Sorry about the delay -- the fucking DNS has gone tits-up again, and it's taken ages for the site to come back alive. So this is several days worth of posts all at once, in a kinda-digest mode...

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Somewhat enchantingly, the construction workers building the Vogel Annexe have begun to decorate the work-in-progress with pink stuff:

Ok so it looked better to the eye, whaddya gonna do?

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Saturday night was footy-night and it was freezing out but luckily I was well-equipped with a flask of Scotch. In Bodega, with the big screen and the small crowd, it was not too unpleasant either. And as a general rule I don't tend to enjoy drinking beer when I'm cold but I'm telling you -- five or six Cooper's Stouts will wrap you up in a thermal blanket and get you where you're going; and in plenty of time, too.

Then it was off -- via a stopover for an iskender and more beer in John's studio -- to Happy for the Postmoderncore release gig of Unknown Rockstar's new albums "Deep Earplug Music" and "Pickle" (if you follow the link you can actually download and listen to the music). It was lovely and the Unknown Rockstar played a blinder.

Al drunkenly convinced me to blag him onto the bill at the last minute (left).

After we pretty much got thrown out of Happy we wandered with some friends from out of town down Tory Street, hoping to find somewhere to wind up the evening. Town was generally nuts -- wanna queue to get into Motel? Wanna queue to get into Hawthorn Lounge? Me either. We ended up in a dark corner of Dragon's (the Welsh bar), sprawled on the colossal leather couches. Not having been there before, it was thoroughly relaxing and I have to recommend it.

A late-evening drive-by of the Iranian Embassy was called for and duly delivered (for context: there was much braggadocio and laying-of-wagers regarding if and when a military assault on Iran would take place) and fresh loaves of bread were obtained from Hataitai Bread Shop (open 22 hours a day, dontcha know) before retiring to our respective abodes.

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Sunday morning found me legging it first up to Brooklyn for a brunching appointment, then back down to Aro Valley again via Ohiro Road and its spectacularly tall pines. Then it was all we could do to retire to the Botanic Gardens for a picnic. Highlights: the duckpond, Druid's Hill, Andrew Drummond's Listening and Viewing Device on top of Druid's Hill, and quaffing champagne, whiskey, tequila and absinthe beneath same.

At some point Harry returned home again from his travels:

Ever tried to stop a cat from roaming? Your suggestions are welcomed.