Stuff This Week #60

Wow. 60 of these! I probably should have celebrated at 50, but ah well 🤷‍♂️ Onto 100! Another week has gone by in the blink of an eye!

I have the post holiday doldrums a little bit I think. That’s normal right?

The above picture is from Weymouth beach yesterday. I drove there with my youngest to stroll along the front and get an ice cream to beat the heat.

So busy! I’m glad we know the smaller local beaches to sneak off to vs having to deal with that.

Scotland Diaries : Cairngorms Day 1

Our summer holiday this year was to the Cairngorms National Park in Scotland. It’s also the first holiday where our eldest won’t be coming with us now he’s all grown up! Just me, my wife and my youngest son.

Travelling 🛫

Our travel day coincided with the day storm Floris was due, so we were quite anxious about if our flight was actually going to take place. We woke up at around 3:30am to get to bristol airport for our early morning flight. We flew with EasyJet. They were absolutely fine. I think they’re probably my favourite of the budget airlines I’ve used so far. I loathe Ryan Air. I could never. 🤣

Our flight took off pretty much on time towards Inverness airport. The storm was due to kick off properly at around 10am but our pilot was confident he could sneak us in before the worst of it. “Don’t worry, if we have to divert to Edinburgh we have plenty of fuel”. Thankfully it didn’t get to that, but the turbulence on landing was pretty blustery as we started our descent.

My wife has become a bit more flight-phobic thank she used to be ¹ and she gripped my hand with bear like strength as we landed 🤣 She actually apologised after as she saw the mark she left on my hand 😳 Poor love.

Stuff This Week #59

Yes, Scotland has its own (re-introduced) reindeer

Boarding the flight back from Scotland! Can’t believe how quickly the time has gone! Had such an amazing time.

Homeward bound! 🛫

Having a wonderful time in Scotland.

Such a wonderful time I don’t have much time to edit photos and post! Plenty to write up soon though. Taken lots of photos (and video!)

What a special place the Cairngorms are.

Stuff This Week #58

Snap from cocktails at our local bar the other night 🍹😎

A quick one this week as we are in full-on packing mode, readying for our flight to Scotland tomorrow.

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Yes! Holiday bound to the Cairngorms at last. A very early rise tomorrow to get to the airport, our flight to Inverness, pick up our hire car and then an hour or so’s drive to the Airbnb on a farm we’ve booked¹. A week of beautiful scenery and fabulous food ahead. We’ve also booked a walk to feed the wild reindeer. How cute!

I got these adorable metal coasters and tin via the My Nintendo Rewards scheme themed off the coffee shop from the game Animal Crossing. I really love the style of them. Very cute addition to my desk.

“Before you adopt her, just understand. She’ll NEVER be a cuddly cat”

The photo shows a bearded man with grey hair and glasses reclining comfortably in a chair. Resting contentedly on his chest is a tabby cat with white markings, appearing very relaxed. Behind the man, there's a small teddy bear perched playfully on his shoulder. The background features a bright blue wall, a window letting in natural light, a green leafy plant in a white pot, and a decorative heart with radiant lines around it on the glass. The overall atmosphere is warm, cosy, and peaceful.

Things in the washing machine that shouldn’t be when I went to empty it.

a chocolate. Mercifully still wrapped.
A paper towel that has evolved into 1000’s of fragments that have gone on to conquer every surface of the clothes within.
Sea sickness medication.
Two Apple lightning cables.

It was like a rubbish magic trick. I swear I felt like I was about to pull a turtle dove out of the thing. 🕊️

First Thoughts : Mood.Camera

I watched a video from David Addison ¹ yesterday reviewing Mood.Camera and I immediately went to buy it based off the quality of the review and the shots I saw.

I teased I was going to do a write up this morning. I knew it was good when I was nearly late to work because I was playing and taking so many snaps on the walk in 📷 😜

Few shots from the walk to work this morning. I have a new camera app I’m playing with. Will write more about it soon.

The image shows a clear blue sky above a dense cluster of green trees. Emerging from behind the trees is the top portion of a red and white construction crane, angled diagonally. To the right, a tall, beige, rectangular building structure is partially visible, standing starkly against the sky. The overall atmosphere is bright and sunny, suggesting a pleasant day.

