Mike had another migraine last night after we went to the Tabor household to collect wee Toby. But he seems to have suffered no lasting ill effects from this one – probably because he was quick taking some medication. This is the third in two weeks though! Toby enjoyed the Tabor excursion – he hasn ’t been up there for a wee while. They have had visits from relatives and we ’ve been busy too.


So we took the bus this morning. My back was sore once more yesterday after the ride in. So a day off is probably a good thing.

I have planted half the plants I got from the Lewises for my birthday! Will do the others at the weekend. I hope they thrive!

Weekend plans? Swimming, Ron Bichan ’s lunch, rugby at the stadium – and that is just Saturday. Sunday Mike and I are off to Auckland at midday. I stay till Wednesday evening and Mike is back Thursday evening.

Not too shabby a morning – I heard the tuis chortling in the trees this morning. A lovely way to wake up. Mike and I rode in together and left Toby fast asleep. Grandy and Gramps will walk him into school. Aidan T will collect him at 1500 and take him home for dinner! We went out to Jessica ’s birthday party last night so wee Toby had a late night – especially for a school night.


My parents are going to borrow the car today and drive to their new place. I ’m not exactly sure what they are up to over there. Settlement is still Sept 5 th . We have left the car out and pointing down the hill, so no need for a hill start straight off for Dad!

Ok. Time to make a huge dent in my work!

We had a marvellous time up at Mt Ruapehu. We left at 1730 on Friday but everyone (mainly Toby) wanted Maccas at Paraparaumu so that added a bit of time to our journey up there. We arrived quite late (2230 was it?) and crashed into bed with good intentions of getting up at 6am. We finally left the accommodation at 9 or so and Mike, Toby and I had fun at Turoa. The few runs I managed to get in were wonderful. Toby played a lot in the learners area and used his toboggan quite a bit but the main event involved lots of snowball fights.


Sunday we all drove up to Turoa but the high winds had closed the field. So we drove the long way (oops – I cannot navigate around the central North Island – it just confuses me no end) to Tokaanu and soaked in a hot pool for a while.

Monday we all went to Whakapapa and we set Toby back by trying to make him ski down from halfway because we had no idea Happy Valley existed – perfectly set up for doting grandparents to watch their learner grandson and ensconce themselves in a café. Now we know that exists, Whakapapa is the ski area of choice. Toby had a lesson on Monday and another one on Tues. His Monday lesson was with 8 other 5 year olds but Tuesday saw him the only young one in the lesson. So he got a one hour one-on-one lesson and can now turn with some prompting (point your pizza where you want to go – and he turns!).

Mum and Dad found the accommodation lacking. There was a strange incident with the chilly bin (the staff emptied the fridge in one wing and thought we ’d left and consumed the contents of our chilly bin) and the sound proofing is not great. Mike, Toby and I slept like logs though. But that might have something to do with skiing all day! They were pleased to see what skiing is all about and I think their overriding sense was why do we bother. Mike gave me lessons on skiing on Monday as we spent most of the day skiing together and I had an absolute ball! Mike kicked up his skiing to another level with these carving skis and he looked great. Now I have even further to try and ski as well as him!

Mike also tried out his new snowboard he bought in Tahoe. He says he has some work to do to get it to work well (more training on the bike and loads more hours on the board). I can ’t wait to head back up. There is so much snow! Maybe another long weekend mid Sept?

Ok. Time to see what I ’ve missed in the last two day here at work.

Woo hoo! It is Friday and we ’re all very excited. We ’re off to Ruapehu for 4 days of skiing fun. The weather may not be playing nicely. It is supposed to snow each day. Tuesday is southerlies and gales. Nice. Still, we have our togs for the hot pools.


I have a life event that I have achieved as of yesterday afternoon. We now own a Thule roofbox for the car. Somehow, I almost feel life is complete. What other goals can I set now? They are all paling into insignificance. Heheheheheh.

I attended a rather late, and a little boring, Microsoft session last night. And when we got home (Mike collected me) we packed all our stuff and now it is in a pile by the door. We fell into a heap in bed.

We caught the bus this morning. We have to head home at 1600 and pack the car up and head off!

