The Thursday with busy stuff

Hi,

The weekend beckons.  I was up early to drive in so I could get to the super early (6.30am) spin class.  And I did make it - much to the surprise of the instructor.  I am normally at his lunch classes.

Lonely wee car

I left the car on its own in the car park, in the cold and dark.  It was peeping out from a pillar.  Actually, Iona is going to pick it up at some point today and drive it up to Palmerston North.  That's the real reason I drove in.  The spin class was just an extra bonus.

We have a weekend in Wellington - but I am a bit sick, so it is probably a good thing.  I had to miss out on a movie night with Christine last night (but I did go home early and ring my mother for her birthday - so that was a good thing to do instead).  And I had the best sleep last night I have had in ages.  I did take a Codral before bed - maybe that did the trick?

We need to get a few things done this weekend.  Should be fairly busy.

Hope yours is good fun.

Love,
Angela

The Wednesday that might just have felt like a Wednesday

Hi,

Happy birthday to my mother today!  Woot!  This time last year she was here visiting us and we saw Jane Goodall speak (and now I am a vegetarian). 

Disease and pestilence is in the house this year - so I guess my mother has probably dodged a bullet in avoiding our house this year.

Iced latte goodness @ Machete

I did get an iced latte in yesterday - woot!

I am trying to pretend I am not sick, but the stupid cough and wheeze is making it hard.  Snotty nose is a reminder too.

I went home early and cooked mousetraps for everyone (Jase was already at work and hopefully avoids the colds we have) and crashed into bed.

Walked into work early this morning and enjoyed the still crisp morning.  It's a brilliant day for my mother's birthday here.

Spin.  Where I only lost my breath a few times - and not due to the exercising.  And work now.  Tea should kick off the day well.

Have a good one.  Mike is back to work.  Not sure about Toby though.

Love,
Angela

The Tuesday with no movie

Hi,

After a fairly busy day at work, and trying to sort out my after-work social life, I had a quick change of plans.  Went to visit Jo as she was off sick from work, and ate dinner with her and watched a movie.

We watched Viceroy's House - set in partition India.  It was pretty good.   Thanks for the evening, Jo!  We then waited for Mike to kindly come and pick me up.  Had a chat to Jo further once Mike arrived  - then hooned back home via the library to drop Jo's books back.

But Mike had a bad sleep - his cold kicked in.  He had a coughing fit in the night and is now glued to his bed.  He will stay home.  Very wise.

Toby is also not feeling well, but he has a test today so he's hauling himself off to school.  Good on him.

And I am in complete denial about being sick.  What cough?  What wheeze?

Hope you have a good day. 

Love,
Angela

The Monday back at work

Hi,

That Monday came, it saw the layout of my day, it conquered me, and then it left.  Monday?  What Monday?

Today is Michelle's birthday - happy birthday wee Missyshell.

I actually think Momo might have overshared during the weekend and left me (and Mike) with the start of his cold.  Uh oh.

Anyway, I got home yesterday in a bad mood.  But I guess I came right and cooked tea for everyone.  Jase had a good day meeting up with his friends that are on semester break from Otago Uni and now he is convinced that is the place to study next year.  Which, of course, being our alma mater, we are all for!  Best uni in the country.  We're encouraging this exploration of the syllabus.

Fell into bed fairly early and didn't stay up for long reading.  I was probably asleep by 9.30pm.  Up early and glad I out double gloves on for my chilly but very dry ride to work.

Hope your day is a good one.

Love,
Angela

The weekend at Ruapehu

Hi,

There are next to no pictures of my weekend on my phone.  Doh!  Mike can add some.  We left in a rush on Friday afternoon.  Toby got to my work at 4pm and I was crazy busy but got away by 4.15pm.  We walked up to the car and drove to Johnsonville.  Met Mike and Piled our gear into the van.  Then we were off.

Called in dinner from Foxton to the Bulls kebab shop.  Ate there.  Yum.  Then at the lodge by 11pm.  Not a lot of snow around down low.

Mike and I slept in the new custodian's room - it was like an icebox.  But by the time we left on Sunday it was finally warm.  Just took a while.  My first night was a cold one.

Up early enough and away by 8.30 with Andrew and three others that were walked beyond Tama Lakes to a hut overnight and back out Sunday.  Mike joined me and Andrew for a coffee at the Chateau because nothing else was open.

