RE: https://mastodonapp.uk/@bbcnewsfeed/117582417436099237

In other words, they know that GSCE curricula are not “rich and engaging” but we must test, test, test you know

The cat just wiped her wet nose on my eyeball. Not a fan of that.

Just heard Stephen Miller described as “the intellectual powerhouse of MAGA”.

RE: https://mastodon.social/@fesshole/117580097444192592

This is one of the more bizarre fesses I have read. I assume they ate it because they didn’t want to get into trouble for damaging the manuscript. They could’ve just put it in their pocket. I guess they panicked. Or maybe that’s all wrong and they wanted to absorb some medieval history.

RE: https://toot.wales/@NationCymru/117580101611160933

The Muddy Stilettos awards also named my little town as one of the best places to live in the UK. Muddy Stilettos appears to be a kind of online glossy lifestyle magazine for posh London women who have second homes in the Cotswolds. Not sure I want them and their husbands and offspring and labradors traipsing around Pembrokeshire (the labradors are welcome on their own, of course).

Good day to you! It’s a misty old morning in Pembrokeshire, the orange leaves of our cherry tree really pop in the gloom.

Apart from some everyday housework, my main task this afternoon is to make my signature white forest trifle to take to a lunch party tomorrow. I didn’t come up with the recipe but the magazine it was in was lost years ago and I make it from memory. We once entered it in a pudding contest and one first prize.

Looking forward to the lunch party, it’s with my friend Jo and her parents who live in the north of the county. I met Jo on Twitter about a decade ago and we decided to meet up when she was visiting her parents. We really hit it off and she’s become a super supportive RL friend.

Meanwhile, a pox on whoever it was that first mentioned the theme tune to Henry’s Cat yesterday, you have ruined my weekend.

What’s happening with you today? Tell me everything!

Poor Miss Cinnamon is frightened of the fireworks. They’re louder and closer tonight than on Bonfire Night. Hoping this will be the end of it.

I finished reading Witchcraft for Wayward Girls. This was the first book I’d read by Grady Hendrix. The premise is that in 1970 a group of pregnant teenagers in a Florida home for “wayward girls” fight the oppressive nature of their situation by embracing dark magic - but are they really in control?

There’s some significant body horror related to childbirth and self-mutilation. Do NOT read this if you are expecting your first baby! Hendrix says in the afterword that as middle aged childless man he’s tried his best with the subject matter and he’s mostly done well, I think. I’d also give a CW for CSA.

I’m not sure how I feel about the main character, I feel that she’s a bit inconsistent, but I enjoyed the cast of “wayward” girls.

Overall I give it ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

#books #bookstodon #horror #amreading

Well I had a super time with my Mastodon friend, they brought me Indian sweets!! And cheese! We had a great chat and Miss Cinnamon really liked them. Online friendships that spill over into RL are awesome.

RE: https://mastodon.me.uk/@ChrisMayLA6/117574562707592123

I have long noticed that autocomplete won’t offer suggestions for masturbation. It didn’t used to facilitate typing abortion but it seems to have got over that.

Good morning. I’ve been taking my evening meds later so I don’t crash out so early, but that means I’m struggling to get up in the morning lately. I feel really clobbered by sedation. It never used to be this bad. I feel like I can either be functional in the evenings or in the mornings but not both, which doesn’t seem fair. I’m worrying about how I’ll cope when I get back to work.

This morning I have the delights of a visit from a Mastodon friend, we are meeting irl for the first time. I’ve got special biscuits in! This will be I think my third or maybe even fourth Fedizen I’ve met offline.

Not a lot else to report today. The sun is shining. We’ve got a wash on.

Have a superlative Saturday!

RE: https://mastodon.online/@50years_music/117569769577265303

I loved this song when it came out. I was 11. I have a vivid memory of it being on the radio the day my bestie’s dad forgot to turn off when he was supposed to be driving us to middle school. We kept quiet, waiting to see how far he’d drive before realising (we didn’t get very far).

No matter how long I live I will never be able to associate the colour blue with the political left. It’s like America actively tries to be contrary, just like with the Fahrenheit and the refusal to use metric measurements and the weird date format.

Good afternoon! I’ve spent the morning looking at things Tom has unearthed as he declutters his office and assigning them to the bin, the charity shop or another place in the house, and more holiday preparations.

I’ve nearly worked through my lists of things to do, buy or find, just a couple of things to track down which are probably in one of my many handbags and backpacks. I honestly have no idea how I have ended up having so many bags in my possession. I found a pair of glasses in the car but I can’t tell if they are my current spare pair or a previous prescription, why don’t I pay more attention to where I put things?

I am winning though because the pharmacy had a month’s supply of meds waiting for me.

How’s it going your end?

I’ve just had some Walkers limited edition grilled cheese and chilli jam flavour crisps and they were amazing. Apparently by buying this pack I have voted for the flavour, which is up against salt & pepper chicken.

This doesn’t seem fair, because it means one has voted without having tasted the crisps. I think reform of this electoral system is called for.

#food #crisps #WalkersCrisps

Here’s a headline with a lot going on

Man caught in car with £14k of drugs as a lamb ate chips in the back seat avoids jail https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c6rmyrnwylwzo

Had an email from Green Party Women about a “free speech event” on “how antizionism harms Jewish women”. The email says that GPW recognises this is a very sensitive issue but they are hosting it in the interests of free speech. Part of me feels like I should hear their POV but I can’t defend a position which defends Zionism.

I’ve been reminded this morning of this little fella. Those were the days.

Morning. I had a terrible night’s sleep for no discernible reason and one really awful dream. I also had quite a cool dream which I think was influenced by listening to China Miéville’s The Rouse about putting together a PhD proposal on the literature of the paranormal.

I was supposed to meet a friend for brunch but she’s come down with a bug so my day is clear other than buying a few bits for dinner. It’s a grey day.

The key thing is not to go back to bed as that will impact tonight’s sleep. But it’s so hard!

Tell me all your news.

RE: https://mastodon.social/@fesshole/117558863905409077

Nobody supervised us at my school in the 1980s, so I used to just get my hair slightly wet and pretend. It’s not like I ever got sweaty anyway standing ostracised at the edge of the field.