Miraz Jordan

Sat, 24 Oct 2026 14:56:53 +1300

National are so speshul! I can't stop laughing.

Green Party person meets with gang: Shocking!

Te Pati Māori person meets with gang: Shocking!

Labour Party person meets with gang: Shocking!

Prime Minister defends National Party person meeting with gang.

Sat, 24 Oct 2026 09:00:03 +1300

Yesterday Whangārei friends picked us up and we drove about 75 minutes to Matakana Market Kitchen Restaurant for lunch with friends who live a little further south.

It was really busy but my pan-fried snapper with Agria fries and salad was the best thing I've eaten in a while. Just perfect.

Fri, 23 Oct 2026 08:46:47 +1300

Free crime books, one day only: Courtesy of Anne Shillolo's newsletter — Stuff Your Kindle & More 📚 😀 🐻:

Stuff Your Kindle: Crime Edition is officially live. This event happens twice a year and only lasts for 24 hours! But most books will still be free tomorrow:)
Visit StuffYourKindleCrime.com today to download FREE Mystery/ Thriller/ Suspense ebooks for a limited time.
(Note: This event isn't just for kindle users. Check out free books from all major retailers.)

Fri, 23 Oct 2026 08:24:40 +1300

Our NZ election is on 07 November 2026 and I've now received my Easy Vote card. 😁

I'm keen to do my bit to try to get rid of the last lot of middle aged blokes who worked as hard as they could to wreck our country.

Fri, 23 Oct 2026 07:02:59 +1300

This 30 minute video from Dr Alex is particularly interesting. For years I struggled with my sleep, though now I generally sleep pretty well most nights — The Most Overlooked Longevity System in Your Body:

Did you know your brain runs its own cleaning cycle every night, and that the quality of your sleep decides how much of that waste actually gets cleared? This drainage network, together with the wider lymphatic system, could be one of the most underrated parts of brain health, dementia prevention and healthy ageing.

Thu, 22 Oct 2026 14:16:55 +1300

Also on my walk today I met a Red and White border collie who wanted all the pats and and a Siberian Husky friend who wanted in on the chat.

What they say about huskies 'talking' is true. 😁 🐶

Thu, 22 Oct 2026 13:06:52 +1300

On today's walk around Marsden Cove I took this photo of a type of swale that's common in the newer subdivisions in this wider area. This part of the country is marshy by nature and we sometimes get torrential downpours. For example, in March 2022:

NIWA meteorologists say the 103 mm of rain [4 inches] from 4am-5am recorded at Maungatapere near Whangārei on Monday 21 March is a new national hourly rainfall record for a low elevation station.

We don't have fire hydrants in NZ so presumably this knee-high version is a kindness to dogs. 😁

Wed, 21 Oct 2026 15:37:40 +1300

The other day I chatted with a further away neighbour and patted her cute little attention-seeking dog Molly. That didn't stop Molly barking furiously as I passed today. 😒

When I neared the river I could see sheep on the other side.

Further along the river a spoonbill was fishing. 🐦

Tue, 20 Oct 2026 06:39:13 +1300

I've decided to stop reading this Project Gutenberg book I am a woman: 📚

"I Am a Woman" by Ann Bannon is a lesbian pulp fiction novel written in 1959. Laura Landon flees her harsh father and college failure to start fresh in New York City's Greenwich Village. Living with vivacious roommate Marcie, Laura discovers unexpected feelings and navigates the underground gay bar scene with new friends Jack and Beebo Brinker.

It was written nearly 70 years ago and I'm finding the old repressions and culture too uncomfortable.

Tue, 20 Oct 2026 06:10:55 +1300

The team eventually solve this thorny mystery, even though some of those interviewed aren't sharing all they know. A good read — Mystery in the New Forest (The DI Callum MacLean mysteries Book 4) by Carol Cole. 📚

Angus was a photographer, Sunday school teacher and chairman of the local gun club. A man everyone agrees had no enemy in the world.

Mon, 19 Oct 2026 17:00:20 +1300

Marsden Cove views from today's walk.

A colony of Oystercatchers by the water.

What looks like 3 ships (probably log carriers) berthed at the port.

