Good morning on Wed, Oct 21

Hi,

We've moved to a northerly after yesterday's cold southerly but it has left cold air still. The ride in was dry but cold this morning and I could see my Dragon Breath in the air.

Yesterday evening was both horrible and fun. I rushed home to take Toby to buy a replacement fish at Animates for his wee black fish that gave up the ghost. But there were no similar fish in the store. Toby fell in love with a puppy and immediately put on a display that was embarrassing - crying for the puppy and not wanting a fish. Mike rode home and we drove home from there and when Mike got home he punished Toby for his bad behaviour. So, there was no fish, no TV and no computer games. Toby knew he had gone past the boundary of acceptable behaviour.

Mike and Toby bounced on the trampoline and we had dinner and then a small brazier evening where we toasted marshmallows. It was a lot of fun without TV. I think Mike is now going to declare Tuesday evenings TV free. I like that!

We need to pack for the weekend away tonight and sort out the cat food situation. Someone has to feed the cat while we're away on Fri, Sat, Sun and Mon morning. We should be home for Monday evening ok.

Ok. Time to start the day in earnest.
Love,
Angela

Good morning on Tues, Oct 20

Hi there,

Another shabby day in Wellington - how much water can possibly fall from a sky continuously? I was so slack - I really should have hopped on my bike as there was no wind. But I caved in and took the bus.

Kea night was great fun - only Toby and Ryan turned up (one was sick and two were away). We tried to make fog but only ended up making rain. Nothing new there for Wellington!

Tonight I'm off to collect wee Toby and head to Animates to replace Toby's dead fish. Poor wee thing. Never mind.

We also need to pack for the weekend tonight. We're off on Thursday for 4 days (Toby's school has a teacher-only day on Friday and it is Labour Weekend here this weekend so Monday is a public holiday) down to Nelson Lakes to go tramping. I hope the weather improves -a lot!

Have a great day!
Love,
Angela

Good morning on Monday, Oct 19

Hi,

It is an exceptional morning here in Wellington. Hardly any wind and beautiful, clear blue skies. It's superb. The ride in was lovely.

The weekend was good fun. Friday was the first Wadestown tennis club night and it had stopped raining - miraculously. Mike and I also attended a Parent Association night by accident as it was also on at the school. So we learned heaps about the new principal and his goals. Toby play some half-hearted tennis but enjoyed playing with other kids. it's on every Friday evening now and I am helping on Fri, Dec 18 (last day of term).

Saturday morning was swim day and Toby played up during his class and even had to sit on the side for a bit. He needs to listen to his instructor. We've decided to start swimming with him regularly as well so he can play then, and concentrate during his lesson.

Saturday afternoon he wasn't allowed to go swimming with the Tabors because of his poor showing at his lesson (it was a condition of entry so he got what he deserved) but we had fun at Sally and Andrew's place for lunch and we headed home to go to Greg and Nic's place for the evening. Toby and I played charades with Nic's niece (15) and nephew(13) also staying the evening. It was loads of fun!

Sunday was a lazy day because the weather was rubbish. We were going to walk somewhere but it wasn't nice enough. So we stayed at home. Toby got to go swimming with the Tabors (on condition he listens well at his next lesson) and had a great time. The Tabors are now off to Auckland to get passports sorted. What a pleasant day trip for them. The embassy queuing system. Nice. Shame about the perfectly good embassy here in Wellington. Apparently they only do politics here. Whatever!

We did pop over to see Mike's mother and give her the re-built laptop. Benjamin's parents were due back so I imagine they had a good time away - despite the weather.

That was about it. My sister and her family took off for Fiji and will have spent their first night there already. I wish I could hear about it all.

We're off on Thursday night on the ferry for four days tramping in Nelson Lakes National Park. We decided Toby would cope with the river flats near the lake. I hope the weather is like today and not like the weekend! We need to pack this week.

The week ahead looms. Have loads of fun (especially if you're in Fiji!).
Love,
Angela

Good morning on Fri, Oct 16

Hi,

Ok - it is officially scary how fast the months are rushing past. Halfway through October already and it feels like it was the 1st only a few days back.

Bit wet out there today - but not cold. I'm off to the morning session of the seminar today to hear what the expert panel has to say.

Toby starts his swimming again tomorrow morning. Not much else on for the weekend though.

I'm looking forward to the weekend. We need to replace Toby's black fish which decided to give up the ghost yesterday after swimming erratically for a few days. If the weather is nice, we'll try a day walk with Mum somewhere.

