iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Andrew Douglas @andydouglas1967.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

Not going to Oxford - didn’t think we’d need to but worth the check with the eye clinic. See what happens tonight, back to Norfolk tomorrow hopefully.

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Andrew Douglas @andydouglas1967.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

And now a harmonica! I approve. We are about half an hour behind so don’t know went through yet. All superb anyway.

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Andrew Douglas @andydouglas1967.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Accordion lad on young musician - I hope he goes through. Superb.

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Andrew Douglas @andydouglas1967.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Supposed to head back Norfolk tmrw but mum getting headaches. Trying to convince her to run the eye A&E like getting blood from a stone. May be back in Oxford tmrw but hopefully not.

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Andrew Douglas @andydouglas1967.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

Two pairs of merino socks purloined from Mountain Warehouse. £20 a pair, but half price with any other purchase. Bought a flapjack for a pound, got £20 off!

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Andrew Douglas @andydouglas1967.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Back from the JR with mum. Too many hours waiting, but all done and saw a doctor for a change, so no complaints. Car doing funny things. Brakes still binding a bit. Decided the bonnet was open, but that went away. Once switched off, the fan was whirring away but went off after a while. Dunno.

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Andrew Douglas @andydouglas1967.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Mums Christmas triffid, doing better than it did before having been out all summer. Four blooms plus another coming. Ones been eaten by a snail unfortunately.

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Andrew Douglas @andydouglas1967.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

I was thinking, you know those walking sticks where you pull out the handle to reveal a sword blade? I want one of those but with the sword replaced with a collapsible canvas sweep net. For surreptitious sweeping.

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Andrew Douglas @andydouglas1967.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

Four Araneus species from Lakenheath Fen today. They had very recently mowed the paths and there weren't many spiders to be seen, and NO pyramidatus anywhere, which is usually the spider I see the most. Tetragnatha and Metellina also seen.

Underside of an Araneus. This one is certainly diadematus because of the epigyne.

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Andrew Douglas @andydouglas1967.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

A friendly Salticus on my garden chair. Jumped when I got the tube out but somehow got back up and was happy to jump on my hand. Wonder if it’ll come back for a third go?

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The Museum of English Rural Life (MERL) @themerl.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

if you say "The Museum of English Rural Life" three times in a mirror, nothing happens. but if you speak it a fourth time, a man in a smock appears and asks you to incant the poem on the side of this rather menacing jug

harvest festival jug featuring a rather spooky sunshine design

the reverse of the jug, featuring a poem. it reads: "Harvest is come all
busy now in making
of the Barley mow if
you the Barley mow
neglect of Good ale you
can not then expect"

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Andrew Douglas @andydouglas1967.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

What's going on today? Almost nothing seems to be working on the internet for me. I've tried different browsers, different operating systems, different email accounts to sign up for something, trying to log in to a secure email acct - nope nothing doing.

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NANCY COMICS BY ERNIE BUSHMILLER @nancycomics.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

Nancy By Ernie Bushmiller September 24,1956

P1- SLUGGO IS AT NANCY’S TO TAKE HER TO THE BASEBALL GAME, NANCY TALKS WITH HIM FROM THE KITCHEN WINDOW
SLUGGO: HURRY---THE LINE IS FORMING AT THE BALL PARK
NANCY : I HAVE TO EAT LUNCH

P2-
NANCY: YOU GO AHEAD AND SAVE ME A PLACE IN LINE

P3- SLUGGO IS STANDING IN LINE AT THE BASEBALL GAME HE HAS A PLUMBER’S HELPER STUCK ON THE BACK OF HIS HEAD
IT HAS A SIGN TIED TO IT, IT READS THIS
SPACE
TAKEN

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Andrew Douglas @andydouglas1967.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

Popped into the library to ask about extended my inter library loan. They'd just been talking about in fact - new instructions in the booklet - so spent fifteen minutes there while they worked it out. An extra 9 days! I asked how many people use the ILL system. Oh, no one, just you.

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Andrew Douglas @andydouglas1967.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

The first bad news. One of the bits for the car didn't arrive 'in the van' so won't be done til tomorrow now. The even worse news - I'm almost out of milk. The good news seems to be that no new calipers are required, so bill stands at stupid money, rather than excessively stupid money.

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Tylan Berry @tylanberry.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

We really need to reinvigorate the word "stonking", because I can't think of any other way to say that this is an absolutely stonking beast! Araneus diadematus draped in an intense brick red. You'd be excused for mistaking it for A. alsine, as I did for a second! @britishspiders.bsky.social

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Andrew Douglas @andydouglas1967.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

My bedroom window has been open all day, and now the room is filled with about a 1000000 of these tiny tiny wasps again. There was a single Trachyzelotes too but don't know where that's gone. The Pholcids seem more interested in eating the Giant House Spiders. It's an ecosystem that isn't working.

