The weekend with Toby in town

 Hi,

What a cracking weekend. Toby arrived Thursday evening and I finished my planning day and walked over after work with Mike. His late meeting finished early. We had tea at Sweet Mamas. My haloumi and hashbrown burger was good.

Then I went home in an Uber (the driver was lovely - said he thought I was 40 years old. It was dark!) while Mike and Toby went on to San Fran to see Electric Six. They really loved it. 

Third row from the front!
Two guitars, bass and drums, what more does a rock band need.

Dick Valentine staring into Mike's soul

Toby got a pick from Electric Six

When the boys got home I did hear about the gig. And Toby scored a guitar pick! 

Friday saw me and Toby on the bus to town. Me for a haircut at 10am and Toby to chill at the new cafe in the refurbished library. I joined him and we had brunch there. Food was good. Coffee was not quite as good as I would have liked. Toby liked the coffee though.

At haircut Friday

New cafe in the revamped library

Saturday we got up and drove the Corolla to town for park run and eWaste drop offs. I met Eunice on the actual run itself. Toby did well - just under 32 mins. The wind was pretty strong. Lisa was there so we had a coffee at Shelley Bay baker with her. Saw Jessie there too.

Post park run with Lisa

Dropping eWaste off

Moxley stretched out for a nap

Dropped some old eWaste off at the bottom of Taranaki St on our way back from Park Run. Chilled Saturday watching The Bear on some streaming service or other.

Fish n chips Saturday night with Sally and Andrew at their place. That was good fun. Wandered around looking at work they have done and want to get done. We also ended up taking their old TV home with us because it was a better one than our old TV.

Got all the tools

Toby and the old car

TV off the wall

Mike actually got the "new" TV installed and our old one taken down before we went to bed. Wow. And we have since watched it and it has made a huge difference. Lovely to have 1080p on both TVs now.

Sunday we had a chill morning - I made French Toast for the boys. Then off to see Project Hail Mary at The Embassy. That movie was stunning. I loved it. Science stuff. In space. With aliens. What is not to love? Go see it if you enjoyed The Martian. Same author. Similar vibe. One scientist against a lot of challenges to survive and complete the mission.

Sunday movie - Project Hail Mary

Bye Toby

Went to the airport and had some tea with Toby before he got on his 5.45pm flight to Chc. We went home and moped with the cats at his absence.

Watched Season 2 episode 1 of Deadloch with Mike before falling asleep. He was up to head to the gym with Quentin. It's supposed to be rainy and windy here today but the morning hasn't been too bad so far.

Have a great week.

Love,

Angela

The weekend with Easter

 Hi,

We have had a busy time over Easter. We stayed in Wellington but got a lot done while the weather was a bit rainy for some of it.

At noho marae

Wed and Thurs last week I was off at noho marae in Stokes Valley. Such a lovely marae. And I had another step change in my understanding of te ao Māori. Ka pai!

Stunning art

So lovely

Moxley chills on Toby

Back home and Good Friday was a chill day. I did do a gym session with Quentin and Toby joined me. We did dead lifts together. And after Quentin finished, Toby and I did a boxing session. Such fun with Toby.

She does not want to move

Dead lifts with Toby

Then a boxing session

We also went to visit Sarah, Hamish and Ryan for hot cross buns in the afternoon. Nom, nom. 

Moody morning

We had trapline to do in April and Saturday was the best day weather-wise for us. Callan was keen to help - yippee.  Toby tagged along so I took him up Sunny Grove trapline. Then KAT. It took us the best part of 5.5 hours. We got 3 rats and a mouse. Toby really loved being out in the bush. It was hard work off track - we had to scout around for the markers to find the traps on the upper part of KAT. 

Trapline with Toby

Dead mouse!

Sunny on the way up

And finished the off track parts

Rain coming in as we walk back

Toby striding through the bush

Mike and Callan were just a tad behind us in the stream. We were up at KAT5 when Toby heard them down in the stream. We shouted to each other. By the time we finished KAT and got back to the track junction, I got a message that showed they were 20 minutes ahead of us. Got down to near the car and Mike walked up to find us. We walked the last 10 mins out together.

Sourdough

That night we were watching TV and I got up to go grab something and both adductors (and my left tibialis) all cramped at once. It was so sore I could not talk for a bit - and was crying. Mike and Toby had no idea what was happening. They were running around wondering if they needed an ambulance. But I finally stuttered out it was cramp. I ended up with electrolyte and water and a hottie from them. Awww.

Not fun.

Sunday was egg rolling morning. And Wrestlemania for Toby at his friend's house.

My egg is airbourne

Toby's egg is flying down the hill

Mike's egg sedately negotiates the street

Watching Wrexham

Model cat

I did not know Toby took this pic

Another sourdough

Sunday and Monday saw lots of rain for us. And Mike had to study for a big exam coming up. So I decided to finally get the entrance painted. Monday I got the second coat on and we think that looks ok. Happy with the result. So that area is now all done!

Finished the entranceway

All done

PT session online this morning for me (Tuesday) with Quentin. Bench.  40kg. 4 x 4.  Not bad. Then a lot of arms and shoulders.

Working from home today. Toby is working with Ryan from midday today. Then pizza at our place with Ryan and his family for dinner.

