Probably for the best really

Never trust a mirror. What was it like inside? Equally shiny?

Moonlandingz, we were stood very far back and I won't take good photos..

The Quay West building at Salford Quays, a bronze mirror clad post modern thing of uncertain beauty.

A neon sign in a gallery, part of the Chila Welcomes You exhibition at IWM North.

A poster in a display case in IWM North listing 'Gifts to the imperial government from the Empire 1914'

Accompanying images.

4/5/25: SPENT £8 ON FUDGE. DON'T EVEN LIKE FUDGE ALL THAT MUCH. AM ALSO WAGING WAR ON HOUSEPLANT FLIES USING CARNIVOROUS PLANTS. SO MANY FLIES. 7/5/25: Saw an egret. Tried to read Dickens. 8/5/25: Saw a very Large cruise ship. Also discharged My patriotic duty by doing some VE Day ringing. 10/5/25: OVER TO MANCHESTER TO VISIT THE IWM + LOOK AT WAR. SAW A DEAD SWAN AFTER, OMINOUSLY. LATER WENT TO SEE MOONLANDINGZ WITH EMILY + PETER WHICH WAS VERY GOOD FUN. HOME BY MIDNIGHT.

Some days are lower case, SOME DAYS ARE UPPER.

29/4/25: Nothing of note. No ducks seen. 30/4/25: Saw the ducks, had my binoculars & now sure they are shelduck Later, dentist's. Ow. 1/5/25: Many small birds in bushes, an enjoyable May morning. Later, cadets, deranged children telling me about their 'Murder' club. Fine + normal. 2/5/25: End of week vibes, half day at work. Later, showed Air Cadets the bells at St Hilary's + also the old tower + tunnels. Had a great time. Pints with John in the Afterwards. A good evening. 3/5/25: Headache, but still did: Library, a walk down the prom, new local bookshop, bought a load of fish, then saw BRAZIL in the cinema ( too long).

A new approach, in which I forget to use capitals so good luck reading any of this.

No entry today because yesterday involved nothing exciting. Here's a big plane from Monday though.

You certainly should.

SAW THE SUSPECTED SHELDUCK AGAIN THIS MORNING + THE CONFIRMED EGRET. AND LATER, MORE THRILLINGLY, THE AIRBUS A400M ATLAS, A DIFFERENT KIND OF BIRD, FLYING LOW OVER THE BAY. THEN BELLS, WHERE I BECAME QUITE TIRED, DESPITE TURNING IN NOTHING HEAVIER THAN THE 6. 25/4/25

Possibly time to move to updating these when something actually happens, because 'saw a duck again' is barely worth anyone's time and ink.

BEAUTIFUL PASTEL + SUNNY COASTAL DAY. NEARLY BOUGHT AN ICE-CREAM THEN REMEMBERED THE INCREDIBLY LOW HYGIENE RATING OF THE LOCAL ICE CREAM PARLOUR. MOUSE DROPPINGS? NEIN DANKE. WENT TO SEE SINNERS INSTEAD. FILM OF THE YEAR, NO CONTEST. REST OF DAY, HAD A HEADACHE + ATE TOO MANY TWIGLETS THEN CLEANED ALL THE KITCHEN DRAWERS. IT'LL DO. 28/4/25

A film during which I played 'Am I Face Blind Or Am I Just Racist?'

The DSM IV at Future Yard

Baba Ali at Future Yard

A deserted platform waiting for the last train from Conway Park, Merseyrail's concrete delight.

SPENT THE MORNING MAKING EXCUSES TO BE LAZY. EVENTUALLY GAVE UP ON BEING MEAN TO MYSELF + HAD A NAP. LATER WENT TO FUTURE YARD FOR DSM IV + BABA ALI GIG. THIS WAS SO GOOD. I KNOW IT'S NOT GREAT FOR THE BANDS BUT I REALLY LIKE SPARSELY ATTENDED GIGS. LOTS OF SPACE. FUTURE YARD HAS NICE LIGHTING TOO. 26/4/25

Sparse, but enthusiastic crowd.

