The weekend with Wellington things

 Hi,

What a busy weekend. Friday saw me up early for gym with Quentin (followed by Mike having a session with Quentin). Then I headed home to chill for a bit.

Friday cats

Saturday we got up early and did another Park Run volunteer morning at Waitangi Park. It was another wet one. But for the hour of Park Run, it wasn't too bad. As we packed up the last of the cones, it really started hosing down. Dropped Janine off and headed to the gym with Sally. She was already at Willis St, so we backtracked from the motorway (via Newlands) to town.

Saturday gym

Machete iced latte with Mike and Sally

We grabbed a brekkie and iced latte after the gym at Machete. Out to Petone to Wet & Forget to buy some cleaning products. The woman we met at Rainbow ski field from their Nelson office convinced me to try their Hit the Deck product. We bought a bit of stuff! Dropped Sally at home so she could prepare for her grocery drop later that day. Or maybe read a lot. :-)

We popped out around 2.30pm to vote. Drove out to Karori and 10 minutes later we had cast our votes in the 2023 General Election. It is on next weekend. Saturday, Oct 14.

We voted!

Turns out Toby voted too

While we were voting in Wellington, Toby and Tessa were out doing the same thing in Christchurch. Very proud of my civic-minded son.

Moxley helping

Sunday saw us meet Kara at the zoo when it opened. Mike was on a calf raises tour of the zoo. Mike and I got in early and raced to the snow leopards enclosure. They were not even let out yet. So we milled about. Then they came out - and Kara came racing up to us. From a direction opposite to the entrance. She had gone the long way - hahahah.

Calf raises at the zoo

Calf raises on a snow leopard

So close to the snow leopard

Stretching to scratch

Me and Kara

Tiger

Iced latte at Banana Cafe

Tiger

Loved the zoo - again. Got myself a chimp and some sleep pants at the gift shop. Headed home to try the Wet & Forget.

Before deck

Before deck

During - it really does work

After deck

After deck

Happy with that

I was very happy with the 2.5 hours it took to clean up the deck. Mike didn't get good results with his shower stuff. The glass is still etched with built up mineral deposits. He did ask Facebook and now has a lot (A LOT) of suggestions to try.

My cold seems to have come back. Monday morning saw me do another covid test - in case. But - negative. Scratchy throat (slightly), tight chest (kinda), nose might be thinking about dribbling (but... is it?). Yeah - I dunno.

I am so excited about the Project Jonah training this Saturday too. Same day as the election (and the voice referendum in Australia). Kara booked in too - so yay!

Have a fantastic week everyone.

Love,

Angela

The weekend with a baby shower

 Hi,

A Wellington weekend - and it was nice to do a lot of nothing really.  But I was so social - by the time Sunday came I was more like a hermit.  Hahah.

Moxley mid yawn

Moxley relaxes on my lap - and not sure why she puts her paw on my arm.  She does it to Mike too

Mike went out to Oktoberfest on Friday after work.  He can tell you more about that if he likes.  He got home late (around midnight) and I couldn't rouse myself from sleep to even say hello.

Up early for bootcamp.  Great session.  The cardio first half killed me.  I need to run more.

Back home to shower and make salad for the baby shower.  I drove out to Kelson's community centre and we helped decorate the room for the surprise baby shower for Preeti.

It was also Preeti's birthday so Pritesh told her that he had booked lunch somewhere special and then arrived in time for a big surprise from us all.

It was so sweet.

Aww - lovely decorating, everyone!

Preeti looks ready to have her baby even though she still has 35 weeks left.  She is so tiny that the bump looks pretty big already.  Pritesh has been amazing she said.

Lovely to catch up with Manisha and her family

Happy parents to be

I try pani puri.  Yum!

It was potluck and I got to try some incredible food.  Pani puri is the best yummiest thing ever!  Thank you for inviting me.  It was good to see loads of people again.  Akshatha - thank you for chasing me to come.

