The weekend with loads of things on

 Hi,

What an awesome weekend.  Saturday was so lovely - the best sort of day.  Boot camp was hard work.  Then we drove to the mechanics so they could switch the tyres over on the van.  Mike wants to use the tyres that came with the van as new extras, keep the best option that remains as a spare and dump the rest.

As Mike stayed at the mechanics, I wandered down Cuba St to find a coffee for Mike.  

Stunning clear mornings

Retrogrove do an awesome iced latte

I ended up at Retrogrove.  Harry the barista was chatting to a customer as I approached.  He took my order then went back to the customer and apologised for interrupting her story.  She searched her memory for where she was up to - and I said I could start her off if she didn't remember.  So I said:  Yesterday at the park...

And she said:  I ended up jamming with this guy that I met on Tinder

Yep - I was totally invested in this story already.

Turns out she was from Melbourne and a musician.  She asked me if I knew what Tinder or Grindr was.  I must look really old.

Went back to the garage to discover the machine that fitted tyres had broken so we had one tyre done and left.

There you go!

Headed to the vaccination centre for Mike's covid jab.  He was an hour early and I tagged along, curious.  They let him in early as they were not busy.  A seamless check in process.  Andrew the vaccinator chatted away to Mike as he jabbed him.  Asked if he'd had his mole on his arm checked too.  And then asked me if I had my jab or an appt for one.  I said mine was on Tuesday.  He said he could do it now if I wanted.  So I said yes.  A jab in the arm is worth two in the bush.  Or something.

So we both have our covid jabs now.  Woot!

Manic pair

We got vaccinated

\Went to Tony's Tyres afterwards on the off chance they could do finish the tyres.  They could.  If we waited for a bit.  So we did.  By the waterfront - enjoying a sunny day.

Feet over the harbour

Sat here reading for a while

Wee shag at our feet

More feet

Blue sky

Grabbed the van after its tyres were all sorted and headed to the supermarket for an impromptu picnic with Sally and Andrew in Eastbourne.  They were out and about on their bikes.  Perfect timing.

Red delicious strawberries from Queensland

Picnic on the beach @ Days Bay

Lovely

The refurbished wharf

Went back to their place and watched the Olympics (trampoline bronze!), a movie (The Tomorrow War) and more Olympics (Black Ferns 7s).

We got dinner - turkish Deliver Easy.  Mmmmm.  Home quite late.

Sunday saw us stay home all day.  I did the waterblasting and got the steps all clear of grimy muck.  Yay!

The week stretches ahead.  Busy.  But on Saturday we do go skiing for a week.  So there is that to look forward to.

Bring it on.

Love,

Angela

The week visiting my parents in Sunshine Coast

Hi,

What a fabulous week in Queensland.  So glad I went.  Good to see my parents and nieces and nephew too.

Toby and Tessa's flight was supposed to leave WLG at the same time as mine - 0615.  But my plane sat at the gate for 30 mins and theirs left on time.  So they were waiting outside customs when I got there.  We had brekkie there (which was so slow!) and got the little Peugeot 308 and headed out of Brisbane.  Picked up Krispie Kreme donuts at Nudgee services - as usual.

Arrived at Peregian Springs the day after Michael got there.  Tyler and Abby got in a few hours after us into Sunshine Coast airport around 1750.  Dad collected them on the way home from work.

Next day was a pool day!  So good!

Swimming with Tyler

Even the eggs sweat

Mum got us into a pantomime - Sleeping Beauty.  It was actually good fun.  The wee arts centre did so well.  Weyba Road - go there and see something if you are in Noosa.

Pantomime time!

Toby ready for inflatable world fun

Dad and I took the kids to the inflatable world place.  They all loved it.

They enter the park!

While I have a very nice iced latte

We also went to karaoke at Strike in Maroochydore.  Woot!  Such fun!  Everyone loved it.

Huge fun!

Dad cooked a lot of dinners for us all - and we all ate in the outdoor enclosed area (which was actually my bedroom).

