The Tuesday with Mike coming back

Hi,

Today is the last day of birthday month.  What a great month it has been.

I got to meet up with Andrew and Ed and June for a coffee after Spin yesterday.  We chatted about tramping things and Andrew and June will do some walks together at some stage.  Cool.

Iced latte with Andrew, Ed and June @ Machete

Wow - the landscapers are amazing!

I wasn't well during the day and chewed through vitamin C tablets to stave off impending doom.  But I think it was temporary.  I feel ok now.

Toby went to a play at TSB for his drama class - so I dropped him off after cooking him chicken schnitzels.  I am the best mother!

Mike got home from Auckland and we went to bed.  And waited and waited for Toby to get home.  He had no phone with him.  And, Mike said he would never have left Toby in town at night with no contact method.

Oh.  I am actually the worst mother.

Toby eventually got home, soaking wet as he walked home.  He jumped in the shower and went to bed.  He was very cute as he told us about the play.  He has another one on Thursday night.

I need to find him his phone.  He's misplaced it.

Right.  Time to enter the day of craziness, for real.

Have a great day.

Love,
Angela

The Monday back at work with no Mike

Hi,

I managed to get a late lunch at Aroha in the food court at Press Hall - and enjoyed that immensely.  I think I will be back today for more.

My power bowl from Aroha - plant based food.  Yummy! 

I hope it goes well and I get lots of yummy options to eat for my lunches.

I headed home and grabbed Toby and went back into town for his dental appointment.  His teeth are fine, but he needs an orthodontist visit.  His two front teeth are slightly out of alignment. 

We got back home and after doing the laundry and sorting out some food, I went to bed.  I am suspicious I am coming down with something.  Like a cough thing.  I will try and continue to deny it.

This morning I rode in, and went to Spin.  Then caught up with Andrew and Ed and June for an iced latte at Machete.  Mmmm.

Photo of that tomorrow, perhaps.

Mike is due back later today - yay!  Looks like he had fun catching up with Wally.  I never saw any of their notifications.  My phone is great at hiding everything.  Hahah.

Also - sleeping was on the cards.  That's always useful for ignoring activity on your phone.

Have a great day.
Love,
Angela

The weekend with tramping and cycling

Hi,

The landscapers made a lot of progress on Friday and the front yard looked great - we can see what it will become now.  Kinda.  If I use my imagination.

Retaining walls going up

Should look great soon

View from the front door

Iced latte time!

I did get an iced latte in during the day on Friday - so that was good.

But it was all about the weekend after 5pm!  Ooossshhh!   Got home and packed for the weekend.  Finally found my bike computer - and that hunting expedition meant I found my favourite cap.

Andrew and I start off after Sally dropped us at the top of Remutaka Hill

Next morning Sally and Andrew collected me and my bike and gear at 7am and we were at the top of Remutaka Hill by 8:30am.  Yay.  Gorgeous day.  Sally took some pics (hopefully I get some of those) and we were off.

I got to try my hand at navigation - I may need more practise.  Ok - a lot of practise.  It's lucky it wasn't up to me to get us back to the track.  Andrew is collecting spot heights, and we got 5 on this day.  He considered that a job well done.  A few more remain for him in this area.

But the exciting thing about spot height bagging is there is often no track to them.  They are just isolated high points (Andrew explained they were for mapping purposes).

Selfie with Remutaka Hill Road behind me

Lovely view - you can see Lake Wairarapa through the trees

I wanted to do this walk with him because you see this skyline ridge as you drive over the hill, and I like the idea of knowing I have now been up there.

One of the spot heights was a bush bash from a track.  At one stage it took us 1.5 hours to go 1.2 km.  It was choked with gorse and scrub.  You had to wriggle through, hoping you never caught brown sharp gorse anywhere, using your pack to create a barrier between you and the worse bits.  It mostly worked.  I ended up following Andrew through one part, upside down, tumbling through a wee scrubby tree.  It got me there!

I also collected bruises, scratches and had blood welling to the surface in more than one location.

