How lovely to have Jarvis Cocker back on our radio. A year to treasure I think. Sunday. Some day. A tonic in this crazy world. 🫶 💜 BBC 6 Music

Happy Easter

Had a delicious lunch out for Adam’s birthday at a nice pub on the banks of the Trent & Mersey Canal near Burton on Trent. 🎈🍽️ It was increasingly blustery as I drove back home northward bound. 🌬️🍂🍃 🚙 Storm Dave doing his worst. 🌪️ Top day though. ☺️

Son’s birthday today. 🎈 I’m off to meet him to celebrate his quarter of a century. 🥳 We’ll have a meal and then he’s out for the night with people way cooler than me. 😆

My next door neighbour is on the Olio food waste app. Last night she got a lot of free bananas from our Sainsburys Local. This is half of them. 😳 I shall be peeling, chopping and freezing them- ready for banana ‘ice cream’ in the future 👌🍌

Top Saturday afternoon snacking here. Nice little French cheese and a slice of olive sourdough. 😋 👌

Filled the bird feeder this morning. Little birds are going nuts over it. 🐦‍⬛ Always a heartening sight. 🥰

Forgot how much smoked paprika I usually put in the Mexican Rice Bowl dish. It’s going in the oven. In 40 minutes it’s either a triumph or I’m blagging it. 😎 🇲🇽 🌶️

First day in a lonnnnnnnnnnng time where I can sit in the conservatory, on a warm sunny day, and have the doors wide open. 🙌 ☀️ Nice breeze, birds chirping, radio playing, book on the go, large mug of herbal tea. I HAVE MISSED THIS.☀️ Suspect our pseudo-Spring will disappear soon, let’s enjoy it. 🥰

Been watching The Other Bennet Sister this week and thoroughly loving it. 👒 💛 So many great performances. 🫶 But having zipped through 5 episodes I now realise we have to wait a couple more of weeks for the next batch. 😭

No one ever went to war over solar energy.

One for you @leftpeggers.bsky.social Ach!

Current scenes. Ed wants to remind you all to beware the Idea of March this morning. 🏛️ And to ring your mother. Or remember her. 🫶

Venus spot on horizon tonight. Back door open as the aubergine parmigiana is created. Spotted Venus above the fence towards the allotments. It feels like a long time since I’ve seen Venus. Maybe I’ve not been paying attention, or maybe she’s been elusive. A welcome sight nonetheless. 🫶

I’ve had a shoutout from Craig Charles on 6 Music so will raise my wine glass and celebrate. Tomatoes are simmering. 🍷 😎

Griddling aubergines. Aubergine Parmigiana ahoy. Soundtracked by the Craig Charles Funk n Soul Show on 6. Haven’t got my sunglasses on as it could be dangerous in the kitchen. 😎 #kitchendisco 🕺

My weekend so far has revolved around getting my uncle a replacement TV as his broke yesterday. Then getting him a new TV stand when we realised the one he had was too small for his new TV. 😣 And assemble. 🪛🔩

Ten years ago today my Mum died. 🕯️ Can’t quite believe it. I often wonder what she’d make of where we all are now. This is us on our last trip to Whitby. She loved it there.

Lunchtime walk. No pirate ships spotted on the horizon. ⚓️ 🏴‍☠️ Yo ho ho.

The department store in town closes tomorrow 😢 after being there for over 100 years. So sad. However, we got a second sofa bargain there, as I walked in the day sofa.com reduced this absolute dream of a sofa by 70%. Could not let that opportunity go. 💖 It was delivered this morning. I 🩷 it!

I have reached a Duolingo score of 60 in Spanish. Meaning I’ve moved from beginner to early intermediate. And, apparently, I can “confidently handle most everyday situations, travel, and conversations, while also connecting ideas and grammar in the moment.” 😬 🇪🇸

Weather’s been rather up and down this week, in true Spring fashion; but here are a few shots from my lunchtime seafront walks.

It’s been one of those days at work where the little niggles in your life are put into perspective. Good health is a gift. 🫶

Spring is definitely springing in the north of England. 🌱 Plum trees are blossoming, always a heartening sight after a cold, dark winter. And the dwarf daffodils are standing proud. #hellospring 🌸

Well gotta said @lewisgoodall.com nailed it in the last minute of this clip from today’s @thenewsagents.co.uk podcast. Exactly who has imperilled the ‘special relationship’ here? 🇬🇧🇺🇸

Oh. No. Bad feeling. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

The cat has brought a live mouse into the house and lost it. 🐭 It was last seen scurrying behind a sofa. Cat is not interested in trying to find it now. 🙄 Bloody hell…

It’s started. To mass dandelion takeover of the lawn.

