iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Peter Mathers @petermathers.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

Just discovered the novels of Elizabeth Taylor (no, not THAT one). Very much in the style and era of Barbara Pym. Quiet, accomplished and wistful reading. Thoroughly recommended. #goodreads #books

Cover of paperback book "At Mrs. Lippincote's" by Elizabeth Taylor, English author.

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Peter Mathers @petermathers.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

No, but I do remember seeing John Noakes' bare arse (was it a Blue Peter holiday in somewhere like Finland?) I think it was in black and white so it would have been very early on - late 1960s..

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Peter Mathers @petermathers.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

Ah yes @nkdgardener.bsky.social but it's 5 and a half hour's drive to the nearest Aldi.

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Peter Mathers @petermathers.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

It wasn't just London. Manchester had them as well...when I was a nipper I was always tickled by the fact that my godparents' (who lived in Bramhall, we thought them dead posh) number started 061-BRA

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Reposted by Peter Mathers

Alex von Tunzelmann @alexvont.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

If you feel like donating to the RNLI, here’s a link. I just have. Their minimum donation is £2: I think it might be nice for them to receive a lot of donations this week, even if they’re mostly very modest. Just so they know a lot of people out here appreciate their work. rnli.org/support-us/g...

rnli.org

Donate to the RNLI and help save lives at sea

Your donations really make a difference. We depend on your generosity to educate people to stay safe and prevent tragedies on and offshore. Donate here.

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Peter Mathers @petermathers.bsky.social · 05/09/2026

Don't scoff! Rich Tea have a backstory (look it up) They have their own Wikipedia page, even Mind you, I don't like 'em either (hubby does though)

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Peter Mathers @petermathers.bsky.social · 30/08/2026

There was a big stationers shop in Bradford (one for you @nkdgardener.bsky.social and you @jasoncroot.bsky.social ) called Tapp and Toothill and when I was about 13 I bought a PINT BOTTLE of Quink which lasted me all the way through school.

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Peter Mathers @petermathers.bsky.social · 23/08/2026

I called my first car Bluebell. Blue Citroën Dyane. (like this one) LCP 74T Loved it.

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Peter Mathers @petermathers.bsky.social · 06/08/2026

Sure there's plenty of squaddies whi want to go from Middleton Towers to Basford Hall...

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Peter Mathers @petermathers.bsky.social · 06/08/2026

Serving members of the armed forces get free travel when in uniform when travelling by (checks notes...) Freightliner Heavy Haul....

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Peter Mathers @petermathers.bsky.social · 30/07/2026

Think it's a young Andrew Sachs?

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Peter Mathers @petermathers.bsky.social · 21/07/2026

16 here. (Told you I was old). Though, to be honest, I have no recollection of Macmillan. Being a babe in arms at the time.

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Peter Mathers @petermathers.bsky.social · 18/07/2026

I will never forget going to a presentation by VT to us NR train planners about Operation Princess. One perceptive question from a colleague demolished them when he got them to admit their timetable changes had the result of *reducing* passenger capacity.

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Peter Mathers @petermathers.bsky.social · 16/07/2026

Yes...and no. Depends on the circs. Having experienced seeing the East Berlin U & S Bahn pre-1989 the total absence of advertising on the station platforms was nothing short of eerie. But 99.9% of current ads (esp. on social media) can go to hell on a handcart.

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Peter Mathers @petermathers.bsky.social · 13/07/2026

I'm sure I have also seen somewhere a recording of when she addressed Parliament.

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Peter Mathers @petermathers.bsky.social · 13/07/2026

Yes!! Without looking at any of your replies (as a reminder) my partner & I were staying in Green Point many moons ago and saw that Pieter-Dirk Uys was at a comedy club called (from memory) On Broadway. He came up & said hello as we were the guests who had travelled the furthest (York to Cape Town)

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Peter Mathers @petermathers.bsky.social · 10/07/2026

Loconundrum #117 ⬜⬜⬜ 🚂🚶‍♂️🚂🚂 ⬜⬜🟨 🚂🚂 🟩🟩🟩 Good grief that was lucky

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Reposted by Peter Mathers

Anon Opin @anonopin.bsky.social · 04/07/2026

It was better when archbishops were appointed by kings and not the church. It would be great to see your former boss, an expert in metal milling, or your aunty Sarah, a primary school head teacher, be appointed archbishop of York because the King liked the cut of her jib.

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Peter Mathers @petermathers.bsky.social · 01/07/2026

Many years ago I caused havoc at Barcelona airport when I tried to export a small wheel of Machengo cheese - that also gor flagged up as something extremely suspicious

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Peter Mathers @petermathers.bsky.social · 27/06/2026

Still used in modern Icelandic to this day.

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Peter Mathers @petermathers.bsky.social · 18/06/2026

I'll try. I recognise that flower!!

