Hi,
I rode home (in the relative dryness - only the occasional big splodge of rain) and found out that Toby had wangled a sleepover on the school night with Alex! How weird was that? Barry had dropped off the bathroom stuff and Toby complained he couldn't sleep in his room because there was a bath in it! Hahahah.
Had a nice evening with Mike watching TV. And I didn't even fall asleep!
Shona and Sharon had their birthday at the weekend. Yay! Apparently I have very out-of-date cellphone numbers for them. Perhaps someone got a happy birthday text from me and are very perplexed now. I hear they had a good day.
And tomorrow is Karen's birthday! I hope she has a great day too!
Love you all.
I did neglect to mention a driver almost killing me (well, certainly running me off the road at 100 km/hr - might have resulted in death or maiming I guess!) on Friday night as I drove up to Ruapehu. I was driving behind a very good driver for a while when we got to a passing lane. He moved into the right hand lane without any traffic to overtake. I assumed he must be wanting to turn right shortly. So I stayed where I was and sure enough I slowly started to gain on him as he slowed down.
Out of my rear vision mirror I see an approaching car hurtling up behind me. They see me in the "slow" lane doing 100 km/hr and decide to overtake quickly before the end of the passing lane. They hurtle into the fast lane right behind the quickly decelerating driver. The decelerating driver indicates and brakes to turn right as I undertake him and the driver behind has nowhere to go when the driver in front of them slows and he hurtles into my lane. But I knew it would happen and I swerve onto the shoulder and instantly his car is right in my lane. If I hadn't swerved, we'd have been hit for sure. Dodgy driver. And guess what? At the end of the passing lane he turned left into a road. Fool!
Made my heart pound - a lot!
Cubs tonight. We're off to the botanic gardens for a glowworm walk. Hope the rain stays away for the evening.
Have a wonderful day!
Love,
Angela
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
Monday, July 30, 2012
The weekend with skiing
Hi,
Friday afternoon rush out of Wellington, but the traffic was surprisingly good all the way. We left at 1730 or so and made it to Bulls about 15 minutes ahead of Mike in the Corolla. I had Ilske in the MX5 with me. After eating kebabs (where I met NZTE folk up for a ski trip and then when they left they were replaced by the Karori Scout leaders - I felt like I knew everyone there) we continued up to Wakapapa.
Settled into the lodge and slept well. Toby in the bottom bunk and me and Mike in the top bunk. Heheheh.
Next morning we were up early. Got everyone tea in bed and then breakfast sorted. I then dropped Mike, Yingjie and Ilske off at the Mangatepopop road end for their winter crossing of Tongariro. It would have been just after 9am by then. They were kitted out with ice axes and crampons and I was to meet them at the other end at 5pm.
I went back to the lodge and hauled my skis up from the day parking to the lodge. Cajoled Toby and Alex into skiing and went to get kitted up. As we did so, Rex and his family returned saying the conditions were awful. This put Toby and Alex off.
So I went skiing by myself. And I had a pants time. The snow was awful and I had a terrifying ride on the Knoll Ridge t-bar. I ended up suspended in mid air from the t for about a 2m section of the lift. I was hanging on hoping it wouldn't take me much higher. But it put me off riding that lift again. And that was possibly the best part of the mountain,.
I went back to the lodge and read a book!
Sunday we tidied up and I went to the hot pools. I got a private pool to myself and soaked for a while. Great. Back for lunch to the lodge and then took Ilske, Yingjie, Alex and Toby home.
Great weekend. Hope it snows loads as it is pretty bad up there.
Love,
Angela
Friday afternoon rush out of Wellington, but the traffic was surprisingly good all the way. We left at 1730 or so and made it to Bulls about 15 minutes ahead of Mike in the Corolla. I had Ilske in the MX5 with me. After eating kebabs (where I met NZTE folk up for a ski trip and then when they left they were replaced by the Karori Scout leaders - I felt like I knew everyone there) we continued up to Wakapapa.
Settled into the lodge and slept well. Toby in the bottom bunk and me and Mike in the top bunk. Heheheh.
Next morning we were up early. Got everyone tea in bed and then breakfast sorted. I then dropped Mike, Yingjie and Ilske off at the Mangatepopop road end for their winter crossing of Tongariro. It would have been just after 9am by then. They were kitted out with ice axes and crampons and I was to meet them at the other end at 5pm.
I went back to the lodge and hauled my skis up from the day parking to the lodge. Cajoled Toby and Alex into skiing and went to get kitted up. As we did so, Rex and his family returned saying the conditions were awful. This put Toby and Alex off.
So I went skiing by myself. And I had a pants time. The snow was awful and I had a terrifying ride on the Knoll Ridge t-bar. I ended up suspended in mid air from the t for about a 2m section of the lift. I was hanging on hoping it wouldn't take me much higher. But it put me off riding that lift again. And that was possibly the best part of the mountain,.
I went back to the lodge and read a book!
Sunday we tidied up and I went to the hot pools. I got a private pool to myself and soaked for a while. Great. Back for lunch to the lodge and then took Ilske, Yingjie, Alex and Toby home.
Great weekend. Hope it snows loads as it is pretty bad up there.
Love,
Angela
Saturday, July 28, 2012
Naturists on Tongariro
Tongariro Crossing, 28 July
Punters: Mike Gilbert, Yingjie Zhang, Ilske Verberg
At home with flu: Josh "It'll always be there, I'll do it later" Tabor
Note to the Committee
I feel I must notify you of a conflict of interest I have, as myself and others have formed a new club that inevitably will compete with the WTMC. A group of us have had a flash of insight that there is a totally unserviced need in the tramping community, and that is how the Wellington Alpine Naturists Group was born. This seemed like a great idea at about 10pm at a beer tasting event, and in rapid order we had many founding members and a full WANG committee was formed.
I must further inform you of our inaugural trip, which was a great success, although it did not strictly achieve our founding aims since everybody seemed to stay very thoroughly dressed.
