The Tuesday with Cubs

Hi,

Wednesday morning has dawned with the most glorious day.  One of those days that happen every now and then in Wellington that makes you glad you live here.  Blue skies, no wind.

Last night we made Styrofoam snowmen Christmas decorations.  The Cubs finished them earlier than anticipated but they loved playing outside in the good weather afterwards anyway.  Next week is the last one for the year and I have convinced Mike he needs to be here for it.

Tonight is karate night - it went well last week so I am hopeful this week will be good too.

Bought Mike his Christmas present yesterday.  I have started Christmas shopping.  Bit of a way to go.

Have a great day!
Love,
Angela

The Monday with dinner out

Hi,

Benjamin collected Toby (ta Vivienne) from Skids and looked after him for the evening while I caught up with friends.  We went to La Boca Loca in Miramar and it was a great Mexican restaurant.  I had Burrito de Rez and it was scrumptious.  The black bean and corn dip with the home-made corn chips was great.

We also wandered up to look at the Roxy cinema.  What a great place for a date.  Nice atmosphere.  Must book it in for a night out.  Benjamin!  I need you again.

Tonight is Cubs night and Mike is running the activity.  Hmmmm.  I am running the activity.  Heheheheh.  I hope it isn't too chaotic.

Have a great day!
Love,
Angela

The weekend with Mike here and not a lot on

Hi,

Mike arrived late Thursday (or early Friday - heheheheh) and had the day at work in Wellington.  We all had dental appointments on Friday afternoon (no bothers anywhere, but followups this Friday coming for cleaning and other things).

Friday evening couldn't come fast enough and we had a great night at Vivienne and John's place.  Saturday morning we went swimming (well, we watched Toby swimming).  Home via the polling booths for some tasks and then off to an election party at Jack's house (Jack is Toby's best friend).  The National government got back in easily as expected.

Sunday morning dawned with no discernible difference after the election.  Life goes on.  We got ready for family lunch at Sally and Andrew's place.  It was good to catch up with people.  Andrew got back from the Round Taupo race.  He's amazing!

Mike has left for Sydney already - on the early flight this morning.  The wind is fierce today!  Wow!  We see Mike again on Thursday.  But he is here for quite a few days this time.

I'm off to dinner tonight with some friends and Benjamin will babysit Toby.  I hope they have fun.

Have a great week.

The Thursday with Mike's return

Hi,

Mike arrived back in Wellington last night.  Yay!  And the night sky was so clear - Jupiter was shining brightly high above as I let Mike in.

Last night Toby and I had dinner with John and Christine and then wandered down to the Plunket Park for a play.  Toby and I went home (I did ask Toby if he wanted to continue the drive in the wee green car with the roof down and the sun shining - but he said no).

Tonight we're at Vivienne and John's place for dinner.  The weekend is relaxed - swimming tomorrow, voting in the election, an election night party at John and Mai's place and lunch on Sunday.

Have a marvellous weekend!
Love,
Angela

The Wednesday with karate

Hi,

Thursday morning has dawned in-between the galeforce days.  It looks quite nice out there - the rain has stopped and the wind has died away.  Great!  Especially after my ride home last night where I got pretty scared.  The wind blew me off course on Molesworth St outside Josh's work.  Fortunately it blew me into the gutter.  So I stopped and gathered myself and then rode off into the gale once more.  I knew riding up our hill would be fine as it is always sheltered.  But even so, I was shaking when I got to Toby's school.  I think I might take the bus next time galeforce winds are howling around.

Karate was good fun.  I sat and caught up with Christine for a while (and we have tea at their house this evening) and then read while Toby attended his lesson.  Then home to eat (he ate like a horse) and to bed.

Toby had a speech yesterday at school and by all accounts it went ok.

Have a marvellous day!
Love,
Angela

The Tuesday with Cubs

Hi,

What a lovely day it was on Tuesday.  Hard to believe as I type this on Wednesday morning, looking out at grey skies and galeforce winds - again.  But perfect timing for the good weather because we had a night on our bikes for Cubs last night.  We met at Karori Park and had a lot of fun riding around, finding different stations and doing clues and activities at each one.  Apparently like The Amazing Race (which I think I saw one episode once at Karen and Scott's house many years ago).

I was at Station 1 and spent a lot of time waiting and enjoying the sunshine.  Once the sun dropped behind the hills and it got cold, I was wishing it was over.  Brrrr.

Good fun!  Had a good sleep afterwards.  Toby rode his bike well and it tuckered him out I think.

Have a great day!  If you're in Wellington, hold on to something!  Heheheheh - must be dog night, eh Vivienne?

