Ah, marvellous stuff in this thread.

Wrote an end of year review. Because it was my big birthday year and frankly I had a splendid time. open.substack.com/pub/susaneba...

Is there anything more like my mother than her buying me a gift you're supposed to craft & make, forgetting she bought it & giving it to me unmade so I can do it? A woman who once knitted me most of a jumper but didn't like the yoke pattern so handed it over in pieces, wool still on the needles.

Oh do fuck off

We only visit my mum by car once a year (train at other times) and every year I'm surprised at 2 things: the proliferation of warehouses by the side of the M1, and how shocking the surface of the M25 is.

Ah Christmas, the time of substitute milkmen who don't know how to get to your garden so dump your delivery in the alley round the corner... well done lads.

Published my reading round up for the year. Here's what I enjoyed the most. #booksky #books

Well, they're wrong, it was the best. Watch it now.

TIME SPENT WITH A CAPYBARA WEARING A CHRISTMAS HAT AND SITTING ON A STUFFED REINDEER IS NEVER WASTED

Shortest day. I have eaten cheese and am now watching my fave movie ever. Happy Solstice everyone!

Didn't imagine, when I joined a choir for fun in May, I'd end the year performing here. So lovely. What a privilege.

In honour of Rob Reiner, have David Moore's thread on the best sword fight in movie history and exactly how nerdy it is.

Rob Reiner: I'm going to make a coming of age drama, a fantasy adventure story, a romantic comedy, a psychological horror and then a courtroom drama. Us: Across your entire career? Reiner: In a 6 year period. Us: That sounds- Reiner: -Each one will be arguably the best movie in that genre.

Where do you even begin? When Harry Met Sally A Few Good Men This is Spinal Tap Stand By Me The Princess Bride Rob Reiner made some of my favourite movies. By all accounts he was also one of the most descent of people, a very vocal critic of Thump, he showed us the best of what makes us human.

For the record, Robin Ince is a superb comedian, an absolute mensch, a remarkable thinker and the kindest human you’ll ever meet. And the BBC is a genuinely great and globally unique institution that needs to stop being afraid. I think that’s where most of its faults and issues stem from.

It only took ten years for a dedicated bunch of well-connected weirdoes to get the entire UK elite to unite against a tiny minority of the population that they previously barely noticed. The few to resist, like Robin Ince, deserve our lasting gratitude and respect.

Hey @kjsoar.bsky.social seen this?

Yeah, this is one of mine too.

They're doing your book again @ldlapinski.bsky.social but a creepy version...

Muppets of the sea. Just brilliant.

You can fit 5 teenagers and a euphonium in one of the old Minis.

Rooooooooott!!

Ok turning the cricket off now.

Fucksakes Stokes. There's never any need for a run out in a Test match. Pillock.

Oooh!

Thread.

We're watching the wholesale burning of every scrap of dignity afforded to trans people in the UK, their rights, their medical services, their employment, their place within society, their bodily functions. It is a disgrace, and a disgusting stain on the government and media of this country.

Amen. Spend December actively avoiding Michael Buble instead. You know it makes sense.

November's reading in graphic form.

New cushion sits nicely with the actual books and gives Avery the Axolotl a nice landing spot if she falls. Thanks @gailmyerscough.co.uk - it looks great!

First rule of comms: never trust Sharepoint

I find it difficult to trust anyone who doesn’t consider The Princess Bride to be one of the greatest films of all-time.

Started the morning reading yesterday's party advice supplement in The Guardian. The woman who suggests 'table sculpting' by adding half shaved aubergines to your table displays is an acquired taste. 🙄 Clearly they're just trying to see what bollocks they can get away with.

This is a lovely article. www.nytimes.com/interactive/...

Cricket's great isn't it?

Oh God, so much this. So much.

Well I'm sure they'll be fined a pissingly small amount and continue to do it, like they do with the baby milk scandal.

Get to know your mutuals. List ten random things you like. Conkers Tiramasu The beach in winter Crossing Delancey Toast with a scraping of Bovril Craft markets Book shopping Hotel breakfasts Kate Bush Libraries

At some point, for the love of God, will someone ANYONE at long last take the council funding crisis seriously?!? Because THIS is what will break down a society, not some poor soul escaping incredible dangers, arriving on our shores.

Well I was going to ask for the bookworm cushion for Christmas but what's the point of waiting? And got some Christmas cards too!

Let my gravestone read "PUNCTUATION GOES INSIDE THE QUOTATION MARKS."

A reminder that this anti-trans panic is 100% bullshit and exactly none of our country’s problems are related to someone expressing their gender identity and everyone who isn’t a hate-filled weirdo knows it.

This is an excellent idea. When I worked for Big Lottery Fund, even the easiest application forms needed proven outcomes etc.

Christ. He must be absolutely insufferable.

Do donate if you can. #MagicOfBooks

I served him once in Waterstones. He asked about his own book, the publication of which had been delayed and no one from his publishers had told him the new date. So he asked if we knew it. This is a rubbish story all round.

sometimes an Oxford comma can make all the difference

This sounds splendid. I'm going for Holkham or Whitstable or ideally the Hartland peninsula.

Oooh lovely! Chesil Beach is an amazing place.