And I loved every minute of it!

Feet during a lunch stop

Selfie high above the Wairarapa

Ok - I like this view of the road

More road views

I loved the view of the Remutaka Hill road from various points on our walk.  Beautiful vistas.  As we got back up to our high point of 805m, and back on the track, we had to scramble down a short, steep bank onto the track.  Andrew went first, hanging off a tree branch and using that to guide himself down.  He told me to wriggle down to his height above the path.  And put my foot where his was, as soon as he moved it. He did mention it wasn't the best footing - but ok.  I slotted my boot in as Andrew gracefully descended the last 2m.  And as I stood to put weight on my foot, holding the same tree branch, the foothold gave way and I hurtled to the track, on my bottom, feet first, into Andrew.  Andrew bravely attempted to put his body on the line to save me face planting into the hard track.

It worked.  All that happened was I got filthy from sliding through the muddy bank.  And Andrew didn't say I had damaged him in any way.

Anyhow, we got onto the tops after that, and grabbed another spot height.  Then we were on the never ending downhill to meet Sally.  Andrew jumped into wilderness again for thirty minutes to get another spot height while I lay in the grass, listening to him bashing away into the bush.  I could hear him coming back once he had found the spot height, and it was eerily like Jurassic Park.  Hearing snapping branches and seeing the trees shake and it getting closer.

Continued down, picking blackberries as we went.  Met Sally and happily ate yummy things (pain au chocolate and ginger beer - classic!) then off to Martinborough and our accommodation at Cologne Cottage.

We got changed for dinner at Pinocchios and dropped the birthday cake off early and went and waited at the park for our 6pm reservation.  Aidan and Janne got there for 6 and we walked over and met them there.  Janne had no idea we knew about her birthday and announced this dinner out had morphed into her birthday celebration.  Ohh - we said - you kept that secret.  :-)

Then she found the card under her napkin and the cat was out of the bag.  We knew it was her birthday!  And we even had birthday cake (yummy banana) that Sally had bought earlier.  Anyway, after a lovely dinner, I was almost asleep in my seat.  We got a drive back to our cottage and I tried to eat some cheese before bed with everyone.  But before long I was pretty tired from the day's excitement.

Off to bed and a pretty good sleep despite the strange bed.  Up early (well, not too early) at 7am and packed for our bike ride at 8am.  Andrew had to fix a puncture in his back tyre before we left.  And we ate custard squares for brekkie - unusual fare.  Hahah.

However, 2.5 km into our ride, I heard a "pppfftttt" and a groan from Andrew.  His back tyre had popped.  So he changed it again - and put in another new tube.  But this one stayed up.  Yay!  We rode up the back road (Longbush road) to Gladstone, making fairly good time despite the odd wind direction from the nor'west.  As we turned up Admiral Hill at 10am, the wind got behind us.  Choice.  We were facing a 10 km climb.  But as I started to put pressure on my gears, they kept popping out of bottom into the second bottom.  Constantly.  Andrew suggested holding my lever in, so I tried that and that seemed to work.  But my hands got so tired from the constant pressure.

Got through a pinch about halfway up - real grunty.  The wind picked up as we got higher.  Andrew tweaked my derailleur settings and that seemed to work well for the last few kms.  Got to the top and we were rewarded with views over more hills towards the west coast.  So windy though - as Andrew held up his phone, it acted like a sail to knock him off balance.

Anyway, we started back down, and on my first slight uphill section, my gears played up.  This time it seemed like they were broken and not shifting at all.  After trying a few tweaks, Andrew decided to ride my bike.  And he stopped immediately, yanked at my gear cable, and it came out.  With frayed ends.  Oh.  No gears (apart from the front one).  Lucky I mostly had downhill ahead of me.  Andrew popped my chain into a middle back gear and he took off to get Sally (and reception) ahead of me.  Any uphill killed me - a steeper section had me walking up.  Anyway, I eventually got to the last uphill section and hopped on my bike and coasted down.  Met Aidan and Janne and they grabbed my bike and shoved it in the boot and away off to the pub for lunch.

