The Tuesday at work

 Hi,

As it sometimes happens, working from home has meant I took no pics at all.  The day was not as boring as all that, though. [Don't worry Angela, I got you! - Mike]

Moxley meets Shane's 3D printed Cat banana

Mike also worked from home. I am still not feeling 100% so best for me to stay home anyway.

It was so rainy yesterday (Tuesday) - but with no wind the rain fell vertically from the sky. Abberant weather patterns for sure.

Andrew and Sally dropped the gear and bikes off - in the pouring rain. I never saw them but Mike did and went out to help.

After work, I emptied my side of the upstairs wardrobe because Wasabi got a cancellation and moved our installation forward. Which is good because the family will be freezing if the weather stays this cool. They are coming in early tomorrow morning. Should be chaos for a bit.

So much chaos came out of this empty space

I will varnish the new step today and tomorrow. We did the first coats last night. And I might even get the painting done if I am lucky. It is Waitangi weekend this weekend. But my usual three days. This time I get to share it with everyone.

The weather is supposed to come right though. Park run for me. And some work around the house.

Have a great day,

Love,

Angela

The Monday back at work for us

 Hi,

We both worked from home on Monday after flying back from Auckland. Cats were happy about that. We did get a good view of Blenheim and the sounds as we flew in to land. The rest of the north motu was shrouded in cloud.

Downstairs mirror is done!

Upstairs mirror is ready to go

Dave had sorted the downstairs mirror in our absence and Chelsea had sorted the cats. Yay for both things.

Marlborough Sounds

Tomatoes are still green

Mike got the toothbrush wired into the mirror downstairs

After work, Mike wired in the toothbrush to the new mirror downstairs. And this morning I used it and the fancy demister when I took a shower.

The vanity is now clear of all the facial regime products. When Dave gets back to hang the upstairs mirror, Mike will do the same up there.

I did online gym this morning with Quentin. I still have an unsettled stomach. No idea why but best to stay home, I reckon.

While I was showering, Mike found Moxley had snuck into the wall space on the stairwell. Cheeky gremlin cat.

So cute! Until I thought about what would happen if she started running about in the ceiling space

Rainy here today. But no wind so it is drizzling down vertically. 

Hope your day is a good one.

Love,

Angela

The Wednesday with a bike ride after work

 Hi,

Shane got me a new oat milk iced latte called innerbloom. And it was delicious, I have to say. Would recommend.

Oat milk latte was delicious - thank you Shane. Innerbloom. 

Lunch at work - with Celia

Caught up with Celia for lunch at work - and enjoyed her company and the sunshine. Jessie and Caitlin joined us at the end but we didn't get a lot of time with them.

After work I rode to the point with Maureen. She was on her pedal power bike and I was on my trusty eBike commuter. Wasn't even fair. But she was as amazing as ever. 30km in the saddle all up. Not too bad given I will be riding those distances on Great barrier this weekend.

Dinner when Mike was at a meeting in town

Got home to find Mike was in town at an architect forum meeting. I admired Dave's work on the teop step and the architraves before making myself a salad.

Dave is mighty - look at this step!

So good

Off to bed when Mike got home. And up to drive in and go to the gym and then data brekkie (with John and Kris) before grabbing some cheese for the weekend and a spare tube from Giant.

Data brekkie this morning (Thurs)

Working from home to get a few things done at lunch time (kitty litter refresh mainly) then away by Uber with Tom for our big adventure.

Have a great day - and enjoy the weekend.

Love,

Angela

The Tuesday with Dave the builder and working from home

 Hi,

Mike and I both worked from home yesterday. The rain in the morning kept me glued to the house. And it was good to see Dave progress with the top step in only one day. Wow.

Lewis Rd

Top step renovation in progress

Dave's legs

New step

Smudge inspects the new step

Moxley also helps check the new step out

Garage gym session yesterday - photos or it didn't happen

After work we had tea and then my mother called. So Mike went back to work (downstairs) and I chatted to her for ages.

Then off to bed for the two of us.

Up this morning for a superb ride in. Sunny. No wind. But I have to say - that nip is in the air. And usually that isn't felt until towards the end of Feb. The weather this summer is really unusual.

Have a great day.

Love,

Angela

The Monday with working from home with the air con repairer coming

 Hi,

I took no photos yesterday. None. Hopefully Mike took some!

Well, I have photos of our prepped-up bikes,
ready for our Aotea Great Barrier Island adventure

That drybag on the back looks a bit tenuous

And surgically installed into Tom's Mondeo.
"Retrieving and reassmbling them will be non trivial" he says.

Worked from home and had the Wasabi air con chap (Nate) turn up to assess our heat pump in the lounge.

