The Monday busy with planning

 Hi,

Busy day - planning for the coming quarter. Sigh.

Mike and the cats

Thank you Shane!

Work lunch

But Shane did provide a LOT of sustenance. Caffeine and energy drinks. Hahah. And good fruit snacks. 

We got through a lot of the mahi on day 1. Day 2 is coming up.

Mike went for a run after work and notched up 100k for September. With a day to go! Awesome effort. Then a bunch of us went out for dinner and drinks. And Brian from Auckland joined us as he was down for the planning.

Ubered home. Sorted out the cats. And went to bed.

Shane 3D printed us a strange cat-banana

We gave it to Moxley to check out

Yep, Moxley, we don't understand either

Up for a bus ride for me. Gym session with Quentin. Squats.  50kg 6 reps x 4 sets. Then bench. 37.5 kg 5 reps x 2 sets. Then Juliet arrived and we shared bench. So I did 40kg 3 reps and 42.5kg 2 reps.

Squats

Sad faces at the gym because Juliet's bus was late

Mike got me an iced coffee for my morning from the French Kiss cart.  Mmmm.

Showered Angela is happy to find an iced latte on her desk

And now the day starts. So busy.  But a lot of people are here from out of town so it is nice to see them.

I got a covid booster jab today and Mike got his yesterday. Just in time for peak immunity for Malaysia and Singapore.

Have a great day!

Love,

Angela

The weekend in Wellington

 Hi,

Such a weird thing to have only 2 days for a weekend. Yuck! Anyway - I did get some bread made. Yay. Sliced it and froze it.

Sourdough

Spring from home

Mike stretching before his run

Breezy

Mike laughs

Tough gig doing selfies in the wind

Saturday we went for a run around the Northland and Otari Wilton bush. That was good fun. Mike did it twice!

The James' came over for Hell Pizza Saturday night and I tried to also watch the rugby. Hope it wasn't too boring for them.

Black Ferns won the bronze in the world cup with a huge win over France. But trying to watch it was so hard. Come on NZ TV!

Sunday saw us head to Eastbourne for a run and a walk for me. So blustery. Popped in to see Sally and headed home when a migraine threatened Mike. He took ibuprofen and for some reason the migraine never manifested. 

We sat on the couch and chilled before bed.

Hope your week ahead is awesome!

Love,

Angela

The Thursday that felt like a Monday

 Hi,

Yes - weirdly I am working today. With only one working day this week ahead of quarterly planning on Monday and Tuesday next week, I figured best to get another work day in. In case of... pivot.

Brekkie with Irene

Work brekkie was great - Anne is down from AKL for planning, so she joined us. And it was just me and Irene. Good chats.

Happy Mike selfie

Lunch saw us get our passport photos done and then catch up with Khemry. We so need to visit her!

Khemry and I - thank you for the iced latte. Mmmm.

My passport photo for the next ten years immortalises my Spring Challenge t shirt

I rode home after work and got tea ready. Mike had a late meeting and then caught up with Callan for a bit.

Chicken on a Buddha bowl for Mike

Plus charred broccoli

He got home and he ate his tea and then we had a bath. Perfect way to relax before bed.

Up for Friday working for me. Holy moly. Tough gig. Hahah.

Big weekend in Wellington. We have to get all the things done that we haven't done for 2 months because we've been away so much.

Yikes!

Have a great weekend.

Love,

Angela

The first day back after spring challenge

 Hi,

I am back at work after a huge short break away from work to tackle our second Spring Challenge event and then a wonderful overnight cruise on a Doubtful Sound. I will write a special post about it all.

But for now, I got home yesterday (Wednesday) and Ubered to our house. Fed the cats and then a bit of toast for myself.

Mike got home after his architect forum meeting. And we chatted away. I showed him some pics of the trip.

Off to bed. had a great sleep. Early rise for a ride in and PT session soon!

Hope you have a great day!

Love,

Angela

The Tuesday with a good run for Mike after work

 Hi,

So busy. Did get lunch with Juliet and Barb yesterday - and it is Juliet's birthday today!

Iced latte with Juliet and Mike

Weaving session

We also had a good weaving session as part of te wiki o te reo Māori too. Celia and Claire helped me lots as I fumbled the weaving instructions.

Start of my whetū

A whetū that looks very lumpy

Gemini cafe iced latte

Mike went for a run after work and we went home on the #13 bus with Barb. Great way to end the day. She told Mike all about her France trip.

Packed up for the race and the time away. Yay!

Up for my dermatologist appointment this morning.  8,45am with Dr Taylor. All good. Booked again for next year.

Have a great day!

Love,

Angela

The Monday with Mike home at last

 Hi,

Mike got home after a huge delay with his flight here. And he got two migraines yesterday morning - one after the other. So in the end, when he landed, he went home and went straight to bed for a bit.

I voted on my way home. Yay. Civic duty all done.

I voted

The library has a voting box and I noticed a lot of places have them. I was doing my bit at work to drum up people's interest in voting.

