Ali Clarke :flag_tino:

Historian, writer, living simply in retirement in Ōtepoti (Dunedin), Aotearoa New Zealand. Fan of books, gardening, walking, cycling, public transport, a livable climate, wildlife, social justice. Learner of Gàidhlig.

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npub10mvcs7shkx4huceg4ru9awjw5d02zr3wa75pxny02vzwssdq7cpspsr7cl

NIP-05 Address

simplicitarian@cloudisland-nz.mostr.pub

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Publishing to

relay.ditto.pub

relay.damus.io

nostr-pub.wellorder.net

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Last Notes

2026-10-31 05:19:40 UTC

When I was catching the bus home from town today a boy got on but found his bus card had no credit left. He didn’t have any cash. The driver was very uncompromising - “no fare, no ride”.
Happily a woman behind him paid his fare because the driver would have left him there, 15k from home 🫤
This shouldn’t happen and of course it wouldn’t if children travelled free. They definitely should IMHO.
#PublicTransport

2026-10-29 06:26:53 UTC

The ancient vacuum cleaner seems to be reaching the end of its life and I’m thinking about a new one. I assumed robotic cleaners would be far more expensive than manual ones but I see there are some that are much the same, with decent reviews too. As fatigue is a big issue for me I’m quite tempted!
Anyone here got a budget robotic vacuum they would recommend (available in NZ)? The house is just under 100 square metres, with a mix of carpet and vinyl floors.
#VacuumCleaners

2026-10-19 08:28:49 UTC

There have been sea lions - 1 to 3 at a time - hanging out at the small local beach often over the past couple of months. The Department of Conservation recently added signs to alert people. It’s a good idea, since there are plenty of passers by on the cycle way or in camper vans and I guess many are unfamiliar with these creatures! Local dog walkers should already know what to do.
Such a treat to see these animals on a regular basis, sometimes cuddled up together for a snooze 🥰
#SeaLions #Ōtepoti #MarineMammals
https://files.cloudisland.nz/media_attachments/files/117/466/585/821/242/226/original/fde92de489bb85f5.jpeg

2026-10-17 03:35:56 UTC

On today’s walk I headed up the hill and found elderflowers 🎉 They’re now steeping in water for a couple of days, to be turned into cordial. I don’t drink much cordial myself but the elderflower is Mum’s favourite so I make it for her.
Some of the neighbours watched closely as I foraged 😆
#elderflower #foraging
https://files.cloudisland.nz/media_attachments/files/117/454/129/596/530/793/original/74534175a1900440.jpeg
https://files.cloudisland.nz/media_attachments/files/117/454/129/522/662/256/original/e06d1e8972d53158.jpeg

2026-10-15 00:13:08 UTC

It’s just after 1pm here and we’ve had 38mm of rain since midnight. I gave up on waiting for it to ease off, put on my wet weather gear and went out while it was still calm enough to use an umbrella.
Number of other walkers, runners and cyclists met during my walk of an hour or so - zero. Feeling staunch 💪🏼
#weather

2026-10-09 04:40:48 UTC

An oldie from one of the great piano-playing singer-songwriters.
Carole King - You’ve Got A Friend
#JukeboxFridayNight #PianoMusic
https://youtu.be/VbMI4imWFzY

2026-10-03 08:00:22 UTC

The Greens already have my vote, but if they didn’t this announcement about long distance passenger rail could definitely sway me!
#NZPol #PassengerRail
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/politics_election-2026/1701879/green-party-announces-plan-for-passenger-rail-between-major-nz-cities

2026-09-30 07:35:02 UTC

I wasn’t aware of these changes to Aotearoa road rules, which come in tomorrow, so I’m guessing some others aren’t either! Good to see more priority for buses, plus a bigger minimum passing distance for motor vehicles overtaking other road users.
#RoadRules
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/community/1662993/explainer-what-you-need-to-know-about-road-rules-changing-on-1-october

2026-09-21 02:55:26 UTC

I do very little gardening these days due to fatigue, but I’ve managed to grow some tomato plants from seed. Today I potted them on. I haven’t given up yet on one more tiny seedling that’s still in the 6-pack!
I love watching plants grow from seed 🌱💚
#gardening #SimplePleasures
https://files.cloudisland.nz/media_attachments/files/117/306/747/728/039/839/original/f2a733e542b4d566.jpeg

2026-09-02 07:50:10 UTC

The flu has taken the life of an old family friend 😢
Please take care out there Aotearoa.

