The Thursday with a pub dinner

Hi,

Thursday was a lovely day here - although the wind was getting up.  After a manic day at work involving copious amounts of tissues for me (yes, that cold is progressing along nicely) we had a last minute decision to go to the Green Man pub and use our bar tab winnings from Monday night.

It was lovely - their food really is rather good.  I had the seafood chowder and it was really yummy.  Mike had the pasta special (avocado and bacon - yum!) and Tom and Christine shared pizza and chicken nibbles. It was all yummy.  Dessert was good too (I tried some of Mike's and kept eating it!).

Back home and I went straight to bed and fell asleep!  This morning the weather has changed to a typical windy cloudy Wellington day.  But with a warm northerly.  We've decided to leave super early tomorrow morning instead of leaving Wellington at 8pm tonight.  Probably sensible.  We have leaving drinks for a colleague after work.  That'll be sad as I like working with her.

Up to see Bruce Springsteen in Auckland Saturday and Sunday.  Mike is working in Auckland on Monday so I am driving back by myself early Monday morning.  I am hoping for good weather, loud music and lots of singing!  And some yummy snacks to munch along the way!

Have a lovely weekend!
Love,
Angela

The Wednesday with tramping club

Hi,

I rode home at a leisurely pace yesterday after work.  I believe I may have to admit to having a cold.  And I think it might have come from Aidan as my symptoms are awfully like hers.  Toby's cold was a bit different.  Mike thinks I have the potential to get both at once and recombine the DNA of the cold to mutate into some previously unknown pandemic.  Hahahahah.  Typhoid Mary will fade into obscurity, replaced by Bubonic Angela.

Christine had cooked a great dinner and Mike got home from Auckland in time to join us.  Scrumptious.  Then off to drop off Toby's weekend clothes and his uniform at the Tabor residence.  Aidan was there because she had gone home sick from work.  This is a bad thing because she hates sick leave and she is a week ahead of me with this cold.  It is entirely possible it might get worse for me.  I'm not sure denial is going to work with this one.

Mike and I then went to tramping club.  We had to be early because Mike was on door duty.  But when we got there, he told me I was on door duty and he wandered off doing goodness knows what socialising with other committee members.  I had to greet everyone and smile and take their money.  But it was a good thing I went because William's Dad (yes, Toby's friend) Pete was talking about his book.  It was a wonderful session.  Pete really came across as genuine and open and his talk was well constructed.  It was a journey and it was well reflected in his photos and thoughts.

Pete's book - An occasional climber

Pete has a real talent for photography too.  Yep - it was a good night.  Back home and to bed.

This morning I rode slowly into work.  But today is stunning here.  Look at this from our deck this morning.

Mt Kau Kau looking fantastic

Yep - it's a great day to be in Wellington!

Have a great day!
Love,
Angela

The Tuesday with Macbeth in the botanic gardens

Hi,

Well, my day at work was pants, but my day outside of work was great!  At least life isn't boring, right?  I caught up with Aidan for lunch and I was in the mood for talking.  I think she is probably still suffering from ringing in her ears.  She often does a lot of the talking, but not yesterday.  My soup went a bit cold.  Lucky my drink was an iced coffee so it couldn't get any colder.  Actually, the Mojos across from her work does the best iced coffee.  They call it a frappe there.  But it is gooooood!

I also cadged a lift home at the end of the day from her and Josh.  Got home and gathered up picnic ingredients, a change of clothes for Mike and galloped out of the house.  I picked up Mike and we drove up Aurora Terrace opposite work and around the corner to the gardens.  Walked into the Dell and caught up with Sharron and her mates for a fantastic evening watching a rollicking interpretation of Macbeth.  Everyone  in the cast was in a gang.  But it worked really well.  The witches were so energetic!  Yep - good stuff.

Nice set too

Got home and fell into bed.  Mike was up at some horrendous time to get to Auckland today for work.  I tried to roll over and get back to sleep.  Maybe I drowsed.  Anyhow, it is another lovely day here today!

