The Monday with RPM, a bike ride home and Toby cooking

Hi,

After a long day at work, I did manage to squash in a RPM session.  I am hoping this means my routine is getting back to normal.  Although with dragon boating it does remain slightly different.  Tues and Thurs evenings we're out in the boat until the big race day in early March.  If you're in Wellington, come and watch and yell your support.

I did ride home after RPM (and a bit more work), and it was a bit tough on the quads.  But, all good fun.  And I cooked tea with Toby when we got home.  He now has to cook one of our meals a week.  He may have been watching too many cooking shows as he is quite the showman with his spicing technique.  The salad had instructions to "season with salt and pepper" and he made a mixture on a saucer and then theatrically threw in some.  With never any tasting.  It was a little on the salty side for me.

Fish and noodle salad

He's cooking in his boxer shorts!

Anyway, it was yummy.  Mike got home just as we were getting stuck in.  Perfect timing.

Toby is babysitting this evening while we go dragon boating.  He's to come to work at 4.30, eat sushi and then look after Ava while Jo and I have training.

Hmmmm.

Enjoy your day!

Love,
Angela

The weekend tramping

Hi,

The weekend packed in a bunch of stuff.  Toby and I went to Mama Browns for some ribs before meeting Mike at the Embassy to see Blade Runner in all its glory on the big screen.  Sell out theatre too.  Meant for a short sleep though as we had to get up early for our tramping fun.

Mike decided against the epic tramp with Andrew at the crack of dawn (due to being in AKL the day before, and a late night, and juggling too many things) and came with me and Toby instead.

We weren't too late getting to the road end at Catchpool despite having to do some shopping for the weekend.  We met Jo and Rodrigo and they went with Mike up Cattle Ridge.  Toby and I took the normal route to Paua Hut.

Toby in his tree - flaring his nostrils

We stopped at Toby's favourite tree - he's always climbed this one when we walk here. Since he was 4 years old!  It took us 2 hours to the dot to get to Paua Hut.  We unlocked the hut and pitched Toby's tent (Mike had the other tent with him).

Selfie fun!

Finally a sensible selfie

Enjoying the sun over the Orongaronga river

After sitting in the sun for an hour or so, Mike and his group arrived.  Andrew wasn't long after them and we enjoyed sitting and admiring the view for a bit.  Then Mike, Jo and Rodrigo left to find a swimming hole and Andrew and I contemplated life (and a hunter with, we suspect, a huge pig to carry home) for quite a few hours.  Toby has retired to his tent to sleep off the late night.

Best campsite ever!

Next morning we struck both tents and Toby and I packed up and left before the others.  Toby had his mates coming over at midday so we had to hurry.

Don't take a photo of me in my long johns!

My favourite part of the Orongaronga track - punga forest

Am I dancing between the trunks?

We got home at 11.15am or so - well in time for Toby to be there for Akash and Isaac.  Yay!  Mike got home around 3pm and we relaxed before I drove Isaac home and went grocery shopping for the week ahead.

Karen got home ok from Queensland.  Hope her week gets back to normal routine easily.  Toby starts back at school on Wednesday so let's see what our normal routine looks like too!

Have a brilliant  day!

Love,
Angela

The Thursday with dragon boat training

Hi,

Busy day at work, followed by meeting Toby at 4pm (on the dot!) to head to JB HiFi to spend his Christmas voucher.  Then I convinced him to have a drink with me.  We got an iced chocolate and an iced latte from Butlers.  We didn't enjoy them.  We didn't finish them.  As that was a bit of a flop, I suggested Maccas.  What was I thinking?

I had some yucky McBites and Toby decided he was actually full and I had to eat his chips.  Please remind me I don't like Maccas.  Should have got an all day brekkie instead!  Heheheh.

I then sat in the sun for a while at Frank Kitts park waiting for the dragon boat team to arrive for training.  We had a session on the lagoon with James practising his sweep role and the rest of us trying to get timing sorted.  Such fun!

Mike then surprised me by walking to meet me at the end and we caught the bus home.  I had to discretely place a towel on the seat as I was dripping wet.  Pretty sure I got away with it.

