Angela isn't here so I'm not going to use a 'The Thursday with...' sort of title

Angela's in shaky Christchurch today, running a client workshop.  Sounds like it's going really well.  They're busy booking her in for followup work already.  Good stuff!

Though Christchurch is getting steadily less shaky (RebuildChristchurch)

We had a fairly frenetic evening last night - Angela was running a Dynamics User Group evening meeting, and I was frantically trying to get an RFP response finished.  Gah.  Thanks to Benjamin who filled the breach with some wildcat babysitting with about 30 minutes notice, it all worked out.  We both finished our respective tasks around 7pm and Rex gave us both a ride home (starting with some impressive rally driving up the ramps of the underground car park in town).  Whew!

Today it's been an early start as Angela jumped in a taxi to the airport (but thankfully not quite as early a start as needed with the Sydney commute!) and then a day of last minute panicking with this RFP response.  It's all done and dusted now and a calm has settled.  Tonight all plans of going to Vivienne & John's for fish and chips have been abandoned, in favour of a quiet early night.  Angela's back at 8pm and then off again at 4am for a day at the snow.  Mad, I tell you, mad!

It's Toby's last day at school today, he's looking forward to the holidays.  Next week at home with his Nana, then computer classes the following week with both Nana and Grandy.  Great stuff!  He's looking forward to it.

The Wednesday with quiz night at work

Hi,

Mike had to go home early to chat to the plumber and settle Benjamin in for the evening with Toby.  Then he drove back into town for our work's quiz night.  If not for our first round failure of three out of ten (it was a hard geography round - the highest anyone got was four correct) we might have won.  We came third and only by about 4 points or so.  It was such a laugh.  Our team was by far the loudest table and I think it may have been in direct proportion to the amount of alcohol consumed by some members of our team.  But they were all very funny and jolly.  I had a lot of fun!

It made for a late night.  I hope Benjamin didn't mind too much.  Toby was still cheekily reading at 10.30pm!  Yet he was up bright and early this morning suffering no ill effects.  Unlike me and Mike.  The lack of sleep and my full admission this morning that I have a full blown cold means I am feeling a little bit under the weather.  Hahahah.

But the good news is:  my mother is coming to see us.  She arrives Oct 6th (at midnight) and departs Oct 21st.  So we have to all have family get-togethers and dinners so she can catch up with everyone.  I am very happy.  She hasn't been back here since they left in March last year.  Mind you, it's a shame the bathroom hasn't quite finished.  But because Aidan was in the spare room last weekend, that room is all ready to go.

And Andrew and I are heading to Turoa (at Mt Ruapehu) this Saturday for a day ski trip!  Woo hoo!  The conditions are looking great for Saturday up there.  I have another friend that lives not far from us in Wadestown to take along with us too.  It's going to be fun!

I am away tomorrow with work.  Down in Christchurch.  Back up in the evening.  I hope talking in an all day workshop goes okay with my cold.

Have a marvellous day!
Love,
Angela

The Tuesday with the book launch

Hi,

Mike and I took the bus home so we were still dressed up nice for a quick getaway to Karori and the British High Commissioner's house.  She was hosting John's book launch and we mingled with people and ate wonderful canapes.  Eventually the speeches kicked off and John read an excerpt from his book and we listened to some wonderful violinist.  A very pleasant evening.

Home to bed.

Tonight we have a social club event on for work - a quiz.  Should be a whole heap of us there (someone said there are forty of us!) and fun, fun, fun!  Benjamin will look after Toby tonight.

And my mother is coming for school holidays and grandparent day!  Hooray!  Toby will be as proud as anything with Mike's parents and my mother to show off for grandparent day.  And he already wants to spend at least one day with both of them during the holidays!  Yep - he is pretty pleased with this.

The weather is not quite as wonderful as it has been.  We drove in because Mike is meeting the plumber after work and needs to nip away on time and get back for the quiz.  But there is a bit of cloud around today and it is supposed to be raining by the late afternoon.  Shame.  Our start to spring has been amazing!

Right.  Time to get stuck in!  Have a lovely day.

Love,
Angela

The Monday with gorgeous weather

Hi,

What a lovely day yesterday.  And today is not half bad.  There is a bit of cloud but the roads are dry and it is warm.  I rode into work this morning with Mike and went nice and fast.