ALL OUT OF ENTHUSIASM FOR LITERALLY EVERYTHING TODAY. GOOD THING IT'S FRIDAY. DID ABSOLUTELY NOTHING POSITIVE + NOTHING OF NOTE. THERE ARE GOLDFINCH ON THE ROOF OPPOSITE. THAT HAS BEEN NICE. SO, NOT ALL BAD I GUESS. 25/4/25

Small birds

STILL TIRED, WEIRD DREAMS. WORK WAS INOFFENSIVE. DIDN'T GO CADETS DUE TO BUSES OR LACK THEREOFF. ABANDONED THE + WENT EFFORT TO SEE BEETLEJUICE IN THE CINEMA, ANOTHER FILM I'D NOT SEEN. OBVIOUSLY I ENJOYED IT AND HAVE BEEN MISSING OUT MY WHOLE LIFE. 24/4/25

Sneezing season has commenced.

STILL WEARY & EATING RUBBISH. DENTISTS THIS AFTERNOON, QUICK + PAINLESS. SWANG BY THE POLSKI SKLEP ON WAY HOME AS A TREAT + HAD DUMPLINGS FOR DINNER 23/4/25

Arguably, I have made this last bunch of collages somewhat too 3D.

Finally!

TIRED... FUN, LONG WEEKEND IS TAKING A TOLL. NOT MUCH ASIDE FROM WORK TODAY. NEED TO RE-ESTABLISH MY BORING + NICE ROUTINE. AND ALSO STOP SPENDING MONEY. I DID WIN A £5 ON A SCRATCH CARD MY MUM GAVE ME THOUGH SO THAT'S A START. 22/4/25

Milky Bars are on me.

UP FAR TOO EARLY AFTER SUB PAR SLEEP TO GO ON EASTER BELLS OUTING. 6 SHROPSHIRE TOWERS, SO LOTS OF CHURCHES SEEN. LOTS OF RED SANDSTONE + GOTHIC REVIVAL. WE WENT TO: TUSHINGHAM, MARKET DRAYTON, NORTON ON HALES, BROUGHTON, ECCLESHALL+ CHESWERDINE. HIGHLIGHT WAS GETTING A GO AT BOB MAJOR. VERY TIRED NOW. BACK TO WORK TOMORROW. PROBABLY COULD HAVE MADE THE EASTER BREAK MORE RESTFUL. I AM NOT REPLENISHED. 21/4/25

At least one of these was in Staffordshire but my understanding of the county borders is vague.

MAINLY JUST TIRED TODAY. DID GO + DO A BIT OF EASTER RINGING BUT REST OF DAY MOSTLY: -NAPPING -SHIT ON YOUTUBE -ROAST PORK -LAUNDRY -EASTER EGGS - LIDL HOT CROSS BUNS (QUITE DECENT ACTUALLY) - A FRIENDLY SHEEPDOG - OLD CAT DOWN THE ROAD AMAZINGLY STILL ALIVE 20/4/25

🥚🥚🥚

AN OUTING WITH MY MUM TO CHRISTCHURCH TO SEE THE CATHEDRAL. AND COLLEGE TOO BUT I DON'T REALLY CARE ABOUT THAT. VERY SMALL CATHEDRAL + ABSOLUTELY OVERRUN BY TOUR GROUPS. IT WAS INTERESTING BUT RE-AFFIRMED HOW LITTLE I LIKE OXFORD. GOOD ICE-CREAM AFTER THOUGH (JAFFA CAKE FLAVOUR). THEN TRAINS & FINALLY HOME. QUITE BRAIN WEARIED. TIME FOR A DAY OF NOWT. 19/4/25

Yes, it's me, a person on a guided tour complaining about the existence of guided tours!

SHOULD HAVE DONE BRISTOL CATHEDRAL YESTERDAY, GOOD FRIDAY NOT THE BEST DAY FOR CHURCHSEEING. IT WAS MOSTLY OPEN, BUT NOT FULLY. ENJOYED ITS AISLE VAULTS + STELLAR TOMBS + MAJESTIC HEIGHT. THEN, AFTER A LITTLE MORE MEANDERING, TOOK TRAIN TO BATH. I DIDN'T LIKE BATH MUCH, TO MY SURPRISE. TOO COMMERCIAL + TOURISTY, DESPITE ALL THE CRACKING REGENCY NEO CLASSICAL. ALSO IT WAS RAINING+ I WAS TIRED, SO MAYBE I DIDN'T GIVE IT A FAIR SHOT. NOW AT MY PARENTS, SQUABBLING WITH MY BROTHER + BEING OFFERED MULTIPLE PUDDING OPTIONS, AND CATCHING UP WITH LOCAL CAT-RELATED DRAMA. 18/4/25

There's this interloper black cat who is harassing their girl cat and fighting the boy cat. The house is on heightened alert re this furry terrorist.