What an absolutely gorgeous morning. My parents have practically bought a house and I think settlement is Sept 5 th . I supervised (in a very loose sense as I did fall asleep before Benjamin) Benjamin last night while Vivienne and John went out to a movie John desperately tried to convince me to attend rather than him. I watched Olympic coverage from a warm couch and woke when Ramble went upstairs and Benjamin sneezed! Heheheheheh. Toby had Gramps on lunchtime duty yesterday and while Toby enjoyed the attention, I think Gramps is decidedly ambivalent about supervising a playground full of exuberant children.

So, I drove in today after dropping off Toby (hence the latish start to the day) because we may be buying a rooftop box for the car. We shall see. I was also going to bring in my snowboard for a tune and wax but Mike ’s assessment said it was fine.

Kara had some bad news last night – she is up at the mountain skiing. Her dog, Pitch, died at the kennels! She is very upset. We will see her at the weekend if she is still up there. It may be difficult to console her.

I have my cup of tea and about to start the day in earnest after winning the 5 minute quiz this morning!

What a beautiful morning. Mike and I left at the same time this morning because Mike has an early morning meeting. My parents were left to do the Toby morning duty. I just rang them and everything is going well. It seems they may make an offer on a townhouse some time today. We shall see what happens.


Tonight one of us (probably me) will go and supervise Benjamin and Ramble while John and Vivienne paint the town red (John has a work function on) so I am looking forward to that. I ’m not sure of the time I am expected there yet, but if it isn ’t too late, maybe Benjamin can take Ramble out for a short walk while I tag along. Or too cold. Or too wet. I can think up loads of excuses. ;-)

I must order some groceries for the weekend too. How exciting. We ’re off for 4 days of skiing fun!

Better get stuck in.

Well, it has been a week of bus riding now – I think I am officially soft. But the weather doesn ’t look very nice out there despite the dry roads. The wind is cold and although the sun is shining, there is little warmth in it.


Mum and Dad are off to view another house today in the same complex as the one they currently like – in Ngaio.

Toby went to sleep last night like he was in a coma. Not a peep out of him. I left the boys upstairs and getting ready. I think Mike will walk or drive Toby to school and let his teacher know we ’re away Mon and Tues next week.

Ok. Time for a tea.

We had a wonderful weekend – we seemed to get loads done and the All Blacks won. Saturday we went out to swimming with Toby. The weather was a little chilly but Toby swam well. Then we bought a few things on the way home. Mike got stuck into some DIY (he took down the wall in the green room ’s closet and will batt and re-gib it this week during the evenings).


Sunday was absolutely wonderful. I was out early in my shorts and t-shirt doing some gardening. Vivienne, John and Benjamin brought Ramble around with my birthday plants and Vivienne had a quick look at the renovations going on downstairs. I ran out of time to put the new plants in as we rushed off to look at Open Homes. Mum and Dad have found something very nice in Ngaio and after some consideration I think they should probably put an offer in for it.

In the afternoon I went for a bike ride with Toby (he was on his tag along) and we had a ball. He pedalled really hard so we could get up the hill (and we did!). I must do that more often. I have suggested to Mum and Dad that they leave their bikes out in Woburn somewhere (if Sally and Andrew have the space) and we can all ride on the flat together. I think Mum would be a menace anywhere on a road. Actually, she may be a menace on the bike path too. J Toby needs to learn how to ride a bike without the training wheels. It will be the goal for this summer.

Mike took a load to the tip on Sunday too. It was a very good exercise! We probably need to do it again soon.

We went out to Tawa for dinner last night and had a good chat to Helen and Ron. Our weekend was busy but I ’m sure I have forgotten all that happened.

What a fantastic set of storms last night. The thunder made the walls vibrate. And there was a huge thunderclap at some stage. The hills made the thunder echo for ages at one point too. It kept waking me up at various intervals. That and Mike ’s phone call at 9.40pm when I was in denial. I am also not sure if his phone died after 20 mins or so or if I fell asleep talking to him and he hung up. All I know is that around 10pm, I said something and there was no answer. I was very sleepy on the phone.


Toby slept well. He also suggested that he wanted Burger Wisconsin for dinner and that Mike and I could go to the Flying Burrito Bros (my suggestion). I might suss that out! Heheheheh.