Typical dinner

Iced latte time - Tyler has her iced Americano.  Abby - iced choccie.

Tessa and I have similar drinks

Should I get these?

Abby and I got out for a run or two.  Which was hard work.  So hot and humid.

Running with Abby was hard work in that humidity

We got to visit the beach a lot.  Peregian Beach had a lot of jellyfish that Abby did not enjoy.  She watched some kid pick one up from the sand and throw it back into the sea with his bare hands.  And that still didn't convince her to swim with them.  Tyler asked the lifeguard and he said they hardly hurt at all.

Hmmmm.

Noosa Beach had almost no jellyfish.  Sea lice though.  But I know now to keep moving spots in the water and they don't settle on you and sting you.

Lots of beach fun!

Good iced latte at Acai Bros.

Iced latte - somewhere.  :-)  I think it was our lunch place below.

Yep - iced latte at the lunch place by the marina

Acai Bros iced lattes are good!

Control yourselves.  Beach feet!

Tyler and I discovered Acai Bros at Noosa Heads - their iced latte was so so good.  The bowls were tasty - but so sweet.

Dad did an Escape Room with all the kids and by all accounts they loved it.  Certainly got them all talking.

Mum was so sore after the first few days of crazy activities.  It's a shame for her.  She needs new joints!  Hips.  Knees.  Then she'd be back chasing us easily.  I hope she recovers quickly from the onslaught.  Thinking about her lots.

So happy I went with everyone.  Tessa and Tyler got along like a house on fire.  Michael was quiet with everyone, but when it was just the cousins he sparked up.  Shona said he rated the holiday 11/10.  I agree with him.

Dad got a new computer (laptop) from his work for their house.  And we got them Alexa!  Mum was so pleased and now she has someone to chat to all day when Dad is at work.  :-p

Saturday morning saw me driving Toby and Tessa to Brisbane for their 8.45am flight (had to be there by 6.45am).  I was back home by 7.15am.  Went with Dad to see Michael onto his 10am flight from Sunshine Coast.

Sunday saw Tyler and Abby to Sunshine Coast for their 1345 flight home.  And me driving back to Brisbane for my 1715 flight.

Tired today at work after getting in after midnight with 2 other full plane loads from Aus.  Mike picked me up and I went straight to bed.  Up at 6.30 and into work to find I left my PC at home.

Oh dear.

Hahah.

Thank you to everyone for such a lovely holiday.

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 weekend in Wellington

Hi,

What a crazy weekend.  Mike had to work for great swathes of it - it's a shame for him.  But we did get to Quentin's group session on Saturday morning.  Glutes work out.  Good to see Chloe and Hayden back from their European holiday.  Off to Glass for brunch.  Quite good.  They made me an iced latte - top points for giving that a go!  Thank you.  Food was good - Toby would love their poached eggs.

Went to buy my trekking sneakers for Nepal.  And Mike bought some too.

Mike's feet as he runs

My feet as I run

I dropped Toby off in town to get clown costume stuff and then off at Ethan's so they could film the clown thingy.

No - I have no clue.

Back home the long way (drove around the bays in the rain to see the giant rolling southerly waves crash in).  Got Moxley cuddles while reading on the couch.

Moxley cuddles

Stretched out cuddles

 I met Mike at New World after his work and we got groceries. 

Sunday was painting day.  And laundry day.  I had a mountain of laundry!  Mike went back to work.  And I managed to get primer on, and a layer of top coat.  Mike finished the last top coat layer when he got home late Sunday!

First top coat

Toby was telling me about his fashion aesthetic.  We googled it - and found it!

So this is chav fashion

And my son's aesthetic - he's a chav!

He's so funny.

I got up at 3am Monday morning to watch the football world cup final.  USA nailed it.  2 - 0 (penalty kick to Rapinoe plus a great goal from Lavelle).  Poor Netherlands.

And Megan Rapinoe - just because.

Toby is on holidays.  And away on Wednesday with Tessa and her family to Chc.  For a week.  OMG.  I will miss him lots.

Have a brilliant day!