Have a marvellous day!

Love,
Angela

The Monday with dentist and pub quiz

Hi,

Still busy at work and the day was lovely out.  The evening was jam packed full of excitement.  I caught up briefly with Aidan to walk to her car and then a major incident at work kept the excitement levels high.  Wandered off to my dental appointment (all good!) and then back to The Green Man for the pub quiz.  Mike stopped off somewhere to chat to Josh over some beers, so our table was just the four of us (two work colleagues and Christine) and we won!

Mike arrived in the last round and he believes we won because of his efforts in the final round.  Sure, sure.

Dropped everyone off and home to bed.  Had a great sleep.  I hope Toby's first night at school camp went well too!

Up on the bus this morning.  I hate the bus.  Hahahah.  Will ride home tonight and get ready for Shakespeare in the botanic gardens.  Macbeth!  Yay - I love that one!

Have a wonderful day!
Love,
Angela

The weekend with loads on and Mike gardening

Hi,

What a frantic weekend.  Busy, busy.  Friday night saw Mike and Toby attending the Dr Who Spectacular with Sally.  Apparently it was great fun.  Jack stayed with us because they were down for the same thing.

The next morning Mike attacked the garden with ferocity.  Look at the photo below - there is a tree on our path!

Mike gardening

I then went out for lunch with Christine and Aidan.  I saved the table while they ordered and it was a great idea.  Aidan ordered me the best burger - I would never have ordered it for myself.  Slow beef.  It was so good!

Back home and into town to drop Jack off to his parents.  And then back home to get ready for a party at the GP.  That was a lot of fun!  Picked up Ange on the way in.  Benjamin looked after Toby.

Up on Sunday early for Mike.  He met Lesley and collected the fridge, dryer and washing machine from her place.  These are now in our garage.  The car is on the street!  Also helped Christine move into our place.  Then lunch and helped Mike with the chipper, reducing garden waste to small chips.  Great fun!

Mike and Hamish enjoying the deck

Sarah and Hamish came around and we had tea and chatted.  Then we were off to family dinner.  Yummo.  It was my birthday family dinner too.  Great!  The food was yum, the cake was yum - and I got presents!

Family dinner - look at the evening we got!

 Off home and Toby loved the summer evening - he poked his head out the window!

Hahahah - lucky he doesn't have floppy ears.

The view from Petone foreshore of Wellington.  No wonder Toby was looking out the window!

What a busy weekend.  And a busy week ahead too.  Toby was at school at 6.45am and off to school camp for the week.  We'll see him on Friday.  Or not.  We're going to Auckland on Friday evening and he's going to stay with Josh and Aidan.  So, we might not see him at all.

Right.  Time for tea.

Have a great week!
Love,
Angela

The Thursday with the hottest day of the summer

Hi,

After the fog cleared the day was indeed lovely.  I had a great ride home in hot conditions.  Great fun.  We had dinner sorted and Mike and I sat on the deck enjoying the evening sun.

Toby is actually a little bit sick and given he has school camp all next week, it was probably a good idea for Mike to stay at home with him today.  Toby has a cough. He is awfully flushed too - but I think that is sunburn he got at school on Wednesday.  He looks cute despite his illness.

The weekend is a bit busy.  Jack is staying tonight and getting collected at 4pm tomorrow.  Mike was going to take them swimming, but given Toby's cough, that is probably a bad idea now.  I am sure they will be happy at home, playing.  Mike and I have a party to attend on Saturday night.  I think we also have a computer to sort out.  And Sunday seems to have things in it too.  Oh yeah - Mike wants to do major garden antics.

Hopefully Toby gets much better in time for his camp next week.

Have a wonderful weekend.  I hope Scott and Tim had a great birthday yesterday!

Love,
Angela

The Wednesday with Mike's keynote speech

Hi,

What a lovely day yesterday was.  I rode home in glorious sunshine and found no Toby when I got home.  I had to open all the doors because the place was like a furnace.  Eventually I went to the library and found Toby there.  Got home and fed him.

