There followed nearly a century of peace in Western Europe until the start of the Great War of 1914-8, in which my father fought.

Trafalgar was a pivotal point in the defeat of Napoleon Bonaparte, completed by the Duke of Wellington (Arthur Wellesley) and Field Marshal von Blucher at Waterloo.

Nelson stands in my mind as the ultimate British military hero—a true leader of men. His memory lives on.

On this day, 21 October 1805, the Royal Navy under the command of Vice-Admiral Horatio Nelson defeated a combined French and Spanish fleet at the Battle of Trafalgar. Nelson died of injuries from a sniper's bullet. @RoyalNavy

We assembled on the roadside, waving flags. Everyone waved a small Union Flag, but I was given a Welsh Dragon. I'm not Welsh. Am I subversive? No! @JamesHerriot #AllCreaturesGreatandSmall I hope the BBC will screen the Christmas Specials made in the early 1980s eventually.

Last night, I watched two episodes from Series 6 in which the nation lamented the death of King George VI. I was too young to recall this, but I remember the late Queen Elizabeth II visiting Woodford Aerodrome (Avro factory #avrovulcan ) in the 1950s when I was in primary school.

This year, I am catching up with "All Creatures Great and Small", shown on @BBCOne between 1978 and 1990 in seven series. I missed many original episodes, and I'm grateful that they are being repeated on @BBC_Four—excellent TV and cast, produced by the late Bill Sellars.

Similar here to charging and discharging electrochemical cells. @RoySocChem

I wonder whether new compounds based on metal-organic frameworks might play a role in the safe storage and use of hydrogen as a fuel for propulsion, especially if there were a means to absorb and then release hydrogen in a controlled manner.

The organic chemistry of carbon is rich in diversity and offers potential for radical, far-reaching solutions. Millions of carbon compounds have been identified and synthesised. @royalsociety

(Carbon and silicon are in the same column in the periodic table of elements.) 3. Kieselguhr, also known as diatomaceous earth, is used to stabilise acetylene.

1. Occluded hydrogen in palladium with interstitial compounds. 2. Zeolites - microporous, crystalline aluminosilicate minerals with 3D cage-like structures (molecular sieves, adsorbents, used in water softening and air-purification).

Today's announcement of the 2025 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for metal-organic frameworks brought back memories of my undergraduate lectures from many years ago, with three strands. @OfficialUofM

Just listening to @BBCRadio3 as i often do. It’s a good offering tonight with Beethoven’s Emperor piano concerto & Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 5. A question always springs to mind. However did they write such abstract things of great beauty? This is beyond me. But I can marvel!

I have found my children's ID card from the distant past - address redacted. My late mother kept a personal archive of important documents relating to the family. Notice the expiry date.

With apologies to @MattCartoonist and today’s edition of @Telegraph, I wonder what might be my Best Before Date?

Charging costs are low, especially on Intelligent Octopus Go from @OctopusEnergy, and the help is second to none.

Nevertheless, I am pleased to be embarking on a new and environmentally friendly method of transport. I recommend it. It will be challenging, but then my favourite colour is green.

Also, the stick to my left is not a H-gear shift, but a up-down park, reverse, neutral and drive control. It will take time to adjust. Now, I understand why the insurance company has charged so much more than I had expected, considering my age and experience.

I have a strong desire to use my left foot to press the clutch pedal to change gears and facilitate braking, which I must resist with great effort. Now, I must use my right foot only, hovering between the accelerator and the brake.