If you're a National Trust member, it's that time of year again: Midnight tonight is the deadline. It's a shame people have to keep doing this to keep a toehold on historical truth in this country, but here we are. Voting link: www.nationaltrust.org.uk/who-we-are/a...

I know it's harder and more dangerous to carve a turnip but the effect is so much more disturbing, and thus in keeping with the season

Yes, yes I know I keep banging on about my fucking book! However, if you want one repost this and I’ll do a random winner pick thing by the end of the week because I’m great like that. ♥️📚 #amindofmyown

I love this so much. Nobel committee unable to reach prize winner who is ‘living his best life’ hiking off grid www.theguardian.com/science/2025...

IMPORTANT All freelancers, self-employed, creatives This is the first I've heard of this, but the Department for Business and Trade is running a consultation on the scourge of late payments, they want to introduce new legislation to tackle poor practices Deadline to respond is 23 October 1/2

Spent Monday evening with Sandi Toksvig...and several hundred other people too. So good, so funny, so human. Gutted not to win a Toksvig Masculinity t-shirt though.

That was a roller coaster 30 minutes of screen refreshing, shouting at the screen refreshing and general wailing, but I have them in the palm of my hot little inbox...Super Furry Animal tickets! TICKETS! Orkney, SFA, Paris...2026 Planned.

I am being watched... What's the rhyme? One for sorrow, two for joy, three for a girl, four for a boy, five for silver, six for gold, seven for a literary agent to pick up your manuscript.

Behold! I have written two new toolkits for #AIM! I am also horribly bad at self promotion, so this is a week late. But I'm rather proud of these, they are labours of love and my first ever published writing. aim-museums.co.uk/news/new-con...

News | New research sheds light on changing visitor behaviour and demographics – families becoming significantly more selective and booking tickets later

I LOVE BorrowBox! It's financially free, Amazon-free, and will keep your lugs entertained for HOURS. Download, download! Currently listening to Moon Over Soho by B Aaronovitch and laughing out loud in public places.

The Welsh Government are doing a consultation on its pro-trans schools policy. UK GCs are trying to push it in an anti-trans direction. If you possibly can, please join me in filling out the consultation to reinforce the pro-trans stance. Deadline 31 July. www.gov.wales/rights-respe...

Not enough has been written about Schrödinger’s assistant, Otto.

"Sometimes, however, an airhead is simply an airhead. Modern women deserve better than Marie Antoinette as a model." observer.co.uk/news/opinion...

It's #NCVO #smallcharityweek! Use this week to support the small do big things. #TheBigGive has a raft of them (donate.biggive.org/small-charit...) to chose from...

News | National museum security guards secure ‘life-changing’ pay rises after strike – victory for workers who took more than 50 days of industrial action @uvwunion.bsky.social

A visit to Dove Cottage at Grasmere last week, an example of a writers house done right. Massively impressed, as was my non-poetry-interested husband. Atmospheric not stagey, thoughtful not staid. #wordsworth #lakedistrict

Tuesday

Every once in a while, the moons align, the stars form the pattern and the gods smile nicely on my mango destoning game...

Excited about our next #photography 📷 #exhibition opening next week. Stay tuned for further details! hundredheroines.org/poisoned-fut...

“Because frankly, I don’t tell anybody what to think. I can’t bear it when people tell me what to think. That’s not what we do. We want to provide multiple perspectives to equip people to navigate this crazy world we’re in, to understand it, to build empathy..." 🎉 www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...

Back in September, in an event with us and @legroff.bsky.social, Colm Toibin talked about how this was happening in Ireland. Looks like it has moved to the UK too. It's IMPERATIVE that this be condemned and resisted. www.theguardian.com/books/2025/a...

Good to see targeted funding for local authority museums. Quite a few of the museums I know and love (and at least one I worked in) are LA and they're ordinarily excluded from quite a few funding programmes.

If I can grow nothing else on this planet, I can grow rosemary so big, it will blot out the skies* and attract all the bees. #allotment *won't actually blot out the skies. But over a metre high is still impressive

Neat thing at this conference: a librarian crocheted a scarf based on how many emails they sent in a year -- posted with their permission.

Looking for a new exciting challenge? We're looking for new Trustees to join our #museum 🏛️ board. Details here 👇 hundredheroines.org/volunteers/h...

