The Wednesday with karate - not that I know much about it

Hi,

After work I wandered around to Sweet Mother's Kitchen and met up with Christine and her family to celebrate Christine's birthday. It was very nice to catch up with them as at the moment we only see each other as I ride up the hill and they flash past in their car. Mind you, they often slow down to shout out what may be encouragement out the window, but sounds like hoots of laughter from where I am! Heheheh. I think Christine may have shouted out something like "I like your shorts" as the car whipped past once. Makes the grind up the hill a bit more fun!

Mike took Toby to karate and although I never asked, I am sure it went better than last week. Apparently a dinner of 2 minute noodles before karate is way better than a huge burger! Mike dropped Toby off to me on the way to the photo competition night at the tramping club with Vivienne in tow. And John and Christine gave us a ride home. Very nice. Toby and I did some homework and then off to bed!

One thing I did want to mention was this huge jump off a building Toby did at Cubs the other night. We were up at Wrights Hill which has a lot of World War Two buildings and tunnels. As the leaders and adults congregated to discuss the orienteering aspect to the evening (doubts in all our minds and the prospect of getting lost and looking dumb high on our list of fears), the Cubs played on the roof of a building. Jo, a nurse, then said "They will end up with fractures if they keep doing that". Turns out one or two of the Cubs had jumped off the roof of the building onto the grass.

We walked over (probably 50m away) and I saw Toby preparing to jump. But I decided there was no way my risk averse boy would jump off that building. It was about 3 or 4 metre high! So I had no expectations he would jump/ But as we got closer, Toby did indeed jump off this huge building. He landed heavily and rolled - got up saying he was alright. Then hobbled away clutching his leg saying he was alright.

My heart was pounding as I watched him carefully from a distance for signs of broken bones threatening to pierce him through his delicate skin. But, nothing. After 5 minutes he was right as rain.

Anyhow, tonight I have a presentation at the user group. I think I may be entirely useless. But it is only for a short time. How long is 35 minutes in the course of my full and eventful life outside of the user group presentation nerves? Heheheheh. And no one will remember it anyway after it is done.

Mike is off work today. Apparently I have given him my cold and it is turning into a good one. Poor Mike!

The ride down the hill this morning was very exciting. There is a very strong southerly, which we never know about as it passes over our roof, tucked under the road as we are. But as soon as I rounded the corner above the library I knew all about it. I had to pedal down the hill! The wind was keeping me upright and blowing me off course as I pedalled furiously to beat the conditions into submission! The weather is supposed to ease by the evening. Hopefully my ride home will be less exciting.

Have a wonderful day!
Love,
Angela

The Tuesday with Cubs

Hi,

I rode home and grabbed the car and went and got Toby from Alex's house.  However, despite repeated warnings to stop playing DS games and come with me, Toby didn't listen.  I told him I was leaving and left.  Mike then rang Alex's house and sent Toby home walking.  Toby was contrite and ran all the way home and told me he was banned from playing DS for three weeks.  His own punishment.  So long as he doesn't do it again.  Cheeky boy.

We ate dinner and did homework before Jack's Dad collected us for Cubs.  Meanwhile Mike had a previous appointment he had made when we had no Cubs on this evening.  Turns out he was stood up so he turned it into a mammoth work catch-up evening.

My cold is making me a little dopey.  I wish I was in bed!  Heheheh.  But I have some major deadlines this week so nothing for it but to work.  It is Christine's birthday today (as well as Prince Edward's) and I am hoping to see her and her family this evening after work.  Mike drove me in this morning and dropped me at work.  I should have driven as it is easier and cheaper for us if I do that.  But I didn't feel like negotiating traffic this morning.

Sweet Mothers Kitchen for me for dinner.  Karate for Mike and Toby.  Then Toby should arrive at Sweet Mother's Kitchen (Mike - put in a change of clothes for Toby) and Mike go to tramping club night.  Then home...  Phew!

Have a marvellous day!
Love,
Angela

Chasing the bus again

The morning went really well this morning.  I helped Angela out a bit which is unusual for me, at 6am I'm usually only capable of grunts and being able to switch on the coffee machine.  Toby was up a little late, and wanted a shower, but we still got all ready and got out more or less on time.

We collected Alex and his mum, all nice and straightforward.  But when we got to the bus stop - Alex had forgotten his sports bag!  So I left the three of them there and hurtled back to Alex's house.  His Grandma was waiting on the roadside with his bag.  Then when I got back to the main road, there was the bus collecting boys from the stop before Toby and Alex's stop.  So with a teensy bit of aggression I was able to make a gap between the cars trickling past the bus, and pull onto the main road ahead of the bus.  And get to the next bus stop down, in plenty of time to casually park the car, hand the bag to Alex, and watch the bus pull up.

So a little bit of drama but just enough to make things interesting.  And now, when I'm late picking Alex and his mum up for the umpteenth time, I can say, "well, remember in March 2012 when Alex forgot his sports bag??".

The Monday with nothing

Hi,

I think Mondays are going to become my favourite evening.  I have so much time with nothing on that it just runs so well.  I make a nice dinner, I watch Toby do his homework, we eat, we play, we read, we sleep.  So normal!  Mondays rule!

