32 Challenges are now finished.

I managed to complete 32 Country Pubs and 32 Zines, but didn’t complete 32 Playgrounds in the end (although it definitely feels like I did…)

32 Country Pubs was delightful. I’d forgotten just how much I love a decent country boozer. I had to do a flurry of them at quite a speed in the last month, just to finish. That’s getting older I guess, these challenges get harder and harder. When I started, at 22, it was positively relaxed.

My top 5 below:

32 Zines was good. I ended up batching them and buying a load at once – because they are quite hard to get your hands on outside of east London. Managed to get a good spread of titles and genres, but it feels like a format that still has a lot of headroom.

1. Potluck Zine, Issue 4: Feast

2. Enjoying Wild Herbs – Nat Mady & Catmouse

3. Art is the thing nobody asked you to do – Babak Ganjei

4. Expressions – The Surrealism of Looney Tunes vol. 1

5. From Gardens Where We Feel Secure – Susanna Grant & Rowan Spray

6. Gather – Rhia Cook

7. West Side Stories – Rough Trade

8. A month of thoughts: Day – Pirrip

9. Home is where the artist lives – Laura Moseley

10. Winter Riding – Pirrip

11. Stitching our stories – Norfolk Heritage Centre

12. Getting Better – Pirrip

13. Finding the Space – Pirrip

14. Many Hands Make a quilt – Jess Bailey

15. Spring / Summer – Pirrip

16. Ennui – Soberland Studios

17. The Craft, a drinking game

18. Drunk In My Pants – Penfight

19. Another Fucking Seagull – Mika Gratzke

20. Spilling the tea: a poirot fanzine

21. The Swinny, a Tilda Swinton fanzine

22. Charity Shopping – Pippy

23. Shuck: Feasting – Ada

24. Council – Pippy

25. ADHD – A zine about mental health

26. Null Point Concept Zine – 008

27. Pencil Revolution – Vol 1 Issue 1

28. Florxl – 002

29. Scratching the Itch – Tim Lahan

30. Opt-Out – Guy Field

31. Birder Beginnings – Sarah E. Hoffman

31. Women in Stem – VickyLikesDrawing

Country Pub #15
The Pheasant, Brill

Drinks & Food: Sunday lunch.
Country Folk: Friendly locals looking out over a windmill.

Country Pub #16
The Hundred of Ashendon, Ashendon

Drinks & Food: Beautiful St John-esque lunch.
Country Folk: Quiet for a Sunday.

Country Pub #17
The Tite Inn, Chadlington

Drinks & Food: Outdoor dinners with parents.
Country Folk: Raised pub garden revellers and dog walkers.

Country Pub #18
The Bull & Butcher, Ludgershall

Drinks & Food: Beer, wine, crisps and apple juice.
Country Folk: Village locals and family playgrounders.

Country Pub #19
The Mole and Chicken, Long Crendon

Drinks & Food: Beer, wine, crisps and apple juice.
Country Folk: Destination drinkers.

Country Pub #20
The Clifden Arms, Worminghall

Drinks & Food: Beer, wine, crisps and apple juice.
Country Folk: Quiet and hidden pub, with one or two afternoon-trippers.

Country Pub #21
The Chandos Arms, Oakley

Drinks & Food: Sunday lunch with parents.
Country Folk: Explorers of the recently-reopened, and extended families.

Country Pub #22
The Akeman Inn, Kingswood

Drinks & Food: Sparkling water and crisps.
Country Folk: Day drinkers, diners and discordant live music.

Country Pub #23
The Five Elms, Weedon

Drinks & Food: Coke and crisps.
Country Folk: Local dinners and Friday night racket.

Country Pub #24
The Bell, Hardwick

Drinks & Food: Coke and crisps.
Country Folk: Village whisperers and empty tables.

Country Pub #25
The Blackboy, Oving

Drinks & Food: Brill Gold.
Country Folk: Friday diners and evening terrace drinkers.

Country Pub #26
The Pilgrim, North Marston

Drinks & Food: Coke and crisps.
Country Folk: Buzzy locals drinking red wine and celebrating the weekend.

Country Pub #27
The Bell, Chearsley

Drinks & Food: Sparkling water.
Country Folk: Fish and Chip Friday lunch pensioners.

Country Pub #28
The Crown, Cuddington

Drinks & Food: Pint of coke.
Country Folk: Quiet, save two locals sat in silence inside, and two arguing outside.

Country Pub #29
The Seven Stars, Dinton

Drinks & Food: Pint of coke.
Country Folk: Busy lunchtime crowd, inside and out.

Country Pub #30
The Old Fisherman, Shabbington

Drinks & Food: Coke and apple juices.
Country Folk: Parents outside, fanning out around the playground.

Country Pub #31
Duke of York, Berrow

Drinks & Food: Sparkling water and scampi fries.
Country Folk: Sunday roasters of all table sizes.

Country Pub #32
The Farmers Arms, Apperley

Drinks & Food: Pint of coke and fries.
Country Folk: Families and friends recounting tales of the previous night.