Martin Widlake
@martinwidlake.bsky.social
Retired Oracle performance expert.
President of SYM42.
I love science (especially biology & genetics), cats, beer, and community.
Presenter, blogger, ex Oracle ACE director.
Did I mention I love cats? I currently serve 2 rescued ones.
Failed scientist.
President of SYM42.
I love science (especially biology & genetics), cats, beer, and community.
Presenter, blogger, ex Oracle ACE director.
Did I mention I love cats? I currently serve 2 rescued ones.
Failed scientist.
Early #Caturday - I still miss these two. Fuggles on the right was thick as a plank, incredibly affectionate, and smelly as her spina bifida prevented her grooming. When her spine blew and we let her go, Koshka stepped in and became the lap cat. She'd given way to her sister for 14 years.
November 28, 2025 at 11:56 PM
Early #Caturday - I still miss these two. Fuggles on the right was thick as a plank, incredibly affectionate, and smelly as her spina bifida prevented her grooming. When her spine blew and we let her go, Koshka stepped in and became the lap cat. She'd given way to her sister for 14 years.
I’m starting to wonder how many pairs of reading glasses I need before there is always a pair in the room I’m in.
I’m thinking about 28.
And, even then, once a moth they’ll all have migrated to the bloody kitchen.
I’m thinking about 28.
And, even then, once a moth they’ll all have migrated to the bloody kitchen.
November 27, 2025 at 6:03 PM
I’m starting to wonder how many pairs of reading glasses I need before there is always a pair in the room I’m in.
I’m thinking about 28.
And, even then, once a moth they’ll all have migrated to the bloody kitchen.
I’m thinking about 28.
And, even then, once a moth they’ll all have migrated to the bloody kitchen.
I do love a bit of Lava Lamps action
November 23, 2025 at 6:55 PM
I do love a bit of Lava Lamps action
I'm a cat person. I've had this one since she popped out her mum(& I still serve mum too). I took great pains to teach her both verbal & visual cues from birth. I spent hours & hours at it.
She's a cat, not one fig given!
But she will do ANYTHING if she hears a pack of Dreamies being opened.
She's a cat, not one fig given!
But she will do ANYTHING if she hears a pack of Dreamies being opened.
November 14, 2025 at 11:43 PM
I'm a cat person. I've had this one since she popped out her mum(& I still serve mum too). I took great pains to teach her both verbal & visual cues from birth. I spent hours & hours at it.
She's a cat, not one fig given!
But she will do ANYTHING if she hears a pack of Dreamies being opened.
She's a cat, not one fig given!
But she will do ANYTHING if she hears a pack of Dreamies being opened.
I do cheat a bit, I use shop-bought puff pastry. But so do proper chefs, so I am told.
October 22, 2025 at 8:36 AM
I do cheat a bit, I use shop-bought puff pastry. But so do proper chefs, so I am told.
Sometimes you've just had enough of workmen doing stuff that does not work. 3 times I've had people out to fix our external TV aerial, putting up bigger poles with more expensive aerials on it.
Well, I tried a cheap aerial on a crappy stick at my head height. It works! Welcome Back afternoon TV
Well, I tried a cheap aerial on a crappy stick at my head height. It works! Welcome Back afternoon TV
October 14, 2025 at 2:50 PM
Sometimes you've just had enough of workmen doing stuff that does not work. 3 times I've had people out to fix our external TV aerial, putting up bigger poles with more expensive aerials on it.
Well, I tried a cheap aerial on a crappy stick at my head height. It works! Welcome Back afternoon TV
Well, I tried a cheap aerial on a crappy stick at my head height. It works! Welcome Back afternoon TV
I had a flash-back to Blake's 7!
The Liberator
The Liberator
October 2, 2025 at 10:48 PM
I had a flash-back to Blake's 7!
The Liberator
The Liberator
And I have always loved the story of her delight with the cartoon by Gary Larson. It got him in to trouble until Goodall let on she loved it.
October 1, 2025 at 10:02 PM
And I have always loved the story of her delight with the cartoon by Gary Larson. It got him in to trouble until Goodall let on she loved it.
We are about to see Bill Bailey. I wonder if he will play all this lot or it’s just a tease?
Bonus, a bit of Queen playing as we wait!
Bonus, a bit of Queen playing as we wait!
September 28, 2025 at 7:21 PM
We are about to see Bill Bailey. I wonder if he will play all this lot or it’s just a tease?
Bonus, a bit of Queen playing as we wait!
Bonus, a bit of Queen playing as we wait!
Now with picture! Origami (well, paper art to be exact but in an origami exhibition) David Bowie for @rfoote.bsky.social
September 24, 2025 at 3:05 PM
Now with picture! Origami (well, paper art to be exact but in an origami exhibition) David Bowie for @rfoote.bsky.social
I’ve now got my own weather station! It’s not ideally placed and I won’t be challenging the U.K. Metrological Society, but I’ll know much it’s actually rained and how strong the wind is.
September 22, 2025 at 4:58 PM
I’ve now got my own weather station! It’s not ideally placed and I won’t be challenging the U.K. Metrological Society, but I’ll know much it’s actually rained and how strong the wind is.
