🇳🇿 Shayne Parkinson

Writer of New Zealand historical novels. Countryside dweller in Aotearoa New Zealand.

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npub1v5tvtcdkqtsn3npl8evxqm99xhzhy9nv9856wgm5ug5zh25pju2qtnc06u

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ShayneParkinson@mastodon-nz.mostr.pub

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relay.ditto.pub

relay.mostr.pub

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Last Notes

2026-10-29 20:37:27 UTC

Covid vaccination #11 done ✔️ Very grateful to have a local vaccination centre still operating, with excellent staff.

2026-10-28 23:28:20 UTC

We #voted this morning. Only a few people ahead of us, in and out fairly quickly.

2026-10-28 19:18:54 UTC

Had the first strawberries of the season with breakfast!

2026-10-23 23:16:58 UTC

I may have been a little over-enthusiastic when planting #tomatoes this year (that, and a good germination rate). This is by no means all of them.
Probably should make a start on getting them into the ground as that's a traditional Labour Weekend activity.
(The misleading labels are re-labelled and re-used)
https://o.mastodon.nz/media_attachments/files/117/492/764/543/423/615/original/f6da51ef175e7937.jpg

2026-10-23 00:08:16 UTC

Most years our #dogwood doesn't flower. This spring is a pleasant exception
#BloomScrolling
https://o.mastodon.nz/media_attachments/files/117/487/299/414/457/653/original/62a8e7c601de9aed.jpg

2026-10-22 21:41:37 UTC

Today's loaf turned out nicely. The scent is delicious. #bread #sourdough
https://o.mastodon.nz/media_attachments/files/117/486/719/753/166/987/original/b76376ad0f2a3d8a.jpg

2026-10-19 02:31:10 UTC

First #waterlily of the season, plus four #frogs.
https://o.mastodon.nz/media_attachments/files/117/465/211/147/997/969/original/a1de43abf520ae3b.jpg

2026-10-15 21:09:41 UTC

*Emerges blinking into the light*
For more years than I care to recall, I've been working on a non-fiction book. It's been set aside more than once, most recently for several years, as my lovely readers were increasingly pressing regarding the next works in my fiction series, but at the beginning of this year I finally returned to this work.
This morning I *finished* the first draft! Still a huge amount of work to be done, but a very, very good feeling.
Currently celebrating with fresh scones topped with homemade guava jelly.
#AmWriting #NZHistory

2026-10-08 01:40:41 UTC

Quince #blossom.
#BloomScrolling #spring
https://o.mastodon.nz/media_attachments/files/117/402/733/157/161/030/original/feb71c42345deef0.jpg

2026-10-06 09:19:39 UTC

A pīpīwharauroa/shining cuckoo singing outside our bedroom window - not something I expect to hear at 10 pm! Something must have disturbed it.

2026-09-30 22:51:46 UTC

A lovely #spring morning with just a hint of mist.
https://o.mastodon.nz/media_attachments/files/117/362/426/573/317/318/original/c51b1163fd2a24da.jpg

2026-09-28 05:08:48 UTC

A great wee story!
Inside the Westlake Boys High School sewing club | The Spinoff
https://thespinoff.co.nz/society/28-09-2026/inside-the-westlake-boys-high-school-sewing-club

2026-09-25 05:37:24 UTC

Homegrown asparagus is such a wonderful seasonal treat. Only enough for a small helping each, but it's still early in the season.

2026-09-21 09:25:56 UTC

Amazing! This little guy is 4cm long.
Vet performs surgery on critically injured skink 'Kevin', who weighs less than 4 grams | RNZ
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/environment/1497171/vet-performs-surgery-on-critically-injured-skink-kevin-who-weighs-less-than-4-grams

2026-09-11 09:34:02 UTC

We had such a great "night at the museum" experience this evening: a candlelit visit to Te Waimate Mission House, complete with a reenactment of scenes from its past. A very special way to experience this lovely site.
And I won a small prize for remembering how many bricks were used in its construction :)
https://www.visitheritage.co.nz/visit/northland/te-waimate-mission

2026-09-04 03:34:20 UTC

Note to self: even when thoroughly engrossed in looking up stuff, take a glance at that glass of water before taking a sip. That would avoid the horrid experience of feeling a fly brush against one's lips.
Still shuddering at the memory.

