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  Avio and the Bad Feeling

  "Before I am married, there is this woman..."

  Posted: Wednesday 7 September 2022
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  When you're in Italy and you see an undertaker or a nun

  The sight of a traditional habit provokes a traditional habit in all Italian men

  Posted: Wednesday 31 August 2022
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  The Magpies

  A poem

  Posted: Monday 15 August 2022
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  The Virtual Wife

  AKA The Case of the Missing Furniture

  Posted: Tuesday 26 July 2022
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  Huatulco

  I have never seen the like

  Posted: Friday 22 July 2022
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  Thai-style fishcakes

  A favourite adapted from a traditional recipe

  Posted: Monday 11 July 2022 , 2 Comments
• 

  A knocking on the window of my EV

  I turned and saw a woman signalling for me to wind down the window

  Posted: Wednesday 6 July 2022
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  Surprise! Surprise!

  World-famous in Orewa

  Posted: Friday 1 July 2022
• 

  Creole-style fish

  A Curaçao Jewish recipe for “Bakiou”

  Posted: Friday 24 June 2022 , 4 Comments
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  How to explain a Brunelleschi

  The logic of genius

  Posted: Friday 17 June 2022
• 

  Another taster from much later in the novel Boyo

  In a wet, grey, plastic mac

  Posted: Friday 10 June 2022
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  Avio and the two phones

  Wearing two phones keeps Avio safe... or does it?

  Posted: Friday 3 June 2022 , 1 Comments
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  A wonderful day in Barbados

  Francis was in his late thirties, medium height, balding, white teeth, twinkle in his eye, and African.

  Posted: Friday 27 May 2022
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  The Italian waitress

  She is Italian woman, con spirito...

  Posted: Friday 20 May 2022 , 2 Comments
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  Another taster from the novel Boyo

  Wales. The hairdresser.

  Posted: Friday 13 May 2022
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  The poor Italians

  Plus an extract from "Roll Jordan, roll", sung by the North Shore Male Choir

  Posted: Thursday 5 May 2022
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  A taster from the novel Boyo

  Wales. The Thomas kitchen. Lunchtime.

  Posted: Sunday 1 May 2022
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  Hot Chocolate in Firenze

  Hot cioccolata that you remember each night as you close your eyes to sleep...

  Posted: Thursday 28 April 2022
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  Lunch with the Queen on the Royal Yacht Britannia

  In February 1986, I received a large envelope in the mail. It was an invitation to lunch with the Queen, on board the Royal Yacht Britannia. I thought it was a joke.

  Posted: Sunday 24 April 2022 , 1 Comments
• 

  Darwin's pros and cons of marriage

  In 1838, Charles Darwin wrote some notes, to himself, about marriage

  Posted: Monday 18 April 2022
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  Pecha Kucha and the young man

  A life-changing experience

  Posted: Tuesday 12 April 2022 , 1 Comments
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  Malaga with a difference

  What captivated us, most of all, at the time and ever since, when we think of Málaga, was sitting on a stool in the street outside the cathedral...

  Posted: Tuesday 5 April 2022 , 1 Comments
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  Una Prima Donna

  There are times when No is never the answer

  Posted: Tuesday 29 March 2022
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  Under a Bridge in Venice

  Singing is extra...

  Posted: Friday 25 March 2022
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  Christmas Island

  Why a television, I thought, on a beach amongst T-shirts and corned beef, grass skirts and jewellery?

  Posted: Friday 18 March 2022
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  Shrinking Dresses

  The things you hear in a cafe...

  Posted: Friday 11 March 2022
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  A Tongan Feast

  I’d been asked to sing at a Tongan Easter Service in Auckland...

  Posted: Friday 4 March 2022 , 2 Comments
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  Pursuing Pavarotti

  In all my years in opera, I had never seen Pavarotti perform live. What was a man to do?

  Posted: Wednesday 2 March 2022 , 1 Comments
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  Singing the Song of the Devil in Basilica di San Lorenzo

  The signs said "Silenzio" but the temptation was too great

  Posted: Friday 25 February 2022
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  Singing 'Calon Lan'

  With the North Shore Male Choir (aka Llareggyb Men's Choir), Auckland

  Posted: Thursday 10 February 2022

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