It was busy couple days here at the mansion. The broken (and also no longer needed) heat pump and its indoor unit for the living area were uninstalled yesterday, and he also took away two other air conditioners Nigel bought on Trade Me. They were for our last house, but he never got the chance to install one, and we didn’t even know if either worked. They were useless for me and taking up space in the garage, but now they, too, are out of my way.
I have to patch a hole in the gib (aka plasterboard or drywall), which was used for the power and coolant tubes to enter the house. Similarly, there’s a companion hole in the exterior brick where the tubes and wiring entered the house from the exterior unit on the patio. There’s also a small hole where the condensation tube exited the house, and a few small holes for the screws that held the protective plastic sheathing carrying the wires and coolant tubing.
He then put some aluminium tape (the sort used to seal ducting joints) over the hole inside until I can get to the store and buy a patch kit (it’s not a very big hole). On the outside, he left the sort of cowling that the protective plastic sheathing went into (it covered where the coolant hose and wiring passed through and bent to enter the house, and it also kept water out of the hole). He put aluminium tape over the bottom of the opening to keep bugs, birds, etc, from getting in.
I’m going to steal a bit of insulation from the attic to insulate the wall (I only need a very small amount), and patching the small holes in the brick outside will be easy enough, but I’ll have to do some research before patching the bigger hole in the brick.
I was (not very) surprised to see that the air conditioning was installed before the exterior of the house was painted (but after the interior was). The builder gave me the name of the specific colour of white, but it turned out that there’s no such paint colour in NZ. I plan to have the whole exterior of the house repainted (or more?), so for now I just need to use a little white house paint—and sealer, since whoever painted the house never sealed or primed the brick first, which is the entire reason I need to have the house exterior re-painted so soon. Still, my little “paint patch” will protect the brick until the whole house is painted, and I don’t mind doing that (I actually love painting), however, it never occurred to me that I’d have to do that, and it’s a little annoying. Oh, well.
Being me, I decided to start cleaning up where the old heat pump was, including pulling out weeds I’d never really been able to get to before. This was in the hot afternoon sun, which wasn’t ideal, but I was determined to make a start.
The wall where the inside unit was looks weird now that it’s empty, and the picture I had hanging in that spot may look too small, but I was going to move pictures around, anyway, as part of my refresh. That refresh is the next thing on my agenda for now.
However, I’ve added a new project I’ll hire people to do: I’m having the kitchen range hood moved up—and the company who did all this air conditioning work for me can do that, too (they’re also electrical contractors), so in the new year I’ll get that sorted—and then a new backsplash behind the hob, and that’ll be something I’ll do myself or hire out.
Finally, yesterday the front lawn was mowed by someone other than me for the first time ever (not counting the one time that Hamilton City Council mowed the verge part—it’s their property, and they were mowing the verges of empty sections and did mine, too) a month or so after I moved in and before I bought my lawn mower in March 2020. He did a good job, and a much better job with the line trimmer than I ever did. There was some Kikuyu sticking up in a couple spots at the edges, where neither the mower nor line trimmer could get it, so I pulled them out by hand. Other than that, there wasn’t anything I felt I needed to do—which was the whole point of course.
I did a quick look at my stock of DIY supplies, and I have the primer I need (and ample paintbrushes, rollers, etc), so I just need to get stuff to patch the holes, and I expect to do that on Monday. We’re not supposed to get any rain until Tuesday or Wednesday, so I have enough time to finish the outside in good weather. Even so, I plan on repainting the entire wall of the house facing the patio (only around four metres or so), but I’ll talk about that in more detail when I do it so it’s easier to follow (I realise that with so many projects in play, things can get confusing, because they certainly do for me).
Onward.
Saturday, December 13, 2025
Thursday, December 11, 2025
Mowing down challenges
I mowed the back lawn today. When I began, my watch said it was 22 degrees in my part of Kirikiriroa-Hamilton, and when I finished some 25 minute later, it said it was 24 (71.6F and 75.2F, respectively). The MetService App said the humidity was 70%. It certainly felt like both the temperature and humidity were higher (the projected high for today was 27, which is 80.6F, something it hit, apparently briefly, later in the afternoon).
The back lawn usually grows faster than the front, probably due to the fact that the type of plants that make up the two areas of “lawn” are different. This means that the back looked absolutely terrible—and also kinda pretty and meadow-like with the weeds’ flowers blooming and gently swaying in the light breeze. Still, suburban necessity demanded I chop it all down, but I’m sure Leo will appreciate being able to walk over the entire area without the weeds’ flower stalks tickling his nether regions.
Tomorrow, the front lawn is being mowed by the contractor I hired, mid-to-late morning, probably. I’d hoped to mow it last week so the guy would have a fresh start, but high temperatures (and me “feelin’ poorly” a couple days) meant it was already this week before I even could mow, and, well, I didn’t do it. The lawn needed to be mowed when I talked to the guy last week, and now it really needs it, but, like the back did, it looks worse than it is due to lots of weeds’ flower stalks, though unlike the back, few are actually blooming.
I’m the type of person who absolutely would clean before someone was coming to clean the house (something I inherited from my mother…) so that the job facing them wouldn’t be as big. I had the same impulse with the mowers. These days, though, I have a bit more of the “it is what it is” fatalism that so many others seem to have naturally, and that I now understand how sometimes that attitude can be really helpful, and even important, for our well-being.
So, the back lawn is done, and the (despite everything I just said, nevertheless embarrassing) front lawn will be done tomorrow. Doing only the back lawn left me hot and tired when I was finished, of course, but my recovery time was short, with a glass of cool (not cold) water, a towel to wipe the sweat, and then a rest in my chair for a bit being all I needed to be ready for Part 2 of my day. Mowing the back lawn, my watch tells me, meant walking a bit more than 2km (around 1.25 miles), and my average heart rate was a healthy 128bpm (peak was 139bpm), meaning it was a decent workout, though not dangerous for me. Mowing both lawns often pushed me a little too far in all respects.
This afternoon, I went on a shopping expedition to Mitre 10 Mega. They were having a promotion offer double Air Points for folks (like me) with an Air New Zealand Air Point card, a loyalty/rewards programme I mentioned almost a year ago. I’m also a member of Mire 10’s programme, and their card is in my Apple Wallet on my phone, which is handy. And then, too, I presented my Senior Gold Card for my 65+ discount. I mainly went for a cleaner to use on the cement patio when I clear it in preparation for the patio cover to be installed, and also to use on some of the outdoor furniture that’s so dirty that I won’t keep them if I can’t clean them. Stay tuned.
I also wanted to get a new clothesline to replace the one I last attempted to repair back in 2022 (and it broke again not long after). Back in my battles with the clothesline, I worked out that the problem was that it had been mounted to fence panels, and not the posts (as I thought they should be). So, before I headed out this afternoon, I measured the distance between all the fence posts in suitable areasm, and in all but one pair, they were space a little over 2 metres apart. At Mitre 10, I discovered that that all the models are either 2.4 meteres apart or 1.4 metres. Clearnly more research was needed, and I wouldn’t get the double Air Points for that kinda large purchase. Oh, well. It runs out I still got a discount of $7.06 (the till receipt didn’t say what gave me that discount…).
I think the solution may be to install boards horizontally between two sets of posts, and then affix the clothesline supports to that. If I do that, I’ll talk about it after the fact. If not, I’ll talk about whatever solution I come up with. The thing is, I used to use clotheslines all the time at our last two houses, and even here, too, until the Collapsing Clothesline Era began, and I’d like to do so again. But it’s also true that Kiwis generally expect a clothesline, and installing one will help with the eventual sale of my house.
So, today was a big day. I’m already glad I’ve hired someone else to do the front lawn—though I still wish I’d mowed the front lawn last week. Somethings don’t change. Including my clothesline, apparently.
The back lawn usually grows faster than the front, probably due to the fact that the type of plants that make up the two areas of “lawn” are different. This means that the back looked absolutely terrible—and also kinda pretty and meadow-like with the weeds’ flowers blooming and gently swaying in the light breeze. Still, suburban necessity demanded I chop it all down, but I’m sure Leo will appreciate being able to walk over the entire area without the weeds’ flower stalks tickling his nether regions.
Tomorrow, the front lawn is being mowed by the contractor I hired, mid-to-late morning, probably. I’d hoped to mow it last week so the guy would have a fresh start, but high temperatures (and me “feelin’ poorly” a couple days) meant it was already this week before I even could mow, and, well, I didn’t do it. The lawn needed to be mowed when I talked to the guy last week, and now it really needs it, but, like the back did, it looks worse than it is due to lots of weeds’ flower stalks, though unlike the back, few are actually blooming.
I’m the type of person who absolutely would clean before someone was coming to clean the house (something I inherited from my mother…) so that the job facing them wouldn’t be as big. I had the same impulse with the mowers. These days, though, I have a bit more of the “it is what it is” fatalism that so many others seem to have naturally, and that I now understand how sometimes that attitude can be really helpful, and even important, for our well-being.
So, the back lawn is done, and the (despite everything I just said, nevertheless embarrassing) front lawn will be done tomorrow. Doing only the back lawn left me hot and tired when I was finished, of course, but my recovery time was short, with a glass of cool (not cold) water, a towel to wipe the sweat, and then a rest in my chair for a bit being all I needed to be ready for Part 2 of my day. Mowing the back lawn, my watch tells me, meant walking a bit more than 2km (around 1.25 miles), and my average heart rate was a healthy 128bpm (peak was 139bpm), meaning it was a decent workout, though not dangerous for me. Mowing both lawns often pushed me a little too far in all respects.
This afternoon, I went on a shopping expedition to Mitre 10 Mega. They were having a promotion offer double Air Points for folks (like me) with an Air New Zealand Air Point card, a loyalty/rewards programme I mentioned almost a year ago. I’m also a member of Mire 10’s programme, and their card is in my Apple Wallet on my phone, which is handy. And then, too, I presented my Senior Gold Card for my 65+ discount. I mainly went for a cleaner to use on the cement patio when I clear it in preparation for the patio cover to be installed, and also to use on some of the outdoor furniture that’s so dirty that I won’t keep them if I can’t clean them. Stay tuned.
I also wanted to get a new clothesline to replace the one I last attempted to repair back in 2022 (and it broke again not long after). Back in my battles with the clothesline, I worked out that the problem was that it had been mounted to fence panels, and not the posts (as I thought they should be). So, before I headed out this afternoon, I measured the distance between all the fence posts in suitable areasm, and in all but one pair, they were space a little over 2 metres apart. At Mitre 10, I discovered that that all the models are either 2.4 meteres apart or 1.4 metres. Clearnly more research was needed, and I wouldn’t get the double Air Points for that kinda large purchase. Oh, well. It runs out I still got a discount of $7.06 (the till receipt didn’t say what gave me that discount…).
I think the solution may be to install boards horizontally between two sets of posts, and then affix the clothesline supports to that. If I do that, I’ll talk about it after the fact. If not, I’ll talk about whatever solution I come up with. The thing is, I used to use clotheslines all the time at our last two houses, and even here, too, until the Collapsing Clothesline Era began, and I’d like to do so again. But it’s also true that Kiwis generally expect a clothesline, and installing one will help with the eventual sale of my house.
So, today was a big day. I’m already glad I’ve hired someone else to do the front lawn—though I still wish I’d mowed the front lawn last week. Somethings don’t change. Including my clothesline, apparently.
Tuesday, December 09, 2025
Doing the annual inquisition AAAgain?
