The Wednesday collecting my bike after work

Hi,

 Yesterday was a day like any other.  But Toby finished his last exam of the year and was happy with his effort.  Yay for holiday time.

Iced latte!

I got home after work and sorted out some stuff for Toby before taking the Focus to Lower Hutt to collect my bike.  Oohhh - I love my bike.  It is ready for Taupo now.  As am I.

Back home and Mike was home after catching up with his mate Maarten.  Mike and Toby stayed up chatting away to each other for ages.

Last day at work today ahead of a day of leave tomorrow to head up to Taupo.  Iona will collect me early tomorrow (6.30am) and we'll head away as soon as I fling my gear in the car.  Woot!   Bring it on.

Thank you to Mike and Toby for letting me train.  My Spin instructors for being a highlight in my day.  And especially to Quentin who has worked so well with me to get me fitter than I have ever been.

Have a wonderful day.

Love,
Angela

The Tuesday with not much

Hi,

I just told the person sitting next to me today that my life is so boring.  Nothing happened to me yesterday.  Nothing.  I have no pics.  No iced coffees (see - that means I am not addicted).

I did go to the physio for my last session ahead of Taupo.  And my last PT session too.  So I guess there is that.  The top of my right thigh (front of it) had seized up.  Physio attended to it along with my other ails (right knee).  And she told me to walk normally despite the stiffness.  So on my way back I was forcing it (she had freed it up a bit) and I felt it "snick" and then it was fixed.

OMG.  My body is driving me nuts. 

It's obviously all about this coming weekend now.  The game is now in my head.  Oosshh.  Last Spin class ahead of it this morning.  I hope I will be hearing Flo's voice yell out and "Summer of 69" blare in my head as I hit the hard parts and knuckle down.

:-)

Anyway - happy days.  I hope Toby's exam this morning is a good one.  Level 3 NCEA Drama.  Go wee Toby!

Love,
Angela

The Monday with a friends of te papa talk

Hi,

I finally caught up with Louise yesterday over an iced latte at The Lab.  Her son Will used to go to school with Toby when they were 5 years old.  He's also sitting his NCEA 2 exams at the moment.  He wants to be a vet.  Good to hear about the latest things going on in her life.

Iced latte with Louise

After work I met Andrew and we stuffed pizzas down us at Joe's Garage before heading to Te Papa for a talk from a visiting professor from Sweden.  Professor Sorlin.  The "o" has some dots over it.  Here it is:  Solander

We both took notes as this is an event I have volunteered to write up for the Friends of Te Papa website.  I better get onto that.

The professor was talking about Solandar, Sparrman and the Anthropocene.  I think it highlighted the progressive attitude of Swedes - from 1769 through to now with Greta.  Understood conservation back then, and still get it.

Tried to catch a bus home, but it was 20 mins away so Mike convinced me to Uber.  Andrew had fled from the talk to rush for his train.  And he made it!

Home to see the boys.  Toby was happy with his history exam.  Yay!  Slept like a log.  Phew.

Today was Spin.  One of two this week as I am tapering.  :-)

Nice and warm today - I am in short sleeves at work.  Oosshh.

Have a great day.  Last exam tomorrow for Toby. And Tessa is home next week!  Wow.  She is incredible for taking off on her adventure.

Have a great day.
Love,
Angela

The weekend in Wellington

Hi,

What an awesome weekend.  Mike had survival night in the bush on Saturday. He survived!  Yay for that.  They ended up with a beautiful day for it.  So much so that Mike slept in the open.

Friday iced latte anticipation

Let me pose

At Verve with Celia on Friday

Mike posing.

Friday saw me and Mike catch up with Celia for lunch at Verve.  So good to see her - that was two days in a ROW. I hardly get to see her much these days as we're in separate buildings (she is on a client engagement that is likely to be a job for life - heheheh).

We also caught up with Sally and Andrew after work at Honey Badger.  That turned into a few more drinks, and then more food.  Quite the long night - for me at any rate.