2026-09-04 01:24:49 UTC

Argh, nails on chalkboard feeling. I listen to audiobooks quite a lot; I find it a useful companion when running, weeding, or doing some other task that doesn't take a lot of concentration. But it means as well as things in the actual writing that might grate, such as repeated words, there are delivery issues to set my teeth on edge. Case in point: the word beneficent comes up quite a bit in this particular book. *Every* time the narrator (who's otherwise very good) says it as "benefficient", i.e efficient with ben- at the front. Drags me right out of the story.

2026-09-02 00:16:11 UTC

Bee on anemone. #bees #BloomScrolling
https://o.mastodon.nz/media_attachments/files/117/198/558/408/156/073/original/06d509dac40d4ae6.jpg

2026-08-24 01:38:08 UTC

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The waterblasting has finished! Blessed quiet.

2026-08-23 23:32:27 UTC

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Have now been driven from the conservatory as the noise grows closer. They seem to be making good progress, though.

2026-08-23 23:16:26 UTC

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@nprofile…7760 a good knife-sharpener should be able to do it - and probably worth it for a quality tool.

2026-08-23 22:57:16 UTC

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@nprofile…7760 they'll probably outcast us all!

2026-08-23 22:18:59 UTC

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Have learned that one of the guys working on our roof was a Tampa refugee, and has worked for this roofer since soon after his arrival in Aotearoa. I'm glad we chose this small, family-owned firm.

2026-08-23 21:46:05 UTC

New arrivals I met when out running. They look like twins, which is not super-common with calves. They're hanging out with the heifer, but i doubt if she's their mother (different breeds). All young enough to be interested in the strange lady jogging past their paddock. #cows #calves
https://o.mastodon.nz/media_attachments/files/117/146/998/872/466/068/original/1f5b00fb0fba4f64.jpg

2026-08-23 21:08:49 UTC

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No point trying to get any writing done with this racket. Have retreated to the conservatory, the furthest point from where they're currently blasting, to read some more about the workhouse.

2026-08-23 20:47:49 UTC

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It did motivate me to get my running gear on and out on the road more promptly than I might have. I also stayed out longer and went further - no sense hurrying home to the sound of the waterblasting.

2026-08-23 20:36:27 UTC

Were expecting the roofers to start today. Were not expecting them to arrive at 6:30 am.

2026-08-22 09:34:00 UTC

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@nprofile…69x8 I found that a challenge, too - quite distracting. Later on, it's mentioned that one of the protagonists is from northern England, from which point the narrator *sometimes* uses a sort-of northern accent.
In stark contrast, for superb audiobook narration it's hard to better Kobna Holdbrook-Smith in "Rivers of London".

2026-08-18 23:34:10 UTC

The subject of the workhouse has come up in my work-in-progress, so I've been reading up about the institution, from its pre- and early-Victorian incarnation that was largely about frightening people out of "idleness" through a gradual evolution to a somewhat more humane (albeit frequently still the terror of the poor) attitude to those in need.
In the process, I came across a Hansard quote from the introduction of the 1946 National Insurance Bill (part of the establishing of the post-WWII British welfare state) by Jim Griffiths, Minister of National Insurance:
"to those who profess to fear that security will weaken the moral fibre and destroy self-respect, let me say this. It is not security that destroys, it is insecurity. It is the fear of tomorrow that paralyses the will; it is the frustration of human hopes that corrodes the soul. Security …will release our people from the haunting fears of yesterday …and their gifts and energies for the services of the nation."

2026-08-10 23:41:40 UTC

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@nprofile…xpw3 @nprofile…v23w yes, it really makes a difference. My GP's fab, too, which is why I keep going there rather than finding one closer.

2026-08-10 22:47:23 UTC

I'm at that stage of life (and eyesight) when it's recommended that I have an examination once a year. Just had my first visit to a new (to me) optometrist - a local one, which is a vast improvement over trekking into the city - and it went well. No prescription update needed, and the various bits and pieces are under control.
The optometrist was lovely - a keen reader who wanted to hear all about my books, kept asking more about them, and said she was going to check one out from the library as soon as the exam was finished. We had a nice time swapping other book recs, too.
Eyes are now blurry from those wretched drops. @nprofile…v23w took me by the arm, like the gentleman he is.