Listen, it sometimes feels like we live in a rotten world. Each month I lend a bit of money to someone trying to make the best of their life. 🫶 If you can, it’s worth a look… Lend your support to entrepreneurs in low-income countries @lendwithcare.bsky.social lendwithcare.org/referral/ZHT...

It’s Darlington Restaurant Week, so it would be rude not to participate. 🍽️ Had a lovey evening catching up with friends at Saltfish. 3 courses for £25 👌😋 #foodsky #restaurantweek

Thought I’d do a bit of family history research this afternoon. I’ve just proved the man I’ve assumed, for quite awhile, was my 5x great grandfather…isn’t. So great day for solid research. Bad day for making any progress with the family tree. Bloody hell.

It’s Friday night and have very few plans for the weekend. This is excellent news.

If a real, cut, Christmas Tree 🎄 is used during the festivities, what better place for it to end up? I suspect we could do a lot more of this around our country’s coastline. #treesky

15 years ago today I arrived on Downing Street in a cage. I've seen off Cameron, May, Johnson, Truss and Sunak and I'm still going strong. Only two Prime Ministers have ever done longer stints here: William Pitt the Younger and Sir Robert Walpole. Bill and Bob - I'm coming for you... (Photos AP)

I bought a Jigsaw dress on Vinted. Not my usual thing, but I liked it. Tried it on when it arrived. Still liked it. Asked husband for his honest opinion…

The ‘meatiest’ of mushrooms. Lion’s Mane. With salmon. And air-fried La Ratte potatoes and courgette. Top dinner. Wine is the aperitif. 🍷

Very much enjoying this podcast series about Chernobyl disaster. Thorough, engaging look at how a safety test became the world’s worst nuclear catastrophe. Actually, when I say ‘enjoying’, that’s the wrong word. Boy, the people of Ukraine have endured a lot. podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/j...

It’s Friday 13th. It’s grey and raining. But I’ve had 2 espressos, so I’m well up for today. 💪

47% of Europeans want X banned across the EU, so the flipping Scandiwegians are doing something about it, with proper Viking energy. W is now accepting registration ahead of it's launch. wsocial.eu

I’m on a roll with my owl assisted Spanish. 🇪🇸 Or should I say…estoy que lo peto! 💪 #duolingo

Went to see Uncanny Live last night. 👻 Great fun as ever. Spooky if you like that type of thing. A chance to explain weird goings-on scientifically if you like that type of thing.

In a bad time politically for the current government, I am still absolutely rolling my eyes at Matt Vickers on #Newsnight 🙄 And he’s my MP. 😬

Also saw my first snowdrops of the year today. Very heartening. 🤍 🌱

Been to Skipton today. Mainly had a walk around Skipton Castle Wood. It was raining. Again. 🌧️ Saw a wicker horse, a few mini waterfalls, some nice tree moss, and a swan. 🦢

Been to Wharfedale today and the *drumroll please*…Valley of Desolation! 🙌 🫨 Actually a scenic walk taking in Posforth Gill waterfall & The Strid (narrow stretch of the river with a 100% death rate if you fall in!) Yes, it was cold & wet but not if you’re wrapped up in waterproofs. 8km of nature.💚

Whenever I go to Dishoom, it’s always for breakfast, and I always have the House Chai Latte. It’s a joyous thing, and I’m not even a latte person. Recently discovered you can buy their unique tea/spice mix. GAME. CHANGER. I did use low fat milk, and skipped the ginger…delicious. Drank the lot! 😋

Oh boy, how I love, love, loved this show! 🧡

Today, if you’re that way inclined, celebrates St Brigid’s Day. Religion aside, she was a badass female icon of the 5th century. Her miracles included: Turning water into beer Stilling the wind & rain She’s a patron saint of Ireland. The kind of person we can get behind. Unlike current options.

5 classes you took in university: 1. America and the wider world (insightful for current climes) 2. Environmental Science 3. American slavery 4. International political relations 5. Canada’s founding history

In sad news the department store in town is closing down. It hung on, but the high street continues to struggle. I worked there as a Saturday girl when I was at 6th Form College. In happier news, we just bought a mulberry purple velvet sofa in the closing down sale. Arriving Tuesday. 😐🫤😏