The Wednesday with no Toby

Hi,

Another day passes in our week of no Toby.  I hope he is having a great time tramping in the South Island.  I hope he takes photos.

Right.  Yesterday?  What did I do?  I had lunch with Celia which was a great treat/surprise.  We chatted away and I had a baked potato.  It was pretty good too.

After work I had the user group session.  It was great too.  Fantastic.  I found Mike still at work when I got back at 1915 so I asked if he'd like to walk home with me.  He said yes!  I love walking in and out of work.  It means I am time rich!  I pushed my bike (and Mike helped as well).  I also popped into the supermarket, negating the need for me to jump in the car when we got home and come back.  Great plan!

At home, Mike and I chilled out and then collapsed into bed.  I had a great sleep and a great ride in.  The roads are dry, but the skies are heavy with grey clouds.  It's warm though.

Right.  Time for a delicious cup of tea.

Enjoy your day!

Love,
Angela

The Tuesday with no Toby

Hi,

I rode home yesterday and enjoyed the house to myself for a while.  I'd like to say I made good use of the time and the place is now spotless, but that would be obviously untrue if you actually stepped into the house.  I read.  Hahah.

Mike got home and needed to relax so we ran a bath for the first time in ages and chatted away until the water got too cold and we looked like prunes.

Iced coffee at Mixed Business - they are good

I did get away for a coffee yesterday with Rex, which was nice.  I think I have converted him and Mary to the pleasures of iced coffee.  Given Rex and I don't drink coffee usually, I think I've done well there.

I might do a run out to Sally and Andrew's place tonight and stuff things in their skip.  They are probably going to be busy with recent events unfolding in the New Zealand government.  Public health being at risk should someone contaminate food.  What a pack of clowns to make such stupid claims.  I hope they get them soon and Sally's life can go back to routine.

As for me, I have the user group tonight.  Then I'll see what Sally is up to.

Have a marvellous day.

Love,
Angela

The Monday with no Toby

Hi,

Ok - I am going into Toby withdrawals.  He left yesterday morning on the ferry to tramp in Abel Tasman national park for the week with school.  I miss him already.  But, at least it means I can clean his room from top to bottom in his absence and have it stay clean for a few days!  Woot!  It is a mess!

Mike was in Christchurch for work yesterday, as was Josh.  I managed to have lunch with Aidan and we contemplated how funny it was that at that moment, all our boys were in the South Island.  We went to Trade Kitchen and although my lunch was scrumptious, Aidan was definitely not impressed with her lunch.  She had the honey soy salmon and screwed her nose up in the way she does when she doesn't like something.  So I tried a mouthful of her fish.  And she was totally right.  It wasn't nice.  Not off.  Just not fresh.  On its last legs.  Or not, given it was a fish.  So, avoid salmon there.  But the open sirloin sandwich is superb.  It was disappointing.  And has only renewed Aidan's vow to be a vegetarian and only visit Asian restaurants.

I rode home after work and enjoyed the lovely evening.  However, a car decided to do a three point turn, without indicating, as I overtook it.  Lucky I'd seen the driver driving poorly before that and was wary and watching them.

I grabbed the car and collected Sally and Andrew on the way past their work.  Mike caught a taxi from the airport to Ombra in Cuba St and we all met there.  The food was great.  Like tapas.  Loved the venison meatballs.  Eggplant Bolognese was good too.  Although everything was a bit more salty than I am used to.

Sally and Andrew check out the earthquake strengthening work

Cute Police Box salt and pepper shakers on our table

We looked around at the restaurant and wondered what was there before it became Ombras.  Someone eventually recalled it was a sex shop.  Hahahah.  Much better use of the site!

We dropped Sally and Andrew back home and crept into bed.  I slept so well.  Mmmmm.  Sleeeeeepppp.

This morning is lovely here.  I enjoyed my ride in.  Great fun!

Have a fantastic day.

Love,
Angela

The weekend with Christine's birthday

Hi,

Had a good weekend.  The weather was astonishing on Saturday.  It rained cats and dogs.  It also happened to be Christine's birthday.

I went grocery shopping with Aidan beforehand.  Mike took the boys and Isaac and Jake to bowling.  Aidan may debate it, but I think we got the best deal.  We had to get the lunch supplies for the school camp week.  Mission accomplished.  Although Mike let Toby eat some crucial supplies so we had to go out again on Sunday!  Hahaha.


Saturday afternoon saw Aidan and me early at Hippopotamus for the high tea for Christine's birthday.  It was fun, and I am pleased I have tried it.  But the high tea I had with Karen and Sally in Sydney was better.  A buffet where I could eat the savoury things was far better.  This one had lots of sweet things.  But it was good fun.  We met Sarah and Kim, both friends of Christine's.

