The weekend with birthday parties

 Hi,

Another big weekend. This one saw us celebrate Polly's 90th. Woot! Let's see how the weekend all unfolded.

Data brekkie Thursday morning

Te Papa - cool look at Britten bike

Friday I went with Mum into town and we parked near Te Papa and met Polly for lunch around 11.30am. Poked into some exhibits before going over the road to Te Tākina for lunch at the cafe. The food was a bit average - iced latte was good. The service was less than stellar with our main server being a bit impatient with us. Main issue being they made assumptions and did not realise that old people can't hear well when there is such loud ambient noise. They need to check their patrons and note the age of them is really quite high on average. So best be more considerate with your main customer base. In saying that - they had some very nice staff on that perhaps have already understood that. Maybe our server just didn't want to be there.

The experience doesn't make me want to rush back there.

Te Tākina cafe - was average

Walked a bit back to my work and got ready for dragon boating. Yes. I got a call up for a Friday evening race. Woot!

Mum models

Friday afternoon fun

I was in the second last row and seated next to Florrie and behind Emma. Great fun. We got on the water around 6.40pm and had our race. I think we came last in that heat. Strategic, obviously. I know the team did well on Saturday in the main races and came second in the Corporate C final. Good on them!

Waterfront

Stunning now

Walking back to the car

After the race we walked back to the car and headed to Kara's for a quick hello there. Mum has a really sore neck and back and Kara checked it out. I got some bath bombs and flowers from Kara. Awwww. Thank you Kara.

Saturday saw us up to get ready for Polly's party. Mike, Toby and I went to Maccas in Petone to set us up for success with terrible coffee and reasonable McMuffins and hot cakes. It worked.

Maccas yucky iced latte

Polly's cake

The food was looking great from Bella Italia - as was the cake. We put up the marquee that Sally and Andrew have in the shed. Our practise with Aidan's borrowed one for my birthday meant we got it up really fast. So I headed off to collect my mum and Helen and bring them back - with Toby along for the ride. We also had to stop off to get some beer and wine; we fitted that in and we were back 10 mins before kick off.

Sunny backyard

Bella Italia food looks so good

Under the marquee

Other end of the table

There it is

Toby chilling

It all went very well. Photos were shared after lunch. We saw Pop Kelly in one with Mike and Polly and Ron and Sophie. So nice. Oh - and Mike was holding Fred the cat. That pic was at Dunback. Awwww. Other photos were a perfect summary of Polly's main life highlights. Her nursing. Her marriage. Her kids. Her house and garden. And her fun times.

Cake and speeches

Flowers from Kara

Sunday was lovely to start with - but the weather slowly changed through the day.

Sunday stunner

Smudge models for us

At Seashore Cabaret

Mum and Toby and I went to Petone and had brunch at Seashore Cabaret while Mike did Callan's trapline.

Mum waits for her turmeric chai

Food is here

At Capitol

In the afternoon we went to Capitol for dinner. Polly was there already. Mike got out of the bush and came in with Sally and Andrew courtesy of Callan's personal uber service.

We had such a lovely meal. Capitol is owned by the parents of  Toby in Year 9 that meant our Toby changed his name to Roland at high school. So nice to meet them. The food was so good. The service was absolutely lovely. Thank you Polly and Mum for paying for a delightful meal and all your company.

Reading menus

Watching La La Land

Back home to watch La La Land. It was an ok movie. Went to bed quite late given we were up at 5am to take Toby to the airport for his 6am flight to chc.

Mike went to the gym and I drove home.

WFH today. Lunch with Ed and my mother at Ngaio today.

Hope your week is a good one.

Love,

Angela

The weekend in Wellington with parties and bike rides

 Hi,

Friday saw me working - and that meant my weekend was only 2 days long. I have no idea how anyone  does a 5 day working week anymore. Hahahah.

Christmas party was nice and low-key. We stayed really late. 9.45pm! Hahah. Good to see everyone. I got lots of hugs.

Here we are at the party

Saturday was chill in the morning. But Mike and I met Maureen at the local cafe for an iced latte (well, hot coffees for them) before Maureen and I went for a bike ride.

Saturday iced latte

Such a good day for it. Up behind Crofton Downs and up to the Skyline. Then north to Mt Kaukau (it is actually quite a long way). Maureen took me down her route into Johnsonville through bush. And then we sped down Old Coach Road to the valley bottom.