2026-08-25 18:22:18 UTC

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So very sad to hear that the wonderful Dolly Parton has died. Such a great singer and songwriter, and a shining example of someone who used their wealth for the good of humanity.
Rest well Dolly ❤️

2026-08-24 02:54:30 UTC

I was sad to learn yesterday that Stitch Kitchen is closing 😭 For 10 years it’s been a wonderful venture for recycling textiles and teaching skills.
I’m now looking through patterns deciding what I might like to sew in the next couple of years, so I can get a stash of recycled fabric and other haberdashery to make up!
#Ōtepoti #fabric

2026-08-21 05:45:21 UTC

We have to include those famous “flaming locks of auburn hair”!
Dolly Parton - Jolene (live at Glastonbury)
#JukeboxFridayNight #hair
https://youtu.be/nwBNBcFAFso

2026-08-20 22:48:35 UTC

Despite the current outbreak of flu, I’m the only person in this crowded hospital waiting room wearing a mask (I’m accompanying Mum to an appointment).
In the lift a chatty hospital staff member admired my colourful mask and mentioned some interesting ones she had. She wasn’t wearing one of course 🤦🏻‍♀️
#masks

2026-08-20 07:34:31 UTC

Today I saw Time and Water at the film festival. A very moving documentary centered on Icelandic writer Andri Snær Magnason and his family, especially his grandparents, as they observe the loss of the glaciers they love.
#FilmRecommendation #Iceland #glaciers
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Time_and_Water

2026-08-17 08:23:54 UTC

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@nprofile…r769 Go well! 💚

2026-08-12 02:44:34 UTC

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@nprofile…86c8 That’s wonderful, so pleased to hear it.

2026-08-11 06:49:09 UTC

I’ve had solar panels on the roof for nearly 5 years, but didn’t get a battery initially because it was a bit spendy. I’m seriously considering getting one now though. It’s still not cheap, but will eventually pay for itself thanks to the difference between what the energy co charges me for power vs their buyback rate. That’s as long as I stay in this house - I don’t have any plans to move currently. It would be good to be more independent from the money-hungry energy companies.
#solar

2026-08-09 07:37:57 UTC

I just emailed my power company, Ecotricity, to express my annoyance at their cheerful introduction of a new AI chatbot assistant. Their whole shtick is about being fully renewable and climate positive (though of course they’re now part of one of the bigger power companies so we have to take that far less seriously than we once could). Energy-greedy AI does not sit well with that ethos.
I’m sure they won’t take much notice of my views, but maybe other customers will contact them too.
#AI #energy

2026-07-31 03:11:56 UTC

Had a good appointment with my GP yesterday. Sadly the change in medication did not help my fatigue. I have 2 years of my 5-year course to go, and I’ve decided to stick with it. My particular sort of breast cancer has a high risk of recurrence so I want to do my best to prevent that. It means I will be living with fatigue for 2 more years, but I know (from a 6-week trial break) when I finish the meds I will feel a lot better!
After 3 years I have adjusted (mostly) to living this way - some things I’ve given up and other things I get help with. I reckon I should be able to muddle through another 2 years like this unless complications arise 🤞🏼I really feel for people who are stuck with fatigue without an end in sight.

2026-07-30 18:37:01 UTC

I’m sad to learn of the death of one of this country’s best historians, Erik Olssen. A great researcher, writer and teacher and also a very nice person. RIP.
The news hasn’t reached Wikipedia at the time I post this, but was in this morning’s ODT.
#NZHistory
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erik_Olssen

2026-07-20 19:56:31 UTC

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@nprofile…7760 No surprises there, unfortunately - so many slips here on the peninsula 😬

2026-07-16 10:02:09 UTC

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@nprofile…wj33 @nprofile…7760 Yes, not a place you want to be in an emergency 😭

2026-07-16 09:54:24 UTC

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@nprofile…7760 Lucky there aren’t a lot of people living in that part of the coast as far as I know 😬

2026-07-16 06:47:04 UTC

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@nprofile…tkzw I remember The Dish being very good!

