Good morning on Fri, Dec 19 - my last day for the year!

Hi,

Not that I'm excited or anything. Am I what? I can't wait. Mike has the afternoon off to collect wee Toby at midday and has a list of tasks as long as his forearm to get through. Including trying to see Sally and Vivienne at Mojos this afternoon.

Last night we ate leftovers in the fridge. Mine was yummy. Toby seemed to love his. I hope Mike liked his too (we all had different things). The fridge will detox while we're away - Mike has cleaned out all manner of debris.

I left them just waking up this morning. Mike was cross he'd slept in as he needs to see Mrs Barrett and Mrs Mahoney before class today (some discussion about reading with Toby). So I expect the boys are furiously getting ready about now.

Time for a cup of tea at my end. I might pop into town at lunchtime for some last minute shopping.

Last blog from work for a while. Have a great Christmas and New Year. Mike and I are back at work on Jan 12.

Love,
Angela

Toby loves UB Funkeys

Toby and I had a good morning - Toby was up early in spite of his adventures last night and asked again if it was time to go to Sydney, just in case his mum had got it wrong. I told him no and that he'd know when it was time because we'd be getting him out of bed in the middle of the night.

I left him to get dressed and when I came back, he'd filled in his lunch order already. Very neat handwriting and everything. Only minor trouble was that he'd ordered $8 worth of muffins, jellies and choc milk, but no sandwiches. After a bit of negotiation we got it down to $6 and some healthy(ish) food. We crossed out the extra junk food and Toby put sad faces on each one (not that he was grumpy about it - I think!!)

Then we printed out some more UB Funkeys pictures, and raced off to school. Only to find that the various sets of keys I'd grabbed did not include a garage key or a house key. After some quick breaking and entering - which is always a good opportunity, I've found a route into the house now that's easy and bypasses any alarm sensors, must talk to Malcolm again - I ended up with some Corolla keys with house and garage keys. No sign of my keys or the MX5 with garage keys. Sigh. Such a nice day and I've got a huge lump of steel over my head when I'm out and about.

So, delivered Toby happily to school - and now I'm ensconced in Robert and Margo's house with laptop and citrix. The painter is here already and doing his thing. I had a monentary problem when I discovered their WLAN was secured and I didn’t know its password – but all good because they have a neighbour with a wide-open WLAN. They are very generous! I won't abuse the privilege though. And I think that Robert and Margo should have a few quiet words to their neighbours...

Good morning on Thurs, Dec 18

Hi,

Finally a lovely day here in Wellington. They have been in short supply in the last week.

Last night we had our department Christmas party. It was fun as we had it at a lawn bowls club and I tried lawn bowls for the first time. I haven't shaken the game to its core with my previously hidden talent for the game. But I think I only rolled about 8 bowls down so I may still find I can actually bowl if I ever get another opportunity.

We had arranged for Vivienne to collect Toby from After School Care, take him to Ngaio for feeding and watering and general play before taking him home to bed. Vivienne realised at about 7.30 that she didn't know our alarm and had no key. Oops. Mike heard a cry of glee from Toby in the background when Toby realised he was looking at a sleepover at Benjamin's house!

This was obviously preying on Mike's mind so when people starting leaving our party, Mike made a move too. Vivienne bundled Toby into the car and came and collected us. :-) Thanks Vivienne!

I left Mike and Toby this morning quite happy with the world. Toby had a good sleep and Mike did too (apart from a text message from my parents at 1am that woke us reminding us to go to their house this morning). Toby's first words when I kissed him goodbye and he woke up were "Is it the weekend yet?". He is mad keen to get to Sydney.

Have a great day! I need a cup of tea.

Love,
Angela

Good morning on Wed, Dec 17

Hi,

The weather is a little lousy today, but it is supposed to clear up a bit. I took the bus in as we have our IT department Christmas party today after work. I think it'll finish early enough so we should be home just as Vivienne is putting Toby to bed.

We have lunch scheduled with Kara today and some tasks to complete at the same time (contact lenses pickup for Mike and a few Christmas presents to buy on the walk back to work). Mike has a growing list of things to try and sort out on Friday (he has a half day leave to collect Toby at midday when school is finished for the year).

Mike cooked dinner last night. Yummy pasta. Although I was surprised to find cardamon seeds through it. They were yummy. Turns out Mike thought it said coriander. Heheheheh. Toby methodically removed every seed from his pasta serving!

Ok. I'd better get stuck into work. I need a cup of tea first though.

Have a look at the blog entry before this one for a photo of Toby's cake courtesy of Mike. And Toby looking chuffed at getting presents.

Love,
Angela

Six years old...

Toby loves his UB Funkeys from Grandy and Gramps!

Here is Toby's birthday cake. It came out good ay?

Good morning on Tues, Dec 16

Hi,

Toby and I had a great morning. I had Toby drop off duty and gate duty as Mike had a 9am meeting. So I spent from 8.30 - 8.55 whisking children out of cars as they pulled up to the school. It was busy as it was slightly damp today. I feel sad as I left without saying goodbye to Toby. He was nowhere to be seen as the bell rang and I hurtled off to get the bus. As it was I had to run the last 30m to catch it. I sat next to Hamish on the way in.

