The Tuesday with Gags

Who knew that lunch with someone could make you so happy?  I caught up with Gags for lunch today.  We figured out that we hadn't seen each other since October 2006.  So, that is pretty much easily the best part of a decade.  He still looks the same.  Being married and having two wee girls (twins!) hasn't changed him as far as I could tell.

Hi Gags!

Mike joined us and we chatted away and found out what he's been up to.  Turns out he is working at Mike's work.  Wellington, eh?  Funny wee place.  I worked with Gags in Melbourne and after we left there to come here, he left to live in Canberra.  And there he stayed.  Now he works for Microsoft and does CRM.  Great stuff!  Good on him.

The rest of the day went by fairly quickly after that.  I rode home and cooked tea for everyone.  Steak and salsa and potatoes.  Everyone scoffed it down.  We went for a nice long walk after tea all around and about Wadestown.  Saw Hamish doing some gardening.  Checked out the Side School and played on the strangely undersized equipment for old time's sake.  Went to the dairy for some lollies. (Well, Toby may have done those last two things).  Back home and off to bed.

Nostalgia

I loved that day!  Friends.  An evening walk.  A bike ride.  Yep - pretty happy.

And this morning I got up for my run and then Lulu arrived for a sleepover.  She was pretty happy to come over.  Josh will collect her tomorrow night.  He has a frantic travelling schedule.

I have dinner out with Fran tonight to celebrate my birthday.  Woot!  I am looking forward to that.  Seems as though I am pretty lucky with people around me to make life just that little bit special when you need it.

Right.  Time for tea.  And to read Andrew's blog about his weekend.  SAR weekend

Have a lovely day.  We've finally got a smattering of rain here.  First time in a wee while.  But it is still warm.  Had to sleep with the window open again last night.  Which was fine until some hedgehogs started fighting at 4am.  At least, they may have been fighting.  Hahahah.  Making an awful noise anyway.  Woke Mike out of his snoring so it must have been loud!

Love,
Angela

Happy New Year!

Every year since I was at high school, I've had New Year's at a different place. That's over 30 years now. So for your edification and to help my memory, here are all the places, as best I can remember and as best my father's diaries chronicle. 

1986/87	5th /6th Form	Dunback
1987/88	6th /7th Form	Palmerston
1988/89	7th Form/Uni	Dunback
1989/90	End 1st yr Uni	Dunedin
1990/91	End 2nd yr Uni	Wanaka
1991/92	End 3rd yr Uni	Queenstown
1992/93	End 4th yr Uni	Golden Bay Nelson
1993/94	Finished Uni	Frankton
1994/95	Wellington	Tocumwal, NSW
1995/96	Wellington	Mangamaunu Marae and then Thornton, VIC in a field
1996/97	Wellington	Wellington, with Mr Fungus (boo!)
1997/98	London	Edinburgh
1998/99	London	Annecy, France (with Der Bus)
1999/00	London	Sydney
2000/01	London	Munich
2001/02	London	Brighton
2002/03	London	London
2003/04	Melbourne	Melbourne
2004/05	Melbourne	NSW in the bush
2005/06	Melbourne	Yepoon
2006/07	Mel to Wel	Perth
2007/08	Wellington	Te Anau
2008/09	Wellington	Canberra
2009/10	Wellington	St Arnaud, Nelson Lakes
2010/11	Wellington	Holdsworth, Wairarapa
2011/12	Wellington	Glendhu Bay, Wanaka
2012/13	Wellington	The Entrance, NSW
2013/14	Wellington	Ruapehu - WTMC lodge
2014/15	Wellington	The New Years that didn't happen
2015/16	Wellington	Kawau Island
2016/17	Wellington	Wangapeka Track, Kahurangi NP
2017/18	Wellington	The Ponds, NSW
2018/19	Wellington	A bach on the outskirts of Hasting
2019/20	Wellington	Sylvester Hut, Kahurangi NP
2020/21	COVID Apocalypse	Moonlight Tops Hut, Paparoa Track
2021/22	COVID Apocalypse	Blenheim
2022/23	Kepler Southern Adventure	Lower Hollyford road-end
2023/24	Travers Sabine Southern Adventure	Westport
2024/25	Heaphy Southern Adventure	Wairoa
2025/26	Rees Dart Southern Adventure	WHO KNOWS