How did I get ahead of myself? Cabbage trees like to grow in groups. Family, @macgenie Can you see the young ones?

Half a dozen cabbage trees, two large and several small.

Oh dear. Watched Io, a post-apocalyptic SciFi movie on Netflix. I did watch to the end but it was hard going. ‘Meaningful’, with many unsatisfactory elements.

Sam Walden is one of few humans remaining on Earth. She lives alone at high altitude, where the air is still breathable

Movie still showing the two lead characters standing by a grave.

In other places people admire fresh snow. I admire fresh sand.

Low sand dunes coated with fresh sand at Waikawa Beach.

Wow, imagine a parrot that stands as tall as your hips! World’s largest parrot found in Central Otago:

Named Heracles inexpectatus to reflect its myth-like size and strength, the parrot is estimated to stand up to 1 metre tall and weighs about 7 kilograms.

BTW: it’s a fossil.

Well, @macgenie , I think it’s relaxing to look at horses. I finally got up close to the neighbour’s white girl and her companion. I suspect the brown horse may be a Kaimanawa horse, judging by her stature and rough coat. The white one has had a brand at some point.

White horse, headshot. White horse and brown horse in a paddock.

I make too many assumptions in a day. One is that the text I have oh-so-carefully typed will remain unchanged. But no, autocorrect, so often so helpful, really interferes with my studies in the Māori language. I carefully type the word ‘waiata’, and poof! it becomes ‘wait’. Bzzt!

Screenshot of supposedly corrected word, making it incorrect.

I’m always happy to glance out of the window and spot the neighbour’s white horse next door. 🐎

White horse grazing on bracken covered hill at sunrise.

OK. Siri gave me a great laugh. Verbal exchange: Set timer for 20 minutes. Siri: “Done.“ But look what she also wrote: “I see you shiver with antici … pation. “

Screenshot.

Many folks here pick up rubbish from the beach. My haul today was mainly all kinds of plastic, plus a glass jar & rusted lid, chair foam, a bag of dog poop, a drink can, paper ice cream cup, shotgun cartridges, rope & string. Photo shows part of today’s haul.

A collection of mainly plastic rubbish on top of a bin.

It was stormy overnight but today is splendid. Photo: cabbage tree (Ti Kouka) and, ummm, oak?

Green leaved cabbage tree and leafless winter branches of a large exotic tree.

Glad to find Season 4 of Veronica Mars. Really enjoying having the show back, especially now all those main characters are adults. I’d happily watch a whole lot more. Only 8 episodes, unfortunately, and we’ve already watched 2… Poster: By Source (WP:NFCC#4), Fair use.

Veronica Mars Season 4 poster, showing the lead, eponymous character.

On Sundays we get the dog grooming table out so Deb can iron her work clothes for the week. We also brush ears and tails on the dogs. Here’s Oshi with silky ears. 🐶

Small dog on a grooming table and looking at the camera.

So pleased Season 2 of Derry Girls has arrived on Netflix. Disappointed there are only 6 episodes and we’ve already laughed our way through three of them.

Crazy: I have only 10% free space on iCloud and thought I might upgrade. The only upgrade choice is from my current 200GB to 2TB. The price goes from $5 per month to $17. How about smaller upgrade steps, Apple? That’s way too big a step! And too much $$$$ for a limited budget.

iCloud plan upgrade option from 200 GB to 2 TB.

In 2014 I went to Mars (well, my name did). In 2020 I’m going back again. You can too. This is a cool thing that NASA does, and it’s even free. Great for awareness and engagement. I love the boarding passes, mission patch and whatnot. Go have some fun on Mars too!

2014 Mars mission ‘boarding pass’. Screenshot: send your name to Mars page. 2020 Mars mission ‘boarding pass’. Orion Test Flight ‘mission patch’.

Sometimes dead animals wash up on our beach (3 goats right now) and I report them to the Council. I only just discovered that in Apple Maps (and GMaps) I can mark a location and then tap on the marker, swipe up far enough and see the GPS co-ordinates.

Selected location pin on a map. GPS and other info for the selected marked location.

Found this in a folder labelled screenshots. Date: 14 June 2011. Obviously the dogs had just been groomed. I’m so impressed by Oshi’s posture, sitting up, being a good boy. And Sasha looking at the camera too. 🐶

Two small freshly-groomed dogs sitting on the floor looking at the camera.

And of course I should have waited to take that photo of the snowy peaks of the Tararuas. Sunset…

An orange sunset photo of a dusting of snow on the mountain peaks.

The Tararua peaks were dusted with snow overnight.

Mountain top with a light dusting of snow.

“Just bite together normally and hold for 2 minutes.” Except, after 45 minutes in the dentist chair and with half my face numb, my lower jaw aching from holding my mouth open, I no longer know what a ’normal bite’ is. In 2 weeks I’ll have another crown, but not the good kind… 👑