“Traditional” blogs like this one have steadily declined in readership over the years, the rise of subscription-based platforms like Substack or Patreon notwithstanding. Actually, maybe the rise of paid options helped the decloine of free generalist blogs? Maybe paying for something brings connections that free options don’t. To me, offering something for a fee implies I’m an expert on something, or can plausibly present myself as one, when I’m not even an expert on being myself. Besides, charging a fee carries possible tax burdens in two countries, so it could well end up costing me money (that’s also true for podcasts, YouTube videos, etc).
As I said last year, “I’m sure that there will come a time when there won’t be any questions,” and I added, “I’m quite relaxed about whether I get any questions or not. Everything changes, and nothing lasts forever, after all.” All of which is still true.
To ask a question , simply leave a comment on this post (anonymous comments are allowed). Or, you can email me your question. Whatever method you choose, you can tell me to keep your name secret, although, why not pick a nom du question?). You can also ask questions on the AmeriNZ Facebook page, however, please keep in mind that all Facebook Pages are public, just like this blog, and anyone can read what you wrote. If you want to avoid being public in any way, the best solution is to email me.
Finally, as always, I have an obligation as the gracious
So, over to you: Ask your question whatever way works best for you, and I’ll do my best to answer. And if you don’t want to ask anything, don't worry: We’re still good.
All posts in this series will be tagged “AAA-25”. All previous posts from every “Ask Arthur” series are tagged, appropriately enough, ”Ask Arthur”.
Previously:
What do you want to know? (December 2012)
Ask Arthur (July 2013)
Ask Arthur – Again (December 2013)
Ask Arthur Again, again (December 2014)
Ask Arthur yet again (July 2015)
It’s that time again (December 2015)
It’s ‘Ask Arthur’ time again (December 2016)
Let the 2017 asking begin (November 2017)
Let the 2018 asking begin (November 2018)
There was no “Ask Arthur” series in 2019.
Sure, why not ask again? (December 2020)
Yes, ask again (November 2021)
AAA 2022: A decade-long inquisition (November 2022)
Let the annual inquisition begin (November 2023)
Let the annual inquisition begin for 2024 (November 2024)
Sunday, December 07, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 25
This week's song is the penultimate in this year’s series, though there will be a wrap-up post after the the last song post. This week in 1985, December 7, 1985, the new Number One hit on the USA’s Billboard “Hot 100” was "Broken Wings" (video up top), by American pop rock band Mr. Mister Released in June 1985, the song was the lead single from the band’s 1985 Album Welcome to the Real World. The song was the band’s first Number One.
This is another song from that era that seemed to be everywhere at the time. I never bought the song or album, nor any other by Mr. Mister, however, I do have the song one at least one comilation CD bought some years later. I didn’t mind the song, and the sound was nice, but I did think that the lyrics were kind of banal. Even so, I didn’t hold that against it, mainly because that’s true for a lot of hit songs. Maybe the lyrics of this song weren’t banal enough?
I didn’t pay all that much attention to the music video for the song, thoug I didn’t mind it. either—I mean, I didn’t love it, but that’s not that unusual, actually. Still, when researching this post I read at the link that “lead vocalist/bassist Richard Page driving through the desert in a classic Ford Thunderbird” was “the first allusion to birds”. Okay, then. That was far too subtle for me to notice, though I seldom paid that much attention to any video, so there’s that.
"Broken Wings"reached Number 4 in Australia, Number One in Canada (Gold), Number 29 in New Zealand, Number 4 in the UK (Gold), as well as Number One on the USA’s Billboard “Hot 100”, Number 3 on their “Adult Contemporary” Chart and Number 4 on their “Mainstream Rock” Chart. The song was also Number One on the Cash Box “Top 100 Singles” Chart.
The Welcome to the Real World album reached Number 17 in Australia, Number 2 in Canada (3x Platinum), Number 21 in New Zealand, Number 6 in the UK (Gold), and Number 1 on the USA’s “Billboard 200” chart. The album was certified Platinum in the USA.
This series will return in two weeks (December 21) with the last Number One in this series. The final post in this series will be after that post.
Previously in the “Weekend Diversion – 1985” series:
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 1 – February 2, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 2 – February 16, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 3 – March 12, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 4 – March 30, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 5 – April 13, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 6 – May 11, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 7 – May 18, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 8 – June 1, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 9 – June 8, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 10 – June 22, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 11 – July 6, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 12 – July 13, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 13 – July 27, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 14 – August 3, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 15 – August 24, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 16 – September 7, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 17 – September 21, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 18 – October 12, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 19 – October 19, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 20 – October 26, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 21 – November 2, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 22 – November 9, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 23 – November 16, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 24 – November 16, 2025
This is another song from that era that seemed to be everywhere at the time. I never bought the song or album, nor any other by Mr. Mister, however, I do have the song one at least one comilation CD bought some years later. I didn’t mind the song, and the sound was nice, but I did think that the lyrics were kind of banal. Even so, I didn’t hold that against it, mainly because that’s true for a lot of hit songs. Maybe the lyrics of this song weren’t banal enough?
I didn’t pay all that much attention to the music video for the song, thoug I didn’t mind it. either—I mean, I didn’t love it, but that’s not that unusual, actually. Still, when researching this post I read at the link that “lead vocalist/bassist Richard Page driving through the desert in a classic Ford Thunderbird” was “the first allusion to birds”. Okay, then. That was far too subtle for me to notice, though I seldom paid that much attention to any video, so there’s that.
"Broken Wings"reached Number 4 in Australia, Number One in Canada (Gold), Number 29 in New Zealand, Number 4 in the UK (Gold), as well as Number One on the USA’s Billboard “Hot 100”, Number 3 on their “Adult Contemporary” Chart and Number 4 on their “Mainstream Rock” Chart. The song was also Number One on the Cash Box “Top 100 Singles” Chart.
The Welcome to the Real World album reached Number 17 in Australia, Number 2 in Canada (3x Platinum), Number 21 in New Zealand, Number 6 in the UK (Gold), and Number 1 on the USA’s “Billboard 200” chart. The album was certified Platinum in the USA.
This series will return in two weeks (December 21) with the last Number One in this series. The final post in this series will be after that post.
Previously in the “Weekend Diversion – 1985” series:
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 1 – February 2, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 2 – February 16, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 3 – March 12, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 4 – March 30, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 5 – April 13, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 6 – May 11, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 7 – May 18, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 8 – June 1, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 9 – June 8, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 10 – June 22, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 11 – July 6, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 12 – July 13, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 13 – July 27, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 14 – August 3, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 15 – August 24, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 16 – September 7, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 17 – September 21, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 18 – October 12, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 19 – October 19, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 20 – October 26, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 21 – November 2, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 22 – November 9, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 23 – November 16, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 24 – November 16, 2025
Memories can trip us
The “Memory” at left mentions that norovirus “hitched a ride”. While Nigel and some other family members got quite sick, neither I nor Nigel’s mum were sick at all. That’s probably because we’d both had norovirus in December 2015 (caught at a different family gathering…), and that ordinarily gives one at least some immunity to the same strain for 6-18 months (or even for several years). However, Nigel didn’t get sick earlier, or maybe just mildly, but in Australia he was utterly miserable for the first 24 hours.
We couldn’t fly for 48 hours, but, fortunately, we had travel insurance, However, Nigel had to get a medical certificate in order to file the claim, and he managed all of that in the second 24 hours. The arranged details were arranged, the replacement flight booked, and and we flew home two days later, arriving in the evening.
Sunny and Jake (Leo wasn’t part of the family yet) were being looked after by Nigel’s cousin in Hamilton, and we could have driven down to pick them up the next day, but Nigel loved our babies, so we drove down immediately after we arrived. Nigel perked up noticeably when we did that, but we got back to our house in south Auckland pretty late that night.
That as the last big trip Nigel and I ever had together, though we did go to more family gatherings here in New Zealand. Fortunately, norovirus was not invited to any of them.
Three years later, in 2020, I went to Queenstown with some of the family, and much as I enjoyed the trip, it was challenging for me, to say the least, because it was the first time I’d travelled anywhere since Nigel died, roughly 14 months earlier, and it was also around three years after we all went to Australia. All of that was on my mind at the time.
In January 2024, a bit more than four years after the Queenstown trip, and just over six years after the Australia trip, I went with even more family on a trip to Fiji. That trip had challenging moments for me, because Nigel wasn’t there, and it was my 65th birthday. Even so, by then the bigger challenge came from discovering that, in fact, there IS such a thing as weather that’s “too hot” (and humid) for me. Nigel’s sister Carolyn was on the trip, and we lost her a bit more than a year later.
 |
| My last post in Australia in 2017. |
The trick, I think, is to accept that sometimes painful memories will come forward no matter what we do, and even in the midst of good times. Because of that, I think it’s important that, if we’re able, we need to push through the pain, and not let it hold us back—and I know all too well how damn hard that can be! I also know firsthand that emotional pain can keep us from fully experiencing good times—but not necessarily keep them away entirely, maybe just dull them a little.
All of that has been on my mind this week as I saw one Facebook “Memory” after another about that trip and the trip to Queenstown, which was around the same time of year. It’ll happen again next year, but I don’t mind at all. I’d rather feel pain because I loved, than to feel nothing at all. Honestly, that’s a huge gift.
Friday, December 05, 2025
I think it’s time
I’ve been thinking more and more that this is the time: Mowing the front is extremely hard on me physically, which I think is mainly because the land gently slopes down from my house to the footpath, and because parts are thick with kikuyu, which is quite difficult to push the mower through. Also, the front lawn is the only one anyone sees, so it’s important it’s always tidy—but making sure it’s tidy puts pressure on me that isn’t helpful.
I’ll still do the back lawn myself for now. It’s is easier on me despite being roughly twice the area, possibly because it’s flat. Also, I plan to make physical changes to the back of the property after the pergola is installed over the patio (after it is, I can actually see the whole space I have to work with), and that’ll affect what routine maintenance I’ll need done. At this point, I expect to keep doing the back until my mower battery stops accepting a charge.
Friends and family will be glad about this news, probably mainly because I’ll finally stop moaning about how hard it is on me to mow the front lawn (LOL. I’m sure I’ll have plenty of other things to moan about). I’ll be really glad to no longer have to do a routine job I’ve grown to pretty much loathe, but if I’m truly honest, it’s kind of hard to accept that I need to make allowances for a body that can no longer do all the physical work it once could, and also that this won’t be the last time I have to do that.
Still, given the realities of aging, it makes sense to use my physical energy and strength for things I actually want to do or enjoy (even gardening, sometimes), and not force myself to do things I loathe but must do anyway, and that’s especially true when I can hire people to do it for me.
I got a text this evening that they’ll start this coming Friday (December 12), and it’ll be $30 each time (every week right now, every other week at other times of year). That’s a lower cost than a typical mowing costs because it’s only the front lawm, but it seems perfectly reasonable to me. Sure, I could probably do it “cheaper” if you consider my time as worth minimum wage, however, when one takes into account how much the mowing wrecks me, the price is both fair and a bargain.
So, progress. But, yeah, I’m sure I’ll have plenty of other things to moan about.
The photo up top is from a 2022 post—about mowing, oddly enough.
Wednesday, December 03, 2025
Shopping opportunities
Tomorrow is a big day for (some) folks in New Zealand: The first IKEA store is finally about to open in New Zealand. There are plenty of people who couldn’t possibly care less about that, and some who are probably even angry about it, for whatever reason, but I’m not one of them. In fact, I’ve been excited about it ever since it was announced. There are a lot of reasons for that.
I’m not sure whether I’d even heard of IKEA before I moved to New Zealand, but I know that when I arrived here Nigel had some things he bought at IKEA while he lived in Australia. In fact, I still have some of them. After Nigel died, and after I was living in Hamilton, I began watching various YouTube Channels of folks (especially in the UK) who went to or got things from IKEA, and I became more an more intrigued.
