job, tell us something you say over and over again at work. "You'll probably want to get the spit out before you start."

I thought to myself "AI really can't be *that bad*, can it?" Turns out it's even worse than that. I had to try it myself. It's a pity it didn't do the sensible thing first and just find an already-existing diagram. But then, AI will never be 'sensible', because it has no sense, and never will.

Ha, what fun. Spent the day playing principal trumpet in Mahler's mighty 5th Symphony. I'm glad to report that current health issues & reduced playing schedule didn't prevent me from having enormous fun with Devon Philharmonic Orchestra and getting away with it. #mahler #trumpet #devon #orchestra

It didn't rain on my ride to and from Exeter today!! 😃 Mind you, it did rain before, and is raining now 😭 One day, maybe in 2027, we'll get a dry day with sunshine... #devon #cycling #rain #photography

A simple request: please can people stop using the US cliché "in and of itself": the "and of" is redundant, as it adds nothing to the meaning (and so has no meaning in itself 😉). Save your Letraset characters for more important things, such as actors with distinctive names.

At the Lac d'Aldi this morning. The Topsham Alps are hidden in the clouds behind the M5, I think.

Venice, Devon.

I'm certainly hoping I don't get this for my mitral valve repair op... I'd quite like to wake up before 2046! 😉

This morning wasn't the nicest weather to be out on the bike, but with a delicious late cooked breakfast cooked by a dear friend, it would have been rude of us not to go... #cycling #breakfast #ribblecycles #photography #devon

It's that time of year when grey, wet days encourage me to look for signs that spring isn't too far away...

That's better!! ☀️😀 Even if it's not going to last 🌧️😭 Anyway, cake and sun and a ride to Exmouth was just what the doctor ordered. #photography #devon #exmouth #cake

There seems to be a bit of water about in Topsham and Exeter. Has it rained or something? #flooding #devon #topsham #exeter #stormchandra

The calm in Topsham before Storm Chandra... #photography #topsham #devon #stormchandra

Wet, wet, wet!! 🌧️☔🚴‍♂️💦 #photography #cycling #ribblecyles #devon

Not the greatest week for getting out on the bike, so I was glad I took a slightly longer route from Topsham into work in Exeter on Monday afternoon along the lovely Exeter Ship Canal and up to Exeter Cathedral. Beautiful! #photography #cycling #exeter #canal

OK, so it was a mite chilly on the knees, but it was just tooooo nice not to take the legs out for a spin to lovely Budleigh, for a Shaldon Bakery Chelsea bun... and I got the last one in the shop. It was as delicious as normal! #photography #budleigh #chelseabun #shaldonbakery

A mixed day... #photography #devon #topsham

Back to the Topsham Ribble gravel bike... though what's all this greyness about? I've got used to mountains, snow, and blue skies!! Bonus mark for the mimosa though 😃 #photography #ribblecyles #gravelbike #topsham #devon

It was a pity that the weather was so damp and dreary in London yesterday, given how rarely I visit... but I was kept amused most of the day in the Royal Brompton Hospital, and the rain & light gave me this lovely view on the walk to Paddington...

”Change here for the bus service to Minehead" is an invitation I can resist at 8.52pm.

Have spent the day at the Royal Brompton having pre-admission tests, and have nothing but praise for the amazing team who looke after me. Cheery, helpful, flexible, and all knowledgeable. Thanks to them and the amazing NHS.

For those of you who prefer stills, these were my parting shots this morning - it makes me grin from ear to ear that I can see my roof in both shots 😃 Magnifique !! 🤩 #romeyer26150 #france #snow #photography

A very short little panoramic video of Romeyer & the mighty Glandasse from a couple of viewpoints before I leave this afternoon to make my way, by stages, back to Devon. It's not looking bad 😉😃 #romeyer #glandasse #diois #panorama

Romeyer putting on a splendid show for my penultimate day: first the Glandasse behind a fine veil of falling snow, then a pair of griffon vultures circling overhead while more snow came in. #photography #griffonvulture #glandasse #romeyer #nature

