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Apr. 13th, 2026 06:05 pmToday I ate my lunch in the kitchen area at work with my manager who had brought food from one of the local places.
He commented that he was sick of ready meals at home because he was having his kitchen re-done. He said that the work was taking rather longer than expected and some of the trouble arose from them wanting to replace the water stopcock because it wasn't working. Except... it had been replaced two years before for the same reason. And, after the replacement, it still wasn't working. Various investigations were carried out, eventually resulting in investigating and dismantling a wall.
After which my manager had to go round to his neighbours and explain that his upstairs bathroom was connected to their water supply, had been ever since he moved in twelve years ago, and for some unknown number of years before that.
Dom - glad we didn't have that one with our kitchen.
He commented that he was sick of ready meals at home because he was having his kitchen re-done. He said that the work was taking rather longer than expected and some of the trouble arose from them wanting to replace the water stopcock because it wasn't working. Except... it had been replaced two years before for the same reason. And, after the replacement, it still wasn't working. Various investigations were carried out, eventually resulting in investigating and dismantling a wall.
After which my manager had to go round to his neighbours and explain that his upstairs bathroom was connected to their water supply, had been ever since he moved in twelve years ago, and for some unknown number of years before that.
Dom - glad we didn't have that one with our kitchen.
Biohackers
Apr. 12th, 2026 04:21 pmDom and I watched the first season of Biohackers over the last fortnight. It's a German thriller on Netflix about an undergraduate at a university involving genetic advances. It's interesting, a little weird, has some good characters (her flatmates in particular) and is fairly fast moving as it's only six episodes. Recommended.
Wildflowers
Mar. 29th, 2026 02:39 pmWith an approaching birthday, I celebrated with a meal at Wildflowers with Dom.
The menu (and wines) were:
First course:
Cantabrian anchovy, Manchego & honey
Red prawn crudo, stracciatella, pistachio & blood orange
Moules farcies, garlic & parsley butter
125ml Colet Navazos Reserva Brut Nature, Equipo Navazos 2020 Penedès, Spain
This had the best wine, this was a lovely sparkling white.
Second course:
Cornish red mullet, capers, golden raisins & pine nuts, grilled sardine sauce Choron
125ml ‘Louro Do Bolo’ Godello, Rafael Palacios 2023 Galicia, Spain
Third course:
Cuttlefish ‘Arroz al Horno’, crisp pork jowl, glazed cheek, morcilla, quince allioli
Italian bitter leaf salad & moscatel vinaigrette
125ml ‘Vi d'Altura` Priorat, Mas La Mola 2022 Cataluña, Spain
I liked this course, possibly the best.
Palate cleanser: Italian citrus sorbetto
Dessert:
Brown sugar creme caramel & whipped crème fraîche
50ml Vin Santo del Chianti Rufina Selvapiana 2022 Tuscany, Italy
The dessert wine was a beautiful colour.
The menu (and wines) were:
First course:
Cantabrian anchovy, Manchego & honey
Red prawn crudo, stracciatella, pistachio & blood orange
Moules farcies, garlic & parsley butter
125ml Colet Navazos Reserva Brut Nature, Equipo Navazos 2020 Penedès, Spain
This had the best wine, this was a lovely sparkling white.
Second course:
Cornish red mullet, capers, golden raisins & pine nuts, grilled sardine sauce Choron
125ml ‘Louro Do Bolo’ Godello, Rafael Palacios 2023 Galicia, Spain
Third course:
Cuttlefish ‘Arroz al Horno’, crisp pork jowl, glazed cheek, morcilla, quince allioli
Italian bitter leaf salad & moscatel vinaigrette
125ml ‘Vi d'Altura` Priorat, Mas La Mola 2022 Cataluña, Spain
I liked this course, possibly the best.
Palate cleanser: Italian citrus sorbetto
Dessert:
Brown sugar creme caramel & whipped crème fraîche
50ml Vin Santo del Chianti Rufina Selvapiana 2022 Tuscany, Italy
The dessert wine was a beautiful colour.
The Fall Guy
Mar. 28th, 2026 04:28 pmLast night, Dom and I watched The Fall Guy, a film, very loosely based on the old 80s TV series. It's fun, the stunts are good, I like both leads (Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt) and it doesn't take itself too seriously. Recommended if that appeals.
For the last few weeks, Dom and I have been watching Mobius - a Chinese time loop TV series. It's really very good. I enjoyed the characters, the time loops are interesting and the plot - and antagonist - make sense. It's not quite perfect: the first episode is rather different to what follows, and the sequel hook wasn't particularly attractive (there may be a second season, the first season only came out last autumn). However, it's definitely one of the best things I've seen recently and recommended for anyone liking time loops.
The Book of Doors
Mar. 1st, 2026 01:00 pmI'll follow up yesterday's post with a more positive one. After finishing the bookclub offering I moved on to a book that I'd picked up for 99p but hadn't know much about it other than liking the title and blurb. And I was very pleasantly surprised.