However, there was no way for me to visit one unless I boarded a flight to Australia or somewhere else that had stores, so, to this day I’ve never been in side of a store. In 2021, I ordered some Billy bookcases from an Auckland company that imported them from Australia. A December 2021 update at the end of the linked post mentioned that IKEA had announced it was coming to New Zealand for real. That first-ever store for IKEA New Zealand opens tomorrow.
I won’t be going to the store opening tomorrow. Among other things, people were warned about traffic chaos on the all the roads leading to and around IKEA. Related to that, area businesses are ”preparing for mayhem”. I can’t stand crowds, and dealing with awful traffic, but, that aside, I also have a lot on this week.
However, I’ve been getting ready for IKEA’s arrival at every opportunity. I followed the Instagram account for IKEA New Zealand as soon as I knew it was there, signed up for their email marketing (so I’d know about things like when it would open), When IKEA Family (their loyaly/rewards programme) was launched in New Zealand, I immediately signed up for it. Then, when they announced their phone App for IKEA New Zealand could be pre-ordered, I did so, and I’m pretty sure it was the first time I’ve ever done that. The App was ready for download today, and it’s now on my phone.
Much as I’m looking forward to visiting IKEA for the first time ever (after the hoopla subsides…), I’ve always assumed that I’d probably mostly order online rather than buy things in person. The App and having IKEA Family are both good for both, but very useful when ordering online.
One thing I’ve been curious about is how pricing here compares with Australia, and TVNZ’s i1News compared prices. It turns out that many of the prices are comparable, which isn’t really a surprise for them.
Through that price comparison, I discovered that IKEA NZ sells the Billy bookcases that I bought through an Auckland importer aare sold by IKEA around $25 less than what I paid, however, I don’t know how much IKEA charges for shipping for bigger/heavier things like the Billy bookcases. Actually, I also don’t if I’ll order any bigger/heavier things, so maybe those charges won’t matter?
Many people seem to intensely dislike the very idea of IKEA, for different reasons, b ut one of them is that they perceive of the famous flatpack furniture to be cheaply made. While my only experience with their flatpack furniture was the Billy book cases, and I thought their quality was exceptional—in fact, better than any similar shelves I’ve ever bought.assembled. That doesn’t mean I think everything there is as good, but their pricing on nearly everything is extremely affordable.
A more specific complaint is about how it may negatively affect New Zealand retailers, because a big international retailer entering the NZ market is always a potential risk. However, I’m not convinced it will be quite as disruptive as some people worry it will. There’s been a lot of talk about how it could negatively affect NZ-chain The Warehouse, which sells categpries of things that IKEA sells, like flatpack furniture and homewares, for examle, but they sell clothing, sports equpiment, tools, automotive and gardening supplies, etc. Their more direct competition is Australian retailer Kmart, which sells the same sorts of things.
I also think that having only one store may blunt its impact, just as having one Costco hasn’t caused disaster for the two supermarket companies in New Zealand. Costco, like IKEA, is unique in its segment of the retail market. Both are shopping destinations, and not the sort of place one pops into on the way home to pick up something. What’s different between the two is that IKEA is attractive to all sorts of people, while Costco is more suitable for large families than, say, a one-person household.
For me, both stores are a long drive: Up to a couple hours to IKEA and up another hour to get to Costco (though Costco plans a second location in South Auckland, whichh will be maybe an hour and a half drive from here, though it would still be of dubious value for my one-human household). Even so, I also plan on going to Costco some day, too, because I’m also curious about what its like.
So, I like IKEA’s product lines, I think I’ll like their store, and I’m not convinced it’ll be as disruptive as some people fear. While the store and online shopping both open tomorrow, my first-ever trip to an IKEA will probably be several weeks from now, maybe in January or February. It’s always nice to have something new to do, especially when it’s something I’ve been curious about for years.
I’m not sure whether I’d even heard of IKEA before I moved to New Zealand, but I know that when I arrived here Nigel had some things he bought at IKEA while he lived in Australia. In fact, I still have some of them. After Nigel died, and after I was living in Hamilton, I began watching various YouTube Channels of folks (especially in the UK) who went to or got things from IKEA, and I became more an more intrigued.
However, there was no way for me to visit one unless I boarded a flight to Australia or somewhere else that had stores, so, to this day I’ve never been in side of a store. In 2021, I ordered some Billy bookcases from an Auckland company that imported them from Australia. A December 2021 update at the end of the linked post mentioned that IKEA had announced it was coming to New Zealand for real. That first-ever store for IKEA New Zealand opens tomorrow.
I won’t be going to the store opening tomorrow. Among other things, people were warned about traffic chaos on the all the roads leading to and around IKEA. Related to that, area businesses are ”preparing for mayhem”. I can’t stand crowds, and dealing with awful traffic, but, that aside, I also have a lot on this week.
However, I’ve been getting ready for IKEA’s arrival at every opportunity. I followed the Instagram account for IKEA New Zealand as soon as I knew it was there, signed up for their email marketing (so I’d know about things like when it would open), When IKEA Family (their loyaly/rewards programme) was launched in New Zealand, I immediately signed up for it. Then, when they announced their phone App for IKEA New Zealand could be pre-ordered, I did so, and I’m pretty sure it was the first time I’ve ever done that. The App was ready for download today, and it’s now on my phone.
Much as I’m looking forward to visiting IKEA for the first time ever (after the hoopla subsides…), I’ve always assumed that I’d probably mostly order online rather than buy things in person. The App and having IKEA Family are both good for both, but very useful when ordering online.
One thing I’ve been curious about is how pricing here compares with Australia, and TVNZ’s i1News compared prices. It turns out that many of the prices are comparable, which isn’t really a surprise for them.
Through that price comparison, I discovered that IKEA NZ sells the Billy bookcases that I bought through an Auckland importer aare sold by IKEA around $25 less than what I paid, however, I don’t know how much IKEA charges for shipping for bigger/heavier things like the Billy bookcases. Actually, I also don’t if I’ll order any bigger/heavier things, so maybe those charges won’t matter?
Many people seem to intensely dislike the very idea of IKEA, for different reasons, b ut one of them is that they perceive of the famous flatpack furniture to be cheaply made. While my only experience with their flatpack furniture was the Billy book cases, and I thought their quality was exceptional—in fact, better than any similar shelves I’ve ever bought.assembled. That doesn’t mean I think everything there is as good, but their pricing on nearly everything is extremely affordable.
A more specific complaint is about how it may negatively affect New Zealand retailers, because a big international retailer entering the NZ market is always a potential risk. However, I’m not convinced it will be quite as disruptive as some people worry it will. There’s been a lot of talk about how it could negatively affect NZ-chain The Warehouse, which sells categpries of things that IKEA sells, like flatpack furniture and homewares, for examle, but they sell clothing, sports equpiment, tools, automotive and gardening supplies, etc. Their more direct competition is Australian retailer Kmart, which sells the same sorts of things.
I also think that having only one store may blunt its impact, just as having one Costco hasn’t caused disaster for the two supermarket companies in New Zealand. Costco, like IKEA, is unique in its segment of the retail market. Both are shopping destinations, and not the sort of place one pops into on the way home to pick up something. What’s different between the two is that IKEA is attractive to all sorts of people, while Costco is more suitable for large families than, say, a one-person household.
For me, both stores are a long drive: Up to a couple hours to IKEA and up another hour to get to Costco (though Costco plans a second location in South Auckland, whichh will be maybe an hour and a half drive from here, though it would still be of dubious value for my one-human household). Even so, I also plan on going to Costco some day, too, because I’m also curious about what its like.
So, I like IKEA’s product lines, I think I’ll like their store, and I’m not convinced it’ll be as disruptive as some people fear. While the store and online shopping both open tomorrow, my first-ever trip to an IKEA will probably be several weeks from now, maybe in January or February. It’s always nice to have something new to do, especially when it’s something I’ve been curious about for years.
Tuesday, December 02, 2025
Things are happening
This week, I have progress on both of the remaining projects I accepted quotes for, plus an add-on project related to one that’s already completed. And, I’ll soon add a new project, but that’s a story for another day. So, here are this week’s developments:
The patio cover: Folks from the company providing my patio cover are coming tomorrow afternoon to do a “site measure”, the precise measurements they need to proceed. Then, the parts will be fabricated (here in Hamilton), then powder coated (in Tauranga), then assembled/installed here. I might be given a rough estimate of when the installation will happen, but I’m not counting on it (it’ll probably be mid-January, possibly earlier). All I really want to know is how many days notice I’ll get so I can clear everything off the patio and onto the lawn. I don’t want it all sitting there for days on end, and I’d also like to clean the patio’s concrete before the installation.
Fly screens: After a raging debate inside my head, I finally accepted the quote for the fly screens (aka window screens), but I decided they should all be the same, the magnetic version. That means the folks need to come back to measure three windows that were originally quoted for an entirely different option, and they’re doing that at 8am (😳) Thursday. I don’t yet have even an approximate installation date, but I’m not in any hurry, so possibly not until next year.
The add-on project:: On Friday afternoon, the company that installed my ducted air conditioning is coming back to remove the heat pump that served the living area. The exterior unit is broken, but I no longer need it, anyway. Also, it’s right in the middle of the patio, so removing it will free-up space there, which will be awesome. The guy is going to convert what was the power line for the outside unit into an outdoor power point (electrical outlet), giving me power on the patio for the first time, which is even awesomer.
The projects that I’m doing myself are also about to begin, but that, like the soon-to-be-added project, is among the stories for another day. The main thing this week is that existing projects are one step closer to completion, and that's important.
The patio cover: Folks from the company providing my patio cover are coming tomorrow afternoon to do a “site measure”, the precise measurements they need to proceed. Then, the parts will be fabricated (here in Hamilton), then powder coated (in Tauranga), then assembled/installed here. I might be given a rough estimate of when the installation will happen, but I’m not counting on it (it’ll probably be mid-January, possibly earlier). All I really want to know is how many days notice I’ll get so I can clear everything off the patio and onto the lawn. I don’t want it all sitting there for days on end, and I’d also like to clean the patio’s concrete before the installation.
Fly screens: After a raging debate inside my head, I finally accepted the quote for the fly screens (aka window screens), but I decided they should all be the same, the magnetic version. That means the folks need to come back to measure three windows that were originally quoted for an entirely different option, and they’re doing that at 8am (😳) Thursday. I don’t yet have even an approximate installation date, but I’m not in any hurry, so possibly not until next year.
The add-on project:: On Friday afternoon, the company that installed my ducted air conditioning is coming back to remove the heat pump that served the living area. The exterior unit is broken, but I no longer need it, anyway. Also, it’s right in the middle of the patio, so removing it will free-up space there, which will be awesome. The guy is going to convert what was the power line for the outside unit into an outdoor power point (electrical outlet), giving me power on the patio for the first time, which is even awesomer.
The projects that I’m doing myself are also about to begin, but that, like the soon-to-be-added project, is among the stories for another day. The main thing this week is that existing projects are one step closer to completion, and that's important.
Monday, December 01, 2025
Summer is here—finally
But I have missed summer, my favourite season.
The long range forecast for this summer is one of wet and humid weather for the top of New Zealand, and the southern parts may be hotter. I’m particularly glad that the ducted air conditioning is installed.
As it happens, it’s already been hot in parts of New Zealand (including at my house). November produced some record breaking temperatures. In fact, Auckland had the hottest day in November ever recorded. That’s not a good sign.