2026-08-08 22:25:12 UTC

Ugh, bad night. I dreamt I was sitting a piano exam in which I was given a few bars of melody and had to compose an accompaniment then perform the piece. But people kept wandering in and interrupting me, then other people accused me of cheating by talking to the interrupters. I woke up quite exhausted.
@nprofile…v23w says it's because last night I drank (decaf) coffee out of my espresso cup patterned with the score of J. S. Bach's Coffee Cantata. He may be onto something.

2026-08-08 02:01:10 UTC

I know there are some Kiwi family historians here on Mastodon, so just in case any of you are unaware of these handy indexes:
- Intention to Marry: includes info that's not on a marriage certificate, such as length of residence and person giving consent for an underage bride or groom. https://itm.howison.co.nz/
- NZ Gazette - packed full of gems. To take a very small example: if someone was a postmaster or railway employee, it will be recorded here.
https://gazette.howison.co.nz/
The transcriptions are far from perfect, so it's worth trying a few variations if your first search doesn't turn something you think should be there.
#FamilyHistory #NZHistory

2026-08-07 04:11:05 UTC

Just had to appease the goddess Anoia after closing one of the utensils drawers without due care and attention.
#Discworld

2026-08-06 00:57:31 UTC

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@nprofile…7760 we were at 1 degree at 8 am, but 15 by 11 am, so really can't complain.

2026-08-06 00:49:06 UTC

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Update: the broad beans have bounced back nicely! All fully upright, and quite perky. Obviously more frost-tolerant than I'd feared.

2026-08-05 20:13:31 UTC

This morning has the heaviest frost I've ever seen up here in northern Aotearoa (though nothing to the ones we used to get back in the Bay of Plenty). Very unusual for us to see frost all through the vege garden. The broad beans plants are lying flat.
On the upside, it's great for the orchard and there's another brilliantly sunny day ahead.

2026-08-03 22:11:32 UTC

A pair of mallards have arrived on our pond. Things are getting quite R-rated this morning - ducklings may be in our future.

2026-08-02 03:22:49 UTC

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@nprofile…ycjt I thoroughly enjoyed that video, too, Paul. My only link to Ōtepoti Dunedin is that I love the place :)

2026-08-02 00:33:38 UTC

Had a nice confidence boost today. Roger's niece visited a Bay of Plenty museum close to where we grew up and where most of my books are set. In the course of showing her around the collections, a staffer paused to ask, "Are you related to Shayne Parkinson? We have some of her books in our library!"
(She admitted to the connection, in case you're wondering 😀)

2026-07-30 22:27:38 UTC

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@nprofile…urmy oh, a sad loss indeed.

2026-07-29 04:18:39 UTC

An afternoon walk along Coopers Beach.
https://o.mastodon.nz/media_attachments/files/117/001/321/507/588/453/original/c450f2f0adfcfec8.jpg

2026-07-29 01:42:00 UTC

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@nprofile…ycjt it really is a lovely part of the country, and makes for a very nice winter break.

2026-07-29 00:55:37 UTC

Doubtless Bay from Rangikapiti Pa track.
https://o.mastodon.nz/media_attachments/files/117/000/529/054/235/436/original/45df48cbabbc4e70.jpg

2026-07-29 00:51:05 UTC

View from Rangikapiti Pa, Doubtless Bay.
https://o.mastodon.nz/media_attachments/files/117/000/509/924/387/478/original/e7b2c8d695dbb366.jpg

2026-07-28 23:06:53 UTC

Breakfasting in a pleasant little seaside café that looks to be mostly frequented by locals. The dog-to-human ratio is quite high: five dogs and maybe a dozen humans. Three grey-bearded men (late 60s?) arrive separately, and look so alike that I briefly thought it was the same man coming and going until they formed a group at one table, along with their two dogs who are clearly also good friends.
The cafe lady came out and announced apologetically "no sausages today". The immediate outraged yelp from one of the dogs was so strongly voiced that it was clear the promise of sausages was his main reason for coming.
He's clearly a well-loved doggo, though. I'm sure sausages are in his future.

