Toblerone for breakfast. I love Boxing Day.

Some December midnight Christ, lord, lie warm in our byre. Here are stars, an ox, poverty enough. —George Mackay Brown, “A Child’s Calendar” published in FISHERMEN WITH PLOUGHS (Hogarth Press 1971) #Christmas #poem #poetry #Orkney

Notes for authors: How to really object to the copy edit of your work, as per David Livingstone to his publisher John Murray, 1857, "It is quite abominable and no earthly consideration will make me succumb". (From, 'Dear Mr Murray. Letters to a Gentleman Publisher', David McClay.)

Sad to hear about Chris Rea. We were driving home from visiting family last night, had the song on. Such a universal sentiment. Love the line about the guy in the car next to him, doing the same thing. A good thing to leave to the world.

Possibly the most stunning item in the National Museum of Scotland - absolutely breathtaking. There's a fantastic replica around its likely original setting at Hilton of Cadboll. The lower section was found in recent years and is on display in the Seaboard Memorial Hall, Hilton.

Husband in charge of veg-buying for Christmas Day & leftovers. Went for the sprouts today ( I know, bit early). He does not like Brussels sprouts, but 3 of us do. 'Once you've got so many you think, "they'll never eat all those", buy some more,' I said. 1 small bag, he came home with! 1 measly bag.

Am at that late stage of pre-Christmas-visitors cleaning that I'm squirting cleaning product in the air, hoping for the best and cutting up random pyjamas for new dusters.

Last day o term an gings wioot sayin, Filibeg Friday. Hae a cantie yule an a guid Hogmanay abdy!

Reading that the Norse word for 'mound-dweller' was 'hogboon', and as I work on the sofa from beneath a mound of blankets, hot-water bottles and cushions - anything but turn the heating on this early in the day - I realise that I am 'hogboon', and I like it.

Not finishing a book always feels like a defeat. I was 18 before I ever gave up on a book - Conrad's Heart of Darkness. The longer I persist, the bigger the sense of defeat when I finally dnf, but at 9 days I've only managed to get through 60 pages of my latest read. Thus far and no more.

Clifford’s Tower, York, by painting L.S. Lowry, 1887-1976 (York Art Gallery).

Goodness me. I was in a monumental grump about nothing in particular, and had to walk the dog and simultaneously post my Christmas cards at the mobile post office. Dog walked, cards posted, 4 people spoken to in the course of it all. Now I'm home without the grump and I've no idea where I left it.

”Let other pens dwell on guilt and misery.” Jane Austen, English novelist, born #OTD 1775. 250th anniversary British Library | @tomgauld.bsky.social

Was briefly exulting in the triumph of having successfully given the dog his pre-Christmas bath. No more cheesy-Dorito whiff with a faint rider of pickled onion. But have now remembered that there's a full 5 days before the 1st of the visitors arrive, andhe has already got a devious look in his eye

My favourite walks are in the hills, or along by rivers. I think for the dog, that's like going to see a film, This morning's, round the small woods on the edge of the village and home via lanes and pavements, with lots of dogs and smells, was like a really good episode of his favourite programme.

The cupboard under the stairs: where you will certainly not find the Christmas lights, but oh look: there's that picnic rug you couldn't find all summer. Stay tuned for "Has anyone seen the Christmas fairy?"

Inverness Castle tonight.

Yesterday I read a contemporary critic's assessment of 'Emma': "it will be read, but it won't last." Only the 210 years then, and counting.

Discussing with my editor the phrase 'the Royalists' best fighter' on the back of a new edn. of one of my books. I worried it would give away too much. Eventually agreed that (a) not everyone is a C17th geek like me & (b) C17th geeks could argue for 3 days about who the Royalists' best fighter was.

I've spent the whole day today, of necessity, reading up on North Highland geology*, and I'm here to tell you: geology is not for everyone. What is more, the Intelligence services should recruit solely amongst geologists because no-one, and I mean no-one else will understand a word they are saying.

After finishing a demanding but ultimately compelling book I can't really settle to anything properly and am dotting between 3 short reads - a book of short stories, a collection of a publisher letters and 'Orbital'. Not sure Orbital's meant to be read in 2 page shifts last thing at night, though.

Kindle Monthly Deal

School Christmas concert. One night maybe I wont have tears in my eyes when the pipe band join with the school orchestra, singers and BSL choir in Auld Lang Sine, but not tonight. Wish the sheer joy of it could just spread out into the world.

There's a house in Aberdeen for sale, on Burnieboozle Crescent. I'd forgotten about this part of town, but imagine if you lived there, and you just didn't fancy doing whatever you were being asked to do, you could say, 'Sorry, I can't today, I'm just Burnieboozled.' And no-one could argue with you.

