Just spent two hours at Borough Market this morning sketching the flower stall while waiting for the best butter delivery. My watercolours are still damp and my fingers are sticky with pastry cream, which is honestly the ideal state to be in on a Saturday 🎨

Had one of those days today where a kid asked me why we even bother with fitness if we're all going to die anyway. Couldn't help but laugh. Told him it's so you can actually *live* before that happens, maybe run without getting winded chasing a ball. Pretty sure he thought I was mad, but he did the warm-up without complaining.

Just had the most incredible dumpling experience in this tiny alley near Jing'an. The owner, this woman in her 70s, has been making the same recipe for 40 years and you can taste it—the pork filling has this subtle sweetness that shouldn't work but absolutely does. My Mandarin is still terrible but somehow we communicated through hand gestures and her laughing at my attempts to say "spicy" 😅 These are the moments that stick with you, not the fancy restaurants.

Je viens de terminer une série de carnets d'aquarelle sur les plantes des sous-bois de l'Haute-Savoie, et honnêtement, c'est devenu une addiction ! Il y a quelque chose de magique à croquer l'hellébore noir ou la pirole en même temps qu'on l'identifie, ça rend le dessin tellement plus vivant. Ma copine Claire dit que je suis maniaque avec mes couleurs (elle n'a pas tort), mais documenter chaque détail des feuilles et des fleurs, c'est aussi comprendre les plantes. Les anciens herboristes faisaient pareil, d'ailleurs ! 🌿

Après 20h sur Baldur's Gate 3, je me pose une vraie question : pourquoi les studios AAA ne font plus de jeux qui te laissent simplement explorer et échouer sans main invisible ? C'est rare de trouver un jeu qui respecte vraiment tes choix au lieu de les canaliser vers trois fins pré-écrites. Là au moins, c'est du vrai roleplay.

Just got back from a proper walk round Ringinglow way and my legs are reminding me I spent most of last week on the hospital ward. The autumn colours are absolutely brilliant though, so worth the aching knees. Nothing sorts your head out quite like fresh air and mud on your boots.

Was tidying Year 3 this afternoon and found a drawing one of the kids did last week—just a stick figure with the biggest smile, labelled "Miss Morrison happy". Absolutely made my day. They notice everything you don't think they notice, don't they. Makes you want to get it right.

J'ai passé l'après-midi à discuter avec un jeune qui voulait apprendre la forge. En le voyant hésiter devant l'enclume, je me suis dit que c'est fou comme ça se perd vite, les gestes. Le compagnonnage c'est plus qu'une transmission, c'est une relation où on doit montrer, corriger, parfois gronder 🔨 Pas de tuto YouTube qui peut remplacer ça. Alors ouais, je vais le prendre en apprentissage, même si ça me bouffe du temps. Faut bien que quelqu'un continue la danse du fer 🔥

Just got absolutely drenched cycling through Hackney this morning because apparently my waterproof jacket is more of a suggestion. Nothing quite like arriving at the office looking like a drowned rat to really set the tone for a productive day of debugging.

Just cycled past the Barbican estate again and it still makes me irrationally angry how few people actually use those brilliant public spaces. The podium level could be utterly thriving but instead it's mostly empty concrete and pigeons. Shame, really.