Dinner approaches

Oh - I did get an iced coffee with Steph, Celia, Mark and some clients on Friday - at the Southern Cross no less.  It was a pretty good one.  Solid 7.

Southern Cross iced coffee

Full lodge

Silly Dad jokes at work

There is a snow covered mountain out there

Andrew and I walked the Whakapapaiti walk from the village to the hut of the same name (starts on the Silica Rapids walk).  I think we left around 9.30am maybe and finally got back to the lodge around 3.30pm.  I might be making those times up.  But my watch recorded it all.  5 and a half hours.  15.7km.

We had lunch at the hut and enjoyed the peanut butter sandwiches.  Hunters were using the hut, but had left for the day.  We stayed there close to an hour.  It was a nice hut.  From there it wasn't far up a wee steep bit to a ridge to look out over the lava flows and Bruce Road.  When we hit the road, we scurried up the gullies below the huts and Andrew navigated us to our hut perfectly.  Turns out I have no idea what Grads looks like from below.

We had a bit of fun with frozen ponds on the way up and breaking the ice with rocks.  The frozen parts of the track the entire way were amazing.  Swamps with ice covering them.  Ice crystals on the sheltered sides of every bank.  Ice flows with trickles of water below them.  Reminded us of lava lamps. 

I walked with 4 layers on (merino singlet, merino long sleeve, synthetic shirt, merino jersey and parka) and gloves usually and beanie often.  And tights.

Back at the lodge and showered before Mike got back from his fun in the snow - he had checked out Knoll Ridge cafe with Toby.  We chilled while dinner was cooked - an amazing epic dinner with entrees and cake.  Very impressive.  My vege curry (vegan) was so good.

Crashed into bed and slept in.  Sunday morning, helped tidy a small amount (oops - guilty) before we had lunch and packed the van and left.  We collected the 3 trampers from their overnight trip and headed back to Wellington.  Ate chocolate eclairs in Ohakune and cream horns in Sanson.  Talk about sugar overload.

And did a wash, caught up with Jason (he enjoyed his new job) and fell into bed really early.

Thanks Mike - I had an awesome weekend.  You're amazing.  And thanks Andrew - I enjoyed our walk a lot.

Now.  Time for the working week to kick in.

Love,
Angela

The Thursday with packing

Hi,

Ok - when I never have any coffees at work, I have nothing to show.  Hahahah.  It's like I did nothing.  Ok, let me think.

Oh yeah.  Mike drove in, so I took my bike up the hill after work and threw it in the back of the car and Drove home and cooked tea, put laundry on and congratulated Jase on finding a job.  The cafe called and said he got the job because of common sense and listening well.  Ooossshh!  CV fodder right there that will see him right in later jobs!

Then I packed for the weekend.  And when Mike got home, he helped me grab the ski gear from the loft.  Apart from him throwing everything in car, we're done.  Ready.

He'll drive in this morning, and I'll drive the car to J'ville after work (with Toby) and meet him and the van there.  Throw our stuff into the van (there's a lot of throwing going on in this post) and then we're off.

That's the plan.  Gilbert epic plan - but no ferry involvement.  If a ferry gets into the mix, something has gone slightly awry.

My current plan is to ski on the lower mountain and get ready for some fun later in the season.  And eat junk food and read lots.  I will try and avoid hours of board games.

Have a brilliant weekend. 

Love,
Angela

The Wednesday with not a lot

Hi,

Had crazy busy things at work and eventually got out the door to find a bus to take me home.  Mike had tramping club things to attend to.  After a bus dissipated on me (Mike and I decided that was a thing) I got on another one.  Because it was real, and at the bus stop.  Unlike those fake buses. 

Got home and cooked tea for the boys.  Beef stir fry.  But with haloumi for me.  Hey - it worked. 

Wok in action for the first time in ages

Mike's dinner

Mine - with haloumi.  That cheese is so versatile.

Tried to lure Mike home with pics of his dinner.  It didn't work.  He ate BK.  Yuck, yuck.  They gave me mouldy burger buns 25 years ago and I haven't been back since.

Anyway, nice ride in this morning.  Mike told me as I fell asleep that it was going to be dry at 6am for my ride.  I guess that fluttery rain wouldn't really register as real rain.  I'm not wet, at any rate.

Got to pack for our weekend away to Ruapehu.  Jase has the cat and house duties.  Skis, tramping gear - and books.  That should see me right.

Have a good one.

