Fleur is cuddling my hand. I’ll be back home tomorrow morning snuggling Johnny Cake. I think Fleur will miss me when I’m gone. 🐱🇳🇿 I’ve pretty much been hers since NYE.

Playing at the top of the stairs 🤦‍♀️🇳🇿🐱

Well said, Margot! Happy New Year! margot-kin-berg.com/2025/12/31/h...

Half an hour and this year is done.

Well Robs is awake now. The girls have found a snail outside and it pleases Doris muchly.

Will we make it to midnight? Doubtful. Robs is asleep on the couch. Doris and May are playing with a Birman. I’m watching. And now they’re going snail hunting.

Got the cats a ridiculous cardboard house with a cardboard scratcher. Dallas loves a cardboard scratcher. It’s her house now.

I have mostly removed Christmas from the house. Just need to re wash the lounge cushion covers because I don’t think they were 100% dry when I got them in yesterday so we still have Christmas cushions 🤦‍♀️

Raising a glass for Brenan the accountant and Gabriel the lawyer.

Walked home, did some stuff, walked back to work. It’s an hour walk each way. Might have had too much sun. Such is life. The Black Widow’s daughter sent me a nasty text yesterday. Just proves how fucking little they know about me. Family only means exactly that. It doesn’t include ‘good friends’

Writers trench coat syndrome: catconnor.com/2025/12/27/w...

Doris sent me some pics of Patrick and Johnny Cake: 🐱🇳🇿

My cousin sent me a pic of one of her Christmas presents. 😊😊

#secretsantaAoNZ game is afoot

It’s like my kids know me

Captain 🎄🇳🇿🐶

Best plasters ever! 🎄🇳🇿

Stocking contents are so much better now everyone is a proper adult! 🎄

Merry Christmas 🐱🇳🇿🎄

Dallas is livid. She’s whacked Captain. She’s growled at everyone except me. She is not enjoying sharing her kitten with Captain. Nope. Patrick, Dallas, and Johnny are in my room. I might have to get their water and food bowls.

Ridiculous cuteness 🇳🇿🐱

The first round of edits are back for [Foxtrot Foxtrot Sierra] and all I want to do is to open the file and dive in! It’s taking so much willpower to leave the file alone. So much. We christmased today. Let’s see how that goes. 😂🐱🇳🇿

Dallas being Dallas 🇳🇿🐱

Freda and Captain were here all afternoon and for dinner. And they’re staying tomorrow night because Freda’s partner is working Christmas morning.

Drinking some birthday tequila after making two trifles and a ginger nut log. Also Gregory the turkey is defrosting in the veggie drawer. Pretty sure the veggies will be fine in the pantry for two days.

Doris is constantly surprised that I know the songs she’s playing (she’s eclectic like me) tonight we’ve had Ella Fitzgerald to Nancy Sinatra to Bing Crosby to stuff that came out this year. 🤣😂🤣

Sleepy kitty 🐱 🇳🇿

Waiting for Johnny Cake to go to sleep so I can clean litter boxes and also wrap the last gifts (those two things are not related) 🇳🇿🐱

Sleepy kitty 🇳🇿🐱 Johnny Cake is colouring up.

Johnny having snuggles at the vets on Friday. She’s now fully vaxxed. 🇳🇿🐱

At lunchtime I wrote ‘The End’ on the first draft of [Echo Mike Papa], I am basically brain dead at this point. Two novels in one year is a lot. This one won’t be out until 2027 (I don’t think). Next years Veronica Tracey release is [Foxtrot Foxtrot Sierra] But I fucking did it!

New stock arrived this morning. All the Veronica Tracey Spy/PI books are available again! catconnor.com/where-to-buy...

Johnny was my writing companion today. Even though I flea and worm treated her this morning (and the big cats).

It’s #SecretSantaAoNZ opening day today! If you don’t know, here in Aotearoa New Zealand some lovey peeps organise a country-wide secret Santa over Bluesky/Mastadon with people buying/making gifts for people they don’t know. Follow the feed today if you need reminding how awesome social media can be

#secretsantaAoNZ oh my!! Such thoughtful and delightful gifts. 😘😘

We are watching The Covenant 🇳🇿🐱

We got soaked to the skin today on the way to the station and decided not to go into the city to see Superman. I know time is limited but I don’t feel bad about saying this weather is insane we need to go home.

I’m constantly cleaning her grubby face. For the next 10 minutes she’ll look clean 😂🇳🇿🐱

Johnny Cakes was annoying so this was Dallas’s reaction. 🇳🇿🐱😂

Got home at lunchtime and little Johnny came running. Nice to be missed! The other cats couldn’t give a rat’s arse. Doris was in charge as usual when I’m at work. Good cuddles with Johnny before I went back to work. Also, [Echo Mike papa] is over 75k the end is looming. It’ll take 20k or so.

After a week of shitting around and not writing, and annoying myself over it, I’ve written 4K this weekend. 😊

She used to spy for her country. Now she protects her people. Same skills. Fewer rules. #spyfiction #crimefiction #thriller #mystery #espionage #privateinvestigator #NewZealandfiction #character-driventhriller #crimewriting #suspense books2read.com/leaveamessage

In bed and this big guy decided he wanted to sleep on my shoulder. 🇳🇿🐱

Out for birthday lunch/early dinner after seeing Superman. It’s the first time The Prodigal Son, Doris, and I have been together for our birthdays in 18 years.

Captain is making a new friend. 🇳🇿🐱🐶

A spy who walked away. A country that won’t let her. Veronica Tracey is back in the shadows—whether she likes it or not. books2read.com/lurethelie

Want sharp wit with your espionage? Meet Veronica Tracey. catconnor.com/nothing-happ...

Had a marvellous day with the oldest kid. (Yes he was eating when I took the pic!)

My daughter in law sent a notebook over from the UK with my oldest son and it’s gorgeous.