We started by surreptitiously tagging along with a WTMC group - one of the three family trips to Ruapehu Lodge that are running this year. Saturday morning we left a happy, bubbling Lodge full of children getting ready to sled, ski and board, and drove off down from Whakapapa.
We called in at the DOC office to find out that while last week there was snow all the way to the bottom of Tongariro, the torrential rains of the last week had washed most of it away. Ice in the craters but washed off the slopes seemed to be the recurring theme. So we packed our crampons, tied on our ice axes, and set off from Mangetepopo.
I've only ever done the crossing with the masses in summer, so found Mangtepopo road end eerily empty. No full car park, nor steady shuttling of buses and large groups of tourists and walkers milling around. Just us and maybe 5 other people. Strangely, we all started with many layers of clothing, somewhat counter to our Naturist ideals. Perhaps the biting wind and cool temperature had something to do with this. We started off on the gentle walk through the Mangetepopo valley with ice all around. Beautiful ice crystal formations grew out of the dirt like jewelled spines. The grasses were covered in delicate ice casing. A stream running beside the track formed sculpted shapes where the water splashed and trickled over rocks and down gullies.
At soda springs the grunt up the hill began. We still had seen little or no sign of snow - only the chill in the gentle breeze told us it wasn't a pleasant summer's day. But when we topped out in the first crater, the white stuff made its presence known in the form of quite patchy snow and ice. As the DOC office lady had predicted, the rain had washed snow into the crater and frozen. I untied my ice axe, more in hope than necessity, but although things were a little slippery in places there was no thought of strapping on crampons.
In very little time we'd climbed the spur to the top crater. The wind was fresh and chilling but the tops were sunny and quite pleasant. We crossed and picked our way down the other side through the steep scoria. No snow, no ice, nothing but loose, sliding rubble. We slowly and carefully descended to the emerald lakes. Emerald in summer, icy white in winter!
We lunched here in the shelter of a rocky outcrop, absorbing the sun like lizards. A couple of us gingerly made our way onto the lake and tapped at the surface with ice axes. The lakes seemed very solid - but we didn't push our luck.
We carried on through red crater, the third of the four big craters. This was the snowiest part of the journey, with good cover over the entire floor and a slushy, icy exit to Blue Lake. Blue Lake was truly spectacular as a large white expanse of ice.
We sidled around the edge of the lake and began our descent, to spectacular views of Lake Rotoaira with Taupo in the background.
All too soon we left the snow behind, and ice and rock gave way to mud and gravel. The track to Ketatahi Hut was showing a lot of damage with washouts and great pieces of wooden edge pulled loose and fallen down the hill. I always find the descent to Ketatahi Hut interminably long and today was no exception - the track wound back and forth and the hut grew closer in agonisingly small increments. But soon enough we were chomping on afternoon tea on the porch.
I'm happy I've done Tongariro Crossing in the winter. In the event it was pretty well like a summer crossing - we didn't need to utilise our snowcraft skills at all. But it was superb to experience the crossing like it must have been before the rest of the world discovered it - peaceful, tranquil and deserted. Tongariro feels like an otherworldly place so much more when it's not scattered with other walkers.
Of course, 10 days later Tongariro did its thing. Returning two weekends later for a Whakapapa Ski weekend (and the second Family Trampers weekend) the sour smell of sulphur was in the air and clouds hung dark and foreboding over Tongariro and Ngaruhoe. It's quite special to think that we were one of the last people to cross Tongariro for probably quite some time.
If you have done the snowcraft course and know what to do with crampons and ice axe, The Crossing in Winter is definitely a trip to do. You're still on a well formed track so even with more snow and ice, it should be pretty good going, the scoria descent possibly the only tricky bit. Definitely a good side trip if you are on the mountain but want a break from Whakapapa.
And the future of WANG? Well, it has its detractors, with their "hypothermia waiting to happen" this and "sunburn in terribly sensitive places" that. Any innovation always has haters. So if you have been seeking clothes-optional trips above the snowline, you now need look no further...
Photos:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/girl_geek/sets/72157630834565798/
https://picasaweb.google.com/108814469832492095035/Snow2012?authkey=Gv1sRgCJbegK6AoYXUowE
Punters: Mike Gilbert, Yingjie Zhang, Ilske Verberg
At home with flu: Josh "It'll always be there, I'll do it later" Tabor
Note to the Committee
I feel I must notify you of a conflict of interest I have, as myself and others have formed a new club that inevitably will compete with the WTMC. A group of us have had a flash of insight that there is a totally unserviced need in the tramping community, and that is how the Wellington Alpine Naturists Group was born. This seemed like a great idea at about 10pm at a beer tasting event, and in rapid order we had many founding members and a full WANG committee was formed.
I must further inform you of our inaugural trip, which was a great success, although it did not strictly achieve our founding aims since everybody seemed to stay very thoroughly dressed.
We started by surreptitiously tagging along with a WTMC group - one of the three family trips to Ruapehu Lodge that are running this year. Saturday morning we left a happy, bubbling Lodge full of children getting ready to sled, ski and board, and drove off down from Whakapapa.
We called in at the DOC office to find out that while last week there was snow all the way to the bottom of Tongariro, the torrential rains of the last week had washed most of it away. Ice in the craters but washed off the slopes seemed to be the recurring theme. So we packed our crampons, tied on our ice axes, and set off from Mangetepopo.
I've only ever done the crossing with the masses in summer, so found Mangtepopo road end eerily empty. No full car park, nor steady shuttling of buses and large groups of tourists and walkers milling around. Just us and maybe 5 other people. Strangely, we all started with many layers of clothing, somewhat counter to our Naturist ideals. Perhaps the biting wind and cool temperature had something to do with this. We started off on the gentle walk through the Mangetepopo valley with ice all around. Beautiful ice crystal formations grew out of the dirt like jewelled spines. The grasses were covered in delicate ice casing. A stream running beside the track formed sculpted shapes where the water splashed and trickled over rocks and down gullies.
