As surprising as it may seem, the world’s best French bistro is in Madrid. Outstanding: Le Bistroman Atelier.

Lunch in the sun in Santa Ana, divine. The range of weathers people have dressed for is quite extraordinary though. From Polar expedition (locals) through to beach in August. It is a very pleasant 18 degrees.

Fun to skim through this list. Probably even more fun to debate the books they’ve missed. I’ve read 27 that I can remember. Oen or two i might have… www.theguardian.com/books/ng-int...

Weseltine

As a nine-bob note.

So after five years of watching the chaos of the Tories playing Buggins’ Turn with #10, Labour backbenchers have concluded: ‘Yep, that’s the way forward for us.’ They’re going to get what they deserve.

Slightly increase a band. Duran Duran Du

I’m sorry to see that Labour lost Lambeth. It’s a well run council delivering critical services in a really difficult environment. We’ll see whether the Greens are fit for government or are just a party of protest.

Sitting in the garden using Merlin for the first time. I could become properly obsessed with this.

Farage is a one trick pony whose one trick has been a disaster. Everywhere Reform governs, it has been a disaster. He's owned by who-knows-what foreign interests and the entire policy-free platform is built on hate, distrust, division and lies. Well done everybody.

This is a great piece of work on the centrality of pubs in village life and their financial precariousness. Our pub is in new hands and has recently been renovated - and it's a huge and irreplacable asset for village life. www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle...

Lot of hunkering going on over at ft.com

A Tale of One City

www.bloomberg.com/news/article... Readers of The Ministry for the Future will be familiar with this problem, and its catastrophic consequences

😳 The gulf between the self-perception of Liz Truss and literally everyone else’s view is roughly the same distance that Voyager currently is from 🌍

Tip of hat.

Well, fingers-crossed, I think... letsdothis.com/share/69ef77...

Incredible finish in the women’s marathon. Now maybe something even better in the men…

Anyone need a single train ticket from Liverpool to London at 20:43 tomorrow (Sunday)? Boost so it can get used 😉

#OriginalRollCall Tuesday April 21st

This is nothing. I had a car made in France in 1988 that could run a half marathon much quicker than this.

How practising Catholics could ever thought Trump was the guy for them I’ll never understand. It’s been decades since I was a practicing Catholic but I remember enough to know he’d not have been considered palatable by those who taught me. Other -isms at play I guess.

The new Malcolm in the Middle is just an outstanding piece of television. More or less flawless.

“This is a vindication for investigative journalism and for the victims whose stories of abuse we reported,” said the FT’s editor, Roula Khalaf. “The FT was always confident in its reporting. This is a case that should have never been brought.” I hope his lawyers absolutely rinsed him.

Goodbye Boot, you served me well.

So there’s a Malcolm in the Middle revival and I couldn’t be more excited. If you missed this first time around, it’s like a live action Simpsons but funnier and more anarchic and Bryan Cranston was perfect.

Feels like high summer on the South Bank this evening / and a lovely atmosphere to match.

A fictional conversation between two German cops in April 1939 written by the late, great Philip Kerr. But some themes are eternal.

Let’s see where we can find sensible, shall we?

Esto es más o menos. Sí.

Look, I know it’s all looking a bit difficult and whatever but surely we can all come together for a moment and enjoy Madrid being 2-0 down at home.

Two thirds renewables. Zero coal. Independence from fossils (and the wars to determine who controls them) isn’t just possible, it’s within reach. More renewables. Electrify everything.

Happiness is a quiet Sunday evening, a snoozing dog, family around, a good book, a glass of whiskey and absolutely no need to go anywhere tomorrow. I hope everyone has had a good Easter Day.

Glorious start to the day. Lovely light.

Enjoyed visiting the church at Easton this morning. Beautiful setting, 13th Century structure. But just one service a month - none on Easter Sunday - what’s the future for these village churches?

An important thread. While we fight over the fossils, the fossils are already winning.

Approached by tourist on street. ‘May I ask question?’ He says. ‘Of course,’ say I, all Londoners-are-friendly-really. ‘St Paul’s?’ He says. I point to the cathedral shaped building across the street. He smiles as if dealing with idiot. ‘The underground,’ he says. ‘Of course,’ I say, embarrassed.

Stop scrolling and post two characters who bring you happiness.

Watching Daredevil: Born Again today and once again seeing fiction tell truths traditional media sources will not. Disney has been spineless but this and Andor have done something to redress balance.

Yesterday it seemed impossible Spurs could make a worse decision than Tudor. And yet here we are. Fan base very very unhappy.

This is the long term route for the UK out of crippling energy crises: more renewables and electrify everything.

Facebook reminds me that this is the sixth anniversary of the day I got so bored in lockdown I counted all the books in the house in Madrid. There were 2584. 💙📚

When you think you’ve seen it all… lot 38: a cabinet full of teeth.

Came across this brilliant example of community action, restoring a disused station house (although there are still trains) to be a local resource with cafe and meeting rooms. All run by volunteers. And a great bacon butty to boot. In Campsea Ashe.

Meanwhile I have inadvertently attended a wine tasting in Majestic.

And here's all you need to raise a smile today. Marvellous.

Show someone who absolutely rocks a hat (that isn't Indiana Jones).

The longest minute of my life www.theexecutivesummary.com/the-longest-... My friend Dan’s story

I’m not a military expert but $200bn seems a lot for a war that’s already been won.

As things seem to be getting worse rather than better, sharing this again. bennotinspain.substack.com/p/is-it-alwa... Is it always like this?