My box of Old King's Crown arrived today and managed to avoid getting rained on. Almost gave myself a hernia picking it up. My word @theoldkingscrown.bsky.social , what an absolute beauty!

Let's see what this new HBO thing is... Well that all looks so so, so far but... Wait a minute ... IT HAS EXCALIBUR! OMG

The bitter sweet moment of having the rugby on the BBC, not ITV, but that Jonathan Davies will be part of the commentary team. Still not ITV though, so a small win

I was introduced to "meal prepping" videos. It seems Influencers (is that right?) are going big on food prepping and ideas thereof... YOU'RE MAKING A FUCKING PACKED LUNCH! Don't think a fancy new word or phrase, like middle management wankers the world over, makes it edgy. IT'S A PACKED LUNCH!

I'm surprised they wrote a hit musical about Diddy David Hamilton #totp

Perfect album 90s that isn't blah blah (would never have named them anyway)... Don't take my word for this one, go listen to it.

This evening's office comes courtesy of having attended a university attached to a cathedral. Carols at the Minster.

Well that all worked out alright in the end for us @jimjimthegrim.bsky.social @tashmakesstuff.bsky.social @bishybarnaby.bsky.social

Watching The Hundred (is it cricket?) Any player with a mullet should be 5 penalty runs, and another 5 if they have a stupid 'tache. It was a shit haircut back in the day, it has not improved.

"shall we have a go at it now, sir?"

Runequest has us with 2 people away @jaje7406.bsky.social @edoffannyside.bsky.social , but we travel on regardless with @jimjimthegrim.bsky.social and @viscountjonkeer.bsky.social 4 rolls made so far: Fail Special Big 100 fumble 01 crit Rollercoaster!!!

Onwards to Europe

When I moved to London I ended up living about a mile away from Selhurst Park during the Wright and Bright days. I never went to a game. Wally. Anyway, c'mon you Eagles!

A bad election for the Tories? Well, they've got "Poundland village idiot" Chris Philp on TV to defend it.

A big success for TOR fellowship @jimjimthegrim.bsky.social @tashmakesstuff.bsky.social , Joe and Pete last night. Absolutely battered the enormous, monstrous and terrifying spider. Appalling GM rolls to the fore. Honestly, it hit once. Rolled a gandalf to avoid the killing blow.

A wonderful evening of TOR, where @jimjimthegrim.bsky.social @tashmakesstuff.bsky.social and Pete met an odd couple, set fire to cobwebs and made quick work of large spiders. Well, quick from the moment when they finally started to land blows. Nest burnt, eggs squished. But where is mummy spider?

TOR again. The fellowship @jimjimthegrim.bsky.social @tashmakesstuff.bsky.social Joe and Pete prepare for the battle of Lond Daer. After much planning, they persuade the townsfolk to essentially "hole up at The Winchester, grab a pint and wait for it to all blow over".

Rugby's on. Yay! On ITV. Bollocks. "And after the dirge of our national anthem, made even more terrible after the Italian one, here's another advert!"

Last night's TOR saw the fellowship @tashmakesstuff.bsky.social @jimjimthegrim.bsky.social and Joe (no Pete) making plans, sending news, preparing for battle and the success of a madcap scheme that would be worthy of Bilbo himself. Lond Daer will stand and fight!

Whisky Galore is on. Pretty much perfect and just 82 minutes long. Pointlessly long films? - take notes. (See also: pointlessly long books that just waffle on? - learn from Agatha Christie) Thank you for attending my TED talk.

"We might not get any snow, living in the vale." We've got snow. It's still snowing. The flip-of-a-coin weather of lowland life.

A Christmas of double @bendorgrosvenor.bsky.social with "Invention of British Art" and a bonus "Crap MPs". All I need now is the BBC to put Lost Masterpieces on iPlayer and I'll have a happy treble (A new series would be the icing).