Got home and saw Mike and was so happy. Maybe even happier than the cats! Hahahah. He had recovered ok from the migraines.  We had some tea and watched some YouTube and went to bed.

I am a bit nervous about the race this weekend and work. So my sleep was less than ideal. But up for a bus ride in and my session with Quentin. Bench 35kg 6 reps x 5 sets. Then triceps and biceps and then hip and adductors. Groan.

Right. Time for the day at work to being. best grab a shower.

Hope your day is a mighty fine one.

Love,

Angela

The weekend with we at home all alone

 Hi,

Congratulations to Mike on his Dunedin half marathon. With a visit to Sydney in the run up to it, it was tough finding training time. But he did well - 2 hours 27 mins. And that was with fierce headwinds for the turnaround to the end. Good on you.

Meanwhile, I was pining at home for him.  :-)

Kowhai flowing

New bike in the garage

Friday saw me pick up the new bike from Giant. And I rode it home. It is really beautiful. Saturday saw me tidying up Christine's stuff so we can use more of the garage. I spent a few hours boxing up the awkward shapes and labelling the boxes with the contents.

Maureen came over to finish off with me. We got the old commuting while bike back up on the wall to save more space. Then walked to Chillax to get lunch (for me) and coffees.

Tūī plundering the kowhai

Packed up Christine's stuff

More space

Bike up

Iced latte at Chillax after garage work

Ange came around in the evening. Ok. The night.  9pm delayed match for the All Blacks v SA in Wellington. And I can't believe I watched such a terrible performance. The South Africans were on fire. But no one on the ground could do anything to counteract the onslaught. And that is telling.

Cats chill

Went to bed at midnight and the Black Ferns quarter final started in Exeter against....  SA. So I popped on a You Tube commentary - and promptly fell asleep. Woke up at the end ti hear they had won. No idea of the score.

Anyway - yay Black Ferns.  They face Canada on our race day in the semis! Go, go!

Drove my new bike out to Kaitoke and met Maureen for a ride up the incline, down to Cross Creek and back.

2 hours from the car park to Cross Creek and back up to the summit. And I think around 2 hours 50 for the whole thing - including stops. We got caught in unexpected drizzly rain. Oh well.  We got cold and wet and when I drove home at 1pm, I had the heater on nuclear setting the entire trip home.

Sunday ride up the incline

At Cross Creek

New bike is wonderful

Thank you for the fun, Maureen.

Sourdough

Got home and made some bread. Tidied up. And got ready for the week ahead. Sleep terribly wondering about Spring Challenge.

Walked into work. Mike's early Monday morning flight home is delayed, and now he has another migraine on the plane. It's a shame for him. Not unexpected after his week and weekend though.

Have a great week!

Love,

Angela

The Wednesday with lots of work

 Hi,

With a busy day at work, my intention to walk home was thwarted. I just wanted to curl up and bake some bread. So I caught the bus home. Fed the cats and started the baking process.

Sourdough

I chatted to Mike for a while. He is good. He showed me his nice hotel room near Barangaroo - not far from Darling Harbour. He is going into the office today instead of the off-site team session he has had this week so far.

He flies home tonight - but only as far as Chc.  Then onto Dunedin for his half marathon and a visit with his mother and Toby!

I checked flights out to Dunedin - but they were around $1500 return. So - no!

Good sleep. Went to gym this morning. Bench. 42.5kg 6 reps x 3 sets. Then Larsen bench - 32.5 kg 8 reps x 3 sets.

Data brekkie. Then home for working from home for the day!

Weekend is good. Rugby Saturday night. Hoping Ange will come over for it. Elly is at noho so can't come. All Blacks v SA. AT the cake tin. Bit worried about them winning two on the trot.

Hoping to pick up the new bike too. Let's keep fingers crossed.

Have a great day.

Love,

Angela

PS: Mike got a migraine at 3pm (AEST) on Thursday, just in time for his check-in and customs processes to get on the flight home - that was delayed by two hours. Luckily his migraine wasn't too bad and he got to shake it off in the airport.

The Tuesday working from home

 Hi,

Busy day working from home yesterday. Ange came over to get the water blaster so we had a nice catch up.

Smudge on my desk

Moxley in her cage

Smudge snuggles

Bed time buddies

After work I stretched dough and got that ready and watched YouTube and then went to bed.  Good sleep. Up for porridge and a walk in.

PT session with Quentin.  90kg  3 x 3

Will walk home after work.

Sharon had emergency surgery last night - on her bowel. But it was as good as it could be - all went well. Hopefully she recovers fast. Love to her.

Have a great day.

Love,

Angela

The Monday back at work

 Hi,

Well, after getting home and tidying up a little, I was straight into work. Busy there. The cats were happy I was home though. Hanging out with me and then pretending they don't like each other and yet seem to be very close on the deck.

Cats in the room with me

Then lounging in the sun on the deck

Shane and Holly brought us back some goodies

Shane and Holly got back from their mystery weekend to collect their car and dropped off some goodies. Mike had dropped them at the airport last Friday. So now he has a lovely bottle of wine from central.

