Who-hoo, my premium bonds have come up! >pops top hat on< Checks results...aw, darn it, >takes top hat off< Still gotta go to work tomorrow! 😀

Always good talking to a scholar-led journal editor, especially when they share their trials and tribulations. Boy oh boy do I empathise with them - I've been in their shoes for sure.

Been for a brisk (in all meanings of the word) walk around campus, and glad to see da gooses and ducks for the first time this year. Yes, they were skating on the ice.

Not even 9am, and I've actioned all my festive emails. Or rather, emails from over the festive period - lest you think Santa's been asking about university presses now. Although, if he's hiring... 😀

At least we left the shed looking fine and dandy, with only the final touches left to go yesterday. @hordeofduck.bsky.social was especially industrious with her hammer!

Back to work and campus today, with what I strongly suspect is going to be the easiest commute of the year. Under an hour? Colour me shocked. Now to a) remember what I do and b) make sense of all the notes I left myself before Xmas. And then, I guess, wade through 86 emails...

I found this in a 1920s book owned by my grandfather, being used as a bookmark. Such a beautiful little note. William Pile was a bookshop, stationer and printer in Sutton. It’s a sorry you were out and we couldn’t deliver note.

Shortie hike today as it's bitter out in the fields (subzero - muscles did NOT like that one bit). Still, nice to get a bit of fresh air in my lungs once more.

Last day of freedom, so naturally it's a glorious sunrise. Naturally, for my return to the office tomorrow the heavens will doubtless open for the entire drive.

Ah, nothing like a quiet evening reviewing plumbing spares for another small job. Something to amuse me at the weekend - once the shed's finished anyway.

Another day's shed renovation - getting the roofing on, refitting the door and sorting out the side trim. All of which as expected took longer than planned. Not finished, but at least it's relatively waterproofed now. Repainting and final touches at the weekend.

Another day, and more work rebuilding the old shed. Involving some problem solving when you discover some bits no longer align after 5 years.

And from the sublimes of Caves Mrs Llama is now being subjected to The Twin Dilemma. You may ask what she has done to deserve such a terrible fate...

Started work rebuilding the old shed. Much hilarity (and the occasional terse word) ensued. Now to figure out the roof - although as Mrs Llama's gone inside exhausted, I'll have to wait for another day! Way too awkward on the slope/mud to do it alone.

Caves of Androzani - potted review. Everybody's dead, Dave. Everybody's dead. Oh except Peri and Servalan Jnr. 😊

Hello Stockport, I am in you once again. Not as frosty as back in the 'grassy shires'

I do believe there was a touch of snow last night here in the shires. Not enough to build a snow-goose, but a light dusting nevertheless.

Not a bad start to the year. Fun conversations, plans for a trip to Steel City next month, decent walk & a nice hot bath. What more could I want? Oh yeah, someone else to cook dinner - won't hold my breath on that one!

Looking back today at my favourite hikes from 2025 - quite pleasantly surprised to find I enjoyed the year a whole lot more than I expected. Even that time I had to hide with a bunch of sheep from a thunderstorm. llamapaws.wordpress.com/2026/01/01/t... Read more about that here: #hiking #walking

Okay, my Win11 desktop just updated to the best picture yet!

Out in my natural habitat and in no way avoiding the Wife's visitor! 😂

Meanwhile, the Wife informs me she's invited an old friend to visit at 11am today so for some reason I need to spend NYD cleaning the flipping house. Urg, I should have planned to go out hiking again to avoid all this!

My gaming 2025 The stats are a bit off, as Steam did its Replay review mostly before I played through Alan Wake in December - & Sins of a Solar Empire which I've be playing since Xmas isn't there at all. But generally, not too far off! GsOTY: Palworld, Satisfactory & Alan Wake

Tonight's movie was the cheesetastic 'The Running Man' (1987). Watching it I realised I've never seen the unbowdlerised version before. It was like a different film. Highly enjoyable if waffler-thin narratively! Still prefer the book.

Party excitement has reached fever pitch, as Mrs Llama just went to bed. To be fair, she's been putting it off since 9pm Ah well, I'll have to party on my own.

My top 3 first-run shows of 2025 (in no order) Andor, Pluribus, Severance Bubbling under: Slow Horses, Foundation, The Studio My top 3 classic/retro/rewatch shows Supernatural, King of the Hill, S8&9 Nu-Who Bubbling under: Classic Who, Con-Man, Peep Show

I feel Christmas is complete. I'm watching Carry on Cruising. Some years ago I did an analysis of the Carry Ons and this one was in the upper (but not God) tier. Highly enjoyable rewatch.

Just spent a very enjoyable hour plus on the phone to one of my best thespian inclined friends. Conversation at one point shifted to us both performing various characters & voices, including a duo of Charles Hawtrey & Kenneth Williams. I fear I'll be revisiting these voices in '26 😂 #ohhello

Post-hike ramen FTW. Warming me back up nicely.

Capping off another cracking year of hiking the lovely countryside out & around me, a nice gentle (if frosty) 16 mile stomp this morning. Bonus having so many fields frozen - so I could walk across them - although towards the end it got sticky-icky & I clomped home with muddy paws! #walking #hiking

The jpy of trying to find where in a hospital I've an appt when all I've got are three texts telling me to be here today. A letter with details might have been nice.

Working across three PCs this morning, continuing the data transfer/erasure on my old rig, updating Steam games on the Impala, and transferring my largest old SSD into Mrs Llama's machine as she seems to have filled all three of her main/aux drives.

Hmn, it seems a second coat of wood paint yesterday on the shed base was ambitious at this time 16hrs on and it's still somewhat wet. Colour me (at least) not shocked.

Purchased Kingdom Come Deliverance II last week in the Steam sale...very much looking forward to playing it in March when my interwebs completes the download. Ah, the joys once more of rural internet speeds that barely support streaming.

Roasted some of my uncle's carrot harvest and a fraction of my discount parsnip haul for dinner tonight. Delicious! Roasted parsnips & carrots being one of @hordeofduck.bsky.social 's favourite things.

The great shed rebuild begins... Carrying it up the garden was challenging enough (Mrs Llama noped out quickly afterwards) A few repairs needed, given we dismantled it in the snows of Feb '21 the day before we moved house.

Watching DW: Planet of Fire. The Mini-Master is adorable! Wish they'd given him a comedy squeeky voice.

Breaking local news... 😂 www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news/leicest...

And yet I still can't ask 'Can I have a receipt for expenses' yet - the single most vital phrase in any language!

I have never been to Basingstoke, and now suddenly I have a reason!

Why, I do believe today's the first day of my vacation I've not got anything scheduled. Which beggers the question...why am I out of bed?

Went to Waitrose on the drive back from Lincolnshire - may have bought all the discount parsnips they had on offer...

Was presented today with a gift originally intended as part of a formal diplomatic exchange with the President of the UEA some years ago (visit called off). I am now clearly entitled to style myself as Prince Llama, right?

Not saying I live in a frost hollow, but at 9.35am the road outside is STILL white over.

Star over our village tonight are stunning! Another joy of living here - very limited street lighting means vivid dark skies.

Wee bit frosty and muddy in and around Owthorpe and the canal this morning.

Doctor Who Christmas special watched - in the end we went for The Snowmen, and what a fine choice it was!

Christmas movie...rapid agreement on Bond. Even more rapid agreement on OHMSS.

Present from my mum...I have so many questions. Like is now too soon to send her to that old folks home...

Christmas morning's been varied...