Unexpected events

I vividly remember the last time I was T-boned in a car. The crunch of metal on metal, smashed headlights scattering with a sound like sprinkling rain, and the screech of tyres pushed laterally across…

The world of a two-year-old is wonderfully simple. All meals supplied, comfort on tap, and your biggest decision of the moment is “green crayon or red?” As for the future – two days from now…

Watching the recent NASA liftoff stirred something familiar. Not space travel, but the thrill of going somewhere new and the question of what it will be like when you finally arrive. A few months earlier,…

I read with intrigue the recent public announcement acknowledging Reverend Julie Guest as she transitions from her local vicar role into a more regional, arch deaconing focus. As I enjoyed her warm, convivial smile in…

Are you ready for 2026? I’m not sure I am. But I am eager for new frontiers. Janine Krippner’s “On Shaky Ground” column last week hit a nerve with me. A tsunami through Waipā? Unlikely….

I have one of those friends who just can’t read the room. He’s socially awkward, not very good in crowds, and just always seems to do the wrong thing. He’s the kind of guy that…

My grass is thickening fast this spring, fuelled by unpredictable rains that flip blue skies to grey in a heartbeat, leaving me forever guessing what the day demands next. Mower or umbrella? Gumboots or sunglasses?…

The looming local elections ensure our local paper has plenty of reading fodder, reflections for consideration, and candidate promises to weigh. It’s an interesting time and I’m looking forward to casting my votes in the…

I’m currently reading CS Lewis and loving his witty crafting of the English language to convey timeless wisdom and life-altering messages. He argues against the folly of the flesh attempting to prove the strength of…

If I had a dollar for every time someone told me what I should do… well… I’d be shouting everyone takeaways for tea next Friday night. With the weekly News updates on local body elections,…