Have a great weekend. We ’re doing some DIY for the last time (hopefully – lining the green room ’s wardrobe) and the carpet should get finished this afternoon. Normality might fall over the Gilbert household. Or not!

The release seemed to go well last night. I hope the users have no problems today. The weather has cleared up a bit too. We had periods of blue sky yesterday and it is almost totally blue out there this morning. Mike is off to Auckland – he should be touching down there about now. He ’ll be back tomorrow evening. My parents are dropping off and picking up Toby today. I ’m hoping to see them at lunch time today.

I ’m cooking butter chicken tonight. I ’m hoping Dad eats it as mild as Toby does (Dad isn ’t one for spicy food). It should be good.

I ’d better get stuck into work. However, there is no milk for a cup of tea. I feel very out-of-sorts.

Well, I had a half day off yesterday to collect my parents from the airport. I went home and got Toby from school then we went home and we got the TV room ready for guests. It looks pretty good I must say. I bought a curtain rail and I finally hung the cream curtain Mike ’s Mum made for it.


My parents were pleased to be finished their travelling – they were pretty tired. There was a massive hail storm at about 10pm last night (I went out to look and it was big chips of ice instead of the usual little balls) and it didn ’t rouse them from their room. I wonder if they were already asleep?

I have a release tonight so I ’ll be late home. I think Toby will get collected from After School Care by Mum and Dad at about 4pm.

Have a good day!

My weekend was a constant string of losing and forgetting things. But, for all that, it was a good weekend. Mike went to the local pub after work with colleagues and got home in fine form on Friday night. He found Toby and I snuggled up in bed watching some cartoons. I slept on the couch as when the boys fell asleep, I got up to go to the toilet and there was no space left in the bed. I wanted to wake at midnight for the opening ceremony of Beijing anyway, so I found some blankets and slept on the couch. However, I woke with a start at 3.55am. Oops. I went to wake Toby (he wanted to watch the games) and he said sleepily “No thank you Mummy. Tell me all about it later. ”. So I watched the last 40 mins or so.


Saturday morning I took Toby to swimming as Mike was a little tender after the slight excesses the night before. Toby did very well. He had a new instructor and despite the freezing conditions outside he happily splashed about in the pool.

Then we were back home for lunch at Tom ’s house. We watched the condensed version of the opening ceremony and enjoyed soup.

In-between social times we unpacked book boxes and filled up shelves in the TV room. Mike has everything necessary to attach the bookcases to the walls now so that might be tonight ’s job.

Sunday we went for morning tea to Sarah and Hamish ’s house and Toby played with Ryan. Then we went home and Mike and Toby made chocolate pudding while I unpacked more boxes. Then we hurtled off to Tawa for lunch for Anthony ’s birthday. During pudding Kara rang Mike ’s phone and caused major chaos as I remembered I was supposed to be at a concert with her in Wellington . Eeeeek. Mike and I hurtled out the door leaving Toby there, but then we abandoned the idea of me making the concert.

So, we had a leisurely end to the meal and we went home. Mike hired a trailer and we swapped our single bed for Hannah ’s double bed for Mum and Dad to use. My body is now officially broken from the estimated 500kg of book boxes I moved at the weekend. And then I had to take all the books out of the bookcases and get Mike to lift them while I put wedges under them to make them lean back into the wall. So, can I say I have moved a 1000kg of books this weekend? Well, that ’s how my body feels!

The ride in was lovely this morning. Clear skies, dry roads and double gloves! My fingers stayed warm despite the chill.

Ok. Time to get started.

I am wearing my black merino NZ Olympic supporter top right now. Come on NZ! I might even contemplate staying up past midnight to watch the opening ceremony for a while. What fun!

I enjoyed the play last night so if anyone has the chance to see Bombshells (a one woman show) then I ’d say head along. I laughed so much I was crying and had a sore tummy afterwards. It was the slide show that did me in (the slide of the mattress leaning against the wall set me off into giggle land!) in one of the skits. Kara and I also enjoyed dinner at Finc near the WCC building. It was very good and they do breakfasts that look superb. I will try to arrange a brunch there one Sunday soon!

I can ’t wait for the clock to get to the end of the day today. It ’s been a long week and I feel slightly manic at the thought of two days off. My work colleagues seem to be either keeping their distance or enjoying my company more than usual (and not just Mike for the latter option either!), depending on whether they think I ’m dangerous or crazy.