2026-07-25 09:28:31 UTC

Tonight we watched "Dean Spanley". We originally saw this in the cinema, but TVNZ+ currently have it as part of their Sam Neill collection.
Odd, quirky, charming. With less skilled actors it would be well-nigh unwatchable. With this cast it's a delight.
#DeanSpanley #SamNeill
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1135968/

2026-07-25 06:13:09 UTC

French Onion Soup for dinner - delicious, and excellent comfort food on such a gloomy day.

2026-07-25 05:00:00 UTC

At the moment, one steps out the back door to be greeted by a biting Southerly - quite a strong one, considering it has to get through the couple of hectares of bush that starts just a few steps from the door to reach us.
The fire's been on all day.

2026-07-24 00:57:59 UTC

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@nprofile…v9er I (very) rarely comment, but I do generally at least glance at the comments, and sometimes find gems amongst them.
I have a blog of my own that allows comments, but only after I've approved them (lots of spam attempts). The non-spammy ones are around 90% asking when the next book will be out, so probably not the most useful of examples.

2026-07-22 00:31:59 UTC

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@nprofile…e8mx a chilly day here in the Winterless North, but the fire is blazing cheekily. Every time I go out the back door I find the resident kererū flopping about in the kōwhai tree, chomping on the young leaves.

2026-07-21 09:09:38 UTC

Big demand for cycle workshop practically giving #bikes away | RNZ
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/community/760824/big-demand-for-cycle-workshop-practically-giving-bikes-away

2026-07-18 04:24:16 UTC

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@nprofile…ycjt we enjoyed that one, too, and your description is excellent.
We're currently caught up in "Missed Call", which is proving engrossing, and has some lovely French scenery as a bonus.

2026-07-18 01:26:36 UTC

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@nprofile…glz6 Beautiful!
My great-grandfather was from Tjörn, so this area is close to my heart.

2026-07-16 06:38:40 UTC

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@nprofile…urmy by sheer (and sad ) coincidence we watched it last week, for the first time since it was new in the cinemas way back when. It's good to see a range of his work on TVNZ+, and it looks as if they're adding more daily.
A lovely one we have on DVD and re-watch from time to time is "The Dish".

2026-07-15 09:07:21 UTC

It's that time of year when the kererū remember the tender new growth on the kōwhai. #birds #BirdsOfAotearoa
https://o.mastodon.nz/media_attachments/files/116/923/184/245/255/914/original/8786039952bdf977.jpg

2026-07-14 22:09:26 UTC

Foggy enough for me to wear my #running light when out this morning. The sun is now making a welcome appearance.

2026-07-13 06:23:28 UTC

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@nprofile…69x8 Sleeping Dogs for me, too. We (@nprofile…v23w and I) were at uni, and had absolutely no money for discretionary spending, but I won tickets to the screening. It was a huge treat, and also terrifying. I had trouble watching Dougal Stevenson for a long time after that.
It's so hard to believe he's gone.

2026-07-13 06:08:21 UTC

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@nprofile…07nd @nprofile…538q Shocked and saddened by this. What a loss.

2026-07-09 18:57:26 UTC

Mānawatia a Matariki! Happy New Year.

2026-07-05 00:40:35 UTC

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@nprofile…0lj8 shockingly, no.

2026-07-05 00:26:43 UTC

A word game that doesn't accept glede! I'm shocked, deeply shocked.
I mean, do they think Isildur should have said, "hot as a very hot thing"?

2026-07-04 04:08:21 UTC

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@nprofile…86c8 beautiful!

2026-07-03 05:48:54 UTC

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@nprofile…gydw fingers crossed that it is a false alarm, but good that they're testing straight away.

2026-07-02 22:23:26 UTC

A chilly morning for my run. The frosty air nipped at my fingers even through my gloves. But the promise of sunshine to follow.
#running #winter #countryside
https://o.mastodon.nz/media_attachments/files/116/852/692/065/116/675/original/54b51db2e4cb138d.jpg
https://o.mastodon.nz/media_attachments/files/116/852/704/590/288/138/original/2381c22ae2f8de32.jpg

2026-06-29 00:43:12 UTC

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@nprofile…zmqf An anecdote from my childhood regarding dogs' colour vision:
We were at the beach one day, and my dog (a lovely corgi-cross called Nicky, who was my best friend for many years) was hanging out with the rest of the family while I was swimming. When I came back to the group after being escorted up the beach by a rapturous Nicky, my sister said that a little earlier Nicky had run down the beach towards another girl who looked not at all like me, *but* was wearing a turquoise swimsuit, just as I was. Only when he got closer to her had his tail drooped and he returned to the group to wait for the real me.

