I’ve had my tenth Covid vaccination today and, predictably, I’m feeling very ropey. I’m not going to miss it again, though, as I did last year because I didn’t think it was necessary, then had three months of Covid illness during the summer of ‘24. There’s still a lot about, so be safe.

It would be great if every primary school had a library. But that amount of money would buy around 600 books for each school - not a room to put them in, shelves to hold them, or a librarian to look after them. That's not a library. www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

Gusto's home from boarding kennels and back in his favourite place in Pontburn Wood

Heads up! We are closing in on the THREE HUNDREDTH edition of A Personal Anthology, which will be something of a landmark. I've got some great contributors lined up, but more are needed. So if you love short stories, and can write something about a dozen of them, please get in touch...

BOOK CLUB, new from Inky Conditions

Three grand religious interiors at the centre of Tirana - Moslem, Orthodox and Catholic, in descending order of size.

The point about illegal working is that it's illegal. You don't need ID to work illegally.

That's the end of my holiday Wordle 1,560 X/6 🟨⬜⬜⬜🟩 ⬜🟨⬜⬜🟩 ⬜⬜🟩⬜🟩 ⬜🟩🟩🟩🟩 ⬜🟩🟩🟩🟩 ⬜🟩🟩🟩🟩

Tirana balcony life. I could spend a lot of time here.

I'm in a communist era bunker, and here's a bed made up for Enver Hoxha although apparently he never made use of it. #Tirana

Jesus would never wear skinny trousers and dress sneakers. Just ask the menswear guy @dieworkwear.bsky.social

There's nothing like sitting on an apartment balcony in a new city, drinking beer and listening to the neighbourhood sounds - people talking in a language I can't understand below, a muezzin calling from the local mosque, church bells, a rumble of traffic. It's getting dark now in Tirana.

Take a look at this. Someone did the same for me 8 years ago - donated their stem cells and saved my life when I had blood cancer, and donated again when I relapsed and saved me for the second time. So get on the @anthonynolan.bsky.social or @dkms-uk.bsky.social register and you could be a hero too.

Did I tell you how beautiful this album is?

I’m off to Albania tomorrow, wondering how my Norman Wisdom impressions will go down

A Personal Anthology is a weekly mailout in which a guest editor (writer, reader, critic, mongoose) picks and introduces a dozen favourite short stories. So if you love short stories and would like to take part, let me know! (DMs open.) In fact, I have an empty slot NEXT WEEK. Carpe Diem!

If the Not-Quite-Yet-We’re-Not-Ready party were a brewery…

An eight inch carving of the resurrected Christ is now 'adult content'. Lord help us.

I can't think of many better ways to spend a morning than hanging around in the Spanish Gallery in Bishop Auckland.

Post five pleasures in life: 1. 17thC Neapolitan paintings of tortured martyrs 2. Cuddling a Labrador 3. Walking in Pontburn Wood 4. A sneaky winner away from home after both your captain and manager have been sent off 5. Dancing cheek to cheek

Apparently ‘book club fiction’ is now a genre. I’ve no idea what it means.

Another day to remind me of The Last Good Day of the Year

She nearly swooned at his macaroons and he said, "Now if you treat me right, You'll have hot rolls every morning and crumpet every night”

Quite apart from the racism and misogyny, Labour’s so-called Director of Strategy must have been pretty rubbish at his job given all the strategic mistakes they have made over the past year.

Painting got exciting over 400 years before Cezanne, so I think this journalist has missed a bit.

The biggest fascist gathering in this country since Mosley’s blackshirts and Peter Kyle, speaking for the government, says, “It doesn’t disturb me.” Well, I am very, very disturbed.

At the time of the Brexit referendum, I said that if the UK voted to leave there would be war in Eastern Europe within ten years. Lara makes it clear that I and many others didn't fully understand what was happening in our own country.

I've been listening to Josh Ritter's music for about twenty years and seen him perform live more than any other artist. His new album, I Believe In You, My Honeydew, is sublime.

breaking news: in response to a chant of “shoot keir starmer” at the fascist parade in london, the government has announced plans to shoot keir starmer

Gusto is so excited by this afternoon's result he can hardly contain himself.

All those so called patriots will be pissed up and fighting policemen by the end of the afternoon.

I have to agree that ceiling panel looks absolutely amazing. Well done to the Northern Echo for spotting it.

This made me smile this morning #oneborrow

Good time gig of the year tonight at the Cluny in Newcastle. Total Hip Replacement + Anyankofo from Denmark and Ghana. Catch them if they come your way.

Labour laser focused on disappointing every faction of supporters, it has been confirmed.

I think someone should tell the Banksy bloke that it's not "the law" that's attacking anti-genocide protestors, it's the government.

I walked deep into Pontburn Wood today for the first time in a while. Always a very special place to me.

Look at Gail’s lovely work

BBC's political editor wants to have Nigel Farage's babies www.bbc.com/news/article...

I was already in a good mood this evening, and now I'm in a doubly good mood listening to David Byrne's new album.

On Saturday mornings I always go to Blind Date first in the Guardian, just to see how terrible the men’s trousers are. I couldn’t fault Joe’s today, though, except that his turnups are out of whack. www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle...

Melissa Carper and friends were great fun at the Cluny in Newcastle last night. Country swinging between Texas and Tennessee. Happy times.

Gusto found a squeaky ball on his walk and this could go on for hours. (Sound on)

The cover of a Penguin Classic paperback is apparently 'Adult Content'

I'd not heard of Lafcadio Hearn until recently. He was a fascinating character and these traditional Japanese stories are beautifully written. The local connection is that he was educated in the 1860s at Ushaw College in County Durham.

On a grey and drizzly morning in Bishop Auckland, the snuggest place is definitely the Spanish Gallery #bringasheeptoworkday

All the cheap Chinese-made flags flying at half-mast in Crook, County Durham, are looking particularly pathetic in the rain this morning.

What a frustrating book this is. A great story, long passages of incredible beauty, but all those many, many clevernesses make it hard to love.

"They're just playing to the Reform gallery" is not an explanation or an excuse. Playing to the Reform gallery is the whole damned problem.

It's not difficult to strike a contrast with Reform. Just don't be racist. www.bbc.com/news/article...