Lunch at the Gladstone Pub.  In the sun.  And on Janne's actual birthday too.  Nice.  Got away at 1.30 ish to meet Col on Palmerston North.  First time for me over the Pahiatua Track.

We got to Col and Iona's place at 2.30, but Col was out.  We ate cheese and crackers with Iona and waited for Col.  She got back, and we gave her a wee birthday present before heading off to Tawa and the Bichan family dinner.

Home by 8.30pm and a well needed bath before bed.  Mike was up early today for his flight to Auckland - back late tomorrow.

Phew!  Such a great weekend.  How cool is that?  Just me and Toby tonight.  Although he has a dental appointment I forgot to mention to him this morning.  Hope I can sort that out.

Enjoy your week ahead.

Love,
Angela

The Thursday with dragon boat training

Hi,

This week has been bedlam - and others feel it too.   I took Tyrone aware from it all and he downloaded a bit - it's always good to hear him chat about things.

Iced latte with Tyrone

He took a great photo of me at Machete - after two coffee dates with him, he knows now that I expect a photo to be taken.

I managed to get away fro lunch with Sally (work Sally) and we enjoyed vegetarian and vegan (her) pasta from Fratelli in the new food court.

Lunch at Fratelli - vegetarian and vegan pastas

But a third the way through, she got stung by a wasp.  And the cheeky thing (the wasp - not Sally) stayed in her clothes and stung her again.  Sally is also allergic.  I gave her anti histamine and we went to the bathroom to make sure the pesky wasp had fled the scene.  Yes.  The stings were painful.  But after finishing lunch and assessing her, I gave her a sick note so she could go home.  (Not really - I just wanted to check she wasn't going to have a further reaction as she drove home).

Dragon boat training after work - and with a southerly it was a tad cool.  But the water was so warm.  We saw a penguin swimming by the sculpture of the man that is leaning into the wind.  So cute.  I watched it for a while.

Woodhenge takes shape

Yep - looking like we worship wood right now

Got home late, cold and wet and hungry.  But Mike had made this scrumptious meal.  Some noodle salad thing.  Crunchy.  With haloumi.  It was sooooo good.

I showered, and fell into bed. 

The weekend looks good.  I'm tramping with Andrew tomorrow, and doing a ride on Sunday.  At least - I think that is the plan.  Staying in the Wairarapa with Sally somewhere.  Having dinner Saturday night.  I better put something in that is nicer than my usual tramping/riding clothes then.

Choice!

Enjoy your weekend.

Love,
Angela

The Wednesday with a crazy work day

Hi,

My day was crazy - it is always a sure sign of mania if I leave work with unread emails.  That was a sign alright.

Feet enjoying the view - stormy weather

But I got home and cooked tea for me and Toby.  I put Mike's aside because he had something on after work and I figured he would probably eat there.

However, when he got home, he was keen for tea.  Perfect!  And he enjoyed the dinner - as did Toby.  We went outside to inspect the flashing work - the roof is finally done.  How long?  Don't ask!

The landscapers have a few wee slips to contend with - the exposed clay is a bit susceptible to this steady rain.

Slept well and woke early.  Walked in and got hosed on by heavy rain.  That jacket is hopeless.  Hahahah.  Good spin class and now to face the chaos at work.

Woot!

Have an awesome day!

Love,
Angela

The Tuesday with burgers

Hi,

Had a great day - and it seems it is everyone's birthday. 

Raptors!

Coming back from a race

Someone published pics on Facebook from the fun day, so I have popped them up here.  I think it was a race photographer.  Probably Big Mark. 

Anyway, yesterday was the calm before the storm.  Literally.  We had steady but vertical rain all day.  It wasn't until 7pm when the wind started up and we got a bit of a lashing.  But even then, it was just a typical storm here in Wellington.  Looks like further south bore the brunt.  Again.  They just weathered a big storm two weeks ago.

