So grateful/proud to be able to bring my whānau to Niue. The rock has had a piece of my heart since my first visit in 2003 and now I get to share it with them. Kids in their element, learning and experiencing a whole new culture.

I can't imagine in any world how getting into surplus a year earlier is worth the hunger, the poverty, the lives ruined and the people we are losing. www.rnz.co.nz/news/politic...

This is fine (/s just so we're clear!). Thank f I am no longer on a school Board - operation grants increase a whopping 2% 🙃. #Budget2026 #NZPol.

NZ First wrote their definitions bill after anti-trans hate group SUFW showed them a petition demanding such a bill. They gathered 2,245 signatures in 4 months This petition *against* the bill just surpassed that in less than 4 hours ❤️ Please stand with us our.actionstation.org.nz/petitions/e-...

If you don't laugh you'll cry. @emilywrites.co.nz nails it again! www.emilywrites.co.nz/bills/

Thanks to Dr Beth, @emilywrites.co.nz and team for putting together this action list docs.google.com/document/d/1...

Trying to keep a 24/7 international newswire ticking over with no internet. Yeah, love this for me

Calling bird nerds of Aotearoa - is this a kārearea on our street 🤞please ignore my terrible video

In that, "do I keep going or do I need to step away" phase. Would be so much easier with fondant, but that stuff is rank!

Housesitting for my parents always makes me remember how amazing my centrally-heated, north-facing, insulated house is. Am absolutely freezing and their cat hasn't left his blanket nest all day

Schools being asked how many staff are walking distance from school + if nearby schools can car pool to a central spot and walk. Tell me you're never left your Ivory tower without telling me 🤦 #NZPol

Our house got messed up in the October wind storm. Today I picked out the colour of our new roof and there's scaffolding going up. Just in time for interest rates to rise on the extra mortgage we need to cover it cause insurance wouldn't. Yay!

Let's recap some of Brooke Van Velden's greatest hits (on working Kiwis)

BRB, dyeing my hair purple

My Bluesky timeline, all in a row: 58 days of petrol left in NZ, Watties closing factories, MoE unethical bargaining. This is fine.

I've lost my pounamu and I'm heartbroken. Trying to find solace that that taonga is ready for its next haerenga and I am too, but ooof, so much emotion and memory tied up in it.

Anyone else pick up who one of the local farmers TVNZ interviewed supporting the sale was 🤦 I actually screamed at the TV.

Running the government is a lot like playing recorder – it doesn’t work if you suck. #makeitstop by letting those in power know just how many people care about primary education in NZ. Share this film, sign our petition, or just make some noise for teachers & educators at makeitstop.co.nz

Kākā Point becoming Kaka Point www.cluthadc.govt.nz/council/aler...

Surprised the kids with a trip to Hanmer Springs. Just ordered dinner, 5 mins later... Power cut 🙃

Children are somewhere with cousins, Nana taking them for tea later. We don't have whānau in Otago and this is almost enough to make us want to move back to the Coast. 1 hr in Stumpers and that idea is dead in the water 😂 Never change Hokitika, never change.

Day off work for me, but my teammates nailed the headline 😂

First day of work for 2026 (I had a grand total of the last three days off). This is going .... not well.

Took 7 hrs and 43 mins for 2026 to test me 😒

This is a great example of how genAI steals from us all on multiple levels. It's stolen a promotional spot for real books and authors, it's stolen a job from an actual journalist who could have compiled this, it's stolen an opportunity for parents to be recommended good NZ books for their kids

Kids have made the traditional whare Kirihimete. We make this every 6 months - once for Matariki, once for Kirihimete. Recipe from the fabulous Christall Lowe

Since when has IRD charged a fee to use credit card to pay tax/SL etc?! FFS, we have a good reward system on ours but back to the bank deposit I go.

At the gym and just realised the date! The danger of shift work across multiple time zones, I never know what day it is! I'll be home soon for #SecretSantaAoNZ in case you're watching Santa!