Toby wanted Nandos for tea, so Mike convinced me to Flamingo scooter back from the train station to Courtney Place.  It was such fun - I am so glad he convinced me.  We found two scooters across from the station and rode around the waterfront and up Taranaki St.  The boards on the bridge were fun with hard tyres.  So bouncy I couldn't see properly.  Hahahah.  I will do that again.  No wonder Mike does it often.

Saturday saw me up early to get ready for a cycle ride with some of my Spin class punters.  Met them at 8.30am at Freyburg pool.  Except they were running late.  So I sat and waited in the car for them to arrive.  I had the car because I had piles and piles of dirty washing.  Yes, washing machine is still MIA.

Did the ride around the bays.  Felt good.

Back to car at 11am and off to Lower Hutt to do washing.  Sally was at a cooking school for the day, so I threw a wash in and walked to Zany Zeus with Andrew.  Heard about ratbags stealing the painters' van last week (while they were painting Sally and Andrew's house, the van was stolen from their driveway!  In broad daylight!).  Had lunch with Andrew.  Then took two clean, but wet, piles of washing home and left Andrew more to churn through.  Poor Andrew.

Spider crawled out of the house on Sunday

Mike got home Sunday around midday.  And maybe brought home a big spider from the bush.  I would rather think that than imagine it living in our house.  Wow!

Supermarket shopping in there somewhere.

Later that day we dropped bikes off at Gary the bike mechanics for servicing.  Got our clean, dry washing from Sally and Andrew and had a cup of tea.  Mike saw the kitchen disaster (which might not be as bad as it could have been).  Then home via Bluebridge ferry terminal to pick up Iona off the ferry and lend her our car.  She's off to Palmerston North for a few days before she comes back to Wellington Wednesday.  Taupo on Friday!  Oosshh.

Monday morning walk to work

My off road commute

Work has their tree up!

Monday morning coffee

The week beckons.  Short one for me.  Iona and I drive up to Taupo on Friday.  Yay!  Bring it on!

Have a good week!

Good luck to wee Toby.  History this morning.

Love,
Angela

The Thursday with a night out with Celia and friends

Hi,

I caught up with Joycie and Victor for an iced latte early yesterday.  Mainly because work got in the way of Andrew catching up with me to discuss the trapline options.  Ooosshhh.

Victor took our pic!

Toby had his Stats exam and I hope it went ok.  He seemed to think some of it was a bit of a gamble.

Life is sometimes a bit of a gamble.  So, good life skills right there.

Met Mike briefly who had another migraine and was going to see the doctor about it.

After work I met up with Celia and we drove through rush hour traffic to Brooklyn and met Ange (yay - haven't seen her for ages), Gemma, Jen and Danita.  Always an awesome bunch at chat with.  Had dinner at the Penthouse cinema cafe - I had the pasta of the day as it sounded weird.  Mushroom with pear and walnut.  It was so good!

Then we went to see "Last Christmas".  And yes, it really was a movie based on the Wham song.  Which I love.  The soundtrack was all Wham and George.  And at one part, the stupidity of the rom-com tickled my funny bone and I dissolved into giggles.

Given I had no clue about the movie, I think it was a success for at least me in the audience.

Ange drove me home and my boys were all asleep.  So I fell into bed and was also asleep soon enough.

Right.  Time for the day to start.  Weekend looks good - rain seems to have disappeared for a bit.

Have a great day!

Love,
Angela

The Wednesday with no exam for Toby

Hi,

Well, after Toby studying hard for his drama exam and heading into school for it (2pm - 5pm), he discovered it is next week.  It's not as silly as it sounds - he is actually sitting the NCEA Level 3 Drama exam.  And we were checking NCEA Level 2 (which is what he is doing) exam schedules.  Lucky it is next week and not last week!

Phew!

