Our normally sluggish river is quite swift today thanks to loads of rain up in the Tararua ranges.

That means it's carved a deep channel through the sand and the bank regularly crumbles. Fun to watch for a minute or two on my walk.

Peeved. I ordered Sony earbuds on 17 August. Here we are 10 days later on 27 August 2024 and they've struggled down from Auckland to Palmerston North (an hour's drive away) where they're having a nice long rest (5 days so far).

Can't wait for the vendor's customer satisfaction survey!

A friend gave me this muesli recipe. It gives me an enjoyable and healthy breakfast every day. I add stewed apple, milk, and a couple of other things too.

Muesli

Ingredients

• 2 cups of whole oats
• 2 cups of quick cook oats
• 1/2 cup honey (can add maple syrup)
• 1/4 cup oil
• 1 cup shredded coconut
• 1/2 cup toasted sesame seeds
• 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
• 1/2 cup sultanas
• 1/2 cup cranberries
• 1 cup chopped dates
• 1 cup chopped apricots
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon

Make

Lightly toast sesame seeds.

1. Add oil and honey to oats in baking tray.

2. Toast in oven at 160C for 10 mins or until light brown. Stir every few minutes.

Put into large mixing bowl while still hot.

3. Sprinkle cinnamon on toasted oats.

4. Then add remaining ingredients.

5. Mix thoroughly and allow to cool.

Whew, stewed apples, made juice and made muesli all at the same time. Forgot the crucial step of tipping the still hot oats into the big bowl and mixing with the other ingredients before cooling, but, oh well.

The juice was delicious, the breakfasts to come will be too.

Occasionally, like yesterday, I sit for a few minutes at the picnic table by the south track to the beach and watch the world go by.

(We inherited the picnic table when we bought our property, but it was surplus to our needs so a neighbour with a tractor helped us place it by the beach.)

LOL (my emphasis):

Luxon’s speech was met with groans and various oral expulsions of disapproval.

Via: Luxon has officially abandoned localism | The Spinoff.

It's almost dawn and this is my view from bed.

Electricity supply crisis: What you need to know | RNZ News:

New Zealand is heading towards an electricity supply crisis. …

in 2023, 60% of New Zealand's electricity was generated through hydropower, 18% through geothermal, 9% through gas, 7% through wind and just over 2% from coal.

When we came in to land at Palmerston North yesterday, the plane took an unusual turn out to sea because they had to hold for a few minutes. We looked down on the Rangitikei River mouth at Tangimoana, where there was a razor sharp line between the sea and the river water.

I was just listening to a podcast about the health risks to installers of engineered stone, so this article is interesting: 6 alternatives to Engineered Stone:

The silica in dust that is produced when engineered stone is cut can be inhaled if precautions aren’t taken; to reduce health risks to installers and home owners, There has been a move to ban engineered stone in Australia

Flying south before dawn.

Our friends have a second dog: Rush, the Malinois, who's a very good boy indeed.

I so wish I could have bought this gorgeous pottery goat by Fiona Tunnicliffe. I'm smitten by its expression. Just not practical at the moment though, especially as we're flying home tomorrow with cabin bags only.

Random mural in downtown Whangārei.

Last night our friends took us out for a delicious Thai meal at Sukjai Thai Restaurant. I enjoyed chicken Pad Kee Mao (mild)
Flat rice noodles stir fried with aromatic basil leaves, capsicum, fresh chilli, green bean, bamboo shoots and vegetables.

We celebrated our friends selling a house.