I was just browsing through photos in my album and came across these Warou | Welcome swallows on the railing from January 2015. 🐦

Two swallows at opposite ends of a railing, facing away from one another as though in a huff.

Hiatus resolution, glottal stops … what's not to like in this interesting 16 minute video from Dr Geoff Lindsey? — A interesting development - YouTube:

A investigation into a increase in the use of a indefinite article without 'n' . Is it only a American thing, or a international phenomenon?

By some miracle Deb achieved a same day doctor appointment. Bronchitis confirmed; drugs acquired.

I really enjoy this series, in part for the very ordinary and likeable characters who work at the supermarket in small town Kingsleigh. The Missing Heirloom Mystery (The Supermarket Mysteries Book 5) by Rachel Ward. 📚

Several mysteries here and I suspected one perpetrator, but not the motive.

Book cover: The Missing Heirloom Mystery.

Well, colour me surprised! I thought this was a Mexican / Spanish word! Honcho Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster:

A relic of the large U.S. presence in Japan in the years following World War II, the word honcho comes from the Japanese word hanchō meaning “leader of the squad, section, group.”

One of those nights where sleep and I just weren't good friends … And I've been doing so well lately. 😒

On the upside, was a super early cup of Three Moons tea:

a semi-oxidised oolong that is lightly roasted multiple times over three months – or ‘three moons’ – to give it characteristics of an aged tea. This enigmatic tea reveals fascinating aromas – vegetal notes of roasted green bean intermingled with nut and fruity notes of green apple and melon, followed by a floral finish.

Well, I was out for brunch this morning for the first part of the all-day powercut. Back by about 1 and the power came back on at 1.30. Here's hoping it just stays on now.

And hooray for a hot cup of tea!

The master of all he surveys. 🐦

Pheasant on a hill.
Peihana | Pheasant on a hill.

This series has such excellent writing — Cast the First Stone (Sister Agnes Mysteries Book 7) by Alison Joseph. 📚

For example, this sentence in the middle of an intense and difficult discussion:

Screenshot shows: The passing traffic outside was muffled by the silence.

How brilliant: the silence muffled the traffic noise, not vice versa.

Book cover: Cast the First Stone.

I was trying out Nitro for photo editing and this Kuaka | Godwit shone out at me from my photo album. 🐦

Godwit shining in low sun on the sea shore.

Gentlemen Coders was founded in 2016 by Nik Bhatt, an 18 year veteran of Apple. His roles in the Photo Apps group included Senior Director of Engineering and Chief Technical Officer. Among other roles, he led the Aperture, iPhoto, RAW Camera and Core Image engineering teams, as well as the imaging team for the Mac version of Photos.

A rather facile movie, but I watched it through because the underlying ideas were somewhat interesting — Uglies:

In the future, the world has fallen into chaos after exhausting all natural resources. To keep humanity alive, scientists first create genetically modified orchids that are a new energy source, and second, a surgical procedure to enhance human beings in both appearance and fitness to prevent prejudice and discrimination.

Uglies film poster.

Waikawa Beach rain. @JeremyWxBaker

Waikawa Beach rain. Outside view of trees through a rainy window.

The crew. 🐦

6 Godwits walking in a line on wet sand in front of the waves.
6 Kuaka | Godwits in a line on the wet sand in front of the waves.
The setting sun like a spotlight highlights a portion of brown hill amist darker greens of paddocks and trees in shade.
The sunset spotlight.

RNZ broadcasts first Concert for Animals on Guy Fawkes Night | RNZ News: 🐶

In a radio first, RNZ and the SPCA are hosting a special Guy Fawkes Concert for Animals, with music specially selected to calm your pets.

RNZ Concert content director Liisa McMillan said it recognised Guy Fawkes could be a stressful time for animals and their humans.

"We're excited to offer some special radio programming that we hope will provide distraction and enjoyment for both," McMillan said.

And, BTW, Claude saved me some hair tearing.

Q: I'm using the hex colour below as the background for a web page. I want the colour to be paler. Give me 5 options, in hex, for a paler yellow. The hex colour I'm using is: #FEDC91

Answer: Here are 5 progressively paler yellow hex colors …

I agreed to update a friend's (a former client) web page — a simple task. But I'd forgotten about the power of MS Word users to cause utter confusion! So glad I don't do that work any more.

And the page update? It used to be 5 lightning fast HTML & CSS pages; now it's a single page, ditto.

This is our resident blackbird who spends much of the day sitting on our deck railing, singing to me (and the world). 🐦

Blackbird on a railing.

I think I'm done with this series: The Bea Abbot Agency Mysteries Books 11–15 by Veronica Heley. 📚

Book 12 in particular was a bit silly and repetitive. The others lacked the occasional writing sparkle that previous books had.

The stories have grown stale.

Book cover: Bea Abbot books 11-15.

Well, that was fun: the Barbie movie.

Barbie 2023 poster.