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Orkney Library & Archive @orkneylibrary.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

Today is #HobbitDay because Bilbo and Frodo Baggins were both born on September 22nd. Normally we'd shire a hobbit pun or two but it might just feel like a tolkien gesture and we don't want to embarrass our elves. Anyway it's a good day to come and boromir #Tolkien books. 📚

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Alan Thornhill @alanthornhill.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

When I find Cyclosa conica I like to keep an eye on them, to see how they embellish their webs. These two have added lines of birch seeds. @britishspiders.bsky.social

Cyclosa conica. Cavenham Heath, September 2026

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Andrew Douglas @andydouglas1967.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

Garage have got back to me fairly quickly. Can't do all the work today. Over £1000! Might be more if the calipers need replacing. F**k f**k f**k f**k f**k. Needs to be done - leaving things to fail would cost more. Might be raiding the pension again a bit sooner than I thought.

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Andrew Douglas @andydouglas1967.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

Assuming this is Silene x hampeana, flowering today on the cut off channel?

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Vanna Bartlett @vannabartlett.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

A couple of nice Jumping Spiders from West Norfolk - Salticus cingulatus and Marpissa muscosa. Found with @jeremybartlett.bsky.social #arachnids #spiders

A white spider with black markings head down on a grey wooden fence. Below the spider and slightly left is the shiny head of a nail hammered deep into the wood with a horizontal split spreading either side of it.

A brown and white flecked spider on a brown wooden fence post. It's head is rather squarish and the body is a long oval. The legs are relatively short. The spider's front two eyes are very large and round.

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Andrew Douglas @andydouglas1967.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

My local garage - usually very good - car booked in for tomorrow, now rearranged til Tuesday as they're over running. I need the car by, well, 23rd for a fungi foray, but 26th at latest as need to take mum to Oxford JR on 28th. Pushing it a bit, hopefully it's just the brakes and not worse.

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Andrew Douglas @andydouglas1967.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

New Crème de Mûre in last years bottles plus a litre vodka bottle. I drank the rest so won’t be going anywhere today. It’s ok - could be a bit more extracted but nice enough. Found 750ml of last years plus a bottle of Fleurie I’m the cupboard. I don’t drink really.

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Andrew Douglas @andydouglas1967.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

Second shelf in, not quite managed to clear the ware boards nor can I quite get to the wheel yet. More clearing tomorrow. Shelves were £21 each - seem ok but wobble a bit.

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Andrew Douglas @andydouglas1967.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

Also two, probably 10m lengths, strings of led lights. Plug in ones. Not sure if anyone wants these. Is there a west Norfolk freegle? I plugged them in, and they both work.

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Andrew Douglas @andydouglas1967.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

Clearing the shed and first shelf stack in. Found a nice collapsible sack truck and my late sisters Crocs. She’s been gone just 10 years. I was going to nail them to the shed as small pot planters.

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Andrew Douglas @andydouglas1967.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

Spider wasp with legless spider. Hanging around the back door at home.

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Andrew Douglas @andydouglas1967.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

Success, on the third attempt. The cheapest, flimsiest shelves you can imagine, but they're at least here, and will do for the shed.

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Andrew Douglas @andydouglas1967.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

Well DX are out again with my stuff, and they're in Stoke Ferry so closer than they've ever been, and time to go before the 1300 - 1500 time slot. I'd already asked Wickes to return my money but their customer service isn't great - they never reply - but we'll see what happens.

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Andrew Douglas @andydouglas1967.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

Anyone else see tonights Call My Bluff from 1979, where the first word, Twing, turned out to be a cattle killing spider. Anyone know any more? I presume it's not a uk spider, but google isn't helpful thinking I meant 'Twig'.

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Andrew Douglas @andydouglas1967.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

There's a team on only connect has a chap with a septum piercing holding a moustache-shaped piece. It's rather splendid. Like a cross between an unfolded paper clip and one of those plastic moustaches you get in crackers.

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Andrew Douglas @andydouglas1967.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

Not having a good day, delivery wise. I can see the map tracking for the second delivery that was meant to come today and it's very much moving in the wrong direction.

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Andrew Douglas @andydouglas1967.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

DX are suddenly becoming one of the most useless couriers. They didn't turn up on Friday at all. Today, the window was 12.28 to 14.28. I've been watching the map. That window has now passed, and the tracking info - including the map of how close they are - has just gone!

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British Arachnological Society @britishspiders.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

Always a treat, Britain's only mygalomorph, the Purseweb Spider Atypus affinis, complete with its 'dirty socks' on the sandy slopes around Morden Bog.

Purseweb Spider Atypus affinis - photo copyright Barry Chadwick

Purseweb Spider Atypus affinis. Photo cooyright Barry Chadwick

The sand-covered, above-ground portion of a Purseweb Spiders tubular, silken web - AKA the 'dirty sock'!

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British Arachnological Society @britishspiders.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

Turned out to be the pink day of our members' weekend, with fantastic numbers of Heather Crab Spider Thomisus onustus and towering Dorset Heath Erica ciliaris among other epic species in the wonderful Morden Bog.

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Andrew Douglas @andydouglas1967.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

Starting the evening with a dry martini. First in ages. I think it’s the @britishspiders.bsky.social field weekend starting today but haven’t seen any sign of it. Hope there’ll be some photos.

