Helena
@midnightsheep.bsky.social
Welsh. European. Migrant.
Still lurking.
More detailed lurking coming soon.
Still lurking.
More detailed lurking coming soon.
I really do have a fondness for this one, also the Guardian (of course), where the correction only makes the error much, much bigger, and misses at least one exemplar of the original error as well.
November 18, 2025 at 5:13 PM
I really do have a fondness for this one, also the Guardian (of course), where the correction only makes the error much, much bigger, and misses at least one exemplar of the original error as well.
It was this design, with additional green/grey tones from the scratches. Guarantee to make all food look bad. Nothing can be appetizing off these plates.
November 17, 2025 at 9:45 PM
It was this design, with additional green/grey tones from the scratches. Guarantee to make all food look bad. Nothing can be appetizing off these plates.
On a lighter note, I was delighted that they did not miss the opportunity to call their ice cream stand I-scream. Points off for one of only seven varieties being the abomination that is brown cheese. What’s wrong with liqourice, FFS?
I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream.
I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream.
September 29, 2025 at 6:12 AM
On a lighter note, I was delighted that they did not miss the opportunity to call their ice cream stand I-scream. Points off for one of only seven varieties being the abomination that is brown cheese. What’s wrong with liqourice, FFS?
I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream.
I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream.
This is how to do public toilets!
The main toilet array at the Munch museum in Oslo, which reads: please use the toilet of your choice (urinals available on the right). (Oddly, there wasn’t an English translation as there was for most/all other tex.)
The main toilet array at the Munch museum in Oslo, which reads: please use the toilet of your choice (urinals available on the right). (Oddly, there wasn’t an English translation as there was for most/all other tex.)
September 29, 2025 at 6:12 AM
This is how to do public toilets!
The main toilet array at the Munch museum in Oslo, which reads: please use the toilet of your choice (urinals available on the right). (Oddly, there wasn’t an English translation as there was for most/all other tex.)
The main toilet array at the Munch museum in Oslo, which reads: please use the toilet of your choice (urinals available on the right). (Oddly, there wasn’t an English translation as there was for most/all other tex.)
ETA: A random photo of a whoa-that's-bright Norwegian road sign, to support my proposition, for anyone who hasn't had a chance to see for themselves/
August 27, 2025 at 8:05 AM
ETA: A random photo of a whoa-that's-bright Norwegian road sign, to support my proposition, for anyone who hasn't had a chance to see for themselves/
Where were your thinking of? My mind went to the Dominican church one in Maastricht (which gets bonus points for their “shelf of shame”)
July 10, 2025 at 6:47 AM
Where were your thinking of? My mind went to the Dominican church one in Maastricht (which gets bonus points for their “shelf of shame”)
Mine do quite complex routines on a pair of apple branches - turn around, hop onto closer branch, balance tail on back one, etc. This year's top award goes to the one that straddled a branch, so its tail feathers looked like trousers:
July 3, 2025 at 1:57 PM
Mine do quite complex routines on a pair of apple branches - turn around, hop onto closer branch, balance tail on back one, etc. This year's top award goes to the one that straddled a branch, so its tail feathers looked like trousers:
Note also, the embarrassingly sycophantic headline that suggested more than one miserable sentence of French. So, being a data girl, I went to check.
Indeed, there was more “French”: one even more mangled sentence at the other end. Truly pathetic. Listen if you dare.
Indeed, there was more “French”: one even more mangled sentence at the other end. Truly pathetic. Listen if you dare.
June 10, 2025 at 9:46 AM
Note also, the embarrassingly sycophantic headline that suggested more than one miserable sentence of French. So, being a data girl, I went to check.
Indeed, there was more “French”: one even more mangled sentence at the other end. Truly pathetic. Listen if you dare.
Indeed, there was more “French”: one even more mangled sentence at the other end. Truly pathetic. Listen if you dare.
I’ve become increasingly willing to rethink my relationship to some kinds of (defunct?) book. For instance, I rescued this mechanical engineering textbook from the 1940s from a skip pile only to turn it into a lampshade. (I’m struggling to repurpose a too-interesting 1898 Household Encyclopaedia.)
