Miraz Jordan

It’s one of those fabulous autumn days: cold start, clear sky, warm sun (cooler breeze), waves as gentle as a holiday on a tropical island.

We’ve seen mysterious lights up in the hills at dawn. I finally grabbed the binoculars (and then my zoom lens) for a daylight look. Turns out they’re logging up there and I hadn’t even noticed the change from green to brown…

Oshi update: his symptoms are puzzling. We’ve come home with Rilexine® Palatable tablets - Easy to give tasty antibiotics | Virbac and advice on additional pain relief if it seems necessary. We’re to update the vet on Monday when X-rays etc could be done if they’re needed. 🐶

Oshi still seems pretty unhappy and uncomfortable. We have another appointment with the vet booked for lunchtime. 🐶

Oshi’s latest medication: APOQUEL® (oclacitinib tablet) Allergy Medicine for Dogs:

If your dog is scratching, licking, or chewing like crazy, you want to provide fast, effective relief. APOQUEL starts relieving allergic dog itch within 4 hours — and controls it within 24 hours.

Hooray! : NASA’s Perseverance Mars Rover @NASAPersevere:

Mission scientists worked with a Navajo (or Diné) engineer on the team … to seek the Navajo Nation’s permission and collaboration in naming new features on Mars.

We had an unexpected visit to the vet this morning to sort out Oshi’s ‘bottom' problem. We came home with a week’s worth of Apoquel anti-itch tablets. A couple of days ago he had anal glands emptied, also flea and worm tablets, but still he was very unhappy with his rear end. 🐶

Looks like I’ll be getting my Covid vaccine sometime around mid-year: When, how and where do you get your Covid-19 vaccine? NZ roll-out details announced.

The Pfizer vaccine is the only one to have the green light from the New Zealand regulator Medsafe so far.

I made a big mistake this morning: with my phone beside the dog food bowls I played a podcast episode while I organised food. Sasha got a fit of the terrors. She was looking up and around, shaking, and couldn’t eat because she was so upset. I won’t do that again! 🐶 Old dogs…

🤯🤯🤯🤯 Aaaargh! Internet / computer networking is utterly beyond my capabilities. The more I read how-to’s and reviews of products the more my head explodes. I tried the free option of moving the modem closer to the dead spot. No go. Phone hotspotting may be the best option.

Cool 4-minute video: Why Real Explosions Don’t Look Like Movie Explosions.

The whole article is an easy and interesting read, but especially:

I’m glad I didn’t give up 10 years ago to fit someone else’s idea of what a scientist should be like. And I’m glad people are finally starting to realise how important communication is, especially when it comes to science. I’m just sad it took a pandemic.

Via: Siouxsie Wiles: Reflections from the rollercoaster, one year after my first collaboration with Toby Morris | The Spinoff

It seems late in the season for it, but we finally have Monarch Butterfly caterpillars on our Swan Plants.

On the property just past our neighbours there’s building work happening. I suspect they’re laying a concrete floor today. This is the first building in a new subdivision of six houses.

Excellent! Lucy Lawless bringing My Life Is Murder local spin-off to TVNZ

a contemporary mystery drama with a compelling female lead who is passionate about two things: discovering the secrets and hidden agendas behind the most baffling of crimes and perfecting her sourdough.

We watched the amazing and very moving documentary Sherpa:

explores some of the Sherpa culture and their spiritual relationship with [Everest], as well as the heavy work and risks Sherpas take in making multiple ascents to … make the climb possible for foreign climbers.