So far much of what I’ve written this year has been pretty serious stuff, mostly about the sudden dystonia that developed in my hands on Boxing Day. The last few weeks have been difficult, painful and sad.

Today, by contrast, was full of creativity, joy and laughter.…

Four years ago today, for the first time, I shared a picture of a tic I’d just created. It was an image in a series I called ‘God says’ inspired by all the God tics that’d emerged the previous summer.

It was the first time I’d realised the visual potential of my tics.…

Yesterday Fat Sister, King Russell and I drove to my parents’ house for a family get-together. We had delicious food, enjoyable conversation, and a lovely time.

The traffic on the way home was as slow as it usually is on the route we take.…

Cushions are one of the crucial safety features for me at the castle, loads and loads of them, including some shaped like biscuits and some like clouds.

I had a long “ticcing fit” in the early hours of the morning yesterday while Will was supporting me.…

A couple of weeks ago a new tic arrived, and it shocked me. It’s stuck around and although I’m not saying it all the time, like “Biscuit” or “Hedgehog”, I’ve probably said it once or twice a day ever since it began.…

You may have noticed I’ve been introducing lots of shows on Channel 4 in the last week, but my tics have been going one better – they’ve dreamt up a load of new programmes, including:

“My Big Fat Gypsy Sheep Dog.”…

This morning I emerged from the shower with a brand new ticced song. The words are:

“Take a look inside the sheep and ask yourself the truth, are donkeys the best at doing moos?”

Take a Look

The tune’s really familiar but I can’t name it.…

Olive was back in town last night after being away for a bit. She came to stay at the castle and she wasn’t alone – she brought Keith, the dog, with her.

The three of us had lovely evening, watching TV and enjoying a delicious dinner.…

On Monday my Festive Outburst was “Lamp-post, shall we do ‘Secret Santa’?”

When I shared this on Facebook, Fran, who was supporting me, said ‘So what would you get the lamp-post for Secret Santa?’

She didn’t have to wait long for an answer because, predictably, my tics were quick to take the bait.…

This morning I had a lovely hot shower but forgot to put the extractor fan on which meant by the time I’d finished, the bathroom was thick with mist. And that’s something I’m apparently neurologically incapable of ignoring.

“It’s mistier than the 1800s.”…