Today he has Stats this morning.  I stayed back and Mike went to the gym and Toby and I went in on the 14 bus together.  I hope he has a good exam.

I hope that $150 calculator works well.  :-p

Tonight I am heading to dinner and a movie with Celia and Ange and all their friends.  Woot!  No idea what I am seeing.  Hahahah.

Meanwhile, Sally and Andrew need to borrow our kitchen.  Sort of.  They have found a leak and need to take out their kitchen to fix the damage.  OMG!  I am totally going to blame rodents for this.  Nibbling through water pipes to their dishwasher.  (Completely made up by me - but I am running with this).

They are going to manage to keep their washing machine running.  So they can borrow our kitchen and we can borrow their washing machine.

If we can just transport dirty washing between Wellington and Lower Hutt by any sort of ferry, we could compute the best Gilbert logistics plan ever created.  There could be washing and food moving back and forth with precision and chaos.  Cos that's how we roll.  Precise chaos.  It's a new thing.  A "unified Gilbert theory".  Beats string theory.  That can't explain Gilbert plans!

Have an awesome day.  We have the best weather here.

Love,
Angela

The Tuesday with Mike's talk on Nepal

Hi,

Poor wee Toby didn't have a good exam yesterday.  Today is Drama, and a much better prospect.  Fingers crossed for him.

The Lab yesterday

Iced lattes with James this morning

Yesterday after work Mike did his presentation at the George on our trip to Nepal.  Sounds like it went well.  I couldn't go as I headed home to make sure Toby got an awesome dinner.

I am totally taking annual leave this time next year for exam time.

It is James' last day on Friday at work - and today is his last day in the office.  So I dragged him along to my coffee catch up with Andrew.  I think we were supposed to discuss traplines, but James and Andrew talked about trails in the Tararuas a lot.  Good on them!

Right.  Time for the day to start in earnest.  Tackling it like a boss.

Have a great day.

Love,
Angela

The Monday at work

Hi,

Toby's first exam went well yesterday afternoon.  Health.  From 2 - 5pm.  He has BIO this morning from 9.30 - 12.30pm.  Mike said he was happy and confident this morning. 

Good on him.

Monday iced latte

Happy birthday, Joycie

For Victor - my iced latte and my feet

 Today (Tues) is Joycie's birthday so a bunch of us went to The Lab to celebrate.  Such a good morning.  I hope she has the best day!

I'll head home after work and gym to cook a nice tea for Toby.  Make sure he is good for tomorrow's exam (Drama).

Have a great day.

Love,
Angela

The weekend in Wellington

Hi,

Good luck to wee Toby for his exams this week.  First one is Monday afternoon.  Health.  Apparently, he assures us, he has this one nailed.  Good, good.  :-)

Lounging like a panther

Saturday saw us up early for exercise.  I went to Spin and then stayed for another 1.5 hours to get some saddle time.  The weather wasn't good for road riding, despite the photo below.  Mike went to Quentin's group PT session at Frank Kitts Park and enjoyed it outside.

Then we drove home to collect our dirty washing and went to take it around to Sally's house.  Again.  We chatted to her while the painters stripped her house and played music to strip by (no - wait - that came out wrong).

Gorgeous looking morning - but windy

Iced latte @ The Lab with Hayden's hand

Selfie of Mike

Nipped into Mitre10 to get stuff (5 things - I forget them now.  Hose fitting.  Light bulb.  No - that was a spontaneous thing.  Shower trim.  And... other stuff.) and then groceries on the way home.

Sunday was more lazy.

Hoping it all goes well for Toby this week.  Wish him well.

Love,
Angela

The Wednesday working from home

Hi,

Ok - funnily enough there are no photos in existence that record a single moment of my day yesterday.  Worked from home - went well.  Chair is a bit sore on my back - but many stretches got me through.

I went into the gym for a 5.30PM session and met Mike at the car after that.  Came home and cooked tea for Toby.  Andrew called and Mike went to collect him and take our dirty washing to Sally and Andrew's place.  Yay!  He also sorted out Christmas plans while he was there.

