30 DECEMBER

“And I feel like I just got home / And I feel / Quicker than a ray of light”

29 DECEMBER

“Star! That’s what they call you / How long you’ve waited to get where you are”

28 DECEMBER

“All in all, it’s just another…”

25 DECEMBER

“Here I am baby / Signed, sealed, delivered, I’m yours”

24 DECEMBER

“And don’t it make my brown eyes blue?”

23 DECEMBER

“Your boughs so green in summertime / Stay bravely green in wintertime”

22 DECEMBER

“Don’t give up / You’re not beaten yet / Don’t give up / I know you can make it good”

21 DECEMBER

“Oranges and lemons say the bells of St Clement’s / You owe me five farthings say the bells of St Martin’s”

20 DECEMBER

“Monday you can hold your head / Tuesday, Wednesday stay in bed / Or Thursday watch the walls instead…”

19 DECEMBER

“Rockin’ around the Christmas tree / Let the Christmas spirit ring”

18 DECEMBER

“You’ll go down in history”

17 DECEMBER

“I rode my bicycle past your window last night”

16 DECEMBER

“My baby takes the morning train, he works from nine til five…”

15 DECEMBER

“Bah humbug, now that’s too strong! / ‘Cause it’s my favourite holiday”

14 DECEMBER

“Morning has broken / Like the first morning”

13 DECEMBER

“You cheat / You lie / You make me want to cry”

12 DECEMBER

“This is the road to hell”

11 DECEMBER

“Oh bring us a figgy pudding”

10 DECEMBER

“We’ll leave the world behind / Tonight / From now the place and time is right”

9 DECEMBER

“Every day is like Sunday / Every day is silent and grey”

Hey there @smokey - there is a statue of a bull outside the Bullring shopping centre in Birmingham. It usually looks very fierce! However on Saturday it was dressed up in pantomime gear. I had to do some harsh cropping because there were so many people in the shot…

8 DECEMBER

“Sweet darling / You can leave your hat on”

7 DECEMBER

“I was dreaming when I drove / The long straight road ahead”

6 DECEMBER

“I don’t care about the presents / Underneath the Christmas tree”

5 DECEMBER

“And when those blue snowflakes start falling / That’s when those blue memories start calling”

4 DECEMBER

“‘Cause I remember when you were here / And all the fun we had last year”

3 DECEMBER

“I’ve been standin’ here / Waitin’ Mr Postman so patiently / For just a card or a letter…”

2 DECEMBER

“Sunrise, sunrise / Looks like mornin’ in your eyes”

This is the wrapping paper for my godson Ben @smokey -

1 DECEMBER

“So I’m sending you this Christmas card / To say it’s nice to have you here”

30 NOVEMBER

“Because the night belongs to lovers / Because the night belongs to us”

I have no idea how to integrate my various blogs, writing and other social media accounts into a coherent whole. I am not sure that I need to, but I have seen some great ways of doing this by very talented microbloggers. #mbnov

29 NOVEMBER

“I’m like a bird / I’ll only fly away / I don’t know where my soul is / I don’t know where my home is”

The response to the suspected terrorist attack on London Bridge today, by ordinary members of the public, was fantastic. It’s absolutely heartbreaking that there has been another incident there. #mbnov

Here in the UK, there are lots of property reality shows on the TV: whether you are interested in buying or selling, you can usually find a programme to suit your budget. My favourites are the ones where people design their own homes. It’s always hard work! #mbnov

28 NOVEMBER

“I bless the rains down in Africa / Gonna take some time to do the things we never had”

27 NOVEMBER

“Oh what a thing to do / ‘Cause you were all yellow”

“To be rich in friends is to be poor in nothing” is one of my favourite quotes. #mbnov

26 NOVEMBER

“If you fall, I will catch you, I’ll be waiting / Time after time”

I had dinner with old friends from uni this evening. We talked a lot about politics; royal scandals, both past and present, were added to the mix. #mbnov

25 NOVEMBER

“Although I’m not worthy / You fixed me, I’m blinded / By your grace”

Will Nottingham Forest secure a promotion to the English Premier League this season? #mbnov

24 NOVEMBER

“You are lost and gone forever / Dreadful sorry, Clementine”

We had unexpected company for dinner on Saturday night. My dad’s brother paid us a surprise visit, which caused me to panic a bit, as I was more than halfway through cooking the meal and I thought I had not cooked enough for an extra guest. #mbnov