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Travis McEnery @travismcenery.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

I've wanted to cover this species for a couple of years now, and finally was able to. If you like spiders with big munchdongles, this one is for you. Meet the Woodlouse Hunter. youtu.be/inqJzl5hWFo?...

youtu.be

The Woodlouse Hunter - The Spiders in Your House

YouTube video by Travis McEnery

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Andrew Douglas @andydouglas1967.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

A stupid job to do on your own but I’ve sort of done it. Need to climb on it to finish and not sure I have the courage. Probably blow off in the first storm, like last time.

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William (Bill) Sutherland @billsutherland.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

Commercial forests are facing serious problems from disease, pests and temperature extremes. How is it possible to create more resilient forest? youtu.be/4a9UHvCwQQ8?...

youtu.be

The Science of Building More Resilient Forests

YouTube video by Bill Sutherland's Conservation Concepts

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Andrew Douglas @andydouglas1967.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

New septic tank exit tee with particulate filter. Can’t fit yet but it’s a job completed. Shed roof next.

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Suffolk Wildlife Trust @suffolkwildlife.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

We are saddened to hear of the death of Lord Cranbrook, a former President, long-standing member and key figure in the history of Suffolk Wildlife Trust. Read our tribute to Lord Cranbrook www.suffolkwildlifetrust.org/news/r…

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Andrew Douglas @andydouglas1967.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

Walked in to the local garage and announced that I had swollen nuts. Not even a titter. Glad they're on the case, but couldn't fit me in til 18th. Everyone's busy. Will reduce the journeys I make but won't stop driving it - got back to Norfolk ok.

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Daniel Sugarman @danielsugarman.bsky.social · 30/08/2026

The world's most notorious custard-pie thrower is dead. What an obituary. He got Bernard-Henri Lévy seven times.

Known to his army of fans as L’Entarteur or Georges le Gloupier, Godin launched his career as a serial deflator of egos in 1969, when he planted a tarte à la crème on the face of the French novelist Marguerite Duras (“She has a kind of intelligence and cleverness that serves only her own vanity,” he complained), and he went on to “pie” a cast list of celebrities for sins ranging from pomposity to “choosing to function in the service of the capitalist status quo”.

The same could not be said of Bernard-Henri Lévy, one of France’s “new philosophers,” whose provocative views on sex, frequent appearances on television and penchant for white silk shirts unbuttoned practically to the navel, had made him a cult figure – and one of Godin’s most satisfying victims.

Levy once declared: “I am the most gifted writer of my generation,” and often boasted of his reasonableness and tolerance, but he was forced to endure footage being repeatedly shown on French television of himself, covered in cream, during a visit to the Belgian city of Liège, trying to strangle Godin and shouting: “Get up, or I’ll kick your head in.”

Noël Godin was born on September 13 1945 and came to pie-throwing after a rebellious youth in which he scandalised the priests in the confessional by speaking of his “horrible sexual life”, and was thrown out of Liège University after emptying a pot of glue over the head of a law lecturer who had helped write the constitution for the Portuguese dictator António de Oliveira Salazar.

He found work at Friends of Film, an obscure magazine published by the Belgian Catholic League. It had a tiny readership, which was just as well, as Godin made up most of his articles. In one he claimed that Louis Armstrong had once been a cannibal and had invested in a film called The Vegetables of Good Will in which Claudia Cardinale played a giant endive.

In another he conjured up a fictional blind Thai filmmaker named Vivian Pei, describing her film, The Lotus Flower Will Never Again Grow on the Edge of Your Island, in such convincing terms that an Asian film specialist travelled to Thailand in an effort to track her down.

“We’re very careful not to hurt people,’’ he explained. “Well, they are hurt, but always in their amour-propre.”

In 1995 Godin published an autobiography, Cream and Punishment. His other targets over the years included the New Wave director Jean-Luc Godard (who charmed his assailant by hailing the attack as a homage to silent film), the French politician Nicolas Sarkozy, the choreographer Maurice Béjart and the Ryanair chairman Michael O’Leary. He tended not to pick Belgian victims, he explained, because few would notice if he did.

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Andrew Douglas @andydouglas1967.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

The BBC Proms coverage this year has been useless. Tonight’s effort is all repeats - most not from this year.

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Marc Morris @marcmorris.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

Frankly amazed that despite wall-to-wall Bayeux Tapestry coverage nobody has mentioned the Playmobil version I made back in 2016.

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ChrisGibsonWildlife @chrismothman.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

And another new find for the Beth Chatto Gardens yesterday was the nationally scarce jumping spider Ballus chalybaeus. Didn't see it itself, but its web is very distinctive...

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Andrew Douglas @andydouglas1967.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

Maartje has done a little booklet (her thesis) about spiders and it's superbly illustrated and looks like an interesting read. Here's the direct link: www.maartjevandenderen.nl/thesis-diffi...

maartjevandenderen.nl

Thesis - Difficult to See | Maartje van Denderen

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