The Book of Doors was unexpectedly good and interesting. Magic, portals and decent characters. It wasn't perfect as the answers were a bit pat and I wanted a different outcome for the main antagonist, but the ending was decent. It probably helped that I had no expectations (it's a debut novel), but I'll be looking out for the author's second book.
The Book of Doors was unexpectedly good and interesting. Magic, portals and decent characters. It wasn't perfect as the answers were a bit pat and I wanted a different outcome for the main antagonist, but the ending was decent. It probably helped that I had no expectations (it's a debut novel), but I'll be looking out for the author's second book.
The Ghost Cat
Feb. 28th, 2026 12:48 pmThe next bookclub book is The Ghost Cat. I really liked the idea of reading ghost stories about a cat but it turns out this isn't the focus of the book. Instead it was simply a set of short pieces about imagined scenes of famous people in Edinburgh in the last 120 years.
I found it very disappointing. About the only mitigating points are the second chapter (or whatever it was called) and that the actual cat was a satisfying, large ginger one. Not recommended for anyone interested in either the ghost bit or the cat bit.
I found it very disappointing. About the only mitigating points are the second chapter (or whatever it was called) and that the actual cat was a satisfying, large ginger one. Not recommended for anyone interested in either the ghost bit or the cat bit.
Valentine Day = Pancake Day?
Feb. 14th, 2026 11:47 amReeve is sixteen today.
I speculated yesterday about how often pancake day and Valentine's Day were the same. Then I looked it up. It seems that, whilst very feasible, it hasn't actually happened in my lifetime. The last year it occurred was 1961. However, it should next happen in 2040 and then 2051. So, hopefully, I will see it happen.
I speculated yesterday about how often pancake day and Valentine's Day were the same. Then I looked it up. It seems that, whilst very feasible, it hasn't actually happened in my lifetime. The last year it occurred was 1961. However, it should next happen in 2040 and then 2051. So, hopefully, I will see it happen.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
Feb. 11th, 2026 11:49 amGameFAQs have published my review of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33.
Beautiful, interesting story, sad and very FFVI - FFVIII.
Beautiful, interesting story, sad and very FFVI - FFVIII.
Rose/House
Feb. 8th, 2026 11:31 amI really loved A Memory Called Empire, and its sequel A Desolation Called Peace, when I read it five years ago and it was my favourite book that year. So when Arkady Martine's novella Rose/House finally arrived in a format I could buy (English and Kindle or paperback) I got it.
"There is a dead person in Rose House. The house says so. It is not Basit Deniau [its deceased creator], and it is not Dr. Gisil [the only person allowed in]. It is someone else. Rose House, having completed its duty of care and informed Detective Maritza Smith of the China Lake police precinct that there is in fact a dead person inside it, dead of unnatural causes—has shut up."
And... it's fine, but a little disappointing. It's a bit shorter than I hoped and is much more concept than story. Plus I wanted a better ending. I liked Maritza, quite liked her police partner Torres and was OK about Dr Gisil but it felt unfinished and as though there should be more of it. An interesting take on an AI building but only a sketch rather than a whole picture.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/52263339-rose-house
"There is a dead person in Rose House. The house says so. It is not Basit Deniau [its deceased creator], and it is not Dr. Gisil [the only person allowed in]. It is someone else. Rose House, having completed its duty of care and informed Detective Maritza Smith of the China Lake police precinct that there is in fact a dead person inside it, dead of unnatural causes—has shut up."
And... it's fine, but a little disappointing. It's a bit shorter than I hoped and is much more concept than story. Plus I wanted a better ending. I liked Maritza, quite liked her police partner Torres and was OK about Dr Gisil but it felt unfinished and as though there should be more of it. An interesting take on an AI building but only a sketch rather than a whole picture.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/52263339-rose-house
Seven Dials
Feb. 1st, 2026 11:19 amWhen I went off to sixth form, decades ago, I found an Agatha Christie in the library (Cards On The Table). I read it, enjoyed it and then made my way through all her other books. Including The Seven Dials Mystery.
I really, really, loved The Seven Dials Mystery. It wobbles in a large number of places, but Bundle - the protagonist - really won me over to the rest of the book. Particularly her scene in the club.
So, on Friday we watched the three-part Seven Dials series on Netflix. And, it's good, but not amazing. Bundle is still awesome, they have amended her main questionable issue (her partner choice) and they have mainly kept the more memorable scenes. But they have changed the ending, almost entirely.
I'd still recommend for anyone else who is #teambundle. But don't expect it to follow the book.
I really, really, loved The Seven Dials Mystery. It wobbles in a large number of places, but Bundle - the protagonist - really won me over to the rest of the book. Particularly her scene in the club.
So, on Friday we watched the three-part Seven Dials series on Netflix. And, it's good, but not amazing. Bundle is still awesome, they have amended her main questionable issue (her partner choice) and they have mainly kept the more memorable scenes. But they have changed the ending, almost entirely.
I'd still recommend for anyone else who is #teambundle. But don't expect it to follow the book.
We finished watching Pantheon last night. It's animated sci-fi and is two seasons long (16 episodes in total). It is very nicely done, the plot is interesting and the computer science plausible. I liked the first season better than the second, but both are very watchable. Would recommend.
