iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Sarah von Allmen @svona.bsky.social · 11h

Starting the day with a rainbow - and a damp cat.

A black cat sits on decking in the rain. Behind him is a wall covered in bright red leaves, and beyond the wall are fields and trees.

Sarah von Allmen @svona.bsky.social · 09/10/2026

We lost one of our cats (age 14) and the dog (age 10) in just over 2 weeks. Hard for us humans, but the youngest cat, taken in off the street as a half-starved kitty, is really struggling. He keeps trying to lead me outside to look for them, and he's gnawing nervously at his fur. 💔

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Sarah von Allmen @svona.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

Thomas Mullaney was born in Stockport in 1899 and grew up mainly with his mother and her parents. At 13 he was sent to Canada under the British Home Child Scheme to give him a "better chance", and placed on a farm, but 2 years later he absconded, lied about his age, and enlisted in the army.

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Sarah von Allmen @svona.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

Ten years and still a puppy at heart: goodbye Madoc. 💔

A black and white King Charles Cavalier puppy aged 3 months.

A black and white King Charles Cavalier asleep on a grey fluffy cushion.

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Sarah von Allmen @svona.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

My trawl through old #Stockport newspapers has reached July 1916, and the casualty lists have exploded - a lot of local men joined the Manchester Regiment, which was one of those which got absolutely hammered on the Somme.😢 #WWI www.heatonsww1.com

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Sarah von Allmen @svona.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

Local lycée protest Day 2: one police car parked out front and 2 gendarmes watching a dozen youngsters idling in the bus turnaround. (Yesterday there was noise, some scuffling with the gendarmes, and 3 lycéens hauled off to the gendarmerie.)

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Sarah von Allmen @svona.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

Today's additions to my database of #WWI soldiers from #Stockport include several underage volunteers, including one 15 yr-old who got away with it, and was in the trenches in France aged 16. Can you imagine it? The worst thing on the horizon for me at 16 was O'levels... 😢 www.heatonsww1.com

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Sarah von Allmen @svona.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

A particularly fiery sunset this evening.

Leaves and twigs in silhouette against a sky which is orange gold at the bottom and grey/red above.

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Sarah von Allmen @svona.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

Arrived at wind orchestra rehearsal tonight to find the (council-owned) building minus electricity due to rewiring works - they hadn't bothered informing us. 😡 We fell back on the choir rehearsal room in another building - too small, but better than cancelling. #AmateurMusic #Harmonie

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Sarah von Allmen @svona.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

We're catching some dramatic sunsets at the moment.

A vivid sunset in shades of orange and pink framed artistically (!) by tree branches and our garden hedge in silhouette.

A ridiculously dramatic sky at sunset with predominantly shades of deep orange and a golden glow below

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Sarah von Allmen @svona.bsky.social · 06/09/2026

A Sunday morning session to kick off the new season with wind orchestra. 1. First pieces for our autumn concert. 2. Apéro! (Vin nouveau) #AmateurMusic #Harmonie

Sheet music for 1st/2nd flutes by Purcell, Grieg, Reineke and Geisler.

Table set with vin nouveau, bread, cheese, "speck" and walnuts.

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Sarah von Allmen @svona.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

Following up the #Stockport #WWI soldiers reported "missing" after Mons, I was surprised to find that all but one were later found to be prisoners of war. Their war lasted just 10 days, and time must have dragged until 1918, but they were more fortunate than many. www.heatonsww1.com

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Sarah von Allmen @svona.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

Back to browsing contemporary local newspapers for my Stockport WWI project. Lots of appealing to patriotism in the early weeks of the war, but on 2 Oct there's a list of 601 men of the Cheshire Regt "missing" after Mons - nearly half the regiment. #WWI #LocalHistory

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Sarah von Allmen @svona.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

Sunset tonight started golden and dazzled through to red. It doesn't last long, but we're getting our money's worth at the moment.

Gold sky doppling to orange. Our garden tree and a corner of balcony in silhouette.

The garden tree in silhouette against an over-dramatic red sky tinged with gold.

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Sarah von Allmen @svona.bsky.social · 28/08/2026

Vintage Duplo with slightly less vintage cat.

A grey tabby cat snoozes on a Duplo train circuit. A level crossing and a very small station can be seen, while a steam engine pulling circus wagons is heading west.

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Sarah von Allmen @svona.bsky.social · 22/08/2026

Not the greatest photo, but there were dramatic clouds across the moon this evening - and yes, that's a clumsy call back to a hit 40 odd years ago.

Leafy branches seen in silhouette against a night sky where the moon is partly hidden by clouds.