At soda springs the grunt up the hill began. We still had seen little or no sign of snow - only the chill in the gentle breeze told us it wasn't a pleasant summer's day. But when we topped out in the first crater, the white stuff made its presence known in the form of quite patchy snow and ice. As the DOC office lady had predicted, the rain had washed snow into the crater and frozen. I untied my ice axe, more in hope than necessity, but although things were a little slippery in places there was no thought of strapping on crampons.
In very little time we'd climbed the spur to the top crater. The wind was fresh and chilling but the tops were sunny and quite pleasant. We crossed and picked our way down the other side through the steep scoria. No snow, no ice, nothing but loose, sliding rubble. We slowly and carefully descended to the emerald lakes. Emerald in summer, icy white in winter!
We lunched here in the shelter of a rocky outcrop, absorbing the sun like lizards. A couple of us gingerly made our way onto the lake and tapped at the surface with ice axes. The lakes seemed very solid - but we didn't push our luck.
We carried on through red crater, the third of the four big craters. This was the snowiest part of the journey, with good cover over the entire floor and a slushy, icy exit to Blue Lake. Blue Lake was truly spectacular as a large white expanse of ice.
We sidled around the edge of the lake and began our descent, to spectacular views of Lake Rotoaira with Taupo in the background.
All too soon we left the snow behind, and ice and rock gave way to mud and gravel. The track to Ketatahi Hut was showing a lot of damage with washouts and great pieces of wooden edge pulled loose and fallen down the hill. I always find the descent to Ketatahi Hut interminably long and today was no exception - the track wound back and forth and the hut grew closer in agonisingly small increments. But soon enough we were chomping on afternoon tea on the porch.
The interminable track carried on from the hut to the beech forest, which is a pleasant finale to the day. Before long we were met by our driver with welcome cold drinks and were loaded into the car to return to the lodge, to hear excited stories about a great day in the snow.
I'm happy I've done Tongariro Crossing in the winter. In the event it was pretty well like a summer crossing - we didn't need to utilise our snowcraft skills at all. But it was superb to experience the crossing like it must have been before the rest of the world discovered it - peaceful, tranquil and deserted. Tongariro feels like an otherworldly place so much more when it's not scattered with other walkers.
Of course, 10 days later Tongariro did its thing. Returning two weekends later for a Whakapapa Ski weekend (and the second Family Trampers weekend) the sour smell of sulphur was in the air and clouds hung dark and foreboding over Tongariro and Ngaruhoe. It's quite special to think that we were one of the last people to cross Tongariro for probably quite some time.
If you have done the snowcraft course and know what to do with crampons and ice axe, The Crossing in Winter is definitely a trip to do. You're still on a well formed track so even with more snow and ice, it should be pretty good going, the scoria descent possibly the only tricky bit. Definitely a good side trip if you are on the mountain but want a break from Whakapapa.
And the future of WANG? Well, it has its detractors, with their "hypothermia waiting to happen" this and "sunburn in terribly sensitive places" that. Any innovation always has haters. So if you have been seeking clothes-optional trips above the snowline, you now need look no further...
Photos:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/girl_geek/sets/72157630834565798/
https://picasaweb.google.com/108814469832492095035/Snow2012?authkey=Gv1sRgCJbegK6AoYXUowE
Friday, July 27, 2012
The Thursday with packing
Hi,
What a gorgeous morning in Wellington - the sort to make you all want to live here. We've packed and we're off skiing for the weekend. Mike is walking the Tongariro Alpine crossing.
Have a great weekend.
Love,
Angela
What a gorgeous morning in Wellington - the sort to make you all want to live here. We've packed and we're off skiing for the weekend. Mike is walking the Tongariro Alpine crossing.
Have a great weekend.
Love,
Angela
Thursday, July 26, 2012
The Wednesday with... nothing
Hi,
I rode home after a hard day and found that Toby said he wasn't going to karate anymore. Mike and Toby had discussed it previously and Toby was keen to continue if Jack started in his class. But Jack has apparently decided to quit karate altogether. So now our Wednesday are "nothing" as well. Really, this leaves us with me and Toby on Tuesdays with "something" and me with something on every month on a Thursday. I'll have no excuse for collapsing into bed when I have no running around to speak of.
Mike popped home after his busy day and took his mother home and then rushed to tramping club to pick up crampons for his walk this weekend. He is doing the Tongariro Crossing with Josh, Yingjie and Ilske. I am most likely taking two boys (Toby and Alex) to hot pools or something as the promised skiff of snow doesn't seem to have eventuated and they really need 3m of it. Not 10cm.
Busy at another client today and tomorrow. Fingers crossed that goes well.
Have a great day!
Love,
Angela
I rode home after a hard day and found that Toby said he wasn't going to karate anymore. Mike and Toby had discussed it previously and Toby was keen to continue if Jack started in his class. But Jack has apparently decided to quit karate altogether. So now our Wednesday are "nothing" as well. Really, this leaves us with me and Toby on Tuesdays with "something" and me with something on every month on a Thursday. I'll have no excuse for collapsing into bed when I have no running around to speak of.
Mike popped home after his busy day and took his mother home and then rushed to tramping club to pick up crampons for his walk this weekend. He is doing the Tongariro Crossing with Josh, Yingjie and Ilske. I am most likely taking two boys (Toby and Alex) to hot pools or something as the promised skiff of snow doesn't seem to have eventuated and they really need 3m of it. Not 10cm.
Busy at another client today and tomorrow. Fingers crossed that goes well.
Have a great day!
Love,
Angela
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
The Tuesday with Cubs
Hi,
First day back at Cubs and I have to say, Baloo (other Cub leader) and I were a little over the boisterousness of 23 kids. But it was a good evening - after I got the speakers to work on our stereo and the Cubs could watch Man v Wild. They also loved trying to light a fire with the flint. No one got that to work - even the adults.
Today is very wet here - but I took the bus in. Work had lent us a projector for the Cubs evening so I had to bus home with it last night. Hence the bus in this morning. But I will ride home this evening after depositing the projector back at work.