The weather is stunning here.

Love,
Angela

The time I went to the Sunshine Coast

Hi,

Ok - it is so hard writing this after 3.5 hours sleep.  I hope to get through my unread emails without too much effort and wrestle my workload back under control without a heck of a lot of cerebral power.

The trip to Queensland was such fun - and when I think at this time yesterday I was paddling in the sea at Surfers Paradise in my t-shirt and shorts, it is rather difficult to get my head around.

Anyway, I got an Uber to the airport for my 5am check-in without any bother.  Sat and waited for my flight.  The weather was stunning as we left Wellington, and I saw Ruapehu and Taranaki like huge lumps in the landscape. Watched a movie on the Virgin app and dosed a bit.  Landed, hurtled through customs (don't queue for the first machines - walk through to the main customs hall - plenty of machines there) and tried to ring for a pick up for Apex but the phone kept hanging up.  Anyway, a van came.  I jumped on.

Turns out I was super early.  It's much easier going through customs with no checked luggage or a child.  Or any duty free purchases (well, I did get some cream for Mum!).

Mt Ruapehu from my flight to Brisbane

Picked up a Holden Astra from Apex on Nudgee Road and jumped onto the motorway north.  I plugged the phone in and sang non-stop.  Ummm.  I stupidly took the Caloundra exit again (I have done this before) and added about 20 mins to my journey as I searched for the Sunshine Motorway again.

Note:  never take the Caloundra exit.  Even if the signs suddenly no longer show the Sunshine Coast as an option.  It really is an option.  Just a little further up the motorway.

Got to my parents place around 11am and chilled with my Mum for a while.  I may have fallen asleep on the floor a bit.  Hahahah.  Dad got home from work and we had tea out at a Thai place in Peregian Beach (or maybe it was Coolum) before I finally collapsed into bed.

Up early (5am) and away in the car by 6am for my drive into Brisbane.  I couldn't get the GPS on my phone to call out the directions, so I winged it, getting to within 500m of the Transit Centre carpark before I had to pull over and check the map.  Oosshh!  Parked in the carpark there, and walked over the pedestrian bridge to Southbank.  Had such a lovely walk to Nonna's Deli Espresso where I met Susan for breakfast.

Brisbane

Nepalese temple

Iced coffee with Susan @ Southbank - Nonnas Deli Espresso

 I was so happy to catch up with Susan.  It quite possibly might have been 2010 the last time we actually caught up.  When she lived in New Farm (or somewhere there - and Mike got blisters from walking on hot pavements with his barefeet before he ducked into a chemist and bought emergency jandals).

Susan is now a high school teacher, and I reckon her students must be some of the luckiest students in the country.  We chatted about our family and work and general life stuff for a few hours.  The food and iced coffee was so good too.  Great choice, Susan!

Susan then walked back with me to the city.  We said goodbye and I hope we see each other much more regularly.  I got back to the Transit Centre 10 mins before Jo was due on the Greyhound bus from Sydney.  16 hours on a bus!  Overnight.  OMG.  I feel a bit sick just thinking about it again.  Her bus got in at 11am (delayed due to traffic) and it was so good to see her step through the doors from the parking bay.

Selfie with Susan!

My feet arrive in Peregian Springs

Jo and I retraced my steps (so to speak) in the car back to Peregian Springs - although this time I didn't get lost on the motorway.  Phew!  We went for a swim in the pool in the late afternoon.  Nice.  I did miss Toby (and Tyler and Abby) at this point.

We went to Coolum for dinner with Jo.  Some family pub place.  It was ok - I had some baked avocado stuffed with blue cheese.  But the cheese was too strong for the avo flavour.  Sadly.  Vanilla ice cream for dessert though.  Mmmm.

And my feet get wet in the pool

Next morning we wandered down to Noosa marina (in Tewantin) and ate brunch there before jumping on the ferry to Noosa and Hastings St.  Mum and Dad checked out the surf club while Jo and I chilled on the beach.

Iced coffee at the Noosa Marina cafe

Jo - bored.