Mike will collect wee Toby from After School and cook dinner - so there is a silver lining. :-)

My parents got away ok yesterday and have landed safely in Sydney. Toby was a bit sad and was counting the sleeps till he saw them again.

We have a busy week to get through before we also arrive in Sydney on Saturday. I can't wait.

Love,
Angela

Good morning on Mon, Dec 15

Hi,

A new format for the good morning email. Mike wants them collated as a diary of our lives. Fair enough. Let me know if you get this in a weird format that you can't read.

The weekend that was? Where do I start? We're all exhausted. Friday was Toby's birthday and after work we had family there to celebrate. We ate yummy kids party food (party pies, sausage rolls and cheerios - but the last item was mainly for Sally). Toby was far too excited to eat.

Saturday morning we got ready for the main event at Junglerama. Although the day ended up very expensive it was very easy compared to hosting a party for 13 children yourself. I didn't need to sort out loot bags at 8.30am as Dad had sorted it out the night before. Thank goodness. It all went very well. Mike organised everything perfectly. Toby got lots of presents and was gracious despite his obvious excitement.

We dropped off Duncan and Emerson home and stayed for a cup of tea. This meant a direct trip to the ten pin bowling from there instead of a quick refresh at home. We collected Dad on the way and the Sampson children arrived. It was all on then. Dad gashed his hand retrieving a bowling ball from the lane (he'd forgotten how slippery the lanes were). Toby did well - he came second after Hannah.

Toby arranged a sleepover (we did confirm it) for Saturday night and we had Alistair and Vicki over for the first time since we moved to Wellington. How slack are we? It was nice to see them so soon after Vicki's work party. I think we may have bored them with the video game called Name that Tune - 80s edition! They may not take our offer of popping in any time it suits them.

Sunday morning Toby was delivered (along with Duncan and Emerson) to our house and Aidan took me to the farmers market. Why I haven't been before I'll never know. Way cheaper than the supermarket - and bigger veges. I bought some stuff to keep us going this week and then because the day was glorious, Aidan took me home the long way - via Scorching Bay. It was lovely.

The rest of Sunday was relaxed. We bought a Christmas tree and decorated it. Then we pottered around till my parents arrived for dinner. We were all in bed early last night. It was still light when we turned out the light!

My parents leave for Sydney this afternoon. We get there on Saturday. It is very exciting. We still have a lot of Christmas stuff to sort out here first though.

Have a marvellous week!
Love,
Angela

Toby ’s birthday!   He had a great morning.   We woke him up and he opened presents (a Phoenix football shirt from Grandy and Gramps and a mushabelly and two babies) and was very happy.  He made me take photos of him with his new stuff and print them out for news at school.

 

 

Plans for tonight?   Hmmm.   We ’re having tea tonight for Toby.   I think Mike and I can get there about 6pm.  Toby will play soccer (although it is raining at the moment so soccer might be off) and go and play at Duncan and Emerson ’s house.  So we ’ll collect him at 1800 and head home for cheerios, party pies and sausage rolls.

 

Tomorrow?  The party!  I need to sort out loot bags so I think I ’ll be at The Warehouse at 8.30am tomorrow.  There are now 13 children coming.  And Mike has booked bowling for the afternoon.  I don ’t have any info on that.

Toby was a bit fragile this morning – not sure why.   He has been bundled off to school and seemed happy enough by the time he got there.   Theresa Forbes stayed overnight with us.   She is relocating a massive campervan on her own and enjoying her time.

 

Mike will collect Toby from After School care today and head out to get dinner while we do a release here at work.   I hope it goes well as we have very little window for fixes left now.

 

Ok.   I have loads to do still. Better get stuck in.

Guess what?   Mike and I missed our wedding anniversary.   It was 4 days ago and I just remembered.   We are very busy – honest!  

 

What else can I tell you to show you all how disorganised we are?   Listen to this.   Toby ’s second tooth fell out on Monday evening.   He gave it a yank and out it came – no blood or anything.   So we put it in an envelope and addressed it to the Tooth Fairy.   However, Mike and I forgot all about it.   Toby burst into tears when he woke up and discovered the envelope and tooth still there.   Mike headed him off with a story about the busy time the tooth fairy has at the moment.

 

So last night Mike and I were determined not to forget.   The bad part?   We only had $20 on us.   Well, that and a $50.  That was a bit excessive.   Toby doesn ’t really understand how much $20 as he told us he had a dollar left under his pillow.   I hope that ’s what he tells everyone too.   And I hope there is a gap between this loss and his next tooth loss so we can go back to the $5 amount he got for his first tooth!

 

Mum is going to come in for lunch today so I ’ll do some shopping with her.   I ’m looking forward to that.

 

Mum also did the lunch duty at Toby ’s school yesterday in my place.   She met Evan (the naughty boy) and decided he really was very naughty.   It sounds like Mum enjoyed herself.   She can be the teacher she may have been in another life – if things had panned out different somehow.   Keeping a school yard in line is definitely her cup of tea.

 

Which is exactly what I need right now.

 

I left the boys at home happily getting ready.   Mike is eating the rest of the bread we cooked overnight (part of that disorganised thing is that we haven ’t got any sandwich making bread so I ’ve been making bread all the time lately).