Karate night tonight. And tramping club for Mike - he needs to get crampons for his winter crossing of Tongariro this weekend with Josh and Yingjie.
Have a wonderful day.
Love,
Angela
First day back at Cubs and I have to say, Baloo (other Cub leader) and I were a little over the boisterousness of 23 kids. But it was a good evening - after I got the speakers to work on our stereo and the Cubs could watch Man v Wild. They also loved trying to light a fire with the flint. No one got that to work - even the adults.
Today is very wet here - but I took the bus in. Work had lent us a projector for the Cubs evening so I had to bus home with it last night. Hence the bus in this morning. But I will ride home this evening after depositing the projector back at work.
Karate night tonight. And tramping club for Mike - he needs to get crampons for his winter crossing of Tongariro this weekend with Josh and Yingjie.
Have a wonderful day.
Love,
Angela
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
The Monday with nothing
Hi,
Mike and I rode home yesterday and relieved Kevin of his duties. I think the boys were happy to see him again after their three weeks hols. Toby is in a bit of trouble because he left his sports bag on the bus on the Friday of the last day of term and we only found out on Sunday night. He has no white shirt, no tie, no school shoes, no sports bag, no track pants. He is going to school half dressed! We have given him strict instructions to ask the bus driver and try and retrieve his gear.
Cubs night tonight. Should be fun! We're having a Bear Grylls night and I intend to get all the Cubs to try and use a flint to start a fire! That should be a huge success! Fire and Cubs. What more can they want?
The roads were damp coming in this morning but no rain at all. It was quite pleasant really.
Have a marvellous day!
Love,
Angela
Mike and I rode home yesterday and relieved Kevin of his duties. I think the boys were happy to see him again after their three weeks hols. Toby is in a bit of trouble because he left his sports bag on the bus on the Friday of the last day of term and we only found out on Sunday night. He has no white shirt, no tie, no school shoes, no sports bag, no track pants. He is going to school half dressed! We have given him strict instructions to ask the bus driver and try and retrieve his gear.
Cubs night tonight. Should be fun! We're having a Bear Grylls night and I intend to get all the Cubs to try and use a flint to start a fire! That should be a huge success! Fire and Cubs. What more can they want?
The roads were damp coming in this morning but no rain at all. It was quite pleasant really.
Have a marvellous day!
Love,
Angela
Monday, July 23, 2012
The weekend of amazingness
Hi,
Brrr - finally we have a day of rain and cooler temperatures. My bike gear is making pools of water beneath my desk (not really - but it is damp) and I am hoping the temperatures drop even further this week. Yes - we're going skiing this weekend and yes, there is no snow to speak of right now. So let it rain, let the temperatures plummet and can I ask for 3 m of snow between now and Saturday?
The weekend was incredible - but I feel positively exhausted. Hahahah. But in a good way. Friday night Alex stayed for a sleepover at short notice. Mike repaired the headlights on the Corolla like a pro! What an amazing man. He went to Toyota, bought the $200 part and fitted it there and then.
Saturday I got up early (ish) and went out to get stuff for dinner while Mike started with the kanga hammer on the new ensuite floor. Well, it will be an ensuite one day. I got back from shopping and starting cooking the dinner (slow cooker beef stew) and because Mike was being so noisy with the kanga hammer below my feet, I turned up the music quite loud.
Toby came up to inform me that Dad said I shouldn't do anymore washing (I was getting through the laundry) so I thought that was fine. I won't do anymore - this is the last one anyway. Hmmm. Next thing I know, Mike is thumping the ceiling (which is my floor) and I look down to see crumbs that are usually embedded between the floor boards jumping up and down like excited molecules. Oops. What is going on? Turn off the radio and hear muffled angry shouts. Run down and Mike yells "Turn off the washing machine!". He's put the kanga hammer through the waste pipe from the washing machine (and the shower we later discover). I race up and turn it off. The damage is minimal.
Anyhow, we get ready for a daywalk to Butterfly Creek. Mike pulls off his overalls and has tramping gear on. It's like a super hero transformation. We get to Kowhai St in Eastbourne a little late (10 mins - Mike needed food from the supermarket for lunch) and walk in. There are almost thirty of us! Wow. Chat to Aidan and Josh a bit. And when we get there (and I eat half of Aidan's sandwich) Aidan and I leave. We meet the rest of the punters on the return journey.
Back to the car and a quick detour to Sally and Andrew's place to get changed into something more respectable for the movies. Aidan got a quick tour of 40WLW and then we drove into town for the movie. We saw Snow White and the Huntsman (thanks to Karen for the freebie tickets) and it was a little ho hum for me. Highlight may have been the sushi before the movie (I was still hungry - the half sandwich not quite doing the trick).
Back home for dinner. That went well. Andrew arrived towards the end and the craft beer drinking really kicked in. Duncan and Emerson stayed over and Josh and Aidan left to save Lulu from eating her way through the cupboards.
Sunday morning the boys were up early. Groan. Got them pancakes and cereal and then I was away to do some bedding shopping (covers and new pillows to try and stop Mike's allergies) while Will also came over to play. After buying the pillows and covers I went to Sally and Andrew's house for lunch. Everyone turned up and it was a great time - as always. I did fall asleep briefly on the bench in the lounge listening to everyone's conversation. Heheheh.
Then off to Waikanae to drop the boys off. We got a scrumptious lasagna courtesy of Josh. Good chat. And oddly (for me) I got my toenails polished. Aidan decided my blackened toenails would benefit from some nail polish to hide the gangrenous (Mike's word) look fo them. Hahahah.
Back home and I seriously collapsed into bed.
Have a great week! Toby's first week back at school. He's not a happy bunny.
Love.
Angela
Brrr - finally we have a day of rain and cooler temperatures. My bike gear is making pools of water beneath my desk (not really - but it is damp) and I am hoping the temperatures drop even further this week. Yes - we're going skiing this weekend and yes, there is no snow to speak of right now. So let it rain, let the temperatures plummet and can I ask for 3 m of snow between now and Saturday?
