My sewing machine is being an arse over buttonholes again. I have left the sewing room in disgust.

Naming a date for a PM to leave is functionally inefficient and creates economic uncertainty, both of which we need less, not more. I understand the frustration of MPs, but this? Really?

More evidence on the post viral mechanisms leading to MS. We need to regard viruses as we do other chronic disease risk factors like smoking and diet. apple.news/A0z_nBSA7Sz6...

I’m very uncomfortable with Adam telling everyone that Brian is mentally ill. He may not like what Brian is doing (and I get that he’s upset), but it doesn’t mean to say that B has lost the plot. I really hope Alice stands up to Adam and his money-driven ageist presumptions. #TheArchers

Why do politicians pre-announce announcements? It’s ridiculous. I’m surprised current PM engages in this.

Jakob is definitely NOT a large. No way. He’s tall-ish and slim and in very good shape. #TheArchers I may need to write to the BBC 😡

I don’t like Erik telling Jakob that he had to keep the pregnancy secret from Kate. Completely unreasonable. #TheArchers

Come on England! #ENGvNZ 🏏

I’m trying to work out whether they turn up the on-pitch mics for the women’s games, or whether we just hear it louder because there is less crowd noise. Also, I’m baffled as to why there is so much annoying music these days. Most of it is just noise, rather than anything meaningful. #ENGvNZ 🏏

Maisie dog has been out for a solo wander. Thank goodness for local WhatsApp groups and brilliant neighbours, who found, caught, and looked after her 🤩🤩🤩 We need a self-close on the garden gate, methinks!

I love this idea of “radical listening” as a way of healing division. As @georgemonbiot.bsky.social writes: “they seem to have found a way of tearing down the walls dividing us. Do this everywhere, and who knows? We could have a very different country”. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

Thinking about #TheArchers Ruairi knows what he did was wrong, but does he understand why he did it? Unless he can understand and deal with the underlying thoughts and feelings, he could react in similar vein again. I’d love to hear him in convo with George and/or Alice, exploring his thinking.

In an interesting online @socialpolicyuk.bsky.social roundtable about the UK Government and UNSURPRISINGLY the key vibe is "doing good things but is hopeless at communicating it and doesn't have a strong overarching narrative or vision"

Inspired by Natasha 🤣, I thought I’d try selling on Vinted. Nope. They blocked my account the second it was registered. WTH? #TheArchers

Postie rang the doorbell with a parcel. “Do you know that dog?” Loose tan and white JRT in the road. Nope. She approached when encouraged, clearly unsure, but let us slip a lead over. We were just scanning her tag when a distressed man appeared. He’d been walking her and she bolted. Not his dog 😱

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I have workmen in, trying to sort out the exploding shower screen. I have no idea what’s going on up there, but my house is shaking and Tillie dog is discombobulated 😕

No, Anna, being your mother’s landlord does not require or permit Ruth to go round there at 8.30 am demanding to be let in! That’s hardly ‘quiet enjoyment’ for Carole, is it? #TheArchers

This poor hellebore was huge, but looked dead yesterday when I dug it up. Completely floppy, many brown leaves - no idea why. I noticed these leaves still looked vaguely ok, so trimmed it, stuck the roots in a tub of water for a while, and popped it in a pot 🤞 I do love reviving sad plants ❤️

A question for maybe @auntiejean1.bsky.social or @ambridgeponyclub.bsky.social if I may? Do electric vehicles spook horses more/less/about the same as combustion engined vehicles? (It just struck me that I don’t know this as we were slowing down in our EV to pass some just now…)

The alleged Golders Green attacker, Essa Suleiman, has been charged with two counts of attempted murder and possession of a bladed article in a public place An explanation of why we don't always see terrorism charges after terror attacks follows 🧵

I never before imagined Tracey’s house and everything in it to stink of stale cigarette smoke. I do now 🤢 #TheArchers

Nice to hear Alice telling Adam to stop. If he was right about dementia (and I don’t think he is), shouting at Brian and calling him names is just cruel and abusive. The more this goes on, the less I want Adam to take over (on principle). #TheArchers

Late to #TheArchers today. Debbie seemed to take the news of Brian offering the land to Adam rather better than I would expect. And is she going to stir things up with Ruairi? Will this be the point at which he confesses? To her?