Tuesdays?  Not so much.  Wednesdays?  No.  This Thursday?  No.  Bring on Friday already!  Yes!

The weather is holding and the ride down this morning was brilliant.  The oranges, blues and purples cast by the sunrise were lovely.  I was a few minutes later than usual and that meant a lighter sky and more people around.  But it was beautiful.

Toby just rang me asking me about a Pokemon box and did I know where it was.  I had no idea what he was saying, but I eventually figured out it was a DS game box.  I explained to him where the DS games were (in his red bookcase) on two shelves and he should look there.  He said he couldn't find them.  I said sometimes they might fall through to the back and to look behind the bookcase!  He found it.  I think he was amazed at my powers about then.  Feels good to affirm them every once in a while.

Time for a nice cup of tea.  Have a great day!
Love,
Angela

The weekend with no Cub Camp

Hi,

Sense prevailed in the end and misery was averted.  The other leaders decided to postpone Cub Camp due to the inclement weather and we're now going later this month.  Weekend of the 24/25 March.  We're now hoping for great sunny weather then!

This left us with a weekend at our disposal.  Saturday I spent it working on a presentation I have this week for the user group.  Not too sure how that happened - I hate public speaking.  Oh well.  Hopefully I won't be too tongue-tied and bore them all to sleep.  Will finish it tonight after work and practise delivery between now and then.

Sunday we caught up with the Tabors at Lazer Strike where Mike and Toby had a lot of fun running around shooting each other (and shooting others in the party).  Mike said Toby got a lot of enjoyment out of shooting him!  Heheheh.  I stayed well away reading and chatting and having a nice cup of tea.  Duncan and Emerson finally got their birthday presents from us - I think Mike chose well.

Back home for a bit of reading (despite this weather bomb and being told to stay inside all weekend, I didn't get nearly as much reading done as I would have liked).  I finished one book, started and finished The Secret Garden and enjoyed it and started another one.  Guess I can't complain too much.  Mike got a bit of work done and then off to the family dinner.

My cold isn't going away.  My voice sounds a little husky to my ears.  Not too sure how others perceive it.  Blocked up droning might be the perception!

The ride in was lovely this morning.  No wind and no clouds.  Blue skies!  Wow.  The harbour was so calm.  The hills beyond were different shades of blues and greys.  Yep - very nice.

Have a wonderful week.
Love,
Angela

The Thursday with homework and a wet ride home

Hi,

The weather has turned autumnal with the first day of autumn yesterday.  How does that happen?  Mind you, the forecast indicates winter is coming this weekend!  Heheheh.  I rode home yesterday in a constant drizzle.  But not a lot of wind (or perhaps it was a southerly so I never felt it?) so I enjoyed my ride. 

Mike had stayed at home sick all day with a migraine that came on around 7am yesterday morning.  So he was home when I got there and went to get Toby from Alex's house while I got out of my wet cycle clothes and started dinner.

Homework after dinner and Mike also made chocolate mousse for dessert.  It was so sticky sweet!  Then Mike went off to get Steve for tramping club stuff at our place and Toby and I went to bed to read.

The rain started down again in the late evening.  But the wind was still non-existent.  Another Cub leader rang me and we talked for a while.  She was worried about the impending forecast which has made the news and the common adjective used is "atrocious".  Nice.  Gale force southerlies over the entire North Island by all accounts.  How accurate is that inexact science of weather forecasting anyway?  Could be a little microcosm of calmness and sunshine in a wee valley outside of Wainuiomata if we're lucky for the Cub Camp.  Or, as Jo put it, a hurricane!  Hmmm.

My ride in this morning was lovely.  No wind again and the sunrise was casting a wonderful orange glow.  The still harbour was silvery orange and the rowers were probably very pleased with their lot in life.  As was I as I cycled around enjoying the view.

Have a great weekend.  Will let you know Monday whether we survived the weather in canvas tents or piked and had a sleepover in the Scout Hall instead.

Love,
Angela

The Wednesday with some karate

Hi,


I had a work party function to attend after work on Wednesday evening. Mike went home to take Toby to karate and they ate a big Burger Wisconsin burger just before Toby went into karate. After running around for about half an hour, Toby pleaded feeling sick from eating the massive burger and Mike and Toby went home. But, I guess that was good, as they got Toby's homework done in good time.

I came home and tagged team with Mike - he went out to tramping club. Toby and I fell into bed and I actually fell asleep reading. When Mike got home he prised the phone out of my hand (I was reading my Kindle book on my phone for some reason) and I woke up. But pretty much went back to sleep.

This morning Toby crawled into our bed at about 4.30am. Heheheh. Mike woke up with a scratchy throat - I had told him to refrain from kissing me but he wouldn't listen. Anyhow, made lunches and had breakfast with Mike and then hopped on the bike. There was a lot of rain overnight and the clouds to the south this morning indicate the high probability of rain again at some stage, but I stayed dry riding in. The roads were wet, but that was okay. This new bike is so much easier to ride down the hill. I am sure I got up to 50 km/hr and I used to crawl down at 30 km/hr in the wet on my old bike. Stopping power was severely compromised on my old bike in the wet.

I have to go shopping tonight for the Cub Camp. Let's hope I can wheedle a discount out of the Karori New World as previous Cub leaders have done.

Have a great day!

Love,

Angela