Iced latte with client at Machete - but she noticed a photo bomb man

So she took another one - hahahah

I caught up with a client and she knows about my iced coffee photo needs and happily obliged.  Got to Spin twice - oossshhh.

After work (and a late Spin class), I met Mike and Janine and we hurried to the Laundry for birthday burgers with his Snow Crew mates.  Jo's friend Jon was enjoying his birthday - we all sang happy birthday and the rest of the patrons joined in.

I had the corn fritter and haloumi burger - it was ok.  Mike enjoyed his "Return of the Mac" burger.  Apparently it really had macaroni cheese in it.

Janine kindly drove us home afterwards and I slept like the dead.  I was so tired.

Up early to get on the early bus with Mike as he was off to the gym.  Good on him.  I am proud.

Have a fantastic day.

Love,
Angela

The Monday back at work

Hi,

And happy birthday to everyone born today.  Scott.  Tim.  Richard.  Seems today is the day to have a February child - I think it's the day I know of with the most people born on it.

The day went so fast yesterday - although in saying that, when I woke this morning, I had this moment where I was sure I had already been at work for a few days and it must be Wednesday already.  No such luck there.

Anyway, I managed to get to yoga and spin yesterday, so at least the physical part of my day went well.  Hahah.

I got home and sorted out tea for me and Toby (and saved a meal for Mike).  Mike's trip to Auckland was curtailed by the expected bad weather.  The storm from Cyclone Gita is expected to hit Wellington around the same time as his flight was originally due (1800, Tuesday evening).  Gita has done something good for me - it got my husband back early from a business trip.  No complaints there.  :-)

In fact, Sally and Andrew picked Mike up from the airport and delivered him and our frozen goods (we had stored them there while our fridge was out on the deck) after tea.  And we celebrated with birthday chocolate and discussing what we should do this coming weekend for fun.

They admired our shiny floorboards.  We will be busy sorting things out for a while yet though.  Our bedroom is still full of stuff from the lounge although the pathway to the bed is much wider now. 

I hope this storm does nothing.  The media are calling it and telling us to batten down the hatches.  I hope the people deluged by the recent storms escape this.

Have a great day.

Love,
Angela

The weekend with my birthday and dragon boat racing

Hi,

What a great birthday weekend - how cool to celebrate it with dragon boat fun day.   Friday was a whirlwind of packing for the big race day - and getting the furniture from the deck back in the house.  We did it!  Phew!

Cat spies me taking a photo and moves

Iced latte at Machete - courtesy of Jeff this time

The house looks amazing with the newly polished floorboards.  Maybe in a week or two when the trauma has worn off I may consider it all money well spent.

Cat and Toby

Saturday I woke up to a happy birthday kiss from Mike.  :-)  And then it was a crazy rush to get ready in time for dragon boating.  Mike made me scrambled eggs for brekkie.  Food of champions, obviously.

Yeah, I dunno what I am doing in this pic either.  I look astonished that Serge is taking my photo

The day was warm, but cloudy in the morning and quite windy, with a strong nor'easter.  We Ubered into my work so I could get my cap, but as I ran into the office and rummaged through my locker, I realised it was at home.  But Mike saved the day and after his gym session, he bought me a replacement.

Celia bought me a present - shucks.  I have wee lenses to put over my phone to make special effects.  Just wait till you see that in use with the iced coffee pics.

Warm day for the racing on my birthday - it didn't rain!

Poser with a paddle

The womens race - we paired with Y12 students from Wellington East Girls College

We had a great fun race day.  We came second in our first race, first in our second race and first all women boat over the line in our womens race.  We totally count that as a win.

The day was organised initially, but the wind played havoc with the schedule and by the end of the day, it was chaos.  They cancelled the Round the Fountain race - very sensible.

As I came back from one of the races, with Mike and Toby, I stepped into our tent and everyone sang Happy Birthday.  We ate yummy chocolate cake that Mike got.