Got home and Mike cooked tea while I went back into town to get a few things from work.  We're moving buildings at the end of next week.  Woot!  I had to clear out stuff from my desk.

Tramping this weekend!  I have to be at the road end by 10.20am.  We're off to Paua Hut.  I haven't been there for quite a while now.  Must be 1.5 years maybe?  Anyway, it should be relaxing.  I will test out my new tramping boots and see if my feet survive.

Our work team won our work quiz this week!  Yay!

Have a wonderful weekend.

Love,
Angela

The Wednesday that felt like Friday but really should have felt like Tuesday

Hi,

We're having the oddest weather.  I managed to get a gym session in and left chaos in my wake.  Toby came back to my work after his dental appointment and no one could find me.  I had asked him to bus home after it to meet Isaac, but he had other ideas in mind involving spending his JB HiFi card he got for Christmas from Aunty Sally and Uncle Andrew.

Anyhow, work now knows how casual I am about Toby's whereabouts and how I just let him wander around town aimlessly.  Oops.

Iced latte goodness with Celia at Mojos

Mike sorted it all out and headed home.  I jumped on a bus as soon as I heard the kerfuffle and wasn't home too late.  The boys walked to Burger Wisconsin and ate and played in the park.  I researched cars on Trade Me to little enlightenment.  Mike worked late.

Had a lovely ride in this morning and dismantled the bike hooks from the bike shed at work.  We're moving buildings in two weeks so everything is being taken down and we've bought a few things (like bike hooks).

Hope your day is loads of fun.

Love,
Angela

The Tuesday back at work

Hi,

My routine is slowly coming back to normal.  Toby starts school on Wednesday next week - so that will be true normality I guess.

Iced latte goodness at Mojos

Despite my lack of sleep, I had a good day yesterday.  Got a coffee date in with Ed and Kate from work and we discussed a few things.  Made decisions.

Went with Rex to the pool after work for dragon boat training. He was kind enough to drop me home afterwards and I got so much done around the house.  Mountains of laundry done!  Tidying up.  Yay!

Crashed into bed until Mike and Toby got home from a BBQ at Josh's house.  Then Mike and I slept like the dead until this morning.  Much needed!

We walked in this morning because the galeforce winds are back.

Toby has a dental appointment at 3.30pm today and Isaac is coming over.  Hopefully they will meet in town and head home together after Toby's appointment.

And I might just fit in a gym session.

Have a great day!

Love,
Angela

The weekend in sunny Queensland

Hi,

Thank you so much to Vivienne for looking after wee Smudge for our weekend away.  She looked very well when we got home at 1am last night!

Turns out I would much rather still be in Queensland this morning.  Although the locals think it is warm (I saw people in short sleeves walking to work this morning) I had the heater on in the car!  Hahah.

Anyhow, we left early - early! - Friday morning to go to the Sunshine Coast to collect Toby.  We caught up with Jo in the departure lounge as she had a long weekend to Melbourne.  Woot!  Flight was fine (I watched Tarzan, with the chap from True Blood in it - which was average, then You Before Me, which made me cry!).  We uneventfully cleared customs and collected our rental Corolla, and 8am local time saw us heading north on the M1.

I navigated us without incident to the Sunshine Motorway (I often miss the turn off for that motorway from the main Bruce Highway) and then as we approached Peregian Springs, we noticed there had been a fire through recently.  As we commented on that, we also noticed that it was actually still smoldering.  Yep - a fire was through there as recently as...  Now!

We got to my parents' place and dropped off our stuff, got changed into shorts and then headed out to explore Noosa.  This was the first time Mike had been up here.  We drove to Tewantin and found the ferry terminal and bought the tickets.  Oddly they needed cash and it was $130 for all of us.  We had to scrounge around for the money, but managed to do it.

The ferry ride was fun - down the river to Noosa Heads and a lunch in Hastings Street.  The place was pumping and we had a great lunch.  Then Karen and I had a quick look at the shops while everyone went for a swim.  And then Karen and I joined them!  The water was so warm and lovely.

Selfie time

More selfies

Abby looking relaxed

Tyler enjoying the ferry

After a good swim we ate Ben and Jerrys ice cream and caught the ferry back.  Waiting for the ferry was fun - the water had all sorts of fish in it by the wharf.  We saw trumpet fish and angel fish and just big schools of decent sized fish.  And crabs.

