FletchWon

Perfect for my Gothic fiction lessons next year.

Sorry to hear this. That cat’s had a great life with a great name. Take it easy and - my advice - skip the news.

Summer reading update #1: Raced through Jaws, wincing at the 70s attitudes and thrilling to the climactic shark battle. Now onto Quint, a promising prequel I didn’t know existed until yesterday.

Unable to rest because there doesn’t seem to be a connection between Mae Martin’s new Netflix Wayward series to Blake Crouch’s Wayward Pines or @chuckwendig.bsky.social Wayward or Grady Hendrix’s Witchcraft for Wayward girls. The facility in the trailer is called Tall Pines, too.
Headache inducing.

Ah, that’ll be my colourblindness. I didn’t know butter and Weetabix made such a natural paring.

Got to know what that breakfast is. Weetabix and avocado?

Splotches of ‘light’, 70s-style homophobic/racist humour are really marring the excellent shark bits. The tension created by the fish is palpable but Jaws is a tough read this century.

Reading the Jaws book for the first time and it’s like bad fan fiction for the film.

Hooper and Brody’s wife are having a grim, desperately unsexy affair and the Mafia has popped up for some reason.

There is even a 10-page dinner party scene centered around Brody not knowing gazpacho soup is cold.

(I am the only teacher who can thrill to the idea of 6 weeks holiday but fail to actually enjoy it)

Productive(ish) day: put together an insert for Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion. First time I’ve used PVA glue in forever and can confirm it still sucks.

Obviously, my house is filled with real jobs to do but, well, at least I’ve not yet been hit by the summer hols gloom.

Perfect start to the school holidays.

In the meantime, I’ve only got:
- Improve my diet (inability to organise life or cook to basic standard could be issues)
- Reduce my caffeine intake (Took this like a death sentence)
- Exercise (Sad face)
- Reduce stress (No problem for someone with 23 years of chronic anxiety)
- Stay alive

Excellent, now I have high blood pressure. Pharmacist who did the test rushed me to my GP with a copy of results.
The surgery staff responded with some alarm and I’ve been offered an urgent appointment.
On August 18th.
On the telephone.

New dog just endured his first penalty shootout in a house full of family from here and the States. He’s still barking in confusion and excitement. Well played #lionesses.

Being a fancy lad in Hatchards this morning and overhead a scene from 21st Clueless between the staff.

Staff member 1: I ran 5k in 30 minutes this morning

Staff Member 2 (non-ironically): Slay!

Me (sotto voce): Christ alive.

First day of the holidays and went to a grey, overcast beach. Steely UK beauty at its finest.

Ran into a former games journo pal and got a massive hit of nostalgia for endless trips away for free booze and games - all in excellent company.

These read like a modern day spin on Kipling’s ‘If’. Invaluable life lessons.

Youngest left primary school today. I just want to spend a day with the 4-year-old version of the boy. One day would be enough, I imagine.

I no longer love ale.

Off to London for the annual beer fest messiness. Nervous as, due to the nightmarish hangxiety I get (or ‘the fear, as a friend of mine used to call it), I rarely drink beyond a couple. Still, it’s tradition that we do this and, God, I do love an ale.

Well done to the lad. Daughter picked geography over history for her options, despite my protestations that it’s “just endless rivers and colouring”.

18 birds that contribute to the UK dawn chorus, starting with the earliest risers. Drawn by HappyToast

The Drawn Chorus.
Quite a nice way to spend a day.

‘Have a Nice Day’ by The Stereophonics has been known to induce loud screaming fits, often in supermarkets.

Not in my Kent school library they don’t.

Pure luck - spotted the cat tapping something, which suddenly moved.

“Call me slow again,” barked the worm. “I dare you!”

*Even though I rescued him from a cat, he was not very friendly*

I genuinely get annoyed when I’m doing the recycling. I bet Bezos never cleans out his Nespresso pods.

My daughter (now 13) started playing a couple of years ago. I handled the installation and setup, ensuring filters were age appropriate and she could not chat with anyone. Friends can message on WhatsApp. I made an account and checked in on occasion. She was always playing the blandest fashion game.

Sorry you had to read this, I’m trapped in the garden with the recuperating dog and only my thoughts to keep me company.