The Bay of Plenty farm-lifestyle place we rented last week was fantastic and enabled perfectly the various family goals of warm sunshine, relaxing to the point of becoming jelly, reading books, working sudoku puzzles, napping in an orchard, eating well, drinking modestly, and walking on the beach.

A moment of insouciance while dishwashing and the largest of those supermarket-loyalty-scheme-kitchen-knives from a few years back sliced into the top of my thumb, creating an annoying inconvenience that, among other things, prevents me temporarily from using my smartphone to buy things at the shop.

Christmas back in its box, and i'm starting out with sacred cantatas in the shed before the family is awake and the espresso machine is permitted to clatter, anticipating an overcast, gusty day that spills and teases leaves about the yard, thrilling the cat.