December is also the last month of the year, of course. Maybe that doesn’t really matter, since the way we measure time—months and years—are kind of arbitrary, but it’s seen as the end of the year by most of us on this planet, and, for me, that means starting to plan for next year, and that first means seeing what this year was like—basically, “not all that great”.
As I’ve made clear, part of how I judge my year is this blog, mainly because I’ve been doing it longer than pretty much anything else—and that includes longer than any paid job I ever had. So, at the moment, 2025 may turn out to be my least productive full year. November was tied for first with October for the most posts in the month, but I’d expected it to be my most-productive month. It wasn’t to be.
This reality is why I’m pessimistic about how (relatively) unproductive this year may end up being. However, the word may is doing a lot of work there, because I have a lot to finish up this month. For example, I have several projects still underway that will wrap up this month, and I know I’ll be documenting them all. I also have series of posts this month, and some leftover posts that I haven’t gotten around to, but still want to do. So, there’s a potential that my pessimism may be unjustified. Or, I may be correct.
In any case, summer is hear, and my whole house is now comfortable. That alone may change everything.
Sunday, November 30, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 24
This week's song is another one-week Number One hit on the USA’s Billboard “Hot 100”, the last one-week Number One of 1985. On November 30, 1985, "Separate Lives" (video up top), performed by British singer Phil Collins and American singer Marilyn Martin reached Number One. The song, written by American singer-songwriter Stephen Bishop, was featured on the soundtrack for the 1985 movie White Nights. Yes, yet another song from a movie soundtrack.
I don’t think I ever saw the film, though maybe I saw it on cable some time after it was released? If so, I don't remember it. Still, I’ve always thought that songs used for movie soundtracks should be able to stand on their own as pop songs, and I think this song does that. Being able to appreciate it as a pop song is one thing (and a rather low bar, to be honest…), but that doesn’t mean I liked this song, because I didn’t much like it. It was okay, I supose, but was too slow and ponderous for my taste, though the vocals were solid. I think that if the tempo had even been slightly, faster I’d have liked it better. On the other hand, there’s never been a year in which I liked every Number One, so, yeah.
The music video for the song was blended with scenes from the movie, but that didn’t click with me, mainly because, as I said, I don’t think I saw the movie. Still, it was well done for what it was.
“Separate Lives” reached Number 14 in Australia, Number One in Canada, Number 29 in New Zealand, Number 4 in the UK (Silver), as well as Number One on the USA’s Billboard “Hot 100” and their “Adult Contemporary” Charts.
The White Nights soundtrack album reached Number 17 in Australia, Number 14 in Canada, and Number 17 on the USA’s “Billboard 200” chart. The album didn’t chart in New Zealand or the UK, and its sales apparently didn’t receive any certifications.
This series will return in one week (December 7) with the next Number One in this series.
Previously in the “Weekend Diversion – 1985” series:
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 1 – February 2, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 2 – February 16, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 3 – March 12, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 4 – March 30, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 5 – April 13, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 6 – May 11, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 7 – May 18, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 8 – June 1, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 9 – June 8, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 10 – June 22, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 11 – July 6, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 12 – July 13, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 13 – July 27, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 14 – August 3, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 15 – August 24, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 16 – September 7, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 17 – September 21, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 18 – October 12, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 19 – October 19, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 20 – October 26, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 21 – November 2, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 22 – November 9, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 23 – November 16, 2025
I don’t think I ever saw the film, though maybe I saw it on cable some time after it was released? If so, I don't remember it. Still, I’ve always thought that songs used for movie soundtracks should be able to stand on their own as pop songs, and I think this song does that. Being able to appreciate it as a pop song is one thing (and a rather low bar, to be honest…), but that doesn’t mean I liked this song, because I didn’t much like it. It was okay, I supose, but was too slow and ponderous for my taste, though the vocals were solid. I think that if the tempo had even been slightly, faster I’d have liked it better. On the other hand, there’s never been a year in which I liked every Number One, so, yeah.
The music video for the song was blended with scenes from the movie, but that didn’t click with me, mainly because, as I said, I don’t think I saw the movie. Still, it was well done for what it was.
“Separate Lives” reached Number 14 in Australia, Number One in Canada, Number 29 in New Zealand, Number 4 in the UK (Silver), as well as Number One on the USA’s Billboard “Hot 100” and their “Adult Contemporary” Charts.
The White Nights soundtrack album reached Number 17 in Australia, Number 14 in Canada, and Number 17 on the USA’s “Billboard 200” chart. The album didn’t chart in New Zealand or the UK, and its sales apparently didn’t receive any certifications.
This series will return in one week (December 7) with the next Number One in this series.
Previously in the “Weekend Diversion – 1985” series:
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 1 – February 2, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 2 – February 16, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 3 – March 12, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 4 – March 30, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 5 – April 13, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 6 – May 11, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 7 – May 18, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 8 – June 1, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 9 – June 8, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 10 – June 22, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 11 – July 6, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 12 – July 13, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 13 – July 27, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 14 – August 3, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 15 – August 24, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 16 – September 7, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 17 – September 21, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 18 – October 12, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 19 – October 19, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 20 – October 26, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 21 – November 2, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 22 – November 9, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 23 – November 16, 2025
The (not yet) great outdoors
I’ve been having a lot of things done to the inside of the house, and will soon begin some decorating, all of which is part of my “Operation Re-invent My House”. Now that the work done by others is almost over, I’m giving the outside some attention.
The outside of my house has long been an ongoing source of annoyance, embarrassment, and frustration, three things in particular: The Damn Raingarden™, the lawns, and, especially, the bank along the side of the rear part of the property. I hate the Damn Raingarden™ mainly because it’s so damn difficult to maintain, but also because it’s so damn ugly. I hate the lawns because they were never done properly in the first place. I hate the bank because it, too, is damn hard to maintain. All of these are things would be expensive to change into better and more appropriate solutions, but the larger problem is that I’ve had no vision for what I wanted it all to look like—but now I at least have concepts of a plan.
I realised the other day that once the patio cover is installed, it’ll change the look of the entire back part of the property, so I think it may give me a better idea of what I want it to look like, and that’s when I’ll bring in contractors to do the work. However, there are things that need to be done more immediately, and those are things I’ll (probably?) take on myself.
First, I need to weed the bank (yet again, again…), especially around the patio which I haven’t given any attention to in a couple years. Since I never used the patio space, it felt pointless to spend my time and limited energy keeping the patio area tidy. Now that I’ll soon be using that space, I want it tidy—and yes, I’m well aware that this is a big job precisely because I didn’t keep up with the weeding. Moving on…
Related to that, I need to clear out all the weeds on the bank, a big project I first worked on back in 2022, though I never mentioned it here at the time (partial before and after photos form 2022 are up top). Since then, my “maintenance” has mainly been whacking the weeds back down with the line trimmer, and in between, I tried to figure out better solutions for the entire bank. I still don’t have a plan for that, but in the meantime I’m going to clear out the weeds, then remove the old bark and weed mat (which has deteriorated). I’ll lay new weed mat and spread bark over that—essentially restoring it to what it was like when I moved in, and for the first year or two afterward. The bark started sliding down the bank not long after I moved in, especially after heavy rain, and that kept exposing the weed mat, and then the sun sped up its deterioration—over and over.
Back in 2022, the weeding was entirely manual work because the weed mat wasn’t yet totally perished, but now that it’s finished its run, I can use more tools na dbe a bit more aggressive using them. This should mean it’ll be much easier than it was three years ago—I hope, perhaps foolishly
I also need to move the Vegepod to its new/old position, something I’m pretty sure I’m going to do myself simply because I want to: I’ve never laid any pavers, and this is my chance—quite possibly my last chance—to give it a go. Those are the things on my plan right now.
Longer term, I may have the lawns removed and re-seeded with actual topsoil underneath. I may also have some sort of terracing done along the bank, mostly to stop that sliding action. I’ll also seek advice on what to do out front—especially the best way make the Damn Raingarden™ look not so damn ugly.
Finally, I have a much bigger issue to deal with: I need to explore solutions for the exterior of the house itself. When the house was painted, the workers didn’t seal or prime the bricks, they just painted them (which suggests to me that the painting was done by labourers, not painting contractors). The colour of the bricks started staining the white paint with blotches sometime in the second year after I moved in, slowly at first, but now it’s pretty much all over the house (the builder’s warranty was one year).
To fix that, I could have the house re-painted, or I could explore plastering over the brick. However, either option would be before any work on the lawns or gardens, and that means that all of that is unlikely to be done for at least a year. This underscores why I’m going to restore the bank to what it was at the beginning: I want it to look nice until I have a permanent and cohesive solution.
The stuff I’m going to do myself will be a lot of work, absolutely, but it’s work I’ve done before (except for the pavers under the Vegepod, of course). The weather will probably interfere with all these plans, but there will be lots of inside work for me to do on the rainy days.
And, maybe I’ll finally get the house and gardens closer to being what I’ve wanted all along. Yep, it’s definitely a process.
Friday, November 28, 2025
So, what happens now?
The various changes to my house continue, though at the moment they’re mostly what I’m having others do. The next phase will be the decorating that I’ll do, but I’m probably at least a week away from the first phase of that. The important thing is that things are still moving forward.
Last week, when I talked about the new air conditioning, I said:
Last week I also accepted the quote for fly screens (aka window screens), though they need to come back and re-measure my bedroom windows, something they’re going to do Thursday morning. I don’t yet know when the actual screens will be installed, but the process, at least, is underway.
The only one of the projects that isn’t yet in process is the patio cover —ironically, perhaps, because that was the first quote I accepted. Still, I knew it probably wouldn’t be installed until January, so if it happens in December, that’ll be a bonus, but if it doesn’t, it wouldn’t be unexpected.
My part of Operation Re-Invent My House is, of course, redecoration. The first step is essentially a massive cleaning job as I rearrange the living space. At the same time, however, I have to keep my eye on finishing the rest of the house, too. Achieving all that by my birthday is a challenging goal, and I’m relaxed about whether everything else is achieved: I can only do what I can do. After all, some of my ideas are still “in formation”.
The reality is that this is a process, not a “perfect” plan. But in that reality lays all the excitement. Follow along to see where this all leads. I don’t actually know everything about what happens now, either.
Last week, when I talked about the new air conditioning, I said:
…the company that installed the new [air conditioning] system will return to remove the broken living area air conditioner (which isn’t needed anymore, anyway) and they’ll convert the power shut-off switch for the outdoor unit (which is currently sitting on the patio) into an exterior power point…That work will be done a week from today, which is awesome. I’ll eventually have the unit in my bedroom removed, too, but I’m leaving it there for now until I’m 100% certain that the new system is working perfectly (which so far it is).
Last week I also accepted the quote for fly screens (aka window screens), though they need to come back and re-measure my bedroom windows, something they’re going to do Thursday morning. I don’t yet know when the actual screens will be installed, but the process, at least, is underway.
The only one of the projects that isn’t yet in process is the patio cover —ironically, perhaps, because that was the first quote I accepted. Still, I knew it probably wouldn’t be installed until January, so if it happens in December, that’ll be a bonus, but if it doesn’t, it wouldn’t be unexpected.
My part of Operation Re-Invent My House is, of course, redecoration. The first step is essentially a massive cleaning job as I rearrange the living space. At the same time, however, I have to keep my eye on finishing the rest of the house, too. Achieving all that by my birthday is a challenging goal, and I’m relaxed about whether everything else is achieved: I can only do what I can do. After all, some of my ideas are still “in formation”.
The reality is that this is a process, not a “perfect” plan. But in that reality lays all the excitement. Follow along to see where this all leads. I don’t actually know everything about what happens now, either.
A cool thing?
This week a cool thing may have happened. Or not. But, at the very least, it was good at the time.