Love,
Angela

The Monday with no Mike

Hi,

Mike was up and on a flight to Sydney before Toby and I were awake.  Chatting to him last night with Face Time showed how tiring that early flight is before a hard day at work.  Mike was shattered.  Hope he slept well last night.

I rode my new bike in and home yesterday.  In the rain and gale force winds.  The extra gears (my old bike had 21 gears I think and the new one has 27) were amazing riding back up the hill.  The granny gear felt like I could climb a wall!  The riding position is quite different and I am still getting used to it.  From knowing exactly what gear I needed at every moment on my commute, I now am playing a guessing game.  Fun!

Pushing my bike to school with Toby, Toby declared my new bike "our bike".  It suits him very well.  I just have to take the seat down a bit and he can ride it.  My son is really getting quite tall (compared to me).

Monday night Toby and I relaxed.  Toby practised his speech (it is due this Wednesday) while I cooked dinner and we were in bed early.  So early I woke at 5.15am this morning quite refreshed!  Heheheheh.

Cubs tonight - and it is a bike riding night.  Should be a good night.

Have a wonderful day.
Love,
Angela

The weekend with Mike and nothing else on

Hi,

What a fantastic weekend!  Toby had his first school dance on Friday evening and I went to Vivienne and John's with Sally for takeaway.  7pm Vivienne took me back to collect Toby from school and it turned out my sneaky son had gone home with a friend.  Fortunately I guessed correctly and found him.  And subsequently left him there for dinner.

Oh well.  We had lovely Indian takeaway with Vivienne, John, Benjamin, Sally, Andrew and Mike's parents.  Oh, and Ramble!  Perhaps if I'd reminded Toby that Ramble was there, I might have lured him successfully.  When I did get Toby and we were back to take Sally and Andrew home, Toby was treated to Ramble tricks and I think Toby is quite taken with Ramble.

Home to bed after dropping Sally and Andrew home and after a few hours sleep, Mike got home!  Yay!.  He was up early to meet his parents at the ferry terminal as they were leaving.  Then he got us Maccas for brekkie and then we were off swimming.  Toby did well swimming I thought.

Then into town with Andrew for lunch with the Tabors.  This was to celebrate thanksgiving.  Well, I am very thankful that wee Toby met Duncan and Emerson in their first class at Wadestown.  Heheheh.  We ate lunch at Macs Brewery.

Then bike shopping for me.  Eventually I found the bike I wanted and now I am the proud owner of a GT Avalanche 2.  We dropped Toby off at a sleepover at Alex's house (ta Yingjie) and then took Andrew's bike into the workshop at Karori as it was making graunching noises in the bottom bracket.

We went out for dinner with Sally and Andrew to Cobar in Eastbourne and sat outside watching the sun set over a brilliant Wellington.  Gorgeous.

Mike and I had a lovely Saturday night together without wee Toby.  Good catch up time.

Sunday Toby arrived and we pottered around before lunch at Tawa.  Mike caught up with people there.  Then home to sort out stuff before Mike caught up with Vivienne.  Shopping.  Packing for the week back in Sydney for Mike.

All in all a great weekend.  Back to routine today.  The weather is awful.  Yuck.  Going to be a yucky first ride down the hill on my new bike.

Have a fabulous week.
Love,
Angela

The Thursday with lovely weather

Hi,

Although the forecast indicates this lovely weather is going to end, this morning is gorgeous.  I wish all Fridays were this lovely.  And yesterday was beautiful.

I took the bus in for the first time in ages.  Timetable unchanged.  Yay!

I met Aidan for a cup of tea before her meeting and enjoyed a good catch up.

Catching the bus home yesterday was painless, but I refuse to believe public transport has improved and look forward to buying a new bike this weekend.

Once home, I changed into shorts - it was that warm!  I did some housework (to clear my weekend for quality Mike time) and wee Tom came to stay for a few hours while his parents rushed around with social tasks before a wedding this weekend.

Jupiter looked brilliant last night.  The clear skies and lack of a full moon showed how magnificent Jupiter is at the moment.

We're off to Vivienne and John's place for takeaways tonight I believe!  Yay!  No cooking.

Swimming tomorrow.  And a thanksgiving lunch with the Tabors.  Sunday is free, free, free!

Love,
Angela

The Wednesday with karate and Scots College

Hi,

Toby had a great day at Scots College.  There were three boys in his class for the day so some success fro Scots I feel.  Jack looked after him well.

Eventually Toby got to karate and that is where I met him just before 6pm.  Took ages getting there - much faster on my bike!  If I had one.

