It’s getting harder and harder to stay in NZ as things get more expensive and shitty. If I’m finding it hard, my heart goes out to those on low incomes, with insecure housing or with health conditions. Is it so radical to want people to be housed, fed and employed (for those than can and want work)?

Thunderstorms and torrential rain, a podcast and some knitting is today’s forecast. Today’s the day I finish this my newest baby niece’s blanket. #knitting #kikorangi

At a bbq at my parents’ place, my anti-vaxxer uncle was trying to lecture me on the grave health effects of seed oils and GMOs while chain-smoking ciggies in the backyard. You can’t make this shit up. I said as long as he was smoking, I wasn’t prepared to listen to any of his “health advice”.

My team and I have been strat planning and goal setting. We talked about the importance of knowing our past to inform our plans for the future. Ka mua ka muri. They‘re all off to research various bits of our work history now and bloody thrilled at the prospect. #mataurangamāori Inspirational

Breakfast delivered to my bed beside the babbling river in the bush. Off grid weekend in KahurangI National Park.

Te Matapihi - the new library - is so lovely. I didn‘t realise I was missing it until I stepped back inside his afternoon. This place was a haven when my kid was little as it was somewhere free to hang out, out of the house, especially on wintry days. So many happy hours in the kids’ section

I was being a good citizen and taking a survey on consumer goods and supermarkets in AoNZ. One of the questions was “would you be prepared to pay a bit extra for food knowing that the extra was going directly to the food producers?” I couldn’t click hell to the no fast enough.

The “Nicola Willis only has a BA in English lit“ crowd are feeding the same misogyny as “Nicky No Boats”. Cullen had an MA, Bill English an Honours degree in English lit, Robertson a BA and Joyce a BSc in zoology. These dudes educational background is same or even less suited but barely mentioned.

The Wellington moa point sewerage treatment malfunction is bad. How does it compare to dairy pollution? The plant serves about 180k people. They produce as much sewerage as about 13,000 dairy cattle. NZ has ~6m dairy cattle whose effluent goes mostly untreated onto land and into groundwater.

📢 Residential property investors increased their mortgage pile by over $7 bln in 2025 and are taking up mortgage money at a proportionately faster rate than owner-occupiers

Got out of bed, threw headphones on and had a three-song silent disco around the kitchen while the rest of the whānau was sleeping. Top tier way to start the day. Highly recommend. Best tunes are 80s ones you can energetically lip synch along to, in my opinion.

I’m in that weird liminal space where a box of scorched almonds seems like a sensible lunch.

If you haven’t listened to Geneva AM’s album, Pikipiki, go do it right now. Her electronic dance version of Tūtira mai ngā iwi has been a whānau favourite for a while ever since we heard her play it live on RNZ ages ago. The whole album is sublime. genevaam.bandcamp.com/album/pikipi...

This is a good watch, if you haven’t already seen it. youtu.be/-cntDYfRNUw?...

For anyone in Aotearoa looking for a worthwhile cause to make a Christmas donation to, please consider the Aunties Christmas appeal. Any contribution is gratefully received. #kikorangi #nzpol givealittle.co.nz/cause/the-au...

My very bougie teen got up early to walk me to work so we could get matcha in the city. It was a truly delightful start to the day and we had an hour of chats along the way.

Knitting a baby blanket for newest little niece and I’m bathed in sunlight on the couch 7:45pm. Life is good. enjoying the summer sun before the southerly hits this week #WellingtonSummer

Has anyone read this #pukapuka ? I’m 60 pages in and it’s so intriging and beautifully translated. If it wasn’t such a nice day, I’d never leave the couch.

We‘ve recently moved back to Wellington and I love that we live in such a vibrant and functional community, despite the state of things. Everything is walking distance, doctor pharmacy, veg markets, restaurants, supermarket, etc.

If you haven’t discovered the absolute delight of za’atar yet, get yourself some right away. I usually make mine, but this one I got from the Middle East Market in Newtown is so delicious., especially when sprinkled over homemade hummus, slathered on flat breads. #kikorangi

Truly the most heartwarming #pukapuka. I’m in snuggled with the cat, the rain is pattering away on the roof and I can hear and smell crepes being made downstairs in the kitchen. They might just get me out of bed on this wintry morning.

You all know that your Nicky-no-boats is the same misogyny as Cindy, the preferred cooker polite term for Ardern? Call her by her government name when you call her out, else you’re leaning on tactics that diminish women.

