Night Monkeys. || An alternative to fly spray. || Pipeline jam. || Explanation of note. || Neighbours of note. || The North of yore. || Inspector Gadget. || Giant squid. || The thrill of globular springtails. || Orderly bear. || Teddy bears on a roller-coaster. || Behold the 1959 Curtiss-Wright Model 2500 Air-Car. || Clearly, it’s a skill, but when am I going to use it? || Life is full of complications. || Somewhat related. (h/t, Darleen) || How to trap a python. (Chicken’s opinion not known.) || When you want to remake Alien, but you don’t have a lot of money. || Indigestible facts: “I’m getting angry. I don’t want to talk anymore.” || His folding chess set is better than yours. || And finally, Love Will Tear Us Apart (again).

Scenes. || Scenes 2. (h/t, Darleen) || Quality time. (h/t, Damian) || The somewhat extended shipping forecast. || Their internet connection is faster than yours. || Cat distraction of note. || Birds on public transport, a thread. || Otters versus butterfly, a battle of wits. || When amphibians attack. || Dog balloons. (h/t, Samizdata) || She does this way better than you. || Neighbourly decisions. || There goes the neighbourhood. || Today’s word is glamorous. || Luxurious and inviting. (h/t, Dicentra) || This, on Renaissance fertility weasels, is one of these. (h/t, Things) || Long shot. || Chemistry. || Made of sand. || “Modern toilet restaurant.” || Four-dimensional toy box. || And finally, lunchtime interruptus.

Crank the volume for some inter-species punishment. || Today’s word is interloper. || Today’s other word is ambition. || His is better than yours. || Hey, DJ. || Pattern detected. || Apology of note. || Assorted Peel Sessions. || Concerned pet. (h/t, Damian) || Angela Lansbury paired with teapots. || Unexpected nesting. (h/t, Julia) || Headline of note. || Star Wars, “The original radio drama,” 1981. || Do bear this in mind. (h/t, Dicentra) || You have mail. || Farmland. || From Everest. || Scenes. || Got length. || At last, iridescent chocolate. || Assorted string quintets. || Contrasting attitudes. || Hours of fun for lockdown evenings. || And finally, a quiz for all the family: Antidepressant or Tolkien Character?

In a shocking plot twist, I’m taking a long weekend and leaving you heathens to devise your own entertainment. To soften the blow, here are some photos of woodland; a suboptimal ceiling fan; the retro pleasures of Poolside FM; a chap who made poor choices; and a documentary about the quest to reach absolute zero.

Oh, and via Damian, a possible caption competition.

Play nicely. Use coasters.

Shower music. || Backyard scenes. || Easy on the yeast. || You want one and you know it. || The new order. || It’s not quite what I’d imagined. || Bad news and good news in close proximity. || Stuck good. || You may gasp when ready. || Drive-in rave, Germany. || Smoking is hard. || Today’s word is hankering. || Continue the research. || Creamy filling. || A four-hour discussion of the film Aliens. || Interspecies sports. (h/t, Damian) || Pigeon in UV. || Just like tiny puppies. || The pleasures of rubber. || He brings leaves. || And finally, the sights, and the sounds, of quality time.