23 NOVEMBER

“De La Soul posse consists of three / And that’s the magic number”

It’s been a tough week at the salt mines. I have an expressive face and I must have looked particularly woebegone because my manager asked me if I was OK. I admitted to him that things were not going well. Hopefully we’ll be able to resolve some of the issues. #mbnov

22 NOVEMBER

“Streetlife and there’s a thousand parts to play / Streetlife until you play your life away”

Rattle and Hum was one of my favourite U2 albums. There was a film about that tour too, and I remember going to see it in the cinema when I was a student. The gospel version of “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For” still gives me chills! #mbnov

Almost nothing is going to annoy me more than biting into a chocolate Easter bunny, expecting it to be a solid one… and it turns out to be hollow! I always feel cheated! #mbnov

20 NOVEMBER

“Darling leave a light on for me / I’ll be there before you close the door”

My second substantive overseas posting was to Ottawa. I absolutely loved it there! The city is easy to get around and the people are warm and friendly. The winters though..! #mbnov

20 NOVEMBER

“All day long they work so hard / Till the sun is goin’ down”

19 NOVEMBER

“Honey, honey, how you thrill me, aha, honey, honey”

The only way to abate the noise and chatter at work is to wear noise cancelling headphones. But as the deputy head of unit, I have to be approachable to all. So more often than not, I’m without headphones but trying to blank out the noise. #mbnov

It is important to build trust at work. In the last 12 months or so, I have placed my trust in a couple of colleagues and it has not gone well… It means I have had to develop a tough shell. #mbnov

18 NOVEMBER

“It’s good to hear your voice, you know it’s been so long / If I don’t get your calls, then everything goes wrong”

17 NOVEMBER

“Cause summer is here / And I’m still waiting there / Winter is here / I’m still waiting there”

One of my friends has a running joke about the Super Bowl on Twitter. If one of the teams has a bird included in their name, he will use the hashtag Superb Owl in his tweets. Well, it makes me laugh! #mbnov

16 NOVEMBER

“Seasons don’t fear the reaper / Nor do the wind, the sun or the rain, we can be like they are”

I am not particularly selective when it comes to chocolate - I am quite happy scoffing a bar of Cadbury’s Dairy Milk; though I do like Godiva stuff as well. #mbnov

When things seem murky, you have to head towards the light. But what if those we expect to shine a light are somehow compromised as well? Have the print, broadcast and social media been complicit? Some might say yes. #mbnov

15 NOVEMBER

“London calling, see we ain’t got no swing / Except for the ring of that truncheon thing”

In my neck of the woods, we say bread roll; but in the north west they say barm cake; in the north east it is a stotty! In the Midlands it is a cob, while in the south west they call it a tea cake. #mbnov

14 NOVEMBER

“Sweets for my sweet / Sugar for my honey”

I haven’t been able to sleep properly for two consecutive nights. I’ve got a cold and a sore throat. I’m grumpy when I don’t get a proper night’s sleep, so let’s hope that there’s some improvement tonight. #mbnov

13 NOVEMBER

“Black velvet and that little cat smile / Black velvet with that slow slinky style”

12 NOVEMBER

“I want to ride my bicycle / I want to ride my bike”

I’ve been lucky enough to travel all over the world with my job. I’ve been to Kathmandu, San’a and the Seychelles, as well as longer postings to Canberra and Ottawa. I am always asked “Why don’t you stay?” and the reason is - it’s not home. It’s not where my parents live. #mbnov

11 NOVEMBER

“Though some might mock and some might sneer / We’ll keep the EU flag flying here”

Although I am not as keen about it as I used to be, I still have a Facebook account. I use it to keep in touch with the many friends I’ve made through my travels. I like to see their pics, and I usually leave a nice comment. But Facebook is also evil. #mbnov

10 NOVEMBER

“Oh, war, I despise / ‘Cause it means destruction of innocent lives”

Are you taking up too much space if you’re not living on the edge?! As someone who likes routine and does well with clearly defined structures, I say hell no! LOL! #mbnov

9 NOVEMBER

“It was a day that I will always remember / The saddest day in November”

A cold and foggy morning. I quite like Autumn days like this, because it usually means it will be bright and sunny later. #mbnov

We were presented with an extensive menu of cocktails at the bar this afternoon! I stuck to one I had had during my last visit, a candy floss fizz. My friends both chose porn star martinis. #mbnov

8 NOVEMBER

“Cheers to the freakin’ weekend / I drink to that, yeah yeah”

7 NOVEMBER

“I’ve been watching, I’ve been waiting / In the shadows for my time”

I am not a fan of horror films. I would definitely not pay money to see a scary film at the cinema. I always ask friends who do - “Was it frightening?” And when they say yes, I add that film to my mental list of ‘Nope. Not going’. #mbnov

6 NOVEMBER

Too soon?