2026-07-16 05:28:45 UTC

Nice to see TVNZ+ is featuring some Sam Neill movies in his memory, including his first, Sleeping Dogs. Free to view in Aotearoa.
I’m now watching Jurassic Park for the first time 👀 (never been a big action movie person 😆)
#SamNeill

2026-07-08 00:12:26 UTC

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@nprofile…7760 😭

2026-07-07 20:43:12 UTC

Here we go again. I put on my raincoat and gumboots to take the bins out - it’s persisting down out there. We’ve had 19mm of rain so far today.
This is the second big rain event this week, and it’s only Wednesday (we had 100mm on Sunday/Monday).
#Ōtepoti #ClimateChange #ClimateDiary

2026-07-05 19:59:39 UTC

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@nprofile…7760 Good to hear. You’ve had more rain than us - only 46mm since midnight here! And I think it was about 50mm yesterday. All the best, let’s hope it eases off soon 🤞🏼

2026-06-26 09:07:15 UTC

One from the 1970s - a Scottish band that wasn’t average and broke a few stereotypes …
Average White Band - Pick Up The Pieces
#JukeboxFridayNight #stereotypes
https://youtu.be/MfAJLGFWxYo

2026-06-22 08:04:14 UTC

When it comes to simple pleasures, it’s really hard to beat getting into a bed with fresh clean sheets.
This message brought to you thanks to Monday being bed change day around here and me being early to bed 😊
#SimplePleasures

2026-06-10 20:05:31 UTC

This is a good article about the difficulties of accessing digital services, for older people in particular. I see this so often with my mother and friends, in their 80s and 90s. Mum is pretty tech-savvy - she has been using computers since before many people here were born! But even for someone like that, constantly changing apps, visual problems, arthritic hands, worries about scams etc present a big challenge to access. Less tech confident people can be shut out of some services altogether.
#DigitalAccess
https://theconversation.com/technostress-why-many-older-people-feel-shut-out-by-the-digital-world-283879

2026-06-06 05:39:37 UTC

I’m very late to the party, but AFAICT nobody has yet shared the wonderful soulful voice of Aotearoa’s own Teeks, so here he is!
Teeks - Wash Over Me
#JukeboxFridayNight #MusicWithSoul
https://youtu.be/H4Pt_OmacGk

2026-06-04 07:51:29 UTC

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@nprofile…7760 Such long seams everywhere!

2026-06-04 05:59:11 UTC

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@nprofile…7760 Nicely done - love the colours, they look great!

2026-06-04 04:03:03 UTC

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@nprofile…7760 Damn, though I see you say it’s a good thing! Hope something great turns up soon 🤞🏼

2026-05-25 20:31:41 UTC

I’m pleased the media has made a serious effort to avoid the cliched metaphor about “battles” with cancer in their reports about the death of Jools Topp (RIP Jools 😢). This is because her family stated how much she hated that metaphor.
Let’s hope they start thinking about it on a regular basis. Sure, some people with cancer use this language, but many don’t. Framing it as a battle puts pressure on people to “fight” and implies they can overcome it when that’s not always possible. It implies they didn’t try hard enough if they get sicker or die. Who wants to be thought of as a loser?
#cancer #JoolsTopp

2026-05-21 01:09:14 UTC

My health centre is soon moving their patient portal from Manage My Health. No surprise there I guess!
The new one is called Well, and has the ‘added benefit’ of ‘no stored copy of your records outside the practice system’. I haven’t heard of it so it will be interesting to see what it’s like 🧐
#HealthData

2026-05-12 07:27:35 UTC

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@nprofile…7760 Oh, good luck 🤞🏼 I guess those are some very long seams!