High Tea at Hippopotamus

We may have been the last ones there

Tasty

Aidan dropped me home and I took the boys out.  Mike to a party and Isaac home.  Then Toby and I chilled at home.  He wanted sushi, and I had all the ingredients so I made it.  It was yummy.

Saturday night sushi

Toby and I watched Top Gun for our Saturday night movie.  Hahahah.  It was great fun!

As I got into bed, Mike texted to say he was leaving his party and walking home.  SO I threw on my sandals and a top and drove out to find him.  He was chuffed!

Next morning we were up early for breakfast at Drexels with Lesley and Wally.  Celia made it too, with her girls, Eva and Charlie.  We had such a good time.  Toby loved the girls.

Sunday morning brekkie

The coluring-in was a huge success - even for Mike

Hello Lesley!

Under the table fun - Toby is getting a bit big for it - his knees are around his ears!

After that it was time for the fridge move out of Christine's kitchen and up to Auckland.  Lucky we had three strong guys.

Fridge on the move

Fridge descending Mt Vic

After saying goodbye to Wally, Lesley and the fridge, we had a cup of tea on the porch, enjoying the view.  The music from Home Grown was awesome.  Crash and Burn.  I like that song.

Went home and made cookies for Toby's camp week.  They were amazing.  I should bake more often!

ANZAC cookies.

I also noticed an anal tendency in Mike I never knew existed.  He'd lined up all the clothes pegs in colour order.  Freakish behaviour.  I think his Dad would say he was exhibiting migrainous behaviour.

My husband exhibiting anal tendencies I never knew he had

Got up early today for my run.  It was ok - the day was still and dry.  Lovely.  T-shirt weather for the ruin still.  Then the boys were out of the house by 7am and collected by Josh.  He was dropping them at the ferry terminal and heading to the airport.  Turns out both Mike and Josh are in Chch for the day!

Have an awesome week.  We're childless this week.  Usually all that means is we work longer hours at work.  Hahahah.  But if I get some nice meals out, I'll be happy.

Love,
Angela

The Thursday with a social work thing for Mike and dinner with Christine for me

Hi,

I managed to get away for a nice lunch with Celia and Ange during the hectic work day.  We all needed a chance to vent a bit about various things.  And catch up with news outside of work.  Trade Kitchen is quite a nice place.  I had smoked fish risotto and it was yummy.  Then I had the fortune of trying Celia and Ange's lunches too.  Both were scrumptious.

Work was manic and Mike gave me the car keys to get home as quickly as possible.  So I threw my bike on the back (or Mike did) and I drove home via the supermarket.  Toby had a good first day back at school since he was sick.  And his coughing has now almost completely stopped.  Yay!

Iced coffees at Trade Kitchen

I replenished the milk supply in the house (the boys had used it all in my absence and not noticed until it was all gone) from the grocery excursion and cooked tea.  Christine came over and we had dinner and chatted away.  It's her birthday this Saturday so we were finalising plans for that.

Lovely evening with the sun catching the ferns nicely

Christine left and Toby and I went to bed.  I was asleep in seconds.  I did wake when Mike got home but was back to sleep before he came to bed I think.

Nice ride in this morning.  Looks lovely here.

Have a wonderful weekend.

Love,
Angela

The Tues and Wed in Auckland

Hi,

Happy birthday to Polly for yesterday!  Woot!

Yep - I have been super busy, dashing up to Auckland for work.  And it was busy while I was up there too.  Not a lot of "me" time at all.  Maybe I should run away to Samoa by myself with my Kindle?

Anyhow, Auckland may have been busy, but it was fruitful.  And my work things did all go ok.  I didn't take a lot of photos - apart from photos of my bills so I can claim things back from work.

But on Monday I took Toby to the doctor (and Mike took him again while I was away).  They tried him on a steam nebuliser.  Didn't do a thing except made me crack Darth Vader jokes about Toby being my father.

I am your father!

Anyhow, I was up early Tuesday and off to the airport for my flight to Auckland.  I got a rental car and drove myself to work.  It took an hour.  Guess that's not too bad for 8.30am.

I was hoping to get lots of work done because no one knows me in Auckland, but in fact, I seem to know quite a few people.  But I did get through some work.  And my colleagues had a big lunch for me, which was great!

I eventually left work and checked into the Emerald Inn - which seems awfully like something out of the Wizard of Oz.  But it was perfectly adequate.  I got ready for going out and drove into Devonport.  That took ages.  But I got on the ferry and went into town.

Aidan was up in Auckland for her work and having dinner out with her colleagues.  So I was invited along.  Aidan had gone shopping, and was clutching a new pair of shoes.  She may have been wearing them at some points during the night - but mostly she held them.  Blisters!