My feet @ Noosa's beach

Jo checks out the beach scene

Ma and Dad on the Noosa ferry

Jo wasn't feeling very well, so we didn't do a lot.  While we chilled at the beach, I went to find a pharmacy to get some medicine to help with her nausea.  But it didn't really help an awful lot.  It meant eating wasn't a lot of fun, and then Jo had no energy because she wasn't eating.  Poor Jo.

Dad and I got caught in a massive thunderstorm when we got back and decided we needed some groceries for tea.  When we came out of the supermarket, it was hosing down.  I ran to the car and got soaked.  Dad was soaked just trying to get into the car when I pulled up to the under cover section.  A small taste of the mad weather they have had recently.

I married a male model!  Yes - this is a random photo.  Mum has it on her sideboard.

We watched a movie at home in the evening.  Darkest Hour.  About Churchill.  Excellent movie.  Next day we had a lazy start and then drove up into the hinterland behind Sunshine Coast to visit Montville.  Very nice part of the world.  Tried a cafe.  Cute wee shops.  Hilly, even.

Iced coffee in Montville

My mother was checking out my hair - so she took a pic!

After making my mother traipse around hills, she decided against joining us in Surfers Paradise.  Too much strain on her joints.  I was sad.  She was sad.  But, actually, it was totally for the best.  She has a holiday soon, and needs to be as well as she can be to enjoy that.

In the end, Jo and I left Peregian Springs at around 8.45am and drove down through Brisbane to Wet n Wild and spent the day there.  What a hoot!  We loved it.  I loved the wave pool.  And the funnel ride.  And the other rides were great too.  Not much of a queue.  The weather was nice and hot.  Not a lot of drinking fountains.  We hired a locker for our gear and had to pad around the place in barefeet a lot.  I have blisters now from the hot, rough footpaths.  Should have worn jandals.  Should have taken jandals to Queensland.

Had fun here!

Ibis - for Toby.  And some rubbish.  And my rental car.  

Left Wet n Wild at about 4.30pm and headed into Surfers.  Navigated mostly to our hotel.  Watermark.  Or, depending on where you are at night when you read the sign:  WAT MARK.  Or: WATE ARK.   Or:  WATER RK.  Turns out at night they light up the sign, but there is a massive part of the building obscuring the sign.   Weird.

We parked and walked back to find the hotel, checked in, and then drove back.  Deposited our bags in the room and went to find something to eat near Cavill Ave.  Checked out the moon above the sea on the beach.  Ate an awesome "Viking salad".  All salads should be fit for Vikings!

Jo checks out another beach.  Surfers Paradise this time.

I cannot do a proper selfie.

Lazy start to Wednesday morning.  Found brekkie at Coffee Paradox - which paradoxically was next to the Transit centre where we actually needed to take Jo and her luggage.  So, after a lovely smashed avo on toast, we wandered back to the hotel and drove back to drop Jo off.  Said goodbye to my lovely friend.  Not sure when we'll see each other again, but I am convinced she is positioning herself for the next exciting chapter in her life. 

Iced coffee @ Coffee Paradox in Surfers

I want to go for a swim!

I drove back to Brisbane airport (GPS said 1 hour 6mins - and it wasn't far off it).  Found a small petrol station on Nudgee Road about 3kms from Apex.  Perfect!  As I pulled into Apex, the shuttle bus came.

It was smooth sailing through to my gate.  Waited around, reading.  Then boarded.  Easy flight back and a surprise collection by Mike from the airport.  I thought I had to Uber.  My plane touched down at 12.20am and I was hugging Mike at 12.36am.  How fast was that?  Benefit of no luggage and nothing to declare.

Woot!  Awesome time away.  So good to see Ma and Dad.  Good to see Jo on her travels before she leaves the southern hemisphere.  Lovely weather.  Not enough sea swimming - but hopefully next time won't be just after mad weather that churned up the sea!

Thank you.  I loved it.  Thank you to Mike and Toby for letting me run away (briefly).

Love,
Angela