Love,
Angela

The Tuesday that really felt like Thursday

Hi,

How does two days at work feel so long?  Must be the looming period of no holidays between Queens Birthday and Labour Day playing with my head.  Holidays, holidays.  I am sure I can hear that.

Happy to get an iced latte @ Machete with someone that makes my life far nicer - Celia!  Thank you.

Wednesday already.  I got home after work yesterday (work was mad) and cooked tea with Jase and Mike and Toby.  Jase and Toby had burgers, and Mike had a steak sandwich.  Mine was a mushroom and haloumi sandwich.  It was soooooo good.

Jase has cleared out our pantry.  I can see what we have (although stuff has changed location so it did slow down my cooking as I searched for things - hahahah).  The oldest thing he found was from 2010.  Pah!  Bet it wouldn't kill anyone.  Although that bulging can of fruit?  That might just kill someone.  It brightened Mike's mood measurably because he was shattered when he got home and it took a bit to lift him.  Pantry was a good thing for him to look at.

We sat around after tea reading excerpts from the Readers Digest that came in the mail.  Some were great - classic jokes.  Others we were scathing about.  And they had a page that was pics from the Internet.  Like the Internet itself - but offline.  That made us laugh.

Mike and I caught the bus in together this morning.  Such fun - and we were in the mood for chatting because we stayed outside my work blethering away to each other.  We must need date night.

Right.  Time for a big drink of water and getting stuck in.  I've been to the gym for my weights session.  My arms are like a wee T-Rex now - feeble and weak.

Enjoy your day!

Love,
Angela

The Monday back at work after a hectic weekend

Hi,

Guess what?  I had a day where I never went to the cafe for an iced latte.  Yep.  So - no pics.  Hahahahah.  Anyway, I had no time for one. 

But I did get to Spin after work and then caught the bus home.  We came across two cars in the middle of the road outside the Wadestown shops.  Bit of a crash.  Poor people.

Home to a lovely dinner from Mike.  And then before I knew it (after some laundry) it was bed time.  Not sure how that happened.

Had a great sleep - up too early (I had left on my early alarm) and rode in for the first time in a few weeks.  So slack.  Such fun!

Have an awesome day.  Go England!

Love,
Angela

The weekend in Wellington with a rugby curry party

Hi,

 What a manic weekend!  Such fun though.  Friday night saw pizzas delivered home to keep the boys happy while Mike and I tried to have drinks and catch up with Jon before he moved back to the UK.  Didn't really work out like that.  We did go from Fork and Brewer, to Lovelocks, to Husk.  Saw too many pubs for my liking in one night.  Hahahah.  Food at Husk was good.  And we saw Jon for thirty seconds as he arrived when we were leaving.  Oh!

Saturday saw us up early for Mike's birthday.  He and I went into town for gym sessions (separate ones) and we met up afterwards at Machete.  He got there before me and ordered the iced latte.  But as I walked in, the staff called out to him that he should have said he was with me, because they would have made it as I like it.  So they rushed over with my sugar syrup (I like one sugar).

They also made fun of this date being my real one - with my husband.  And all those other men are my fake dates.  Hahah.  But after I told them it was Mike's birthday, they brought him some cake - with a candle in it.  They are so nice there!

Iced latte with Mike @ Machete

They gave him cake!

Towel shaming fail - for me!

We park behind the Gay Wagon

In the afternoon (1pm) Jase came with us and we went to see Jon at Beach Babylon.  We parked behind Jo's car (her and Jon had got back on Friday from a long South Island road trip) so I took a photo of the Gay Wagon.

Had a great lunch and said goodbye to Jon.  Mike and Jase stayed out and went to a pub with them all (Hop Garden).  I went home to sort out my life.

Jase and me with iced coffee at Beach Babylon

Cooked dahl - although my lentils were a bit too hard even after a lot of cooking.  We all went out to Sreejith and Anjali's house to watch the rugby.  We went house touring - saw Siva and Ebby's house.  Everyone was so gracious and fed us and showed us around their house.  They have all done well for themselves.  It was good to see everyone in a relaxed setting.

All Blacks v France (at Westpac stadium) - bit of a boring game after the French team had someone red carded at 12 minutes in.  But the French played so well after that - the All Blacks never fired up.  But you can't win from that position.

Rugby!

Cake!

Sunday saw us up for Caffiend at Petone where we met Sally and Andrew, and Iona and Col.  Col had been to the rugby in real life - with Shelley. 