Manisha and Satuhk and I try a selfie

 Got home to find two parties in full swing.  Mike with his mates trying all the beers.  And Toby and his mates filming Blair Witch 7.                

Crazy social time.  I drove Andrew home late and fell into bed afterwards.  I did read for quite a while though.  Hahah.

Sunday saw Toby's mates wake up and chilling in the lounge.  So Mike and I stayed in our bedroom - with the washing.  Hahah.  And the cats.

The cats are so close to each other

I get a good smooch with Smudge

We wandered up to the top of our street to hear the local MP campaigning.  We chatted to him briefly before he went off to do more street corner talking and then back to watch rugby!

I watch Otago Spirit get hammered by the Manawatu Cyclones

It's that time!

But after the teenagers had all gone and Toby and Tessa tidied the house we headed out to vote.  Via the party shop next to The Warehouse.

Toby in his happy place

Toby bought stuff for spook night this week (it is still school hols).  

We tried to vote at Mt Cook school but got the dates wrong and that is next weekend.  So we drove to the next closest polling station at Dukes arcade.  We followed a fire engine down Willis St.  Turns out the building next door to the polling station was on fire so no voting there either!

The polling booth staff were milling about outside the cordon, and they told us the next closest polling station was just down the road in Manners St.  So we got in there, crossed our names off and voted.

Loved that we saw Tessa vote for her first time

They are operating under level 2 conditions so we had physical distancing in place.  Cards on tables and standing back.  Single use pens.  We had two referendum questions to answer too.

It was Tessa's first time voting (she turned 18 in August).  I am so pleased that she was excited about voting.  Good on her.

And we dropped her home and headed back to chill out at our place for the rest of the evening.

Phew.

Ange's birthday to day.  I am thinking about her.

Love,

Angela 

The weekend in Wellington with lots of things

Hi,

The weekend was so busy.  I need a holiday.  Right.  Let's see what happened.  Friday night Mike finished off his brewing session with the bottling process.  I think.

Saturday we wandered down to the church in Wadestown to vote.  We popped into Wadestown Kitchen for brekkie but they don't do cooked breakfasts.  So we had a coffee/drink and walked back home.

Toby photo bombs my Wadestown Kitchen iced coffee after voting

Mike and I jumped in the car to get supplies for varnishing the front door.  Back to cook bacon and eggs for Toby's lunch and then start the door work.  And laundry.  Never ending laundry.








In the evening, Andrew came over to watch the election results unfold.  Later, Roger and his girlfriend also came over.  We decided the ACT MP looks just like Rimmer from Red Dwarf.

Act chap looks like Rimmer from Red Dwarf

After a few hours, the result looked fairly settled so I went to bed.  Andrew slept on the couch and our visitors left.

Next morning I was up early - and daylight savings had kicked in, so it was an hour earlier than anticipated.  I stuffed some brekkie in and headed down to the train station to meet Sreejith and James for a decent bike ride.

We left at about 9.50am and rode up SH2, in at Silverstream, and up Blue Mountain Road into Whitemans Valley.  It was the first time I had done it in that direction.  Good grunt up the hill and then a lovely ride around the quieter valley.

Iced coffee at La Cloche after the bike ride

Back into town after James peeled off at Melling.   La Cloche sucked me and Sreejith in for a coffee.  And maybe some scrumptious cakes.  Mmmmm.  Custard squares.

Mike was kind enough to come and get me and I got changed and made my own penny stove with the guys in the garage.  Andrew, Mike, Roger and Julian.  Simon from across the road also turned up to make one.

My penny stove

Garage becomes the workshop

Andrew made me a V penny stove

More laundry.  Cooked tea.  And fell into bed.  Exhausted.  Hahahah.  What a great weekend.

The weather this morning is true equinox stuff.  So windy!  Jeepers!  The hour time change is a bit of a body blow - probably due to the late night Saturday.  The recharge didn't happen like it usually does!  Or it could be the 80km bike ride.  Hahahah.

Anyway - the week should be a good one.  Enjoy yours.

Love,
Angela