Last night Mike worked late and got home just as we finished our tea.  So he ate his while I stared at him.  I hope it was loving staring and not some freaky stalking staring.  Hahahah.  Didn't put him off his dinner - but then, what does put Mike off eating?

Tonight is the last night of Cubs for the term but we're off to the book launch for John's book (Jack's Dad) at the British High Commissioner's house.  Should be quite entertaining.

It is entirely possible I am finally catching a cold.  Mike has a scratchy throat and I do too now.  And my nose is feeling a bit stuffy.  Uh oh!  I can easily be in denial for another day or so perhaps.

Have a wonderful day!
Love,
Angela

The weekend that was so much fun I want another one again now

Hi,

Friday night was when the weekend's fun started.  I made dinner for the three of us after we had our dinner with Jack's parents cancelled because his mother was on TV instead.  Fair enough excuse.  We were going to go to John and Vivienne's instead but the three of us felt like veging out completely at home so we cancelled that.  But as we just finished our meal, Vivienne, John and Benjamin arrived due to some miscommunication.  John was all for leaving again but we hadn't seen them for so long (apart from me for the mattress the day before) we convinced them to stay.  We got them Burger Wisconsin and chatted for a while.  great start to the weekend.

Next morning we got up early and finished tidying the house.  It still needs a lot of work but it is mainly tidy now.  And has had a decent clean in most places.  Aidan and the boys arrived at the train station at midday so I popped down to collect them and came home via La Cloche for scrumptious lunch of baguette and desserts (Orangina for me - the taste of France!).

After a bit of catching up I left with Aidan to find a second hand bookshop (specifically Arty Bees) but there was no handy carpark so Aidan suggested Mt Vic lookout.  A wonderful idea as the weather was the most glorious day and we were driving the wee green car with the roof down.  We went via Soi restaurant to show Aidan the location and then ran out of time before our day spa appointment to see Mt Vic.  Off to the East Day Spa for some relaxation.  Aidan's toes look amazing!

Meanwhile Mike had taken the boys and William to see Madagascar 3 in 3D.  I think Mike got the short straw.  He may have preferred my eyebrow torture to that!  Hahahah.

Off to New World to buy ingredients for dinner.  Aidan's plan was to thank Mike for looking after the boys by cooking him an amazing meal.  I think she knows intuitively the way to Mike's heart.  She cooked up a yummy Mexican banquet for about twelve people (she must understand that side of Mike's stomach too).  We were full!  Below is the groaning table and Aidan showing off her toes.

The boys went to bed and we watched Salmon Fishing in the Yemen.  Apparently the book finishes different.  I think I prefer the book ending where he doesn't get the girl.  But it was okay.

Up early the next morning.  Duncan and Emerson don't know how to sleep in.  Off to Drexels for breakfast and Mike has found a new favourite place to eat I think.

I drove the Tabors home via Plimmerton beach (just a drive by) and Pukerua Bay beach (enough time to play and for Duncan and Emerson to bury each other in sand.

Then off to Waikanae to drop them home.  A great drive back with the music considerably louder - and my volume turned up too.  A relaxing afternoon reading in the baking hot sun followed by another beach walk with Christine as I heard about her life and its ups and downs.  She needs a new job!

Home to eat leftover Mexican food for tea and to bed.  Phew!  Great weekend.  Can I do it all again now?

The sun is still shining.  When it's like this, you can't imagine it ever being cold here.  Toby's last week of school term.  Woo hoo!

I rode in with Mike this morning and had a great time!  Fast!

Have a marvellous week!

Love,

Angela

The Thursday with a chat with Vivienne and John

Hi,

After waiting for an age for Mike at home to arrive with crucial ingredients for dinner, he rings and says he is still at work and can we meet him at the supermarket.  Hahahah.  So Toby and I did just that.  After I talked to Andrew about the circling kakas above our house and to Vivienne about collecting the mattress.  Went home with our supermarket food and cooked tea.  After dinner I went around to collect the mattress off Vivienne and John and had a very pleasant chat for a while to them.  They are all very well - even Ramble after his health scare for his "parents".

Got home with the mattress ready to make the spare bed up because Mike had had plenty of time to get the base out of the garage and everything ready, hadn't he?  Oh, he hadn't.  Straight to bed then!