Iced coffee goodness

The feet meet Ben and Jerrys Coffee Coffee Buzz Buzz Buzz

Kids swimming in the rain

Back to relax at home.  Saturday saw Brent come up with the boys (Jack 7 and Harry 5) to have a BBQ with us and swim in the pool.  The weather decided to play up a little with rain as we got lunch ready.  But it was so warm the kids loved swimming in the heavy rain.  And the rain also dealt to the fire that was still burning not too far away.

We caught up with Brent back at the house and chatted away for ages before he had to get them home for their movie.  It was such fun to see them all.  The boys are very sociable and Harry took a shine to Abby.

Next morning we had brunch booked close to the ferry terminal.  Lovely morning there before we all got lost trying to find the jet ski hire place on the Noosa River.

Photo bomb!

Hahah!

We found the jet ski place and we hired 3 jet skis.  I had Abby behind me, Toby and Mike shared one, and Scott and Tyler were on the other one.  We had the circuit to ourselves and we all had such a good time.  Abby and Tyler enjoyed their turns at driving.  Toby was traumatised by almost falling off from behind Mike and didn't pluck up enough courage to try driving.  But he also enjoyed the fun!  One of his highlights from his month away in Australia.

We did that for 30 mins and it cost $80 per jet ski.  Marvellous fun!

We then split up and Mum, Karen, Scott, Abby and I went to Sunshine Plaza to do some shopping and Gramps took the others for Maccas and then home.

Dad got some bad news really late Sunday - his mother was taken to hospital to intensive care and needed some exploratory surgery.  But late Monday morning we heard she was responding to treatment and although it is still serious, things might be improving.  We hope she recovers well.

We swam in the pool and just packed up before heading away from Peregian Springs at 1.45pm.  Stopped off at Coles and left there at 2pm.  Got to the airport at 3.30pm and checked in and had an uneventful flight home.

Toby was so happy to see Smudge.  And she slept on his bed, so I think the feeling was mutual.  Getting up this morning after 4 hours sleep was not easy!

Toby enjoyed his month away.  Karen said he was well mannered and lovely - that made me proud of him.  Apparently at Nandos on the road trip up from Sydney, he ordered his food and the woman behind the counter jumped and said "You have such a deep voice!".  I am sure he has other adventures to relate too!

Last drive in the MX 5

Mike and I drove in as we're handing the MX5 over to the new owner today.  So sad!  Like - really sad!

Time to try and get my head in the game! I miss everyone already.  I hope there is nothing tricky to deal with today.

Have a great day!

Love,
Angela

The Wednesday with nothing

Hi,

Ok - the talk of the weather bomb was all media drama.  Or so I thought.  But at 4am, we were woken up by gusts and it was rather unusual.  Our outside table was being lifted and dropped and would clang against the wooden railing sending deep booms through the house.  But the really odd part was it didn't happen when the wind was rushing and noisy.  It was when it went quite silent and I think that was when it was sucking the table up!

Anyway - I have dragon boat training tonight.  Fortunately in the pool, otherwise we'd definitely be cancelled.  Hahah.  This meant we needed to drive in because logistics of getting to Kilbirnie pool and then back were a little tricky.  And I think we're having tea in town tonight.  Woot!

We're off first thing tomorrow to Brisbane to collect Toby from sunny Australia.  He'll love this weather when he gets back - not!  Back late Monday night (technically, early Tuesday morning).

Have a wonderful weekend.

Love,
Angela

The Tuesday with Smudge handover

Hi,

After a crazy day at work (two iced lattes) I got to the gym and rode home not too much later.  Mike got home and ate tea and then headed out for his tramping meeting.

Mojos on Lambton this time - still a good iced latte

Vivienne popped in after her dog training evening and we chatted away for a while to catch up on news.  She is going to look after Smudge Fri - Mon while we are away.  Smudge will guard the house for us.

Sounds like Toby has made it to Mum's house.  I saw a photo in Facebook of the girls fast asleep somewhere around Caboolture.  That wasn't far away!  Bet they are loving the pool.