A pretty morning in Romeyer: despite it being milder this morning, there was an early morning snow dump that added to the picturesqueness! #romeyer #france #snow #photography

A 'meh' kind of day, with truly icy dicey roads making riding anywhere a silly notion, and me feeling less than 100%. I briefly ventured out thinking a sunny/snowy drone shot might happen: it didn't, but I caught the 2 minutes of sunshine of the day, before wintry rain came in. #romeyer26150

It stayed resolutely grey and damp this afternoon, but I popped the drone up to get a wintry view of Romeyer in the snow... still insanely beautiful! One day I'll get this view with snow *and* sun! #romeyer #france #snow #photography #drone

It's snowing in Romeyer. And predictably pretty. #romeyer #snow #photography

A very short ride up the Meyrosse valley from home... just in time, before the cloud came in... but will we get any snow? 🤔 It certainly feels cold enough !! 🥶 #romeyer #photography #france

Distinctly brrr this morning, with a keen wind, so a brief bimble up the valley to see brrrness. That's enough now, and I'm back indoors by the woodburner. #photography #frost #icicles #romeyer #france

One of France's prettier settings for a railway station: Die (26150)

Just popped down to Lidl in Die, as you do... I took the slightly longer scenic route by the River Drôme... #photography #Drôme #die26150 #lidl

Further fantastic French frost! #frost #france #romeyer #photography

Wowsers. A walk I've done many times before, but what a perfect day for it today! Come with me for four minutes and see some amazing scenery... youtu.be/Xc277km2qxo #romeyer #serredesblaches #walking

Nice icicles should definitely be renamed 'nicicles'! #romeyer #france #icicles #nicicles

Beautiful, beautiful Romeyer in the frost! The morning stroll up the ravin des Charoses... #photography #frost #romeyer #france

A lovely first ride of 2026 – short and very cold, mind you – to see friends. But the advantage of the gravel e-bike was to be able to take a track away from the even colder main road (the D93), and see the beautiful Drôme in good health! #photography #cycling #Drôme

Totes normal for Romeyer... the morning frosty stroll. #photography #romeyer #southeastfrance #frost

For those of you who prefer not-moving pictures, here's a selection of the NYD soup-&-sandwich picnic walk at Romeyer today. The best way to welcome in a new year! #photography #picnic #newyearsday #romeyer

Here's today's video of the viewpoint between Romeyer and the Glandasse... quite a nice spot to stop to have hot soup and a chunky capon sandwich for lunch. Just an hour from my front door 😃 #romeyer #drone #drôme #france youtu.be/G0OwiHsseQk

My New Year's Day picnic spot, between Romeyer and the Glandasse. Probably my favourite spot in the world, not least as I can see my house (nestled in the background) in this unbelievable scenery. #photography #romeyer #france #paradise

The walk from Romeyer into Die to get some milk... sometimes is nice to do routine things slowly... #photography #die26150 #france

Fantastic to see Emma Rawicz in the selection (I'm guessing she was the choice of @stephenkb.bsky.social) - she was in my junior section of Devon Youth Jazz Orchestra in 2016-17, and it's been fantastic to watch her stellar rise since then! #devonjazz #emmarawicz #jazzavienne

Some more frosty photos from yesterday's stroll up the Ravin des Charoses at Romeyer... #photography #frost #romeyer

A very satisfactory afternoon: a splendid stroll up the valley, and then not one but *two* large dishes of tartiflette cooked this evening to provide dietary fuel for the cold days ahead. Just can't beat a good tartiflette! #photography #romeyer #tartiflette

A lovely little walk up to a favourite view in the Ravin des Charoses at Romeyer - not a soul around, as usual, and the views of the surrounding mountains are stunning! youtu.be/6HEmEEF7epI?...

Even a 15-minute stroll around the block from home is a delight when you are in Romeyer and the sun's playing hide & seek... #photography #frost #romeyer #france

Just a few more shots from today's three-col walk from Romeyer... mostly a dead easy walk, though the short-cut descent from Col de la Tour to Romeyer isn't signposted - but the longer way round via le Grand Chêne is delightful anyway! #romeyer #photography #france #randonnée #diois