This morning is gorgeousness itself!  I was waiting at the garage with Toby and just said to him "I wonder when the kakas come back this way in the morning?" when the four kakas wheeled around chasing each other over our house.  Mike even got to see them this time.  And they have a flash of orange under their wings, just like keas.  We were mesmerised.  It is lovely to see them in our area.

I rode into work with Mike and pedalled like the wind down the hill.  It is so lovely and going to stay like this for the next few days.  Spring has sprung!

This weekend holds some excitement.  Whilst Josh is off on a tramp with Scouts, the rest of his family is coming to town for a sleepover with us.  Aidan and I have a day spa appointment (but not the promised pedicure as I have just lost 20% of my toenails this week - next time!) and we'll head home for dinner and a movie with Mike while the boys play Minecraft and fall asleep.  Breakfast at Drexels tomorrow morning followed by church for school.

Then Sunday afternoon I am meeting Christine for an overdue cafe expedition.  Choice!

Andrew is off on a marathon.  Literally.  A marathon.  Through bush.  So I hope he enjoys that.  If you can enjoy such arduous exercise.

Have a wonderful weekend.
Love,
Angela

The Wednesday with nothing

Hi,

I rode home with Mike a little earlier than normal and beat him quite easily up the hill.  Hahahah.  I continued working at home while Mike met with Wilf (our builder) to discuss work.  Then we both worked until Toby got home and then had tea and did homework.

Was that the extent of my day?  Gee, how boring.

I rode in with Mike this morning - although he was still just hopping in the shower at 7.30am.  His morning routine is relaxed to say the least.  It was nice riding in with him though.  There must have been rain in the morning because the roads were damp.

Tonight we have a bit of tidying to do.  That mattress still needs collecting.  Hahah.  I can see a frantic Saturday morning coming up.

This week is going so slow.  What laws of physics are being broken?  I'm stuck in something resembling Mike's morning routine but it is lasting the entire week.  No - that's not quite right.  Mike thinks he has a lot of time in the morning and then finds out he doesn't.  I think I have a lot of the week left - and I do!  Aaarrgghh.

Have a marvellous Thursday!
Love,
Angela

The Tuesday with Cubs

Hi,

I didn't ride home because I had a meeting up to 5pm and a rush to get home to get dinner ready before Cubs.  So Rex kindly offered to drive me home.  It wasn't because he wanted an excuse to leave the same meeting early at all, was it, Rex?  Hahahah.  Ta, though.  Made it much easier.  Jack was already waiting at home when I got there so lucky Rex did drive me.  Jack would have been waiting for a bit longer if I was riding.

Cubs went really well.  That Simon is a great Cub leader.  We did an Amazing Race around Karori and the evening was so lovely.  The Cubs solved clues and puzzles, put on gumboots and waded through a tunnel to a pond and navigated through a maze.  It was really fun!

Back home to tidy up for the approaching weekend.  Mike and I moved the filing cabinet to the garage and will keep tidying tonight.  We need to collect the mattress from Vivienne tonight too (mustn't forget, Mike!).  Our study is now going to be a spare bedroom.  For all those visitors we're going to get once they realise we have two bathrooms.

The ensuite is coming along great!  Wow.  It'll probably be done within a month or so.

My right toenail finally fell off last night.  Those ski boots!  My left one fell off the night before but it was the right one I was worried about.  I got into bed and could feel my toenail bend when I pushed my feet into the bed.  I was too scared to look at it (it really was different to the other toenail and I was sure it was completely dead - like something out of Brain Dead) so I asked Mike to check it out.  He said he could see a healthy toenail underneath.  So I plucked up courage and cut away the dodgy nail and lo and behold - a healthy pink toenail underneath.  I reckon they should both be as gorgeous as ever by January.  Bit of growing to do yet.

Mum and Dad found a snake in their garage yesterday.  Wow.  They should move back here where the cold keeps any possibility of snakes firmly in the realm of fiction!  They called the property manager and he dealt to it.  A whip snake - venomous.  Ooooooo.

Time to get stuck in.  I am feeling a bit sick.  I think a week of lots of vegetables has done something to my system.  My body is complaining about this freaky occurrence.  I might have to resort to toast and marmite and lots of meat!  Hahahah.

