The Wednesday with a flight to Dunedin

 Hi,

Worked from home - mainly so I could finish packing. And make sure the cats were all set up for their visits from Ange.

Cats sit next to me as I work

Lewis Road is my saviour

Mike got home fairly early. And we had a quick tea before he packed. All perfectly timed for our Uber to the airport at 1815.

At the airport

Seamless check-in and security check and then a delay for our flight. In fact, there seemed to be a lot of delays happening. And one person called Stroud was not likely to make their connection to Vancouver when they got to Auckland. Hope that worked out.

As we boarded, we bumped into Hamish and Ryan coming down for Easter. So we will catch up with them.

Landed at 2130 and bundled into the shuttle. We were first drop off. So in bed by 2230. Woke to pouring rain and a good bit colder than Wellington.

No run for me in the icy cold wet streets. Maybe not yet anyway.

Have a lovely Easter.

Love,

Angela

The Tuesday with work stuff

 Hi,

After an excellent planning day and an equally awesome bike ride to and fro (18knm each way - decent enough), we all met up in town for tea and karaoke at Newkor. My bus ride in was easy-as. First time on a bus in ages.

Catching a bus to town in the evening

Newkor - ready for dinner with all my mates

I was first into Newkor - and then Mike was able to make it when his work function didn't pan out. That was good to see him.

I found someone

Then most of the team arrived and we got stuck into some dinner. Newkor have pared down their menu - and my vegan fried cauliflower had... fish cakes mixed in. Fortunately I avoided those. But - weird.  Martyn left as we finished tea to catch his plane. But we made sure to dedicate one song to him.

There we all are

Alastair loves karaoke

The whole team loves it

Nice big ride for me to and from our meeting place. Ta Adnan.

We only got an hour at karaoke as they shut at 9pm. They let us go a little longer due to a slow start with set up and stuff. But it was great fun.

Then Mike and I collected our backpack from Caitlin (she lives next door) and then Ubered home. Had a great sleep.

Mike went off to the gym and the doctor for a check up. And I am WFH and packing for our flight to Dunedin tonight.

Take care! Have a great Easter.

Love,

Angela

The Monday with work

 Hi,

Monday was busy as we prepped ahead of our quarterly planning day out at Seaview today (Tuesday). It is just trying to get the ducks all aligned at the same time as getting the ducks squared away from your current quarter.

Oh well. It is always a busy time.

Smudge uses the floor while Moxley gets the pumpkin

Moxley is pretty comfortable

Cats sit with me as I WFH

Mike got home via a run to Ngauranga gorge to collect the car. We have aircon back in the car. Woot! Bring on summer! No, wait. Ok. The heater works too. But it always has. Yay - because winter is coming.

We probably use the aircon to demist the front windscreen rather than any necessary cooling. For 85% of the time.

We watched YouTube then went to bed. Up to ride to Seaview on my bike. Okay - note to any future attempt at this. Do not go down Tinakori to Thorndon Quay. It took me 10 minutes to cross over to the bike path. I ended up moving 100m up the quay further to the middle of the road. And even that took me another 3 mins or so.

But my moving time was 42 mins out to the Seaview terminal. That was pretty good. As was actually dreaming of an iced latte as I rode along Petone beach and wondering how I could get one. When I stepped into the meeting room, Hope gave me an iced latte. Oh - I was so happy. And it was delicious! I must ask where she got it.

Such a good iced latte - ta Hope

All done for the planning day - thank you

Finished the day early thanks to everyone's prep. :-)  Good work! And then rode home to finish my day at home.

Going in for tea at Newkor and then a spot of karaoke with the team. Woot!

Will let you know tomorrow how that goes.

Have a great day.

Love,

Angela

The weekend in Wellington

 Hi,

Thursday evening saw us meet Wally and Lesley in their new house. It was settlement day and they keys to the house were theirs. And we got a tour and everything. What a lovely, big house. I can see them making themselves very at-home there.  Lesley's mum and her partner came too. And Chelsea came after her work was finished. Lovely evening chatting about the next steps.

Fish n chips in the new house!

Made biscuits

Friday saw me fairly chilled at home. Mike had multiple clashing meetings Friday morning. So he was a busy chap. I made biscuits though! And Mike enjoyed them - even before I finished icing them.

Moxley does eat this kibble

Up Saturday morning to collect Janine and do park run at Waitangi Park in town. Bit misty - but that did burn off. I did under 35 mins! And it was my 8th park run altogether.

Park run start

Smudge in the sun

Model cat

Me running

Yeah - that is me running. Honest

I look a bit tired.

Back home to sort out the dashboard in the Forester.  As we pulled into the garage, steam wafted up from the engine. Hmmm. We think it is the new aircon part. While Mike got ready by watching the disassembly videos I cleaned all the bits and pieces. I am impressed with Mike getting the necessary pieces back in. We can now use our dashboard. But we left a lot unassembled in case the aircon people still need access.

Prepping the dashboard bits to go back in

will they fit? Will any bits be left over afterwards?

We jumped in the car to go to the Hutt to get a few bits and pieces for the car too. So that was a nice excursion. Found the clicking wheel issue. A nail is embedded in the tyre. Need to sort that.

