Dan's been getting into making electronic music. The hardware really triggers my Gear Acquisition Syndrome. I can just about resist Teenage Engineering most days (today was a hard day) but this Monome Norns is making me need to take a cold shower. I was alright until I found out you can SSH to it. If you can SSH to something, I'm basically sold on it.

This swan has made a nest down by the flats at the marina. Going to keep an eye on this because I love cygnets; they're so ugly.

My Russian visa came through so I'm definitely going to Moscow on Monday. I have most of the day Wednesday to explore. What should I do?

Tabitha wanted to play cricket. She's always had a bit of an interest in ball games, but it's not really something we've nurtured. Between her interest in art, writing, gymnastics; there's not really a lot of time left for anything else.

For some reason or another, we've been playing more games like this recently, and the opportunity presented itself to join Allstars Cricket so she wanted to give it a shot. She's very enthusiastic, but the coaches seem to focus on people who have a more natural ability and just let anyone else flap about and have some fun. One can flap about and have fun anywhere, so I've been trying to sharpen Tabitha's skills.

We've been bowling, batting, throwing, and catching, and she's really improving. She's also focussing a lot better than she normally does. She's like me - if she's not good at something immediately, it starts a timer on how long she's prepared to do it. Fortunately, she has improved quite quickly. She can bowl nice and straight, and hit the ball pretty well if it comes at her in a reasonable manner. Catching needs some work, but I guess that'll just come naturally with practice. Plus, American TV shows have taught me that kids love nothing more than to stand in their gardens playing catch with their dads, so I guess we have that!

In the words of Ozzy Osbourne, "I'm sick and tired of being sick and tired". I've been ill in some capacity for a month and half now, and I'm just so bored of getting to the end of one illness and another one starting to spin up. None of it's serious illness or anything (imagine how shit I'd be if I actually got ill), but one thing after another is so fucking annoying. Yesterday, my cough got so bad that I couldn't go out. Hadn't slept. Grumpy.

Today, we had visitors and we had to get out of the house! Brought the Canon cannon and shot a few birds. I like birds. The older I get, the more I like birds. They're so small and intricate. Starlings are my favourite, because they're shiny I think, but I like sparrows too.

This little fellow was having a right old shout. His mate nicked a chip and absconded with it.

I like the open market on London Road in Brighton. There's a lady there selling these delicious-looking flatbreads and we've wanted to try them for ages but whenever we're on London Road it's to go to Fatto a Mano. Not this weekend though!

Will I ever tire of watching people make food? I doubt it! She also had this big bucket of dough she was breaking pieces off when she ran out. Who doesn't love a good dough?

And I made friends with this little fellow. I think the owners were annoyed because I stayed petting him for a little too long. He was so soft, though!