Have a fantastic day!
Love,
Angela

The Monday with nothing

Hi,

What a difference a day makes in Wellington weather.  I rode in this morning in brilliant sunshine with the roads almost completely dry.  However, I was riding past huge holes in the wee cliffs at the side of the road where yesterday morning's rain had gouged land slips.  As I rode into work in the pouring rain yesterday, I left behind chaos in my wake.  Wadestown made the news as that downpour caused flooding (always spectacular in a hill suburb!) and land slips on Mairangi Road.  Pretty amazing.

Home yesterday to collect Toby and Alex at 4pm from the library.  Kevin has been sick for days now - and again today.  Yingjie has arranged a friend to collect the boys today.

Cubs tonight and we're running an Amazing Race around Karori.  Cool!

Have an incredible day!
Love,
Angela

The weekend with skiing for Angela and party for Mike and Toby

Hi,

I left work at 5pm and drove Josh home and stayed for tea.  Nice pizza - ta.  Then off to Whakapapa by myself, singing merrily nearly the entire way.  What a great evening.  The sky was clear most of the way until I got close to National Park where a light misty rain started.  I drove up a bone dry road and found a car park on the back road that I could nose into.  The snow wasn't too deep here, unlike the main overnight carpark that was full of deep snow.  I was unsure if I could get out easily on Sunday. 

Off up to the lodge and tapped on the window of the lounge because I had forgotten the access code.  Chatted for a bit and then to bed.  Brian and Jan were up for a few weeks so it is always nice to catch up with them.

Next morning I got ready to ski and had a few runs on the Waterfall quad before catching up with Amy and Martin (from last weekend).  Then we skied the waterfall t-bar.  No idea at all what that run is like because the conditions were so poor, I could not see anything.  Constantly getting lost and everyone helping each other find the route.  It was so ludicrous to be skiing it was funny and fun!  Martin went back in because he has a dodgy knee and you need to absorb all manner of bumps unexpectedly in those conditions.  Especially one chap we saw that never saw the huge snowy cliff in front of him and face planted into it.  He was okay.

Skied for most of the day before retiring to read in bed for a bit.  Then dinner and an early bed (more reading).  Sunday's weather was pants.  Driving rain.  Yuck.  Loads of stuck cars int he car park.  I helped dig out Amy and Martin's car.  Then tidied up and left with Ilske.  Turns out my car park was choice as I got out with a tiny amount of wheel spin.  Off down the mountain to collect toys left behind at the Forest and Bird lodge last weekend and then off to Waikanae to collect Mike and Toby.

They had a great weekend in Wellington - but I think they should tell you all about that!

Have a wonderful week!
Love,
Angela

The Thursday with lots of work and practising putting chains on

Hi,

I had to work late and Mike had to finish early because Kevin is sick (he's our nanny, or billy as we call him, as he is male) and collect the boys.  He had a meeting at work so the boys did homework at our work (although Toby didn't because he had no pencil). 

They collected me at about 6.30 from my client site and we went home.  I then put the chains on the car (I did okay) and we went to bed.  Phew!

I am off to Ruapehu after work and looking forward to some skiing.  Mike and Toby have a Minecraft party organised at our place for tomorrow.  With a sleepover.  It's going to be huge!

Have a great weekend!
Love,
Angela

The Wednesday with tramping club session by Mike

Hi,

I rode to Bowen St carpark yesterday from the client site not far from Te Papa and drove home.  I got dinner ready (good wholesome food because a work seminar told me I can eat my way to resilience and well being if I eat the right food).

Then Toby and I went out to see Mike talking at the tramping club.  He was doing his annual (well, two years in a row makes it annual) family tramping sell and did extremely well.  A few staunch family tramping supporters turned up to help him along.  And Toby has declared he will do the talk next year!  Funny.

We drove home via the petrol station - nice full car for the drive up to the mountain tomorrow evening for me, but a bad day in that we got $100 worth of petrol in the Corolla for the very first time.  I remember quite a few years ago when we first did a $100 fill with our Magna's massive tank, and thought that was terrible times...!  Now our little Corolla costs that to fill.  $2.19 per litre for petrol here right now.

When we got home Mike and I went to bed and watched an episode of Frozen Planet (that David is such a wonderful narrator) before falling asleep. 