Today is a bus day for the first time in absolute ages!  Hope the timetable hasn't changed.

Have a great day!
Love,
Angela

The Tuesday with Cubs

Hi,

Monday night Toby and I were fast asleep by about 8.30pm - jet lag obviously.  Tuesday night was Cubs night and I had the coming in activity.  We played outside as it was quite nice, if windy.  The main activity was bush survival and how to make a fire.  The sixes all made fires outside.  They loved it.

On the way home yesterday my bike broke.  Properly.  Pieces came off and everything.  I think a new bike is required.  Mike says we can rebuild it, but I am not convinced.  Looks terminal to me.  On the way home from Cubs Toby and I drove to where my bike broke and I found some pieces on the road.  Mike says I haven't found it all though.  Oh well.

Today Toby is off to Scots College with his friend Jack for the day.  It is "take a friend to Scots College" day.  I hope he has fun!

Karate tonight.  And I drove in so I can get there ok.

Phew!

Have a great day!
Love,
Angela

The weekend in Sydney

Hi,

What a wonderful weekend - packed quite a bit in.  Friday morning at 3.45am, Toby and I caught a taxi to the airport.  We were so excited and soon found ourselves landing at Sydney around 7.45am local time.  As we passed through customs and came out onto the concourse at arrivals, I spotted Mike waiting for us.  That was a huge surprise and I admit to crying a bit at seeing him.  Heheheheh.

Mike took us onto the train and to the platform at Central to switch to the Blacktown train.  He left us at Central once we got on the train and went to work for the day.  My sister Karen met us at the other end in Blacktown and we went to her house to relax before going to Barnier School.

Tyler and Abby were in a talent quest at school over their lunch break and we were in for a treat.  Saw them doing a dance routine together to a Dinosaur Stomp song.  Great fun!  Judes made their costumes and they looked fantastic.

Home for a bit and then off to Little As to watch Tyler and Abby hurdling, high jumping and shotputting.  Mike joined us after work there and we all went home.  This is where I hit the wall and was asleep by 9pm local time.

Saturday we went out to Castle Towers shopping mall for a photo with Santa (a tradition now if we're in Sydney near Christmas) and Yum Cha.  Choice!  Karen had to go to decorate the school hall for the trivia night.  The rest of us went to a movie.  I took the kids to see Santa's Apprentice and Mike and Scott saw Anonymous.

Home to get ready for the trivia night.  15 tables of about 10 or so people and we won!  Yay!  It was a great night.  Our table won a lot of prizes.  Karen did well - the event was great.  Loads of people came around afterwards to continue celebrating and I went to sleep after taking Noush home.  The party noise certainly did not keep me awake.

Sunday I slept in.  Heheheheh.  Then we went to a park to take Tyler's training wheels off.  She had a bit of a shaky start but she kept at it and now she can officially ride a bike!  I was pleased to have been there to see it for myself.

Scott then drove us to the airport and Toby and I were asleep in our own bed by midnight.

What a great time.  We see Mike on Friday!  Can't come soon enough.

Love,
Angela

The Wednesday with no karate

Hi,

Toby and I stayed at home last night to work on Toby's speech for school.  It is due next week I think and he has a good two minute speech on Greek Mythology sorted.  Good on him.  Now we just need to practice every night.

Toby and I head to Sydney this weekend to see Mike there.  Well, all the Kittos too.  Heheheheh.  I think it'll feel different to the weather here for sure.  We have a strong southerly this morning and the roads are wet from overnight rain.  So long as it stays dry until I get into work I am happy.

Ok.  Time to get sorted at home.  Already got the washing under control - an important issue when you're facing a long weekend away.

Have a great day.
Love,
Angela

The Tuesday with Cubs

Hi,

The new Cub leader is fantastic!  He ran the activity last night and the Cubs all made baking soda rockets followed by match-head rockets in tinfoil.  Lots of explosions and matches - everyone loved it.  And Simon (new leader) did two "adult" rockets at the end.  The one with meths inside it was way cool!

Home to collapse into bed!

Toby has a speech coming up at school soon and seems to be a bit concerned about it.  So we're doing a lot of work on it this evening.

Have a great day!
Love,
Angela

The weekend of awesomeness

Hi,

Bit busy so I'll have to fill you in later.  Mike flew back to Sydney this morning and Toby and I join him on Friday for the weekend!  Yay!

Might blog about the weekend tonight.
Have a great week.
Love,
Angela

Paua Hut for Guy Fawkes in 36 lines

What happens if you take a whole lot of comments from everyone on the trip and just mash them together?