2026-05-07 04:53:12 UTC

I saw The Sheep Detectives today. I went with a friend who is especially fond of sheep and keeps them as pets into their old age 🐑
We both suspected that all the funniest bits would have been in the trailer, and that was indeed the case. We enjoyed it though - it was quirky and fun, and surprisingly moving in parts, along with the silliness.
#FilmRecommendation #sheep

2026-05-05 20:23:12 UTC

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@nprofile…7760 We haven’t had any frosts yet in our microclimate, but we’re in thick fog this morning 🌫️

2026-04-24 05:49:22 UTC

Another great song from Aotearoa.
Bic Runga - Listening for the Weather
#JukeboxFridayNight #AfterTheFlood
https://youtu.be/35vVh8KEjYA

2026-04-15 07:00:50 UTC

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@nprofile…7760 I considered investigating that, but decided to be frugal and do the A4 at home thing! I might change my mind if I have trouble piecing everything together 😆

2026-04-15 05:57:50 UTC

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I’ve got a formal wool coat that I never wear, so I’m going to try and use some of the fabric from that for the new coat. The old one has a lot of panels so some jiggery-pokery will be needed with sewing skinny bits together to make it work. Maybe I’ll use it for the hood, pockets and sleeves.
It will be a slow process because fatigue. Yesterday I bought the digital pattern. Today I printed the 40-something A4 pages of pattern pieces, and figured out which size to make. Tomorrow I will tape all those bits of paper together and separate each pattern piece! Then I will investigate what I can do with the old coat and how much more fabric I need.
Maybe I will head into town to find fabric on Friday. I think I’ll check if Stitch Kitchen has any recycled fabric I can use first. It’s fun starting a new project!
Thank you fedi friends for the inspiration 💚
#sewing

2026-04-15 05:57:50 UTC

I used to sew clothes, but for a long time now my only sewing projects have been for household items like quilts, throws and bags, or mending.
But I’ve been inspired by talented friends here - especially @nprofile…7760 @nprofile…rp72 and @nprofile…xh2k - and now I’m going to have a go at making this pixie coat! The last time I made a coat was probably in the 1980s 😆 Luckily the pattern comes with excellent instructions.
#sewing #MakeItYourself
https://www.twigandtale.com/products/pixie-coat-women-curved-fit-digital-pattern-video-class?variant=46563971236135

2026-04-14 20:03:50 UTC

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@nprofile…7760 Excellent, thanks 🙏🏼 Under your influence I bought 2 patterns in the other sale 😆

2026-04-14 08:26:22 UTC

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@nprofile…7760 I’m too tired to make decisions tonight! Do you know how long the sale lasts? I can’t find that info on the website …

2026-04-14 05:12:16 UTC

This week’s Tuesday adventure had me wandering in the town belt again. So peaceful and beautiful. I met some pīwakawaka there 💚
#Ōtepoti #birds
https://files.cloudisland.nz/media_attachments/files/116/401/320/249/554/458/original/cf90f0b069d701d9.jpeg
https://files.cloudisland.nz/media_attachments/files/116/401/320/315/284/621/original/94dcedcbe1574500.jpeg

2026-04-13 23:09:50 UTC

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@nprofile…7760 Ooh, I like the look of that pixie coat 🧐

2026-04-10 19:26:09 UTC

It’s great that Dunedin Airport has solar panels to help meet its power needs. Call me cynical, but I can’t help thinking there’s an element of green washing in its efforts to make itself more ‘sustainable’. That completely ignores the huge emissions from the planes flying in and out, the sole purpose of the business 🤷🏻‍♀️
#GreenWashing
https://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/airport%E2%80%99s-solar-power-and-running

2026-04-05 03:54:05 UTC

We have reached that troublesome moment when it would have been cat feeding time yesterday, but today we have a whole hour to wait 😬
#EndOfDaylightSaving

2026-04-04 04:43:19 UTC

I have sustained a bird strike injury! I was sitting inside near a window and there was a loud bang when a bird hit it. The cat on my lap got an even bigger fright than me and jumped into the air, but not before digging her claws into me 🐾
The bird flew off so I hope it’s okay.

2026-04-03 04:33:51 UTC

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@nprofile…tkzw I didn’t know there were yellow ones - nice!