My ride in this morning was spectacular - it was 3 degrees when I woke up and the sky was as clear as anything.  I watched the waning moon rise through the punga fronds from my bed.  My hands got cold riding in and my face was a glowing red from the cold air.  But the sunshine was lovely, the roads were dry and I hurtled down the hill.

Busy day at work today.  Let's see what it holds in store, eh?

Have a fantastic day!
Love,
Angela

The Tuesday with Cubs

Hi,

Oooo - this cold snap is as cold as anything we had through winter.  Well, the end of June was the only other cold weather.  I rode home last night in freezing rain.  Brrrr. 

Cubs was good fun - we had the local fire brigade turn up to chat to us.  They were good natured sorts of chaps.  The Cubs all loved it.  We were short quite a lot of kids because the local schools had something on.  There were no girls at all.  Very odd.

This morning I rode in and froze once more.  The sleety rain and hail has almost left us (I got hailed on riding in this morning briefly) and the cold, strong southerly has dried the roads out.  So my ride in was quite pleasant apart from the biting cold.  And the head wind that meant I had to pedal downhill otherwise I'd stop!  Hahahah.

Busy at work - again.  Work has a seminar on how to de-stress your life but we're all too busy and stressed to attend.  I love it.

I also found out the lodge was full for this weekend and was looking at a Sunday day trip instead.  But then they contacted me to say there was a cancellation and I am in again.  So I am off skiing this weekend and have some space in the car for anyone that wants to come.  Of course, there is no accommodation at the other end.  But you can sleep in the car.  Hahahah. [Mike says: The cancellation probably freed up a couple of bunks, and there may be space in Graduates and Serac lodges next door, so do give us a yell if you're interested.]

Mike and Toby are in Wellington for the Minecraft-fest at our house on Saturday.  Toby has planned a full day and night's fun centred around Minecraft.  He even told me I had to leave my phone behind as a game console.  No was the answer.  Several times, no!

Have a great day!
Love,
Angela 

The Monday with tidying

Hi,

I rode home and got dinner on.  Toby ate more than Mike (he does love my spaghetti bolognese - he said I had surpassed myself last night - hahahah).  Then Mike started to sort out the Minecraft party this weekend and he booked me into the (wrong) weekend for my ski weekend (he is now sorting that out too).  Mike and Toby are going to build a Minecraft server (apparently).

I started tidying the house - beginning in the study.  You can now move around in the study, so my 45 minutes of work made some change to the situation.  I need to do this every night this week to get the place halfway respectable for the weekend's party.  And possibly every night next week to get it ready for the following weekend.

If I get some major tidying done, I can get some major cleaning done.  The recent bathroom work has left a fine layer of concrete dust over the whole house.  No wonder Mike is allergic.

Today is gorgeous here, if a bit windy.  It is supposed to clag in and have snow to 300m on the surrounding hills.  Our house is at 123m so we shouldn't get snow, much to Toby's disappointment.  Could be a cold ride home.

Have a great day!
Love,
Angela

The weekend with the work ski trip

Hi,

What a great weekend - thanks to Mike for organising huge parts of it.  He collected the tramping club van on Friday afternoon and at 4.15pm we all piled our gear into it outside of work and took off for Ruapehu.  This involved stopping at two liquor stores and a supermarket for food.  Quite a slow trip up.  But a lot of fun.  I sat right at the back and could see all the cocktail making (and drink spilling and giggles) as we drove up.  Mike and Toby sat at the front (well, Mike drove so there weren't a lot of other places he could sit!) and kept Toby sheltered from any dodgy behaviour.  But there was none.  They were all very happy and civilised.

We got into the lodge around 10.30pm.  Forest and Bird have a great lodge tucked up behind the chateau and it is pretty new.  We found our bed and I slept despite the poor sound proofing (our room backed onto the lounge).  Not a lot keeps me from my sleep.

Next morning the weather was dire - high winds and cold rain.  But Happy Valley was open and there was a rumour the Rockgarden was on hold and might open.  It didn't.  But we drove up and some people got a beginners lesson.  I convinced Mike to come and play in Happy Valley with me and some keen others.  So we skied up and down Happy Valley.  There were probably only twenty of us out there.  And most of them you couldn't see until you were within ten metres of them.