Mike was the keynote speaker at the tramping club New Members Night.  It went really well.  I knew he would be fine!  Toby and I went to play in the park.  We lay down on the newly mown grass and watched the clouds.  Except.  There were no clouds.  No clouds, and no wind.  An amazing evening.  Toby pushed me on the swinging basket until I giggled my surrender (although he makes me suffer quite a while, giggling and pleading for him to stop).

Back home and Toby had a bath and went to bed.  I read Lord of the Rings to him (we've been reading it for months - he prefers Mike reading to him and Mike reads other books.  Toby and I have been on the Council of Elrond chapter for an eon) and then I hopped in the bath.  Mike came home surprisingly early and we had a bath together.

Today is so hot!  25C forecast.  Wow!  But Wellington is mired in fog.  Thick, wet fog.  Nice ride in though.  My glasses were so foggy I could barely see.  Turns out it was my glasses and not the fog.  I took them off and was amazed to see the road.

Have a fantastic day!
Love,
Angela

The weekend with my birthday and a visit to Melbourne

Hi,

I will have to do a separate post about the weekend in greater detail.  We all had such fun.  What a great weekend.  And my birthday to boot!  Woo hoo!

We're back home now after catching a pleasant Qantas flight at a civilised hour.  Sally collected us from the airport in a huge surprise.  Much appreciated.   I went grocery shopping when we got back before I stopped and couldn't move again.  Did the ironing.  Went to bed.  Hahahah.

Today is so humid and warm here.  Like Brisbane.  Honest!

Have a lovely week!  A short one for me!

Love,
Angela

The Thursday with a tour of Te Papa

Hi,

Well, nothing much for me really.  But I did meet Helen for a botany tour of the back stores at Te Papa and it was so good!  I'd do it again.  It was supposed to take an hour but Leo was enjoying himself with an enthusiastic audience so he went well past 3pm.  I had to cut my tour short and head back to work.

I rode home in lovely weather after another hectic day at work.  Toby got a ride home with Magnus' mother.  Lucky for him because apparently he missed the bus at Scots again.  And he had an enormous backpack with him.

Mike got home early too and we ate dinner together and I mostly finished packing for the weekend!  Melbourne, here we come.  One more day.  I am rather excited.

And look at this:

Toby's hands are the same size as mine

Reading on the bed together - our legs intertwined.  Mine have nail polish on them!

We're away until late Tuesday.  And happy Valentine's Day today!  Kissy, kissy.

Love,
Angela

The Wednesday with nothing much for me

Hi,

What an amazing morning after the dross of the past few days.  Loved my bike ride in this morning.  Great fun.

Toby and I had a good evening at home.  Mike was up to goodness-knows-what (well, I do know - leaving drinks for a colleague and then tramping club) and got home when I was in a semi-coma.  He didn't get a lot of sense out of me.  But unfortunately he read until 2am.  Don't ask him anything complicated today!

I have a botany tour at Te Papa with Helen today.  Looking forward to that!  I might need to work late though to make up for it.

Have a lovely day!

Love,
Angela

The Tuesday with nothing

Hi,

Hahahah - well, John Key did walk past me yesterday morning, talking on his phone.  He was on a mission to get himself some coffee.  So, Tuesday wasn't entirely without comment.

Work was work.  Far better than yesterday.  Met Sophie for lunch and generally had a much better day.  I rode home and Toby had arranged to visit Yingting.  So I chilled out before collecting Toby.  We relaxed and eventually Mike came home after his tramping committee meeting.

Toby has finished packing for his school camp.  They want to see the gear tomorrow.  So Toby has to carry his huge pack into school, get it checked and carry it home again.  They go on camp from Feb 24 - 28.  It should be loads of fun.