It has been nephew's birthdays these last few days. Thinking of them. xx

Have a great day!

Love,

Angela

The Monday with Toby here

 Hi,

Toby got here on his flight from Chc. He settled in at home and Mike and I both worked from home. Then he headed out to see some mates.

Wet and cool weather

Me and Toby at Dillingers

Baked bread when I got home

We saw him at his dentist appointment and then went for dinner with Sally at Dillingers. Good to all catch up.

We headed home after that and I baked bread while we watched YouTube. Juliette popped around, worried about her cat getting fed over her break. So we need to try and sort that if we can.

And then bed. Slept well. Cough still a bit annoying.

Drove in this morning for a last brekkie with Maureen before Christmas break. Mike enjoyed our chatter. She is off up north soon for her fun in the summer sun. Meanwhile Wellington is set to enjoy a cold, wet Christmas. Pah! What does the forecast really mean?

Have a great day.

Love,

Angela

The Monday with Toby flying home

 Hi,

Well, I started work early to finish a bit early because I had my appointment for my melanoma check up. Can't miss those appointments. They are hard to secure. Anyway - clean bill of health for me. Woot. And back to a yearly check up rate now, he reckons. Mind you, he has his eye on his holidays. Visiting London then a lot of the -stan countries. Lucky him.

#5

Hey Rasta

Wild harbour views

I made a sourdough for Toby to take back home to Tessa. Hopefully it survived ok. After the appointment we picked up Mike from work and drove to the airport. We had some tea there and then saw Toby safely through security. With some RATs from work so he could test when he got home. We ran out last week at home because we were all testing so much.

Readers. He tested faintly positive when he got home. Uh oh. So I tested again. But I am fine.

We popped into see Kara and I took Rasta for a walk and Mike brought in her washing. Good to see her while we were over this side of town.

Back home. And not long out of bed. Good sleep. Then up at 5.30am. That was a shock. We have terrible weather, but it was okay on my bike ride in. A few spots of rain as I left. But that was all.

Mum next to Robbie Burns in Central Park

[Update] My Mum and Dad are in NY. And they went to Central Park and saw poets path (or walk). And took a pic next to Robbie. Mum now has the full set across the world of this mould of Robbie. Dunedin. Dundee. London. And now Mew York. She has a FULL HOUSE of Robbies.

Off to the gym to see Quentin now. First time in person for 2 weeks.

Have a great day!

Love,

Angela

The weekend with Toby still here and lots of movies

 Hi,

Happy birthday to Cameron today. And Jamie yesterday. It is the week of birthdays for our wider family.

I do note that this post has all the content. Cats. Iced latte. Hahah. I will watch the post hits just roll in with this one.

Friday I got to hang out with Toby most of the day. I got a run in. Then showered and changed and we went to Queensgate for some lunch and shopping.

Pocari Sweat at Japan City, Queensgate

Iced latte at the convention centre

Toby and I invented a game while we waited for our movie to start at this cafe. Someone says a topic, and you have 5 mins to research it and come back with the best fact you found out about it. I know more now about the McCoy Hatfield feud than ever before. And Abraham Lincoln. And the Mexican War.

There we go!

And we saw Inside Out 2

We decided to see Inside Out 2 at the cinema at Queensgate. The two of us, and 2 other people. I really enjoyed the movie. Funny. Touching.

Saturday saw us doing some work around the house. And Ange came over to visit and we took her car for a test drive. Not to buy her car. But to see if that car (Subaru XV) is what we would like to buy next. So off to Paekakariki we went. And we stopped to get coffees (not Ange) at the cafe there. They had no ice but happily made me a cold latte. Hahah. It was pretty good.

Saturday drive with Ange saw me get a cold latte - no ice

Home made iced latte on Sunday

Fifth loaf

Made sourdough Sunday morning. And left it cooling on the bench while we drove to the supermarket for Kara's grocery shop. When we got back, Toby had tucked into some of it. There is nothing better than warm bread, after all. And he had no idea this was to take to Kara's place.

We picked up Ange (she had made delicious carrot cake muffins) and went to see Kara. Kara is doing amazing. She is using a Zimmerframe to get around her house. What an inspiration to anyone dealt a setback. We had a cup of tea. Ange and I took Rasta for a wee walk. We did a little bit of house work for Kara. Mike changed the duvet cover and entertained us all.

Smudge looking very regal

Mike goes public with his duvet changing skills

Dropped Ange home and then went to town with Toby to see Alien Romulus. Had tea first at Sweet Mother's Kitchen and enjoyed that thoroughly. Then off to the Embassy for the movie. OMG. I should have stayed home. So scary for me. But it seemed like a good Alien movie entry into the stable of them. Some of them are now blending into the other. But this one was a good homage to the original - yet did not feel like a direct knockoff. Five minutes into the movie my watch told me I was stressed. And it stayed high until halfway home in the car when it started to drop. Hahah.

Home to bed. But I had to read for a bit to distract myself.

Up for working from home today. Toby has a late flight out to Chc. I am already feeling quite sad about seeing him leave. I also have a skin check appointment. They rang on a Sunday night a few weekends back to ask if I could move my Nov appointment to now as the doctor is away on a big holiday. Ok.

Right. Enjoy your day. Hope the week is a good one.

Love,
Angela