After the racing, we showered at work and met at the Fork and Brewer for a catch up.  Then Mike took me away for a movie for my birthday.  The greatest showman.  It was good.  However, I was so tired from the day that we went home after that instead of going out for tea.

Sunday I slept in.  Mmmmm.  Bliss.  Mike brought me toast and tea in bed.  Heaven.  We pottered around doing a few things.  I had to go into town to get my wet gear and bring it back.  Mike rigged up the washing machine so I could at least get some washing done.  Hahah.  The builders might find some damp spots outside in the clay.

Mike is off to Auckland today and tomorrow.  And again the following week.  We're expected to get the dregs of a cyclone hitting us late tomorrow so I hope his flight gets in ok.

What a fantastic weekend.  Time to kick start the working week though.  Thanks for all the birthday wishes.  I love birthdays - and especially mine.  :-)

Have a wonderful week ahead.

Love,
Angela

The Thursday with dragon boat training

Hi,

Had a weird day at work but did make some inroads into things.  Hopefully today will be another day of getting traction.  Traction seems like a good thing.

Iced latte at Machete with Prasad

Ok - that might be one iced latte too many for the day - poor Celia!

Went dragon boating with the team and had a fun session in the windy conditions.  The chop wasn't too bad though.  The wind would catch your paddle blade when you turned into the wind.  And every now and then a swell would crash over the bow.  Celia got pretty wet.

Mike and Toby met us after the session and we popped into The Green man to have a quick dinner before Ubering home.

There had been more progress on the landscaping.  So exciting. 

More changes in the landscaping area - looks like pot plant holders

And I think the builders made some progress

Giant potplant holders here too

We're not sure if we know what they are doing, but it is exciting to see things happen.  It looks like they know what they are doing.  The neighbour popped around and said that company works like nobody's business.  Said they earn their keep.  Well, we can tell.

Right.  The weekend beckons.  It might be my birthday tomorrow.  :-)  And fun race day for the dragon boat team.

I am finishing work on time today and riding my bicycle like the wind to Alicetown to collect the Subaru.  I think.  If Mike says it is all go.  Yay for getting a car back.

And tonight we should be able to walk on our floors in our socks.  Yay for getting most of our house back.  I can pack for the race day.

Have a great day.

Love,
Angela

The Wednesday with my Valentine

Hi,

Hahahah - we don't do anything for Valentines Day as a rule.  But at 10am Mike sent me an email saying we actually can't walk on our floors until Friday.  And...  no access to our bedroom, or clothes etc.  And if I need to, I can buy clothes to get me by.

Mmmm, Machete and their iced lattes.  This one was with Tyrone

I like Tyrone's approach to taking my iced coffee photos.  He knows to take loads and I chose which one to put up here.  I didn't select the ones where I was talking to him, and looked like I was contorting my face.  Hahah.  We had a good catch up on the trials and tribulations of our working life.  He taught me life skills too.  Always an added bonus when a work meeting teaches you about life.  I must look up that psychologist study he mentioned.  Someone and Duggan.  Or something.  About how you can't assume others think like you.  Well, that is how I interpreted Tyrone's explanation.  That might be inception, if Tyrone has no idea how my brain works.

User group

Had the user group on yesterday - first one in the lunch time slot.  Seemed successful.

Where's the tree gone?

Builders have made progress

I am astonished

Victor said I should totally go shopping and meet Mike with 15 shopping bags under my arms.  Yep - I should have tried that.  Hahahah.

I had to buy 5 tarps for the stuff on the deck as rain is expected overnight - just a little.  So I walked to Bunnings on Tory St.  As I went to the checkout with all my tarps, the checkout woman asked if I had 5, as she scanned one.  I said yes, but they are different sizes.  She thanked me for telling her and I paid.  She asked if I wanted a box for them.  Odd.  I asked if they had a bag.  She said they charge for bags but I could have a box.  I said that was fine, I'd just carry them.  So she said:  Happy covering things.

And I laughed as I walked out.  She was funny.