March 30, 2025 at 9:54 AM
I’ve become increasingly willing to rethink my relationship to some kinds of (defunct?) book. For instance, I rescued this mechanical engineering textbook from the 1940s from a skip pile only to turn it into a lampshade. (I’m struggling to repurpose a too-interesting 1898 Household Encyclopaedia.)
Further positive signs: his sister isn’t shunning him at all.
Additional cat tax:
Additional cat tax:
March 28, 2025 at 3:45 PM
Further positive signs: his sister isn’t shunning him at all.
Additional cat tax:
Additional cat tax:
Reporting back. Lovely vet said seizures probably related to the suspected stroke 1.5 years ago, and to monitor. If he has them regularly, we'll treat; for now, we wait and hope. It's likely more scary than it is concerning. He does seem alright now. A bit subdued, but counter-surfing already :)
March 28, 2025 at 3:43 PM
Reporting back. Lovely vet said seizures probably related to the suspected stroke 1.5 years ago, and to monitor. If he has them regularly, we'll treat; for now, we wait and hope. It's likely more scary than it is concerning. He does seem alright now. A bit subdued, but counter-surfing already :)
Gareth’s having a fitting crisis. Last time this happened was a near-death event, but he’s been his best self in the 18 months since. And it did lead to finding a brilliant vet who makes housecalls (for cheaper than the vet we used to struggle out to). So, today we have a visitor. Wish us luck.
March 28, 2025 at 10:47 AM
Gareth’s having a fitting crisis. Last time this happened was a near-death event, but he’s been his best self in the 18 months since. And it did lead to finding a brilliant vet who makes housecalls (for cheaper than the vet we used to struggle out to). So, today we have a visitor. Wish us luck.
My Danish supermarket now has a star mark for European products. (Not just EU: the British cheddar had one.)
This notice was prominent on the fridge (sadly, not in front of the egg section, which would have been pleasing.)
PS: all chilled goods are behind doors here. Why does the UK not do this?
This notice was prominent on the fridge (sadly, not in front of the egg section, which would have been pleasing.)
PS: all chilled goods are behind doors here. Why does the UK not do this?
March 21, 2025 at 6:52 AM
My Danish supermarket now has a star mark for European products. (Not just EU: the British cheddar had one.)
This notice was prominent on the fridge (sadly, not in front of the egg section, which would have been pleasing.)
PS: all chilled goods are behind doors here. Why does the UK not do this?
This notice was prominent on the fridge (sadly, not in front of the egg section, which would have been pleasing.)
PS: all chilled goods are behind doors here. Why does the UK not do this?
Reading this post in front some nice Arne Jacobsen, as it happens
March 10, 2025 at 1:24 PM
Reading this post in front some nice Arne Jacobsen, as it happens
You know, I think I’m glad you are deprived of cats.
I keep feeling insanely jealous. Aurora is frankly an obsession (my half dozen alert apps attest), but at least I sleep under two cats every night, and shall be grateful for those furry blessings. They are a consolation.
Cat tax:
I keep feeling insanely jealous. Aurora is frankly an obsession (my half dozen alert apps attest), but at least I sleep under two cats every night, and shall be grateful for those furry blessings. They are a consolation.
Cat tax:
December 11, 2024 at 10:04 PM
You know, I think I’m glad you are deprived of cats.
I keep feeling insanely jealous. Aurora is frankly an obsession (my half dozen alert apps attest), but at least I sleep under two cats every night, and shall be grateful for those furry blessings. They are a consolation.
Cat tax:
I keep feeling insanely jealous. Aurora is frankly an obsession (my half dozen alert apps attest), but at least I sleep under two cats every night, and shall be grateful for those furry blessings. They are a consolation.
Cat tax:
My mother was fanatical about her real tree until, for garbled reasons, she suddenly switched to plastic. I was shocked and confused. Three months later, sad to say, she was diagnosed with an aggressive brain tumour and I honestly said “that plastic tree makes sense now”.
I’m still fanatical BTW.
I’m still fanatical BTW.
December 11, 2024 at 7:32 AM
My mother was fanatical about her real tree until, for garbled reasons, she suddenly switched to plastic. I was shocked and confused. Three months later, sad to say, she was diagnosed with an aggressive brain tumour and I honestly said “that plastic tree makes sense now”.
I’m still fanatical BTW.
I’m still fanatical BTW.
Aaargh. Love a bit of constructive ambiguity on display.
