A little piece of history: this is the Royal Oak, the pub in Swallowcliffe now co-owned by James May of Top Gear and The Grand Tour fame.

But this was long before he bought it, back in January 2009, when it was just a run-down looking pub with a sign with aspirations above the rest of the pub.

A rural scene features a white building with a sign for The Royal Oak @ Swallowcliffe and a parked car in a countryside setting.

Happy with those. Now, let’s see how my daughters feel…

A person is holding a plate with a stack of freshly cooked crepes.

Doing the Shrove Tuesday thing.

A crepe is cooking in a frying pan on an induction stove.

A robin isn’t just for Christmas.

RSPB Pulborough Brooks, 16/2/26

A small robin with a vivid orange breast perches on a branch amidst a tangle of bare twigs.

We have new housemates…

A gerbil sits inside a yellow circular dish in a cage, surrounded by bedding and scraps.

The youngest and I are joining in on the Warhammer Million Miniatures Challenge…

Wish us luck!

A detailed miniature figure depicts a fantasy creature with red scales and ornate gold accents, carrying an intricately armored rider wielding a spear.

Beach time.

Started reading: The Abundance by Annie Dillard 📚

Market day.

A bustling outdoor market in Shoreham-by-Sea, West Sussex, with people browsing stalls under blue and white canopies, featuring a large church and leafless trees in the background.

I keep meaning to write about the “consultantification“ of the future of mainstream journalism; an ever-growing consulting class trying to live off a shrinking market.

I want to write about why “liquid content” is bullshit.

But I’m not sure how to do this without upsetting a lot of people.