People queued up all afternoon outside a small local bookshop to meet children’s author Jacqueline Wilson and buy copies of The Magic Faraway Tree (well actually buying a copy was the price of admission, but fair enough).
Earthshine
The crescent Moon and Venus, together in the evening sky on the warmest day this year so far: 23.3°C.
Admin1 is rereading Tombland by CJ Sansom. Admin2 is reading Kavalier and Clay by Michael Chabon.
Swarmer Weather
Thank you Ceri for taking this photo of bees on the move in the next door garden. It was an amazing sight, a big surprise and gave everybody a buzz on a lovely sunny day (12.4 kWh).
We had spag bol and a very solid rice pudding for our family dinner (sans Dave, who was camping) and scored a very solid 11 on the GSQ (with input from absent Dave by email).
First Poppy
A marker of the changing seasons.
Admin1 is rereading Lamentation by CJ Sansom. Admin2 is reading Midnight at Malabar House by Vaseem Khan. Malabar House, like Slough House, the Peculiar Crimes Unit and Department Q is a holding pen where misfit investigators are shuffled out of sight; and investigation takes a back seat — there is so much (interesting) Indian history, geography, theology, politics and sociology on show that the plot just fits in the gaps between disquisitions.
Supporting the Monarchy
Bra-king news from the underwear shop.
Admin2 is reading The Shadow Murders by Jussi Adler Olsen, the latest in a series with a very long story arc, with Department Q operating under covid restrictions.
Two Seasons
Spring petals and autumn leaves. We had chicken and tomatoes for our family dinner and scored 9 on the GSQ.
Admin1 is rereading Heartstone by CJ Sansom. Admin2 is reading Ascent by Jed Mercurio, bought from the traditional charity shop on the way back from the jab. It has a rocket on the cover so it’s bound to be good. [And it was — a fictional Russian Apollo 13.]
Bus Stop
Admin2 went for a covid booster today, but the traditional view of Scott Hall Road is obscured by the bus which stopped for her and then refused to start. It took ages for another bus to arrive. Meanwhile here is the jab-berwock with upgraded graffiti.
Artis-tree
A nice abstract painting formed by the bark of a birch.
Admin2 is rereading Version Control by Dexter Palmer, which is a phenomenally good book, though the cover copy strangely compares it to James Joyce and Thomas Pynchon, two famously difficult writers, whereas it’s a very easy read if you are not afraid of physics and computer stuff.
Bee Like That
If you wonder why the bee is flying upside down: it just bees that way, OK.
Admin1 is rereading Revelation by CJ Sansom and Admin2 is rereading The Quiet Woman by Christopher Priest, a not-so-good book which draws on Priest’s early career as a porn writer.
Bored Sad Biscuit
A culinary creation by Bob on the warmest day so far: 22.7 °C.
We had a family lunch of noodles and parkin and scored 11 on the GSQ.
Celebrations
People up the road massing in their charity-funded gazebo in the rain to celebrate the downfall of a thousand Conservative councillors yesterday and the glorious paper anniversary of Gez and Dave today. They would have been a lot cosier sitting in someone’s living room but they need to mark their territory.
Admin1 is appropriately (given that there was also a coronation today) rereading Sovereign by CJ Sansom. Admin2 is rereading Still Bleeding by Steve Mosby.
Over the Rainbow
Birds fly over and under a rainbow with numerous supernumeraries and a secondary rainbow out of sight up above. Today was our warmest day of the year so far: 18.4 °C and one of the wettest: 9.9 mm and counting.
Admin2 is rereading The Third Person by Steve Mosby.
Clouds of the Day: Contrails
Everyone is leaving the country.
It’s election day. May the fourth be with you.
Admin1 is rereading Dark Fire by CJ Sansom. Admin2 is rereading Cry for Help by Steve Mosby.
April Showers Bring May Flowers
The garden after an April that was cooler and wetter than the last couple of Aprils and had absolutely average sunshine. Bluebells up, tulips down, magnolias still going, poppies in abeyance, foxgloves nonexistent and the cool black tulips hidden behind all the other stuff. Admin2 mowed the lawn but it sprung back up again. It’s now No-mow May so go, go grass!
Admin1 is rereading Dissolution by CJ Sansom. Admin2 is rereading The Extremes by Christopher Priest; tldr: VRSF.
Carrot Cake
For our family dinner today we had Jack Monroe’s Cheapo Cheapo Coronation Quiche and loads of salads cos we got a big box of spinach, lettuce, peppers, carrots and salad from Lidl for £1.50, and finished off with a carrot cake (see pic)
We did the GSQ a day early and scored 10, mostly with lucky guesses because we were unsure of all but 3.
Apple Blossom Time
Our new Weather Records page details the hottest, coldest, wettest, windiest etc days as recorded by the current weather station. Today was a bit wet as can be seen from the raindrops on the flowers but it didn’t hit any highs or lows.
Admin1 is rereading Body Breaker by MW Craven. Admin2 is rereading The Separation by Christopher Priest.
Teleman Again
We saw Teleman at the Brudenell five years ago and loved them. Tonight they played at the Wardrobe and we loved them just as much.
First up were Swedish girl duo 7ebra. The twin sisters played some morose Scandinavian songs, and the blonde one plays the drums with her feet.
Cometh the hour, cometh the Teleman, with lots of lighting effects.
The poor old drummer always gets obscured, so he gets an animation.
We had seats near the front courtesy of the helpful venue staff, though we did have some hearing problems post-gig due to the close speakers. Teleman did the lovely Song for a Seagull as well as our other favourites, and the encores finished with Düsseldorf. — “Put on, put on your favourite song…”
They were great, and the band very obviously enjoyed playing for us.
Box Taking Exercise
The hero that is Admin1 has removed the world-class collection of cardboard boxes that were blocking up the extension and filled the recycle bin to the brim.
Admin1 is rereading Born in a Burial Gown by MW Craven. Admin2 is reading The Man Who Died Twice by Richard Osman.
Try to Set the Night on Fire
Pallet Man‘s burning hell, filling the sky with sparks and reflecting off surrounding windows.
We had roast beef and cherry pie for our Sunday dinner and scored 9 on the GSQ.
Cherry Blossom Time
But the pigeons are eating the blossoms instead of waiting to eat the cherries.
Admin1 is reading The Man Who Died Twice by Richard Osman. Admin2 is reading Shadows of London by Andrew Taylor.
Flower of the Day: Forget-me-not
OK, so remember it.
Admin2 is reading A Tidy Ending by Joanna Cannon, which was rubbish.
Critter of the day: Palomena prasina
A green shield bug hiding between the petals of a red and yellow tulip.
Admin1 is reading The Shadows of London by Andrew Taylor. Admin2 is reading Something Coming Through by Paul McAuley.
We scored 13 on the GSQ. Best this year!
Venus and the Pleiades
Hey Love Goddess! Meet the Seven Sisters and their crowd of hangers-on. We had a lovely clear night after a day of random showers but didn’t manage to spot Mercury.
We are watching Happy Valley series 3.
Admin1 is reading The Night Raids by Jim Kelly. Admin2 is reading The Siren by Alison Bruce.
The Sky Is Crying
The backwash of Storm Noa. Time to build an ark.
Keeping up with the lachrymal theme, Admin2 is rereading White Tears by Hari Kunzru. Admin1 is rereading Dead Ground by MW Craven.
Sad Stone Emoji
Admin2 is appropriately rereading Flow My Tears, the Policeman Said by Philip K Dick. Admin2 is rereading The Botanist by MW Craven.