Andrew Joll
@andrew.joll.nz
Chartered Accountant, IT Consultant, radio and electronics enthusiast, vintage computers.... general all round geek. He/him.
The catio is beginning to take shape, although I'm starting to find the weaknesses of my cheap DIY-grade tools (Jobmate circular saw stalls cutting new 95x45 radiata, Black & Decker cordless drill can't handle M10 coach screws).
November 9, 2025 at 4:29 AM
The catio is beginning to take shape, although I'm starting to find the weaknesses of my cheap DIY-grade tools (Jobmate circular saw stalls cutting new 95x45 radiata, Black & Decker cordless drill can't handle M10 coach screws).
OK, catio building project about to start. It'll be a few weekends and likely interrupted with building a replacement glasshouse once insurance is sorted.
November 1, 2025 at 12:49 AM
OK, catio building project about to start. It'll be a few weekends and likely interrupted with building a replacement glasshouse once insurance is sorted.
Almost nine months since Katie succombed to heart disease, it looks like Slinky has decided to become my new gaming buddy.
October 28, 2025 at 9:17 PM
Almost nine months since Katie succombed to heart disease, it looks like Slinky has decided to become my new gaming buddy.
I don't think we'll be getting any tomatoes this season. A pity, as the irrigation system is all there ready to go....
October 27, 2025 at 4:14 AM
I don't think we'll be getting any tomatoes this season. A pity, as the irrigation system is all there ready to go....
Just FYI, our boys send purrs to anyone having a bad day/week/month/year.
October 26, 2025 at 11:47 PM
Just FYI, our boys send purrs to anyone having a bad day/week/month/year.
After a couple of days running around helping get stuff back online I'm finally getting stuck into the storm cleanup seeing it's reasonably calm today. I am positive some magic is at work here though - there's no way that much smashed glass could come out of a single small glasshouse!
October 26, 2025 at 11:38 PM
After a couple of days running around helping get stuff back online I'm finally getting stuck into the storm cleanup seeing it's reasonably calm today. I am positive some magic is at work here though - there's no way that much smashed glass could come out of a single small glasshouse!
Started on the glasshouse cleanup, but need to go out to a vet clinic this afternoon. No power since Thursday, no ETA on restoration, and they don't know what appointments they have.
October 25, 2025 at 12:30 AM
Started on the glasshouse cleanup, but need to go out to a vet clinic this afternoon. No power since Thursday, no ETA on restoration, and they don't know what appointments they have.
AMI will be getting a claim when we get power again. I thought it might be just a few panes of glass, but have come home to a basically destroyed glasshouse. Could be a lot worse - it's only a glasshouse.
October 23, 2025 at 4:51 AM
AMI will be getting a claim when we get power again. I thought it might be just a few panes of glass, but have come home to a basically destroyed glasshouse. Could be a lot worse - it's only a glasshouse.
Word from home - most of the glass just flew out of the glasshouse.
October 22, 2025 at 11:02 PM
Word from home - most of the glass just flew out of the glasshouse.
The view from my office just now. May grab lunch from the café downstairs instead of going home! The building is shaking quite a bit. I think the workplace vapers may be skipping going out there today.
October 22, 2025 at 10:56 PM
The view from my office just now. May grab lunch from the café downstairs instead of going home! The building is shaking quite a bit. I think the workplace vapers may be skipping going out there today.
Happy Windows 10 EOL day... Although I've been telling clients about it since late 2023 I've still got the last minute ones - yesterday and today it's been three new Win11 HP Elitedesk 8 G1a minis and five Debian installs on older (4th-7th) gen ones that were only being used for remote desktop.
October 13, 2025 at 7:04 PM
Happy Windows 10 EOL day... Although I've been telling clients about it since late 2023 I've still got the last minute ones - yesterday and today it's been three new Win11 HP Elitedesk 8 G1a minis and five Debian installs on older (4th-7th) gen ones that were only being used for remote desktop.
Well these Game Pass changes suck. I don't want Fortnite or Ubisoft, but was looking forward to TOW2 at the end of the month. Not at $40/mo though. Guess I'm downgrading from Ultimate to Premium, and waiting. @xbox.com @gamepass.xbox.com
October 2, 2025 at 12:29 AM
Well these Game Pass changes suck. I don't want Fortnite or Ubisoft, but was looking forward to TOW2 at the end of the month. Not at $40/mo though. Guess I'm downgrading from Ultimate to Premium, and waiting. @xbox.com @gamepass.xbox.com
New NFR toy for home, was about time I replaced the T70.