 

Well, we have two more takers for Toby ’s party.   We now have 3 confirmed – but that is including Toby.   Mum pointed out that although Duncan and Emerson have said they ’ll attend, if there is any delay in their flight back from the US they may not arrive.   Yikes.   So we are up to 5 children.   Mike is hoping we make the minimum numbers of 8 children for the party.   So far we have Toby, Gracie, Ashwin, Duncan and Emerson.

 

I was too lazy to ride my bike this morning.   The rain was steady and I couldn ’t face getting wet.   It may also have something to do with the three episodes of Heroes we watched and had us all keyed up.   We chatted for ages.   I think I saw 12.30am on the clock!   So I am a bit groggy today too.

 

Today I am definitely starting my Christmas shopping.   Lunch time I am out of here.   Oh – and Toby ’s birthday shopping too.

 

Ok.   I ’d better get stuck in.

 

Well, it seems to me it is nearly Toby ’s birthday and Mike and I have not yet bought him a present.   Yikes!   I think we might start panicking.

 

The weekend was fantastic.   Saturday morning was the swimming – Toby got over his idea the pool was cold and enjoyed his lesson.   His last one for the year as his birthday party is on next week at that time.   We went round to visit Aunty Sally and Uncle Andrew after that to swap cars.   Mike, Andrew and Toby dismantled the old header tank on the roof – as you do when you ’re at a loose end on a Saturday morning.   Toby loved it.   He walked around on the roof and used a hammer.   How much better can it get?

 

I dropped Mike and Toby off at Capital E for the NZTE kids Christmas party.   Toby got to work in Santa ’s grotto and help the head elf make the work targets.   Santa even appeared and gave Toby a toy – just what he wanted too!

 

I met the boys at New World and we drove to the Zoo to meet Vicki and Alistair.   It was Vicki ’s work party and they had hired the zoo for the evening.   Air New Zealand did well!   Sally and Andrew arrived at the same time as us and we wandered around the zoo and had a picnic.   Very pleasant.   The weather was wonderful.

 

Sunday was us head off to the Capital Trout Centre near Brooklyn where Toby was taught a bit of fly fishing and he caught a trout.   We took it home and grilled it on the BBQ for lunch.   It was superb!   They are doing it again in February so I ’ll take Toby again then.   Gramps came with us and he is now our fishing expert.  

 

After lunch we played soccer in the park with the four of us (me, Mike, Toby and Gramps) and we had loads of fun.

 

Then it was time to head out to the Bichan dinner.   Mike and Toby had prepared dessert and we had a great dinner.

 

Now I am back at work to try and relax before the next weekend!   Toby ’s party weekend!   Uh oh!

I had Toby drop off duty this morning so I was in later than usual.   I went to see Handel ’s Messiah with Mum and Vivienne last night and I enjoyed it.   Meanwhile, the boys (Mike, Gramps and Toby) all had McDonalds and also seemed to enjoy themselves.

 

When I got home (Vivienne dropped me off) I found both of my boys asleep in bed.   So I snuggled up to them and was asleep in seconds.

 

I have driven in this morning so I can leave super early at 1500 and watch Toby play soccer.   I ’ll drive straight home and get collected by Dad for the game.   He ’s going to collect Toby.

 

Then the weekend will kick in.   Swimming, Santa, Zoo – all on Saturday.   Sunday is fishing.   Followed by recovery.

 

Have a great weekend!

Happy birthday Tyler .   5 today!   Toby was quite pleased to talk to her last night.   We can ’t wait to see everyone in Sydney for Christmas.

 

Nothing much going on in Wellington really.   Tonight we have a release and then I ’m off to see Handel ’s Messiah with Mum and Vivienne.   So I think I ’ll fall into bed once I get home.   But the late night at work does mean I can leave early tomorrow and get home in time for Toby ’s soccer.

 

Mike and I will catch up with a few people for lunch today from ANZ days.   Should be a good lunch.   It meant I didn ’t need to make any lunches today so Mike and I had breakfast together at home.   How unusual.   I did have to hurtle out of the house to catch the bus though as I dawdled a little too much.   Still managed to kiss Toby quickly.

Toby has a girlfriend now.  He told me a few days ago.

 

Trouble is, he doesn ’t know her name, or what class she ’s in, or much of anything else.  (Nor does he seem particularly worried about this. Mike says, "That ’s my boy!")

 

Apparently she ran up to him and whispered ‘I love you Toby ’ into his ear and ran off again.   So I don ’t know just how committed they both are, at the moment.

When Mike and I got home last night wee Toby called out excitedly from his bed (it was about 8.45 or so).   I could tell he had had a great evening with Gramps.   He told me that the pizza Gramps made was delicious and that I really needed to try some.   And he was pleased with his dessert as well.   I hope Gramps had as much fun as Toby.   Poor Mum wasn ’t feeling well.   She ’s had a sore throat for a while.

 

The movie (latest James Bond flick – Quantum of Solace) was a good action movie.   We haven ’t seen Casino Royale but it was easy to follow the plot.   I saw the shorts for Australia and I can see Mum loving that epic (although it looks like they may have tried too hard to make it an epic).   Keanu Reeves is in a new sci fi movie that I want to see – The Day the Earth Stood Still.   Special Effects look great.   And he is always worth watching.   ;-)   Wonder when that comes out?