Greg, Peter and Louisa were our companions for the evening.  And a great Japanese restaurant for the 5 of us.  Although it was closed when we got there, so Greg took us to play darts.  iDarts.  Electronic dartboard.  Crazy.  None of us was any good.  Random being the winner on the night.

Walking up Hobson St

But the Japanese food was great.  Aidan took incriminating photos of anyone game enough to suck the inside of this huge prawn-like thing.  I look a bit manic!  But it tasted fine!

Eating the insides of some unidentified crustacean

Aidan had bought new shoes in her wandering around Auckland before I got anywhere near the town.  Of course, it caused blisters.  Her solution was to take her shoes off and walk all the way down Queen St to the ferry terminal in her barefeet.  Didn't worry me too much.  But she reckons it is rebellious behaviour for Americans as barefeet is frowned upon.


From there we walked back to the ferry and caught it over.  My car was perfectly fine and I drove back to my motel and worked for a bit before bed.

Aidan reveling in her rebelliousness

Up super early to avoid traffic.  Auckland is mad!  The traffic is impossible.  I had breakfast near the harbour and then waited until the clients turned up and opened their office.

Feet relaxing by the harbour before the session

I have my tea - I am ready

 The session went fine.  Who knew I could talk for 4 hours?  Well, turns out I can.

From there (2pm) I drove to Newmarket to meet another client and scored an iced coffee in the cafe under her building.  Mmmmm.  Pretty good too.

Iced coffee at Brioche in Newmarket

Drove to the airport, dropped the car off and sat at the gate for my flight.  Aidan and her colleagues turned up and they got both of us into koru.  I chatted to Christine for a while after they caught their flight and then I flew home.

Taxi home, change to the other car, and collected Toby from Aidan's house.  Josh had a successful night presenting at the tramping club!

Slept well.  Nice ride in this morning!

Toby is still coughing.  Not sure what is going on there.

Have a great day.
Love,
Angela

The weekend with the duathlon

Hi,

What a great weekend, despite Toby's continuing cough.  Poor wee chap.  Mike and I had a Friday night social event with work and took the ferry over to Eastbourne, had a drink there, before coming back to Wagamama for dinner.

After that we caught up with Luke and everyone for drinks and then karaoke.  Woot!  Great fun!

Mike's duet

Mike's duet partner jumps back off the table

People getting right into it

Hilarious lyrics.  Should be "ricochet"

Home late.   Ooooo.  And I was up early for Barre class with Aidan and Celia too.  It was a bit of a shock to my system.  Made it through the class ok and then home to relax a bit.  Toby was feeling sorry for himself so we cuddled up and watched an old movie.  Short Circuit.  It was ok.



Then late afternoon I headed off to Mary's house in Paraparaumu Beach.  She has a beautiful house out there, right on the river.  Her family were away in Taupo for the weekend, so we had her six bedroom house to ourselves.  It was like I'd been transported to a resort for the weekend.

We went for a walk and explored the area outside her house.  Got to the river and the beach where we've always gone with Tabors.  Except on the other side.

Just outside Mary's house is Waikanae river

And we walked to the beach

We watched a movie on XBox - called Lucy.  With Scarlett Johansson and Morgan Freeman.  It was an ok movie.

Great TV room

Mary cooked a great tea of spaghetti Bolognese and we were in bed as soon as the movie finished. Up early to get ready for the race.  Put the bikes int he van and we were down there by 8.15am.  Found a nice close carpark and racked our bikes in the Duathlon area and relaxed before it started.

Sunday morning I was ready

Got my number on!

Mary is finished

We're both finished

I think I did an ok time.   The timings come out tonight (Monday).  I am hoping I got under an hour.  If I did, it was the bike riding that did it.  The run was a bit harder.

I saw Vivienne on the start line and she looked ready for it!  I think she did a good time.  John and Ramble were there, and John couldn't keep up with her.  So I think she was hooning through it.

I ran past John at one stage and yelled out "Hello John".  He politely said hello and I watched his face as he tried to figure out who was running past him with a cap and sunnies on.  I think the penny dropped as I disappeared.

Back home and Mary tested out my road bike so I could convince her that was what she needed to bring her time down a lot next year.  I think it did the trick.

Mary road testing my bike

Look at Marty's house!  It's gorgeous

I left and got home around 1pm and convinced the boys to take me out to lunch.  Taste - in Khandallah.  Very nice.  Then I took Toby to Queensgate and popped in for a cup of tea at Sally and Andrew's place.

Taste - yum!

 And home to get ready for the week.

I am taking Toby back to the doctor today.  He still hasn't stopped coughing.  Poor kid.

Right.  Time to kick start the day.

Love,
Angela