Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 20th February 2026

20th February, 2026.

It’s officially official: it’s pay day, today.

Or, at least, the day I receive my PIP, my Personal Independence Payment.

I would love to go get some shopping.

But … ?

I’m expecting an engineer to turn up, today, between eight and one.

He’s the chap who’s here to see to the communal aerial.

Hopefully, he’ll be here, soon: and able to do something, quickly.

Given what I think the issue is, he should just have to change a cable.

But I could be wrong.

~≈📺≈~

Right or wrong … ?

It’s annoying: for a couple of reasons.

One … ?

Under normal circumstances, I occasionally have to re-tune my TV, if the signal goes funny.

Under normal circumstances, I only need to do that, once every, what?

Every three or four weeks, or so.

At the moment?

I have to do it, every time I switch on the TV: or switch from the AppleTV signal, to the aerial signal.

A dozen times or more, since reporting the problem.

It’s frustrating.

More so, than you think, actually.

Usually, when writing these posts, I have the TV turned off.

It’s intrusive.

But, at the moment, I’ve got Radio Four on: and the TV on mute: because I don’t want to retune it, again..

That’s still loud enough to be distracting, however quiet it may be and however mild a distraction others may find it.

Frustrating?

You bet: it’s an itch I can’t scratch.

~≈📺≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 19th February, 2026.

19th February, 2026.

Yay!

Money’s turned up!

OK: ten pounds (£10) has turned up.

I bought a new toast, last week: ending up with a free one, as a result of Amazon not telling me there was a backlog on the cheaper one I’d ordered.

I’m not complaining, too much: Amazon’s good will gesture — a £10 gift card — turned into two gift cards.

Which, along side the refunded £4·99 gift from the last mistake Amazon made, meant I got a toaster worth £19·99 for free.

Complete with a warming rack, I should add.

All I had to do, after that … ?

Was wait for the associated cash refund.

That turned up, yesterday.

Which is handy timing.

I could do with a loaf.

Prices in Brentwood are ridiculous … !

~≈£≈~

On the down side … ?

I noticed, on Tuesday, that there seemed to be some minor issues with my TV.

Stuttering sounds and signal cutout, listening to Radio Four, for the most part.

It got worse, yesterday: more cutting out, and serious pixelation, watching the BBC News channel.

I’ve also had to retune my TV about half a dozen times: more, in the last day, than in the last year.

So … ?

I sent a WhatsApp message to the neighbour, to ask if anyone else was affected.

There’s at least one.

So I was able to phone my landlords, and report it as a communal repair: an urgent one, as there’s vulnerable adults in the building.

That, I’m told, is going to be some twenty-four hours from the time of my call.

I think I know what’s happened: I believe rain water, from the past few weeks worth of bad weather has got into the cabling that goes into the Junction box on the top floor.

Hopefully, the engineer will be able to diagnose the problem, and repair it, quickly.

This is as frustrating as it ever was.

~≈📡≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 18-2-2026 — Ramadan

18th February, 2026: Ramadan.

Right … I’ve officially got to pick some forms up!

I’m diabetic, if you didn’t know: so have to have quarterly blood tests, to check my blood sugar levels.

Hopefully?

Hopefully, when the test results come in, they will have gone better than my recent weigh-in … !

~≈🩸≈~

I’m something of a Mac fan: you’ve probably already worked that out, haven’t you … ?

So … ?

I am very aware there’s rumours about up-and-coming Apple products.

Including rumours of a lightweight MacBook, one with 8gb of RAM, a 256gb SSD, an A-series chip, and a funky case.

I’m … 

Yes: of course I’m interested to see if the rumoured machine will turn up.

And yes, I think it will be a very good on-the-go machine.

But I can’t help but think it’s a little underpowered for the current version of the operating system.

And also remember that Steve Jobs, when he rejoined Apple in the late 1990s, immediately cut a lot of poorly selling product lines.

Would this machine be one of the ones he cut?

~≈🍏≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 17th February, 2026.

17th February, 2026.

Right … I am officially feeling tired … after getting up at 5·20!

I’ll be honest, I got — for me — something of an late night: after finishing a review of an episode of Stranger Things.

Episode two, if you’re curious: The Vanishing of Holly Wheeler.

So … ?

Getting up as early as I did, doesn’t exactly light my fire.

I can only hope the review — and its in-depth discussion of the difference between a vest, and a waistcoat — gets it a few views … 

~≈🦺≈~

Oh … 

I mention my weight, in today’s introduction video: as I was at my weight management class, yesterday.

Wouldn’t you know it?

My weight’s gone up a kilo!

I think joining Crisps Anonymous might be a good idea … !

~≈🥔≈~

Here in the UK, we’re supposed to have local elections, every-so-often.

The next one in Brentwood?

Is due on 7th May of this year.

Many, however, have been delayed: as many local councils are to be reorganised.

Except, of course, central government has had to put plans to delay some thirty elections on hold: after Reform decided to take the Government to court, to force the elections to go ahead.

I don’t like the idea of delaying elections, I really don’t: we should have our say, regardless of any planned  changes.

Mind you … I don’t like the idea of Reform, of all parties, belabouring the point.

But, love ’em or hate ’em … ?

They’ve force central government into a screaming U-turn.

This Labour government’s fond of those … 

~≈U≈~

Stranger Things — Series 5: Chapter 2 — The Vanishing Of Holly Weaver — A Review

13th February, 2026.

“The Vanishing Of Holly Weaver”.

An Introduction.

Last week, I started watching series five of Stranger Things.

On Saturday night.

Just in case you were interested in either reading my written review, or watching the video version.

You’re still welcome to do both.

I’m also very aware that I said I’d be watching the next episode, “The Vanishing Of Holly Weaver”, tomorrow night, and have my written and video reviews up by Tuesday.

But … ?

I think I’m nephew-sitting, tomorrow: so I’m going to watch the episode, tonight … then have my reviews (hopefully) by Monday.

Keep your eyes peeled!

~≈🐙≈~

Just as a side-step … ?

If you’ve read today’s Daily Teaser quiz — or yesterday’s, come to that matter — will be aware of … the Toaster Situation … !

It’s a bit too complicated to go into, here: so let me just tell you I’ve got a new toaster, due.

One that turned up, today: and works!

Good gum drops!

~≈🐙≈~