I regret the timing of my latest bottling day 🥵 however, (hopefully) delicious elderflower beer to drink within two weeks!

Eurovision week ➡️ Eurovision beers Timed my first all-grain brew to cater for our Eurovision party at the weekend! A pale ale single hopped with Mosaic 🍻

New Hungarian government has been inaugurated 🎉

Minor equipment upgrade for this month’s brewing session – having a better heater AND a thermostat control is making things a lot faster!

Fantastic weather for #EelDay in Ely today! For the unfamiliar, the giant eel of the fens was successfully placated by casting a few local children into its gaping jaws, and it was then driven back to the river for another year.

First brew day since before kids! And first time attempting all-grain brewing. Aiming for a fairly straightforward mosaic pale ale in time for a Eurovision party next month…

Had fun making some mini sushi stamps with the kids this morning and then adding colour with acrylic paints 🍣

Want to learn more about oracy in chemistry education? At next week's free @cambridgeocr.bsky.social OCR webinar, Naomi Hennah will share insights into how purposeful talk aids student understanding in chemistry. Sign up here: events.teams.microsoft.com/event/aa142e... #ITeachChem #ChatChemistry

“Why have the goals dried up for the Germany forward?” The BBC know what they’re doing writing this article right before a Newcastle visit to Dr Tottenham… www.bbc.co.uk/sport/footba...

Layer 3 of 3!

Second layer done! A few prints lost to misalignment along the way – seems my cheap 3D-printed paper registration method didn’t quite cut it…

First layer of what might end up being an overly ambitious reduction print. I’ve made ten to start with in the hope that I end up with one or two decent ones!

Me in 2025: I don’t have enough time for all of my hobbies Me in 2026: Let’s accumulate more hobbies!

Proud of the 6yo’s birthday Pokémon punning here

One week until the free @cambridgeocr.bsky.social webinar looking at what the Curriculum and Assessment Review means for science! We'll look at what the review said and what's coming next. Join here to make sure your thoughts are heard: bit.ly/45a1wHp #ChatChemistry #ChatPhysics #ChatBiology

Some more linocut experimentation yesterday evening. Still keeping stuff relatively simple while I play around – might need some better rollers based on the slight patchiness on this one!

The clouds in Cambridgeshire cleared long enough for a brief auroral cameo

The results of my first attempt at linocut printing today. Pretty pleased with how these turned out!

SCAM ALERT – IMPORTANT The cat has already been fed.

Non-galanthophiles may not know that there are hundreds of different cultivars of snowdrop – here are a few of my favourites!

A colleague just incredulously emailed me this article and I, completely unsurprised, noted that while teaching I had at least two students try to eat copper sulfate crystals. Something about those blue crystals is clearly too alluring! www.tes.com/magazine/new... #ChatChemistry

Curriculum and Assessment Review (CAR) Briefings are now live! Join our free subject-specific sessions to understand what the CAR means for your teaching and assessment. 📅 Topics include English, Maths, Science, Computing, Geography and many more. ✅ Book your place today: https://ow.ly/V6yS50XVqeG

At #ASEConf26? Come and see @amybrewer.bsky.social, @mikeycaer.bsky.social and me at the @cambridgeocr.bsky.social stand! We’ve got examples of our purposeful practical resources, and, more importantly, a huge tub of Lindor 😋 Plus you can vote on what’s your biggest challenge for GCSE reform 🗳️

On my way to Nottingham and #ASEConf26 on the last uncancelled train from Ely before the forecasted snowpocalypse!

#SciTeachUK #ChatChemistry #ChatPhysics #ChatBiology

Heading to the @associationscied.bsky.social conference later today and will be there all day tomorrow. Find me at the @cambridgeocr.bsky.social stand! I’ll be talking with @mikeycaer.bsky.social about our purposeful practical resources at 8:45 tomorrow: 2026aseannualconf.sched.com/event/6d738c...

A beautiful icy morning in the fens ❄️

It’s a weird time of year to visit the pub. But deserted pubs do make for good book proposal writing spots!

A busy work week to start off 2026. I’m in Bath overnight, ahead of visiting Midsomer Norton Schools Partnership tomorrow. Then towards the tail end of the week it’s off to Nottingham for the @associationscied.bsky.social conference!

Snow rarely reaches Ely, so we ventured to Blickling in Norfolk yesterday for a snow day! Here are the results of the kids’ hour or so of snowy labour @midsandeastnt.bsky.social

It’s a dark night when you look at the news and are forced to admit that you no longer believe in the power of the FIFA peace prize

The kids are in bed and now the challenge of reaching midnight without falling asleep begins. Deploying the secret weapon: espresso martinis 🍸

It’s been a tough year for Thomas the Tank Engine

“Excuse me, I heard there was turkey” #CatsOfBluesky

Out of office is on, the beer fridge is stocked. Time to do a Christmas 🎄

A friend 3D printed and painted these brilliant Pokémon Christmas decorations for the kids. Must resist the urge to impulse buy a 3D printer…

Putting wax seals on our Christmas cards like it’s 1899

Latest craft project: made some coasters from old beer can labels

Saw the eye doctor this morning and he got a little carried away with the yellow dye stuff, so I travelled back from Cambridge looking like I’ve been crying jaundiced tears

The disappointment when Liam Neeson’s “very particular set of skills” turn out to just be being an anti-vax dickhead

I think my early new year resolution might need to be better forward planning. Hitting Cambridge Winter Beer Festival alone after discovering that the people I planned to meet with couldn’t actually make it after I arrived 😐

Had a go at snow art. Definitely harder than it looks on YouTube tutorials!

Always a pleasure to attend The Salters'​ Institute annual awards ceremony on behalf of @cambridgeocr.bsky.social. A great opportunity to congratulate and celebrate all of the award winners including those for OCR Salters’ Chemistry A Level!

I baulked at the price of the official Pokemon advent calendars, so I’ve made my own for the boys by getting cards off of Cardmarket. Looking forward to them starting on this tomorrow!

Other confusing food terms that should be banned: “Gummy bears” – disappointingly, not actual bears “Chocolate coins” – bizarrely, not legal tender “Gingerbread men” – surprisingly, not made from actual men

The Cambridge observation wheel virus has spread to Ely

Field blewits, a lonely inkcap and some clustered mushrooms (maybe mica caps?) on the school run this morning #FungiFriends

A bumper haul of field blewits finally showed up locally after the weekend rain

This year’s pumpkin carving efforts, inspired by the boys’ Pokémon obsession 🎃 Mine on the left, @vidosanna.bsky.social’s on the right, and our eldest’s Bulbasaur pumpkin in the middle. Happy Halloween everyone!