2026-06-27 05:05:36 UTC

After several days of gloomy weather, today was gloriously sunny. Set out for a run before sunrise (which to be fair is not very early currently); made panforte; showed @nprofile…v23w how to gauge the temperature of a sugar syrup without using a thermometer; got several loads of washing done. We're making a paneer dish for dinner, and I'm using some of my first-ever homegrown root ginger.
Currently enjoying a small aperitif: vin de noix (made with our own green walnuts) with homemade walnut crackers and (vegan) faux gras.

2026-06-27 03:28:38 UTC

'The call of Hokianga': Choosing to be a country doctor for three decades | RNZ
https://www.rnz.co.nz/life/people/the-call-of-hokianga-choosing-to-be-a-country-doctor-for-three-decades

2026-06-21 02:30:05 UTC

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@nprofile…je7u Oh, I like the sound of that!

2026-06-21 00:42:09 UTC

After some unseasonably warm and sunny days lately, today it's grey and chilly, with fitful patches of watery sunlight. It's also my birthday! We took a walk earlier, but I think the rest of the day will involve lazing around by the fire.

2026-06-20 09:19:27 UTC

I was in the mood for sweet and sentimental, so we watched our DVD of "The Railway Children" (2000).
I dissolve into tears every time.
"Oh, my daddy. My daddy!"

2026-06-18 19:50:50 UTC

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@nprofile…7760 best wishes!

2026-06-18 05:28:58 UTC

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@nprofile…69x8 It looks as if Invercargill Library has dropped Libby :(
https://www.ilibrary.co.nz/3-whats-on/news?item=id:2xxk80rtf1cxbyhv0r02
BorrowBox has lots of good stuff, but so does Libby. I use both, and would hate to lose one.

2026-06-18 05:19:33 UTC

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@nprofile…69x8 yes, I enjoyed that one, too. Quite different from others of hers that I've read.

2026-06-18 02:25:45 UTC

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@nprofile…u45k Magnificent!

2026-06-18 00:04:17 UTC

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@nprofile…je7u they've been around for so long, and with increasing awareness of what an issue all that unnecessary packaging is, it'd be awful if they went out of business now. Good to see they seem to be doing better than ever.

2026-06-17 21:57:30 UTC

Had a bad moment this morning: went to our local Binn Inn and found it closed up and empty! All good, though: they've moved a short distance away to more spacious premises. And in the process we got to talk to a lovely young chap manning the Stop/Go signs (he told Roger he looks very smart, which is quite correct).
Then got two free coffees at the café because it's my birthday later this month. Score!

2026-06-16 04:42:51 UTC

*Finished* and submitted tax returns! That's a weight off my mind for another year.
While none of the figures are exactly eye-watering, they include book royalties from multiple distributors (in multiple currencies), so it does all get a bit long-winded.
Lest anyone think (whilst being too polite to say) that I've been dragging my feet: some of the necessary details didn't arrive until June, so I couldn't finish things off till now.

2026-06-13 03:36:32 UTC

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@nprofile…69x8 I like your choices!
The thought of spending a year sharing Max's travails, on the other hand...

2026-06-13 03:33:52 UTC

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@nprofile…5w5c eventual decision was golden syrup and ginger, which should be suitably warming.

2026-06-13 02:19:36 UTC

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@nprofile…rp72 Absolutely! Our microwave is getting on for 40 years old, and still going strong. It'll be distressing when some of our small appliances eventually give up the ghost, because you really can't get that quality now.
A couple of years ago my 40-something-year-old sewing machine went *pop* and a small amount of smoke came out. @nprofile…v23w fixed it with a component that cost all of $5.70, and it's been humming along beautifully ever since.

2026-06-13 01:54:25 UTC

All go in the kitchen today. I've made a sourdough loaf, crackers from sourdough starter discard, and lentil soup. Roger's made a cake, and is now making faux gras (not a typo - it's a vegan paté) and a steamed pudding. It's beautifully sunny, but the temperature will plummet later, making for good pudding weather. #cooking

2026-06-12 05:29:53 UTC

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@nprofile…ycjt I've been finding this so useful!