The weekend was incredible - but I feel positively exhausted. Hahahah. But in a good way. Friday night Alex stayed for a sleepover at short notice. Mike repaired the headlights on the Corolla like a pro! What an amazing man. He went to Toyota, bought the $200 part and fitted it there and then.
Saturday I got up early (ish) and went out to get stuff for dinner while Mike started with the kanga hammer on the new ensuite floor. Well, it will be an ensuite one day. I got back from shopping and starting cooking the dinner (slow cooker beef stew) and because Mike was being so noisy with the kanga hammer below my feet, I turned up the music quite loud.
Toby came up to inform me that Dad said I shouldn't do anymore washing (I was getting through the laundry) so I thought that was fine. I won't do anymore - this is the last one anyway. Hmmm. Next thing I know, Mike is thumping the ceiling (which is my floor) and I look down to see crumbs that are usually embedded between the floor boards jumping up and down like excited molecules. Oops. What is going on? Turn off the radio and hear muffled angry shouts. Run down and Mike yells "Turn off the washing machine!". He's put the kanga hammer through the waste pipe from the washing machine (and the shower we later discover). I race up and turn it off. The damage is minimal.
Anyhow, we get ready for a daywalk to Butterfly Creek. Mike pulls off his overalls and has tramping gear on. It's like a super hero transformation. We get to Kowhai St in Eastbourne a little late (10 mins - Mike needed food from the supermarket for lunch) and walk in. There are almost thirty of us! Wow. Chat to Aidan and Josh a bit. And when we get there (and I eat half of Aidan's sandwich) Aidan and I leave. We meet the rest of the punters on the return journey.
Back to the car and a quick detour to Sally and Andrew's place to get changed into something more respectable for the movies. Aidan got a quick tour of 40WLW and then we drove into town for the movie. We saw Snow White and the Huntsman (thanks to Karen for the freebie tickets) and it was a little ho hum for me. Highlight may have been the sushi before the movie (I was still hungry - the half sandwich not quite doing the trick).
Back home for dinner. That went well. Andrew arrived towards the end and the craft beer drinking really kicked in. Duncan and Emerson stayed over and Josh and Aidan left to save Lulu from eating her way through the cupboards.
Sunday morning the boys were up early. Groan. Got them pancakes and cereal and then I was away to do some bedding shopping (covers and new pillows to try and stop Mike's allergies) while Will also came over to play. After buying the pillows and covers I went to Sally and Andrew's house for lunch. Everyone turned up and it was a great time - as always. I did fall asleep briefly on the bench in the lounge listening to everyone's conversation. Heheheh.
Then off to Waikanae to drop the boys off. We got a scrumptious lasagna courtesy of Josh. Good chat. And oddly (for me) I got my toenails polished. Aidan decided my blackened toenails would benefit from some nail polish to hide the gangrenous (Mike's word) look fo them. Hahahah.
Back home and I seriously collapsed into bed.
Have a great week! Toby's first week back at school. He's not a happy bunny.
Love.
Angela
Friday, July 20, 2012
The Thursday with nothing but should have been something
Hi,
Mike and I have a lot of homework to do - but we didn't do it last night. So now our Friday night is looking boring. I probably only have twenty minutes to finish off my Cubs homework, but I think Mike has a bit more work to do for tramping club and various other jobs.
Last night I rode home for the first time in ages - and got my brakes fixed on the way. Hooray! I think I have been missing my evening bike ride home because after cycling up the hill (the long way - from the bike shop up Sar St) I felt so relaxed once I got home. And then, wonderfully, my latest issue of Sky and Telescope was int he letterbox when I got home. Life was so sweet. It is slightly inexplicable to me how finding a magazine in the letterbox can perk me up that much. And now I can't wait to read in-depth about Saturn's magnificent storms... Ooooooo.
After a quick dinner, I drove Mike's mother home and then popped in to see Sally for a cup of tea. I have supplied her with her very own box of Rooibos tea and it is now a lovely routine. About 8pm I knock on her door. She now knows it isn't some Jehovah Witness come to chat for thirty minutes and lets me in. I have a Rooibos and we watch dodgy reality TV and I go home. Perfect. Hence the reason I have outstanding homework though. The choice isn't hard - Sally, or homework? Hahahahah. I choose Sally every time.
Mike and I were pretty tired - work is busy for both of us. So we were asleep pretty quick last night. Mike tried to fix our Corolla headlights. He dismantled the entire area behind the steering wheel. I was very impressed. After cleaning it, he put it back and found it was still broken. But he has kept it unencumbered and can now twitch the contacts that mean the lights can come on if you stick your wet finger in the right place and brace for a jolt. Just joking! But you do need to wiggle the contacts. Time for a new part or take it in to get sorted.
The weekend is looking great. Tabor visit if all goes to plan tomorrow. I need to buy new pillows, a dust mite cover for the mattress and duvet and see if I can stop Mike's vicious allergies flaring up like mad. Sort out dinner and go for a day walk. Marvellous. And a Sunday family lunch. Choice!
Have a great weekend.
Love,
Angela
Mike and I have a lot of homework to do - but we didn't do it last night. So now our Friday night is looking boring. I probably only have twenty minutes to finish off my Cubs homework, but I think Mike has a bit more work to do for tramping club and various other jobs.
Last night I rode home for the first time in ages - and got my brakes fixed on the way. Hooray! I think I have been missing my evening bike ride home because after cycling up the hill (the long way - from the bike shop up Sar St) I felt so relaxed once I got home. And then, wonderfully, my latest issue of Sky and Telescope was int he letterbox when I got home. Life was so sweet. It is slightly inexplicable to me how finding a magazine in the letterbox can perk me up that much. And now I can't wait to read in-depth about Saturn's magnificent storms... Ooooooo.
