The peace and quiet is great, but not entirely relaxing. When the kids are quiet it usually means they are up to no good, or something is wrong.

Making chilli sans carne this morning. Kids are back at school tomorrow, so they are hanging out in the bedroom away from the smell.

2-2 in the end after an exciting second half of end-to-end football. United played like a team transformed in confidence and belief. They scored first, and didn’t wilt completely after Liverpool equalised and then went ahead after a VAR penalty decision (technically correct, blah, blah, blah) over-ruled the ref’s “clear and obvious error” in waving play on. They grabbed an equaliser themselves and should have won it at the death, but Zirkzee (probably lacking in confidence after being subbed in the first half against Newcastle) chose to pass to Maguire rather than shoot. Maguire shinned it over the bar.

0-0 at halftime. United looking solid with a narrow four in midfield in front of a back five. Same eleven that won at City. Hojlund missed a good chance just before the break. Not sure they can keep this up for the full ninety minutes, though.

New hat achievement unlocked.

Auto-generated description: A person wearing glasses and a cap is looking at the camera in a room with various pieces of art on the wall behind them.

Despite it being xmas holidays and eating to excess I lost a pound in weight.

If I can get to bed earlier tonight I’ll have cracked half of my aims for this year and we’re only four days in.

This parking advice signpost is much more effective now.

A fallen street sign lies uprooted on the sidewalk, exposing the base and surrounding pavement.

Half-time oranges at the cricket. 🏏

A group of people are playing cricket in a grassy park surrounded by leafless trees.

This tree, as big kid says, is sus.

A tree with markings (including "69") on its trunk stands in a grassy area.

Today’s trees.

Auto-generated description: A path lined with large, leafless trees runs alongside a grassy field and a fence. Auto-generated description: A large, textured tree trunk with multiple thick branches extends upward, surrounded by leafless twigs against a cloudy sky backdrop. Auto-generated description: Bare tree branches stretch across a cloudy sky at dusk over a distant row of trees and buildings. Auto-generated description: A close-up view of a tree trunk showcases its rough, textured bark.

BOOM! Figured out how to turn off automatic blog post thumbnails. (Wrap <!-- --> around the thumbnail stuff in index.html.)

On a roll, but should quit while I’m ahead.