And on today’s Radio 4’s The Moral Maze, we discuss which is best: early-morning airport pints or train cans.

Xmas eve, no drink, having to pick the lad up from work at 1am. In laws over tomorrow. Was simpler when I lived alone with a viz annual and bottle of vodka for company. Meh .

A rare Sunday session thanks to being off for a couple of weeks . Geeeed up

Metro centre car park at 745. Blast in for 1 hour, holding the baskets and bags while wife picks presents . Didn't even have to engage my brain. I was the labourer and driver and that was it . All done . One hour. Gerrin .

Well it made me smile

Two things can be true at once. Rayner was foolish in her conduct and right to resign. It’s also true she was always despised by much of the right wing press because she was a working class powerful woman.

Son eventually agreed to come for a pint with me in my local. Ordered a cocktail. Me fatha will be turning in his grave

Ive worked in politics for 30 odd years in all sorts of positions . Ive loved all sorts of political satire , from private eye, the thick of it , veep, and all those great writers not mentioned. South Parks latest episode has surpassed everything ive ever seen.

Finally got round to framing this

At the central station off to the gala. Got the UDM away at 12, Culture Club reunion at 4.

Son's 19th today. Amongst other things he's got books on clement atlee and a former Singaporean president and a vynal album of king crimson . celebrates with socialist manifestos, Singaporean diplomacy, and a soundtrack from the 60s. Hope he never changes.

Never break a lengthy intermittent fast with a heavy meal and expect to have any toilet free time in the following 3 hours or so.

"I'll give you your father's day card and present when you get back " promised my soon to be 19 year old, finished uni for the year and is apparently "job hunting" son, last friday. That's turned into, "I'll get it later today.." . In your own time son....

Corfu was canny. Split and montegro next. Do we still call half decent east eurpean sides "crack"?

Up the airport pints mags

Wednesday session. Gerrin

Watching joe root bat is one of life's great pleasures

Off to see my heart specialist at the RVI, the fantastically named Dr Gonna . The only stressful part of the day is negotiating the payment app systems in Newcastle. Bloody hate it

When my wife goes away with work my initial reaction is "get in house to myself ". Then reality hits . Ive got to do all the jobs she does, feed the cat, water plants , empty bins, put bins out, put washing in. And cook. Ffs. Tonight's effort, home made chicken tikka . Thats it. Nothing else.

Many colleagues say I don't work in today's digital world . Solidarity with the badge and the other obsoletes

....no more .....

Reet, I'm off for a day on the lash in Bathgate . I've heard it's like Consett in Scotland . Gerrrrin

Lovely day in Tynemouth. Lucky to have such a lovely coastline here .

Off to to Cullercoats to campaign for Labour for a few hours. Factor 50 and the supermac reversible for protection

Gannon the miners

🍾 🥂 🍾 🥂 🍾 🥂

To be fair, football is all the better for these occasional acts of giant killing.

John McGinn. Yours in pettiness .

Came today courtesy of worflags . To hang on the downstairs toilet. Wor lass is delighted

Nothing like a chicken jalfrezi for breakfast to set yourself up for the day

Wife was having breakfast in a hotel this morning at the media city in Manchester. Looks at the next table and thinks the bloke looks familiar. Kept looking at him but couldn't place him until his mates came and he spoke. Realised it was sheeeera. It was a holiday inn .

Decent start, like

Hell of a win that. No cup hangover, a very good opposition with an excellent manager. Could get used to this trophy winning , champions league challenging lark .

Turns out Le Pen is not mightier than the fraud.

Up the fucking mags

In 1862, a Union soldier found cigars wrapped in a piece of paper in a field of clover. The paper was a copy of Confederate Gen. Lee's invasion orders. The Southern sloppiness helped the Union stop Lee at Antietam. It's unknown who lost the orders in the field, or if he was related to Pete Hegseth.

Now the dust has settled, has anyone actually drank Carabao?

Few pints in the local. Home for food. Fantastic. Then a stand up argument with our 18 year old. We deigned to ask him to wash a plate . Gerrin

Drove to the gym through sunniside and whickham. Houses with toon flags hanging from them, brought a lump to my throat. Not seen an outpouring of emotion like it . Inside the stadium, around London back in the north east, all week long. What a feckn club

Looking forward to the Town Moor malarkey. Even my wife and son are going (subject to tickets). Neither of them likes football, but the cup wins impact extends beyond our supporter base. NUFC remains a club deeply connected to and representative of a proud regional identity.

“Here lads, did you see this big fucker rise like a salmon yesterday?” #NUFC #HWTL

Well, that was canny

Reet, am off

Every office based mag right now

Paul Scholes looks like he's had 50 espressos before getting in front of the camera

Into them, lads

That's my morning sorted

Afternoon and evening out in consett. Its many years since I've done that. Its still superb