Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 1-1-2026 — The Archers (Ten Questions)

1st January, 2026: The Archers.

Right, then: it’s a refreshing start for a whole new year.

At least … we can … if we’re wearing clothes.

Going by the BBC’s weather site?

And a quick check outside?

My home town’s looking, and feeling, cold.

I should be grateful, though.

And old friend lives in southern Finland.

Apparently, it was -17°C, last night.

I should be grateful for heating … 

~≈❄️≈~

Or payments … 

UK benefit claimants had a bit of news, a day or two, ago.

Seemingly?

We should get a cold weather payment of twenty-five pounds: if the overnight weather stays under 0° for seven days in a row.

Assuming the boiler holds out?

I have enough on my meter to survive.

But … ?

I hot the weather holds out: that cash could coming in handy.

~≈💰≈~

I’m a big one for the macOS platform: you’ve possibly worked that out, over the years.

And mostly had a ok time with the platform.

Since the installation of an updated version of the operating system — macOS Tahoe 26·1, to be precise — I’ve notice overheating issues: that seem to be linked to having one or more Pages documents, open.

Linked to processes that Activity Monitor lists as ‘kernel_task’ and ‘corespotlightd’.

Checking with Apple’s support wasn’t helpful: beyond identifying that Pages seemed to be causing the issue, neither was asking on Apple’s support community.

Neither was Macworld’s article on the problem: they’s seemingly simple fix didn’t work.

Quite what’s going on … ?

I don’t know.

But I think it’s something Apple need to sort out: the opinions of a few people I’ve talked to is that it’s an issue with Pages.

And that it’s something Apple needs to sort out.

~≈🍎≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 31-12-2025 — The Big, Fat Review of 2025.

31st December, 2025: the Review of 2025.

I never thought I’d have to announce the death of a regular commentor on Nik Nak’s Old Peculiar.

But I did, a few weeks ago: whenever I announced the death of Trevor Veail.

As bad tempered and snotty as he could be, some times?

He was an early supporter of both this blog, the live quizzes it was designed to promote, and the questions it was supposed to give away.

His death?

Was sad: and he, himself, will be missed.

The reason I mention this … ?

Is twofold.

His (private) cremation is happening as we speak.

And a memorial site has been set up in his memory, a memorial site you can find, here: 

https://trevorveail.muchloved.com

Feel free to leave a message, there.

~≈✝≈~

One thing I do know … ?

Is that Trevor was a fellow Dr Who fan.

I don’t know if he saw my reviews: but I still have distinct memories chewing over who the Dalek voice was, in the trailer for “The Parting of the Ways”.

But … ?

I’m pretty sure he’d be happy to hear the classic series is being re-released on bluray … and capable of being copied … 

~≈🧑🏼‍⚕️≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 30-12-2025 — Name That Sportsman.

30th December, 2025: Name That Sportsman!

I think I can safely say I have two copies of The Lord of the Rings: Ralph Bakshi’s animated, 1978, version.

And I’m going to have to send back the DVD copy I got.

Amazon has both a DVD and a blu-ray version: and, given how their search results, go, sometimes?

I didn’t see the bluray version … until after I’d bought the DVD!

Something’s getting set back … 

~≈🛟≈~

A few minutes ago, I took a couple of photos: outside the front of my building.

I don’t know that the camera on my phone catches the colours, but the sky … ?

Was gorgeous: with clouds turned glorious shades of red and pink, in the light of the sunrise.

OK: I grant you the old ‘Red Sky at Night’ saw reminds us the weather’s going to be (possibly) bad for the rest of the day.

But … ?

For the few moments it took me to take the photos, it was beautiful.

~≈☁︎≈~

You’ll possibly remember that former Old Peculiar regular, Trevor Veail, died recently.

I’ve been contacted by Gill, his sister: who tells me his cremation is tomorrow — 31st December, 2025 — at 8·30.

As it’s what’s called a simple funeral, she’s encouraging us to send thoughts, then … 

I’ll be pausing, I know that: as it will be a sad day.

~≈🪦≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 29th December 2025.

29th December, 2025.

It’s officially official: I’ve had a delivery.

Of a film: and some vitamin D tablets.

At least one of those is going to come in handy: and keep me healthy.

The other … ?

Was the unfinished Ralph Bakshi version of The Lord of the Rings.

Which I first saw many years ago: and thought I should watch, again, after seeing Bakshi’s Wizards.

I have to ask one thing, though.

I’ve shown you the trailer, there.

And … ?

I’m feeling cynical about the thing: it describes the film as being “… beyond the reaches of the imagination”.

Which is a bit contradictory.

When someone clearly imagined enough of the movie, to get the thing made!

~≈⏣≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 28-12-2025 — Milton Obote.

28th December, 2025: Milton Obote.

Well, that’s me embarrassed … !

I’ve woken up, this morning, and turned on the heating … to find my boiler had lost pressure: and that I had no heating or hot water, as a result.

And twisting the relevant knob didn’t work.

So … ?

I started boiling a lot of water, for a bath, and phoned my landlords, to book an emergency repair.

Which, I was told, could take up to twenty-four hours … 

I booked the repair, and went back to contemplating my navel, filling the bath, and trying to organise a blog post.

Whilst a niggling thought — and the possibility of twenty-four hours-worth of cold — kept poking me.

With that in mind, I went and checked the boiler, again … and twisted both of the knobs on the thing.

Yes, you’re right.

I did have to make an embarrassed phone call* … 

~≈♨️≈~