Same place, but this time on the longest day. And in the middle of a heatwave. Love warm weather running. Love being able to mark the passage of the year like this.

Very lucky and very privileged to have had this close encounter with this beautiful, friendly creature this evening.

One of the good things about being in my fifties and no longer running for a club or for performance is the freedom to allow myself shorter, easier runs. The downside is the nagging sense I should be doing more. But that was what drove me to be fast(er) in the past, which is what it's all about.

Clearly not tearing up any trees here, and it's nothing like what I used to run 8, 9 or 10 years ago, but a few weeks ago I decided to up my weekend runs back to double-digit miles and my fitness has really responded. Pleased with this for a nice, easy pace dose of fresh air and feel-good.

Great day at my first @writershq.bsky.social writing retreat. Fantastic view twenty-one floors up in the centre of Birmingham. A treat to spend a whole day concentrating on my WIP, and meet and talk with a great bunch of fellow writers too. Plus found out host Mara is an NFL fan.

The last 3-4 weeks have been even more intense than usual. But have finally signed up as a member at @writershq.bsky.social. Loving the vibes at the moment with the newsletters, posts, courses etc. Going to sign up to the Birmingham retreat in March. And catch up on writing through the apocalypse.

It's a strange truth of creative writing that mornings of achieving -50 words on the total word count can actually be really productive.

In other news, been trying Streamlit with Python and I'm very excited by this. Finally, a simple and straightforward way to write web app UIs.

Felt good to get some writing done earlier today before the school run, work etc.

Thought I'd write lots over Christmas but somehow the creative urge didn't strike. Think I was much more in setting-up-for-the-new-year mode.

So forced myself to be a bit more just-do-it as time is limited. It worked

Back to work today. Been learning and using Python for last two-and-a-half years, though strictly speaking it's not officially my job role, I've just automated lots of what we do. Wonder whether I can make a real go of it this year.

Last run of the year done. Easy 6 miles at 08:20 m/m. Cold, quiet and dark. Peaceful. Lovely. Today I get the lovely Christmas thing of walking back home with nothing to do and no pressure instead of work.

Though still difficult to stop the work thoughts and the must-be-busy momentum.

Early morning winter running on the shortest day. Love the fresh air and feel-good to start the weekend.

When the old Rover road/Longbridge trail opened in summer, through the now green and open area that used to be the car factory site, was v. happy to see lighting for dark morning runs like this.

First post. New social media account, hoping to make some good connections.