This image shows a section of a pedestrian bridge or overpass with metal railings. The railings are painted bright yellow and consist of a grid-like mesh pattern. The bridge structure itself is painted teal or blue-green and features riveted metal beams for support. In the background, there is dense green foliage, and below the bridge, a white picket fence is visible. A vertical metal pole stands on the right side of the image, partially obscuring the view.

The image shows the shadow of a person cast on a paved road or footpath. The shadow is elongated, indicating that the light source, likely the sun, is low in the sky, suggesting early morning or late afternoon. The road has markings, including white lines and a double yellow line near the kerb, indicating no parking. The surface appears to be asphalt, and the scene is well-lit with clear shadows.

The image shows a cyclist riding along a pavement next to a road bordered by dense, green foliage. The cyclist is wearing a red helmet, a bright orange high-visibility vest, and a dark backpack. The road is clear, and the scene is bathed in warm sunlight, likely indicating early morning or late afternoon. The lush greenery suggests a suburban or rural setting.

Review : Bookish

The image appears to be a promotional poster for a TV series titled "Bookish," set to release in 2025. It shows a distinguished man standing confidently in an old-fashioned library filled with shelves of books. He is wearing a dark three-piece suit with a scarf and tie, along with round glasses, giving him an intellectual, scholarly appearance. The desk in front of him is cluttered with vintage items, including typewriters, old books, a quill, and papers, reinforcing the academic atmosphere. The image also displays a five-star rating, suggesting high acclaim.

We love a good murder mystery in this house. From Poirot to Columbo, midsummer murders and beyond ¹. It’s a comfortable, well-trodden path for a TV programme to tread; however, for a good writer, that just gives them a solid foundation to play with and break the expectations.

We were really impressed and excited with the twists that Bookish puts on the genre. There may be things I mention considered very light spoilers, but for those who want to go in 100% cold, I shall leave a gap before I detail those bits of the plot so you’ve got a chance to bail.

Set in London, 1946 shortly after the conclusion of WW2, Gabriel Book is the proprietor of the amusingly named “book’s books”. Although thanks to a “Special letter from Churchill” from services he provided during the war, he acts as a special consultant to the local police force when required. Assisted by his wife, Trottie, and newly released from prison youngster, Jack.

Stuff This Week #57

A week of preparation and tasks, ahead of some well deserved time off.

You see some odd stuff doing paper-rounds

🇵🇹 My eldest just got back yesterday from a week in Portugal with his girlfriend. They had a wonderful time. He’s been doing some posts about what he got up to and some great photos. My son had a sleepover on Friday as well, so we have had another preview of being empty nesters in a few years. We filled in for my son’s paper-round on Saturday. Something I actually quite enjoy doing with my wife! It’s a pleasant walk around town. 🤣

I can think of worse places to eat a sandwich. 🥪

This image depicts a bright, sunny day in a spacious park with a clear blue sky. A winding, light-coloured gravel path runs through the green grassy field, leading towards a small gathering of people in the distance. The park is dotted with young trees, some supported by wooden stakes. To the left, residential buildings with several windows and pitched roofs are visible. In the background, more houses and structures can be seen, contributing to a suburban feel. The area appears calm and welcoming, ideal for outdoor activities and leisurely strolls.

Today’s weather is perfect for me. Not too warm, little bit of breeze. It’s just right. Exactly the sort of day I needed to decompress after a busy week.

“Whoops” 🤣

The image shows a smartphone displaying a webpage from the LEGO website. The page features a LEGO set modeled after the classic Nintendo Game Boy, part of the LEGO Super Mario™ series. The set includes a detailed LEGO version of the Game Boy with pink buttons and a grey body, along with what appear to be LEGO cartridges depicting game artwork. The price is listed as £54.99, with a note that pre-orders are available and shipping will start from 1 October 2025. The website’s interface shows typical navigation icons and branding at the top.

Review : Murderbot

The embedded image shows a person wearing a white, futuristic suit with dark accents, appearing to be some kind of armour or protective gear. The individual is leaning their forehead against a wall filled with storage compartments or equipment, suggesting a moment of exhaustion or contemplation. In the background, there is a curved window revealing part of a bright, possibly futuristic interior with shelves holding neatly arranged items, adding to the high-tech, sci-fi ambiance. It says "Murderbot : 2025" and rates the show 5/5 stars.