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Peter Mathers @petermathers.bsky.social · 17/06/2026

Loconundrum #94 ⬜⬜⬜ 🚂🚂 🟩🟩🟩 FLUKE

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Peter Mathers @petermathers.bsky.social · 15/06/2026

Loconundrum #92 ⬜⬜⬜ 🚂 ⬜⬜⬜ 🚂🚂🚂🚂 ⬜🟩⬜ 🚂🚂🚂 ⬜⬜⬜ 🚂🚂 🟩🟩🟩

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Peter Mathers @petermathers.bsky.social · 14/06/2026

Loconundrum #91 ⬜⬜⬜ 🚂🚂 ⬜⬜⬜ 🚂🚂 ⬜🟨⬜ 🚂🚂 ⬜🟨⬜ 🚂 🟩🟩🟩 Phew!

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Reposted by Peter Mathers

Adam Kucharski @adamjkucharski.bsky.social · 13/06/2026

David Hockney (1937-2026): “The world is very very beautiful if you look at it, but most people don’t look very much”

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Peter Mathers @petermathers.bsky.social · 12/06/2026

Sad to hear about David Hockney. I never met him but felt a connection because (albeit many years separate us) I went to the same primary school (Wellington Road) and "big" school (Bradford Grammar School)...also one of my mother's best friends lived next door to Laura Hockney in Eccleshill.

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Peter Mathers @petermathers.bsky.social · 12/06/2026

Loconundrum #89 ⬜⬜⬜ 🚂🚂 ⬜⬜⬜ 🚂 ⬜⬜⬜ 🚂🚂 ⬜🟩⬜ 🚂 🟩🟩🟩

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Peter Mathers @petermathers.bsky.social · 06/06/2026

I had the SNCF chime on my phone once as a text alert.

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Peter Mathers @petermathers.bsky.social · 31/05/2026

Loconundrum #77 ⬜⬜⬜ 🚂 ⬜⬜⬜ 🚂🚂 🟩🟩🟩 Ooh. My first ever try at this & got it ony 3rd guess.

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Peter Mathers @petermathers.bsky.social · 25/05/2026

Pavement wanker klaxon!! Of course it must be a Range Rover Discovery. @therealyplac.bsky.social @yplac.bsky.social

Land Rover Discovery parked blocking a pavement

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Peter Mathers @petermathers.bsky.social · 14/05/2026

Interesting you say that. When I was a child, one of my godparents was a man called Eric Dinsdale who was the head gardener of Harold Park, Bradford, between Odsal and Wyke. He created the most wonderful rose gardens. This is some of ours just about to bloom.

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Peter Mathers @petermathers.bsky.social · 04/05/2026

Somebody please tell me this isn't true. Soup. For....cats?

Image of Felix "Soup Time" cat food package

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Peter Mathers @petermathers.bsky.social · 27/04/2026

A (reputable) local PC shop ought to be able to build one for you. Impossible with a laptop. My work PC (which is at home) is a HP Prodesk with Intel i7 with 2 screens & an optical drive.

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Peter Mathers @petermathers.bsky.social · 11/04/2026

There's something about Rail Alphabet 2 I really don't warm to...possibly because it reminds me too much of Arial. Our local TOC (Northern) are enthusiastic adopters of it.

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Peter Mathers @petermathers.bsky.social · 04/04/2026

Named after the River Crimple in Harrogate, near an ICI factory that played a part in its invention, no less!

Map of south Harrogate showing location of Crimple Valley

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Peter Mathers @petermathers.bsky.social · 03/04/2026

It's the adverts. Wonderful...for Crimpelene and Hermesetas sweetening tablets.

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Peter Mathers @petermathers.bsky.social · 03/04/2026

Dinner tonight is a fish gougère from a recipe in an old Family Circle magazine. When I say "old" I mean it, it retailed for 10p and the main advert on the back cover is for Players No. 6. Extra Mild, no less.

Page from Family Circle magazine with a fish gougère recipe.

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Peter Mathers @petermathers.bsky.social · 02/04/2026

That's nothing. We stayed over in a friend's flat a couple of years ago and the only source of hot water in the kitchen was a Qooker. Chuffing Nora that took a degree to find out how it worked.

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Peter Mathers @petermathers.bsky.social · 01/04/2026

Can beat that. I saw it at the British Museum in 1972. I told you I was old.

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Peter Mathers @petermathers.bsky.social · 31/03/2026

That's my bedtime reading sorted for the next few days. So much looking forward to it. I heard @grindrod.bsky.social on 6 Music last week...I forgot what a banger "Suburbia" was. Best played at max volume!

Image of book cover of Takes of the Suburbs by John Grindrod

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Peter Mathers @petermathers.bsky.social · 22/03/2026

I always remember as a child feeling sad when I finished a book as reading a book twice isn't the same. Well I feel exactly the same after I finished this one by the amazing @louisewelsh00.bsky.social (thank you) But there's others in the series! #glasgow #crimefiction #rilke

Cover of crime novel The Cut Up by Louise Welsh

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Peter Mathers @petermathers.bsky.social · 20/03/2026

I just remember Standard Stock on the IoW. Went on holiday a couple of times there in the mid 1970s with the parents and managed a couple of rides.

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