 

I have a work seminar tonight so I ’ll be home about 8pm.   Mike will get home at about 6pm I guess.   And tomorrow night we have a work release and then Mum and Vivienne and I are off to see Handel ’s Messiah.   I ’ll get the tickets today at lunchtime.

Well, I had a last minute switch yesterday afternoon to take Toby to school.   Needless to say, I forgot it was a main school drop-off this morning and we walked to side school, got told it was main school day and walked back.   So I missed my bus.   But Toby seemed very pleased to be at the main school as a big boy.

 

At work at 9.15 so not too bad.

 

Tonight Mum and Dad will babysit Toby while Mike and I go to the new Bond film.   I hope it ’s good.   I ’ll work through lunch so I can get away at 1730 for dinner beforehand.

 

Toby has requested pizza for dinner.   Unfortunately we have no ingredients apart from grated cheese.   We do have a bag of grated mozzarella cheese!   So, if Mum and Dad want to get a few things for the dinner, that ’d be helpful (shopping suggestion at the bottom!).

 

I need a cup of tea!

 

Have a great day!   I ’m glad the Kittos finally got back from Adelaide.   I blame the test cricket – for everything!

Toby is very pleased to finally be in the same month as his birthday.   Wee Tyler turns five so soon as well.   I can ’t believe it.

 

We had a weird sort of a weekend.   The weather was great and Saturday saw us have a lot of fun out at Nae Nae.   Toby ’s swimming was fun (it always seems so much nicer with sun streaming in the windows at the pool) and there was a fair on in central Nae Nae (right outside the pool) so we wandered around.   Toby had a turn on a mini Ferris wheel (it was free – alright!).

 

Then we went home with croissants for lunch.   The early afternoon was very lazy and then Mike and I went to wash the cars near the garage.   I told Toby (twice) we were going to wash the cars.   However, after about an hour I came back down and just missed the phone.   And I tried to find Toby but he was nowhere to be seen.   That was odd.   I went up to see Mike and ask him but he was also gone (just the spade he was using was stuck in the dirt and two digs only completed).   It was starting to look like an apocalypse movie.   The phone rang again and it was Mike ’s Mum and she had talked to Toby earlier and he was upset he couldn ’t find us.  

 

Turns out Toby had trotted (in his barefeet – he never goes anywhere in his barefeet) out into the back yard, wandered through two neighbours backyards and was down the road a wee way.   He was a bit traumatised by his adventure but I think he was also quite proud of his achievements.   Why on earth he thought I ’d be there is beyond me!

 

Sunday was good fun.   We watched the rugby early on and then Toby and I went to see Benjamin and Ramble.  Vivienne and John were off diving (congratulations – they are now certified – or rather, John is re-certified and Vivienne is newly certified) so we stopped in for the day.   Toby had a ball.   The PS2 came out and Toby played Lego Star Wars for ages.   We also went into the bush and walked Ramble (lots of fun) and I got shortbread to boot (Mum – it ’s in the biscuit tin!).

 

Now it ’s work time once more.   But only 20 days till we head over to Sydney for Christmas.   Hooray.   And work put an advent calendar on my desk, so how much better can it get?

 

What a gorgeous day.  One of the best Wellington offers up.  And more of the same tomorrow.  What?  The same weather two days running?  Are we entering a settled period?

 

Nothing much on for the weekend.  Toby has soccer after school today and swimming tomorrow morning.  Mum and Dad have a party to go to tomorrow night.  The rugby is on Sunday morning (All Blacks v England ) and we will look after Benjamin and Ramble on Sunday while Vivienne and John dive in the sea.  The weather is supposed to be nice so we might go and find Vivienne and John and watch for a bit.

 

Tonight Dad and Mum will drive into town with Toby and we ’ll look at the Christmas windows at Kirks and then have dinner out.  Café Neo might be an option.

 

What a beautiful, calm morning.   It is overcast but warm and not a breath of wind on my ride in.   It was such a lovely ride in (until I yelled ‘idiot ’ at a van driver and he heard me – I was sure I said it under my breath – how did that happen?   He gave me a fright by pulling out of a street and pulling over onto yellow lines immediately so I think it was surprise more than anything.   I see loads more dumb drivers than that most days!).   And I enjoyed my ride home last night with Mike.   We don ’t often ride home together so it was very nice.

 

Oooo.   My tea is superb this morning.

 

Last night I never saw Vivienne as she was on the dive course.   But I did catch up briefly with John when he got home from the scout meeting (he ’s chairman).   They seem to be enjoying the diving and I hope the weather kicks in for them at the weekend for their open water dives (Vivienne will have an exam dive at some stage over the weekend – she ’ll be fine.   It ’s amazing how survival kicks in and you remember all the things you need to do so you don ’t drown!).   We ’ll see Benjamin and Ramble on Sunday.   Toby can ’t wait to come as he ’s cross I get to babysit and he doesn ’t.   “Can I come and babysit tonight with you? ”.   I think babysitting the Sampson children has conditioned him.

 

Toby now has a cool soccer ball to practise with Gramps.   A sports store is closing down near work and we bought a few things.   Toby also has shorts to wear to the soccer too.   His team is called Little Phoenix (the Wellington A league team is called Phoenix ).   I ’m hoping to go and watch them next week (I ’ll probably have a release Thursday night so should have some hours owed me).