Rosalind was born four years ago today. We fostered her mum, Hera, through giving birth to and raising her kittens. And then adopted both Hera and Rosalind.
Rosalind at 3 days, 7 months, and almost 4 years.
Rosalind at 3 days, 7 months, and almost 4 years.
September 17, 2025 at 3:12 PM
Rosalind was born four years ago today. We fostered her mum, Hera, through giving birth to and raising her kittens. And then adopted both Hera and Rosalind.
Rosalind at 3 days, 7 months, and almost 4 years.
Rosalind at 3 days, 7 months, and almost 4 years.
Pretty much 4 years ago to the hour, I was playing midwife to Hera. She was only one year old and her second litter was on the way!
September 16, 2025 at 10:13 PM
Pretty much 4 years ago to the hour, I was playing midwife to Hera. She was only one year old and her second litter was on the way!
This was the peak "kittens abuse the hats" moment. The kitten on the left is Rosalind's brother, Darwin. A minute or so before I took this, Rosalind was asleep and Darwin was drifting off...
The hat was completed and delivered to the client, despite their "help".
The hat was completed and delivered to the client, despite their "help".
September 14, 2025 at 8:23 PM
This was the peak "kittens abuse the hats" moment. The kitten on the left is Rosalind's brother, Darwin. A minute or so before I took this, Rosalind was asleep and Darwin was drifting off...
The hat was completed and delivered to the client, despite their "help".
The hat was completed and delivered to the client, despite their "help".
To celebrate the world athletics championships being on, I’ve baked a discus.
Even Hera is unimpressed!
It tasted very nice though (yes, it's a loaf of bread).
Even Hera is unimpressed!
It tasted very nice though (yes, it's a loaf of bread).
September 14, 2025 at 1:18 PM
To celebrate the world athletics championships being on, I’ve baked a discus.
Even Hera is unimpressed!
It tasted very nice though (yes, it's a loaf of bread).
Even Hera is unimpressed!
It tasted very nice though (yes, it's a loaf of bread).
No “blood moon” lunar eclipse for us, a solid bank of slow-moving cloud in the East. To the West, clear skies, so I think people West of the A1 will have an excellent view. Maybe be even just West of the M11
September 7, 2025 at 6:55 PM
No “blood moon” lunar eclipse for us, a solid bank of slow-moving cloud in the East. To the West, clear skies, so I think people West of the A1 will have an excellent view. Maybe be even just West of the M11
I don't think you need to know UK politics (though it helps) but there is something deeply reassuring that, despite changes to government and the recent reshuffle, @number10cat.bsky.social still holds his position.
More cats in control, they make more sense than most politicians!
More cats in control, they make more sense than most politicians!
September 5, 2025 at 9:11 PM
I don't think you need to know UK politics (though it helps) but there is something deeply reassuring that, despite changes to government and the recent reshuffle, @number10cat.bsky.social still holds his position.
More cats in control, they make more sense than most politicians!
More cats in control, they make more sense than most politicians!
This was my introduction to computers, my older brother's Spectrum! Of course, being my older brother he got to commandeer my portable TV and my tape recorder to make his Spectrum work - but was I allowed to touch HIS Spectrum?
Well, when he went out….
What was your first computer experience?
Well, when he went out….
What was your first computer experience?
August 31, 2025 at 8:37 PM
This was my introduction to computers, my older brother's Spectrum! Of course, being my older brother he got to commandeer my portable TV and my tape recorder to make his Spectrum work - but was I allowed to touch HIS Spectrum?
Well, when he went out….
What was your first computer experience?
Well, when he went out….
What was your first computer experience?
Does this given anyone else flashbacks to the early 80's?
August 31, 2025 at 8:26 PM
Does this given anyone else flashbacks to the early 80's?
I don't know why but your picture reminds me of this "claws of death" shot I took of Jasper the Ever Hungry, trying to get some fresh-cooked chicken I had. We fostered Jasper for the last haf of 2020.
#blackcats #catfoster
#blackcats #catfoster
August 31, 2025 at 8:14 PM
I don't know why but your picture reminds me of this "claws of death" shot I took of Jasper the Ever Hungry, trying to get some fresh-cooked chicken I had. We fostered Jasper for the last haf of 2020.
#blackcats #catfoster
#blackcats #catfoster
Since it rained (first proper rain in 2 months) the ground nesting bees have been very active -fighting, mating, excavating burrows.
August 31, 2025 at 2:54 PM
Since it rained (first proper rain in 2 months) the ground nesting bees have been very active -fighting, mating, excavating burrows.
I've been thinking of getting a weather station for years. You know - white box, rain guage, little, spinning anemometer which you pop out to each morning, notepad in hand.
God I'm old, they ate all like this now!
God I'm old, they ate all like this now!
August 29, 2025 at 8:19 PM
I've been thinking of getting a weather station for years. You know - white box, rain guage, little, spinning anemometer which you pop out to each morning, notepad in hand.
God I'm old, they ate all like this now!
God I'm old, they ate all like this now!
It went past, we got nothing. That gap East of Saffron Walden? Yep, my house is somewhere there.
August 26, 2025 at 1:31 PM
It went past, we got nothing. That gap East of Saffron Walden? Yep, my house is somewhere there.