BLERGH. HANGOVER TODAY. IDIOT. WAS IN GLOUCESTER YESTERDAY. CATHEDRAL, WEIRD ROMANESQUE STRAIGHT TO PERPENDICULAR THING GOING ON.w GENERAL SIGHTSEEING FOLLOWED BY TOO MUCH BEER + DUBIOUS BEFRIENDING OF LOCALS. TODAY, OVER TO BRISTOL, TO WANDER ABOUT LIKE A GHOST, TRYING NOT TO BE HUNGOVER (AND FAILING). SEA POWER IN THE EVENING THOUGH, A GOOD SET, I THOUGHT. NICE + LOUD, AND A VERY , ENTHUSED + POSITIVE CROWD VIBE. V GLAD NOW THOUGH TO GO TO SLEEP. 17/4/25

Bristol is pleasant. I am tired.

Vaults

No entry today, went to the pub, got drunk and went to sleep instead. Here's some vaulting at Gloucester Cathedral though.

VERY QUIET DAY. - MADE A GOOD OMELETTE. - TIDIED + LAUNDERIED THINGS • READ ABOUT WILLIAM III + MARY II. • BOOKED SOME CAMPING FOR JULY -BEWAILED MY DWINDLING BANK BALANCE. • CONTINUED TO KEEP ON TOP OF DENTAL HYGEINE/ HYGIENE? (help!) 15/4/24

1. Cheese omelette
2. They were first cousins (😑)
3. Peak District
4. I can't spell

Yeah, I'm not coming up with other possible ducks. I just need to get nearer their beaks. Or put my glasses on.

Two far away birds dabbling on mudflats. The photo quality is laughable.

I did take a fantastic photo of them though, and I'm sticking with shelduck.

TWO-DAY WEEK MEANS MONDAY IS ACCEPTABLE. WEATHER'S TURNED CHILLY AGAIN, WHICH FEELS, FRANKLY, LIKE A BETRAYAL. BELLS WAS OK. PRETTY CHAOTIC, NO-ONE'S STRIKING WAS UP TO MUCH. SOME AMBITIOUS ATTEMPTS AT METHODS OCCURED BUT REALLY IT'S CURSED IF MORE ARE THAN HALF THE BAND ARE WOBBLY. FOUND 50p ON THE WALK TO THE TOWER THOUGH (IT WAS... ...STICKY). 14/4/25

I saw the mystery ducks again. Didn't have my glasses on, let alone binoculars. They look like shelduck but not quite. Probably they are shelduck.

You've got nothing to lose (except for some carrots/ carrot quality)!

I think, not sure, that I parboiled some and they came out the freezer a bit spongy if I recall (which I might not). I reckon you might be ok with uncooked soffrito, it's smaller innit.

WENT TO WOODSIDE ON MY BIKE + BACK (OBVIOUSLY). NOT A LONG RIDE BUT ALWAYS GOOD TO GET OUT IN THE SUNSHINE. REST OF DAY UNEVENTFUL. COOKED A BUNCH OF STUFF: - CARROT SLAW - PICKLED RADISH - JUST SOME CHICKEN - POTATOS WITH PARSLEY - SPICY CAULIFLOWER -CARROTS. JUST BOILED THE BASTARDS SO I CAN FREEZE THEM.I'M SICK OF CARROTS. 13/4/25

FU CARROTS

DIDN'T GET ENOUGH SLEEP. HEADACHE ALL MORNING, WENT BACK TO BED AT 1pm. LATER, A SLOW WALK ON A MUDDY BEACH. FEELING MAINLY POST NAP GROGGY + GAVE UP ACHIEVING ANYTHING TODAY. MAKING SOME PIZZA AT LEAST. THAT'LL HAVE TO DO FOR TODAY. 12/4/25

Day redeemed by good pizza.