I mowed all the lawns this past Wednesday, which itself is indicative of an important change this year: I’m mowing the lawns every week, though the specific day depends on the weather. My hope has been that by mowing every week I can make each one easier on me. So far, I’ve been able to do the whole thing on on a single battery charge, which is something I couldn’t do when mowing every other week. Live and learn, I suppose, though when the dryness of mid-summer arrives I (probably) won’t need to mow every week.
Even so, every time I’ve mowed the lawns, I inevitably feel awful, especially when doing the front which I find challenging, I think, because the property slopes downhill from my house to the footpath, and because there’s a lot of kikuyu grass (Cenchrus clandestinus), the devil’s spawn if ever there was such a thing, because of how thick and difficult to mow that shit is.
This week, I used the line trimmer on all the edges (front and back), and while my arms started to get tired, I noticed that it didn’t make me feel wiped out. Then came the mowing, which I did immediately after doing the edges, and I felt pretty much as bad as ever. In fact, when I got back into the house I returned a missed call from my sister-in-law, and I joked about planning my funeral.
This is where something changed.
I still had the oscillating fan sitting on my dining table, so I fixed it (no oscillation) on the spot where my chair is, plugged it in and turned it on and then sat down. Because of the new air conditioning, it was cool in the living area, and that fan sent a lovely, constant cool breeze on me. In a relatively short time, I actually felt I’d recovered. This was significant enough that I couldn’t help noticing it, especially because it was maybe half an hour, not the considerably longer time it took when I had no air conditioning in the living area.
The thing is, I have no way of knowing whether this was a one-off—maybe I was just lucky that day?—or if the cooling really made a significant change, one that make my life dramatically easier. I may find out when I mow the lawns next week (right now, it’s looking like Monday my be my only option…), or, maybe not.
I’m hoping that this does represent a change—or, more accurately, a return to the way things were a couple years ago, with a reasonably/comparatively fast recovery time for me. However, I still intend to start handing off the mowing to contractors, beginning with the front, not the least because it’s the most physically challenging part of the mowing for me. This would also mean that the front of my house would always look tidy, and if the back sometimes gets a little too long, no one will see it except for me and Leo. I’ll eventually have mowers do the back, too, so I guess I’m planning for the time ahead when, perhaps, I can’t do as much physical stuff as I can right now.
Even though this may not be a permanent change, it was cool—literally and figuratively—when it happened. I’ll take it.
I mowed all the lawns this past Wednesday, which itself is indicative of an important change this year: I’m mowing the lawns every week, though the specific day depends on the weather. My hope has been that by mowing every week I can make each one easier on me. So far, I’ve been able to do the whole thing on on a single battery charge, which is something I couldn’t do when mowing every other week. Live and learn, I suppose, though when the dryness of mid-summer arrives I (probably) won’t need to mow every week.
Even so, every time I’ve mowed the lawns, I inevitably feel awful, especially when doing the front which I find challenging, I think, because the property slopes downhill from my house to the footpath, and because there’s a lot of kikuyu grass (Cenchrus clandestinus), the devil’s spawn if ever there was such a thing, because of how thick and difficult to mow that shit is.
This week, I used the line trimmer on all the edges (front and back), and while my arms started to get tired, I noticed that it didn’t make me feel wiped out. Then came the mowing, which I did immediately after doing the edges, and I felt pretty much as bad as ever. In fact, when I got back into the house I returned a missed call from my sister-in-law, and I joked about planning my funeral.
This is where something changed.
I still had the oscillating fan sitting on my dining table, so I fixed it (no oscillation) on the spot where my chair is, plugged it in and turned it on and then sat down. Because of the new air conditioning, it was cool in the living area, and that fan sent a lovely, constant cool breeze on me. In a relatively short time, I actually felt I’d recovered. This was significant enough that I couldn’t help noticing it, especially because it was maybe half an hour, not the considerably longer time it took when I had no air conditioning in the living area.
The thing is, I have no way of knowing whether this was a one-off—maybe I was just lucky that day?—or if the cooling really made a significant change, one that make my life dramatically easier. I may find out when I mow the lawns next week (right now, it’s looking like Monday my be my only option…), or, maybe not.
I’m hoping that this does represent a change—or, more accurately, a return to the way things were a couple years ago, with a reasonably/comparatively fast recovery time for me. However, I still intend to start handing off the mowing to contractors, beginning with the front, not the least because it’s the most physically challenging part of the mowing for me. This would also mean that the front of my house would always look tidy, and if the back sometimes gets a little too long, no one will see it except for me and Leo. I’ll eventually have mowers do the back, too, so I guess I’m planning for the time ahead when, perhaps, I can’t do as much physical stuff as I can right now.
Even though this may not be a permanent change, it was cool—literally and figuratively—when it happened. I’ll take it.
Monday, November 24, 2025
Time for my old man Life Hack
I have an old man Life Hack to share: This weekend, I figured out an easy way to re-set the clock on my oven without knowing how to reset the clock.
Whenever the power is off for any reason, as it was last week during the air conditioning installation, the oven clock starts flashing when power is restored, and it stops flashing when I turn the oven on. That much I knew all along, but I had no idea how to set the clock.
The builder left all the manuals in a kitchen drawer, but I moved it and the others “somewhere safe, so I can find it again”, and then promptly forgot where that was. I later made up a notebook in which I write down where I put a thing, and since I did that I haven’t lost anything.
The main problem is that the oven is actually a wall oven, not one designed to be mounted under the kitchen benchtop, as the builder did, directly under the hob (cooktop), as is common. The only way for me to see the temperature I’m setting, or to see several of the controls, is to sit on the floor—and that’s never a great idea the farther one gets from 50. Doing that just to set the clock I don’t even need was never going to happen.
So: I had an oven that hasn’t been displaying the correct time pretty much since I moved in. Until this weekend.
I knew that when power comes back on, it resets to Noon (it’s a 24-hour clock). Mid-afternoon on Friday, I suddenly realised (because I never cared about that clock…) that if I simply turned off the power to the oven at Noon, then turned the power back on, the clock would show the correct time.
Unfortunately, I didn’t remember that at Noon on Saturday, but did at 12:30, anyway, to make sure I was right, and, of course, I was. So at precisely noon on Sunday (relying on my watch, which gets its time from a time server), I switched off the power to the oven at noon, then a couple seconds later I turned it back on. Next, I turned the oven on, then back off, and the oven was FINALLY set to the correct time.
Yes, I could’ve launched yet another search party to find that “somewhere safe” where the manual is, as I’ve done a few times, or (more likely) I could’ve looked it up online, but that wouldn’t help me get back up off the floor after swearing at the difficulty in changing a damn clock I don’t actually use, anyway.
Maybe someday I’ll redo the kitchen, though I’m more likely to move somewhere with a wall oven that’s actually on the wall, and, until/unless that happens, I’m even more likely to continue silently cursing the stupidity of putting a wall oven under a kitchen bench (and also that so many functions are indicated by cryptic pictographs, but that’s a different gripe entirely).
Still, I finally figured out a workaround to reset the clock on my oven when I had no idea how to do it “properly”—and I have a hunch that my way is much easier and faster than the “proper” way. It only took me precisely five years and ten months to achieve this enlightenment, but an achievement is an achievement.
Whenever the power is off for any reason, as it was last week during the air conditioning installation, the oven clock starts flashing when power is restored, and it stops flashing when I turn the oven on. That much I knew all along, but I had no idea how to set the clock.
The builder left all the manuals in a kitchen drawer, but I moved it and the others “somewhere safe, so I can find it again”, and then promptly forgot where that was. I later made up a notebook in which I write down where I put a thing, and since I did that I haven’t lost anything.
The main problem is that the oven is actually a wall oven, not one designed to be mounted under the kitchen benchtop, as the builder did, directly under the hob (cooktop), as is common. The only way for me to see the temperature I’m setting, or to see several of the controls, is to sit on the floor—and that’s never a great idea the farther one gets from 50. Doing that just to set the clock I don’t even need was never going to happen.
So: I had an oven that hasn’t been displaying the correct time pretty much since I moved in. Until this weekend.
I knew that when power comes back on, it resets to Noon (it’s a 24-hour clock). Mid-afternoon on Friday, I suddenly realised (because I never cared about that clock…) that if I simply turned off the power to the oven at Noon, then turned the power back on, the clock would show the correct time.
Unfortunately, I didn’t remember that at Noon on Saturday, but did at 12:30, anyway, to make sure I was right, and, of course, I was. So at precisely noon on Sunday (relying on my watch, which gets its time from a time server), I switched off the power to the oven at noon, then a couple seconds later I turned it back on. Next, I turned the oven on, then back off, and the oven was FINALLY set to the correct time.
Yes, I could’ve launched yet another search party to find that “somewhere safe” where the manual is, as I’ve done a few times, or (more likely) I could’ve looked it up online, but that wouldn’t help me get back up off the floor after swearing at the difficulty in changing a damn clock I don’t actually use, anyway.
Maybe someday I’ll redo the kitchen, though I’m more likely to move somewhere with a wall oven that’s actually on the wall, and, until/unless that happens, I’m even more likely to continue silently cursing the stupidity of putting a wall oven under a kitchen bench (and also that so many functions are indicated by cryptic pictographs, but that’s a different gripe entirely).
Still, I finally figured out a workaround to reset the clock on my oven when I had no idea how to do it “properly”—and I have a hunch that my way is much easier and faster than the “proper” way. It only took me precisely five years and ten months to achieve this enlightenment, but an achievement is an achievement.
Saturday, November 22, 2025
AmeriNZ Podcast episode 422 is now available
The five most recent episodes of the podcast are listed on the sidebar on the right side of this blog.
Friday, November 21, 2025
Cool man
My house is so cool! Literally, not esthetically. I’m still working on the esthetic part, a project all its own that will start soon. But for now, the important thing is that the temperature in my house is pleasant.
Last week, the installer stopped by and dropped off the parts for the system, specifically the outside unit and the unit that would be installed in the attic. We also went over where the various vents should go. As they were about to leave, I asked what time they’d be starting the installation. “We’ll be here at 8am”, he said.
8am?! I don’t do anything at 8am, even though I’m often up by then—yeah, “up”, but still making my way through my coffee. I knew that would be rough.
I needed to move stuff out of their way, such as, whatever was under the spot the vents would go, but also including moving stuff from in front of the circuit breaker panel. The latter just made it hard to stand close to the panel, which would be necessary for him to install the circuit for the new air conditioner (I could easily reach it when I needed to reset one, but, then, I have long arms…).
I couldn’t move the stuff early because I’d be tripping over it. So, I did the moving this past Tuesday, mostly in the evening. I went to bed, a little later than I wanted, and slept terribly, something that happens to me every time I need to do something earlier than I’d like in the morning (like a doctor appointment, for example). I think it’s partly that I’m afraid I’ll oversleep, even though I set an alarm to wake me up, but then a legitimate reason to panic popped into my head: I’d completely forgotten to clear out the under-the-vent spaces in my office and the guest room. Oops.
So, I got up at 6:30, after maybe five hours of sleep, and moved all the stuff I needed to, becoming quite overheated (due to no air conditioning in either of those rooms—or the living area, after that heat pump blew up). Once they arrived, Leo and I retreated to our bedroom and its functioning air conditioner, and I eventually cooled off.
They completed the installation of the equipment and were ready to start installing the vents, starting in the main bedroom, so Leo and I moved to the (still uncooled) living area. And here the first problem popped up: The back of the house, which includes all the bedrooms, has a lower roof, and so, less attic space, than over the living area. So, they had to move the location of the vent.