 

My bike computer is working again.   It got into a muddle and only read speed and not distance.   Very strange.   I re-booted it and now it works but I have lost all my data.   1200kms and maximum speed of 51.5 km/h.   I ’ll have to set all my goals again!

We had a pleasant evening scoffing fish n chips at Sally and Andrew ’s place.   Mike got into Wellington just as we left Woburn pretty much.   So it was perfect timing.

 

Tonight I have Lewis duties to perform – but from 1930 tonight.   The late shift.   ;-)   And I think Sunday we ’ll be at the Lewis household for the day.   If it ’s nice and the diving is close by to Wellington , we ’ll put everyone in the car and go and check it out.   We can be official photographers.   I can imagine the entertainment now.   Picnic on the beach.   Dog walking.   SCUBA diver spotting.

 

That ’s about it really.   Time for Weetbix and tea.

I have to declare summer weather finally here.   Mike and I slept without the duvet last night – just a sheet.   Bring it on!   In saying this you could be forgiven for thinking we ’re having great weather.   No – we ’re having odd weather.   Windy, rainy and warm.   Bizarre.   My recently planted renga renga is taking a hammering from the wind.   They ’ve gone all floppy.   I hope they survive.   More rain and less wind please.   At least for this week.

 

Mike left this morning at about 5.15am.     Very early.   But I have to say I hardly woke – although I do remember a goodbye kiss.   Toby and I had a fabulous morning.   We enjoyed our walk to school.   Toby “played ” with a banana gun most of the way (shooting things and turning them into bananas) until he ate it.

 

Mum and Dad will collect wee Toby this afternoon and may wait patiently at home till I finish work.   Then they can drive down the hill and I can drive out to 40WLW for fish n chips.   I think the lounge room at Woburn is most likely given the weather conditions.   Although it is supposed to improve this afternoon.

 

Mum is going to do my lunch duty at Toby ’s school today.   That makes my life much easier today.

 

I supervised (ha!) Benjamin and Ramble last night while Vivienne and John did their diving course work.   They have 4 open water dives this weekend so we may be staying at the Lewis household a lot this weekend.

 

I think that ’s it …

 

Marvellous stuff.

The weekend passed by a little too fast for my liking.   Mike and I had a night out at a work colleague ’s party on Friday night.   Mum and Dad collected Toby from school, took him to soccer (Dad is now Toby ’s coach and they will be playing soccer after school from time to time now!) and then took him to their place.

 

Swimming the next morning was a non starter.   Toby was too tired for that so back they came.   I went shopping with Mum to Harvey Norman to look at furniture for Mum and Dad ’s place.   Malcolm arrived and sorted out the alarm system at home (I wonder if Mike has set it for today?) and we looked at his ideas for replacing a paper trail at his work with a database application.   A very good idea.

 

Sunday was supposed to be a model train extravaganza for Mike and Toby (with Vivienne and Benjamin) but Toby took exception at the idea for some reason and was adamant all the model trains he wanted to see were Christmas ones.   No – I didn ’t understand him either.   Apparently we have been to see them at some stage in the past and he wanted to see them again.   But not whatever the models were at Porirua.

 

Very odd.

 

Mum and Dad came round for Sunday roast (but Mike went to work!) and the Sampson children popped in to play with Toby for the afternoon.   Andrew dropped of some renga renga so I   planted them yesterday.   No idea if they will survive or now.

 

And now I ’m back at work.   All too soon.

 

Have a great week.

What a beautiful morning out there today.   Mike and I have a night on the town at a work colleague ’s party.   Mum and Dad will:

Collect Toby at 3pm

Take him to his soccer match (pitch 5, Ian Galloway park, 3.30pm)

Take him home

Let him play computer games

Feed him yummy food

Let him stay up late

Generally pamper him

 

Meanwhile Mike and I will go to this party. Hopefully have a good time.   Come home and collapse.   Get up and collect Toby for swimming tomorrow morning.   I ’m hoping I can stay at home and tidy then take Mum shopping for furniture.

 

I think Vivienne will take Toby to the model railway exhibition on Sunday morning.   Mike may be very tempted.

 

That ’s it!   Nothing on.   I ’ll watch the rugby Sunday morning!   Go the All Blacks!

I had a pleasant evening looking after Benjamin (that involved eating yummy food with him and briefly discussing World of Warcraft and watching TV) and Ramble (that involved lots of patting and occasional opening and closing doors for him).   Vivienne and John got wet at the SCUBA course from 1800 – 2200.   I think I would have drowned when I fell asleep underwater!   And I got choc chip muffins for my trouble (Mum – there is one left on the bench at our house for a nice cup of tea!).   Roll on Monday night where I do it again.   The ride up to their place went surprisingly well.   40 minutes from my bike at work to their driveway.   Not bad for the first time (and only second time or so up the gorge – Mike and I have been using Old Porirua Road to go to my parents place – quite a different prospect).

I enjoyed the Munster v All Blacks game.   Munster were gutted not to get that win.

I need to keep track of my social schedule.   For some reason I feel like I ’m losing grip on my life.   Here is the immediate schedule so everyone can remind me.   And fill in any gaps.
 
Tonight:   bake pikelets with my mother.   Possibly take my parents shopping for furniture (is Harvey Norman open Thursday night?)