2026-04-03 04:00:13 UTC

Today I made a start on a task I usually do around Easter - picking the fruit from my Chilean guava (Ugni molinae) bushes. Love this plant because it’s attractive, easy to grow and has delicious fruit!
My sister was wandering in the botanic gardens one recent evening and met some people picking the bushes there. They gave her some to eat. They didn’t seem to be gardens staff, in which case top marks for some cheeky foraging 😆
#ChileanGuava #gardening #foraging
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ugni_molinae

2026-04-02 00:32:42 UTC

Today definitely qualifies as a Dunner Stunner - such a beautiful autumn day 😍
#Ōtepoti
https://files.cloudisland.nz/media_attachments/files/116/332/285/134/797/630/original/4e80b94a1add8ee1.jpeg

2026-03-31 06:34:41 UTC

I’ve been having a clear out of my papers. Does anyone in Ōtepoti want a 4-drawer metal filing cabinet? Free to a good home!
It has various scratches and dings but the drawers work well. It can't be locked because the key is missing. Includes lots of hanging files if wanted. It measures 1300mm high, 500mm wide and 620mm deep.
It needs to be picked up from the peninsula.
#giveaway #Ōtepoti
https://files.cloudisland.nz/media_attachments/files/116/322/384/456/288/022/original/fbbd90d879dbdbb7.jpeg
https://files.cloudisland.nz/media_attachments/files/116/322/384/373/777/651/original/7f7f754a62905636.jpeg
https://files.cloudisland.nz/media_attachments/files/116/322/384/298/515/053/original/b3e1b32d77b57805.jpeg

2026-03-31 06:23:05 UTC

As Mum recovers from a fall I’ve been driving her to a weekly appointment. While she’s busy I go walking around the area - I’ve really enjoyed walking somewhere less familiar!
Today I was at Unity Park. The statue there of explorer Admiral Byrd is facing towards Antarctica, but I prefer the view towards home, the Otago Peninsula 😆
#Ōtepoti
https://files.cloudisland.nz/media_attachments/files/116/322/300/908/287/577/original/847b8e6087014942.jpeg

2026-03-24 07:02:02 UTC

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@nprofile…7760 I watched episode 1 the other day with Mum and we both enjoyed it very much. I think I first heard about it from you, so thanks very much!

2026-03-23 00:31:59 UTC

Early this morning RNZ Morning Report was discussing the big demand for EVs as petrol prices surge. They asked people to send their opinions so I did! I was really pleased they read mine out with a positive comment attached. People don’t always think about taking that further step away from cars altogether. I know it’s not possible for everyone but many people could do it.
Here’s what I said:
I once considered replacing my ICE car with an EV, but then decided to try going carfree and walk, cycle or bus everywhere. More than 5 years later I remain happily free of all the hassles of car ownership!
#carfree

2026-03-19 04:09:22 UTC

Things I’ve managed to do in the past week:
- get my ancient printer to work and print out things that have been waiting for months
- sort out the photos on my overloaded phone, download the keepers and create and order a printed photo book covering the past 2 years
- mend some clothes and take up the hems on 3 pairs of pants I bought at the school fair
- do a little weeding in the veg patch
- sort out some recipes and knitting patterns
In other words, my energy levels have improved a lot from what they were! 🎉 Having a 6-week break from the medication presumed responsible for my serious fatigue has made a big difference. However I’ve been back on it for 2 weeks and wait somewhat nervously to see what happens - if things get bad again I might need to switch meds.
#ChronicFatigue

2026-03-04 04:27:12 UTC

Take care out there friends, a new wave of Covid in Aotearoa. 19 deaths reported in the last week 😢
#Covid19 #CovidIsNotOver
https://www.stuff.co.nz/nz-news/360946408/cases-rise-ninth-wave-covid-19

2026-03-01 06:28:14 UTC

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My good friend and her partner are over from Melbourne doing an 8-day cycle tour around various southern locations. They were staying in Lawrence last night, the closest they were coming to Ōtepoti, so I caught the bus there and spent a night, so lovely to see them.
Lawrence is a very small town, but cycle tourists really keep the place busy! I had trouble finding accommodation even. We had a wonderful retro-style meal at the hotel 😆

2026-03-01 06:23:31 UTC

It’s the first of another month and I remembered to take my monthly medication, even though I was away! 💪🏼
Sorry I was too busy to post about it this morning- I like to mention it because it might help someone else remember too 😆

2026-02-23 06:53:23 UTC

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@nprofile…7760 Oh dear, I hope things turn out well for her.

2026-01-31 19:11:43 UTC

It’s the first of a new month and I remembered to take my monthly medication 💪🏼 Here’s a reminder in case you need to do that too!