Time to get stuck in before lunch. I think I can get my latest screen change implemented in time!

We have started filling bookcases. It might take some time! The green room is still very full and it is difficult to get to the boxes still. We also need some washers so we can attach the webbing and secure the bookcases to the wall.


Toby is very good and sleeping well. He had a good morning playing on his DS and challenging his Dad. Mike made us pancakes for breakfast, so it was a great start to the morning.

Today is logistics day. We drove in because we have a 1630 – 1730 meeting and we need to get to Toby by 1800. So it seemed the easiest way. Mike will also use the car to drop Toby ’s passport application off at the UK Embassy. And I have a cultural evening planned with Kara going to a play. So, all good.

It is a lovely day here this morning. No wind and blue, blue skies!

We now have 4 empty bookcases crying out to be loaded with our lovely books. Mike wants to attach them to the wall so we may get around to doing that tonight. Then we can start to fill them. How exciting. Mike was asleep early last night – left over effects from his migraine I expect.


The ride in this morning was lovely. The sunrise was almost lurid in its colours. Reds, yellows, oranges and a bit of purple. The roads were dry and I rode like the wind (well, in my own head I did).

Toby has his new New Zealand passport. It just arrived on my desk! Very good news! We can actually leave the country with him at the moment once again. Roll on overseas holidays (more wishful thinking just a product of my own mind!).

Ok. Time to start the day. Weetbix was good, tea was even better. Now if I can get this new screen to behave itself we ’ll be right

Mike went home at lunch time yesterday with a beauty of a migraine. It ’s a shame for him. He slept in our darkened bedroom until I went to bed about 9pm. He said he felt a bit better by then, but he ’s still fragile this morning.


I built two bookcases after putting Toby to bed. We just need some webbing to bolt them all to the wall in the event of an earthquake and so they won ’t fall and squash someone sleeping under them. Eeeek! Then I can fill them up and get rid of loads of book boxes.

I can see a bit of blue sky out there. Not too bad at all.

What a splendid weekend – mainly because we had no DIY to do at all. I took Toby to his swimming lesson on Saturday morning (he played up a bit because he said the pool was too cold for him – maybe he needs some thermals on in the pool!) and we played with wee Tom in the park afterwards. It was great fun. Next week I need to remember the money for a hot chocolate! Oops. Toby and I got home at about 11.30am and we had lunch. Toby had a play date arranged with Jonathan so we dropped him off there. The carpet men came back on Saturday afternoon to finish the two bedrooms off (they were only there a short time) while Mike and I went out to look at sofa beds. I think we have found one we like so we ’d better order it. It takes 2 months as we want a colour other than their stock colour.


Toby came back home at about 4pm, and we got dinner ready and replaced most of Toby ’s furniture. The Tabors arrived at 6pm for dinner and the rugby. I ’m very glad it was a good performance from the All Blacks. Duncan and Emerson slept over (I think this might have been their first sleep over at anyone ’s place) and although they all ended up in the lounge watching the rugby with us, they did all fall asleep there. So, we turned off the TV and went to bed after their parents left.

Sunday was a better day. We got some blue sky for the first time in ages. People were going mad. The beach was packed (no one was swimming you understand – just enjoying the sunshine). We went round to Sally and Andrew ’s house for Bichan lunch which was a lot of fun! Toby was very happy to be there. After that, Mike, Toby and I went to the zoo. And we had a ball. After the shocking weather the animals were out and about soaking up the sun. We got close ups of the tigers, male lions (eating half a sheep each), zebras and various other beasts. Then the best bit was (well, after Toby met Evan from his class and played on the jeep) was when we got to the giraffe house. The keeper arrived and we were the only ones there watching the 3 giraffes eating some branches and leaves. So we got to feed them carrots, apples and pellets. It was great fun. They were so gentle taking the offered food. Their lips and tongues were very dextrous.

Back home and Mike and Toby headed off to McDonalds for dinner while I ate yummy leftovers from the rugby dinner. And I fished out all of the bookcase bits and we ’ve built one! Ta dah! Not a lot of bookcase building has gone on, but it has started! Tonight another one of two and maybe even some emptying of boxes! Very exciting!

Have a great week.