After a quick dinner, I drove Mike's mother home and then popped in to see Sally for a cup of tea. I have supplied her with her very own box of Rooibos tea and it is now a lovely routine. About 8pm I knock on her door. She now knows it isn't some Jehovah Witness come to chat for thirty minutes and lets me in. I have a Rooibos and we watch dodgy reality TV and I go home. Perfect. Hence the reason I have outstanding homework though. The choice isn't hard - Sally, or homework? Hahahahah. I choose Sally every time.
Mike and I were pretty tired - work is busy for both of us. So we were asleep pretty quick last night. Mike tried to fix our Corolla headlights. He dismantled the entire area behind the steering wheel. I was very impressed. After cleaning it, he put it back and found it was still broken. But he has kept it unencumbered and can now twitch the contacts that mean the lights can come on if you stick your wet finger in the right place and brace for a jolt. Just joking! But you do need to wiggle the contacts. Time for a new part or take it in to get sorted.
The weekend is looking great. Tabor visit if all goes to plan tomorrow. I need to buy new pillows, a dust mite cover for the mattress and duvet and see if I can stop Mike's vicious allergies flaring up like mad. Sort out dinner and go for a day walk. Marvellous. And a Sunday family lunch. Choice!
Have a great weekend.
Love,
Angela
Thursday, July 19, 2012
The Wednesday with nothing
Hi,
It is still school holidays for Toby so nothing on for Wednesday evening. I drove Mike's mother home and then popped in to see Sally for a cup of tea. Very pleasant way to end the evening. Drove home and Mike and I collapsed into bed.
Or should I say, I collapsed into bed. Mike apparently watched television until the wee hours. I had no idea. And he says it is my fault that he watches television for hours when I fall asleep on top of him. Something to to with being pinned to the bed and only being able to reach the television remote. Really? Hahahah. Sure, sure.
My ride in was exciting this morning - but for all the wrong reasons. Last time I rode it was weeks ago at the start of school holidays and it went into the bike shop for maintenance. This morning I came to my first steep downhill bit into a t-intersection and pulled on my front brake as per usual and nothing happened. Nope. Didn't stop until a frantic grab at the rear brake pulled me up. And there was traffic - that isn't normal either.
I rode in and I can hopefully stop by at the bike shop on the way home to see if they can sort it out.
Have a wonderful day!
Love,
Angela
It is still school holidays for Toby so nothing on for Wednesday evening. I drove Mike's mother home and then popped in to see Sally for a cup of tea. Very pleasant way to end the evening. Drove home and Mike and I collapsed into bed.
Or should I say, I collapsed into bed. Mike apparently watched television until the wee hours. I had no idea. And he says it is my fault that he watches television for hours when I fall asleep on top of him. Something to to with being pinned to the bed and only being able to reach the television remote. Really? Hahahah. Sure, sure.
My ride in was exciting this morning - but for all the wrong reasons. Last time I rode it was weeks ago at the start of school holidays and it went into the bike shop for maintenance. This morning I came to my first steep downhill bit into a t-intersection and pulled on my front brake as per usual and nothing happened. Nope. Didn't stop until a frantic grab at the rear brake pulled me up. And there was traffic - that isn't normal either.
I rode in and I can hopefully stop by at the bike shop on the way home to see if they can sort it out.
Have a wonderful day!
Love,
Angela
Wednesday, July 18, 2012
The Tuesday with Roz
Hi,
What a lovely evening spent in Roz's company. I picked up Mike on the way home as part of the execution of plan number 3 in the Gilbert list of plans (you should have seen other other 5 options - shudder) and collected his mother to take her home. This worked in well for me as I had a date with Roz in Petone for the evening.
Roz was down from Auckland and we had a catch up planned. I found her hotel eventually and decided to take her to Pauatahanui to Duck Creek restaurant. And I was in the wee green car so a nice drive over Haywards sounded good to me. But when we got there, it was shut. And looks quite shut - which would be a shame as when Sally, Andrew, Mike and I ate there it was rather nice.
What to do now? Palmerston North for dinner? Hahahah. I was enjoying the driving. But Roz squeaked a bit when I suggested that. So I drove back to Jackson St and we walked up the street looking for somewhere nice. Found an American restaurant called Uncle Mike's Kansas BBQ. Hahahah. How funny. I must take the Kittos there when they next come to Wellington.
Anyhow, it was yummy. Loads of meat on the menu - but what do you know? I ordered the vegetarian dish. Weird, I know. It was good. And Roz's burger looked good too. I had grilled mushrooms.
Anyhow, we chatted for ages and caught up with each other's news. I dropped Roz off and wandered home.
Another nice day this morning in Wellington. But it is hurting the skifields. Ruapehu is woeful.
Have a great day!
Love,
Angela
What a lovely evening spent in Roz's company. I picked up Mike on the way home as part of the execution of plan number 3 in the Gilbert list of plans (you should have seen other other 5 options - shudder) and collected his mother to take her home. This worked in well for me as I had a date with Roz in Petone for the evening.
Roz was down from Auckland and we had a catch up planned. I found her hotel eventually and decided to take her to Pauatahanui to Duck Creek restaurant. And I was in the wee green car so a nice drive over Haywards sounded good to me. But when we got there, it was shut. And looks quite shut - which would be a shame as when Sally, Andrew, Mike and I ate there it was rather nice.
What to do now? Palmerston North for dinner? Hahahah. I was enjoying the driving. But Roz squeaked a bit when I suggested that. So I drove back to Jackson St and we walked up the street looking for somewhere nice. Found an American restaurant called Uncle Mike's Kansas BBQ. Hahahah. How funny. I must take the Kittos there when they next come to Wellington.
Anyhow, it was yummy. Loads of meat on the menu - but what do you know? I ordered the vegetarian dish. Weird, I know. It was good. And Roz's burger looked good too. I had grilled mushrooms.
Another nice day this morning in Wellington. But it is hurting the skifields. Ruapehu is woeful.
Have a great day!
Love,
Angela
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
The Monday with not much
Hi,
Phew, it's hard getting back into normal routine after being away for a week. It was a long day. Toby is enjoying the 3D gaming course again this week.