2026-01-26 21:06:03 UTC

I was very sorry to read today that Prof Helen Leach has died. She was a stalwart of the Otago anthropology programme and did really interesting work on the history of food, from ancient to modern times. One of her great projects was to use community cookbooks to trace the evolution of recipes - such fascinating material!
I had the privilege of meeting Helen a few times when I worked at the Hocken, and interviewed her for the history of the university project. She was an intelligent and interesting person and so passionate about her subject.
RIP Helen.
#WomenInAcademia #anthropology #archaeology
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helen_Leach

2026-01-25 04:42:05 UTC

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Another pair of socks off the production line, this time for my other sister’s birthday!
These are the same pattern as the ones in my previous post.
Birthdays are all done for now so the next pair will be for myself 😆
#knitting
https://files.cloudisland.nz/media_attachments/files/115/953/891/104/774/839/original/ef9e95d6cf4473e3.jpeg

2026-01-21 05:35:21 UTC

The first loaf is out of the new bread machine! I decided to make a simple wholemeal loaf as a test, and it turned out very well.
It’s great being able to make a small loaf so easily. I will probably do small loaves every few days, instead of a big weekly bake and freezing some as I used to do.
Now to experiment with more interesting recipes 😆
Big thanks to fedi friends who provided advice and encouragement in this new venture!
#bread
https://files.cloudisland.nz/media_attachments/files/115/931/432/618/024/692/original/9cad02ad926b9030.jpeg
https://files.cloudisland.nz/media_attachments/files/115/931/432/739/987/990/original/9d6d75c1782ccbea.jpeg

2026-01-21 05:06:51 UTC

I had a great visit with my GP about my worsening fatigue. She ordered tests for various potential causes. They all came back normal, which is great but doesn’t explain my issues!
The plan now is for me to take a short break from the medication which is likely to be the culprit. I’m halfway through a 5-year course of hormone blockers to reduce the risk of my breast cancer recurring and fatigue is a known side effect. I’ve been tired ever since I started cancer treatment in 2023, but it’s been worse lately. It will be really interesting to see how I feel in the coming weeks, hoping for improvement!
#fatigue #BreastCancer

2026-01-20 18:20:12 UTC

A clever move by Kāi Tahu, who obviously weren’t impressed with the PM’s Waitangi Day actions last year. Yet another example of this government uniting Māori - against them.
"Our intention is to go to Waitangi in the spirit of kotahitaka [unity]. Strengthening our ties with iwi in the north is an important part of honouring this moment. Given the current political climate, we believe it is vital that iwi stand together to ensure our collective voice remains strong."
#NZPol #WaitangiDay
https://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/k%C4%81i-tahu-gather-treaty-grounds

2026-01-20 00:53:53 UTC

I usually make my own bread, but I’ve given up baking for now because of fatigue issues. It occurred to me the other day that I could get a bread machine.
I was walking past Noel Leeming today so I had a look there. This is when I discovered that bread machines are no longer in fashion. They only had one - the display model - and weren’t going to get any more. It was on a very good special and when I pointed out a couple of scratches and dints they knocked more off the price!
Then I was at the library so I looked for bread machine cookbooks. They had to fetch them from the stack for me. More evidence that bread machines aren’t as popular as they once were!
#bread #baking

2026-01-13 04:57:27 UTC

I just finished reading the first book in the Promises to Keep series by @nprofile…tkzw
It was a great read and I’ll definitely be getting the rest of the series! It’s a gripping story about a family in rural Aotearoa in the late 19th century. The landscape and historical details are very well done, but don’t overwhelm the story, as sometimes happens with historical fiction.
Thanks Shayne for a great read!
#BookRecommendations

2025-12-30 07:55:13 UTC

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@nprofile…4gxv @nprofile…l0et That looks great! Nice work.

