Paul Howard

Photo of very dark grey clouds over some rooftops.

No fireworks display in my home village tonight because of stupid council politics. But this sky is not inspiring me to make the journey into Cambridge.

When he reaches the top of the ladder and clambers onto the wooden staging, my heart is well and truly in my mouth.

YouTube video by BBC Archive 1979: Steeplejack FRED DIBNAH takes down a MASSIVE chimney BRICK by BRICK | BBC Archive

Just being reminded of what an astonishing and unique individual Fred Dibnah was. Such admirable courage, grit and stoicism. This clip is mesmerising. And I could listen to his voice for hours. www.youtube.com/watch?v=NKPA...

I hear that magnesium supplements can simultaneously aid sleep and relieve constipation.

Hopefully that's not *too* simultaneous. 😳

It's a bit 'taters out.

"Wow, whoever installed this system for you did a really great job." -- no tradesperson, ever.

Sugar-free pear drops (from the local health food store) almost manage to satisfy my nostalgic hankering for the "real thing" - a mental reward without the dental catastrophe.

Autumn scene of a footpath curving between hedges and shrubs under a pale blue sky with scattered cloud.

Happy that I managed to get out and about this morning before the rain moved in.

Handwritten mathematical workings resulting in an answer of 42.

I thought I was solving a simple maths problem, but I seem to have stumbled on the answer to life, the universe and everything.

I might be getting into Sigur Rós. More news as it happens.

I just filled up a kettle to slightly above the “max” line, so don’t be telling me that I’m risk averse.

The scene where he was addressing the beef with his ex co-presenter was TV gold.

The new Alan Partridge thing is excellent. He hasn't been this funny since he was in the Linton Travel Tavern.

Chameleon clamping shut a frog's mouth.

I feel it in my fingers
I feel it in my t

Jesus knocking gently on a shut door.

Are you going to be long in there, Matthew?

That reminds me - I must be about due for a re-watch of "The Haunting of Hill House", which was proper shit-your-pants.

Looking at next week's work calendar and wishing I could send a stunt double in.

I wish I could master the middle bit, but my fingers will not play ball.

That juxtaposes nicely with the notorious mis-spelling of "Britain" at the party conference.

Child rescued after getting trapped in Co Clare claw machine The young child is believed to have climbed into the ‘Cosmic Crane’ machine through a large slot from which the footballs are dispensed

I know what you're thinking and no, that's not how they rescued him.

www.irishexaminer.com/news/munster...

Me: "Dear brain, how about some more interesting and varied dreams?"

My brain: "Nah, let's do the one where you're panic-shopping for the whole family on Christmas Eve again."

So far I've attended at least one #LiveMusic event in every month of 2025. Tonight I'll be ticking the box for September. Looking forward to some Mozart and Schubert with Jeneba Kanneh-Mason and the Britten Sinfonia in Cambridge.

Oh well, any old excuse to re-share this gem from Big Train: www.youtube.com/watch?v=p1YN...

Don’t worry - the same thing happened to Beethoven and it inspired him to compose his most famous work.

Will you do another reader comp soon? I thought of a good[*] one.

* - (it's probably rubbish)

Lord, grant me the serenity to accept the wisdom I cannot change,
The courage to do something or other,
And the ability to remember prayers better.

I haven't stayed there (yet), but their restaurant is amazing, and it's a lovely house and grounds. Congratulations to them.

I think it's going very well. There just aren't any righteous people.

Intricate pattern of sunlight on a plain grey surface.

An inter-dimensional portal opened up on my desk again. #SwirlyThingAlert