weeknotes: he shoots, he scores!

Jul 11, 2025

Eyup.

Friday! [insert celebration of your choice here]

I'm Dave Graham, astonishingly lapsed book tempter on all the socials as @dakegra. I'm easily distractible with a hot beverage and cake, a cat, or a shiny new book. My TBR pile hates me.

On the way back from Newcastle last weekend we stopped for a break. As I was walking into the services there was a young lad and his dad ahead of me. The dad dropped his drinks cup, volleyed it and it arced perfectly into a nearby rubbish bin. He threw his hands in the air - the bin slot was on the side, so it was a tricky shot.

The young lad turned and saw me give a grin and a nod of approval. We passed them and as I was walking into the building I heard the dad say "one of my finest sporting achievements and no-one else was there to see it but us."

The lad replied, "that guy saw it. He nodded and smiled at me."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

"Nice!"

Yes, yes it was. I witnessed your finest sporting achievement and share it here with the world. Well, the bit that reads this, anyway. Good work!

Reading

It's the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival in Harrogate next weekend, and I realise that I'm so far behind on my reviews (and reading). You always get asked if you've read anything good recently, so I really need to make a list in preparation.

Looking forward to seeing some of my bookish chums and favourite authors again. I'll be there wearing my books& books& books& coffee& cake t-shirt

Just started reading A Murder for Miss Hortense by Mel Pennant, which is good so far.

Retired nurse, avid gardener, renowned cake maker and fearless sleuth Miss Hortense has lived in Bigglesweigh, a quiet Birmingham suburb, since she emigrated from Jamaica in 1960. She takes great pride in her home, starching her lace curtains bright white, and she can tell if she's been short-changed on turmeric before she's even taken her first bite of a beef patty. Thirty-five years of nursing have also left her afraid of nobody - be they a local drug dealer or a priest - and an expert in deciphering other people's secrets with just a glance.

Miss Hortense uses her skills to investigate the investments of the Pardner network - a special community of Black investors, determined to help their people succeed. But when an unidentified man is found dead in one of the Pardner's homes, a Bible quote noted down beside his body, Miss Hortense's long-buried past comes rushing back to greet her, bringing memories of the worst moment of her life, one which her community has never let her forget.

It is time for Miss Hortense to solve a mystery that will see her, and the community she loves, tested to their limits.

Watching

It's pretty much all Tour de France at the moment. A bunch of skinny guys riding around France on ridiculously expensive bikes. I love it. Will Tadej make it another win? Or will Jonas find his form in the high mountains?

Listening

Spotted on FB earlier this week that Bryan Adams is doing an album launch party at the Brudenell in Leeds. Tickets were ridiculously cheap if you bought a bundle with the album. I was there at 09:59am clicking refresh on my browser, up they popped, snagged a ticket and boom.

The Brudenell is a fabulous venue and holds maybe... 400 people. The gig sold out immediately, causing much ruckus on the Crash Records FB page, so they ended up putting on another two shows. Regular readers might recall that I saw Mr Adams at the FD Arena earlier this year and he pretty much sold that out too.