Hydration break?

Sunday reading, Sunday listening and current audiobook.

Goodnight.

Good evening.

Books read or listened to in June 2026. A biography that was more academic than expected, a re-read for @backlisted.bsky.social Posh Bingo, a first Maigret and a thriller in which I ultimately did not care what happened to anyone. On to July.

And I thought it was hot in London last week. Anyway, Happy Canada Day

catfishing.net #737 - 7/10 🐟🐟🐟🐈🐈 🐈🐈🐈🐈🐈 I am now addicted to this daily trivia game. I have to thank @backlisted.bsky.social for having given me my two best answers (relative to other players) and @unamccormack.bsky.social for another of my top ten.

The UK heatwave seems to have followed me back home.

Sunday reading and Sunday listening (I know it’s Monday, jet lag got to me yesterday). Also adding photos from my recent Anita Brookner pilgrimage as is required of @backlisted.bsky.social followers.

Amazing! Round of 16!

The corridor at Heathrow in which Air Canada has elected to melt its business class passengers.

Good evening from Southwark Bridge on the return from seeing Mother Courage at Shakespeare’s Globe.

Good evening.

Good morning.

Air travel is never fun. I am in a line to get in a line to get into the international business class lounge.

No prizes for guessing which book I started with.

Sunday reading and Sunday listening. Wildly divergent reading choices as you never know what you are going to want on a long flight. Maybe @backlisted.bsky.social maybe a mindless thriller.

catfishing.net #728 - 6/10 🐟🐈🐟🐟🐟 🐈🐈🐈🐈🐈 Thank-you to @backlisted.bsky.social for saving what might have been a terrible score today.

Off to spend the day at a client softball tournament. Hopefully, unlike last year, I return uninjured.

For the fundraising bake sale at work tomorrow, an Ottolenghi recipe Parmesan, Gruyère and Rosemary Loaf, because bake sales should not just feature sweet things.

Sunday reading and Sunday listening. My first Maigret, only about 70 to go. Music from an @andrewmale.bsky.social post.

Canada gets a point!

Good morning.

Sunday reading (if maybe fitting in 10 minutes counts). No listening today, just unpacking and finishing the temporary move.

Questions #2 1. Do people hate washing dishes so much that the solution is to keep forcing anything and everything into the dishwasher, even if that means bending all the spikes. 2. Yes, tech can be cool, but is it really helpful to have blinds that can only be opened with an app?

Day two in our renovation time rental house and questions set #1 1. Why is the lighting choice for the main living area “prison yard during a night time escape attempt”? 2. Why do none of the bathrooms have anywhere to hang a hand towel? 3. Do people actually use over-range pot-filler taps?

So good to see someone else falling for this novel.

Based on the last 20 minutes, this is going to be a long day.

The secret to life is to ruthlessly purge possessions once you have lived somewhere for a while.

Books read or listened to in May 2026. A typically odd mix in retrospect.

Sunday reading and Sunday listening. The book is a re-read in preparation for next week’s @backlisted.bsky.social Posh Bingo. The music is from Friday night’s movie.

Friday night movie.

What an end to Volume 1 of Inventory! It is such a moving biography, tribute and memoir all rolled into one. I am looking forward to the Auditory next week.

Sunday reading and Sunday listening.

Good night

Good evening

When in Quebec…

Good afternoon.

Good morning.

Good morning

Having lunch at a Michelin starred restaurant in Quebec City. The next table informed the restaurant that they only had 30 minutes. It has taken slightly longer, so one of them has pulled out a laptop and is working at the table.

Good morning.

The weather just gets stranger. Toronto had a heat advisory Monday and yesterday (temperature adjusted for humidity more than 30 C) and now there is a frost warning tonight for areas just north of the city.

It is trillium weekend, but too early for spruce tips, so no new spruce tip gin this year.

Sunday reading x 2 and current audiobook. Listening today is to the birdsong by which I am surrounded this morning. All of the books are @backlisted.bsky.social adjacent.

And now the morning chorus.

Spring sunset chorus.

That is fun. My sons will love it. 966 today. Our current favourite is: catfishing.net #618 - 6/10 🐈🐈🐈🐈🐈 🐈🐟🐟🐟🐟

This week’s spring special for dinner, Sautéed Ramps and Mushrooms.

Sunday reading and Sunday listening. As noted in an earlier post, I needed a mental shift from Prophet Song. The music (from an @iammilliam.bsky.social post) also helps. Prophet Song, while excellent, takes you to a dark place.