Mike and I got home and ate Toby and Nana's leftover pizza and then Mike dropped his Mum off at home and did our grocery shopping.
I think I fell asleep reading in bed. At least that is what Mike tells me.
Have a great day. Off to see Roz tonight for dinner (she is down from Auckland). Yay!
Love,
Angela
Phew, it's hard getting back into normal routine after being away for a week. It was a long day. Toby is enjoying the 3D gaming course again this week.
Mike and I got home and ate Toby and Nana's leftover pizza and then Mike dropped his Mum off at home and did our grocery shopping.
I think I fell asleep reading in bed. At least that is what Mike tells me.
Have a great day. Off to see Roz tonight for dinner (she is down from Auckland). Yay!
Love,
Angela
Monday, July 16, 2012
The Monday back at work
Hi,
What a damp day here in Wellington! We have driven in to drop Toby off at his 3D gaming school holiday programme (he wanted to do it again). But it was so wet, I'd be hard pressed to ride my bike in this morning.
Our ski week was wonderful - such a lot of fun. I will write it all up at my leisure.
Hope you have all been well.
Love,
Angela
What a damp day here in Wellington! We have driven in to drop Toby off at his 3D gaming school holiday programme (he wanted to do it again). But it was so wet, I'd be hard pressed to ride my bike in this morning.
Our ski week was wonderful - such a lot of fun. I will write it all up at my leisure.
Hope you have all been well.
Love,
Angela
Friday, July 6, 2012
The Thursday evening with chaos
Hi,
I picked up the boys and Liz from her hotel (she is in Wellington for two days only - like a touring pop star or something, eh?) and we drove home to meet Barry (he's going to sort out our new bathroom) and make dinner. Sarah arrived unexpectedly to meet Liz and I ended up feeding them all for dinner. Lucky I made heaps.
After they all left Mike and I finished off a bit of the bathroom space. Mike demolished a wall and we are looking good for leaving it available for Barry to work on next week. Hooray!
Last blog for a bit as we're all off to Mt Hutt for our ski week next week. I can't wait. It has been snowing there all week. Yay!
Have a marvellous week.
Love,
Angela
I picked up the boys and Liz from her hotel (she is in Wellington for two days only - like a touring pop star or something, eh?) and we drove home to meet Barry (he's going to sort out our new bathroom) and make dinner. Sarah arrived unexpectedly to meet Liz and I ended up feeding them all for dinner. Lucky I made heaps.
After they all left Mike and I finished off a bit of the bathroom space. Mike demolished a wall and we are looking good for leaving it available for Barry to work on next week. Hooray!
Last blog for a bit as we're all off to Mt Hutt for our ski week next week. I can't wait. It has been snowing there all week. Yay!
Have a marvellous week.
Love,
Angela
Thursday, July 5, 2012
The Wednesday with nothing
Hi,
I collected the boys from their school holiday programme (they are still mad keen on it and were taken to Spiderman the movie yesterday and McDonalds for lunch - they may never want it to end) and went to the Oaks Satay Noodle cafe for some cheap and cheerful dinners. Saved cooking.
We went home and cleared out most of the ensuite area. Barry is coming tonight (Thurs) to look at the space and figure out exactly what we need to do. Should be fun!
Mike also wants to workshop space in the garage sorted out. Mike and Toby have some projects they want to do (birdbox, and a billy cart) so they want a space of their own. Good on them.
Have a great day!
Love,
Angela
I collected the boys from their school holiday programme (they are still mad keen on it and were taken to Spiderman the movie yesterday and McDonalds for lunch - they may never want it to end) and went to the Oaks Satay Noodle cafe for some cheap and cheerful dinners. Saved cooking.
We went home and cleared out most of the ensuite area. Barry is coming tonight (Thurs) to look at the space and figure out exactly what we need to do. Should be fun!
Mike also wants to workshop space in the garage sorted out. Mike and Toby have some projects they want to do (birdbox, and a billy cart) so they want a space of their own. Good on them.
Have a great day!
Love,
Angela
Wednesday, July 4, 2012
The Tuesday with nothing
Hi,
School holidays are great. You come home, you eat, you watch TV and you sleep. Great! Until 10.36pm when an earthquake wakes you all up again. Heheheh. A big one off the coast of Taranaki, but quite deep, fortunately. It woke Toby up too - so that shows how strong it was here.
My bike has been serviced and is a dream to ride. Better than it ever was. The iRide bike shop seems to be very good.
I will collect Toby from his school holiday programme and we'll eat in town tonight. Fun!
We need to go home after that and empty the ensuite area as work is scheduled to commence next week. Can't wait for that.
Have a great day!
Love,
Angela
School holidays are great. You come home, you eat, you watch TV and you sleep. Great! Until 10.36pm when an earthquake wakes you all up again. Heheheh. A big one off the coast of Taranaki, but quite deep, fortunately. It woke Toby up too - so that shows how strong it was here.
My bike has been serviced and is a dream to ride. Better than it ever was. The iRide bike shop seems to be very good.
I will collect Toby from his school holiday programme and we'll eat in town tonight. Fun!
We need to go home after that and empty the ensuite area as work is scheduled to commence next week. Can't wait for that.
Have a great day!
Love,
Angela
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
The Monday with Cubs planning
Hi,
I collected Toby and Alex from their 3D gaming school holiday programme and on the way home in the car Toby said "I can't wait until tomorrow when I go back to the course". I think that means it is entirely successful.
I went out to Cafe 162 in Karori for dinner and Cubs planning with Jo - the other leader. We finished in record time and had a lovely meal to boot. We think the two of us should plan every term near the start of school holidays and get it over with and ensure Jo gets a glass of wine along with it. It must ease the burden somehow.
Back home to help Mike empty the soon-to-be ensuite area as Barry is aiming to start work on it soon! Woo hoo!
Today I rode down into iRide and dropped my bike off for a service. I got a loan bike for the day and enjoyed riding that into work. It has a single gear and is very light. I'll leave work at 5pm to collect my bike and ride home via Sar Street!