2026-06-12 03:18:12 UTC

We have quite a few #camellia trees growing as hedging, and at this time of year they're covered in cheerfully blousy blooms. But we also have a small row of these exquisite ones, which have been shy of blooming the last few years but may be making up for it this season.
#BloomScrolling
Deep reddish-pink double camellia bloom, in varying shades according to how the light strikes its folds. It's set against glossy dark green foliage.
https://o.mastodon.nz/media_attachments/files/116/734/960/647/703/598/original/0261f533a0b0c4e7.jpg

2026-06-09 20:50:05 UTC

Chilly enough this morning for me to hunt out my merino undies. Looks like a brilliantly sunny day ahead.
Around this time of year, 90% of what I wear comes from here:
https://www.thewoolcompany.co.nz/

2026-06-08 22:30:05 UTC

Love this story!
The small New Zealand town that took on Harrods | RNZ
https://www.rnz.co.nz/life/people/the-small-new-zealand-town-that-took-on-harrods

2026-06-08 20:41:35 UTC

A small but lovely gift he's left behind. I have fond recollections of wondering what bird would be up next.
I remember hearing Robert Taylor talk about the fake ruru call back when I listened to RNZ much more than I do now. He had such a gentle way of speaking.
#birds #NZBirds
Former RNZ broadcaster who started bird call tradition dies aged 82 | RNZ News
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/community/597609/former-rnz-broadcaster-who-started-bird-call-tradition-dies-aged-82

2026-06-06 23:37:32 UTC

Confused #quince has decided to #blossom in winter. Although as I'm currently in a t-shirt, I suppose we're all confused, really.
https://o.mastodon.nz/media_attachments/files/116/705/777/572/214/126/original/1007040db73f4740.jpg

2026-06-06 00:56:20 UTC

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@nprofile…6g3g best of luck with all this, Trudy.

2026-06-04 01:13:36 UTC

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@nprofile…xpag will do :)

2026-06-04 00:33:27 UTC

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@nprofile…xpag Yes, we were! They do tend to be somewhat homogenous.

2026-06-04 00:24:54 UTC

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@nprofile…as8g I'm so sorry for your loss, Mike.

2026-06-04 00:23:27 UTC

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@nprofile…xxrc Even better in a Kiwi accent 😀

2026-06-04 00:05:39 UTC

Met this gorgeous #dog at the garden centre this morning. His mum brought him over to be patted and fussed over, and I asked if I could take a picture.
https://o.mastodon.nz/media_attachments/files/116/688/897/505/022/668/original/45f1e680dee55328.jpg

2026-06-03 23:42:04 UTC

Possibly my favourite-ever Farside comic.
#AltText Image of a white-bearded old man wearing long white robes and sandals as the Almighty, standing behind a worktable atop fluffy white clouds. He has a pot labeled "clay", and he is twisting lengths of it into snake shapes. A speech bubble says "Boy... These things are a cinch!
https://mastodon.social/@farside_bot/116685825950547901
farside_bot@mastodon.social - #thefarside #farside #comic https://www.thefarside.com/2026/05/31/1
God makes the snake.

2026-05-30 19:36:36 UTC

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@nprofile…43ks congratulations! That's a great review.

2026-05-30 00:06:10 UTC

Today we had to replace our digital kitchen scales. Roger's repaired them several times over the years, re-soldering wires and fixing general wibbly-wobblyness, but this time they were beyond help.
We bought the old ones some time in the 1980s, so they've served us well for c.40 years. They don't make them like they used to.

2026-05-29 05:42:59 UTC

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@nprofile…6g3g congratulations! I'm only halfway through, but already seriously impressed!

2026-05-28 08:14:37 UTC

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@nprofile…x0gn It looks great!
Our house is made of pressed earth bricks, so that lovely warm colour is very familiar.

2026-05-22 03:22:19 UTC

Oh, the *joy* of finding that obscure piece of information tucked away in a archive after searching for it in the more obvious places for a long, long time! Along with having spent the last week sorting out the repercussions of two decades worth of Acts and Amendments, I now feel a good deal more confident about this section of the book.