If you always stick to what you know / How will you continue to thrive and grow? #mbnov

5 NOVEMBER

Do you know why we remember, the fifth day of each November?

My parents have lived on the same street, in the same house, for over fifty years. When my mum was a young bride, someone told her that moving house was extremely stressful and she vowed then and there to never, ever move. #mbnov

4 NOVEMBER

I hear the sound of rain falling in my ears / Washing away the weariness like tears.

Say what you mean; and mean what you say. I try to live this by this, so that there are no misunderstandings. But of course there are times when a little white lie is needed, when you must think about sparing someone’s feelings. #mbnov

It’s always fascinating to me how languages adapt and change. Not so long ago, here in the UK we used to say, “I fancy him!” (Or her). But now I mostly hear people say “He/She is my crush!” #mbnov

3 NOVEMBER

“The weekend mood and she’s feeling proud / Live in dreams Sunday Girl”

2 NOVEMBER

“Trains and boats and planes are passing by / They mean a trip to Paris or Rome”

My dilemma: how to mark my birthday when I don’t actually like celebrating my birthday? In the recent past, I went away on holiday (LA in 2013; Vancouver in 2014; and Quebec City, 2015). Best birthday trip so far? New Zealand! #mbnov

1 NOVEMBER

A fresh start. Again.

I keep reading that the [key]() to creating new habits and making them stick is consistency. So I will give it a go via #mbnov! It’s nice to be back here.

OCTOBER

“The ghouls all came from their humble abodes / To get a jolt from my electrodes”

SEPTEMBER

“Do you remember, the 21st night of…”

AUGUST

“In the pale light of the morning / Nothing’s worth remembering”

JULY

“What more in the name of love?”

JUNE

“Home again ‘cross the sea”

MAY

“Every day I look at the world from my window”

APRIL

“I feed the pigeons, I sometimes feed the sparrows too”

Parklife Blur

Friday 15 March

*”In the bonds of love we meet”

Thursday 14 March

”I can’t stand the rain”

Wednesday 13 March

”Be right here / No fear, have no fear / No tears, love is here”

Tuesday 12 March

”Don’t look back in anger”

Monday 11 March

”Just like a tree that’s planted by the water / We shall not be moved”

Sunday 10 March

”So put it in all of the papers, I’m not afraid / They can read all about it, oh”

Saturday 9 March

”And everything you do / Yeah they were all yellow”

Happy International Women’s Day!

”All the honeys, who making money / Throw your hands up at me”

Friday 8 March

”You owe me five farthings / Say the bells of St Martin’s”

Thursday 7 March

”Sunrise, sunrise / Looks like mornin’ in your eyes”

Wednesday 6 March

”Now that it’s raining more than ever”

Tuesday 5 March

*”Leaving on a jet plane”

Monday 4 March

”When will my reflection show / Who I am inside”

Sunday 3 March

”Every day is like Sunday / Every day is silent and grey”

Saturday 2 March

”I made it through the wilderness / Somehow I made it through”

Friday 1 March

”Baby you dropped them keys / Hurry up before your taxi leaves”

Thursday 28 February

”Your lights are on / But you’re not home”

Wednesday 27 February

”I’m gonna be iron like a Lion In Zion”

Tuesday 26 February

”But maybe pressure can make Jo’anna see / How everybody could a live as one”

Monday 25 February

”Blinded by the light / Revved up like a deuce / Another runner in the night”

Sunday 24 February

”But in my heart, it’s Spring”

Saturday 23 February

”I’m walking on sunshine / And don’t it feel good”

Friday 22 February

”There’s a dark and misty place / Everything is hazy…”

Thursday 21 February

”Now ooh, you’re moving too fast / Better sit back, relax”

Wednesday 20 February

”O what a beautiful morning! / O what a beautiful day”

Tuesday 19 February

”There are nine million bicycles in Beijing / That’s a fact”

Monday 18 February

”These boots are made for walking / And that’s just what they’ll do”

Sunday 17 February

”You got a fast car / Is it fast enough so we can fly away”

Saturday 16 February

”Clap your hands if you feel like a room without a roof / Because I’m happy”

For @smokey

Friday 15 February

”A deep shade of blue is always there / The sun ain’t gonna shine anymore”

Thursday 14 February

I love how this card is channelling Elton John and Kiki Dee!