Caffiend iced coffee

 We picked up the Subaru from Sreejith's place and I then took Iona and Col to our house quickly to see the garden, and then dropped them at the ferry for their homeward journey.

OMG.  Such a busy weekend.  And next weekend we're off to Ruapehu.  Phew!

This morning I missed yoga (first time in a year - apart from holidays) because our bus developed a fault and we had to get off in Northland and wait for another bus.  That bus was rammed with people after we all got on.  And the new driver was away with the fairies.  He ran through a red light on Willis St and I watched the pedestrian flee for his life from the bus.  The driver realised and slammed his brakes on.  Lurched through the lights and muttered to himself:  "What am I doing?  I am daydreaming".  Fortunately my stop was next.

Back to my bike.  The universe is saying so.  I will listen.

I have also been missing my Cactus black backpack.  For about 2 weeks now.  I have been complaining to Mike about it a fair bit.  Wondering where it was.  Saying it was lost.  But finally last night I realised it was in my wardrobe, under my bike pannier.  Sheepishly I hauled it out and showed Mike.  His expression was positively gleeful at me losing something for a few weeks - because it is usually him doing that.

Thank you to everyone that made my weekend such fun.

Have a fantastic week ahead.

Love,
Angela

The Thursday with nothing much

Hi,

Not an awful lot happening - in fact - even less happened than I anticipated.   I was going to get to Spin after work and then meet Mike and head to another rendition of the play with Toby - but Spin wasn't on.  And Toby told us the play had sold out.

In the end, I went home and cooked tea with Jase.

Salad for me and Jase

Iced latte with Justin

Iced latte with Andrew

It's Friday!  Yay!  And Mike's birthday tomorrow.  Woot!  I need to sort out cake.  But everything else is in hand, I think.

Iona and Col are here for the rugby (well, Col is here for the rugby, Iona is here because Col is here) and I hope I get to catch up with them. Maybe Sunday before they ferry back.

Right.  Time to get stuck in.  8 hours to go before the weekend starts.

Have a wonderful weekend.

Love,
Angela

The Wednesday with Jase getting a trial at a job and Toby in a play

Hi,

I am proud of both Jase and Toby - they were both amazing yesterday.  Jase got himself to a job interview and now he has a trial with them this Friday.  Toby was in a play (he is Cymbeline - a king in a Shakespeare play of the same name) and really was very good.  It wasn't my son up there - he really was a bewildered king.

So - there you go.  My mind has been blown by the two of them.  Yes, we may do more for Toby in some regards than we should (doing his washing and making lunches springs to mind) - but he also sorts himself out a lot with things and is fairly independent.  Swings and roundabouts, i guess.

Iced latte @ Machete

Iced coffee @ Little Peckish

I did catch up with Rex, Jo and Maryanne at Little Peckish.  That was brilliant.  And got to Spin after work - eye candy instructor was actually in the participating crowd.  That was good - glad I got some exercise in. 

We watched Toby in the play after Ubering there from my work - and then took Toby to Maccas to eat his way through a mountain of yucky fast food.  It was raining, so I got fairly soaked through.

And walked in this morning - today is a stunning winter's morning.  Yay!  Have a fantastic day.

Love,
Angela

The Tuesday with not a lot

Hi,

The excitement yesterday when I got home was the news that Jase has a job interview lined up already.  How cool is that?  Fingers crossed for him today.

Iced latte with jacket on in the morning @ Machete

Iced latte with jacket on in the afternoon @ Machete

I got home and cooked tea with Jase - we ate mushroom home-made burgers.  Mike got home not too late after us and made his beef burgers.  Toby was home late after his rehearsal - that turned out was an actual performance.  He's now done two.  He ate Weetbix as I was in bed when he got home.

Mike thinks he's the king of Egypt - worshiping cats

On the couch reading, while Mike chats to his mother

Mike and I are both in early for gym work.  Ooosshhh!  Hope your day is a good one.

Love,
Angela

The Monday with nothing much

Hi,

Crazy day - and I think it will follow on into Tuesday somehow.  But I went to Spin after work to get my exercise fix - and then found a bus after that to take me home.

Wee waterfall this morning on the way to work

Iced latte goodness yesterday @ Machete

The boys had cooked tea for me so when I got home, I just sat down to mushroom taco goodness.  Yum!  Onion, mushrooms, chillies, sour cream - boom!

I walked in this morning - through the rain.  In my hiking boots - to try and walk them back in ahead of the Ruapehu summit bid in a few weekends time.