Have a fantastic day!
Love,
Angela
I collected Toby and Alex from their 3D gaming school holiday programme and on the way home in the car Toby said "I can't wait until tomorrow when I go back to the course". I think that means it is entirely successful.
I went out to Cafe 162 in Karori for dinner and Cubs planning with Jo - the other leader. We finished in record time and had a lovely meal to boot. We think the two of us should plan every term near the start of school holidays and get it over with and ensure Jo gets a glass of wine along with it. It must ease the burden somehow.
Back home to help Mike empty the soon-to-be ensuite area as Barry is aiming to start work on it soon! Woo hoo!
Today I rode down into iRide and dropped my bike off for a service. I got a loan bike for the day and enjoyed riding that into work. It has a single gear and is very light. I'll leave work at 5pm to collect my bike and ride home via Sar Street!
Have a fantastic day!
Love,
Angela
Monday, July 2, 2012
The weekend that was wonderful
Hi,
What an incredible weekend - one of the best ever! Friday night I was so excited I could hardly sleep. Got up at 3am and showered and dressed in my ski gear. Went out to pick up Andrew at 4am and we were off to Turoa for the day. We made good time, only stopping to get petrol at Waiouru and take a photo of the Tabor poster there. I came out in silhouette - it was still quite early in the morning.
Then up the mountain for the start of the lifts. We did have a bit of a delay putting chains on the car. Whoops. I perhaps should have paid more attention whenever Mike did it. Andrew did well with his chain and mine was decidedly slack and clanked when Andrew drove the car 2m up the road. Andrew sorted it out and we were off.
The day was fantastic. Little wind and clear skies. They could do with more snow - a metre at Turoa. But more is better! We hardly stopped all day. A quick lunch break after everyone else came back onto the snow after their lunch. But that was it. My toes are pretty sore now though and I need to sort out my boots.
Back down the hill at 4pm with a staff member wanting a hitch down. Into the chocolate eclair shop for a decadent snack.
Then back down the highway towards Wellington. A quick cup of tea in Waikanae and then an exciting drive back to Upper Hutt via the Akatarawa back road. Awesome! Home by 10pm.
Toby had Will sleepover for the night so he was happy on Saturday. Mike got a lot of work done.
Sunday we were off to breakfast with Jacqui, fresh off the plane from Hawaii. We met at Joe's Garage and had a scrumptious breakfast. Then off to the supermarket to get berries and cream for dessert for lunch.
Lunch was at the William's house and we caught up with John Holloway from the UK in town for a few hours on his way back home. I hugged him when I saw him, and threw my arm around his neck. Not too easy as he is pretty tall. As I flung my arm around him, I knocked my sunglasses off my head. So I grabbed my sunglasses with my arm that I had flung around John, locking him in a fierce embrace that must have startled him quite a bit as I didn't let go until I had my sunglasses secured. Not so much a hug as a headlock, really. Hahahah.
We had a wonderful lunch thanks to Mike's culinary skills. Then chatted for a while before taking John to Sarah's birthday afternoon tea at Zealandia.
From there we dropped John off at the airport and went out to Sally and Andrew's place for tea. I ate so much and it was all so yummy! Caught up with loads of family. Watched Andrew open presents and went home exhausted and happy.
This morning we drove in as Toby has a school holiday programme at the Te Papa end of town. He is learning 3D gaming or something. We shall see. Complicated logistics mean my bike is due into R&R for a service.
What a weekend! Woo hoo!
Love,
Angela
What an incredible weekend - one of the best ever! Friday night I was so excited I could hardly sleep. Got up at 3am and showered and dressed in my ski gear. Went out to pick up Andrew at 4am and we were off to Turoa for the day. We made good time, only stopping to get petrol at Waiouru and take a photo of the Tabor poster there. I came out in silhouette - it was still quite early in the morning.
Then up the mountain for the start of the lifts. We did have a bit of a delay putting chains on the car. Whoops. I perhaps should have paid more attention whenever Mike did it. Andrew did well with his chain and mine was decidedly slack and clanked when Andrew drove the car 2m up the road. Andrew sorted it out and we were off.
The day was fantastic. Little wind and clear skies. They could do with more snow - a metre at Turoa. But more is better! We hardly stopped all day. A quick lunch break after everyone else came back onto the snow after their lunch. But that was it. My toes are pretty sore now though and I need to sort out my boots.
Back down the hill at 4pm with a staff member wanting a hitch down. Into the chocolate eclair shop for a decadent snack.
Then back down the highway towards Wellington. A quick cup of tea in Waikanae and then an exciting drive back to Upper Hutt via the Akatarawa back road. Awesome! Home by 10pm.
Toby had Will sleepover for the night so he was happy on Saturday. Mike got a lot of work done.
Sunday we were off to breakfast with Jacqui, fresh off the plane from Hawaii. We met at Joe's Garage and had a scrumptious breakfast. Then off to the supermarket to get berries and cream for dessert for lunch.
Lunch was at the William's house and we caught up with John Holloway from the UK in town for a few hours on his way back home. I hugged him when I saw him, and threw my arm around his neck. Not too easy as he is pretty tall. As I flung my arm around him, I knocked my sunglasses off my head. So I grabbed my sunglasses with my arm that I had flung around John, locking him in a fierce embrace that must have startled him quite a bit as I didn't let go until I had my sunglasses secured. Not so much a hug as a headlock, really. Hahahah.
We had a wonderful lunch thanks to Mike's culinary skills. Then chatted for a while before taking John to Sarah's birthday afternoon tea at Zealandia.
From there we dropped John off at the airport and went out to Sally and Andrew's place for tea. I ate so much and it was all so yummy! Caught up with loads of family. Watched Andrew open presents and went home exhausted and happy.
This morning we drove in as Toby has a school holiday programme at the Te Papa end of town. He is learning 3D gaming or something. We shall see. Complicated logistics mean my bike is due into R&R for a service.
What a weekend! Woo hoo!
Love,
Angela
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