Then back home to get ready for a BBQ. Yeah - I was surprised too. But Elly and Tom came. Janine and her dog-sitting dog Freddie. Kara came - without Rasta. And Ange came! So good to see everyone.

BBQ out and ready

Kara and Ange stayed for a bit longer. And chatted about all the things. Even got the Stuff quiz done. Hahah.

Off to bed quite late for me. Up for brekkie and a lazy day. Mike had real work to get done. Waaah. On A Sunday.

Sunday morning brekkie

Derpy cat

Mike had another BBQ - at a mate's house. Then he came collected me at 7.30pm and we dropped in to see our friend Grant. He has been very sick after surgery on his kidney. Infections. Not good. So we dropped off a present and chatted to him in his backyard - we kept our masks on. Do not want to pass any germs on. His mum has been looking after him - so we said hello to her too.

I hope he gets better soon. No need for this sort of delay from such scary surgery. Sending him all our good wishes.

Up for an online session with Quentin. Mike took the car in (to get the aircon finally sorted - I hope).

Monday morning sunrise

Gym sesh in the garage

I had leg day in the garage with Quentin watching from our phone. Squats. Lunges. Hip thrusts. Calf raises. Clam shells. All the things.

Big week at work. And Easter is coming. We're off to Dunedin Wed evening. And Toby is also coming down. Yay! We will work from home on Thursday. Having 4 days with Mike's mother should be a good break. We will do park run again. And some walks. And help Polly around the house. 

Hope your week is a good one.

Love,

Angela

The Wednesday with work

 Hi,

Busy days. It is end of quarter time - so it is always busy. Trying to get the things finished. Trying to shape up the new work. Yeah.

Highlight was the morning iced latte with Maureen at Margies. And later, lunch walk with Mike to Yoshi and sitting outside to eat it.

Margies with Maureen

AJ gave me this to try! Wow!

AJ has found iced latte in a can - with coconut milk. He gave me one (and he even gave one to Mike - but he gave it to me). Awwwww. I have not tried it yet because I had an iced latte already for the day. But - so interested to try this one.

Mike got a migraine late in the afternoon and after Erin gave him some painkillers, he bussed home and went to bed.

Poor Mike.

I stayed back at work, in lots of meetings. And then rode home. Made tea for us. Soup and toast for a sick Mike.

Then to bed nice and early. Up for me to ride in and go to the gym. Bench 35kg 6 reps x 4 sets. And accessories that killed me.

Then a ride home.

Bench morning

Cats help me at work

Now I am working from home today. Lots of meetings. Checking Mike is ok (he is also WFH). Cats are happy.

We will pick up the car today - it has the evaporator coil sorted. But they need it reassembled before they finish it. So, the weekend sees us doing that!

Wish us luck.

Have a great weekend.

Love,

Angela

The Tuesday with a run after work

 Hi,

Loved catching up with Celia for lunch. And Mike tagged along too. We heard about their trip to Auckland and the kids adventures.

Iced latte at Arabica with Celia

After work, Mike and I went for a run. I only managed 3k. But as we cooled down on our walk back to work, Callan ran by. So Mike turned around and did 5k with him. Sweet.

I rode home and fed the cats and made tea. I am living a Taylor Swift song there.

Pasta for tea

Buried alive by cats

All the cats

Great sleep. It was cold - so we used the heat pumps. The cats were in heaven.

Up at 6am to get ready to ride in and meet Mike at the gym with Quentin.

Cardio ended

Cardio session with Quentin and Mike.

60kg sled push. 4 lengths of the room. Run while Mike does sled push. That must be about 16 lengths. Then assault bike for 2 mins (and I should get 500m in that time) and then rowing for 500m. And that should take me 2mins 20 for first round and 2.30 for second round.

And now an iced latte with Maureen to kick off the working day.

Hope your Wednesday is a cracker.

Love,

Angela

The Monday back at work

 Hi,

In a turn up for the books, there is only cat content this morning. But in other news, I have a real hankering for a bucket of iced latte about now.

Cats sleeping by me as I WFH

Moxley tells me she wants her tea

Are you ignoring me?

This works on Mike

I worked from home - and the cats ignored me for most of the day. Although they both slept in the same room as where I worked. So maybe they wanted company, but from afar.

Anyway - it got to 4.30pm and Moxley decided to take matters into her own paws and prod me for her tea.

I'll just stare at you, then

I am giving into the stare

Readers, it did not work. I am strong. Mike got home and fed them. All was right in their world once more. But it must be cold because they both decided to lie all over me. And for about 30 mins Smudge let Moxley lay her head full-on onto her.

I was shocked at this display of tolerance. Moxley was in her happy place. I think touch is her love language. Like me.

The cats were fed - then slept all over me

They full on touched each other

The cats spotted a ruru on the tree next to our deck

Chuffed Mike called me to come see it

I went to bed and then Mike was fluffing around with rubbish and what-not when he called me upstairs. The cats were excited about something - and then Mike spotted a ruru right in the tree by our deck. We had a fabulous view of it.

Wow.

Then off to bed. Again. And slept well before the 5.30am alarm. Rode into work in the dark, cold, rain. Brrr. Long-fingered gloves were not keeping up with the sapping cold. Gym with Quentin. 82.5kg deads. 3 reps x 5 sets.

Run after work today! Woot!

Have a brilliant day!

Love,

Angela