Hōkio beach weekend antics


Extraordinary birthday dinner at Rita with Bill - briefly in Wellington between Florida and Vanuatu.


Bill is back. Teddy is pleased!


Finished reading: Ancient Cuzco by Brian S. Bauer πŸ“š

Excellent preparation for our trip to Peru in July 2024.


Finished reading: Why the Bible Began by Jacob L. Wright πŸ“š

Fascinating analysis of the underpinnings of the development of the Hebrew Bible.


Finished reading: Mona of the Manor by Armistead Maupin πŸ“š


Family Easter at Eketāhuna country cottage


Thank you to my wonderful bestie Sam Mackay for helping me to buy my latest bookstack from Unity Books in Wellington:

  • Lady Chatterley’s Lover (D.H. Lawrence 1928)
  • Mona of the Manor (Amistead Maupin 2024)
  • A History of Japan in Manga (Shunchiro Kanaya 2022)
  • The Land Wars - the dispossession of the Khoisan and AmaXhosa in the Cape Colony (John Laband 2020)
  • Normal Women- 900 years of making history (Philippa Gregory 2023)

#books #bookstack #history #friends


Ramses exhibition at the Australian Museum


Starting the year out right


New Year 2024 Hunter Valley NSW


Merry Xmas and lots of love πŸ₯° from all of us at Hōkio beach ! πŸŽ„β€οΈπŸŽ„

Collage of Christmas scenes. Lots of children and gifts.

Final catch up of books I have finished reading: Babel by R. F. Kuang πŸ“š


Finished reading: The Life and Death of States by Natasha Wheatley πŸ“š


Finished reading: The Glass Wall by Max Egremont πŸ“š


Finished reading: A Brief History of Everyone Who Ever Lived by Adam Rutherford πŸ“š


Finished reading: Super-Infinite by Katherine Rundell πŸ“š


Almost the end of the work year. It’s been challenging, but I work with a great team, and that has made all the difference.


Spring in Wellington #spring #wellington #pōneke #sun #trees

Blue sky over a sunny street wtih spring green trees


Finished reading: Great Kingdoms of Africa by John Parker πŸ“š

Excellent overview of some of the more prominent kingdoms of Africa from Egypt, Nubia, and Ethiopia in the northeast, to Ghana, Mali and Songhay in the west, to Kongo and Buganda in the centre, and the Zulu in the south.