Clever, thoughtful, representative interpretation at #Avoncroft and the launch of their new Showman's Wagon exhibition. With New Stories New Audiences funding from #AIM and well chosen project partners, Steven and the team have created something rather wonderful. #museums

Happy #InternationalWomensDay – let the festivities commence! Blue sky over Nailsworth this morning, come and join the ☕ 🍰 🥂celebrations at the #museum 🏛️ Celebrating #WomenInPhotography every day #WomensHistoryMonth #IWD #IWD25 📸 & cakes ©Rita Long 💜 hundredheroines.org/womens-histo...

Worcester cathedral looking mighty fine this evening. Orchestral manoeuvres in Radiohead are scheduled.

Try not to get too riled that will make you giddy & all the other things.

National Snowdrop Day. It would be rude not to.

Join me on Saturday at the HH Museum 🏛️ #Nailsworth for a walkthrough of the 📸 #exhibition Based on a True Story featuring Gohar Dashti, Maryam Firuzi and Fatimah Hossaini. www.meetup.com/hundred-hero...

I've been asking clients to consider learning programmes that include elders for a long time. This lovely article on Museum Next gives some great examples of why this is important: www.museumnext.com/article/what...

Lovely article on why winter is beautiful and necessary. Lean into the hibernation, don't fight it. Winter wonder: Jeanette Winterson and others reveal why the cold has them under its spell www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Last chance to see // Conversations with Joan ends this Saturday at 4pm. This solo exhibition brings painter-printmaker Kate Downie into conversation with renowned Scottish painter Joan Eardley (1921 -63). Find out more here: womenslibrary.org.uk/event/kate-d...

Tune in to hear Smita Sharma, HH Trustee.

📢 Last chance to submit a proposal for #Museums2025, 7-9 October, Cardiff 📍 If you've got an idea for a bold, innovative session at this year's MA conference, you've only got until *midnight tonight* to send it over to us 📩 Bring your session to the biggest museum conference in Europe 👇

One of our projects for 2025 is to expand our #library. We're looking for suggestions for #photobooks by women and other #books 📚that will inspire young women and girls in the #museum 🏛️🎓. What would you recommend? #WomenArtists #BookSky

I thought my son's Burrito Claus was the perfect name, but no. We have a new winner:

Currently resisting watching this for fear my hermit leanings would fully fledge: Our Tiny Islands review – wonderful proof that it is still possible to live a life of contentment www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio...

M&S playing the role of Needy Boyfriend: but was I *remarkable*? Me: you were...adequate M&S: sobbing Me: look, it was just a packet of Percy Pigs and some new pants! You're putting too much pressure on this M&S: I need you to LOVE me! LOOOOOVE MEEE!!

👏 Maryam Firuzi is one of three #WomenInPhotography featured in our current exhibition - re-opens 10th Jan.

NYE argument: whether 'Swagger & Hat' (my description of Liam Gallagher) is the name of our sixth album or our first pub. If album, think loads of synth and 'experimental' beats. If pub, a piano in the corner, everything on the menu served in a Yorkshire pudding and a barman with a waxed moustache.

It's the kind of day where Viking longships should appear around the river bend, big black hounds should pad silently through trees and, listening carefully, you should hear the eldritch cries of a thousand men cackling into the frozen air: "what day is bin day??" #betwixtmas #binday #misty

Candles are lit, goose has been eaten and the Old Fashioneds are flowing freely. Merry Christmas!

The Kid is 26 and I worried I'd be infantalising them by buying a #nightmarebeforechristmas colouring book as a pre-christmas present. They have been silent and occupied and Off Their Phone for TWO hours. Still knocking the #parenting wins into the back of the net.

Every year, my v good friend and I go and check that the very best mince pies are to be found in #Malvern. I'm pleased to report that yes, yes, they are still the very best #mincepies, and yes, they are still in Malvern. Small but mighty!

So this is how my #christmas shopping went this year. Tom Gauld on how to gift wrap a book – cultural cartoon www.theguardian.com/books/pictur...

But also, for an intensely curious person like myself, the chance to peer into other people's gardens! Allotments! Hidden earthworks! Strange swampy tree stump riddled ponds! Welsh cakes and scalding tea from the trolly!