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Sarah von Allmen @svona.bsky.social · 16/08/2026

Very much enjoyed the relays at the #EuropeanAthletics, but was mildly depressed to realise it's 40 years since I cheered home Roger Black, Kris Akabusi, Brian Whittle (minus a shoe) and Derek Redmond. 👟

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Sarah von Allmen @svona.bsky.social · 13/08/2026

Occupying my hands while I watch the European athletics: pineapple socks for daughter #2. #Knitting #Tricot #FairIsle

A partly knitted sock on wooden needles: the calf section features large pineapples on an off-white background.

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Sarah von Allmen @svona.bsky.social · 09/08/2026

Sorting books post-move, and found a Georgette Heyer I didn't remember

Book cover of The Toll Gate by Georgette Heyer: a Regency gentleman in medallion with a countryside background.

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Sarah von Allmen @svona.bsky.social · 25/07/2026

Found these when we moved house and have no idea where they came from. Too recent for Dad's Navy days, and he wouldn't have needed them as a Scouter. Too advanced for my lovely Beavers, so can only think I got them when I ran a base on Norfolk Scout night activity?

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Sarah von Allmen @svona.bsky.social · 23/07/2026

Sunset in the garden this evening. #Alsace

A forked tree trunk and foliage are silhouetted against a sky shading from gold upwards through pink to dusky blue.

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Sarah von Allmen @svona.bsky.social · 19/07/2026

French TV showing a montage of Argentinian fouls #WorldCup

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Sarah von Allmen @svona.bsky.social · 19/07/2026

The best thing I can say about this match is that my cross-stitch is coming on nicely. #WorldCup

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Sarah von Allmen @svona.bsky.social · 19/07/2026

6-4 for a 3rd place play-off is crazy! Obvs happy as a Brit that we won, but I hope Mbappé gets the golden boot.

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Sarah von Allmen @svona.bsky.social · 18/07/2026

Only one team is taking this match seriously ⚽

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Sarah von Allmen @svona.bsky.social · 18/07/2026

Somehow I get the impression that France isn't really motivated for this match. ⚽

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Sarah von Allmen @svona.bsky.social · 18/07/2026

Best memory of the Col du Hundsruck : transporting assorted percussion to the kids' music summer school at the summit, including chime bars which played fairy bells in every hairpin 🙄 #TourDeFrance

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Sarah von Allmen @svona.bsky.social · 18/07/2026

#TourDeFrance zooming through Masevaux where I live 🙂

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Sarah von Allmen @svona.bsky.social · 18/07/2026

4 helicopters flying overhead as the #TourDeFrance heads rapidly in our direction.

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Sarah von Allmen @svona.bsky.social · 18/07/2026

Here we go! The #TourDeFrance summits the Ballon d'Alsace and heads down the lovely Doller valley where I live.

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Sarah von Allmen @svona.bsky.social · 17/07/2026

#TourDeFrance is heading our way: they climb the Ballon d'Alsace (just up the road from here) today, then circle back to it tomorrow and speed down the valley through the little town where we live. Lots of cyclists here already, as well as a few motorhomes.

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Sarah von Allmen @svona.bsky.social · 16/07/2026

A rainbow to welcome us to our new house.

A rainbow arches over some rooftops. In the foreground is a garden bounded by a high hedge.

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Sarah von Allmen @svona.bsky.social · 13/07/2026

On duty with the Musique Municipale for #FêteNationale. Alsace has one of the best regional costumes! #BastilleDay #Masevaux

Rather ropey sheet music for the Marseillaise, La Masopolitain (a march composed by a former conductor for the town of Masevaux), and the Chant du Départ.

Official tribune with local dignitaries and a group of small children in traditional Alsace costume. (White blouses, red skirts and black ponies for the girls, plus oversized black bows in their hair.)

The fire brigade band: dark blue trousers, pale blue shirts and silver helmets. They are playing a variety of natural wind instruments, ie bugles, etc, with no pistons.

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Sarah von Allmen @svona.bsky.social · 29/06/2026

The temperature has dropped noticeably, but it's still hot, so how about a little cross stitch before bed? #CrossStitch #PointDeCroix #Embroidery

Embroidery hoop with work in progress: irises in shades of pink, purple and blue.

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Sarah von Allmen @svona.bsky.social · 29/06/2026

A rather threatening sunset this evening - more storms to come?

A wooded hillside in silhouette with ominous clouds in shades of pink/grey above.

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Sarah von Allmen @svona.bsky.social · 28/06/2026

Yes! The storm has finally reached us and we have rain and wind, so everyone should sleep better tonight. #Heatwave #Canicule

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Sarah von Allmen @svona.bsky.social · 27/06/2026

Windows wide open at midnight in the forlorn hope of lowering the temperature... We hit 42°C outside today (30°C indoors), which is wild for Alsace in June. 🥺 #Heatwave #Canicule

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Sarah von Allmen @svona.bsky.social · 24/06/2026

2.40 am: the temp's finally down to 27°C indoors and 21° C outside... Crazy hot for Alsace in June - thank goodness for shutters and blinds. #Heatwave #Canicule

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