Fabulous Day Party at the White Barn with Hamish and Alastair, a quick visit to see Mum and Dad at Eketāhuna, and dinner on the deck with Bill and Simon at Hōkio. ❤️💙💚 #DayParty #WhiteBarn #Carterton #Wairarapa #Eketāhuna #EkeCountryCottage #Tararua #Hōkio #HōkioBeach #Horowhenua

Today’s Pōneke / Wellington newspaper has a story about the recent renovations to the apartment that my partner and I have lived in for 22 years:

Guests love trying to find the way in to the secret room of this New York loft-style apartment in central Wellington

Many thanks to Kylie Klein-Nixon for the story, and to Andrew & Lynnette Scott (designers & project managers, Design in Residence), Liz Mark (design consultant), Phil Maxey (builder), and Reilly Joinery for making it a reality!

Also thanks to Oliver Cain for the wonderful piece, "Jeremy + Bill", which features in the story.

Photo: Monique Ford / Stuff.

First negroni in a long while…

It has been a very long year for my partner, Judge Bill Hastings, as a serious constitutional crisis has unfolded in the Pacific island state of Kiribati.

I am extremely proud of the work he did in Kiribati before and during this crisis, and of the integrity and measured judicial approach he has demonstrated throughout.

It is deeply sad that what started as a wonderful opportunity to help the further development of an independent and increasingly indigenous judiciary in Kiribati has ended the way it has.

The article below provides a good account of this week’s developments:

New Zealand judge resigns from top-ranking Kiribati judicial position

A Wikipedia article provides the full background to the constitutional crisis:

2022 Kiribati Constitutional Crisis

Today is Bill and I's 25th anniversary. It's the anniversary of our first date, on 22 November 1997. We went to see LA Confidential - still such a great movie.

I’ve been playing a bunch of Canadian songs on repeat today. I made a playlist for Bill which he seems to like.

Apple Music Playlist

Spotify Playlist

The wonderful piece of art commissioned from Oliver Cain to celebrate 25 years together in 2022 is now properly framed and up on the new Corten steel wall.

First ripe fig from Hōkio

First ripe fig

Dinner prep. It takes a table.

Meri Kirihimete no Hōkio! And best wishes from Waving Bill! We are delighted you made it back from Kiribati 🇰🇮 to join the Hastings-Miller-Desoudry-Baker madness! #family #xmas #xmas2021 #hokio #hōkio #hokiobeach #dinner #food #festivities #billhastings #hastingscj #aotearoa

Splendid dinner at Wolf restaurant with Bill to celebrate his successful return from Kiribati for Xmas. Highly recommended.

#dinner #restaurant #food #delicious #wellington #waterfront #pōneke #aotearoa

A few pictures from the island of Beru, one of the southern islands of Kiribati 🇰🇮 - the impacts of sea level rise killing of coconut trees is palpable. The ponds are used to grow algae, a traditional specialty of Beru (seen in the bucket). #billhastings #beruisland #kiribati🇰🇮 #kiribati #climatechange

Delicious venison and Guinness pie @ Oli and Mi Kitchen, Pito-one, Pōneke.

Sneaky dinner at @oli_and_mi kitchen before a movie at Lighthouse Petone. #dinner #billhastings #petone #wellingtonnz #aotearoanz

Bill @ Shepherd Restaurant

Grandkids visiting Hōkio

Very proud of the mahi (work) my partner has undertaken for the last nine years: www.stuff.co.nz/national/… #billhastings

A new addition to the library. Bill approved.

- Volume 1: Shadows

- Volume 2: My Ainsel

- Volume 3: The Moment of the Storm

Commissioned work. Oliver Cain Studios, "Interpretation" Series.

Absolutely delighted with how this came out. Thanks so much Oliver!

Egmont St Eatery brunch

Dinner with Bill @ Logan Brown

Whānau pizza night!

Using the whole fruit… feijoa upside-down cake, feijoa chutney & feijoa skin cordial #feijoa #feijoaseason #cake #chutney #cordial

Dinner with Freddy, Megan & Bill @ Old Quarter