September 29, 2025 at 2:36 AM
New NFR toy for home, was about time I replaced the T70.
Had to be done. Sooooo good. And did I mention Invercargill has the only one in the South Island?
September 26, 2025 at 6:54 AM
Had to be done. Sooooo good. And did I mention Invercargill has the only one in the South Island?
Happiest I've probably ever been to have a cold - because it's just a cold!
September 19, 2025 at 9:30 PM
Happiest I've probably ever been to have a cold - because it's just a cold!
Waking up to a CVE 9.3 in Fireware means I'm only now about to head in to the office after emailing affectes clients and scheduling upgrades in WatchGuard Cloud. Fortunately it's very specific - boxes with remote dynamic IKEv2 endpoints - but still a pain.
September 17, 2025 at 9:26 PM
Waking up to a CVE 9.3 in Fireware means I'm only now about to head in to the office after emailing affectes clients and scheduling upgrades in WatchGuard Cloud. Fortunately it's very specific - boxes with remote dynamic IKEv2 endpoints - but still a pain.
Just randomly looking at house prices I'm Christchurch to see what the market is like up there, and man there are some teeny tiny sections. I mean we probably don't really *need* the 1000m2 we have here, don't really make the best use of it, but 300m2 just seems crazy.
September 9, 2025 at 5:52 AM
Just randomly looking at house prices I'm Christchurch to see what the market is like up there, and man there are some teeny tiny sections. I mean we probably don't really *need* the 1000m2 we have here, don't really make the best use of it, but 300m2 just seems crazy.
View from the KFC Dee St drivethrough. The competition opens Monday - first in the South Island.
September 5, 2025 at 5:43 AM
View from the KFC Dee St drivethrough. The competition opens Monday - first in the South Island.
So nice when the boys get along.
August 30, 2025 at 9:07 AM
So nice when the boys get along.
Arlo and Slinky update - yup, they are getting on just fine. Although it's hard to believe Slinky (left) is about a month older than Arlo - and that Maine Coons keep growing until something like three to four years old. He's way larger than any of our other cats already at just under seven months!
August 26, 2025 at 10:36 AM
Arlo and Slinky update - yup, they are getting on just fine. Although it's hard to believe Slinky (left) is about a month older than Arlo - and that Maine Coons keep growing until something like three to four years old. He's way larger than any of our other cats already at just under seven months!
Three News is really leaning into the Auckland Local News angle. Massive deep dive into some random cycleway in Auckland. Who outside Auckland cares?
August 15, 2025 at 6:51 AM
Three News is really leaning into the Auckland Local News angle. Massive deep dive into some random cycleway in Auckland. Who outside Auckland cares?
Random question about the Three item on the shooting in Christchurch - is that guy they interviewed who knew the couple getting support from Victim Support or similar? He looked and sounded like he really needs it.
August 14, 2025 at 6:16 AM
Random question about the Three item on the shooting in Christchurch - is that guy they interviewed who knew the couple getting support from Victim Support or similar? He looked and sounded like he really needs it.
Invercargill is getting Popeyes? I'd completely missed that news. Funny that it's directly over the road from the Dee St KFC.
August 12, 2025 at 1:29 AM
Invercargill is getting Popeyes? I'd completely missed that news. Funny that it's directly over the road from the Dee St KFC.
It has been a sad, happy and currently hissy/growly year for the Joll felines. We lost Katie at 14 in February to heart disease. Got Arlo the Maine Coon in May. Lost Diva at 18 last month to kidney failure and skin cancer. Got Slinky the almost void rescue yesterday.
August 7, 2025 at 10:44 AM
It has been a sad, happy and currently hissy/growly year for the Joll felines. We lost Katie at 14 in February to heart disease. Got Arlo the Maine Coon in May. Lost Diva at 18 last month to kidney failure and skin cancer. Got Slinky the almost void rescue yesterday.
Well that was a fun way to wake up.
July 30, 2025 at 6:32 PM
Well that was a fun way to wake up.