Got a busy day today.  Mike and I walked in, which was nice for a change.  The weather is changing and looks fairly threatening.  But it is warm.  I walked in wearing a t shirt and shorts.

Right.  I need a cup of tea.  Have an awesome day!

Love,
Angela

The Monday where Toby takes a road trip

Hi,

I have it on good authority that Toby is on a mega road trip with Karen, Scott, Tyler and Abby.  He loves road trips so I hope he's having a lot of fun.  I saw pics on Facebook of him swimming at a beach.  Woot!

Meanwhile, we are having two good days of summer weather, but Mike tells me it is to end on Wednesday with a weather bomb and gales and rain and low overnight temperatures.  Oh, goody.

I went to the gym and also rode home for the first time in 2017.  Yay.  My back disc brake seems to be rubbing, so it seems likely I am riding with the brakes on a little.  Hahah.  Surely that is the only reason it was a hard slog up the hill and not that it was my first time in a month.

Mike talked to the builder for a bit and then I cooked tea.  Lamb salad.  Mmmm.  With roasted kumara, capsicum and red onion and feta on top.  I also crushed some tamari almonds in as I had no pine nuts.  Mike thought it was scrumptious.  Which is good, really, because it wasn't like I had a lot of choice about what to cook.  Not much in the vege crisper bin in the fridge.

Mike went through the freezer and threw out old stuff.  What was the oldest thing you found, Mike?  Best before 2013?

Anyway - I now have to use up frozen stir fry veges.  Blleeeuuucccchhhh!

Must be time for a cup of tea.  Have a great day!

Love,
Angela

The weekend with no Toby

Hi,

Ok - I am really missing Toby quite a lot now.  I think it is probably a good thing that he isn't texting or ringing - he must be rather happy on his summer holiday still.  Today they all leave and drive to Queensland.  Well, maybe not quite all the way today.  Toby loves road trips so this should satisfy him.

Mike and I got up early on Saturday and headed past the Catchpool entrance to the coast to go on a meetup walk through the Baring Head area.  The GWRC did a fine job taking us through there.  We learned about the history of the place and what they want to achieve over the next few years.

Feet looking back at Wellington

Baring Head lighthouse - automated in 1987

Walking back towards the car

A person cattle stop

Old pumping house

The walk was only 3 hours long, and a slow pace.  But that was a good test for my Achilles.  It held up well.  We met a bunch of people that Mike knows from Meetup and I chatted to a woman called Pip.  She had met Toby at Kaitoke at the start of December and remembered the bacon a stick fun over the campfire.

Mike and I sat at Catchpool next to the wee river and ate our lunch before heading back into town to buy new running shoes for me and new work shoes for Mike.  Jem at Show Clinic got me on the treadmill and apparently I have a good running style.  Yay for that.  Sheer fluke.  My new shoes will hopefully help with the Achilles situation.

Mike and I had date night in the evening.  We went to Capitol (a favourite of mine) and I had corn fritter with whitebait and Mike had steak.  We shared the decadent, yummy chocolate fondant pudding.

Off to see Passengers next door and Mike and I both loved it.  A good date movie on Toby's recommendation.  Basically a romance on a spaceship.  A cool special effects.  Mike loved the opening sequence of the ship hurtling through space.

Next day Mike had a lot of messages and some work to get through.  he took a wee load of stuff to the tip.  I went to Five Burroughs and met Christine and Tom for brunch.  Mmmmm.  It was a good catch up with them both.

Astonishment at my iced coffee at Five Burroughs

I caught the bus back home and got through the mountain of ironing before Mike got home.  Then we were off to visit Sally for tea.  Andrew got back from his tramp and we all ate yummy naked burgers.  That seems to be meat patties without bread.  Tasty.

Back home and I stupidly read until late and now I am a little tired.  Oh well.  Mike didn't sleep that well either so we're a little zombie like here.

We have Friday off (and Monday for Wellington Anniversary weekend) so we're off to Sunshine Coast to collect Toby and bring him back to the crazy Wellington summer.  It was almost like winter over the weekend.  I hope he's getting his Vitamin D fix in Australia.

Have a wonderful week!

Love,
Angela

The Thursday with drinks after work

Hi,

I did get an iced latte in at Mojos on The Terrace - that is by far my favourite iced coffee at the moment.

