No way 17 year old me would have had 50 year old me buying JH Elliott’s Imperial Spain on their bingo card but nice to see - in one of those things you realise as you get older - one of my formative texts available on a major art exhibition. Nice prep for an autumn dive into Spanish history.

“It's comforting to know your good night's guaranteed!” says the TV after two nights at the Premier Inn by Euston train station. Absolutely the worst nights of sleep I’ve had in months. The rooms are so so so uncomfortably warm. (And I say that as a man who likes warmth.) One of the worst hotels. 🫠

Zubarán at National Gallery is sublime.

Seen it so many times in other people’s pictures. Now seen it IRL for the second time in three years. The Pantheon is Rome is absolute magic. (Rome is also v much a magical place.)

Um, would you buy and then drink a bottle of [squints] Love Streams?

Walking past a dog and their human on one of my local walks.

I love books, but suggesting Bradford Literature Festival will cause delays on the roads into the city is a stretch.

Morning jog up the canal from home/Saltaire, past Bingle (one for RadMac listeners that), the canal looking lovely just short of Keighley.

[deep intake of breath] Seeing news like this and wondering if having strong views about the use of _portal_ (as in _rather people didn't use portal to describe web things_) is the best use of energy.

Here’s 5 things the USA marking 250 years since its split from Brit— only joking. An hour spent with Andy Feather and friends at Bradford Lit Festival: the trams and trolleybuses of Bradford, innovation and a footnote about the longevity of good ideas. www.officeofwilson.com/2026-bradfor...

Chanced upon a mini football fanzine pop up exhibition at Bradford Lit today. Much much more to dig into than was there, but nice to see. No SWWF though.

Four drinks watching the England game. Cross the road to home and find this waiting. About right. Thanks @ballantine70.bsky.social and Nick! Looks lovely IRL! (Random night ahead…)

Absolutely tipped it down the moment I got going. I don’t there were admiring looks at my sodden white top. 🙈

Nice and moody is back at the river Aire at Roberts Park in Saltaire on this morning’s run*.

Not bad out.

Front garden and the stuff growing on top of the outhouse out back all watered. Let’s go

Oh yes. And more on the sides

We’ve got ourselves into a circle. A few weeks back we started putting out a filled coconut half for birds. First few took a few days to get eaten. Just put today’s out (yes, today’s), expect it’ll be done by 1pm. Also, birds have been in the garden doing moaning-tweeting until I did this, sigh.

LNER auto delay repay still totally struggles with any journey I make where the first train in the journey is the late one and the second train — which I missed because late first train — is fine. Doesn’t seem to use actual travel data just the planned travel. Which seems a basic requirement. 🤷‍♂️

V much like “Taking an API for a walk” in the V&A East Storehouse entrance. More info: www.stefanieposavec.com/projects/v-a...

We live across the road from Salts Mill in Saltaire (right by the train station if you’ve been). The Mill is pretty much a tribute to David Hockney, always an exhibition on. Once in a while I pose by this pic of Hockers, never get it right. Genuinely one of the all time great artists.

In Dundee, where local person James Chalmers is buried, “originator of the adhesive postage stamp”, literally something that was stuck on something to save a bigger system. 😉

Glasgow. Back three years since we were last here. Ambles around the old and newer buildings. A Sunday morning run to Celtic Park and back. The Burns gallery at Kelvingrove, with all the Scottish Colourist pics, is one of my fave gallery places. Popping by Barrowland. (Whisky not pictured.)

Fun taking some time out this week to visit a primary school for two classes of kids trying to guess what I and my fellow guests do for a living. Some of the young people said my job was cool, although one kid didn’t get over I didn’t work for Kwikfit. 😔

Sugar gig in Leeds tonight was v good. 32 years since they last toured. 1994, the year I finished my A levels. 🫠

Lost Music Venues in Room 104 at the V&A is worth the visit alone for this set list stuck to the wall.

London weekends usually mean the 5km jog from KX to Arsenal and back. This morning first time since (Grimsby) Town played them in 2001 I’ve been past the old Highbury East Stand. First time in daylight.

Ssssuuuuuuu-ppppppeeeeeeeeerrrrrrb.

What the hell is going on with that list of when we’ll be woken up during the night, Network Rail?