If this isn’t Saturday morning perfection, I don’t know what is. At some point I’m going to have to get up and take kiddo to football but right now it’s bliss

I used to be a teacher. I’ve taught in the NZ, UK, French and Swiss education systems. NCEA blew the socks off any other system I taught. International Baccalaureate churned out people who were good at memorising, the UK system was absolute pants and the French system so prescribed it was useless.

The Electoral Commission in NZ is an independent body and we should be careful about undermining faith in the democratic process. If there's a large scale mistake happening, it needs to be impartially investigated but I'm very wary about assigning conspiratorial intentions because it goes both ways.

I’m supposed to be leaving for work but the cat has snuggled in on my lap and now I can never leave. 🐈‍⬛🇳🇿

For those who celebrate #schnitzel night. Secret ingredient is some cheeky Parmesan in the breadcrumbs and usually fresh thyme or oregano but it’s cold in Wellington and I don’t want to go outside to get it.

We see you, media, publishing non stories about former MPs (who just happen to be women of colour). They’re private citizens now, your behaviour is quite stalkerish.

Our heat pump has broken. Cat and I are sharing body heat. Backup heater is trying its best but I fear the cat may never leave my lap.

Watched this documentary on The Haka Party Incident on the plane today. Highly recommend! Especially in today’s political climate in Aotearoa. www.nzonscreen.com/title/view_o...

I’ve been teaching our new kitty the joy of morning snuggles, while I drink my coffee, and she’s a fan. Helps that I’m sitting under the heat pump and we both get so toasty 🥰 It was one of the rituals I had with our lovely old puss and I’ve missed it to be honest. 🐈‍⬛🇳🇿

Mōrena Aotearoa NZ Mānawatia a Matariki #Matariki (Pleiades | Subaru) above That Wānaka Tree #NZ #Māori #Holiday #NewYear #Nikon #Photography

This is a fascinating book. Story is of a Kiwi working at Facebook in the early years. Makes me never want to interact with any Meta platform ever again. #pukapuka 📚🇳🇿

The absolute menace (cat) woke me so early this morning but I’m not mad when I’ve got a great book to read. This is the third book in the series and while nothing will beat the brilliance of Better the Blood (first one) this instalment is a close second. #pukapuka

I love that this is serious advice in New Zealand.

Real life conversation with my kid last night. Teen “Did you do this in the olden days?” Me: What olden days? Teen: The 80s?” 🙄🙄😬😬🙄🙄😬😬😂😂

I really want to support live music, Aotearoa artists in particular but, wow, tickets are all $100+ for gigs. I just wanna take my teen kid to see some cool shit. 😬😬😬😬 I get that touring is expensive but this is just so much money for a whānau of three.

Age yourself with a movie you saw in the cinema

Back in 2019, I was part of the NZ delegation at the climate COP in Madrid and this was what we called our delegation office. We got so many positive comments that year on having both names. #nzpol

My Valentine is all of kānaka maoli for doing what we couldn't. Happy Captain Cooked Day, e te whānau.

Introducing teen to Buffy today. Monumental X-Millennial parent moment. She keeps commenting on the bad special effects 🙄 but the 90s fashion is amazing, apparently.

I turned the cornflakes (that no one seemed to be eating anymore) into something infinitely more delicious.

This book is AMAZING! It’s a treatise on the relentless shitstorm that is often experienced in the toddler years of motherhood but it’s bat shit crazy fantasy realism as well. Not for the faint hearted but it is for those who love a good laugh at the yummy mummies.

It’s almost 11pm and is still 20 degrees!!!! It’s one of those evenings in Te Whanganui-a-tara Wellington where if you use your imagination (hard), it could be summer in the South of France. Outdoor dining in short sleeves and then deciding if a sheet is too many bedclothes for this weather.

Morning walk on Waiheke.

NZers: if you're over 45 and haven't had a TDAP (tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis) vaccine in the last 10 yrs, you're due for a free booster. We are in a pertussis epidemic currently, which tragically has recently caused the death of a baby, so it's a good time to boost your immunity.

We lost our beloved little friend today suddenly to cancer. She was a truly beautiful ngeru, a much loved member of the whānau and we will miss her dearly. Ooof, all the feels but we gave her a good life even if it was way too short. 🐱🇳🇿

Going back to work this week was the wrong decision 🤪🙄💁‍♀️

Now that the presents have gone, out cat is super grateful for this shade tree we brought into the house. #aonzpets