Sideswipe: June 24: Oz's eastern-most state

New Zealand, Australia's eastern-most state, home of Aussie classics such as the pavlova and Russell Crowe. Photo / Supplied

Time to amend the will

A dinner conversation reveals 7-year-old's priorities:

Kid: Mum, have you written down the recipe for this chicken?

Mum: No, why?

Kid: Well, just in case you suddenly disappear or something.

Devious dad's matchmaking machinations

A 48-year-old Salt Lake City man was surprised to discover he had apparently taken out a full-page, $900 ad to find a wife. The ad, titled "Looking for a Wife", listed requirements for prospective wives: 34 to 38 years old, attractive, "ready, willing, and able" to have kids ASAP, prepared to be a stay-at-home mother, willing to relocate, and more. It also added: "If you voted for Obama or plan to vote for Hillary, you are not for me." The ad appeared to have been taken out by Baron Brooks, who owns two health food stores, but said his father, Arthur Brooks, would be screening applicants. "My father did this without my consent," the younger Brooks said. He says his 78-year-old father, who lives in Beverly Hills, is "nuts": "He just does weird stuff, and nobody knows why." Brooks says it's difficult to find a woman young enough to have kids. Maybe that's why he plans to let his father interview applicants.

Shared sugary treats sour school lunches

A plea to change the sugar-as-a-treat mentality:

"So you send your kid to kindy with a carefully thought out, nutritional lunchbox of roasted kumara, chicken nibbles, beans, carrots, sauerkraut and cucumber with a 'treat' of frozen banana and berries," writes a working mum. "Then another kid has another birthday (third in two weeks) and the kids get a small bag of candy, a lollipop and some sherbet. Why does the kid whose birthday it is need to give presents to all the kids in the class? And why can't it be a balloon or stickers? I'm not anti-treats, but I want to be the one to give my kids treats from time to time. Now I'm the grumpy mother who always says no."

Glass of white? Red? Indigo? Photo / Supplied

Glass of white? Red? Indigo?

Don't tell the National Party, but blue wine is now a thing. The Spanish winemakers responsible say the blue comes from anthocyanin, a pigment found in grape skin, and indigo dye ... Wait. What? It will soon be available in Europe.

Recycle in peace: ode to a bin

Chris O'Dea of Gulf Harbour writes: "R.I.P Beloved Recycle Bin.

Tragically taken that fateful Monday recycle day. If only you were brought in straight away. Your identical twin has now taken the full burden of those Saturday night, alcohol-fuelled binges, for which you were most handy. He patiently waits towards the rising sun for your return. To the neighbour who took him, I'm not angry, just disappointed."

Photo / Supplied

Local: Hand-latched wool rug of naked John Key. Framed. 'National Rug' by Whanganui artist Mark Raynerwas made in response to Winston Peters' comments about our Prime Minister's "carpets not matching his curtains", this work has been shown at Seed Gallery in Auckland and Kina Gallery in New Plymouth. Go here to bid.

Video: Police Ten7 has reached it's 500th episode and the show's most famous moment will always be this...(Go on, you know you want to...)

Video: In Greenpeace's subtle *cough* video below, pianist Ludovico Einaudi play beautiful music in front of a backdrop: collapsing glaciers.

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Got a Sideswipe? Send your pictures, links and anecdotes to Ana at ana.samways@nzherald.co.nz