Friday morning:   make sure Toby takes pikelets for morning tea.   It ’s grandparent day at Toby ’s school

Friday night:   Mike and Toby bond over Speed Racer (Dad – you can watch the drivel too if you want).   I relax with a book.

Saturday morning:   swimming.  Now I think swimming is the only thing on so far this weekend.   I will also go shopping with my parents.

Mon evening:   Vivienne's house for supervising and couch sitting

Tues:   fish n chip night at Petone beach or 40WLW (Mike in Auckland for the day).
I think that ’s it.   But I still feel uneasy.   I wonder what I have forgotten!   ;-)

Anyhow a cup of tea will fix everything.   Have a great day! 

My parents arrived safe and sound yesterday, minutes ahead of a fantastic southerly storm.   The storm head cloud formations looked fantastic.   But they at least could tell it was a good day up till then.   We collected Toby on the way home and he was very pleased to see his Grandy and Gramps.   We had a relaxing dinner and then Mike took them home at about 7pm (they were very tired by then and itching to get home).   They were pleased with the Trade Me action Mike has been getting.   Now my mother wants to buy furniture to replace the gaping holes made by the auctions!

 

We have booked our flight to Sydney for Christmas.   Mike, Toby and I fly out Dec 20 (Sat) from Wellington to Sydney at 6am!     We get into Sydney at 8.30am or something.   We are more than happy to catch the train into Blacktown .   But if someone could collect us from there, that ’d be grand!

 

We think we should fly to Christchurch on Dec 29 (cheapest flight we found – JetStar A$329) and hire either a people mover or two smaller cars.   So we haven ’t yet booked our flight back.   Queenstown flights are more expensive for us.   This part of the journey still needs a bit of work in defining the parameters.   ;-)   Stay tuned.   However, we are definitely in Sydney for Christmas.

 

The website we found useful to compare prices and flights was www.webjet.co.nz .  Careful as these are in AUD.   But we hopped onto www.airnewzealand.co.nz to actually book as Mike thinks webjet add their fees on the end.

 

Tonight I will be riding like the wind to the Lewis house to look after Ramble and Benjamin.   Vivienne and John are off on the scuba diving course.   It goes from 1800-2200 (I ’ll be shattered just sitting on the couch let alone swimming around a pool trying on bits of gear!!!) so I ’ll be there at 1730, if I make it up their hill.   I suggested my parents come round so see me there. But that only adds to logistics so the rest of them can stay in Ngaio and Mike can take Toby home early from there.   1900 into the bedroom, 1930 lights out.   Toby did well last night under the new regime.   I ’ll get a lift home from the least exhausted SCUBA diver at 2230 or so!

 

Busy day!   I drove in as I ’m collecting Mum and Dad from the airport.   Their flight is delayed by 20 mins so I ’ll leave here about 1430 to get there in tine to see them walking through customs.   Mike is busy at work too, so he probably hasn ’t noticed the missing daily email.

 

The weather is holding here.   It looks glorious out there, but is supposed to turn to custard at some stage today.   We shall see.   I had to stake my broccoli last night as the wind yesterday toppled one of them over.   Where does this weird weather come from?

 

So, I am excited at my parents return.   I have cooked up a batch of spag bol sauce in preparation of their arrival.

 

My wee sister Karen won $900 on an Aussie radio station the other day answering 9 questions out of 10 correctly.   She is renovating her house so it is very timely and has already been spent on door knobs.   And the 10 ^th questions he couldn ’t answer?   Right up my alley.   Couldn ’t she have phoned a friend?   ;-)   Who makes Xbox?   Well, she won ’t forget that in a hurry now.   But $900, $1000?   Why quibble!   Smart girl.   I ’m chuffed.

 

Toby and I had a three day weekend because he was sick on Friday.   I had just got to work after dropping him at school and we got a phone call.   So we had a day in bed reading books.   We both slept around lunchtime so perhaps he was a bit sick after all.   He started complaining more about his sore ear in the afternoon so I took him to the doctor.   She said it was just a viral thing and he had wax in his right ear.

 

Toby declared he was having a day off on Saturday.   We thought it ’d be better not to go swimming with him complaining about earache.   So he stayed in his pyjamas for ages.   At about 11.30 I suggested getting dressed and he said he was having a day off and staying in his pyjamas all day!   However he got dressed for us to go out for dinner at Barry and Kath ’s house that evening.   We had a very pleasant time out there with wonderful food.   Toby enjoyed himself playing on Barry ’s Playstation.

 

Sunday was a lazy start to the day and a great BBQ at Sally and Andrew ’s house to celebrate Vivienne ’s birthday!   The weather was good – a bit windy but nice and warm.   Toby enjoyed playing with Anthony and Benjamin – and Ramble!

 

Toby went home to play with Benjamin while Mike and I went to Ngaio to make sure the house was fine for my parents.   They arrive back on Tuesday (around 2.45pm or so) so we stocked the fridge with milk and bread.   The lounge really does look empty with all the things we have sold in their absence!

 

I wasn ’t feeling well at this stage, so Mike dropped me home and he went to take Toby to Maccas for some dinner.

 

Monday morning has kicked in with some yucky weather.   Wind and rain.   But it isn ’t cold.   I think the warmer weather has arrived finally.   Although I saw a forecast for a southerly change for tomorrow – just in time for my parents arrival.   Nice.