I'll head home at 4pm today and meet Toby at home.  Should get his homework done and I'll cook tea.  Mike has a few things on after work (colleague's leaving drinks and tramping club stuff).

Have a wonderful day!
Love,
Angela

The Monday almost best left unremembered

Hi,

Yes - a bad day at work.  But a good day in other respects.  I did see Aidan for the quickest lunch ever.  Soup across from her work.  It was a soup day - the weather was freezing.  Given I was already having a bad day, I got the great hug from her after lunch.  See?  That's the part of the day best remembered.

And the other part best remembered?  It was my first day as our nanny and I got away at 4.15pm (so only 15 mins behind schedule).  Toby only beat me home by 2 minutes.  We had an after school snack and he did his homework and I cooked tea.  Then we ate and would have been able to relax.

So, the plan seems good.

Last night though we had a school function so we jumped in the car and collected Mike and headed to the school to meet Toby's House.  He is in Fergusson House and its symbol is the Scottish thistle.  Lovely.  We met his house dean and his house teachers.  I dredged out missed notices from his locker.  His locker isn't too messy though.

We went home and had a great sleep.  Well, actually, perhaps I can only say I had a great sleep.  Given I was asleep, I have no idea how good anyone else's sleep actually was.

Home tonight after work for a normal routine.  Woot!

And here's hoping for a far better day.  My bike ride in was good fun.  The roads were dry, unlike yesterday.  I wasn't wringing out clothes when I got changed.  It is supposed to rain again this evening.

Have a marvellous day!
Love,
Angela

The weekend with bits and bobs

Hi,

Toby managed to "miss" the bus again on Friday.  Great.  He ended up at Isaac's house and worked out a sleepover for himself.  Mike had gone home with a migraine so I rode home and packed a bag for Toby and then drove it over.  It was the sabbath so Toby was wearing a special hat to recognise the Friday evening.  I think he also participated in some prayers.  Isaac's mother asked me if that was okay.  She's lovely.  We cancelled the cycle ride because the weather wasn't looking too flash.

Back home and Mike was pretty beat after his migraine.  We had a quiet night.  Up on Saturday to head over to the Tabor household for breakfast. I got yummy scrambled eggs from Aidan.  Actually, I had copious amounts.  And Aidan even had a wee bag of leftover bacon for Toby.

Mike made me an iced coffee

Mike looking staunch

Back home and Toby eventually arrived.  We did a few things - Mike hacked the ivy tree as it was starting to mean you had to duck coming down the steps.  He made me pass a chair to him up in the midst of the ivy tree.  I had visions of his mother's escapades balancing on chairs in precarious places.  But he was all good.

He's standing on a chair

Sunday I got up to go grocery shopping.  Then made the salad for lunch and then we headed off.  Toby was collected by William to go around to his place for the afternoon while we had family lunch at Sally and Andrew's place.  Caught up with old friends of Andrew's there.

Back home to do ironing and watch documentaries.  Then early to bed for me.

Monday morning is pants.  Pants!  I ran in the rain (and have hurt my leg) and then rode in and got even wetter.  Sitting at my desk drying out now.

Have a lovely week!
Love,
Angela

The Thursday with Waitangi Day

Hi,

It mucks with your mind to have a day off in the middle of the working week.  All day yesterday I thought it was Saturday.  Today I think it is Monday.  Hahahah.  But, at least this "Monday" is actually a Friday!  Woot!

Toby coming home on Wednesday evening looking sharp in his uniform

We got up fairly early for a day off yesterday and collected Hayley from her flat in town before heading off up to Otaki.  We called in for breakfast at McDonalds at Paraparaumu though.  Toby got two breakfasts!

We got to Otaki marae at about 9.50am, and waited outside before the powhiri kicked off and we were welcomed onto the marae.  Hayley and I, being women, were in first.  We got a great seat in the sun, under the tent and could see and hear everything.  Mike and Toby were in last and were on the grass at the back and heard nothing.

