Great way to start the day after a fabulous concert 🎶 📚 🥯 #deli #federalstreetdelicatessen #florenceandthemachine #concert #books #unitybooks #auckland #tāmakimakaurau

bag of books from Unity in a booth at Federal Deli

A Night to Remember

Fantastic party for Mayor Tory Whanau's 40th. Wonderful party, great people, and a chance to recover and catchup the day after. #party #wellington #pōneke #torywhanau #billhastings

A night to remember


Pōneke - a collage #tepapa #toiartgallery #stjohnsbar #goldings #pōneke #sun #autumn #sammckay

Poneke collage - sunny waterfront St Johns bar, art gallery, Goldings bar


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

collage showing garden party, white barn with green plantings, country cottage and dinner on a beach house deck

If anyone in Pōneke needs an in-depth guide to the Scythians and other historical steppe peoples I can probably help 😂. I actually did not set out to create this collection… but now that I have it I love it 😍 📚 #books #history #scythians #steppe #collection #serendipity

A bookshelf with 10 books about the ancient Scythians or related steppe peoples

Temporary solution to the 2023 shelving crisis - double stacking. Not an acceptable long term solution but needs must… 📚 #books #shelving #crisis #2023

Horribly over stacked double shelved book case

Currently reading: The Darker Angels of Our Nature edited by Philip Dwyer 📚

A refutation of psychologist Steven Pinker’s 2012 “The Better Angels of Our Nature” by historians of violence. The editor is the Professor of History and Director of the Centre for the Study of Violence at the University of Newcastle, and co-editor of Cambridge World History of Violence.


Blissful time at Hōkio.


A Man and His Pride by Luke Rutledge

Review: A Man and His Pride by Luke Rutledge 📚

This was the prefect book to read on the way home from Sydney World Pride 2023. It has been a while since a book made me both laugh out loud and cry for the characters and for the things they represent. Luke Rutledge’s debut novel is set at the time of Australia’s Same Sex Marriage referendum. It skilfully weaves a tale of flawed deeply human people dealing with different sorts of trauma inflicted by many varieties of homophobia and self repression. It’s equally a story about how heteronormative expectations damage us all - queer or straight - but also about the gentle love of friendship can help us overcome and heal our hurts. Truly, love wins - just not always how you expect it will.


What a crew! What a parade! #parade #tradies #gay #sydney #mardigras #worldpride

Mardi Gras parade Gay Tradies float mid parade

Mardi Gras parade Gay Tradies float mid parade


The Sydney World Pride / Mardi Gras 2023 Sussex St Library 📚 #books #library #sydney #worldpride #mardigras

A stack of books purchased on a visit to Sydney

Incredible collection at the Sydney Modern art gallery. #art #modernart #gallery #sydney

Selection of art from the Sydney Modern gallery

Enjoying the vibe and catching up with friends at Sydney World Pride 2023. #sydneyworldpride2023

Collage of friends catching up for Sydney World Pride

Morning reading after a fantastic first night of @sydneyworldpride - with a couple of books from @littleblackgallery and @boysfineart #mōrena #sydney #worldpride #mardigras #books #art #photography

Photography books - “Rite” by Michael Søndergaard and “Uncensored” by AdeY

Photography books - “Rite” by Michael Søndergaard and “Uncensored” by AdeY

Wonderful World Pride Exhibition by @thelittleblackgallery 📷 #photography #art #exhibition #northsydney #sydney #mardigras

collage of photography exhibition of gay snd queer art

Successful book haul from Abbeys Bookshop in central Sydney 📚🛍️😜😳

So many great history books!

(Some pre-planning may have been involved…)

collage showing Abbeys Bookstore and six history books purchased

Relaxing at our apartment for the duration of Sydney World Pride 🏳️‍🌈❤️🧡💛💚💙💜🏳️‍🌈

collage of rental apartment views

Started reading: The Tyranny of Faith by Richard Swan 📚

I enjoyed the first the Empire of the Wolf series; looking forward to this one.


Finished reading: Godkiller (Godkiller, Book 1) by Hannah Kaner 📚

Oh yes! Fantastic! More please :)


Storm on the way…. #CycloneGabrielle #storm #Wellington #Pōneke #Aotearoa

Stormy view across the harbourLight and dark clouds over the city