Back to Middle Earth and the fellowship @jimjimthegrim.bsky.social @tashmakesstuff.bsky.social and Pete artfully blah key information and set a mole to gather intel. But there's been a murder, and our heroes are being pointed at...

2 gigs in a week? What am I? 20-odd again? eXTC tonight. Bloody marvellous. (New Wave is better than punk)

By 'eck! Echobelly were bloody glorious. Oh to be 25 again, if only for a short while.

No work today. Oh well. But so as not to waste the day away I'm playing a lot of Echobelly in preparation for tonight's gig. I know. Echobelly! It's going to be fricking ace.

Phoenix light show at the Minster this evening, remembering the south transept fire. Stunning.

TOR tonight and the fellowship @jimjimthegrim.bsky.social @tashmakesstuff.bsky.social Joe and Pete discover some gold coins that arouse interest amongst Lond Daer's residents. Is there some nefarious goings on... err... going on?

Read a review for the new Cure album. It better be as good as they say now. And is it really 35 years since Disintegration?! No way. Can't be.

View across the road. It's not dark on the street, but not bad. One more thing off the bucket list.

Oh lordy youtu.be/sx9SVAtMkJM?...

What does a RQ game look like when everyone fails every roll? Ugly. Fucking ugly.

First half day of teaching this academic year. Every joint from hips downwards is aching, my feet are twice the normal size and my voice is in bits.

Trouble in TOR last night as the fellowship @tashmakesstuff.bsky.social @jimjimthegrim.bsky.social @viscountjonkeer.bsky.social Pete and Joe get in a little local trouble and take out some Tharbad trash. Also, due to amazing GM rolling, we find out that combat can be very dangerous.

Bombadil !!!

Cricket with Dad. Nice day for it.

Another troubled ghost laid to rest in TOR last night. The unique blend of skills saw @jimjimthegrim.bsky.social @tashmakesstuff.bsky.social @viscountjonkeer.bsky.social and Pete dish out violent blows and cups of tea in equal measure.

What to sit down and watch this afternoon? "Bring up the PIAT!" Sorted then.

This heroquesting lark is bloody marvelous! Kill some seriously dangerous chaos - check. Befriend a grateful shaman - check. Have one of the adventurers "seal the deal" with a helpful water spirit - check (and get gifts). My character doesn't mess up being an inspiring leader (yet) - check.

More ghostly goings-on in TOR where a mysterious figure scares the willies out of the fellowship @tashmakesstuff.bsky.social @viscountjonkeer.bsky.social @jimjimthegrim.bsky.social and Pete, as well as clearly having a deadly grudge against vegetable thieves and cobblers.

More TOR last night, as the fellowship @jimjimthegrim.bsky.social @viscountjonkeer.bsky.social @tashmakesstuff.bsky.social and Pete head south towards Tharbad. A pleasant farm, a strangely flat field, some brigands that are found slaughtered but without any blood spilt...

Marvelous rugby sevens at the Olympics so far. Boks scrape through as the 8th best team, then smash the All Blacks. Bye bye NZ.

Well hellooooo nurse

TOR again with @tashmakesstuff.bsky.social @viscountjonkeer.bsky.social @jimjimthegrim.bsky.social and Pete. A Yuletide trip to Rivendell and many fine gifts. They decide not head north to face monsters of the Shadow, but head south towards Tharbad and... Intrigue and politics, mostly.

Luckily England will avoid Georgia until the final.

If Southgate doesn't spend the whole of half time just screaming "stop being shit" in the players' faces then what does he do?

How to defend against Saka. Don't bother, he'll just stand next to you. And stay there.

Possession football is bullshit. There, I said it.

Opening ceremonies for football. Get in the fucking bin.

Loving running TOR and the awesome fellowship of players @jimjimthegrim.bsky.social @tashmakesstuff.bsky.social @viscountjonkeer.bsky.social and Pete. The Breeland adventures draw to a close with Yule in Rivendell and discussions of the growing darkness...