The driving rain meant I was soaked to the skin - but it wasn't super cold.  The snow was awful - waterlogged and icy slush without a lot of give to it.  Mike went back into the cafe and after a few more runs so did all of us.  A bit of hot chocolate and I was out in it again with less people this time.  We had a plan to meet Mike at 12.30 and we skied. 

The wind was so strong that I had to stay in a tuck the whole time and not turn at all.  To stop, I stood up and the wind stopped me.  Horrid conditions.  The others returned to the cafe and I kept going for a few more runs before the cold seeped into my bones and I eventually decided it was madness.

I did buy a new ski jacket though - the wet one on me convinced me of the need for a new one.  No one will recognise me on the slopes now.

Back to the lodge and a lazy afternoon reading. Toby had a lot of fun playing with the other kids.  Off to dinner at the local pub and watched the All Blacks play a hard game against Argentina in Wellington.  The lights went off in the stadium at half time.  Very funny.

Sunday we cleaned up and went home. The entire mountain was closed.  We collected a hitchhiker with his broken bike outside of National Park and took him all the way to Wellington.  I left him at the Youth Hostel and I hope he has a better time down south.

Home to watch some TV and to bed.  Phew.  We're all quite tired.

Have a wonderful week.
Love,
Angela

The Thursday with packing for the weekend

Hi,

I got a lift home with Mike (I rode to Bowen St and flung my bike on the back of the car - Mike had to drive to work for a client visit out in Lower Hutt) yesterday and we had tea and packed for the weekend.  Jack was over because his parents were both busy. 

We finally got packed and Mike dropped Jack home and then dropped all the gear into work ready for our getaway this afternoon.

The weather is supposed to be awful - I doubt any skiing will happen.  I have books and Toby will have a laptop with DVDs to watch.  And togs for the hot pools.

Have a wonderful weekend.
Love,
Angela

The Wednesday (again) back at work

Hi,

The day stayed gorgeous to the end.  And the weather has warmed a lot since our trip to Brisbane.  I am back to wearing just a t-shirt under my fluoro safety top on my bike ride down the hill.  Which, by the way, was a great ride this morning (Thursday) too.  Roads completely dry and nothing slowing me down.

Yesterday I managed to get through the day and crossed off a few tasks.  I also met Aidan T for morning tea after her presentation, so that was a pleasant distraction from the workload. 

I was pretty tired before I left work to ride home.  But the ride must have energised me a little because despite Mike falling asleep twice once we went to bed, I kept waking him up and chatting.  Finally I woke him up enough that we kept chatting and before I knew it, it was past 11pm and I was asleep.  Heheheh.  Poor Mike.

We have to pack tonight for our ski weekend away. The weather is set to be pretty awful.  Oh well.  Hopefully we get some skiing in.  It is a work trip and an awful lot of alcohol seems to be on the list.  Mike has the tramping club van for the weekend so we'll take turns driving it up on Friday night and back again on Sunday.

Toby had the day off school yesterday recovering from our trip.  He woke at 9am yesterday.  Wow!  He was awake at 7am this morning so back into a routine already.  Mind you, I did have to kiss him awake - perhaps he'd be still sleeping otherwise.

Have a wonderful day!
Love,
Angela

The Wednesday back at work

Hi,

Oh - back at work.  What a shock to my system.  Especially after 4.5 hours sleep.  Lucky the bike ride in worked some magic this morning.  It is a glorious morning here - competing with the weather I had in Brisbane.  Shame I hear it is going to end.  Soon.  Hahahah.

The weekend was amazing.  It was so nice to see Mum and Dad's place - and find their lost wooden rooster.  Hahahaha.  But work is busy so I'd best get stuck in.  Mike is working from home and Toby is still sleeping and having a day off school I believe.

Have a fantastic day!
Love,
Angela

The long weekend in sunny Queensland

Hi,

A happy birthday weekend for my family.  Jamie and Cameron (the 1st and the 2nd) and then Abby on the 5th.  What a busy time.

Here is a pic of Toby in the pool at Dunes Court:

Toby braving the cold spa pool

Sunday was Father's Day so we got up and made a scrumptious breakfast for Gramps.  Toby chose a Star Wars Father's Day card so the morning was filled with the sound of a light sabre coming to life.  Very funny. We ate pancakes, bacon, strawberries and bananas covered in maple syrup.

