The weekend in Wellington

 Hi,

What a weekend. Lots of sports - in person and on TV. The netball was excruciating. So good, but yet, not able to finish it.  Poor Silver Ferns. They came away from the World Cup with nothing. 4th place - first time ever.

Bit like the USA really in the football. More on that later.

I made biscuits on Friday. Tried my hand at melting moments. Yeah - they came out okay. But they are too sweet for me and Mike. 

Smudge enjoying the sun

Made melting moments

Sally picks up heavy things

Went to the gym Saturday with Sally. We did 50kg deads and I did 37.5kg bench. Woot! Mike tried lifting 150kg deads. He moved it off the ground easily - but failed a proper lift.

Mike picks up very heavy things

Buzz iced latte

Mike looks staunch

Andrew has been sick - so we didn't see much of him. He has the same thing as Iona! OMG. Hoping I have dodged that.

Saturday late afternoon saw us catch the bus to town for the JAP v NOR game. Elly got us tickets for it. We met her and Tom at Foxglove but could only sit outside. Which was ok for me - I was ready for the cold. But we decided to try and find somewhere.

Off to the football - last game in the FIFAWWC2023 for me

Busy in town - we got a seat outside at Foxglove

Where's Charlie were amazing at coping with the crowd

They also use pallets for furniture

That somewhere was Where's Charlie. And despite it heaving with people, it was such a lovely experience. And good food too. Thank you!

The football was amazing. Japan won easily in the end. 3 - 1. There was an own goal by Norway in there - a defender deflected the ball away from the goalie. Happens.

Japan were very good. My whole FIFAWWC experience has been great. The crowds are lovely. The service people have all been great. Volunteers all over the place.

Ta for the tickets, Elly!

Mike is up for another game!

Phone fun!

Look who sat in front of us!

Wellington stadium looks so good!

Tom kindly drove into New World and picked us up - so we were home nice and early with no crammed buses to contend with.

At Barbie

Sunday saw us fixing and servicing bikes. Mike's bike was in good nick. My eBike needed some chain love. 

Then off to the Hutt to sort out some wee things at Epuni. Got a new lockbox and it is now in the electricity meter box in the car port.

Then off to Queensgate to see Barbie. With Sally, Grant and Janine. Mike loved the movie. I thought it had some very good parts. And some more try-hard parts.  But overall, good social commentary.

It has earned $1B so far.

Wow!

Hope your week ahead is a good one.

Love,

Angela

The Monday at work but with football after work

 Hi,

First of August today. Happy birthday to my wee sister Karen. And all the horses.

The cats enjoyed me working from home - mainly because I had heaters on. Hahah. They both spread out wherever there was a heat source.

She senses it is nearing time for food

Waiting for the bus for the football

I caught the 5.10pm bus from the bottom of the street to town. Met Andrew at Honey Badger, closely followed by Mike and Adnan. Scoffed a delicious burger and some fries then off to the stadium for Spain versus Japan.

Wrapped up warm

Japan v Spain

Hey there Maureen

Maureen and her friend Pauline were there with us. And Cathryn (and her husband, James) from work. Andrew seemed to enjoy the grand occasion. Spain seemed to be playing for a favourable draw in the next round rather than a win. But Japan humbled them. And I do not think you should ever give an opponent an easy ride at this level of competition. It might just come back and bite you.

Japan scorched Spain. Spain had most possession and did nothing with it. Japan would get the ball and their #9 would tear off and take the goalie on, 1:1 and win.

4 nil in the end.

We left the stadium and I lost everyone immediately. But Mike drove to New World and got me some iced coffees and picked me up. I was home so fast! Thank you.

Tuesday bus because it was windy

72.5 kg deads

Work iced latte by the bucket

Up for gym this morning. I was going to ride - but it was so windy. I took the bus. I feel soft. Anyway... 70kg deads. 3 reps x 5 sets. Felt okay!

And at work now. Ready for the day.

Hopefully Spin after work.

Have a great day.

Love,

Angela

The weekend with so much

 Hi,

Up early on Friday to continuous rain - light, but pretty constant. Picked up Iona at 7.30am from her mother's place with all her gear and headed to 40WLW to collect Andrew.

Off to get the eggs and Erayz from the Caltex at Wainuiomata and we were walking on the track by 8.45am.

Trapline fun with Iona and Andrew

The wee streams near the car park were running high, so I was unsure how many traps we would get to check and rebait. It was slow going for me up the hill to the saddle. 1 hour and 8 mins. I can usually get there in an hour. But the rain made it slippery - even on the well formed track.