Which... might have contributed his his migraine first thing this morning. 

Poor guy.

He took Toby's migraine medicine and is now gathering energy to contemplate going to work this afternoon.

Working from home again to prod Toby as he studies.  I work next to his gaming console so we at least know that isn't distracting him.

Hope your day is a good one.  Hope the fires in Australia get snuffed out soon.  :-(

Love,
Angela

The Tuesday with lots on

Hi,

What a crazy day.  And it kind of all happened towards the end, really. 

Giant iced latte!

Had a work function with clients late in the afternoon.  Watched a presentation by work colleagues and then chatted to clients that went along to watch.  Good fun.

Hoofed it from there at 1745 to meet Mike at Hudsons to be present at a book launch by a NZ poet named Nick Ascroft.  It was good fun.  Chatted to a friend of Nick's called Richard and another work colleague called Frank.

Then Ubered home to sort out Toby.

Today I am WFH (working from home) to ensure Toby stays on track for studying.  He was up at 5am this morning and made me scrambled eggs before I drove to my 6.30am Spin class and back again.

Mike was still home - weirdly.  And having a shower.  Cleaners arrived - normal chaos ensued.

All good in the end,

Hope your day is a good one

Love,
Angela

The Monday that felt like Tuesday

Hi,

How can your first working day of the week already feel like you have been at work two days?  I mean, I get the days where Monday is a holiday and I think Tuesday feels like Monday.  But seriously?  How can a Monday feel like a Tuesday?

Monday (or was it Tuesday) iced latte!

I did get to catch up with Ed and James during the morning.  Ed is off to Ireland with his wife and family on Wednesday (June is from there) so we had a goodbye coffee date.

The Lab iced latte with James and Ed

Smile James!

James always looks this manic.  Honest.  Mum, remember his face for the next time you visit.  Make no eye contact!   Hahahah.  James does crazy things like ultra marathons.  So really - he is kinda manic.  Lovely, but mad - obvs.

Twins!

Kaustubh and I were twinning it today too.  Me and a real cool developer probably barely out of his 20s - we look the same!

Or not.

But - I could look the same.  Or more the same.  Or...  Ok.  We wore similar clothes. 

Legs this morning!

Spin this morning.  Good fun because my back finally let me pedal like mad.  It is getting better.  Knee?  Not so much.

Have a brilliant day!

Love,
Angela

The weekend in Wellington

Hi,

The weekend was a little weird - Mike got away Friday after work for his tramp with Janine and I think they managed to avoid the worse of the weather.

I stayed in Wellington with Toby and enjoyed time with him.

Morning iced latte

Late morning iced latte

Preeti, Manisha and me!

Selfie madness!

Cheers!

Pickle and Pie has key lime pie!

Huge egg - turned out to be a double yolk

The egg I used Saturday morning for brekkie was huge!  And had two yolks in it.  Wow.

Toby and I watched Wellington paranormal until I fell asleep on the couch while the Mt Vic tunnel episode was on.  When I woke an hour or so later, Toby had left and covered me with a blanket.  The cat was happy, curled up on the blanket around my legs.

Mike got back and we watched another episode before sleep claimed us all.

Sunday saw Mike tidying the garage and me being lazy.  Dinner at Sally and Andrew's house - and got some washing done.  Yep - still no washing machine.

Wet, wet, wet this morning.  Walk in was damp but ok.  Looks settled in.

Toby has a week of study.  Exams galore next week.

Have a good week ahead.

Love,
Angela

The Thursday with Mike's leaving drinks and pool night for me

Hi,

Thursday, eh?  Well, I convinced a few of my team to join in on the work social function after work.  So I decided that meant I really should actually turn up too.  Hahahah.

But in the morning I did get an iced latte in at Machete with Becks.  That was a good catch up.