Mt Manaia just across the water.

Mon, 19 Oct 2026 16:48:14 +1300

Today after a routine doctor's appointment at Marsden Cove I walked an almost 5 Km loop around the wealthy area, where boats are the order of the day and even private jetties.

This photo at Mariners Haven.

Mon, 19 Oct 2026 06:40:30 +1300

There are many excellent points in this article; here's one — 'Sky glow': Data centres could threaten Mackenzie's dark sky status:

It's not just vacant land waiting to be developed. It's open space, it's natural quiet, it's dark skies, it's mountain and lake views... Mackenzie feels different, because of what's not here.

It's a splendid and unique part of the country, and it should be left alone.

Sun, 18 Oct 2026 13:43:34 +1300

My walk by the river today was very enjoyable, and included a Monarch butterfly.

Sun, 18 Oct 2026 07:13:16 +1300

There were some very intriguing and moving elements in this book, with unusual goings-on. I enjoyed the read — Watch Them Fall (Detective Clare Mackay Book 10) by Marion Todd. 📚

A body is hauled out of St Andrews harbour. This was no accident – DI Clare Mackay and her team have a murder investigation on their hands.
Superintendent Penny Meakin is more focused on a break in at the salubrious home of local property developers.

Sun, 18 Oct 2026 07:02:55 +1300

We watched Tenzing and it was superb. Highly recommend:

based on Nepalese-Indian Sherpa Norgay's 1953 ascent of Mount Everest with New Zealand climber Hillary.
… Principal photography commenced in Nepal …, with filming on location in Kathmandu and the Everest region. Filming wrapped … in New Zealand.

The two hours didn't feel long at all as we accompanied the climbers on their gruelling climb, interspersed with flashbacks from Tenzing's life.

Sat, 17 Oct 2026 15:46:32 +1300

Today's mail brought a surprise.

I'm happy to do my citizen's duty but really hope the case doesn't centre on violence or abuse of humans or animals.

At least the last page tells me:

Some of what you hear in the trial might be stressful. There is help and support available.

Mind you, the only other time I was called for jury duty I didn't make it through to actually be part of the jury.

Fri, 16 Oct 2026 12:20:42 +1300

Those are weird looking gulls, I thought yesterday as I wandered by Ruakākā Estuary. Then I realised the flock of 15 or so birds fishing, was in fact tākapu | gannets. 🐦

Thu, 15 Oct 2026 16:36:36 +1300

The Pūkeko baby came back! 🐦

What a cutie.

Thu, 15 Oct 2026 14:25:20 +1300

A neighbour down the road has this flock of Cape Barren geese on his very large property. 🐦

Thu, 15 Oct 2026 09:33:52 +1300

A pleasing trip to Ruakākā Estuary today, included watching this spoonbill fishing. 🐦

Wed, 14 Oct 2026 14:28:02 +1300

I enjoyed reading the latest in this series. The victim was truly ghastly — Swamp Shoot by Jana DeLeon. 📚

When the crew of No Place Like Home arrives in Sinful to shoot an episode for the series, most of the locals are thrilled. After all, it’s a chance to showcase their town and maybe get some screen time. Fortune, Ida Belle, and Carter have their doubts that it’s going to be the wonderful event the others are predicting.
But no one expected the lead actor to be murdered.

Wed, 14 Oct 2026 14:22:29 +1300

The most frustrating message on my Kindle!

I bought the book, sent it to Kindle — or so I thought … But apparently no, I still need to download it before opening.

It's not like my Kindle hasn't been connected to WiFi at home for several days since I bought the book. Gets me every time!

Wed, 14 Oct 2026 06:05:54 +1300

The new Blog Audit took a while to run but it proved very interesting. // @manton

I'm very surprised by the many missing alt texts as I've been adding it on blogs for at least 20 years now. A handful will be where alt text isn't required or useful, but not that many!

Wed, 14 Oct 2026 05:48:45 +1300

0546 and I hear the siren. The ambulance station is northeast of us, the fire station southwest. I'm never sure which siren it is, though I usually think it's ambulance.

I just hope it's not on account of some serious accident nearby. 🚨