Top of Mt Kaukau

I look pretty pleased

While I was out riding, Mike was doing messages and got a lot of stuff ready to progress a few projects. So I know what we're doing over the next few weekends.

Maureen and I tootled back up from the bottom of the valley and wandered a few streets in Johnsonville. I had no idea where I was so Maureen guided me to a spot I recognised and said goodbye to each other at Onslow. Got home after the 25km fun. Then into the car to head to Kara's place. Sally and Andrew came over too. Takeaways. And a good catch up with Kara. Who is not faring too well - her femur is refusing to knit. So she us really hoping some progress happens in the next few weeks. We left her place quite late (maybe 10pm!) and popped a huge bag from plums from 40WLW at the Sampson's household before going home to bed.

Moxley snuggles

Mike plays with me and Moxley

Taking up the masking tape on the painted stairs

Sunday saw a lazy day for me. But I did get the stairs all done. Yay. 3 coats on all the risers. Took off the masking tape and it all looks so good. Sweet. top stair to sort out - and the stringers replaced.

Then off to bed. Up for a quick drive to town this morning to get my bike and PC from work. Friday night meant it was all there. But back to WFH today.

Hope your week is a good one.

Love,

Angela

The weekend with a party

 Hi,

Friday saw Callan and Andrew having birthdays and we ended up at two pubs after work to help celebrate.  Even though the plan was to go home and cook lots for the party.

Lunch with Angie

Went to Bin44 with work mates and stayed for a relatively short time.  Then headed to Thistle and met up with Sally and a load of her friends for Andrew's dinner.  JR and Anita were there - as well as Paul and others.  Andrew was coming a tad later.  By the time Mike and I left we did actually see Andrew briefly.

Home to cook.  Mike was very keen.  We got a full tray of vegetarian lasagne made.  And the rest of the items would be good for Saturday morning.

Mike making party lasagne Friday night

Iona arrived at 1am off the ferry and I was so asleep when she rang my phone.  I woke with a huge fright because I knew she would be late and left my phone off silent.  I never hear my phone ring - so the noise was unusual.  But it did wake me up!  Unlike her text and her knocking.  Oops.

Stumbled around getting her sorted in the spare room and from the distance of Monday morning I apologise that the duvet was probably not warm enough and I should have put the heater on for her.  She is stoic.

Up to collect Col from the airport at 8am and off to Maranui for brekkie.  Then collected the cake from Jo and Rex and had a quick catch up with them.  Jo is leaving TTP!  Ooohhh.  Off to Somerset as a BA.  Good on her.

Saturday turning it on for Mike's party

Maranui iced latte goodness

Col and I had a big explanation of Maori constellation stories.  With actions.

Back home and Mike had most things sorted - Iona and I finished off a few things (luckily Iona makes awesome potato salad with tahini and yoghurt! Because - no mayo!!).  Then Iona and Col left for 40WLW with the first lot of food while Mike shoveled gravel for Maarten for an hour.

Then we were all off.  Tessa arrived just in time for a hand with putting things in the car.  Mike got back and we headed to 40WLW.

Wee Mike!

Party

Party!

Awesome cake

Some confusion collecting Polly (she had left the back door unlocked at her place and the shed wide open, but eventually we understood she had walked to the party and left things like that - so we locked up and also went to join the party).

The party was great fun.  Lovely day for it.  t-shirt weather - if you could stay in the sun.  Shade was still cold.

There was ample food and drink and the nibbles were perfect.  Thank you so much to everyone for coming to celebrate Mike's big milestone.  We chatted to Karen during the cake cutting too.  

We left at 6pm and watched a movie with Toby and Tessa before bed.  We did ring Ma at that point too - to say hi.   Up Sunday to make Toby and Tessa brekkie (leftover sausages!).

Iona and Col came by at 1.30pm and I dropped them both at the airport.  Then back and Toby and Tessa wanted to go to Scopa.  So we did that - and met Sally and Andrew there.  Ate a bit then Toby and Sally went to Fast and Furious 9 while we dropped Tessa home then Andrew home.  Collected Polly and brought her back to our place for tea.

Had leftovers.  And then Mike took her home - and collected Toby.  All perfect logistics.

But what a big weekend.  I need a day to recover.  :-)

Awesome weather.  Lovely company.  Thank you to everyone.

Love,

Angela