2025-12-25 22:35:26 UTC

My niece, who is very good at crafts and thrifting, gave me these patchwork quilted oven mitts she made.
She used fabric scraps and insulated them with a bit of old blanket. I love them so much! 😍
#patchwork #quilting
https://files.cloudisland.nz/media_attachments/files/115/782/561/554/050/137/original/d3bfb5010328c1bf.jpeg
https://files.cloudisland.nz/media_attachments/files/115/782/561/490/435/054/original/3dab631fb28fb9c3.jpeg

2025-12-25 07:51:50 UTC

Today:
- Mum and I took a day trip to Jack’s Bay, in the Catlins, to spend Christmas with my sister and family who are holidaying there. It’s such a beautiful place, with a lovely beach and interesting rocks (fossilised trees!)
- everyone contributed their own specialty dish/es and we had a delicious meal
- it was fun hanging out with the family with walks, kite-flying, card games etc
#ThreeGoodThings #today

2025-12-24 17:46:10 UTC

Meri Kirihimete e hoa mā! Happy Christmas fedi friends! Wishing you a good day whatever you are doing, and thinking especially of those who are working on this holiday.
I survived Whamageddon so it must be time to listen to Last Christmas! Just now I’m enjoying the children’s stories on the radio though 😂
#Christmas

2025-12-24 07:25:17 UTC

Just realised that with 3.5 hours to go I’m still in the game!
#Whamageddon

2025-12-23 04:15:26 UTC

I’ve been listening to the album Curlew’s Cry by Northern Irish musician Barry Kerr and I like it so much.
I was introduced to it by the podcast Folk On Foot, which has been running a series of interviews with musicians nominated for the (UK) Folk Album of the Year. The other nominees are great, but this particularly appeals to me. It features one of my favourite things - bird song and sounds from the natural world incorporated into music!
If you like melancholy folk music, beautifully sing, I highly recommend this. Here’s the title track.
#MusicRecommendations #FolkMusic #IrishMusic
https://youtu.be/4Nzwr2gGR10

2025-12-22 23:36:16 UTC

A seasonal reminder that Aotearoa has the highest death rate for melanoma in the world 😭
I’ve had a chunk removed from my arm because of melanoma, but worse are the people I know who’ve died young of this disease.
Please, please, please protect yourself and your children from the sun, and check your skin regularly!
#melanoma
https://www.odt.co.nz/regions/alarming-melanoma-results-spot-checks

2025-12-20 08:10:08 UTC

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@nprofile…wcg4 There’s also The Sheep Detectives to look forward to - a friend shared this with me yesterday!
https://youtu.be/pyZI5oM6hWk

2025-12-19 04:21:54 UTC

Just finished the socks I’ve been knitting for a Christmas present- phew!
The pattern is Hermione’s Everyday Socks by Erica Lueder (free on Ravelry). Great easy pattern.
I made them in an alpaca yarn which is so soft and warm. It’s summer here but they’re for someone moving to Scotland soon!
#knitting
https://files.cloudisland.nz/media_attachments/files/115/744/290/631/565/669/original/6b6c2d88b2bdd98e.jpeg

2025-12-18 06:49:47 UTC

I reckon there’s some sort of law relating to library holds - maybe there’s already a name for it.
If you request 2 or more books, even though those requests are weeks apart all the books will be available around the same time. The law especially applies when the books are weighty tomes that are slow to read.
If the books are hard copy rather than digital, they will become available a couple of days apart, so you need to visit the library more than once to collect them.
This has happened to me several times now 😆
#libraries

2025-12-16 04:14:36 UTC

Today I tried out a garden tool I was gifted recently. It’s brilliant! It has a small fork with 2 prongs for putting under a weed. As you dig it out the attached circular thing leans into the soil and works as a lever. Worked very well in my battle with the wandering buttercup.
It’s called Trojan - not sure if that’s the brand or the design.
#gardening #GardenTools
https://files.cloudisland.nz/media_attachments/files/115/727/268/988/738/810/original/83ecd38c2cb0118c.jpeg
https://files.cloudisland.nz/media_attachments/files/115/727/269/022/497/287/original/20dbb3ac59f45b7e.jpeg

2025-12-15 21:59:58 UTC

Thunder just started and it’s echoing all round the harbour ⚡️
Because of the forecast I went for my walk early and went pretty briskly - got home not long after the rain started.
I was pretty surprised to see 2 groups of people - not locals, they’d driven here - setting out for bike rides/walks. They were lightly dressed too. They will be very miserable now. They obviously hadn’t checked the weather forecast 🤦🏻‍♀️
#weather

2025-12-12 08:42:56 UTC

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@nprofile…8c65 Oh no, hope you recover soon 🫂