Toby and Gramps watching Wrestling on TV

Then Gramps and Toby went out (they had plans for mini golf but Toby had plans that involved Red Rooster for lunch and back home to play Wii) and Mum and I went out.  I took Mum to Maroochydore and we visited a shopping centre.  She wanted to get a Kindle for Dad for Fathers Day but the Dick Smith at the shopping centre was shut for a few hours as they cleared items just smashed by a lunatic with a crowbar.  So we wandered around drinking iced coffee (it was far too sweet) chatting to strangers (the woman sitting next to us came from Rangiora, just outside Christchurch) and buying bits and pieces.  Eventually we got the Kindle and went home.

Out to collect chinese takeaway that evening from Peregian Beach.  The evening was so warm I was still in a t-shirt and shorts.  Mind you, everyone else was in a jersey, so perhaps it wasn't as warm as I thought.  The food took ages so we wandered down to the beach and I enjoyed the stars in the night sky.  The milky way was very bright and I noticed how high both the southern cross and Scorpius was in the sky.  Went back to get the food and back home to eat.

Monday was another gorgeous day.  We went to a beautiful lunch at Noosa - I had never been there.  It was very touristy - lots of chic shops.  We went to Season and I had a beautiful goats cheese souffle and a very good iced coffee.

My souffle and iced coffee

Toby's iced chocolate and my iced coffee

We paddled in the sea outside the restaurant and I couldn't believe how warm the water was.  So I determined that we would go home and go swimming at Peregian Beach.

At Noosa beach

Back home and into togs and I went to the beach with Mum.  The water was so warm - I really enjoyed jumping the waves.

Mum accidentally gesturing to my gorgeous foot

Jumping the waves

 Then we sat on the beach and enjoyed the sun and the view for a while.  The sign behind us said "Beware of snakes in the dunes area".  Oh yeah.  Australia.  Snakes.  Hahahah.  The salt water dried my hair into an awesome hairdo - lucky I know no one here.

Back home to have a bath (we don't have a bath at home yet so I have had one every day here - reading my Kindle - very luxurious) and then out for tea.  The meal we had at Vanilla in Noosa was amazing.  I had barramundi on mint pea puree with mushrooms and olive tapenade.  Toby had a great chicken nuggets and chips meal that were wee chicken schnitzels.  And Mum and Dad had great looking meals too.

Home to play a trivia game with Mum (don't ask her who won - twice!  Hahahah) and to bed.

Tuesday we're taking it easy at home before wandering back to Brisbane after lunch for our 7pm flight.  Such a short weekend here, but so lovely.  We need to come more often.  I have left bathroom supplies here so I can just jump on a plane and turn up with a supply of t-shirts and shorts in my carry on bag.  Easy.

Back to work tomorrow.  Ooooo.

Love,
Angela

The Saturday in Queensland

Hi,

Toby and I are being pampered in sunny Queensland.  We got up at 3am and got to the airport at 4am where we got on our Virgin Australia flight to Brisbane without any hassles.  Toby was bored the whole way because there were no tv screens.  How backwards.  Hahahah.

We got a rental car at the airport and then got hopelessly lost trying to find our way north to Peregian Springs.  When we finally got to Mum's house, we had taken 2.5 hours when Mum's estimate was about 1.5 hours.  But we did a tour into a Brisbane central city suburb of indeterminate name and location, then two tours back around the domestic airport before finally falling onto the M1 northbound.  Hooray.

Toby estimates we got lost nine times before we got to Mum and Dad's place.  That may be quite accurate.  His initial guess was twelve.  Hmmm.  Both guesses seem pretty close to reality.  I lost count after the third navigation error.

Anyhow, we got the Dunes Court at 11.30am.  We have a little red Holden Barina sedan and we have since had lunch at Sunshine Beach surf club and back home again.  The pool was a little too cold for me and Toby to swim in.  Toby went in to waist deep but that was way deeper than my ankles were willing to tolerate.  Mum says next weekend when it hits 26C will make the pool more inviting.

Toby at the pool

Dad will get home from work soon.  Tomorrow is Father's Day.  Mike will be making Scotty breakfast in bed!  Hahahah.

Okay.  Time to read.  Yay!

Love,
Angela