My new memoir ‘Phone Charger: My Life Walking to the Bedroom to Fetch Something But Forgetting What It Was By the Time I Get There, Then Walking Back To See If Anything in the Front Room Jogs My Memory, Then Repeating It to Myself While I Walk Back to the Bedroom’ is out next year.

Ross-Shire Journal, 1923. Kenneth Mackenzie of Evanton was not one to miss an advertising opportunity: never mind the wonders of Ancient Egypt; buy a bike.

"When are we going to have a cost of living special?" Zack Polanski on #BBCQT join.greenparty.org.uk

Bizarre mix-up at draw as winner of World Cup accidentally revealed seven months in advance

My father -Gilleasbuig MacLean was his name - went to school in Glasgow. English was not his first language either - he wasn't allowed to speak it in the house. Glasgow was built on 'culture-smashing'. I hope Farage was chased away and told not to come back.

Reading in Kate Ashton's dual biography of Kierkegaard and Hans Christian Andersen that Kierkegaard had, "failed repeatedly to meet the basic criteria for social adaptation or cope in any way with 'normal' life", and today, Matthew, I am going to be Kierkegaard.

Graduate of the American Studies programme that the University of Nottingham wishes to close wins 2025 Wolfson History Prize for Survivors: The Lost Stories of the Last Captives of the Atlantic Slave Trade. History, it's a long game. Divest in haste, repent for the longue durée.

Every writng day: wake up slightly anxious re. book. Clean house, walk dog, much better - remind self there is a plan. Sit down with coffee at laptop. Plan shoots into air in thousands of particles before disappearing like a transient firework. Panic. Have lunch. Sit back down and get on with it

Don't forget, you can support us with a purchase on @bookshop-org-uk.bsky.social And there is free shipping on everything 28 Nov - 1 Dec uk.bookshop.org/shop/nairnbo... (Also, 5% off if you sign up to our newsletter! [email protected])

Your annual reminder that the most revealing difference between Irish and Scottish Gaelic is definitely in the words for December: Mí na Nollag (Month of Christmas) in Ireland, and An Dubhlachd (the Blackness) in Scotland. So once again may I wish you all a lovely Blackness.

The Happiest of Happy Birthdays to the best podcast, made by the best team of people! Backlisted has changed my life- and I mean that most sincerely. So much love to you all, and to the amazing listeners and friends I’ve made along the way! ❤️❤️❤️

Listening to an episode of @draftingthepast.bsky.social where people often reference digital tools for organising their research, and I've just heard someone say William Dalrymple uses old-fashioned index cards. Want to go outside and shout, I AM DALRYMPLE.

Have just spent the evening watching the Frankenstein film and I'm just thinking, what a wasted opportunity.

"How do you hold those huge swathes of grey in the stories that you tell about the past, and how do you tell them well?" Eleanor Barraclough explains the nuance behind 'Embers of the Hands: Hidden Histories of the Viking Age' #WolfsonHistoryPrize. @profilebooks.bsky.social

My son has just sent a photo of the most brilliant vending machine in to the family chat. Exeter St David's. I've only read one of these, dnf'd 2, and see a few others I think I'd like.

Don’t forget, if you want to sign up for our Secret Santa you’ve only got until Sunday evening to do it! - Michael

I see it is going to be a 'putting on the makka pot without any water in it' kind of a day. Anyone who used to follow me on Twi**er may remember I have form in this area.

Growing up, we knew not to open our mouths on Budget Day. My Dad ran a bar and he listened to the budget speech more closely than even the Shadow Chancellor must have done. Notepad and pen, taking down the exact duty rises on tobacco, beer, and spirits. The prices were marked up by opening time.

Book post! Can't wait to read the latest by the fabulous @shonamaclean.bsky.social. Published by @quercusbooks.bsky.social, in bookshops in Feb.

Went to soak some broth mix for tomorrow and there is no broth mix in the house, and now I can't sleep for the visions of tight-lipped head-shaking of the ancestors.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article... I'm utterly speechless.

On a bitterly cold day, arriving at my desk with a favourite mug and snacks on the perfectly-sized, leftover pottery 'splodge' made by potter and novelist Elizabeth Macneal just brightens the start to my working day. Bonus painted paperweight of Horgabost, Harris, a gift from a talented friend.

Please share this as widely as you can, tag your local indies too, and help us get the word about about this news. We know and appreciate how much help we have had for you over the years and we’re sorry to have to ask you for more. We’re here and we aren’t going anywhere. (2/2)

For anyone wondering, some possible dog names have survived from cuneiform sources. On tiny dog figurines found buried under a palace in Nineveh, Iraq are inscriptions that seem to be names. dan rigiššu “loud is his bark” munaššiku gārîšu “biter of his foe” mušēṣi lemnūti “expeller of evil”