Mike, Angela, Toby, Beth, Taylor, Carly, Christian, Constanze, Gustav, Moritz, Rowena, Erika, Mary, Rex, Tim, Max, Richard, Hamish, Nick, Marg, Iona, Charlie

There were so many favourite parts

my kids really enjoyed the river crossing,

fireworks

having left over pudding for breakfast

Everyone gathered round the bonfire

roasting marshmallows and damper

Fireworks display and sparklers

Sleeping in the tent

my kids being exhausted enough to sleep in a tent!!

Jelly beans

The company

kids being busy mucking around

having a blast building dams

playing “families”

counting bridges

singing songs (badly and loudly)

The swing

The scenery and weather

Gustav’s admiration of Taylor (who was playing very hard to get!)

Carly (2.5 yrs) walking almost all the way in and all the way out and announcing to those behind her “follow me mateys” in her best pirate voice

The kids all taking turns in the buggy racing over the midway bridge (fun with baby buggies!)

Watching the boys make the dam in the river

Everyone helping each other out with carrying gear, pushing (and carrying!!) the buggy, carrying kids over water

weather forecast coming true

I can bring my  3 year old next time

The fire, dam building and fireworks. I am fairly sure even some kids enjoyed it (not just the dads)

Sleeping in til 7.30!

The dinner and dessert – there was plenty and it tasted mighty good.

That all the kids seemed happy to be around anyone – I saw little of Hamish when we were walking, he had a great time walking up ahead at his own pace.

We had a great time, thanks all for a neat weekend

It was a constant cute-fest with pirate-Carly demanding I'M THE MATEY

I'm still stunned that Beth made it both there and back, with that buggy and didn't once collapse with exhaustion.

It was the first time I've ever seen bread baked on the end of a stick and over a fire.

I realised the true and never-ending power of jellybeans.

I also realised how a simple  game of 'Hide the Hat' could keep kids enthused for quite some time.

Basically, the weather rocked, the company rocked and my back held its temper.

The Thursday with Mike back

Hi,

If you count the fact that he touched down in Wellington 30 minutes  before midnight, then he got back on Thursday!  Yay!  Toby and I are very happy to have him back.

We drove in this morning because I have a meeting until 5:30pm and Mike has a meeting until 6pm!  Too tight for riding.  So I'll rush home to collect Toby and head out to see if I can get him some tramping boots for the weekend.  He has grown out of his current ones and they were very good.  I need some too but we shall see.  My old ones will do fine for this tramp.

So no swimming for Toby this weekend.  We're off to Paua Hut tomorrow morning.  Should be fun!

Have a great weekend.
Love,
Angela

The Wednesday with karate

Hi,

Having lunch in the suntrap with Andrew and Rex was more like sheltering in a raintrap yesterday.  Sally fled at the first wind-blown raindrops, but the rest of us tried to ignore it for as long as possible.  But eventually we too had to scurry for shelter.  It never amounted to much though.

Karate was ok - but we only did half of it before leaving to get some dinner into us.

This morning the wind has dropped and the skies are clear.  Nice morning for a ride.  Mike comes home at midnight tonight.  Let's hope we recognise him!  Heheheheh.

Have a wonderful day!
Love,
Angela

The Tuesday with Cubs

Hi,

Tuesday was great fun.  If all Tuesdays went this well, it'd be marvellous.  I had lunch with Aidan and enjoyed chatting away about work (it's a shame for her -but she had lots of good advice for presenting to people so I took notes).

I went to the pub next door with Sophie and Matt (work colleagues) to watch the Melbourne Cup race.  Was my horse even in it?

The weather stayed dry (just - a few drops on my ride home) and Toby and I had a hearty dinner of toast before rushing off to Cubs.  We wandered around Karori Cemetery looking for things like the oldest person at death, the youngest person at death, the oldest date...  It was a lot of fun.  The rain stayed away.

Home to chat to Mike with Face Time (a bit quiet as we were almost asleep when he called).  And a good sleep.  Yay!

Rain this morning.  Can't see the tops of the hills.

Have a great day!
Love,
Angela

The Monday with Halloween

Hi,

This is quite odd for me but Halloween is something Toby looks forward to all year.  He plans a costume ages out and his trick or treat route with meticulous care.

Last night I rode home fast and furious (it was so warm) and wandered around the streets of Wadestown looking like a fright - without any costume!  I know this because later when we Face Timed Mike, he said my hair was scary!  Toby's costume held up well and Toby got lots of candy loot.  Wadestown kids do Halloween quite a lot!

Today is All Saints Day.  That is fortunate because we're off to Karori Cemetery tonight for Cubs!  Cool!

Have a great day!
Love,
Angela