Yeah - he said the outside unit's circuit board was fried. And that no one made that part anymore. So he had to check if a new board would fit into the old board's location.

No.

And then he checked the piping from the inside unit to the outside unit. No. He can't re-use that. So he will need to reroute pipes through the upstairs wardrobe. 

The final analysis? A quote is coming to us for an entire new system. Inside and out. Oh.

After work Jon and Chris turned up, and Mike got home as I was scratching around for more conversation to keep it all going as they sat in our lounge. I was not expecting them. Thought it was Mike at the front door when they came. 

Mike had exciting stories of his commute home (yes really). He got off his bus and walked partway home because traffic was banked up around Karori Tunnel for some reason. Grabbed a second bus ... that made it about 1km before a sharp smell of burning rubber and brakes made the driver go take a look ... to see smoke pouring out of one of the back wheels. "Everyone off and catch the bus behind me" he wisely said. Mike started walking again, before flagging down a third bus for the last kilometre home. 

The sight of an empty road at the end of the tunnel,
with people in hi-viz vests waving vaguely at the drivers,
was enough to convince Mike to get off and walk. 

It's not normally that exciting. But I like my bike, none of those dramas when I'm in control of my own destiny.

By the time Mike finished his story it was dinner time, so we got Burger Wisconsin in for dinner for us all. No cooking needed. Woot. 

Jon and Chris will be in St Arnaud by now as they were catching the 2am ferry over to Picton and heading there. Hope it is not as wet as here!

We have Dave coming today to get the final things done in the house. Stairs might be finished soon. And we have new mirrors to put in the bathrooms. 

Could be almost done for the inside of the house by the time Dave is done. Fingers crossed.

Have a great day.

Love,

Angela

The weekend in Wellington

 Hi,

So much to catch you up on. Brekkie after gym on Thursday with Kris, John and Shane. Then lunch at Gemini with Shane and Jason to see Tim.

Thurs data brekkie

Catch up with Tim

Ride after work with Maureen

Then after work Maureen and I rode to Chocolate Fish and back. 25 km for me. We saw a lot of police cars, an ambulance and the police boat over on the peninsula. No idea what was happening there. Mike and Callan were out for a run and we passed them too. The weather looked stormy but it wasn't windy at all.

Left Maureen at work as she heads up the quay to her place. And I tried to see if Mike was around to ride home with me, but heard nothing. So off I went. I did push up a bit of the hill. But I got back on and did ride up the steepest bit on Pitt St. So - yay.

Thank you, Maureen.

Chocolate Fish is now closed

Iced latte at La Cloche

Friday I took my bike into Giant for a service. I grabbed a bite at La Cloche and then drove home with Mike. Got my greenhouse back up. Plants seem ok.

Tomatoes

Greenhouse back up

I drove back to get my bike. John at the bike shop said: what have you done to it? It's cracked.

Then laughed and laughed at my horrified face. Hahahah. Bike was all good.

Saturday we did not park run. But we went to Sally and Andrew's place to hear from Winifred from our trap line about cat predation. They are not sure if it is worth doing anything as the kiwi are thriving. So we will ponder on any opportunity that might be there. Ok - Andrew will ponder. Callan came to listen to it too.

We had a quick lunch there from the Waiwhetu bakery. Then home.

Sunday I made brekkie for us. French toast. Then off to Hey Day via the train station where we picked up Janine. Met Jon and his friend Chris there. Enjoyed a catch up and drinks and food. Jon is moving back to study. Chris is holidaying from Korea with him.

Sunday brekkie

Hey Day to see Jon

Then home to get the bikes ready for our trip to Great Barrier Island next weekend. Rode them to Tom's house all kitted up. Few issues with mine to sort.

Walked back home. Had some tea. Mike did the taxes. And bed.

Up this morning to WFH for me. Mike went to the gym and work in town. And now the air con company is here to try and get the heat pump working in the lounge.

Hope your week is a good one. Happy Australia Day to the Aussies.

Love,

Angela

The Wednesday with garage gym after work

 Hi,

Got a few messages done in my lunch break with Mike and then bussed home after work with Madeleine. We had a garage gym session. She is so strong.

I dropped her home afterwards and headed back to our place and decided to drive up our bike route, just in case I saw Mike. And I did! He was pushing his bike because the road is steep and awful. But I had no space in the car - no bike rack. So I took his really heavy backpack and he rode the rest of the way home.

Sourdough baked

We made tea and I baked some bread. Watched some YouTube and then off to bed. Bit of a muggy night. Up early to ride in on my pedal bike. Riding after work with Maureen.

Got to take my bike in for a service tomorrow. And maybe sort out my greenhouse to make it more resilient. Stupid winds!

Have a great day.

Love,

Angela