iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

hordeofduck @hordeofduck.bsky.social · 21h

One fish cake is never enough.

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hordeofduck @hordeofduck.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

Was excited this afternoon to finally have somewhere to set up my sewing machine. Also very pleased with my sewing until I realised I’d sewed a pocket shut and now I have to unpick the whole thing and do it again. D’oh.

Simon Jones @simonjones.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

Reposted by hordeofduck

I’ve just discovered that The Illustrated Police News continued into the 1930s as an even more lurid version of the Victorian original. So let’s share some no context badly-drawn sensationalism! First up, ‘ZOO OWNER ATTACKED BY PET BEAR AT SEVENOAKS’, 26 June 1930.

Line drawing of small bear attacking woman in zoo enclosure who tries to defend herself with a stick.

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hordeofduck @hordeofduck.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

Strangely enough I’m more likely to read it if I see it on here. Email is mostly for stuff I *have* to do whereas Bluesky is more for stuff I want to do. 🙂

hordeofduck @hordeofduck.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

Do so love it when we get to this time of year and suddenly all the mossies want to come indoors and live in the bedroom. Just killed four of the little blighters.

hordeofduck @hordeofduck.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

I love reading your blogs. Don’t always see them, but when I do, I enjoy them. Shetland is a different world to Leicestershire.

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hordeofduck @hordeofduck.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

Yeah, it’s not a good situation. Let’s hope there is a lot more rain.

hordeofduck @hordeofduck.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

At Grafham Water today. The water level is so low there’s a huge beach where normally the ducks play.

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hordeofduck @hordeofduck.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Also the hot water expansion cylinder has broken. Plumber is hopefully coming back to fix in the next couple of days. Meanwhile, the hot tap is giving nothing but rusty coloured water. Sigh. One of those days

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hordeofduck @hordeofduck.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Always nice to discover that my employer thinks I took 4 weeks of unpaid leave WHEN I DIDN’T and have now only paid me a fraction of my salary. Gah!

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hordeofduck @hordeofduck.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

But at least you’ve experienced one and know it’s definitely not for you.

hordeofduck @hordeofduck.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Well it was a fabulous week last week out in Cumbria along Hadrian’s wall. Sadly it was back to work today and all the hassle that involves. Sigh.

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hordeofduck @hordeofduck.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

I’m sure it will still be loved as the location is just stunning anyway. But it has been fenced to protect it.

hordeofduck @hordeofduck.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

Also was so excited to see how vigorous the growth is on the old sycamore tree at Sycamore Gap. I knew it was re-shooting but it looks like a mini forest already. Great news.

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hordeofduck @hordeofduck.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

Hadrian’s wall today, nr Housesteads Fort. It is just breathtaking up there. The wind, the sun, the rain, the ancientness of the landscape. I’d forgotten how much it gets into your soul. No-where quite like it.

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Visited Carlisle Cathedral today. It is way more stunning than I imagined. The roof is simply incredible and that’s before we mention that east window. Very warm welcome too.

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And a ruined castle in the grounds of a Roman fort. All very wind swept and utterly remote and beautiful.

Wonderful old church there with an amazing Saxon cross.

1141 miles to Rome. Thanks you Bewcastle for a fascinating hour’s exploration.

Love the arrivals board. Saw large skeins of pink foots flying over the Solway Firth this week, so they’re already here.

hordeofduck @hordeofduck.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

Also visited Thirwell castle, now ruins, close to Hadrian’s wall. It was probably home to Percival Thirwall who was Richard III’s standard bearer and died at the Battle of Bosworth.

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hordeofduck @hordeofduck.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

My legs feel like they’re going to fall off now.

hordeofduck @hordeofduck.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

It’s not just any wall, it’s Hadrian’s wall. Had a fab day out exploring castles and Roman forts and the wall. My legs are fair done in now.

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hordeofduck @hordeofduck.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

I thoroughly enjoyed my visit there

hordeofduck @hordeofduck.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Appear to have accidentally arrived in heaven due to road closures sending us the wrong way. Now in an amazing cafe looking over the river waiting for my haggis on toast. #glencaple

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It seems they do have a bit of a pigeon issue at Lannercost. One nearly splat on my head while I was there.

Finally made it onto the wall. The view from Banks East turret car park is just magnificent. My little phone doesn’t do it justice. #cumbria #hadrianswall

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There’s a great blend of ruin but also of a working church.

hordeofduck @hordeofduck.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

Been enjoying Lannercost Priory this Morning. Well worth a visit

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Entrance portcullis, Carlisle castle.

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hordeofduck @hordeofduck.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

These are just the sewing scissors. 😄

hordeofduck @hordeofduck.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

Seems my siblings have decided they’re interested which is good as I can palm the extra ones off on them 😀

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hordeofduck @hordeofduck.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

How many pairs of scissors did my mother need in her sewing box? Includes two pairs of pinking shears. I suspect many were hand me downs from my grandmothers. Not quite sure what to do with them all.

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hordeofduck @hordeofduck.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

Here’s the lace trim. I’m guessing but 1922 doesn’t seem an unreasonable date for this sort of thing.

hordeofduck @hordeofduck.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

I was sorting out some old lace trim of my grandmother’s yesterday. Turns out it was wrapped around this - an in-house magazine for Lever Brothers from 1922. So I’m now wondering if the lace had been wrapped round it since 1922. I suspect so.

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Plus nice effigies of Roger de Belar and his wife Alicia. He was reputedly slain just a few miles away in 1326 by the infamous Folvilles, who were later notorious outlaws.

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It’s a great church. Fascinating both inside and out. One where you gasp slightly at the sense of space when you walk in.

The old heating and the new at St Peter’s Kirby Bellars this afternoon.

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