Due to the rain, we decided to do the trapline backwards to normal. Instead of walking another hour from the saddle to UTS11, we'd drop off down the ridge to UTS1. That would be where the stream was at its lowest and we could walk down the stream and check for increased water flow. With easy out back up to the saddle if needs be.

UTS1 2 and 3 were ok. UTS4 had a rat in it. But UTS5 and 6 needed some linked up stream crossings. Andrew took Iona and me over separately. It was not scary yet but it was getting to that stage. I could hear rocks moving along the stream bed from time to time. Quite a bit of water in the stream by then. Iona and I watched Andrew scouting the stream to see if we could get across for UTS7. I was like: If he thinks we can get over that, I will be very alarmed.  Hahah. Readers: he did not think that.

We decided to climb up out of the stream and we hooked onto KZ trapline and back up to the main track. 

We got back to the car just after 2pm. Took off the wettest of our clothes. Dropped the eggs back at the Caltex that we did not use. And off to the bakery and then 40WLW for a bit of lunch and a hot shower.

Cold and wet afterwards

Dropped Iona at the airport for her 8pm flight and met Mike there. Chatted away to her before she headed down the concourse to her gate.

Saturday saw a lazy morning for us. It was also Shona and Sharon's birthday - happy birthday to them! Mike headed to see Janine's cushions she made with Polly and I met Sally at the gym for a weights session.

Moxley looking regal

Smudge enjoys the sun

Gym session

Then Saturday night saw me and Mike off to the football.  Sweden v Italy. I did not see a 4 nil drubbing coming Italy's way. But it was an excellent night. So many families there. We sat high in the stadium - row W, aisle 8.

Off to the football

Selfie time

Woot!

Finished at 9.15pm or so and we walked back to Lambton Quay and managed to get on the bus outside Les Mills. Our neighbours were there too - Simon and his boys.

Watched the All Blacks smash the Wallabies at the MCG. Then bed!

Cats of Greece

Sunday saw us fix the trim on the car - yay! And cleaned the gutter by the front door and Mike drilled  a hole to let the standing water drain away. Hope that works.

Then dropped the water blaster at 40WLW (saw JR briefly because he was visiting) and then off to meet Grant and Greg at Queensgate for Oppenheimer.

At Oppenheimer with Mike, Grant and Greg

Go Football Ferns!

Great movie but completely devoid of any female representation. No woman talked to any other woman at any stage.

Back home and watched the Football Ferns play Switzerland at Forsyth Barr stadium. They managed a nil all draw but with Norway smashing Philippines in Auckland 6-nil, a draw was not enough. They needed a win.

Wasn't happening. But the team did well. Deserved better results than the cruel nature of football handed them. And I reckon girls all over the country will put their hands up to play this sport now.

Andrew and Iona on the trapline walk

Monday I am WFH. And it is wet. Again.

Hope your week is a good one.

Love,

Angela

The Wednesday with no football

 Hi,

Umm - did I blog yesterday? No, I forgot. Oh dear. Well, Tuesday saw us tootle off to the stadium for the NZ Football Ferns v Philippines game. Such a great atmosphere. 32 thousand people there to support the teams. Went with Mike, Iona, Elly and Jill.

Walking to the stadium

Out of sequence work iced latte

Beyond excitement

Huge queue

Pre game 

Iona and poi

Ummm - not sure if using a rainbow flag as a bib qualifies as PRIDE

Waiting for kick off

The football game was so good. Philippines got a goal against the run of play at about 25 mins in. And despite NZ being all over possession and corners and attempts at goal, we never clawed it back. Got a goal ruled offside by the barest of margins.

But it was the first win by the Philippines ever at a World Cup. So - all good. Football won on the day. But now NZ has a mountain called Switzerland to overcome. And to be honest, they look the best side in the pool. So... yeah. Good luck for Sunday, Football Ferns.

Anthems

Iona, Elly and Jill all caught the train home after the game and Mike and I went to work to get our bags and got a 14 not long after that.

Up for an ad-hoc remote PT session with Quentin, then off to work on the bus as it was a high of (C and raining hard.

I am soft.

Wednesday work iced latte with Adnan

Felix joins us for a selfie

Iced latte catch up with Adnan (and Felix!). Then spin after work with Iona. Caught up with Mike at Bin44 after his architects meet up and chatted to Gabe. Uber home and then drove Iona to Tawa.

After work bench. 30kg 5 x 4

After work spin

Lights

Pretty

Up Thursday for bus and then PT with Quentin. 47.5 kg squats. 56kg hacks. Hard work.

Selfie time with the Q himself

Squat depth this morning

Bucket of iced latte

Iced latte to get through my morning. Football this afternoon. USA v NED. I do not mind who wins. But keen to see some awesome football.

Weekend coming fast.

Have a great time!

Love,

Angela