I wanted a relaxed, stress-free Christmas Day, which got off to a terrific start when I accidentally upended two glasses of Buck's Fizz into my bed.

Howard and I were forced to get up by this incident, but otherwise we did things very much as and when we wished. We opened presents and had a Christmas meal of clementine & vodka-baked salmon with ( Read more... )

Time for my annual discovery that I'm really, really bad at wrapping presents ( Read more... )

Well, it wasn't quite Christmas as we know it, but it was a damn sight better than last year ( Read more... )

If you have or know or were or are a child who loves books, or if you just think books are great, why not donate to BookTrust and give a child who's vulnerable or in care a whole parcel of books at Christmas?


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The Cinema Museum in south London has been up and running for a while, but Wednesday night was my first visit - thanks to a screening in their 'Kennington Noir' series of Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid, one of my favourite films ( Read more... )

I was greatly cheered on Friday night by Nine Lessons and Carols for Curious People, a timely reminder that there are plenty of good, clever, caring people in the world. Robin Ince chaired a series of lightning lectures and performances from the worlds of arts and sciences, including facts about the Solar Orbiter! volcanoes! whale poo! and more ( Read more... )

Now that Christmas is fast approaching, I have been seized with the urge to catch up with everyone I know, so the last few days have gone like this:

Wednesday: Have friend A round for dinner
Thursday: Pub with old pals B & C from university
Friday: Pizza at friend D's
Saturday: Hang out with friend E in Windsor
Sunday: Christmas lunch at pub in St ( Read more... )

On Saturday I headed down to Winchester through the wind and rain, to meet le_loup_peint and raja_laba_laba in front of the cathedral. The plan was to look round the Christmas market, which we last visited three years ago, then have a festive Starbucks and wander the streets ( Read more... )

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