They also installed the vent in my office, and opened up the ceiling in the living for one of the two return vents, exactly where we’d talked about going. Unfortunately, I hadn’t taken the size of their ladder into account, and hadn’t cleared enough space in the living area, so they moved some stuff around. I had a look around after they left and saw they’d put the vent in my office in a different place than we’d discussed, and at a point where the roof was higher, and so, easier to install im, which is probably why they did that. I really don’t care where they put it, however, I’d cleared space under the spot we’d originally discussed on the other side of the room—and the spot I moved all the stuff too was directly under where the vent was actually installed. I’d have moved it for them if they’d said something, but, in the end, I think they just worked around it.
That was it for Day 1, and they were back around 8am the following morning for Day 2 (have I mentioned what an ungodly hour that is? I needed my alarm to wake me, which seldom happens). They installed the guest room vent, and the ones in the living area, and finally, the second air return vent—and there was another problem due to the roof structure: It had to be much closer to the other vent than was planned, though it’s still in the hallway, and there’s a door between the living area and the door, so it’s not like they’re right next to each other. The guy also installed the wired controller, and the sensor in the return vent so the system knows what the temperature is.
When they were all done, he showed me how to work the system, and showed me the vents in the living area. Before they began, I told them I didn’t care where they put them—they were the experts in where the best spot is, after all—but the think only I asked was that they be centred in the space and in a direct line, because if they weren’t, I’d notice it every time I looked up from my chair while watching TV. He told me they’d used their laser level to make sure they were aligned (and they definitely are), which I thought was both funny and kind of sweet, for lack of a better word.
That afternoon, after they’d left, I walked through all the rooms, and I noticed that the guest room, my office, and even the hallway felt cool, something that’s never happened in warm weather before. Today was the first full day with the system running, and the entire house felt basically the same temperature, and that’s exactly what I was trying to achieve by installing a whole-house ducted system.
He suggested that I do something I’ve done for years, that is, close the curtains over the stacker doors once the sun hits them in the afternoon. I did that because it keeps the heat out, and that will now help the new system, especially since one of the temperature sensors is on the living area. However, I wanted to test it a bit and left the blinds open in the guest room, and even with the hot afternoon sun streaming through the window, the room still felt cool, though less so near the window, as could be expected.
I think this situation will be helped once the patio cover is installed because the roof will block 99% of UV, which makes the sun feel hot (this does nothing about air temperature, of course). So, it’s possible I won’t need to close the drapes every single sunny day in summer, but I won’t know for sure until the cover is installed.
Finally, the company that installed the new system will return to remove the broken living area air conditioner (which isn’t needed anymore, anyway) and they’ll convert the power shut-off switch for the outdoor unit (which is currently sitting on the patio) into an exterior power point, something that will be handy when I use the patio (there are no outdoor power points anywhere on the house right now), which will be on a RCD circuit, of course. They’ll also take the broken unit away to dispose of properly. I'll have the one in my bedroom removed later on (there's no rush to do that).
Speaking of changes, the window blinds I had installed recently are also working exactly as I wanted, which is good, too. So, so far, everything has gone well, and delivered exactly what I wanted.
This means that my next step will be working on the interior of the house, and that’s all on me. However, the house is now cool and that’ll make the work so much easier—or even possible, to be honest.
Onward.
Last week, the installer stopped by and dropped off the parts for the system, specifically the outside unit and the unit that would be installed in the attic. We also went over where the various vents should go. As they were about to leave, I asked what time they’d be starting the installation. “We’ll be here at 8am”, he said.
8am?! I don’t do anything at 8am, even though I’m often up by then—yeah, “up”, but still making my way through my coffee. I knew that would be rough.
I needed to move stuff out of their way, such as, whatever was under the spot the vents would go, but also including moving stuff from in front of the circuit breaker panel. The latter just made it hard to stand close to the panel, which would be necessary for him to install the circuit for the new air conditioner (I could easily reach it when I needed to reset one, but, then, I have long arms…).
I couldn’t move the stuff early because I’d be tripping over it. So, I did the moving this past Tuesday, mostly in the evening. I went to bed, a little later than I wanted, and slept terribly, something that happens to me every time I need to do something earlier than I’d like in the morning (like a doctor appointment, for example). I think it’s partly that I’m afraid I’ll oversleep, even though I set an alarm to wake me up, but then a legitimate reason to panic popped into my head: I’d completely forgotten to clear out the under-the-vent spaces in my office and the guest room. Oops.
So, I got up at 6:30, after maybe five hours of sleep, and moved all the stuff I needed to, becoming quite overheated (due to no air conditioning in either of those rooms—or the living area, after that heat pump blew up). Once they arrived, Leo and I retreated to our bedroom and its functioning air conditioner, and I eventually cooled off.
They completed the installation of the equipment and were ready to start installing the vents, starting in the main bedroom, so Leo and I moved to the (still uncooled) living area. And here the first problem popped up: The back of the house, which includes all the bedrooms, has a lower roof, and so, less attic space, than over the living area. So, they had to move the location of the vent.
They also installed the vent in my office, and opened up the ceiling in the living for one of the two return vents, exactly where we’d talked about going. Unfortunately, I hadn’t taken the size of their ladder into account, and hadn’t cleared enough space in the living area, so they moved some stuff around. I had a look around after they left and saw they’d put the vent in my office in a different place than we’d discussed, and at a point where the roof was higher, and so, easier to install im, which is probably why they did that. I really don’t care where they put it, however, I’d cleared space under the spot we’d originally discussed on the other side of the room—and the spot I moved all the stuff too was directly under where the vent was actually installed. I’d have moved it for them if they’d said something, but, in the end, I think they just worked around it.
That was it for Day 1, and they were back around 8am the following morning for Day 2 (have I mentioned what an ungodly hour that is? I needed my alarm to wake me, which seldom happens). They installed the guest room vent, and the ones in the living area, and finally, the second air return vent—and there was another problem due to the roof structure: It had to be much closer to the other vent than was planned, though it’s still in the hallway, and there’s a door between the living area and the door, so it’s not like they’re right next to each other. The guy also installed the wired controller, and the sensor in the return vent so the system knows what the temperature is.
When they were all done, he showed me how to work the system, and showed me the vents in the living area. Before they began, I told them I didn’t care where they put them—they were the experts in where the best spot is, after all—but the think only I asked was that they be centred in the space and in a direct line, because if they weren’t, I’d notice it every time I looked up from my chair while watching TV. He told me they’d used their laser level to make sure they were aligned (and they definitely are), which I thought was both funny and kind of sweet, for lack of a better word.
That afternoon, after they’d left, I walked through all the rooms, and I noticed that the guest room, my office, and even the hallway felt cool, something that’s never happened in warm weather before. Today was the first full day with the system running, and the entire house felt basically the same temperature, and that’s exactly what I was trying to achieve by installing a whole-house ducted system.
He suggested that I do something I’ve done for years, that is, close the curtains over the stacker doors once the sun hits them in the afternoon. I did that because it keeps the heat out, and that will now help the new system, especially since one of the temperature sensors is on the living area. However, I wanted to test it a bit and left the blinds open in the guest room, and even with the hot afternoon sun streaming through the window, the room still felt cool, though less so near the window, as could be expected.
I think this situation will be helped once the patio cover is installed because the roof will block 99% of UV, which makes the sun feel hot (this does nothing about air temperature, of course). So, it’s possible I won’t need to close the drapes every single sunny day in summer, but I won’t know for sure until the cover is installed.
Finally, the company that installed the new system will return to remove the broken living area air conditioner (which isn’t needed anymore, anyway) and they’ll convert the power shut-off switch for the outdoor unit (which is currently sitting on the patio) into an exterior power point, something that will be handy when I use the patio (there are no outdoor power points anywhere on the house right now), which will be on a RCD circuit, of course. They’ll also take the broken unit away to dispose of properly. I'll have the one in my bedroom removed later on (there's no rush to do that).
Speaking of changes, the window blinds I had installed recently are also working exactly as I wanted, which is good, too. So, so far, everything has gone well, and delivered exactly what I wanted.
This means that my next step will be working on the interior of the house, and that’s all on me. However, the house is now cool and that’ll make the work so much easier—or even possible, to be honest.
Onward.
Sunday, November 16, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 23
This week's song is something different: It was Number One on the USA’s Billboard “Hot 100” for MORE than one week! On November 16 1985, "We Built This City" (video up top) by American rock band Starship began a two week run at the top of the charts. The group was technically a spin-off of sorts of the legendary American rock band Jefferson Starship, which, in turn, was founded as Jefferson Airplane. The main link to the former group was singer Grace Slick, who provides female vocals. The song was Starship’s debit single, and from their debut album Knee Deep in the Hoopla, which takes its name from a lyric in this week’s song.
The song was originally about the decline of live-performance venues in 1980s Los Angeles—which led critics to point out the irony of the song being done in a polished corporate-music style. The song went on to be a hit in many countries (see below), but maybe the critique could be part of the reason so many people seem to hate the song? Whatever, I wasn’t one of them.
Throughout my life, I’ve liked songs for many reasons (or none at all) and this song was one of them. I liked the song mainly because I liked Grace Slick: I bought (and loved) her 1980 solo album, Dreams, and for me she was the main attraction for Starship. In any event, I liked the song and its arrangement, even if I thought some of the lyrics were really stupid, like “Marconi plays the mamba, listen to the radio, don't you remember?”, which I particularly loathed.
I think I’ve been pretty clear that for me pop music doesn’t have to be Great Art™, I just have to have some sort of connection to it—literally ANY connection. If it’s got a good beat and you can dance to it (or, like me, mercifully choose not to dance to it…), I’ll probabably give it a good record rating. Still, it WAS popular.
"We Built This City" reached Number One in Australia, Number One in Canada (Gold), Number 11 in New Zealand, Number 12 in the UK (Platinum), as well as Number One on the USA’s Billboard “Hot 100” and their “Mainstream Rock” Chart. The song also was Number One on the Cash Box “Top 100”. The song was certified Gold in the USA.
The Knee Deep in the Hoopla album reached Number 34 in Australia, Number 16 in Canada (Platinum), Number 43 in New Zealand, and Number 7 on the USA’s “Billboard 200”. The album was certified Platinum in the USA. (There’s no chart information for the UK, which usually means it didn’t reach the bottom rung).
This series will return in—gasp!—two weeks (November 30) with the next Number One in this series. Ironically, perhaps, that song was yet another one-week Number One.
Previously in the “Weekend Diversion – 1985” series:
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 1 – February 2, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 2 – February 16, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 3 – March 12, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 4 – March 30, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 5 – April 13, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 6 – May 11, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 7 – May 18, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 8 – June 1, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 9 – June 8, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 10 – June 22, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 11 – July 6, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 12 – July 13, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 13 – July 27, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 14 – August 3, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 15 – August 24, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 16 – September 7, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 17 – September 21, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 18 – October 12, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 19 – October 19, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 20 – October 26, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 21 – November 2, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 22 – November 9, 2025
The song was originally about the decline of live-performance venues in 1980s Los Angeles—which led critics to point out the irony of the song being done in a polished corporate-music style. The song went on to be a hit in many countries (see below), but maybe the critique could be part of the reason so many people seem to hate the song? Whatever, I wasn’t one of them.
Throughout my life, I’ve liked songs for many reasons (or none at all) and this song was one of them. I liked the song mainly because I liked Grace Slick: I bought (and loved) her 1980 solo album, Dreams, and for me she was the main attraction for Starship. In any event, I liked the song and its arrangement, even if I thought some of the lyrics were really stupid, like “Marconi plays the mamba, listen to the radio, don't you remember?”, which I particularly loathed.