Anyway, I went to Spin after work and then met Mike and Toby at 6.30pm.  Toby had eaten so he was heading home and letting us have a romantic dinner together.  But I had my gym gear on - so options were limited.  We went to Kilm, the Turkish place opposite Andrew's work and had a cheap and cheerful meal together.

Got home and helped the boys with the tarps.  Toby climbed up onto the deck like it was monkey bars.  Mike's mouth dropped open and he continued with the ladder approach.  They got everything wrapped in plastic (that was for you, Mum!) and then we fell into bed.

Mike and I shared the single bed.  And it was so hot, we only had a sheet all night.  We had to roll over in unison.  One more night and we can get back to our bed.  Friday night.  Woot!

Rode into work this morning and did a Spin class.  Bumped into several women from work in the bathroom and we chatted as we got ready.  They have all heard my music and singing in the shower in previous weeks.  Oops.  They laughed - but totally said they didn't judge.  Even though one asked if it was me playing Taylor Swift a week or so back.  Ummmm.  Yep.

Dragon boat training tonight.  Last one before the fun race day on Saturday.  Ooossshhh.

Have a great day.

Love,
Angela

The Tuesday with dinner out

Hi,

The chaos is ebbing at home - thank goodness.  Although the sanders are actually coming today - we just got ready a day early for them.

After work, I met up with Celia and her team of merry men and we went to Little Beer Quarter.  I hadn't been there before, but it was very pleasant.  Quiet.  And as a surprise, Andrew popped in to say hello and drink a craft beer with us.

Tried this - not too bad

More landscaping work

That's our water pipe

Mike had left his phone at home all day, and it was amazingly hard to communicate with him.  Andrew texted back from the pub when he left and found Mike that all was ok.  Hahahah.  But when I made our group do a pub crawl from ours to Mike's, it turned out he had left already.  Doh!

I was heading home on the bus when Mike rang me.  Obviously he got home, and then Toby had explained about needing a Valentine's gift for Sahara.  So it was my lot in life to get changed when I got home, and walk to the closest supermarket and help Toby buy something.

Yes, both our cars are out of commission right now.  I am a walk, bike, bus person at the moment.

Iced latte with Andrew

Anyway, we had a lovely walk in the late evening in beautiful conditions while Mike tried to sort out the floor for the sanders.  We got a single red rose for Toby's girl, and a chocolate heart.  The odd thing was the card he chose.  We looked at the options.  All "I love you" and "You are the love of my life".  I looked at Toby and he declared he didn't want anything cheesy.

Ok.

Then he spied the card of choice.  It says " To my husband..."

I hope Sahara's GSOH matches Toby's.  Hahahah!

And we walked home, happy with our purchases.  Mike may have got 12 little chocolate red roses this morning as a result of our late night shopping expedition.

Toby also enjoyed the walk and said we need to do more together.  Totally on board with that!

Have a brilliant day.

Love,
Angela

The Monday with chaos

Hi,

Our office enjoyed the company of Jason from the Auckland office today - such a pleasure to catch up with him.  He even consented to an iced latte date - I am lucky.

I got home after work yesterday and I made some dinner (leftovers) and then we got stuck into moving all our stuff from the top floor of our house.  I think the pics will speak for themselves.

My husband is a statue of liberty

This photo above is in our bedroom - we made a cocoon of sleep between the stuff of our lives.  Wow - I reckon I could make that a meme.  Hahahah!

Almost cleared

More landscaping hard yakka

The landscapers are making huge progress - I love coming home and seeing something has changed.  For the better.

Couch on the deck - sounds like an indy film name

So much work

Having an iced latte with Jason

Dunno what the builders are doing though.  I think I have given up on them ever actually being finished. 

This morning I made Toby's lunchbox using items from the fridge on the deck.  That was so surreal. 

Fridge on the deck

Right.  Time to kick start the day.  Toby is meeting me at work today and going to dinner with me and the work colleagues all enjoying Jason's company.

And I can pretend it isn't chaos at home.  If I never go back there.  Right?  Hahahah.

Have a wonderful day.

Love,
Angela