The Next Big Push...

And relaaaxxxx. My busy weeks of birthday celebrations, mini breaks, and friends and family get togethers, are done. I can focus on the book, once again. 

What the inside of my head
will be like once I've opened
up the manuscript once again.

I guess, 'relax' isn't the right vibe, tbh. There'll be no relaxing when I get my writing head back on. But even when my brain's filled with words and characters for multiple hours a day, I do love my routine being in place. I love the breakfast, dinner, and tea of it all. The steaming mug as I sit at the desk. The tapping of keys being punctuated by wees and stretches every couple of hours. Even when my head feels it is full of angry bees, I'm excited that my exterior surroundings will be calm and serene. That's the plan anyway. We go again tomorrow. 

Writing News

I've kind of already told you. Tomorrow, unexpected catastrophes aside, I'll be back at my desk and reading the 3rd Leeza McAuliffe book from the beginning to the end, then changing almost everything about it over the next few months. I can't lie, I'm looking forward to seeing what I wrote. 

An actual good photo
taken by me. Lordy.

Culture

Isn't Liverpool a beautiful city? I've known this forever, of course, but it was made blatantly obvious to me last week. I was at a wedding in town, where the rooftop drinks terrace looked over the Liver Buildings. And as the set over the river, it was spectacular. Aren't I lucky to be six train stops away from it all.

Joe Wilkinson was the one
responsible for setting me off
FYI.

That's my attempt at throwing a bit of architecture into my cultural ramblings. (I could see buildings from my rooftop! They were stunning!) The past week has seen me mainly hoover up some telly. I mentioned on TikTok/Insta last Monday how I'd devoured Last One Laughing. I watched the UK version, which caused me to melt down in snotty, tearstained hysterical laughter whilst watching a riff on Stars in Their Eyes. I've also finished The White Lotus, which continues to widen my eyes in shock at the shenanigans onscreen. Next up, I think I'm probably going to try Severance. I hear good things. 

 

I'm a big fan of The Ivy's
half pint tankards
straight from the fridge.

Food and Drink

I have a vague guiding principle when I'm choosing from a menu. I like to order something I can't make at home. Can't or won't, to be fair. At a recent friend's birthday meal, I got to pick a double whammy when I chose a cheese soufflé to start and then lobster linguine for my main. Neither of those beautiful meals will ever be attempted by me in my kitchen. Thanks to The Ivy for sorting me out. 

Beany soup with feta, paprika, 
onion, garlic, and Vegemite.

Back at home, however, I buzz off making things that are a little less classy. Take this soup, for instance. In a frying pan, I sweated down some onion and garlic, then added a can of beans. I went with cannellini. Once I'd cooked it for a bit, I added a dollop of Vegemite, some feta, and a couple of good shakes of paprika. Voila! A beany, tasty, soupy thing. It wasn't The Ivy, but it was bloody tasty.

Dom with his
Goodison Park
turnstile photo. 

Out and About

London baby! Yep, Because my oldest brother turned the big 4-0, on Saturday my family congregated near his hood in Battersea for his birthday meal. And because I've been burning the candle at both ends recently, I added a couple of days onto the trip, and recuperated with a comfy hotel bed and all my stretchiest clothes. It was glorious.

As this post drops, I'll be on my way home. Back up north, and back to my much-needed routine. It's time to set the morning alarm once more, and bring back some sense to proceedings. That must be doable, surely? 

Have a lovely week, folks.