I think I’ve been pretty clear that for me pop music doesn’t have to be Great Art™, I just have to have some sort of connection to it—literally ANY connection. If it’s got a good beat and you can dance to it (or, like me, mercifully choose not to dance to it…), I’ll probabably give it a good record rating. Still, it WAS popular.
"We Built This City" reached Number One in Australia, Number One in Canada (Gold), Number 11 in New Zealand, Number 12 in the UK (Platinum), as well as Number One on the USA’s Billboard “Hot 100” and their “Mainstream Rock” Chart. The song also was Number One on the Cash Box “Top 100”. The song was certified Gold in the USA.
The Knee Deep in the Hoopla album reached Number 34 in Australia, Number 16 in Canada (Platinum), Number 43 in New Zealand, and Number 7 on the USA’s “Billboard 200”. The album was certified Platinum in the USA. (There’s no chart information for the UK, which usually means it didn’t reach the bottom rung).
This series will return in—gasp!—two weeks (November 30) with the next Number One in this series. Ironically, perhaps, that song was yet another one-week Number One.
Previously in the “Weekend Diversion – 1985” series:
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 1 – February 2, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 2 – February 16, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 3 – March 12, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 4 – March 30, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 5 – April 13, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 6 – May 11, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 7 – May 18, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 8 – June 1, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 9 – June 8, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 10 – June 22, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 11 – July 6, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 12 – July 13, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 13 – July 27, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 14 – August 3, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 15 – August 24, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 16 – September 7, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 17 – September 21, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 18 – October 12, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 19 – October 19, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 20 – October 26, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 21 – November 2, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 22 – November 9, 2025
Wednesday, November 12, 2025
I do also see good news…
There was good news this week, and, even better for me, it was something I correctly predicted. These days, it’s probablty a good idea for us all to take the wins when we get them.
This week, the US Supreme Court declined to hear an appeal incuding a request to overturn the Court’s 2015 Obergefell v. Hodges ruling that legalised same-gender marriage throughout the USA. This is exactly what I expected to happen. In fact, a couple days or so before the decision to decline the petition was announced, I said this in a Facebook comment to a friend:
The professional anti-LGBTQ+ industry pushes supposed religious "liberty” in opposing anything pro-LGBTQ+ in part because those activists know that the far-right Republicans in various courts, including the Supreme Court, will usually back anything that claims to be upholding/promoting religious “liberty”.
Despite many of the Republican Supreme Court judges far-right views on religious “liberty”, they all nevertheless knew that because the case was originally about damages the plaintiff was charged by Kentucky courts, and was basically rebranded as being about religious “liberty”. So, its claim to actually be about religious “liberty” was dubious. This means that even if the far-right Republican majority really does want to overturn Obergefell, this case wasn’t the right case to do that because it would destroy way too much of what little legitimacy the court still has in the public’s eyes, and fall or dubious reasons. However, the professional anti-LGBTQ industry is nothing if not persistent, so if a case comes along that’s “cleaner”, one that doesn’t have a problematic plaintiff or origin, it could give the most hard-right justices an opportunity they may want—but not for at least a couple years.
It’s also worth noting that despite his many (many, many…) failings, the Felon in Chief has never expressed a desire to overturn marriage equality, but he did talk endlessly about overturning Roe v. Wade, appointed Supreme Court justices certain to do that, and then took personal credit for it when they did overturn Roe. The fact that he hasn’t said anything about ending marriage equality suggests he's not interested in it, and that would make it harder—though not impossible—for his vassals in the Republican Party to make that an actual priority, as opposed to just another attack line.
Some folks may point out that the Felon has repeatedly attacked trans people, his vassals have then followed suit, and all have taken concrete action to attack trans people. History shows us that it could merely be their opening act, and an attack on marriage equality is inevitable. Maybe so—but today is not that day, and right now the important thing is to focus on threats on freedom and liberty that are already underway.
Also, it's important to celebrate when there's good news, and the bottom line is that the Supreme Court declining to accept the case without dissent is definitely good news.
This week, the US Supreme Court declined to hear an appeal incuding a request to overturn the Court’s 2015 Obergefell v. Hodges ruling that legalised same-gender marriage throughout the USA. This is exactly what I expected to happen. In fact, a couple days or so before the decision to decline the petition was announced, I said this in a Facebook comment to a friend:
As you can probably guess, I’m following this closely, but I doubt this case will succeed. The plaintiff and her case are both deeply flawed and problematic, and the Court has already lost most of its credibility in the eyes of the public because of their idiotic decisions, like the Dobbs case, inventing presidential “immunity” out of nothing, and constantly ruling to help the Republicans’ God-King and others in their party, especially through the slimy Shadow Docket. They won’t want to make yet another idiotic decision that would help Democrats in 2026, and they may be betting that if they lay low now, maybe real elections won’t happen after 2026, and they can then let their christfascism run free. At the very least, with so much disgust with the court right now, they’re most likely to wait for a better case, one with a plaintiff that can be more successfully marketed as a “victim”.I elaborated on this in a follow-up comment:
All up, it’s more likely they’ll decline to take the case, without comment, and bide their time.
I don’t know if [marriage equality opponents] can get four votes to proceed—not impossible, but unlikely. Barrett has said people’s lives depend on the ruling standing, which, historically, has been a big reason for the Court to avoid overturning a ruling, and even Alito—a stinging critic of Obergefell—has said that, too. Roberts is the one MOST worried about how awfully most Americans see the Court. That leaves only Thomas, Kavanaugh, and Gorsuch to possibly vote to hear the case. But, whatever happens, we’ll probably never know who wanted to hear the case and who didn’t, though we can be sure that at least Thomas will vote to proceed. The other two could well see what a sham this particular case is and wait for a stronger one to use to destroy the human rights of married same-gender couples and LGBTQ+ people in general.That second comment has the one thing I may have been wrong about: “We can be sure that at least Thomas will vote to proceed”. He may well have wanted to do so, for all we know, but the petition was rejected without dissent, so if Thomas did argue in favour of it, he didn’t officially register that opposition. That aside, it’s probably a good idea to elaborate on what I said. First, the issue wasn’t that Davis personally refused to allow a same-gender couple to legally marry after the Obergefell ruling, it’s that she forbade anyone in the office with complying with the law, and that’s where she crossed the line. She was found personally responsible for denying a gay couple’s right to marry, and that was later increased to $360,000. The original appeal was trying to get her out of having to pay the judgement, but her appeal said the issue was her supposed “religious liberty [sic]” to discriminate against gay couples, and that’s the main angle her petition to the Supreme Court took, and their justification for why the Court should reverse itself.
The professional anti-LGBTQ+ industry pushes supposed religious "liberty” in opposing anything pro-LGBTQ+ in part because those activists know that the far-right Republicans in various courts, including the Supreme Court, will usually back anything that claims to be upholding/promoting religious “liberty”.
Despite many of the Republican Supreme Court judges far-right views on religious “liberty”, they all nevertheless knew that because the case was originally about damages the plaintiff was charged by Kentucky courts, and was basically rebranded as being about religious “liberty”. So, its claim to actually be about religious “liberty” was dubious. This means that even if the far-right Republican majority really does want to overturn Obergefell, this case wasn’t the right case to do that because it would destroy way too much of what little legitimacy the court still has in the public’s eyes, and fall or dubious reasons. However, the professional anti-LGBTQ industry is nothing if not persistent, so if a case comes along that’s “cleaner”, one that doesn’t have a problematic plaintiff or origin, it could give the most hard-right justices an opportunity they may want—but not for at least a couple years.
It’s also worth noting that despite his many (many, many…) failings, the Felon in Chief has never expressed a desire to overturn marriage equality, but he did talk endlessly about overturning Roe v. Wade, appointed Supreme Court justices certain to do that, and then took personal credit for it when they did overturn Roe. The fact that he hasn’t said anything about ending marriage equality suggests he's not interested in it, and that would make it harder—though not impossible—for his vassals in the Republican Party to make that an actual priority, as opposed to just another attack line.
Some folks may point out that the Felon has repeatedly attacked trans people, his vassals have then followed suit, and all have taken concrete action to attack trans people. History shows us that it could merely be their opening act, and an attack on marriage equality is inevitable. Maybe so—but today is not that day, and right now the important thing is to focus on threats on freedom and liberty that are already underway.
Also, it's important to celebrate when there's good news, and the bottom line is that the Supreme Court declining to accept the case without dissent is definitely good news.
Tuesday, November 11, 2025
The betrayal
Eight Democratic US Senators—well, seven Democrats and one “Independent”—just underscored why Americans have so little trust in the Democratic Party, and they also managed to undo all of the progress the party has made in recent months. Worse, they did it and got absolutely nothing in return. Calling this treachery is far too kind.
Here’s the list of the Gang of Eight Senators:
Dick Durbin (age 80), Illinois, who is not seeking reelection next year. John Fetterman (age 56), Pennsylvania, term expires 2028. Maggie Hassan (age 67), New Hampshire, term expires 2028. Tim Kaine (age 67), Virginia, term expires 2030. Angus King (age 81), “Independent” from Maine, term expires 2030. Catherine Cortez Masto (age 61), Nevada, term expires 2028. Jacky Rosen (age 68), Nevada, term expires 2030. Jeanne Shaheen (age 78), New Hampshire, not seeking reelection next year.
Here’s the thing: NONE of those folks will face the voters next year, and cynics are already suggesting that’s why they were the “negotiators”: They could provide cover for vulnerable Democrats in the 2028 elections, while also allowing the much-disliked leader of the Democrats in the Senate, Chuck Schumer, to vote “no” on the deal while still getting what he wanted, namely, an end to the shutdown.
A different view I saw was that this was a bigger game. First, the House will have to come back into session, that means that Arizona’s US Representative-elect, Adelita Grijalva, will have to be sworn-in—finally—and she will be the 218th signature on the Discharge Petition to release the Epstein Files so everyone will know exactly what the convicted felon did to be named so much in the files, which certainly appears to be the reason Republicans are trying so hard to prevent the files ever being released. Also, the story goes, there will be a special election in a Republican district in Tennessee that may narrow the odds of succeeding in forcing the release of the Epstein Files. By re-opening now, they can act on the files.
The people pushing that theory also point out that Republicans will now be forced to go on the record in support of raising ACA healthcare premiums, and they’ll have to go through this again in January. Yeah, well, no, not really.
The Gang of Eight got a promise that the Senate will vote in December on extending ACA subsidies, but Republican promises are worthless. Even so, let’s humour them and pretend they really will hold the vote in the Senate—so what? Maga Mike Johnson, the antichristian Speaker of the House, has already made clear the subsidies will never be taken up by the House, so no House Republicans will be on the record. And there’s still no guarantee there will be a vote in the Senate, either. The Gang’s otherexcuses reasons were about things that the courts are already resolving—and there’s no guarantee that the regime will obey any court orders, nor that they’ll actually honour any deals on those issues.
Thanks to the Gang of Eight, early next year ACA healthcare premiums will go up two, three, four—even seven or eight—times. Yes, Americans will be furious about that, but will they really blame only Republicans, or the 8 Senators who caved to Republicans? Or, will they blame all Democrats? It could well become a “both parties are useless liars” thing, driving down voter turnout next year, also helping Republicans.
Even if there’s some sort of hidden strategy here, how on earth could they convince voters of that, when it would look like they were just making excuses for caving? And, also, what about all the Democrats who did the right thing and held the line and voted no? They will be tarred with the same brush as the Gang of Eight. This is especially bad because voters responded strongly to Democrats actually fighting the regime—finally!—and it’s one of the main reasons why last week Democrats had the best election night in YEARS, only to have the Gang of Eight throw it all away.