Have a marvellous weekend everyone.
Love,
Angela

Good morning on Wed, Oct 14

Hi,

What a lovely ride in this morning - the roads are still dry ahead of the thundery downpours the weather forecasters are predicting. What do they know? Although, admittedly, they may have poked their heads out the window this morning because I have to say, it looks pretty threatening out there. Ominous clouds all around.

Last night was fun. I rode home and collected wee Toby and dinner (slow cooker sausage casserole) and drove to Ngaio to have dinner with Benjamin and Nana (but not Ramble as he was banished during dinner due to his nose being at plate height). Mike was a little late as he had work commitments but after he had eaten we went home. Toby was asleep quite quickly again.

The cat seems to be settling in even more. She was waiting for me and Toby when we got home last night - that was nice.

Karate tonight. First one back since the school holiday break. I think Ma and Dad will come and collect wee Toby and prepare him for karate. Dad enjoys coming along to watch. I hope they stay for dinner too. That'd be nice.

Ok. Time to get stuck in.
Love,
Angela

Good morning on Tues, Oct 13

hi,

A beautiful, if a little fresh with that northerly, morning here in Wellington. I got up to 50km/h down the hill this morning - I love dry roads!

Keas was a little fraught last night - Toby seemed to be fragile. I think his first day back at school drained him and no one could do anything right. Well, no one except me. He was all over me the whole time. I got lots of kisses. I think he'll be better today. He was asleep quickly and woke by himself this morning nice and early. So, I think he has caught up on his sleep now.

We're off to Ngaio to have dinner with Benjamin and Nana this evening. I hope Mike remembers to tell his Mum not to cook as I have the slow cooker on already. This morning I had to get poor Mike out of bed as I cooked dinner, made sandwiches and tried to get the recycling out the door. I also had to have breakfast before riding in because our work is still in the middle of renovations so our shower and kitchen is unavailable. Back to normal next week.

I'm away from work on Thursday and half of Friday this week. There's a seminar I'm attending that promises to be very good.

I hope Vivienne and John are having a ball up at Poor Knights. I hope Vivienne's cold has cleared up. That'd be stink if she couldn't dive at all. I can't wait to see photos of it.

That's about it really. Not much on as we all get back into routine. Have a great day!
Love,
Angela

Good morning on Mon, Oct 12

Hi,

How horrible is it that on Monday morning I am already looking forward to next weekend? Heheheheh. We had a good weekend kicking off with going to Swan Lake with Dad to celebrate his birthday. The weather was atrocious but we had a nice meal, wandered through Whitcoulls to kill time and enjoyed the production. The only disappointing thing was the CD soundtrack. Shame. Mike collected us at the end as it was chucking down rain, along with the wind.

Saturday was great - we got up and headed out to Sally and Andrew's collecting Macca's brekkie along the way. Then we drove over to the Wairarapa to look at the block of land that might be an option for the Gilbert/Bichan whanau to purchase and build a crib. Sally and Andrew (and Aidan and Janne) looked at it a year ago and it is still for sale. It is huge, but it meets the things we want in a crib - apart from the fact that my parents would not be attracted to it much. No beach, and no power. :-) But if we did buy it, then perhaps they would visit us there.

Oddly enough, we managed a visit to the French bakery in Greytown on the way up and on the way back! Cheeky, eh? Yum!

Then we decided to see a movie in town. So off we all went to the Reading cinemas to see In the Loop. I enjoyed it but Mike wasn't enamoured. We ate at the satay house beforehand and Sally and I felt an earthquake while ordering. Yet the girl on the other side of the counter felt nothing.

After the movie we dropped off Sally and Andrew and went to collect Toby and Mum from the airport. Apart from Toby excitedly running through customs to see us and leaving Mum to manage two big suitcases, it seems to have gone well. Toby has recovered from the holiday after a good long sleep last night. From what we can gather from his comments, he had a great time. We think it was just the right amount of time. He is sad at leaving Sydney, and happy to see us.

We went around to see Nana and Benjamin for dinner and Mike cooked up a good BBQ for us. Yummo. We'll try to see them again during the week. They both seemed absolutely fine. Including Ramble!

The cat seems to have settled in a bit more. She woke us up last night making some choking sound. But it passed and she decided to have more food to help whatever it was... Toby also had a restless night - he went to bed really well but woke up around 1.30am a few times. Mike sorted him out.

Keas tonight. Hooray. No idea what I am going to do.

Love,
Angela