The welcoming was wonderful and I think Hayley is already making plans to take her parents to a marae for Waitangi Day next year when they are visiting.  It was a great thing to watch.

However, Mike and Toby were restless and we ended up leaving early to avoid crazy antics from Mike involving driving Toby back to Wellington and then coming back for us.  But we did see the best part of the ceremony.

Dropped Hayley off and did some housework.  Aidan and Janne arrived and Aidan got stuck into some dead trees around our house with his chainsaw while Janne laughed at me doing my laundry and covering Toby's school books with contact.  Well, mainly she laughed at the book covering exercise.  My laundry is only boring - not a laughing matter at all.

The neighbours popped around after Aidan and Janne left and Mike and Brenz had a few drinks while I took Toby and wee Connor to the park.

Toby and Connor at our park

Toby swinging Connor

Both of them in the basket swing

Fiona and Amelia joined us for some playing, and then we all went home.  A lovely time.  Mike and I watched a documentary on human origins before bed.

This morning (Friday) is the most gorgeous day.  Went for my run and there wasn't a breath of air.  Mars, Saturn and Venus are all in the sky at the moment at 5.30am.  With Jupiter looking even more amazing in the evening.  Planets galore!

This weekend we're off cycling again at Eastbourne.  Meet us around 11.30am if you want to join us.  We'll have food with us.  We'll ride for a bit, then eat.  Then come back.  I am going to cycle out there and back on my road bike.  I think Toby wants to play with Will on Sunday, so our zoo trip with Sally might be delayed a bit.

Right.  Time for a tea.  Have a wonderful weekend.
Love,
Angela

The Tuesday with a missing Toby - sort of

Hi,

The nanny called in sick today so we set a flurry of contingency into action.  Aidan said she'd happily be the backup plan instead of Mike leaving a meeting and taxiing home.  Great - only we needed to get a message to Toby to swap buses and go home with Duncan and Emerson.  Called the school and they said they would deliver the message to Toby.

Come 4.15pm and the school rings me in a slight panic and very apologetic.  They have forgotten to let Toby know and he will be on his normal bus by now.  Oops.  Time for me to dash home to prove to Toby he hasn't been abandoned.  I got changed and rode home furiously.  Beat my previous best time by 2 minutes!  Ooossshh!  Nothing like a mild panicky thought of your child wondering where everyone is to give you a bit of extra impetus.

I got home and found - no one.  Okay.  Weird.  Mike called and said I should drive back to the library to find him.  But as I got int he car, the school rang just wanting to check I found Toby okay.  Ummmmm.  I wondered if I should lie and say yes.  But I thought perhaps not.  So I said no, but not to worry, I was sure I'd find him.  Well, that horrified the woman and she was putting plans into action to find someone else who was on the bus to make sure Toby was there and all sorts.  Meanwhile I drove to the library and found Toby unconcerned, reading a book and munching some lollies.  He was perplexed that there was any excitement at all.

So, now we have a plan.  Toby has a charged cellphone at all times.  He goes home from his bus and has a snack and does homework, regardless of whether anyone is there or not.  Hopefully the nanny is there.  Otherwise I ride home super fast and likely he has only had thirty minutes at home by himself in the worst case scenario.

Phew!  Just a few hiccoughs in the journey to a new school routine.

This morning is beautiful.  We got up early and went for a run.  Mike doesn't run with me - he just runs the whole way.  I use the application that tells me when to run and when to walk.  It changes over 9 weeks so by the end of 9 weeks, I am running the whole time.  We were up so early and everyone had breakfast together that I think that running mornings might become my favourite mornings.

Have a lovely day!
Love,
Angela

The Monday with Toby missing the bus

Hi,

Yesterday might have been the best day of the summer.  We shall see.  February is the best month after all, and we've only just started it.

I rode home and had a great time.  Our new nanny was due to be at our house, looking after Toby for the first time.  Aidan had actually texted me earlier to ask if it had all gone well.  I was astonished at how late it was already and that the nanny operation had started almost an hour before.  Given I had no texts or phone calls, I was under the assumption it was all good.