Ah internet darling Murderbot. I’d read the first book in the series a few years ago but I fell off the series due to the price of them in the UK ¹. I did like what I read in that first book, but I drifted off into the realms of Vandermeer and Abercrombie instead as I just couldn’t justify the price to collect the lot.

I did enjoy what I read in that first book. Don’t get me wrong. It was good writing and I really liked the character and universe that is being presented. It’s a well worn but interesting spin on the AI/BladeRunner/Westworld style brand of Sci-Fi and sentient AI. This adaption understands what the books are about 100% and portrays it really well. The presentation of the the bigger corpo controlled world is decent enough. Just attractive enough for the upper classes so you can see the appeal but also shows the poor people who are sacrificed to make it work. it does get into this a little bit in the last ¼ of the series, but not quite enough to show how truly shitty that life would be. Totally it’s played more for laughs with one later scene that should have been much more serious essentially fast forwarded through in a way that puzzled me. this is a minor point in a series that is overall well done however.

I like Murderbot’s design and the tech on display. It does the thing of showing computer screens and HUDs in-world against the characters. Those and the other effects are really well done.

Kinda getting tired of the Hello Fresh “experience”. This has happened more than once now… 👎

The photo shows a heavily damaged green cardboard box from HelloFresh, a meal kit delivery service. The box is torn and crushed at multiple corners, with some of the contents slightly visible through the damaged areas. There is white tape with "pdp" and tracking information on it, indicating it was part of a delivery. The box is sitting on a wooden floor, and there are other cardboard materials and a reusable bag in the background.

Yes, that’s the vegetables escaping out of the bottom. A lime was rolling down my driveway when the DPD driver dropped it off. (Hastily! He had legged it by the time I opened the door! Not surprised!)

Stuff This Week #56

Counting down the weeks until my holidays now. Not much left to go until I’m walking around the Cairngorms 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Bring it on!

🏣 Photos from a weekend visit to a local post office to send a parcel. They had so many cool pin badges! Absolutely worth a re-visit when I have some more time. I also had to capture the fact they’d put absolutely massive goggly eyes on the hatch you give them your packages through 🤣

This photo showcases a large collection of colourful enamel pins neatly arranged on a black display board. The pins feature a wide variety of designs including rainbows, animals (such as cats, dogs, bunnies, penguins, and pandas), humorous quotes, food items, and pop culture references. Some pins display pride flags and LGBTQ+ themes, while others depict whimsical characters, plants, and objects like books, coffee cups, and cassette tapes. The vibrant, eclectic mix of designs creates a visually engaging and lively display. — Look at them! 😍

This image depicts the interior of a post office. The counter area has a glass partition with a small service window. Notably, large googly eyes have been humorously added to the glass, giving the appearance of a face. The counter is red with 'POST OFFICE' clearly marked on it. On the right wall, above the counter, a collection of small rubber duck figures is neatly lined up. There are card payment machines on both sides of the counter, and two grey bin containers are placed below. The floor is wooden, and the overall setting appears neat and organised. — 👀

I’m in the Digg beta and made a comment on a post. Nothing controversial or innocuous. ¹ Some dude came at me as he’d obviously misunderstood what I was talking about. so I posted an aggressive hair triggered response. Then I thought about it. Took a deep breath and deleted the post.

I then sent a “hey I think you misunderstood and explained my reasoning” and they posted an apology and it was very heartwarming to know we can find peace in our time.

Perhaps there’s hope for a Reddit competitor after all…

It was a post about UK law requiring BlueSky to authenticate users for “full access” and them using Epic Games verification for this. I don’t want to send my government documents, card details or face scan (ugh) to a private company just to access a social media site and said I might delete my Bluesky account.

They misunderstood I was blaming Bluesky for them having to comply with the law. Which I wasn’t. They have to or they get fined. I understand that, but still I want to limit what companies have my extremely personal data when I can.

Man, I hope Apple really is going to allow exciting/fun colours on the iPhone Pro line this year. 😍