December 3, 2024 at 9:22 AM
Aaargh. Love a bit of constructive ambiguity on display.
If you ever find yourself in Bergen, there’s a maritime museum you’ll love in that case. It’s essentially a Vikings -> now timeline of BAMMs, with a breathing space in the middle, laid out like the deck of the Titanic, overlooking the docks.
October 21, 2024 at 7:07 AM
If you ever find yourself in Bergen, there’s a maritime museum you’ll love in that case. It’s essentially a Vikings -> now timeline of BAMMs, with a breathing space in the middle, laid out like the deck of the Titanic, overlooking the docks.
Was coming to say, I bet there’s no actual burger in there at all. And turns out there isn’t.
Reminds me of this, seen recently.
Reminds me of this, seen recently.
September 18, 2024 at 6:07 AM
Was coming to say, I bet there’s no actual burger in there at all. And turns out there isn’t.
Reminds me of this, seen recently.
Reminds me of this, seen recently.
YES WE CAN!
Mine is called the Tomb of the Unknown Butter Eater, the butter bog body, or the butter sarcophagus, depending on mood and time of day. It has, since this photo was taken, also been dropped and kintsugi'd with araldite doctored to be sparkly. Love it. To bits. (And back.)
Mine is called the Tomb of the Unknown Butter Eater, the butter bog body, or the butter sarcophagus, depending on mood and time of day. It has, since this photo was taken, also been dropped and kintsugi'd with araldite doctored to be sparkly. Love it. To bits. (And back.)
September 17, 2024 at 1:12 PM
YES WE CAN!
Mine is called the Tomb of the Unknown Butter Eater, the butter bog body, or the butter sarcophagus, depending on mood and time of day. It has, since this photo was taken, also been dropped and kintsugi'd with araldite doctored to be sparkly. Love it. To bits. (And back.)
Mine is called the Tomb of the Unknown Butter Eater, the butter bog body, or the butter sarcophagus, depending on mood and time of day. It has, since this photo was taken, also been dropped and kintsugi'd with araldite doctored to be sparkly. Love it. To bits. (And back.)
Maybe some like it. Mine don’t. If you’re looking for something invasive* that bees and butterflies love, I can definitely recommend elecampane (inula). OMG.
* Easy to grow. Will fill a space.
* Easy to grow. Will fill a space.
September 6, 2024 at 5:22 PM
Maybe some like it. Mine don’t. If you’re looking for something invasive* that bees and butterflies love, I can definitely recommend elecampane (inula). OMG.
* Easy to grow. Will fill a space.
* Easy to grow. Will fill a space.
Nah: not huge. Next door had one that was living its best life at a good 10+m, sucking up all the nutrients from every garden in sight and shedding saplings like the Boris Johnson of trees. (I learned to cook with bay, since it was free and available.) Their successors chopped it down, sensibly.
September 6, 2024 at 5:30 AM
Nah: not huge. Next door had one that was living its best life at a good 10+m, sucking up all the nutrients from every garden in sight and shedding saplings like the Boris Johnson of trees. (I learned to cook with bay, since it was free and available.) Their successors chopped it down, sensibly.
The dispensers (aka slug restaurants) are not cheap, but worth every penny. Since I got them, I’ve finally been able to go into the garden at night without having to tiptoe through a writhing carpet of slime.
September 1, 2024 at 7:02 AM
The dispensers (aka slug restaurants) are not cheap, but worth every penny. Since I got them, I’ve finally been able to go into the garden at night without having to tiptoe through a writhing carpet of slime.
Honestly: FERRAMOL.
And the real game-changer (as I discovered this week, after the worst summer of beslugging ever) is adding covered dispensers for the Ferramol.
I am become a Ferramol evangelist.
And the real game-changer (as I discovered this week, after the worst summer of beslugging ever) is adding covered dispensers for the Ferramol.
I am become a Ferramol evangelist.
September 1, 2024 at 6:47 AM
Honestly: FERRAMOL.
And the real game-changer (as I discovered this week, after the worst summer of beslugging ever) is adding covered dispensers for the Ferramol.
I am become a Ferramol evangelist.
And the real game-changer (as I discovered this week, after the worst summer of beslugging ever) is adding covered dispensers for the Ferramol.
I am become a Ferramol evangelist.