That’s been a bit of a year then hasn’t it. Though there have been some ups and downs, personally and at work, thankfully the ‘worst’ that has happened to me has been an extended period of furlough. Though even this ‘worst’ has had a lot of upside. I’ve been able to get on with a …
2020
Panenka
Originally on the Indie Bookshops blog After such a great debut I was really looking forward to reading Rónán’s follow up and was lucky enough to get sent a copy from Bluemoose Books to read and review. During a year where we are all just feeling raw, as though our nerve endings feel exposed to …
Vesper Flights
I’ve just returned to work after almost nine months of furlough and decided to use the walk to and from work as an opportunity to listen to audiobooks now that I’m enjoying them. Vesper Flights by Helen Macdonald was the first of my walking books, and I’ve been saving it to be that as I …
November Photo of the Month
Structural details – Saltburn Pier – November 2020 This was taken as the sun was going down and I loved the natural contrast the structures brought to the beautiful sky. Just a photo from one of our, what used to be, regular walks between Saltburn and Redcar along the beach. I’ll be adding a gallery …
October Update
Twenty-one posts published this month, so a really good month for blog content as in my head as long as I write at least one post a week I’m on my schedule and I’m doing well. Twenty-one posts about gaming, cooking, art history, and writing, but not one book review… You know, the main reason …
Spanish(ish) Fish Soup
You know those recipes that have been in your repertoire for so long that you forget the source* and you can make it without thinking? This is one of those, it is a hearty staple that goes so well with fresh home-made bread with butter, very tasty and very filling, but also light enough to …
I am for an art …
I am for an art that is political-erotical-mystical, that does something other than sit on its ass in a museum. I am for an art that grows up not knowing it is art at all, an art given the chance of having a staring point of zero. I am for an art that embroils itself …
Spicy Smoked Mackerel Parcels
We had some filo pastry sitting in the freezer for a while now (I’m going to make Apple Pie Samosas as some point) and I was wondering whether or not there was a filo pastry recipe for smoked mackerel. First hit I found was this recipe from Waitrose, who are usually spot on but this …