Now

Last updated: 5th October 2026

A short update on what I’m currently doing, inspired by the /now page idea - updated every month or two rather than left to go stale. Or at least that’s the plan...

Family

Autumn is a great time for conker- and acorn-hunting, with plenty of horse chestnut and oak trees around at Land of Oak and Iron (interestingly, despite the name, more conkers found here!) and Gibside.

A toddler and a baby is always a juggle, but we are all finding a bit more of a rhythm and getting out of the house makes everyone feel better.

Reading

I’m currently reading the Dungeon Crawler Carl series. A Lit-RPG with clever game mechanics and plenty of humour - a great escape from day-to-day life. I’ve written up my thoughts on the first book if you’re curious.

My Currently Reading shelf on Goodreads should give the latest updates.

Cycling

Not much lately - two young kids will do that! I have been out a couple of times recently for shorter rides. Some as commutes - always up for an alternative to driving through Newcastle - and some around the country roads near us. It’s hilly so even short rides can be a good challenge.

I think those rides might be the last times in 2026 as the weather is starting to turn. More to come next year I hope!

Photography

I’d love to photograph sunrise at the beach again - I’m seeing a lot of sunrises with the kids waking us up at the moment!

Otherwise, I’m mostly shooting photos of the kids. I don’t share those here, but they mostly consist of trips out to National Trust locations or nearby parks.

Elsewhere

I’m enjoying the satire and humour of the Page 94 podcast at the moment, it’s a shame it’s only out every other week.

The Great British Bake Off and Grand Designs have done that thing they do every year - start around the same time and fill the snatched moments in the evenings where we can find time to watch them!

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This is a now page - a snapshot of the present, not a full biography. See About for that.