There’s nothing that can be done about this now that the eight caved, but pressure must begin to convince the six who aren’t already retiring next year to retire at the next election. If they don’t retire, they must be primaried and fired by the voters. They betrayed all the hard work and sacrifices of their colleagues and in both Congress and the states, and also ordinary people who felt energised and engaged, and there have to be consequences for their betrayal of the American people.
The one thing we know for certain is that things will get much, much worse for the USA and its people. Republicans are now smugly certain that they can do whatever they want, and Democrats won’t do anything but, taking a cue from Chuck Schumer, send a strongly worded letter.
The USA deserves much better from Democrats, and for a time, they got that. The Gang of Eight wrecked it all.
Here’s the list of the Gang of Eight Senators:
Dick Durbin (age 80), Illinois, who is not seeking reelection next year. John Fetterman (age 56), Pennsylvania, term expires 2028. Maggie Hassan (age 67), New Hampshire, term expires 2028. Tim Kaine (age 67), Virginia, term expires 2030. Angus King (age 81), “Independent” from Maine, term expires 2030. Catherine Cortez Masto (age 61), Nevada, term expires 2028. Jacky Rosen (age 68), Nevada, term expires 2030. Jeanne Shaheen (age 78), New Hampshire, not seeking reelection next year.
Here’s the thing: NONE of those folks will face the voters next year, and cynics are already suggesting that’s why they were the “negotiators”: They could provide cover for vulnerable Democrats in the 2028 elections, while also allowing the much-disliked leader of the Democrats in the Senate, Chuck Schumer, to vote “no” on the deal while still getting what he wanted, namely, an end to the shutdown.
A different view I saw was that this was a bigger game. First, the House will have to come back into session, that means that Arizona’s US Representative-elect, Adelita Grijalva, will have to be sworn-in—finally—and she will be the 218th signature on the Discharge Petition to release the Epstein Files so everyone will know exactly what the convicted felon did to be named so much in the files, which certainly appears to be the reason Republicans are trying so hard to prevent the files ever being released. Also, the story goes, there will be a special election in a Republican district in Tennessee that may narrow the odds of succeeding in forcing the release of the Epstein Files. By re-opening now, they can act on the files.
The people pushing that theory also point out that Republicans will now be forced to go on the record in support of raising ACA healthcare premiums, and they’ll have to go through this again in January. Yeah, well, no, not really.
The Gang of Eight got a promise that the Senate will vote in December on extending ACA subsidies, but Republican promises are worthless. Even so, let’s humour them and pretend they really will hold the vote in the Senate—so what? Maga Mike Johnson, the antichristian Speaker of the House, has already made clear the subsidies will never be taken up by the House, so no House Republicans will be on the record. And there’s still no guarantee there will be a vote in the Senate, either. The Gang’s other
Thanks to the Gang of Eight, early next year ACA healthcare premiums will go up two, three, four—even seven or eight—times. Yes, Americans will be furious about that, but will they really blame only Republicans, or the 8 Senators who caved to Republicans? Or, will they blame all Democrats? It could well become a “both parties are useless liars” thing, driving down voter turnout next year, also helping Republicans.
Even if there’s some sort of hidden strategy here, how on earth could they convince voters of that, when it would look like they were just making excuses for caving? And, also, what about all the Democrats who did the right thing and held the line and voted no? They will be tarred with the same brush as the Gang of Eight. This is especially bad because voters responded strongly to Democrats actually fighting the regime—finally!—and it’s one of the main reasons why last week Democrats had the best election night in YEARS, only to have the Gang of Eight throw it all away.
There’s nothing that can be done about this now that the eight caved, but pressure must begin to convince the six who aren’t already retiring next year to retire at the next election. If they don’t retire, they must be primaried and fired by the voters. They betrayed all the hard work and sacrifices of their colleagues and in both Congress and the states, and also ordinary people who felt energised and engaged, and there have to be consequences for their betrayal of the American people.
The one thing we know for certain is that things will get much, much worse for the USA and its people. Republicans are now smugly certain that they can do whatever they want, and Democrats won’t do anything but, taking a cue from Chuck Schumer, send a strongly worded letter.
The USA deserves much better from Democrats, and for a time, they got that. The Gang of Eight wrecked it all.
Monday, November 10, 2025
Unexpected updates
The big cover-up
Of my many (many, many…) conundrums (mostly about food), there’s one that has kept popping up: The best way to cover may patio table. Part of the reason I wanted a roof over my patio was so that I wouldn’t have to keep my table and chairs permanently under a cover, but even after it's installed I’ll probably still use a cover in the winter, when it rains a lot and I’m less likely to use the table. However, until then a cover is required at all times.
On May 23 of last year, I talked about needing a new cover for my patio table and chairs, and how I wasn’t sure what I’d do. In the end, put the old patio cover on top of the one that was wearing out, and just taped over the holes. It functioned well for quite awhile, but a few months ago I noticed it was starting to fall apart, and several storms with winds started to shred it. I needed a new cover.
I went to the big box hardware and home centre store where I bought the two old covers, and then I noticed that a higher quality one was on special, and it touted its resistance to UV light, which was the main culprit in the old covers’ deaths. So, I bought the more expensive option (pictured in the photo above, but it’s actually a very dark gray, not the silver gray the photo suggests).
The new cover is the best yet: A kind of heavy vinyl, it doesn’t get whipped around by the wind like the old ones did, and, being a dark colour, it dries quickly when it gets wet in the rain. Had I known, I’d have bought this cover in the first place. When I put it on the table, I put it on top of all the old covers, mainly because storms were on the way. Then I looked around and found chunks of the old cover that the wind had ripped off and thrown into the weeds at the edge of the patio. When the new patio cover is installed, I’ll permanently get rid of what’s left of the old covers.
I changed my mind about food. Again.
Back in June, I published a post called “Cereal selection” about high fibre breakfast cereals I tried. I was pretty dismissive of the Woolworths own-brand, “High Fibre Bran”. However, one thing in that post stuck in my mind. I wrote: “The bottom line for me is that [High Fibre Bran] was better than All-Bran in all the things I monitor, however…” and yet I chose to not switch. I later decided I may have been too dismissive, and I recently tried the High Fibre Bran again precisely because it is healthier for all the things I track, things related to my particular health needs/problems.
So, I decided to continue to buy it—for now: If history is any indicator, it probably isn’t forever, because Woolworths has a habit of dropping it’s own home-brand products, though for all I know, they may just stop exporting them from Australia to New Zealand. In any event, it may not be around forever, but, for now, it’s my choice.
I probably don’t update posts as much as I “should”, but sometimes updates to old posts surprise me so much that I need to do updates. Both of these two topics are definitely in that category.
Sunday, November 09, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 22
This week's song is another one from something outside pop music as such, and another theme song, but from a TV show. On November 9 1985, the theme to Miami Vice by Czech-American musician, composer, and record producer Jan Hammer reached Number One on the USA’s Billboard “Hot 100” for one week only. The video up top is the offcial video for the piece, but some people are probably more familhttps://youtu.be/dEjXPY9jOx8?si=_s3mEABu4kZeVBOx" target="_blank">WATCH]. The song was the first single from the Miami Vice soundtrack album
Nearly all of the songs in these annual “Weekend Diversion” posts have some sort of personal connection, some stronger than others. But this One? Hooboy, do I have connections to this one!
Back in 1985, my partner and I loved Miami Vice, and part of the reason was what we’d now call, the vibe. He was so much into the show’s esthetic that he had me paint the small second bedroom in our apartment that we used as a TV room in relevant colours: A kind of teal/mint/pale green for the walls, and a kind of pale sherbet orange for the trim work. While I wouldn’t use that colour scheme now, at the time it seemed pretty awesome.I also painted the rest of the apartment months earlier, but in a mostly Art Deco colour scheme that my partner really liked. For some reason, I’ve always been in charge of painting places I lived; good thing I actually like painting.
The show itself was far from perfect, of course, but it was definitely entertaining, and part of its appeal was the background music it used, including its theme music, which was very different from other TV show theme music at the time. We bought the soundtrack album on vinyl back in the day, though it’s now long gone, and some of the songs popped up on other compilations over the years. Still, in those long-ago days, it was fun while it lasted.
The theme to Miami Vice reached Number 14 in Australia, Number 3 in Canada, Number 22 in New Zealand, Number 5 in the UK, as well as Number One on the USA’s Billboard “Hot 100”, and also Number One on the Cash Box “Top 100”. The linked article doesn’t list any information on Certifications.
The Miami Vice soundtrack album reached Number 17 in Australia, Number One in Canada (3x Platinum), Number 5 in New Zealand (Platinum), Number 11 in the UK (Gold), and Number One on the USA’s “Billboard 200”. The album was certified 4x Platinum in the USA.
This series will return next week (November 16) with the next Number One in this series, the first in five weeks that wasn’t a one-week Number One hit! Although, there’s one more to come later…
Previously in the “Weekend Diversion – 1985” series:
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 1 – February 2, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 2 – February 16, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 3 – March 12, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 4 – March 30, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 5 – April 13, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 6 – May 11, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 7 – May 18, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 8 – June 1, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 9 – June 8, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 10 – June 22, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 11 – July 6, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 12 – July 13, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 13 – July 27, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 14 – August 3, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 15 – August 24, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 16 – September 7, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 17 – September 21, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 18 – October 12, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 19 – October 19, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 20 – October 26, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 21 – November 2, 2025
Nearly all of the songs in these annual “Weekend Diversion” posts have some sort of personal connection, some stronger than others. But this One? Hooboy, do I have connections to this one!
Back in 1985, my partner and I loved Miami Vice, and part of the reason was what we’d now call, the vibe. He was so much into the show’s esthetic that he had me paint the small second bedroom in our apartment that we used as a TV room in relevant colours: A kind of teal/mint/pale green for the walls, and a kind of pale sherbet orange for the trim work. While I wouldn’t use that colour scheme now, at the time it seemed pretty awesome.I also painted the rest of the apartment months earlier, but in a mostly Art Deco colour scheme that my partner really liked. For some reason, I’ve always been in charge of painting places I lived; good thing I actually like painting.
The show itself was far from perfect, of course, but it was definitely entertaining, and part of its appeal was the background music it used, including its theme music, which was very different from other TV show theme music at the time. We bought the soundtrack album on vinyl back in the day, though it’s now long gone, and some of the songs popped up on other compilations over the years. Still, in those long-ago days, it was fun while it lasted.
The theme to Miami Vice reached Number 14 in Australia, Number 3 in Canada, Number 22 in New Zealand, Number 5 in the UK, as well as Number One on the USA’s Billboard “Hot 100”, and also Number One on the Cash Box “Top 100”. The linked article doesn’t list any information on Certifications.
The Miami Vice soundtrack album reached Number 17 in Australia, Number One in Canada (3x Platinum), Number 5 in New Zealand (Platinum), Number 11 in the UK (Gold), and Number One on the USA’s “Billboard 200”. The album was certified 4x Platinum in the USA.
This series will return next week (November 16) with the next Number One in this series, the first in five weeks that wasn’t a one-week Number One hit! Although, there’s one more to come later…
Previously in the “Weekend Diversion – 1985” series:
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 1 – February 2, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 2 – February 16, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 3 – March 12, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 4 – March 30, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 5 – April 13, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 6 – May 11, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 7 – May 18, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 8 – June 1, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 9 – June 8, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 10 – June 22, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 11 – July 6, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 12 – July 13, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 13 – July 27, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 14 – August 3, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 15 – August 24, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 16 – September 7, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 17 – September 21, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 18 – October 12, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 19 – October 19, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 20 – October 26, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 21 – November 2, 2025
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