Cackling Aaaarghnold 🐿️ 🎃 🧙‍♀️

The covers of LAIKA and My Beloved Other, published by Macmillan. Art (c) Nick Abadzis

If you liked Laika…

My father was a Conservative, and my mother voted Labour, so I suppose by rights I should be a Liberal Decmocrat. But in actual fact I'm a Nazi.

But in actual fact I'm a Nazi.

By popular request (two versions).

You want me to arse the parlour maid?

You want me to fart the hit parade?

Stephen Fry from the Pass the Marmalade sketch

Stephen Fry from the Pass the Marmalade sketch

For all your meme needs.

Got it for 50p second hand off my school mate who decided she was too cool for New Romantics.

First full price purchase from a record shop was Parallel Line, probably in Connswater Shopping Centre.

Up until that point, I got albums for Xmas presents or from the library to copy to cassette.

Penderyn Icons of Wales #13 - Bad Wolf This is a 10-year-old whisky fully matured in Tawny Port pipes, which are very old and have held port for around 60 years. "Tell them stories. They need the truth. You must tell them true stories, & e...

I’m a sucker for the packaging, even though I don’t drink the stuff

www.penderyn.wales/product/pend...

Also hadn’t heard of these, but now also angry about them having a self destruct button - and glad it didn’t work. So many emotions 😭😱😀

If they had them in Belfast, we never saw them 🤣 Our village shops were cobbler, bakery, butcher, greengrocer, chemist, chippy & newsagent. And a petrol station.

This firecracker of charisma has been a joy to watch. Golden Goldstein got on famously with pro partner Vito Coppola and translated that bond on to the dancefloor. She loved the glamour and glitter, had great musicality and is a natural born performer who sold routines hard. Her highlights were her sensational Barbie samba, joyous K-pop Couple’s Choice and sassy Spice Girls samba. Slower dance styles and technically tricky ballroom numbers were always likely to be more challenging. So it proved, with Ellie bowing out on a tango. I’d feared she might be fatigued and overwhelmed by the dance-off but once again, she defied all expectations.

She’s already made history by becoming the first model with Down’s syndrome to grace the cover of Vogue and partnering with Mattel to produce the first Barbie doll with Down’s. Now the mould-breaking 23-year-old notched up another milestone by becoming Strictly’s first contestant with Down’s. Another step forward for inclusivity, it made for the feelgood story of the series. The irrepressible force of nature brought sparkle and happiness to our TV screens, just when it was what viewers needed. Ellie’s positive impact as a role model and myth-buster shouldn’t be underestimated. We’ll miss you, Cheeky Team.

Love this assessment of Ellie's time on #Strictly by @michaelhogan100.bsky.social in the Guardian 💕

Seconded

I’d never heard of pumpkin in 1977, we were still using turnips in the mid 80s 🤣

Never have I been more confident that a routine was designed with Jojo's outfit first. #scd #strictly

Amber doing the biz as usual, but after last week, not sure how many more weeks she’ll last.
#scd #strictly

That was the Jo Jo show, Alex came along for the ride 😉 #strictly #scd

Loved that #scd #strictly

Love that she gets to A Tango in flat heels #scd #strictly

Really judges? Lower score than Ellie & Vito? #scd #strictly

Harry’s rockin’ that hairstyle, enjoyed that #scd #strictly

Not the French & Saunders version, shame 🤣 #scd #strictly

Well deserved score for Lewis & Katya 👏 #scd #strictly

I had to rewind that to watch again without being put off by the music #scd #strictly

OMG 😨 #creep #scd #strictly

Let’s see how the fuck they dance to Creep without ruining it completely #scd #strictly
Bonus bingo for the ‘family’ roll out

I love La Voix 👑 ❤️ #scd #scd

Motsi’s contact lenses are freaking me out #scd #strictly

George, too much faffing abaht and a wobble kneeling down.
#strictly #scd

I think she’ll be near the bottom of the leaderboard tonight

I thought she did really well with this one, had a load of proper steps rather than just bouncing

Forgot to kick off the #scd #strictly thread

Vicky - ok
Ellie - wow!

Rather fetching photo of my Cookie Monster Oodie - with the hood up, you can barely distinguish me & my chins from the real Cookie Monster.

7:25 and no trick or treaters yet.
Has the weather defeated them?
Or @jonarnold.bsky.social ‘s sneaky trick of locking the front door & pulling over the curtain so it’s too dark to see the steps?
I’m in my monster costume & want to scare someone!