Just bought tickets for this for me and the boy @badger5000.bsky.social

My #12DaysWild @bbowt.bsky.social @bsbibotany.bsky.social

I’ll be doing The Wildlife Trusts’ #12DaysWild nature challenge again this Christmas. Won’t be posting here though, as planning to give myself a break from social media at the same time. Merry Christmas!

#NowListening to The Unthanks’ In Winter album. Soundtrack of the season for me, I think!

I went for a routine mammogram on the way home from work today. From my desk to done in 20 minutes. Very efficient #NHS

The joy of sending a test message to my work email and getting my out of office message back… (apologies to those still working/working over the holiday period!)

Spending the weekend away. I have arrived with my V60, filter papers, fresh coffee beans and NO HAND GRINDER. Fellow coffee aficionados, feel my pain!

Your yearly reminder that it’s almost time to prepare the prune Krampus

I won’t be in Oxford the weekend this is on but I did my bit for Magdalen Road businesses last night - went to a yoga class, then a book event, then picked up some momos on the way home 😋

Made me smile 🙂

Just rewatched the film The Ice Storm after a number of years (it’s just come out on blu-ray here in the UK). What a film!

Can I interest anyone in a spare seated ticket for My Bloody Valentine in Glasgow on Thursday? Open to offers, happy to take less than face value.

Been making the Christmas cake #baking

Was just on Google to check when The Stone Roses gig I went to in Stratford-on-Avon was and the AI overview said 1968 🙄 (it was 1989).

I'm looking for the best children's books of the 21st century. There are so many amazing graphic novels, fantasy, historical, picture books, contemporary, non-fiction and funny books that didn't make my original crowd sourced list - please tell me yours! tygertale.com/2019/10/09/t... #kidlituk

Oxford’s Christmas Light bus

Went swimming in the rain. Still enjoyed it 😌

Good news; the section of Lye Valley fen boardwalk destroyed by arson in the summer has been repaired by Oxford City Council Parks staff- thanks! @friendlyevalley.bsky.social

I am going to Thames Lido (in Reading) on Friday and the chance of rain is currently 100% 😭

Is there anything worse than a disappointing clementine? (yes, of course, there is - but still).

Lost my glasses in the house just now - had to put my sunglasses on to find them 🙄

genius! Bike helmet ear warmers🧶

Listening to Belle and Sebastian’s album If you’re feeling sinister this morning. Was reminded of it by Blue Bendy’s #MyPerfect10 on Pitchfork.

Finally completed the Oxford Green Belt Way this morning. Beckley to Thornhill, so back to where we started from.

Second gig of the week! Couldn’t miss Aftercare at The Library #pub #CowleyRoad

Top Shortage and Blue Bendy in Oxford tonight. Great gig! @divineschism.bsky.social

Ginkgo trees outside Cowley Centre #Oxford

The Cowley Branch Line railway is set to reopen with new stations at Littlemore and Cowley. The Government is today announcing £120m to rebuild the line, with trains running by 2030. Journey time will be just 7 minutes from Littlemore to Oxford station. Full story: oxfordclarion.uk/cowley-branc...

Visiting my son in his new house share later. He moved out yesterday 😢

Moth x Human at @morethanadodo.bsky.social last night was great @ocmevents.bsky.social

Menopause cafe at my local library tomorrow #CowleyLibrary

So tired of having to ring companies who use computers/AI to give you options, none of which are appropriate to the situation.

@swansonian.bsky.social I got my son to take this last night (he was in a better position than me)

Some foods are definitely too much of a faff to make at home, but houmous (hummus?) is not one of them

She’s not wrong. Meera Sodha, in yesterday’s Guardian.

Very much enjoyed reading this, especially once I got on to the stories I read when I was a child (it’s more or less chronological) #TheHauntedWood

Today is Aortic Dissection Awareness Day. AD is a time-critical condition with catastrophic outcomes if not diagnosed. Paul, like too many others, was misdiagnosed and it cost him his life. The ADCT exists to raise awareness of the condition… 1/? aorticdissectioncharitabletrust.org/could-it-be-...

Tomorrow I am going to see the sea 🙂

Five pleasures in life: A cup of coffee A book The sea Some woods My children

‘The live music bedrock has vanished’: gig venue closures from Oxford to Birmingham www.theguardian.com/music/2025/s...

On a grey afternoon I decided to listen to the #Backlisted episode on The Corner That Held Them by Sylvia Townsend Warner, which I finished reading this morning. If you listen to the end you find out why it’s called that.

Finished rewatching The Wire last night (with son, who was watching it for the first time). Still up there as one of my favourite tv shows.

Need a new tv show to watch when I’m in on my own. Nearly finished The Wire with the boy.

Just cancelled our Sky sub, with 31 days’ notice. MySky app tells me we’ve been customers for 26 years (makes sense; that’s as long as we/I’ve lived in this house). I was expecting them to try to persuade me to recontract but in fact they made it very easy 👍

Puffin Post madcap mummers to gussy up the greyest, gloomiest, Sundayest of Sundays

Went for a swim at Hinksey, the local outdoor pool. It was lovely.

Did you all watch Flowers, with Julian Barrett and Olivia Coleman, when it was first on tv? (2016-18). I’ve just watched both series on Netflix. Sophia di Martino is excellent in it. I also spotted Simon Munnery playing a taxi driver.

Have realised I can go to the Oxford Blue Bendy gig now @bcky.bsky.social @robonabike.bsky.social (played the new single to my daughter earlier and now both kids are coming with me 🙂)

Spoke too soon… my faith in humanity has been restored! Neighbour saw our parcel and took it in for us 🙂