Anxiety absolutely through the roof today over something cool planned in June. After a coupley shite years, it's hard to not expect the universe to come and mess it all up. Thanks brain.

It's been a day.

Ummm wow. Thanks Secret Santa, it's here and tucked under the tree for opening day 🎄 #SecretSnataAoNZ

Our elderly neighbour just came over to introduce herself. We've lived here for 8 years, we were her "bubble" in Covid, she bought presents for my kids' birthdays every year. Only solace is she's happy and physically healthy, but this sucks so much.

Slow clap to the winner who lit their burnoff on a hot, windy day. Whole town covered in smoke, and fire brigade called out as it's out of control. This is gonna be all summer with the wind storm clean up continuing 🙄

Even the cats in New Zealand understand the importance, and deliciousness, of a hand-held meat pie. The pies from Fat Bastards, in Invercargill, are superior (and they do a subscription box!).

Ran a trail I haven't done since the wind storm last month. Should have listened to the pīwakawaka at the start screaming at me to stay out. Endless back tracking and bush whacking but got the pretty views still. Kids have already rebuilt the rope swing in a new spot

Every year on The Bad Place I'd share a pic of my office for #SecretSantaAoNZ so here's this year's pictorial clue...

Ditto!

Turned 40 yesterday. Ridiculous the amount of ppl who wished me a 21st. Like, no. I did not earn these wrinkles and grey hair to have that nor do I want to be 21 again. Every one gets a year older on their birthday, love it!

Being in the kitchen or garden is my happy place - I have an edible māra (not a putiputi one). Love to tinker with all sorts of crafts. Big bookworm, esp NZ authors. #SecretSantaAoNZ

Faves: Whittakers Hokey Pokey, salted caramel, peach, blueberry, sour squirms. Not into: red meat, fake berry. I love baking and am into sourdough and breads at the moment. Bake sweet things for @goodbitchesbake.bsky.social and the kids' lunchboxes. Christall Lowe's Kai series is my go-to cookbook

All signed up for #SecretSantaAoNZ after a few years hiatus. It's been an absolute kaka year and need a bit of joy in our whare 🎄

Just in case... If anyone is keen to try Wonky Box but looking for a discount, here's a 25% off code (if you use it, I get 25% off too). LM3MLT is the code. For our first box today and quite impressed! Thinking we'll do it once a month.

Re the NZ Curriculum... "It’s recolonisation disguised as reform." Was seriously thinking about renewing my teaching certificate... Absolutely not happening now. #NZPol aecnz.substack.com/p/recolonisi...

The new Social studies curriculum is atrocious in general, but I just want to shine a spotlight on the explicit retreading of literal Nazi propaganda that is woven through the year 10 content! Buckle up this shit is shocking!

Snow flurries in Balclutha. The icing on the wind storm recovery.

Aotearoa , new Zealand - MMR vaccine is free for anyone aged under 18, and for people over 18 eligible for free healthcare. please visit your local chemist that offers vaccinations & see if you had 2 doses. If not please get vaccinated. Protect yourself and people who can’t get vaccinated #nz

22 hours with no power (and no estimate for restoration), house damaged but all safe. Limited cell phones working down there (I'm in Dunedin for the morning). That wind in Clutha was hectic - the district is annihilated. Fortunately, mainly superficial damage so far.

I wish I was still a journo in Hokitika on days like this. Grant was a frequent flier to my office back when I was. The stories I could tell... 😂 If she secures it, it'll have been 6th time lucky.

Ahakoa he iti, he iti nā te aroha. This month's @goodbitchesbake.bsky.social off to Women's Refuge. One daughter does the box design each month, the other helps bake.

Absolute baloney. While waitlists for first specialist assessments (FSA) may be improving, its what happens after that's the kicker. 10 months (and waiting) for the followup test the FSA ordered and we're a "semi urgent" patient.