Iced latte with Becks

Action shot

And I returned the scientific calculator and used that as a part payment to the $150 (!!!) graphical calculator Toby needs. 

With 64k of memory!

And a USB (v1) and aux out port. 

What?

Calculators are truly weird these days

Work colleagues asked if it played Spotify.

Mike's colleagues asked if it played YouTube.

It was quite the talking point.

Anyway, after work I went to our social function and played pool and darts and ate pizza.  I made a getaway later than anticipated and made the foolish mistake of letting Mike know I was on my way home.

He pleaded and cajoled and I caved in when he texted "Please come".  Went to Honey Badger to meet him and Kellie and Neil at the end of his leaving drinks.

Took ages to finally extract ourselves.  Ubered home by 9.15pm.  Toby wanted Uber Eats.  He got ribs delivered.

I fell asleep in some coma. 

Weather is a bit yucky.  Might try to get out on my bike for a flat ride somewhere.  Or if it is awful, sit on a Spin bike for 5 hours at the gym.  Hahahah.

Have a good one!

Love,
Angela

The Wednesday with washing galore

Hi,


Yesterday I had a gym session where Quentin was staring at my naked feet.  There was method in his madness, but to me, it looked exactly as if he was enamoured with my feet.  As any right-minded person is probably completely susceptible to my feet charms, I figured it should be captured on camera and shown to the world.

World?  ok - the 3 people that read this blog.

My feet get the adulation they deserve

Caught up with Mike for a hot chocolate late in the day and then got so distracted at work that I ended up on the same bus home as him.

Tui time!

The tui were chirping madly in every tree as we walked home.  This one above was enjoying the flax nectar.

My evenings are sorted for a while

I got my Spinoff book in the mail.  So good.  I got absorbed in it and before I knew it, I was being called for tea.  Mike had cooked yummy burgers.  He made a lentil pattie out of our dal baht leftovers.

All that washing is ours.  And Sally sorted it!

I then used the Focus to head out to Lower Hutt to collect our washing.  What a washing service they have out there!  :-)  Unexpected, but marvellous.  Sally and Andrew has put the entire pile through their washing machine and hung it out.  And the bulk was mostly dry.

Thank you.

Headed home and used our washing horse to hang it out.  Directed the dehumidifier onto it and this morning it seemed mostly dry.

Into my PT session this morning.  Stretches.  And got a physio appointment at 3.30pm today.  Let's see what she says.

Have an awesome day!

Love,
Angela

The Tuesday with no movie

Hi,

How on earth is it only Wednesday today?  Seriously?  Haven't we had two Wednesdays already this week?  Feels totally like it should be Friday.  Just saying.

The face you make when the bug only shows up when no one is looking

Iced latte with studious man in background

I had lunch with Andrew at Pickle and Pie.  And both the things we ate we yum!  Curry pie (parsnip and almond or something) and kumara and avocado and smoked feta bread roll.  Nom, nom.

We were supposed to meet Sally and Andrew after work and go to see Jojo Rabbit. But the session was booked out and all the frantic texting about getting washing out to 40WLW and transporting people got a bit hard.  In the end Mike and I met up with Andrew after work and took him to th Citizens Advice Bureau where we had JP sigs on docs.  It took ages.  Best part of an hour. 

Then we went to Husk and ate our way through their menu.  Mmmmm.  Andrew reckoned the table next to us were flirting with me.  Hah!  That blue shirt makes my eyes pop.  :-p  Hahahahah.  I suspect they were just astonished I could eat all that food that got put down in front of me.

Got to the car, dropped Mike home and collected dirty washing.  Took Andrew home and Sally kindly got the stinky washing started.

I think today has a vague plan where I drive out to Lower Hutt around 7pm and collect my washing.  Woot!

Enjoy your day!

Love,
Angela

The Monday back at work

Hi,

My day was hectic yesterday.  Appointment at radiology at 9am.  Fortunately I discovered they have a place on Lambton Quay and not just out at Lower Hutt.  Way better travel time.