Gorgeous bird song on our walk today. Even a cuckoo. And (I couldn’t photograph them because we didn’t want to alert Tillie) we were being watched by a group of about eight roe deer, who were feeding in the woodland about 5m away. 🥰

Thanks to @lomelindi12.bsky.social for pointing out that The Thick of It is on iPlayer. Just watched the first episode and I think I will enjoy it! It’s always good to see Timothy Bentink on screen (though his reign was short-lived!).

Hello, doxy, my old friend. No evidence of anything serious, yet. But three nights of hacking my lungs sore and the colour of the product enticed me to speak to the nurse. And I’m flipping exhausted again.

Very on point of Helen to force her father into something he didn’t want to and then performatively ‘check that he’s ok’. Her trauma seems to have blocked her ability to know when she has caused harm and when to stay quiet rather than compound it. #TheArchers

Will Alice now tell Rex he’s not the kind of (drunk) man she wants to be around, and get back with a newly sober Chris? #TheArchers

Had a weird text about a credit card today. Called the card company. Turns out it was fraud. While trying to talk to them, calls were coming in from another number, plus more texts with spelling mistakes. All very confusing. Card blocked. About an hour later, call purporting to be them 1/2

I cheered when @samiraahmeduk.bsky.social (on this week’s Newswatch) really emphasised the word ‘if’ in the sentence ‘we are sorry if some viewers…’. Well done, Samira. Such wording demonstrates no acceptance of the harm caused by the actions for which they claim to apologise. It is a non-apology.

Just picked up Maisie dog from the vet. One broken tooth gone, another suspect one gone, teeth super clean. She’s been a very good girl and the vet nurse didn’t want to give her back ❤️ But she never had plaque until we had to stop using toothpaste on her/switch her to hypoallergenic food 🤔

Let’s hope its systems weren’t being hacked at the same time.

Bluesky came back, then all #TheArchers traffic killed it again?

I love the ambition and wish him well. The photo of DW and Spitz is a real indicator of how sports science has changed!

Whoever decided that newsletters and other documents ‘for the public’ should be produced in the style of multi-boxed, multi-coloured pages with ten styles/colours of font on each page clearly knows nothing about how brains access information. Or maybe they do and they’re just hiding stuff in there 🤔

Bert? Claiming divine intervention if some kind. And yes, he sounds like Clive. #TheArchers

It’s wordy and a bit [coughs politely rather than saying it out loud], but a lot of this is about #TheArchers

If you’re just waking up, here’s a summary. No, the geopolitical situation is not OK.

Why do we no longer have the option to save drafts? (I didn’t imagine it, did I?)

Is Brian setting up Adam to run HF because he intends to save himself by telling Miranda the truth and can’t guarantee that she will stay quiet about Ruairi? 🤔 #TheArchers

Another bakery has promoted me to wonder: do we know anything about Lynda’s pre-Ambridge life? Anything about her childhood? #TheArchers

We are on the main BBC Breakfast News! If you watch live, you can scroll back to about 7.27am! #TheArchers

#TheArchers on BBC right now!

I have just discovered that ‘exploding’ shower screens are a thing 😱 Awoken by a loud bang and OH went to investigate… Two years old, barely used, in perfect condition until today!

Applications close soon for an extraordinary PhD placement opportunity supporting the development and curation of our major exhibition on the Norman Conquest. Apply by Monday 6 April. Find out more here: link.bl.uk/dnv

Ok, so could we have a competition. If scriptwriter was off sick for two days, what would you make happen? #TheArchers

"I don't want you to hang my photo in your offices. Because a President is not an icon, an idol or a portrait. Hang pictures of your children instead. And before you make a decision, look into their eyes." - Volodymyr Zelensky, President of Ukraine

I wrote about the findings from the inquiry about the impact of the pandemic on the NHS, and the mistakes of the first year. I hope it makes you angry - it should make us all angry. open.substack.com/pub/christin...

Do I have any social workers/lawyers specialising in sections & Community Treatment Orders please? Trying to help someone who has found out that an adult child’s section was inadequately completed & therefore unlawful & she is now being told he cannot be cared for under a Community Treatment Order