 

Mike ’s parents should have their new Jazz by now and be wandering their way back to Dunedin .   I hope they have loads of fun.   Vivienne and John and enjoying the old Jazz – Benjamin seemed especially pleased with it!

 

Have a marvellous week!

I am such a proud mother today – I really enjoyed Toby ’s musical performance last night.   He was so cute in his rabbit ears.   When his class was up there, they started holding up Austrian flags in a circle but Toby craned his neck to turn around to see where we were sitting.   The rest of the class put their flags down but Toby remained holding his up as he grinned at me.   It got a chuckle from the audience.   Then the children all held hands in a circle and started their dance.   When they let their hands go, Toby blew me a kiss and the audience loved it (I think they thought it was a scripted kiss to everyone) and I was so happy!   Toby was very good during his class item, but at the end when all the children were on the stage to sing the last items, his attention was really wandering.   I think he was fascinated by the stage and the lights.

 

Tonight can ’t be too late (we ’re all going round to Vivienne ’s place for dinner – Mike ’s parents and us) as Mike just texted me and Toby is still asleep!   But I ’m looking forward to popping over to the Lewis household.   I especially want to see Ramble as he ’s had a haircut.   Sounds like he has short hair on his body, but a gorgeous mop on his head (and tail!).   I imagine he ’ll look a bit like a surfie dog.   Give him some board shorts and you ’d never know he was a dog!

 

Mike will pop into my parents place as the coffee tables are getting collected tonight.

 

I just heard from my mother and my parents will be back in Wellington on Tuesday.   I hope the nice weather stays (yesterday was absolutely gorgeous!) and they get a taste of what Wellington can be like on nice days.   There may even be room to park a new car in their garage now with a few things gone from their place.   We need to sell a few more things in Trade Me for them though.

 

I ’d better get stuck in.   After half a day off yesterday it is getting busy!

Remembrance Day.  

 

It was a good ride in despite the mist surrounding the hills this morning.     The weather was all bark and no bite.   Mike has invited some friends of his for dinner tonight so we ’ll be heading home to get dinner on.   I think Toby needs another early night so we ’ll sort out getting him to bed at 7-7.30 rather than 8-8.30 as it has been lately.

 

We might also see if we can get a half day off tomorrow.   Toby has a musical production and we have strict instructions from the school (let him rest up before the production, give him dinner beforehand and get him there in plenty of time in his costume).

 

We headed round to Sally and Andrew ’s place for dinner last night and enjoyed a good curry from their Indian takeaway.   Yummo.   Toby seemed a bit fragile though.

 

Ok.   Time to get stuck in.   On my course again today.   Our case study involves a MoH project that seems destined for failure unless I (the project manager) can formulate a rescue plan.

Well, our weekend was so jam packed I ’d have to write an essay to convey the fullness of our activities.   I don ’t have time for that as I ’m on a course here at work for the next two days.   So, here is the short summary.

 

Saturday I took Toby swimming.   We bought a present on the way home for wee Aidan ’s birthday on Sunday morning.   Mike took off as soon as we got home with a trailer load of green waste to Sally and Andrew ’s place to collect some of their stuff and grab Andrew ’s brawn.   They dumped waste at Seaview and collected a trailer load of mulch.   I started weeding the top garden and presently got covered in a 15 cm layer of mulch.   The top garden looks great now.  

 

Mike and Andrew dropped off the couch and table from Ngaio, and TradeMe has been successful for my parents (all three things have sold we put on for higher than the reserve).   I “looked ” after Sampson children for the afternoon (well, I gardened and they looked after themselves).

 

We watched the election results unfolding during the evening.   It never looked in doubt …

 

Sunday was an earlier start than I thought.   I watched the All Black v Scotland game that started at 6am – but it was only me watching.     Wee Aidan ’s party started at 9.30am!   So Toby did that while I tidied the house.   Mike ’s parents arrived and went straight to the birthday girl ’s place to celebrate.   We had lunch and wandered over to Vivienne and John ’s place for some socialising.   The sun was out for the most part and it was very pleasant.   The food was superb (as usual) and I enjoyed chatting to everyone.

 

Our plant order had also arrived so when I left I had a huge box of plants.   I can ’t wait to get them into the garden.   Vivienne had planted out her renge renge and they did look very good.

 

We went to Thanksgiving dinner after Vivienne ’s birthday bash and I tried to stuff myself with turkey and cranberries.   I think I may have damaged my stomach in the attempt.

 

Now I ’m back at work hoping for a relaxing week.   I have a project management course on today and tomorrow.

 

I hope it all goes well with the boys this morning.   Toby woke at 5.50am because he couldn ’t find the toy he was sleeping with.   He has to be ready on time today as Mike has to be at work ready for action by 9am.   I am away at a seminar all day so hopefully things go ok.

 

Mike worked late last night (he has a huge two day meeting about IT strategy) and Toby and I had loads of fun.   I have dug out my guitar after having a hankering for it again and I played for a while (my fingers couldn ’t take much as they are very soft) while Toby went to sleep.   Toby said I sang beautifully and I should make a CD.   Heheheheh.   He made my night saying that!