Random pic from The Lab

Chatted to a chap that wants to move to NZ and work here.  And made him take a photo of me having an iced latte.  Poor guy.  He took it in his stride though. 

Another pic - this time at Thunderbird cafe

Did catch up with Iona and Col briefly as they "waited" in the ferry queue.  We met at Thunderbird cafe and Andrew managed to escape for it too.  His iced latte came out looking quite different from my iced latte.  That's the beauty of ordering it.  It's random.

Andrew ordered the same and got that!

Went out on the Melling train at 4.39pm to collect the car from Armstrong Subaru.  Worked great.  Packed train.  I sat in my seat and read.  It only stopped at Petone and Western Hutt - which is where I got off.  Walked the 500m to the car yard, paid for the car ($99 for the pollen filter to be replaced.  The what?  I didn't know it had one.) and its airbag sorted (global recall).

Sushi making for 5 year olds

Went shopping at New World in Thorndon and Mike met me when his drinks fizzled out.  Got home and cooked sushi for Toby.  Avocado was not very good.  Managed to salvage enough for his sushi.

My sushi making abilities are poor.  Like not even a grasshopper level.  Lower than a grasshopper.  I make sushi with earthworm-level abilities.  But Toby made all the right noises and loved it.

Hope your day is good.  Apparently we're off to see Jojo Rabbit tonight after work.

Love,
Angela

The weekend with weaving and cycling

Hi,

What a weekend.  Friday saw Mike and I at home by ourselves as Toby had a weekend with his mates. 

Mike was very merry by the time I got home.  He turned into an octopus while we watched TV.  Hahahah.

Friday iced latte!

Up early to pack (made me stressed as I usually pack the night before and didn't!) for Palmerston North road trip and cycle ride.  Sally and Andrew collected me at 8am and we put my bike in the car and headed off.  Grabbed brekkie at Waikanae Bakery.

Got to Palmerston North well before 11am (more like 10.30am) and found Col with her friends at Moxies.  We chatted away before we all headed to Taylor Jensen Gallery for the opening ceremony of the weaving exhibition that Iona has been ramping up for over the past 6 weeks.

Saturday iced coffee @ Moxies

Weight of conviction

The exhibition was amazing.  The team had all made the most incredible items.  From a huge taniwha through to evening kete that wouldn't look out of place at the Opera House.  Beautiful clothing too.  Iona contributed her pieces and they really added to the exhibition by showing some of the practical aspects of weaving.

Kai time

Weaving goodness

Info - and feet!

Then we were away and got changed in the library toilets.  And headed off around 1pm from the middle of town.

Cycling fun

Up over the Pahiatua Track road.  The uphill made my knee twinge.  I wasn't too happy about that and I was conscious of it for the rest of the ride.  But what a gorgeous route.  We climbed up to meet Sally at the summit, then barreled down the hill into Pahiatua.

Met Sally off and on as we headed out of Pahiatua in towards Route 52 area (back blocks between Pahiatua and Eketahuna).  Lovely riding.

Bike ride from Palmerston North to the middle of nowhere

Got to an intersection that headed towards Eketahuna and I called it quits for the day.  60km.  3 hours.  Meh.  But the riding was superb.

Andrew rode into Eketahuna to meet me and Sally as we waited in the car there.  Then we drove like the wind to Lower Hutt for a quick clothes change and then to our place for the same for me.

We drove into town and went to see Terminator:  Dark Fate.  I loved it!  Awesome movie.  Sally and Andrew dropped us home.

Lazy Sunday for me.  I had a headache.  Boo!  But Mike got heaps done.  Focus is going.  DRZ is going.  Garden got a blitz.

Sunday lunch

Up early Monday for my walk in.  Gorgeous morning.

Monday morning commute

Walking to work on Monday

Did boxing in the PT session.  So hard.  Such fun!

And the week looms large.

Have a good one.

Love,
Angela