October 24-30, 2026
SATURDAY 24 Not long ago the term “Boomer” became a casual insult used by young people against elderly people. Even though I never really thought of myself as a Boomer (maybe a “Late Boomer”), I admit to taking offence at the term and even once tried to come up with a retaliatory name for stupid young people. Now I learn I am not in fact a Boomer at all. I am a member of Generation Jones, and I feel quite good about it. Everything about being a “Joneser” seems to fit comfortably.
๐ Disaster planning in response to the government’s Be Ready initiative is proving to be quite enjoyable. My wife has already ordered two wind-up torches, we have established that the vintage wind-up radio we had at the back of a cupboard no longer works, and a very useful list of non-perishable food is making shape.
๐ Series 4 of The Diplomat ended with a gripping “I am Spartacus” moment during a G7 conference in Italy.
SUNDAY 25 I’ve always been secretly glad that the House of Lords exists. It has been able to act as a Checkpoint Charlie for some of the most slovenly legislation produced by the House of Commons and to send it back with the message “think a bit harder”. In other words it plays its part in the democratic process. In the past its membership was dominated by the Aristocracy, but slowly that has changed to be more representative of modern society. The problem with it now, says a professor in the Conversation, is that it is overstuffed with what he calls the “Assetocracy”, a super wealthy, land and property owning class who see their seats on the red benches as a symbol of status and entitlement. Their interest in a functioning parliamentary democracy is minimal and many of them only turn up to collect the ยฃ371 daily allowance.
๐ My wife has spotted a new FIVE cheese pizza in Waitrose. Is that a Cinque Formaggio, I wonder?
๐ My cousin Kate always says a 2-0 lead in a football match is dangerous for the team on top. A one-goal comeback can suddenly turn into a tidal wave of pressure. Her husband Pete has always contended that this is nonsense. At half time today Liverpool were 2-0 up against Brighton and the TV commentators coincidentally chose to remind us that of the 126 games in recent history when Liverpool were leading 2-0 at half time, they eventually won 123 of them. The final score today was Liverpool 2, Brighton 0.
๐ It looks like the Student List has beaten Vuฤiฤ in the Serbian elections. It could have an anti-authoitarian knock-on effect around Europe, and that would be exciting
MONDAY 26 We finally got to see the Bayeux Tapestry (it’s actually an embroidery) and all the hype is justified. I’m surprised we never went to see it at its home in Bayeux before now. It is impressive in every way, mainly in scale and ambition, and I got plenty of ideas for my Bits Of The Bayeux ongoing stitch project.
TUESDAY 27 We’re watching the new series of This City Is Ours, which follows the fortunes of a violent Liverpool drug gang as they continue to buy and sell vast quantities of “Lemo”. Lemo is a contraction of lemonade but also a code word for cocaine. A story in today’s First Edition about cocaine use in the UK suggests that this is a series that could come to run as long as Peaky Blinders (six series).
๐ At the Royal Hospital Chelsea we said goodbye to our neighbour Steve at his funeral service. Two years ago, being an ex-serviceman he applied and was successful in becoming a Chelsea Pensioner and duly took advantage of wearing the distinctive red uniform. The biggest surprise today was to learn that Steve was not Steve at all. He was Francis Patrick, and born in Dublin in the Republic of Ireland and not in the north as we had always thought.
WEDNESDAY 28 Yesterday the Guardian commented that what happens next in Serbia is “an experiment in doing things differently”. Today in the Conversation is a more detailed analysis that doesn’t feel optimistic. The victorious Student List is riddled with competing factions. Forming a functioning government will be difficult.
๐ As the news arrives that Flavio Bolsonaro has fled from Brazil to Miami Jonty Bloom speculates as to where Trump and his cronies will flea when eventually they are ousted from government. The answer he gives is Argentina, because it has…
A populist far right regime, slash and burn economic policies, a corrupt elite, excellent beef and some good golf courses.
๐ Our friend Sue recently got her licence to sail small boats around the Mediterranean, and ever since she’s been making the most of it. She calls herself a SKI, which she says is an acronym for Spending the Kids’ Inheritance.
๐ My hip surgeon said I am now safe to travel overseas, so next week we will visit Trailfinders to firm up our trip to Mexico next year and maybe even eat some Mexican street food the Market Place food hall at St Paul’s.
THURSDAY 29 We finished Series 2 of This City Is Ours last night and the final shot had Michael and Diana standing on separate corners of Hope Street, gazing at each other meaningfully. Roll on Series 3.
๐ In his Comment Is Freed substack Sam Freedman characterises Burnham’s first budget as a reduction in the volume of the message and devoid of drama. That, says Freedman, is the strategy. Burnham has gained a lead and kept ahead of his opponents by…
making lots of small cost-of-living gestures, while seeding the idea of bigger changes over the longer term. The aim is for a steady, measured and consistent story, in contrast to the confused and frantic mixed messages of the Starmer era.
FRIDAY 30 Today everyone in the world is 2026. Add your birth year to your current age and, bippetyboppetyboo, the answer is 2026.
๐ Melania Trump is now a diplomat. She is said to have negotiated a temporary ceasefire in Ukraine so that evacuations can proceed. Many of those offered evacuation are refusing because they aren’t allowed to take their pets.
๐ According to Popbitch the late Princess Margaret claimed that Champagne made your breath “smell like poo”.
๐ There’s a lot of talk about making the manosphere illegal and I wondered what was the opposite of a misogynist. Yes, there is a word for it. It is misandry and those who practise it are misandrists, which made me think of Miss Havisham and Estella in Great Expectations.
๐ The backside of the latest catwalk model stitchwork is looking rather special…
๐ At my final physio session today Michaela asked me if we had grandchildren. She said they are very useful for playing catchball with, which improves dynamic balance.
๐ I wanted Romesh to win Celebrity Traitors and he did.
๐ It’s been a long time coming but it looks as if Canada and Europe now have the foundations for a new special relationship.
๐ I offered (twice) to buy my wife her Shingles vaccination as a Christmas present and she refused (twice).
Read all of my scrapbook diaries…
PLEASE MESSAGE WITH ANY CORRECTIONS, BIG OR SMALL.