Have a brilliant day.

Love,
Angela

The weekend in Wellington

Hi,


The weekend was a whirlwind of frantic activity, followed by periods of reading on the couch.  it was either crazy, or relaxed.  Not a lot of in-between.

Friday saw me and Mike meeting Sally and Andrew for dinner at Charley Noble.  That place never fails to please.  My food was so good.

Saturday we were up early and dropped the trailer off at Epuni.  This was after Mike realised Sreejith's new house was in Avalon.  After dropping the trailer off, we left the Subaru with Sreejith (his car is on the blink) and then headed back to town in the orange car.

At Maccas for brekkie before heading home to catch Doro.  Stuffed maccas down and did tidying ahead of Jase's arrival.  What a mountain of washing. 

Mike went to the gym and Toby arrived home.  Said Tessa kicked them all out and the 40 hour famine had turned into 24 hours for him so he ate something.  Ok.  He muttered something about a loophole.  I think he was just hungry.

Mike got home with Jase and he settled in.  Momo arrived and we watched Dr Strange together and then the All Blacks v France game.

Toes on yoga mat

Toes on shiny tiles

Next morning I had a foot spa session - lovely.  Thank you to East Day Spa.  Grocery shopping with Mike then off to Jo and Rex's place to meet Sophie and Anya there for lunch.  Such a lovely afternoon catching up.  Thank you, Jo, for organising that.

Last bit of facing - it looks so good

Happy with that effort

Feeding Sapphire

Fed Sapphire during the weekend as Ange was off with friends for the weekend.  Fun!  She is schmoozy at the moment.  Sapphire.  Well, maybe Ange too.  Hahahah.

Ok - towel shaming not winning

Mike wears a hat

Ok - chocolates with no damp towel.  Am I winning?

Friday iced latte

Sunday dinner with the family - and Jase came too.  Good fun to catch up with all the family.  It's been a while.

And home to crash into bed.  Zzzzzzz.

The week ahead beckons.

Have a good one.

Love,
Angela

The Thursday with not a lot

Hi,


I did manage to get a coffee catch up with Andrew before the work chaos went completely crazy - a little calm before any storm.  Seemed to work a treat.  And - later in the day I tried a new iced coffee with Celia.  This one was from The Lab and had a shot of caramel.  It was pretty good.  Not quite like the Machete one I have come to know and love.  But good nonetheless.

Went home and cooked tea for Toby - he seemed pretty happy with his steak and potatoes.  I made a huge bowl of salsa for myself.  Mmmmm.

Mike got home from his whatever-it-was and raided the fridge.  Then it was time for bed - with some laundry also playing a major part of our evening.  Ooohhh - exciting.

Iced latte @ Machete with Andrew

Iced coffee @ The Lab with Celia

I just liked our cabbage trees this morning

My salsa

Anyway, the weekend starts at the end of my working day today.  Woot!  And we just learned that Toby is away all weekend.  Forty hour famine plus a rehearsal day for the play he's in. 

That means we get to play this weekend!  Mike is taking me for dinner tonight after work, and then we're off to see a  play.

Tidy the house for Jason's arrival tomorrow.  And generally sort stuff out, really.

Have a fantastic weekend.

Love,
Angela

The Wednesday with not a lot

Hi,

Wednesday passed me by like I was standing still.  I can't even recall a lot.  I did get to Spin finally - but not until after work.  Then I jumped on a bus and found macaroni cheese cooking when I got home.

The boys had chatted to my mother to ensure they were on the right track - or skiting.  Not sure which, exactly.

The mac cheese was scrumptious.  We tidied up and jumped into bed.  It was a cold night.  I think Mike slept with his electric blanket on some nuclear setting all night.

I walked into work this morning - chilly walk.  Went to Spin.  Victor joined me for the first time in ages, and reception at the gym shamed him!  "Hello Victor - it's been a while".  Bwhahahah.   Caught up with Andrew for a coffee after that. 

Roll on the evening.  Ooossshhh!

Have a good one.

Love,
Angela

The Tuesday that felt like a Monday

Hi,


Well, it is always funny to start the working week on a Tuesday.  We had some people wearing their "mourning Monday" shirts.  Yes, they thought it was Monday.  So long as I remember to wear my purple shirt on Thursday, we're all good.

I went to Spin to make up for the excesses of the weekend (and yes, there were many excesses) and caught the bus home at 6.30pm.  Mike jumped on at the end of Lambton Quay, although he had no money on his Snapper and no cash.  So I leapt out of my seat as he got on and handed him his $3.50 for his bus fare.

