Passed the 60,000 word mark on work in progress. Have to admit, the heatwave slowed me down

Just ordered a fancy new bike helmet to replace my very old one in France. Bright orange, of course, 'tis my colour

Less than three months til the next volume of Kynaston

Every single one of these knockout games has been like watching paint dry #WorldCup

The men speak breathlessly, afraid that a woman might get a word in #WorldCup

I like that Norway picked the runes font for the names on their shirts #WorldCup

Tonight’s feast. Pork and mushrooms in oyster sauce with brown basmati. Quick to make and very nice

There’s a cloud with personality

Re Burnham, I choose to feel hope. I choose to feel hope in this moment, and the other things, not because it is easy but because it is hard

Just watched both sets of penalties. At this stage of the #WorldCup, I've seen more of those pause/stutter penalties miss than go in. So fucking dumb

It really is a 50 50 shot whether ITVX lets you carry on watching your show after the ad break isn't it.

What people think the internet is for I've been pondering this a lot lately, what with the rise of so-called influencers and the constant noise about so-called AI. In the early, idealistic years of the internet (and especially the www), there was an idea of utopian self-sufficiency, democratic…

Tonight’s early bird dinner. Home made 5% fat burger (yes it was a bit dry) with salad, a yoghurt sauce and home brew oven chips

26% of respondents hoping we do get another heatwave. Er, cool 🆒

It's not just that MPs are cheap to buy (see Private Eye YouTube story doing the rounds earlier) but they're willing to put their careers and reputations on the line for surprisingly small amounts of money www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026...

Afternoon! It’s the second episode for 1963’s US number 1s and we’ve got a great selection of female voices, plus a lyrically-depressing calypso. Find out who’s who and what’s what in the usual podcast places! plinkhq.com/i/1531129636...

Just paid for a month's VPN and successfully watched some free-to-air French telly, so it looks like I'm all set for the Tour de France (starts next weekend). I also deployed the live translation feature of my AirPods, so I'll even be able to follow (some of) the commentary. And no TNT subscription

Had the misfortune to check out the runners and riders of a 1968 episode of TotP this morning. It was always torture, but goodness, such drear. Dave Clark bloody Five and the Poole-less Tremoloes. Redcoats on the run from Butlins

Have reached that time of year where I have to put in multiple repeat prescription requests because of the going away for 6 weeks thing. It’s always stressful because sometimes it’s arbitrarily rejected and I have to make a fuss

Keep thinking Canada are New Zealand. It’s the black kits #worldcup

Must be great up there in the breeze

OH is busy repatriating giant pot plant. She gave it a trim yesterday but left it positioned with a leaf where my face usually is at my writing table. When I complained, she said, “So move it.” And I said, the last time I moved it, it fell over.

Having my first hot coffee since the start of the heatwave

Four Days to Kill (BBC Sounds) Here's one of those old radio gems, first broadcast in 1973 and starring Edward de Souza, Kate Binchy*, Andrew Sachs, and Derek Seaton, an actor known for Coronation Street, Softly Softly, Doctor Who, and for being married to Paula Wilcox. He died very young – in his…

At least the Labour party and left-leaning columnists will have learned the lesson of the Starmer era and stopped their infighting… oh.

I abandoned the football at the first FIFA advert break last night. You're welcome #worldcup

I ENDORSE THIS MESSAGE

Public service announcement: The criminally-underseen plague apocalypse series Station Eleven can be bought on Apple TV in its entirety for just £2.99 right now. Stars both Himesh Patel and Danielle Deadwyler who'll be leading Ryan Coogler's X-Files reboot www.youtube.com/watch?v=LPm5...

The spam bots will never succeed unless they come up with more convincing human names Dewey Deloach was nicknamed Cockroach at school. Elsa Clem was Elsa Quim. Katrina was SoakUp, obvs, and Sonja Breshears was Sonja Billy Shears

Hopeful phone call from local bike shop. Replacement axle will be ordered. Went for R.A.T. Again, in spite of flaws, on the basis that the borked one lasted 10 years

Just drop me in a vat of antihistamines

Frustrating morning. First of all, the pannier failure. Also half of Waitrose’s chillers and freezers were out of action. Then I changed the front pads on my bike’s disc brakes—anything like this is hard for me

Anyone know the scientific approach to reducing hydration in a pizza dough based on relative humidity?

Bought a new pannier in the week, for more efficient shopping. It had one job. But it failed at the most crucial point: thwhere it takes the weight of the bag on the bicycle rack. I got it back on and made it home, but it failed again as soon as I got there. Bad design. Returned

Didn’t any of these players have the PE lesson where they taught you how to keep the ball down? #worldcup

Every time I see someone making a really stupid error, I think: polymarkets and sports betting #worldcup

Just walked for 3km. Oh, man 🌋

I’ve got the Rutles’ Living in Hope going round my head

It’s the veggie jambo layer

Well, no theremin and frankly I did this because I think the heat has got to me (hence the glasses and dancing) but here are my additions to G's video, flubs and all. (P)

How do I sleep?

Another visit to the eye clinic with OH today. I’ve mainly been ferrying her to medical appointments this week. She’s missed out on time off work because they closed the school anyway

Since it’s #HumanVoicesOnly Day, here’s a repost of Chapter 1 of Codename Hirondelle, the audio version, read by the author robmcminn.uk/2025/06/26/c...

Seen a lorry transporting bales today and its number plate was HAY 848Y True fact

Veggie stir today. Another quick one

Air quality map in France. Looks like a giant rhubarb and custard sweet

Re-reading Last Call by Tim Powers. A character makes a getaway in a car. Verbs used in two short paragraphs: Wrestled Dragged Muscled Pushing Twisted Stomped Yanked Slammed Snapped Whipping Punched So good

Drag Crisis sounds like the name of a new Channel 4 reality show

In Oxford for OH’s hospital appt. Parked and rode, tried the first bus on the How to Get Here list provided by the hospital. Driver said he wouldn’t be goi g that way till half an hour after appt time. Local man said we’d never get there in time if we waited for a bus.

WET BULB