If you'd have told me that 2025 was the year that I ended up in hospital, lost an election, my father died, and yet ended the year happier, marginally healthier, and more at peace than I've been in years, I probably wouldn't have believed you. Thank you to every person who was kind this year.

I've got this fabric in my stash that we must have been given - ordered from Ormond Taylor Ltd in 1996 for Strand Clothing Co. So interesting!

If you're invited to dinner in the next two weeks, it's because I'm clearing out the freezer Tonight: assorted homemade vege curries and bread and butter pudding for dessert 🍛✨🍞

If you're invited to dinner in the next two weeks, it's because I'm clearing out the freezer Tonight: assorted homemade vege curries and bread and butter pudding for dessert 🍛✨🍞

So for my birthday, my mum usually makes something for me from my projects pile - this year I gave her a bit of a dog. This is a custom towel robe made from kmart towels, for my hydrotherapy appointments. There's a bit of a walk from the main changing rooms to the pool, and now I have a robe! 👙😎

DE-LIGHT-FUL ✨🤓

Me, explaining my latest sewing project to Brad in great detail, whilst in the car... Him: this is like my own podcast

The trolls can't even give me Christmas off - with a former chair of the HCC finance committee repeating the dangerous slander that the largest environmental charity in the Waikato is a political organisation. Other Better Hamilton supporters have shared photos of our staff's children.

Big Beatrix Potter vibes at the in-laws 🐇🌼

I don't know if you guys know this, but a new research shows if you don't know what day it is between Christmas and New Year, then Christmas cake becomes a breakfast food. I'm part of the study.

Best of the Year: An open poem to the Minister of Teachers from Dame Fiona Kidman.

If you forgot to get me a birthday present the one thing you can do is STOP REPOSTING SLOP ACCOUNTS I don't care if you agree with them, I don't care if you "didn't notice" the images are clearly genAI, I don't care if lots of other people did it first Sanitise your timelines of disinformation pals

Tomorrow we're going on the ONLY 100yo public transport elevator in the country - the Durie Hill Elevator, which also happens to have the best public transport merch in the country. Which one should I get?

I was talking with someone on Christmas Eve about the news integrating AI writing and bulletins. Trust is already not high in media institutions, don't teach people it's not worth even engaging at all.

Christmas garden, Christmas broad beans, Christmas mushroom...

Merry Christmas ya filthy animals

Observologist has been a smash hit. Was carried around the house by the 5yo since it was opened!

Got the most unexpected call on Christmas Eve - an echo cardiogram booked three weeks from now. A Christmas miracle.

Friends who are juggling the emotional, logistical, and possibly slightly unrealistic expectations of Christmas for your family - have you had something to eat? Not off cuts or leftovers from what you've made other ppl but actual food? A drink of water? A sit down?

Also, my mum has been coeliac for 30 bloody years, I am an expert in knowing what's gluten free - but I guess cause we never ate them, rice bubbles aren't gluten free! They've got malt in them, of all things.

✅ Pistachio white chocolate cookies (with thanks to past me, I just had to pull this out of the freezer and bake!)

Attempting to find a waboba for one of my 20yo cousins (none in stock anywhere?). Brad goes to me, what if we got him a labubu. Howelling with laughter in the food court at how funny this would be.

I saw someone posting about nz children's books a few days ago (maybe as an alternative to the terf who shan't be named). We've got a 5yo and a 7yo to buy for today if anyone has any advice.

I remember when a memphis meltdown was $2.50, and that was both expensive and v much out of my childhood price range

Hello I'd like to thank you all for this info, my mum is now getting a kobo for Christmas

In latest developments for Te Huia, Waikato Regional Council is asking NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) for a 1-year extension of the trial at the current funding rate of 60%. The NZTA board will decide on this at its February meeting. www.rnz.co.nz/news/nationa...

Mum and I are cleaning out my fabric cupboard and it's a bit nuts. Before 👇

According to my Ravelry, I've finished 33 items this year 😱 1 singlet 1 vest 1 tshirt 1 scarf 2 pairs of socks 3 VOTE banners 1 corflute sign 1 exhibition title 12 VOTE hats 1 Christmas stocking cuff Gifts: 1 shawl 1 dumpling bag 1 hot water bottle cover 3 charity hats 2 oranges, 1 lemon bag

Well well well

Three new stockings all done and dusted! 🧦✨🎄

Ōtara-Papatoetoe election re-do a 'nail in the coffin' for postal voting - law professor

A big thank you to the 1,300 people who read this post - and an extra thank you to the people who messaged and commented in support. We're so much less alone than we think.

Hey quick someone tell me if there’s any evidence that existed before this govt did that this is exactly what austerity measures and government spending cuts do

Also, I have every plan to move away from Substack but if you read my piece and have no empathy for why maybe this year has been a lot and you're not offering to do the migration for me, it'll be an instant block.

Being disabled is not linear, not clear-cut, and not without many things to unlearn - I've always been careful about how I exist as both a disabled person and as someone who has a platform. At times, it's meant people have criticised me for not talking about my own experiences. So here they are.

On council, I cooked dinner maybe twice a month. I have done SO MUCH cooking and it's bringing me so much joy.

Such a fun night! This year there was foam snow, hot donuts, slushies and ice creams, and a Polar Express! ❄️✨🍦

Knitting friends - Kmart currently has "yoga flooring" for $12, if you wanted some foam blocking mats and don't want to pay $$$ for it

Do friands need butter? Today we'll find out 🫣🤦‍♀️

What I would like to see is Chris Hipkins debate the ghost of Michael Joseph Savage...

I just don't get why Nicola Willis is debating Ruth Richardson? Is it just to determine who's the worst? Like???

Every email that I've received asking me to verify my age is offensive both as a New Zealander and as someone in their 30s

A little disability treat I bought myself this year was a mini food processor. I saw Sam Low posting about it for making dumpling filling and it was about $99 and I was like ...why not It's been an absolute game changer for cooking while in pain or fatigued

Disappointing that the article doesn't talk to any public health experts or highlight any of the research that draws a link between late night purchases and alcohol harm. "Over the past year, my total sales have reduced by 23.5 percent," he said. That'd frame that number a bit different, huh.

Exciting result from the NZ Supreme Court: Full-time carers' appeal for employee status upheld by Supreme Court www.rnz.co.nz/news/nationa...

Our last social club event for the year - come do a lap of the Harrowfield Light on Sunday! 🚲🎄🌟 RSVP - www.greens.org.nz/khm_se_20251...

If I could make Vogels Peanut Butter clusters at home, well! Then it'd really be all over

Complaints about NZ's healthcare system aside... While we had gastro and because we were in the middle of the outback, we had to keep checking the toilet for frogs - they'd climb up through the sewerage system and into the bathroom via the toilet but they'd also hide under the toilet seat

I was actually talking to someone at an IoD event, about predator control and invasive species - and they said to me "maybe with AI we'll be able to come up with solutions for pest plants" And I told them about this tradescantia work. We don't need AI. We need to fund science and community groups.

Each to their own but to me, asking hard questions and getting to the crux of an issue is what being a politician is all about. It puzzles me that you'd outsource that, when isn't that what you're there for?