Off to bed for me. I was so tired from staying up for rugby. Hahah. Slept like a log. Forgot to remove my 5.30am alarm though. That was a shock. I think I fell back to sleep for my 6am one.

PT session with Quentin in the garage gym at 7am. Bench 40kg 6 reps x 4 sets.  Then squats. Only 40kg. But heels raised so depth was the focus.  5 reps x 4 sets.

Tuesday morning at 7am

Tuesday morning at 8am

Got the yellow bag out for rubbish just in time. Phew. And Ange is coming to pick up the water blaster soon too. Might even get a cup of tea with her if my meetings stay relatively sparse this morning.

What else?  I will walk after work today into the bush and up to the Skyline track. And I think I will walk to work the rest of the week.

Have a great day!

Love,

Angela

The weekend in Blenheim for the final Spring Challenge training session

 Hi,

What a great weekend to end our spring Challenge training on. Phew! We did get a lot done.  On Thursday after work, Mike ran to the airport (well, I found him outside NIWA) and I drove from home.  We enjoyed a sandwich at the Sounds Air gate before Mike left to head home.

Had a bumpy flight out of Wellington - pilot had to crab a bit over the harbour. Then smooth into Blenheim where Iona picked me up.

Thurs evening Sounds Air flight

Up fairly leisurely Friday for a lovely brekkie then met Nicola at the Quail Stream carpark in the Wither Hills. We rode through the park to the road and along to the Cob Cottage before coming back in along the Mapp Track. Unfortunately I did not find the 8 extra gears this time super helpful at negotiating the track steep parts. Sigh.

Blenheim supply

So windy on Mapp Track

It was so windy - every corner was really gusty. You can see Iona and Nicola bracing against their bikes in the pic above.

1.5 hours of riding then back to the car and a walk up the valley.  This route was not super steep up - and I have come down it a few years ago. The wind was amazing - especially on the top.

Up Quail Stream Valley

Climbing slowly

At one point along the top, Nicole had her beanie whipped off her head and thrown over a barbed wire fence. I squashed through to retrieve it.

2 mins later her wrap around sunnies got blown off her face. Iona and Nicola watched them flutter away over the fence and gone. Oops.

The plan was for us to be back at the car after 1.5 hours so I ran the last 200m to make it 1 hour and 31 mins. Woot!

Lovely scenery

Friday night saw Sally and Andrew visit with Alistair and Vicki. Iona made palak paneer and it was so good. 

Off to bed for an early rise. At Nicola's by 8am so we could pack the bikes into her ute and head to St Arnaud.

Saturday at St Arnaud and Lake Rotoiti

Selfie

We rode from West Arm up to the lower Mt Robert car park. That was hard work. The gravel was good - it was just my legs that didn't work hard enough. We locked our bikes to the DoC sign and sorted ourselves out for the walk up to Bushline Hut.

We started up the track and made good time.  The sign said 2 hours to the hut. We got high up when we encountered snow flurries. We got our jackets on and continued up. We passed a big party of about 6 or 7 people all dressed with tramping pants, boots, and jackets and beanies.  They looked at us in our bike shorts and sneakers like we were mad. Hahah.

We rode to the car park and walked up to Bushline Hut

Stunning

Up Paddy's track

Across some scree

West Arm below

Looking further up the lake

We hit snow

Bushline Hut was surrounded by about 5cm of snow. We were first to it from this side. We met a couple coming down that had done the loop from the other side. Ankle deep snow and often up to their knees.

We had lunch in the hut and chatted to two young women. They had turned back from their route further up Mt Robert due to hip deep snow. :-o

We decided to walk back the way we came - given we had only sneakers and shorts. Good idea!

Bushline Hut nestled in the snow

Ta dah!

Iona is pleased

Our day packs

The descent

Not too chilly

And out of the snow

Me and Nicola at the hut

Back to our bikes with 2 hours 30 min moving time all up. Wow. Super fast.  The sign said 2 hours up and 1.5 hours back. Smashed it.

The ride back to the car was really good - all downhill.

Back to Nicola's place early and home.

Up Sunday to head away with Malcom to do the trapline at Pelorus.  Col and I did K line and Malcolm and Iona did U line and bottom of K. Plus found some gas traps for next time.

Pelorus iced latte

K Trig line with Col

There is the top

View ack to Pelorus

Toasted sandwich

Enjoying the sun

Back down

Mysterious steel cage

Col and I got 3 rats and 2 mice. I think the others got a few rats. Job well done. Finished on time for hot chips at the coffee cart. Choice!

Back home after a cup of tea at Malcom and Marion's place. Off to bed early and up at 1.30am to watch the Black Ferns v Ireland in the RWC.

Such a good game. 40 nil. Did not expect that result to the Black Ferns for their hardest pool game.

Went to bed for an hour. And then up to go to the airport for my early morning commute to Wellington. Nice and fast into the capital. Uber home and happy cats!

Thank you for a great weekend. Happy Fathers Day to Mike and my Dad yesterday.

Love,

Angela