2025-12-12 07:10:36 UTC

Today:
- I did the urgent gardening job of covering the red currants with netting so the birds don’t get the whole crop
- I got a free pot of tea at the local garden cafe thanks to my loyalty card
- I made good progress on the Christmas gift knitting project
#ThreeGoodThings #today

2025-12-04 07:48:38 UTC

Maybe someone has already posted this, but Dunedin Hospital ED is now a location of interest for exposure to measles 😬 This is for Tuesday afternoon.
#measles
https://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/health/dunedin-ed-location-interest-measles-outbreak

2025-11-30 17:50:51 UTC

The 1st day of another month! Here’s your reminder that it’s a good day for monthly health checks and to take monthly medication, if that’s what you do.

2025-11-28 23:23:46 UTC

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@nprofile…p7rx @nprofile…etrn I can confirm that bamboo skewers strategically placed around seedlings are a great way to prevent cat squash/dig incidents!

2025-11-28 07:36:42 UTC

Today:
- it’s Black Friday and I bought nothing
- I made good progress on a Christmas gift knitting project
- I looked through my bookmarks at things which people here had recommended, often months ago, and actually watched some of the videos while I knitted. They were an eclectic bunch of things - music, economics, books, knitting, geology, food politics, and all so good. Thanks fedi friends!
#ThreeGoodThings #today

2025-11-21 22:02:34 UTC

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@nprofile…5nnv That photo of the sea lion gazing at the statue of the sea lion matriarch is priceless!

2025-11-21 07:21:55 UTC

Today:
- I arrived at the garden cafe while the scones were being made, so I got one fresh out of the oven
- I walked to the farm up the hill and got fresh eggs
- I made good progress on my new knitting project (socks again)
#ThreeGoodThings #today

2025-11-21 05:33:19 UTC

A stone cold classic (maybe someone has already shared it, but I couldn’t see it with a quick check!)
Pink Floyd - Comfortably Numb
#JukeboxFridayNight #Medicine
https://youtu.be/QrWZNAQrkf4

2025-11-18 23:35:02 UTC

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@nprofile…4gxv Oh no! Hope things improve quickly.
The other day one of my cats ran inside, spewed on the carpet next to me, then immediately ran back outside 🙄

2025-11-18 06:39:00 UTC

Finished my socks! The first time I’ve made this pattern and I won’t use it again - because they’re baggy and have a weird cable design there are a lot more stitches than usual and it used a lot of yarn. As you can see from the light blue at the end of one toe, I lost at yarn chicken 😂
#knitting
https://files.cloudisland.nz/media_attachments/files/115/569/289/988/665/763/original/a9e8c7dd2797d9b2.jpg

2025-11-14 04:17:37 UTC

The title track from The Beths’ latest album is a banger.
I thought I was getting better
But I’m back to where I started
And the straight line was a circle
Yeah, the straight line was a lie
The Beths - Straight Line Was A Lie
#JukeboxFridayNight #TruthOrLies
https://youtu.be/n3FMNx7qURA

2025-11-13 07:28:21 UTC

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@nprofile…8c65 Gorgeous! They are one of my favourite things to grow 🥰

2025-11-11 07:42:50 UTC

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@nprofile…t0pv @nprofile…fwwf I had solar installed here about 3 years back and the company, who were based out of Southland, said they did a lot of installations on dairy sheds. It’s a no brainer really!

2025-11-10 04:23:30 UTC

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@nprofile…4u7y @nprofile…5nnv @nprofile…p7rx I was about to post a similar reply! Anything health-related that has changed for the worse in that period is very likely to be Covid-related, but people don’t like to think about that 😢

2025-11-08 07:58:16 UTC

Today:
- I finished the weeding of the back paths, a very tedious job, and can move onto a more interesting garden task next!
- my sister called by and it was nice to catch up with her
- I had a stupid fall tonight - tripped over a chair leg and hit the floor, taking down a small table and glass of water on the way 🤦🏻‍♀️ I gave Mum, who was visiting, the 2 cats, and not least myself, a big fright. But I seem to be okay except for a few aches and bruises, and now the cats are snuggling in to comfort me, or maybe themselves!
#ThreeGoodThings #today