So, I rode home and got there, expecting to see Toby doing homework and the nanny doing whatever nannies do.  There was no one home.  No one.  Wandered around.  Started to think that maybe things hadn't quite gone to plan and maybe I should consider a slight panic.  Mike rang and said that Toby had missed the bus at the school end and Isaac took him home.  Isaac's mother was going to feed him and I could collect him later.

Okay.  Mike had sent Polly home.  Hence no one home when I got there.  So I hung out Mike's tramping washing and went to get groceries.  Mike was off at the Green Man pub quiz night with some strangers.  He was sacrificing his evening to further my knowledge and check out the pub quiz there.  Just in case it was a great venue.  Right.

Then I went to collect Toby and had a good chat with Sally (Isaac's mother).  Mike was texting me saying Margaret was at the pub and wanted to see me.  The only Margaret I know lives in Sydney.  So I was sure Mike was blethering.  Anyhow, I eventually get to the pub and go in with Toby and here is Margaret with Mike.  And they had won the quiz.  $75 bar tab.  So Toby and I had a drink and then we took Mike home.  It was great to see Margaret (she's over for a wedding).

Home and to bed.

Mike ran his first session this morning.  Apparently his first day on the Couch to 5k programme he just ran 5 km.  Straight out.  So he said he's going back to the couch.  Hahahah.

Have a fantastic day!

Love,
Angela

The weekend with cycling with Toby and Mike tramping

Hi,

What a lovely weekend - and the summer has finally arrived with the warmest day of the summer forecast.  Woot! 22C.  Wow!  Mike got away early to head off to South Ohau Hut with his punters on Friday (I dropped him off at the ferry terminal where the tramping van is stored).  Then I collected Toby from the Tabor household and dropped the nanny off back at uni.  Then home to chill out.

We had a great sleep and then we were up to head off for our cycling adventure.  We went to Eastbourne and headed south towards the lighthouse at Pencarrow.  We didn't get that far as Toby was a bit uncomfortable on his bike.  But he did love it and wants to do it again this weekend coming.

The road ahead

Toby looks the part

Lunch stop

He can do it!

After riding for an amazing seventeen minutes, Toby's moaning meant I caved in and stopped for lunch.  The lunch was gourmet and designed to tempt us.  So I only have myself to blame.  Hahahah.  I did manage to get Toby to head south a little longer before we turned around and headed back to the car.  We did a heady 7 kilometres in 1.5 hours!  Wow.  We can only get faster, right?  Toby loved it though.  I do need to track down some bike pants that fit him.  He was wearing mine and it looked decidedly baggy.  Like he'd done a big mess in his pants.  But sssshhhhh.  Don't tell him!

After that we headed home to make brandy snaps for Kara's party and then went around to her place.  Toby was a little bored (and I knew no one besides Kara) so we snuck off to the pier.  Toby was going to jump in, but eventually chickened out.  I bet it was cold anyway!

Fooling around on Seatoun pier

Toby, stop making faces!

Finally a photo where he's not pulling faces

Back home and off to see Christine for a cup of tea in the evening.  The boys loved catching up with each other.

Had a nice sleep and then a lazy start to Sunday.  Wandered around for lunch with Helen and Ron (they had friends over) and tried to help Helen with her computer.  It needs an overhaul (swap the C and D drives for a start).

Sally sensibly piked from the zoo trip we had planned and Toby and I did our Sunday chores.  I ironed while watching a documentary on human origins.  Great fun!

Mike got home from his tramping trip and looked fit and healthy.  He had a lot of fun too.  Off to bed to watch a movie and sleep.

I got up early for my morning run and saw Venus looking stunning in the morning sky - have a look before sunrise to the way the sun is rising and you'll see it.  It's brilliant.  Like a diamond.

Today is such a nice day.  Easily the best day ever all summer.  Have a wonderful week.

Love,
Angela