The central city part of Palmerston North is full of pleasant surprises. Coleman Mall had blossom trees and some quirky bollards.
I ate a delicious chicken sandwich at Cafe Jacko in Palmerston North (Facebook link):
Chicken Sammie* $19 - Grilled chicken on sourdough w greens topped with brie and cranberry sauce w fries.
Unfortunately the green tea I ordered was one of the worst I've ever had: thoroughly stewed and bitter.
We really enjoyed Thelma (links to PDF) 🎥 :
Inspired by a real-life experience of Margolin’s own grandmother, THELMA puts a clever spin on movies like MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE, shining the spotlight on an elderly grandmother as an unlikely action hero. With infectious humor, Margolin employs the familiar tropes of the action genre in hilarious, age-appropriate ways to tackle aging with agency.
It was funny, sad, and featured real old people. The lead actor is 94.
It was a pleasant enough day that Deb and I went for a little bike ride round the village. 8.5 km.
Dropped a small gift off to the neighbour who had given us lots of firewood from his felled pine trees earlier in the year.
Chatted briefly with a local who has two gorgeous white Great Danes. Each dog weighs more than I do. 🐶 😆
I've very much enjoyed D. L. Keur's other series so was interested to try Night Trouble (The King & Midnight K-9 Mysteries Book 1). I'll definitely be reading more. The odd editorial quirk / typo but a really good read with great characters and an interesting plot. 📚
Huh, I'm reading a fiction book set in Arizona where they mention a curfew for young people. I just searched to see if that was part of the fiction, but no, it's a real thing! Amazing. Curfew Laws by State - NYRA:
We have created a list of over 400 towns, cities, counties, and states where it is illegal for young people to be outside of their homes at certain times of the day.
A show I really enjoy — Brokenwood - the international hit with a Kiwi accent | RNZ News 📺 :
But in amongst the [TV] industry's slow crumble, is a beacon of hope - The Brokenwood Mysteries, which premiered on Prime TV 10 years ago before moving to TV1, and is now screened in 150 countries. Filming for season 11 is now underway.
So glad there's another season on its way.
I finished Marsh Madness by Jana DeLeon, the latest in a long series of Miss Fortune books. 📚
when a group of friends decide to meet up at a B and B ahead of their ten-year reunion, old grudges resurface, and one of them ends up dead.
It was enjoyable enough but the "Gertie mishaps" gags are a bit tired now. I think the shine is gone.
I always think the 6 p.m. sunset is a bit of a milestone.
Unfortunately that will all change in a couple of weeks when we fiddle with the clocks …
Hooray! Te Puhi Ariki Ngawai Hono i te Po Paki, 27, to succeed her father Kiingi Tuheitia as Māori monarch:
Kiingi Tuheitia's youngest child and only daughter has been announced as the new monarch of the Kiingitanga.
Te Puhi Ariki Ngawai Hono i te Po Paki is the eighth Māori monarch and the second woman. The first woman to hold the position was Kiingi Tuheitia's mother, Te Atairangikaahu, who died in 2006. And at 27, Ngawai Hono i te Po is also the second youngest Māori monarch to be appointed.
For the past week or so I've had scratchy eyes, a bit of an itch on the roof of my mouth. Figuring it was hay fever, I bought eyedrops yesterday that immediately helped.
Now the farmer next door is hard at work cutting down the gorse and lupins in the paddock next to us. That should help a lot too.
Important day today: Kiingi Tuheitia to be laid to rest, new Māori monarch welcomed:
Kiingi Tuheitia Pootatau Te Wherowhero VII died on Friday, aged 69 …
Tainui have been hosting mourners and dignitaries from throughout the motu and further afield … at the tangihanga at Tuurangawaewae Marae.
… at 10am the Tekau-maa-rua (the Kiingitanga advisory council) will usher the new Māori monarch to the throne.
The ceremony will be followed by the funeral service for Kiingi Tuheitia.
First time since midwinter that I've noticed the morning sun finding its way into my west-facing bedroom. Nice!
This morning the river was full after heaps of rain in the hills; the tide was nearly full, with a 2.5 metre swell. When the two met at the river mouth it was all action.
The sea had also carved out half metre high 'fingers' in the sand. For the Pacific Wave Appreciation Society. 🌊
Down at the beach today I thought I saw a piece of fluff blowing in the wind. Then I realised it was actually a Black-fronted Dotterel (16-18 cm; 30-35 grams; orange beak). Then I spotted a Banded Dotterel (20 cm; 60 grams) too. Then I managed to get both in one photo. 🐦
Whoo! 🌋 : Talking about the Taliban: culture versus politics – language: a feminist guide:
So, don’t tell me that as a white western feminist it’s not my place to condemn the Taliban; but also don’t tell me that as a white western feminist I can only condemn the Taliban, and not the male supremacists in my own backyard. It’s perfectly possible—and in the current state of the world, I would say, necessary—to do both.
Faster 110km/h speed limit to accelerate Kāpiti:
A new 110km/h speed limit for the Kāpiti Expressway Road of National Significance (RoNS) has been approved to reduce travel times for Kiwis travelling in and out of Wellington
This is such a have. I did the sums. It's approximately 25 Km of road. Travelling at 100 Kph that takes 15 minutes. At 110 Kph it takes about 13.5 minutes.
The On This Day script on my blog today brought this amazing music back to mind. Just loving the listen: Holland Festival: Ensemble Rhoum Bakkali, Orchestre Temsamani, Zainab Afailal & AAO.
Rough weather over the last few days has thrown big driftwood onto the beach. There were also occasional Bluebottles. Not shown: the about 3 metre tentacle on this big one.
I stopped reading Orleans Avenue (Remy Fontaine Thrillers Book 1) by Robin Mahle a couple of weeks ago and left myself this note:
Not a very good book. I'm abandoning it.
No more by this author for me.
