Dave Merritt
@butwhatifitsall.bsky.social
Gen Xer (1965), benefitted from the golden age of the UK welfare state and social mobility. Career in social housing (remember that?) now retired. Father of Jack Merritt, killed in the 2019 Fishmongers’ Hall attack. Writing a book. Food. Music. Politics.
I hate wasting leftover pastry….
December 4, 2025 at 4:30 PM
I hate wasting leftover pastry….
Plastic windows were sold on the promise that they would last forever, never need painting, would never rot. Except that isn’t true. Plastic windows are being replaced when they are not much more than 20 years old, like these ones on an estate near me in Cottenham, Cambs. I’ve seen at least four
November 28, 2025 at 12:27 PM
Plastic windows were sold on the promise that they would last forever, never need painting, would never rot. Except that isn’t true. Plastic windows are being replaced when they are not much more than 20 years old, like these ones on an estate near me in Cottenham, Cambs. I’ve seen at least four
Power In The Darkness by the Tom Robinson Band (1978) is one of the finest debuts by a British band. Standout track: Too Good To Be True.
November 26, 2025 at 9:35 AM
Power In The Darkness by the Tom Robinson Band (1978) is one of the finest debuts by a British band. Standout track: Too Good To Be True.
Been making Cheese & Black Pepper Buttons from Dan Lepard’s Short & Sweet book. These are the best cheese biscuits you will ever taste, far better than anything you can buy. I roll my dough into a cylinder & freeze it for 30 minutes before slicing into rounds. Everyone loves these.
November 23, 2025 at 10:58 AM
Been making Cheese & Black Pepper Buttons from Dan Lepard’s Short & Sweet book. These are the best cheese biscuits you will ever taste, far better than anything you can buy. I roll my dough into a cylinder & freeze it for 30 minutes before slicing into rounds. Everyone loves these.
The very last of this year’s tomato crop ripening under cover with a banana.
November 13, 2025 at 6:20 PM
The very last of this year’s tomato crop ripening under cover with a banana.
Worst Halloween decorations I’ve seen so far. Happy Landfill Crap Day!
October 31, 2025 at 4:56 PM
Worst Halloween decorations I’ve seen so far. Happy Landfill Crap Day!
Middle class fly tipping done gone too far.
October 31, 2025 at 9:47 AM
Middle class fly tipping done gone too far.
“The marketisation of higher education, like the marketisation of other public services, has proved to be an abject failure of political ideology.” Letter in today’s Guardian
October 30, 2025 at 11:13 AM
“The marketisation of higher education, like the marketisation of other public services, has proved to be an abject failure of political ideology.” Letter in today’s Guardian
It’s that time of year again.
October 28, 2025 at 7:23 AM
It’s that time of year again.
Some things were better in the not too distant past. In 1964 my parents, then living in private rented rooms in London, were offered the tenancy of a 3 bed council house in Huntingdon. The rent was affordable on a working man’s wage, without benefits. Post-war Tory & Labour governments agreed on
October 26, 2025 at 2:49 PM
Some things were better in the not too distant past. In 1964 my parents, then living in private rented rooms in London, were offered the tenancy of a 3 bed council house in Huntingdon. The rent was affordable on a working man’s wage, without benefits. Post-war Tory & Labour governments agreed on
Read this
It will help.
It will help.
October 23, 2025 at 10:40 AM
Read this
It will help.
It will help.
Anne’s dahlias are still going great guns
October 23, 2025 at 10:13 AM
Anne’s dahlias are still going great guns
Anne’s dahlias have done well this year.
October 14, 2025 at 1:40 PM
Anne’s dahlias have done well this year.
We swapped half of our lawn for what we call a dry garden - gravel and drought-resistant plants, inspired by Beth Chatto’s garden. Plastic is a desert for insects and other wildlife, and will look worn and tatty in time. Ferns would also work well in a shady, boggy bit of garden.
October 6, 2025 at 12:27 PM
We swapped half of our lawn for what we call a dry garden - gravel and drought-resistant plants, inspired by Beth Chatto’s garden. Plastic is a desert for insects and other wildlife, and will look worn and tatty in time. Ferns would also work well in a shady, boggy bit of garden.
Born on this day in 1994. Never forgotten. Always loved.
October 1, 2025 at 1:20 PM
Born on this day in 1994. Never forgotten. Always loved.
Seen in a cafe in North Vancouver. Insane.
September 30, 2025 at 1:14 AM
Seen in a cafe in North Vancouver. Insane.
here in a few years’ time, so it’s reassuring to see it and like it so much. We will definitely be back.
September 27, 2025 at 11:04 PM
here in a few years’ time, so it’s reassuring to see it and like it so much. We will definitely be back.
Go to Canada instead. Way fewer people, way fewer guns and crime, beautiful people, stunning scenery. Chips with gravy AND cheese - c’mon!
September 21, 2025 at 3:22 PM
Go to Canada instead. Way fewer people, way fewer guns and crime, beautiful people, stunning scenery. Chips with gravy AND cheese - c’mon!
I found this when I went to get the pond net out of the shed. Great Tit eggs, I think. It’s a lesson to me to keep the door shut most of the time.
September 12, 2025 at 4:17 PM
I found this when I went to get the pond net out of the shed. Great Tit eggs, I think. It’s a lesson to me to keep the door shut most of the time.
These homegrown tomatoes look almost too perfect. Amazingly, the plant self-seeded from my homemade compost, so I had nothing to do with it. Annoyingly, all my tomato seedlings failed and the plants I bought haven’t done nearly as well as this one. I’m not complaining, though.
September 9, 2025 at 4:47 PM
These homegrown tomatoes look almost too perfect. Amazingly, the plant self-seeded from my homemade compost, so I had nothing to do with it. Annoyingly, all my tomato seedlings failed and the plants I bought haven’t done nearly as well as this one. I’m not complaining, though.
Just lost myself for a melancholy hour in Van Morrison’s Astral Weeks. What an astonishing album. He’s an irascible old bugger with some questionable views these days, but anyone who did this must have a soul.
August 31, 2025 at 3:01 PM
Just lost myself for a melancholy hour in Van Morrison’s Astral Weeks. What an astonishing album. He’s an irascible old bugger with some questionable views these days, but anyone who did this must have a soul.
The wisdom of middle age: #1 - “useful screws”
Thinks (doesn’t think): Hmmm, these screws that came with that thing, but which I didn’t need to use, might come in handy another time. Better keep them.
Thinks (doesn’t think): Hmmm, these screws that came with that thing, but which I didn’t need to use, might come in handy another time. Better keep them.
August 11, 2025 at 11:56 AM
The wisdom of middle age: #1 - “useful screws”
Thinks (doesn’t think): Hmmm, these screws that came with that thing, but which I didn’t need to use, might come in handy another time. Better keep them.
Thinks (doesn’t think): Hmmm, these screws that came with that thing, but which I didn’t need to use, might come in handy another time. Better keep them.