Category: HOME & GARDEN
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Romcom Winter Weather
At the grand finale of Christmas romcoms set in the UK, you always get picture-postcard snow arriving right on cue. Unfortunately, we British know the reality: it rarely snows south of Edinburgh, and it pretty much never snows at Christmas. If it comes, it’s typically in January or February, although freak storms can happen as…
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One Year On: the Home Front
A year is a long time.Except it isn’t. With a demanding full-time job and a packed calendar (I flew 23 times in 2025 alone), a year can feel more like a month. It’s in my nature to feel frustrated by a lack of progress, even when—objectively—a fair amount has been achieved. What follows is a…
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Achievements as an amateur hour electrician
I’m no electrician—before moving into my house in Rugby, I hadn’t so much as changed a plug. But there was a lot to do, and over the past year, it’s been staggeringly expensive… without even paying for electricians! As is probably typical, the previous owners left behind all sorts of broken fixtures. Take the security…
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Pride (In the Name of Garage Doors)
I always assumed the U2 classic “Pride (In the Name of Love)” was just another love song. A damn good one, mind you—but still, an example of history’s most well-worn theme. But is it possible Bono was actually doing a bit of DIY and felt chuffed to bits? Maybe he was feeling both pride and…
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Fear Street Part Two
A few additions to yesterday’s picture collection. It’s cheap fun, even in a cost-of-living crisis. I hear that it can cost £100 for a bog-standard meal for a family of four these days (dinners, desserts, a few drinks each). Thus, in the UK we’re being priced out of existence. My only saving grace is my…
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First Spooky Season @ the new house
Summer feels like a lifetime ago, even though it’s been less than two weeks since I was in Montenegro, wearing shorts and a T-shirt. A cold, the return to lecturing, and the arrival of October have all conspired to accelerate time. And while autumn has its downsides, it’s hard not to admire the season’s brilliance—the…
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Mastering Shoe Storage: My Personal Journey
I love my shoe room, although it’s been in a fairly dysfunctional state for a while. Some shoes are on display, some boxes have pictures, but around 80 pairs are boxed without any indication of what’s inside. Many of the shoes aren’t in their original boxes, which makes it practically impossible to find a large…
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From Grime to Shine: Revamping My Bathroom
No disrespect to the previous owners, but the top-floor bathroom was left in a bit of a state. It wasn’t exactly a horror show, but it ticked all the usual boxes: mold in the grouting, a tired-looking shower hose that clearly needed replacing, limescale caked over every bit of chrome—you get the picture. I assumed…
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Home Makeover Journey: From Chaos to Comfort
Boy, have I been busy lately! The past few weeks have been hot, hot, hot — ever since I returned from Chile in May, it’s felt like an early summer: warm, dry, and relentless. And, true to form, I’ve had far too much going on to properly relax under the seasonal sun. After buying my…
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Mastering Life Organization: A Guide to Freedom
No offence intended, but I believe many adults are still amateurs at life. For many, life is a visible hot mess—chaotic, disorganised, and constantly in flux. And to be fair, there are good reasons for this. Work consumes our time and often feels like an abusive relationship. We’re pulled in all directions by partners, family,…
Dr Martin James 