 

We have a release on Thursday night so I ’ll be late home that night.   I imagine McDonalds might be involved somewhere if those boys are left to their own devices.   And the weekend looks like being fun with election night, the All Blacks v Scotland, and birthdays galore (especially Vivienne ’s!).   Toby has a party to attend on Sunday (I think from 11 – 1pm) but that should fit in nicely into the day ’s activities.

 

Speaking of the rugby match (I must find out what time it is on), I have the words to Flower of Scotland and I will be teaching them to Toby this week.   I gave a rousing rendition in the shower at work this morning.   I hope the sound proofing is up to scratch!

 

 

What a weird weekend for the weather.   Saturday was absolutely dire – very strong southerlies and a torrential downpour in the afternoon.   And then Sunday was magnificent.   A truly gorgeous day.

 

Friday night was Hallowe ’en and we went round to Christine, John and wee Tom ’s place for a BBQ.   There were quite a few kids there (one naughty one from Toby ’s class) and Toby had a ball.   We got back home quite late (after 8) and only had one trick or treat visit (apparently we were lucky no one else arrived as we only has dried fruit after this lot).   Although Toby did grab a bag twice and went outside and knocked on our door!

 

Saturday we all went to the swimming then we drove to H2O in Upper Hutt and the boys swam more (the slides are a huge attraction) while I went and bought a present for William.   We drove back to Wellington and got to the party exactly on time.   They were all going to a movie and the weather was just kicking into rubbish mode about then.

 

Mike and I went back home and tidied and watched some TV until Toby came back.

 

Saturday night was the rugby between Australia and the All Blacks.   An odd game but the All Blacks won.

 

Sunday Mike and I started the day nice and lazily with TV and breakfast.   Toby spent the whole day lazing around claiming he was tired.   Mike and I kicked into clean up mode and Mike did a tip run.   We also sold Mum and Dad ’s corner unit within 2 minutes of it going on Trade Me.   I have pruned (severely) some trees in the backyard but I think I need a chainsaw to deal to some of the rest of them.   And we need to borrow the chipper from Sally and Andrew and get rid of the rubbish down the bank somewhere …   I want to thin out some of the   trees down the back and put paths through.   And one day build a fort for Toby.   Great fun.

 

We went round to the Bichan ’s for dinner last night for the first time in ages.   It was great to catch up with everyone.

 

Have a great week!

Toby and I had a pleasant morning walking to school and sorting out rabbit ears (for some musical he is in – it is difficult to establish exactly what he is doing.   It sounds like he is a rabbit from Austria , carrying an Austrian flag – but I have no idea why) and a costume (mainly brown clothes – which we can manage).   I left him happily wearing the ears, which his teacher explained aren ’t needed today at all.   In fact they are going to make them in class.   But she was pleased to have a good pattern they may use for everyone.   Heheheheh.   I volunteered to help face painting the rabbit faces on the class for the musical night (Nov 12).   What was I thinking?

 

I have a release tonight so a late work night.   Hopefully it ’ll be a smooth event and we ’ll be out by 1830.   That ’s what I ’m hoping.   The boys seem to have planned …. McDonalds for dinner.   How funny.

 

So I have been busy since I got in at 9am this morning.   My first chance to take a breath now.   Phew.   Roll on 1830.   Or 1900 if we have to fluff around a little bit.

Mike, Toby and I had a lovely evening yesterday.   I thought Mike was out and about, but he turned up at home just after Toby and I got there.   So we had a nice dinner (fish fingers and salad – dubious really whether it was nice) and put Toby to bed quite early.   Mike rang his parents for a chat (spoke to his Mum earlier and his Dad later in the evening) and we eventually fell asleep.   We didn ’t sleep well though (maybe the wind – and Toby had a nightmare at about 3am so he came to our bed after that).  

 

I didn ’t ride in today as the crucial 5 minutes when I decide it was howling wind sending rain to lash the windows.   However, while I was waiting for the bus, it was dry enough.   Bit gusty still though.

 

I have to work late tomorrow night (a release – hope it goes well), so Mike and Toby can have quality bonding time.   Which, funnily enough, always seems to involve McDonalds.   What a funny pair.

 

Ok.   Time to get stuck in.   Have a marvellous day.

The month is flying past.   I can ’t keep up with the changing months at this rate.   We had a wonderful weekend but saw nothing of skiing.   We went up Saturday morning and saw a huge difference in the last two weeks.   Happy Valley is closed and the snow is brown and huge areas of bare rock now show through.   The worst part was the rain on us.   So, we decided on lounging in hot pools instead.   The rest of the weekend showed no improvement in the weather.   We made up for it with lots of sleep!

 

Taihape was a happening place.   It was Gumboot Throwing weekend (we missed that but Toby practised in the arena a lot) and a school reunion.   But the Abba Motor Camp was as peaceful (read: empty) as ever.   I calculated they would have been lucky to make $700 over the weekend.   And that is the single biggest weekend of the year in Taihape.   Nothing much happens at Abba motor camp.

 

We might get another weekend in at Turoa before it shuts – if we ’re lucky.

 

Looking forward to the short week!

 

And I have bought a gooseberry bush.   Found one at a garden place near Taihape.   I hope it survives.   I got lots of gardening in yesterday after we got home.   Dad got away ok to Sydney so we ’ll make trips to their place to keep an eye on it.