Happy Valentine’s Day ♥️

Wednesday 13 February

”When the working day is done / Oh girls, they wanna have fun”

Tuesday 12 February

”Shock shock horror horror, shock shock horror! / I’ll shout myself hoarse for your supernatural force / The female of the species is deadlier than the male”

Monday 11 February

”As long as I gaze on Waterloo sunset, I am in paradise”

Sunday 10 February

”This wheel’s on fire, rolling down the road…”

Saturday 9 February

”Oh Saturday night’s all right for fighting…”

Friday 8 February

”Feel it on my finger tips, hear it on my window pane / Your love’s coming down like rain”

Thursday 7 February

” I shot the sheriff, but I swear it was in self-defence”

Wednesday 6 February

”Steamy windows / Zero visibility”

Tuesday 5 February

”… in the name of love / Before you break my heart”

Monday 4 February

”There’s nothing you can do that can’t be done”

Sunday 3 February

”Now I’ve lived with heartache / And I’ve roomed with fear”

Saturday 2 February

”… My love don’t cost a thing”

Friday 1 February

”… I set fire to the rain”

Thursday 31 January

”… Red light spells danger / Can’t hold out much longer / ‘Cause red light means warning / Can’t hold out I’m burning”

Wednesday 30 January

”… it don’t matter if it’s black or white”

Tuesday 29 January

”… Sometimes I feel / Like my only friend / Is the city I live in”

Under The Bridge, Red Hot Chili Peppers

So, not LA (!), but Elephant & Castle, in SE London.

Monday 28 January

”On the streets where once was pity / Mister blue sky is living here today, hey hey”

Sunday 27 January

”… Before you roll those dice / Baby think twice”

Saturday 26 January

”If I could make a wish I think I’d pass / Can’t think of anything I need”

The Air That I Breathe The Hollies

Friday 25 January

”… Cause when the world takes me away / You are still the air that I breathe”

Leave A Light On For Me Belinda Carlisle

Thursday 24 January

”… Seems like everything I see / Reflects the love that used to be”

Diana Ross & The Supremes 1968

Wednesday 23 January

”… I want to ride my bicycle” Queen 1978

Tuesday 22 January

*”… Don’t rain on my parade”

Monday 21 January

”… I drove all night”

Sunday 20 January

”… Chapter One: we didn’t get along”

I am determined to finish this book soon!

Saturday 19 January

Spotted on my walk to the bus stop today

Friday 18 January

”… me and my arrow / Taking the high road…”

Thursday 17 January

London Calling

Wednesday 16 January

For @stickmandiaries and @smokey

FLAGS!

A sneaky pic taken in the lobby of the Canadian Ministry of Foreign Affairs a few years ago.

Tuesday 15 January

… All in all you’re just another brick in the wall”

Monday 14 January

In the still of the night…

Sunday 13 January

Yellow

Saturday 12 January

I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do

Mahershala Ali is such a great actor. I love him!

Friday 11 January

”… lights will guide you home”

Thursday 10 January

Streets of Fire

Wednesday 9 January

”… send me dead flowers by the mail”

Tuesday 8 January

”… in the jungle, the mighty jungle / The lion sleeps tonight

Monday 7 January

Lookin’ Through The Windows

… On my way to work, I pass The Admiralty pub. It is opposite Canada House on Trafalgar Square, and I am reliably informed that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau popped in for a drink during an official visit a couple of years ago.

Sunday 6 January

I’ll Pick A Rose For My Rose

Marv Johnson

Saturday 5 December

I’m sitting here talking with my baby / Over cigarettes and coffee

Otis Redding

Friday 4 January

Money Money Money

Thursday 3 January

It’s A Long Way to Tipperary

Wednesday 2 January

Rockin’ Around the Christmas tree

We’re still enjoying the holidays, even though we’re back in the office…

Tuesday 1 January

”… May we all have a vision now and then / Of a world where every neighbour is a friend”

Happy New Year ABBA