Iced latte at Mojos - it's the bomb

Busy day at work and then I managed to squash in a session at the gym before heading out for a catch up with Ange, Steph, Bronwyn and Mike.  Good fun!

Ubered home and crashed into bed,

Yay it's Friday.  Woot.  Mike has mates coming around to the house after work.  Tomorrow we're up early for a day walk around Baring Head.  Then I want to buy new running shoes - my current ones are rather old now and possibly contributing to my sore Achilles.  You never know!

We also have a dinner and movie date night on Saturday night.  Mike wants to take me to see Passengers on the back of Toby's recommendation.  Woot!  Sounds good.

And Sunday is the day to get the car ready for selling.  That will be a sad day.

Have a wonderful weekend.

Love,
Angela

The Wednesday with a lovely dinner

Hi,

Ok - I went for a walk with Mary at lunchtime and we grabbed an iced coffee.  It wasn't until later I realised the huge amount of wind in the capital made me look very windswept and interesting.  Guess I should be pleased the owners of the cafe deigned to serve me at all.  Hahah

Chalk's iced coffee - a solid 6

After work Mike and I headed to Saman's house.  We met wee Minty - she is so cute!  And such a good wee girl (born in November!).  We also got fed a huge dinner that was really yummy.  And Iranian tea.  We were so well looked after that it was really late by the time we left.  As Mike and I drove away, we were very appreciative of the hospitality Saman's family showed us.

We did a tour of the earthquake condemned buildings on the way home.  The cinema in Lower Hutt attached to Queensgate.  Then the carpark attached to the Reading cinema in town.  And finally the building on Molesworth.  By the time we got home, it was really late.  Then Mike played with the cat  a bit.

Anyway, my sleep was far too short.  I need to find some time to get more sleeping hours in.

Have a fantastic day today!  Stay out of the wind if you're in Wellington.  It's a blustery old day here.

Love,
Angela

The Tuesday with more work

Hi,

I had to share the photo of Mike with a luxurious beard before he shaved it all off.  That's from Dec 19th to Jan 8th (or thereabouts).  I thought he looked quite dashing.  But off it all came.

Side profile of the beard

I have a dental appointment today because I chipped my front tooth on a nectarine stone yesterday.  It's all rough at the bottom now and catching my bottom inside lip.  I have had it done before so I hope it will be a fairly quick fix this afternoon and stay in place for another few years.

This evening Mike and I are off to visit a colleague and his family.  They had a wee girl in November so it'll be great to see them all.  And we need to collect the tyres for the new car (it came with two new tyres but we haven't collected them as yet).

Woot!  The day is slightly cool here, but mostly sunny.  I'll try and get a walk in at lunch time today.

Missing wee Toby.  I hope he's having fun in Sydney with his cousins.  And I hope he enjoys the warm weather before we bring him back to Wellington.  Hahah.

Have a great day!

Love,
Angela

The Monday back at work after Christmas

Hi,

Yep - I know you're expecting a blog about Christmas.  I didn't make any notes at all while I was on holiday so I have to try and remember it.  It might take me a few days.

Anyway, yesterday was the first day back at work after three weeks off.  Very wonderful break.  Christmas was incredible - I have missed Christmases with my family.  But when you choose to live elsewhere, it is just something you have to get used to.  And Mike's family certainly makes me feel welcome.

We also went tramping - the Whangapeka track in Kahurangi National Park.  Awesome - but such a tough walk for me.  And we went sea kayaking in the Abel Tasman National Park.

Marlborough Sounds looking fine

Only iced coffee we could find on Saturday morning in Nelson

About to go for a (quick) swim

Happy feet

Beach stop

Too stunning

Getting ready

That's blood in the bottom of my right boot

There are some photos to show you I really did go away tramping.  I hardly took any, so I might ask Andrew and Mike to send me some for my blog.

Anyway, yesterday was hard work.  I did get to the gym for my first 2017 session.  Yay!  More today hopefully.  Mike is in Auckland for the day today - back on a late flight tonight.

Right.  Time for a cup of tea and getting my work life sorted.

Hope your holiday break was as much fun as mine!

Love,
Angela