No one batted an eyelid.

Home and cooked tea for the boys.  Chicken kebabs for them - salsa for me.  I have no haloumi.  I must be due to visit Sally for a weekend coffee and pick some more up from Zany Zeus.

The boys emptied the car (setting off the alarm and causing a flurry of excitement for a bit) and then played with the cat for a while.  It was a cold night. 

Right.  Time for the crazy to begin.  Have a lovely day.

Love,
Angela

The weekend with the Queens birthday and moving and a trip to Blenheim

Hi,

It was so good to get an extra day off over the weekend - and Mike and Toby feel as though their second extra day made the long weekend feel like a week!  They enjoyed their road trip to Dunedin and back.

Friday night I went out for drinks with Andrew to Hummingbird.  When Sally joined us, we nipped over the road to Sweet Mothers Kitchen and I filled up on enchiladas.  And maybe key lime pie.

Iced latte @ Machete

 As we ate, Sally and Andrew booked themselves in for Deadpool 2 at Petone Lighthouse and we left to go our separate ways to the movies that awaited us.  I met Jo and Momo to see Solo - and I actually enjoyed it.  It was a rollicking good adventure and did what it said on the tin.

Iced coffee at Sweet Mothers Kitchen

Smudge squeaks

I got home and packed and fed Smudge.  She was so squeaky.  I went to bed and was up early for my walk into the ferry.  I needed to be there at 7am and I chatted to Mike most of the way down.  Jo and Jon were on the same ferry and they made it on well before me as a foot passenger.  But there was no one on board.  We passed the time reading and playing games.  Chess, even!

Feet on ferry

Col met me at the Bluebridge terminal and we dropped into a cafe for lunch.  I asked for an iced coffee as I saw frappes on their menu.  As they prepared it and popped it down for me, they admitted they didn't have it on the menu but they were thinking of adding it.  It would be a good addition - it was a good iced coffee.

August Kitchen cafe near Blenheim

I went to visit the Woody pig and deer hunt weigh-in with Col in Renwick.  It was certainly popular with the locals and people that drive utes.  Pigs (lots of black ones and a couple of tawny ones), deer, and goats made up the bulk of the game.  But kids entered possums, hares and rabbits.  Not quite as crazy as the Easter bunny shoot in Alexandra, but still obviously a favourite with the locals.

Back to wait for Iona to finish work and I checked out their new house.  They have done well.  Nice location, very quiet.  Lots of fruit trees - plus one unidentified tree that has been told to make its worth known otherwise the pruning will get very severe.

We went out to tea - Mexican.  I ate a burrito verde - it was good.  I think the place was called Cartel.  Then to New World to get provisions for popping in to visit Alister and Vicky for dessert.  It was a great chance to catch up with them and see the changes in their house.  New chimney and fireplace.  Oossshh.  Gracie likes it.

The best chocolate pudding ever - thanks Vicky!

Vicky made the self saucing chocolate pudding from Chelsea Winters - and I have never tasted anything that good before.  Wow!  Look at the size Vicky dished for me!  And I ate it all.

Col and I got up at 2.20am to watch the under 20s All Blacks play Wales in south France.  It was a good game.  Crashed into bed again at 4.30am and forgot the heater was on in my room.  When I woke at 9am, I was so hot.  I had thrown off the bed covers entirely.  I opened my door and let the wave of heat fill the hallway.

Iona fed me huge numbers of pancakes - and that was just topping up from the dessert the night before.

But we finally got to head out for a walk up a wee valley - but the rain meant we were getting more damp than we anticipated.  Especially Iona in her jeans - the fabric of death when you tramp.  So we abandoned the walk and found a cafe that was open.

Mitre10 cafe - not a bad iced coffee

Walking in the rain

Cabbage tree doing it solo

Walking feet

Back home and Mike and Toby arrived from their road trip up.  Toby snoozed on the couch with Frida as we ate (again!) and played Words with Friends.

Toby and Frida sleeping

We left Iona and Col at 5pm and happily on the ferry for the slow trip back to Wellington.  The time seemed to creep by.  Only got to sleep at midnight at home.  Smudge was happy to see us. 

Fantastic, varied weekend.  What a great way to spend 3 days.  Hope yours was good fun.  And I hope the Aussie contingent enjoys their long weekend coming up.

Love,
Angela