The Thursday with dragon boat training

Hi,

Finally getting some nice weather - but there is a chill in the air heralding autumnal days not too far in the future.

Gorgeous morning in Wellington

Yesterday I went to dragon boat training after work and had a blast.  The conditions were pretty good - quite calm.  I managed to contain my excitement and almost paddle in time with Jo.  Mostly.

Mike and Toby came to collect me after it and watched the camaraderie of the team as we debriefed and gave our team shout.

When I got home with them, I showered to get warm and wash out the salt, and the boys had cooked tea!  Woot.  Yummy lamb steaks.

Before I knew it, it was bedtime.  And this morning is a stunner in the wonderful wee capital.

Mike and Toby are off tramping this weekend on Dad Camp.  I have a list of things to do around the house.

Enjoy your weekend!

Love,
Angela

The Wednesday with Mike presenting at user group

Hi,

Yeah - a short week is messing with me.  It felt like Tuesday yesterday when really it was definitely Wednesday.

Happy with this Mojos iced latte

I did check out the closest Mojos and tried their iced latte and I was sooooo happy.  it was scrumptious.

I got on my bike at 3.45pm and rode to Les Mills at the other end of Lambton Quay and managed to make my 4pm class.  But I am going to have to switch.  It's too much hectic hassle.  I am now going to try the 5pm classes.

Showered at the gym for the first time (it was ok - nice and clean and not crowded) and then headed to user group.  Mike and Adam were presenting and they had an engaged crowd asking all osrts of good questions.

Mike then showed he may still be suffering the after effects of his migraine.  We had a drink at Dillingers with Adam and then Mike ubered home and I started pushing my bike home (I may have hopped on for a wee while - but it wasn't fun in my work clothes and boots).  The intention was for Mike to grab the car and pick me up wherever I got to by the time he got to me.

Imagine my surprise when I saw the orange car coming to meet me.  No way can we take the bike home.  What was happening?  Turns out Mike had driven to work in anticipation of our difficult logistics of getting home afterwards.  But, he had forgotten!  Hahahah.

I went to collect the silver car and got out without paying as this week it is free after 8.30pm and I drove out at 8.32pm.  They have a new automated system but the call centre can't be reached yet after 8.30pm.  Snort!

Home and straight to bed for me.  Mike and Toby watched some rubbish together.  Hahah.

Lovely day here today.  Yay!  Training tonight after work.

Have a brilliant day!

Love,
Angela

The Tuesday at our new work

Hi,

Our work is in a new building.  80 Willis St (behind the New World, almost).  And it is very flash.  Only took me a few minutes to settle into a new desk again this morning.  We've got "activity based seating".  Hahah.

I met Mike for lunch yesterday at Verve but it seemed a long way to walk for both of us.  We have to curtail our dalliances.

Verve iced coffee.  Solid 6.5

Went home after work and Mike came home with a migraine.  I got changed and headed back to dragon boat training.  Which, despite the weather, was lovely and calm.

Right.  Time for my podiatrist appointment now.  Have a great day!

Love,
Angela

The weekend with Waitangi Day

Hi,

Well, it was the first Waitangi Day in a while that I didn't actually go to a marae.  I must sort that out for next year as I missed the cultural side of it.

But, it was still a  good weekend.  Mike headed off from work on Friday and we eventually saw him late afternoon on Monday.  His trip to Ruapehu was successful and he finally climbed Ngauruhoe.

Toby and I had a lazy Friday and cooked the last My Food Bag meal for the week.  Yummy lamb - and I remembered to take a photo!

Lamb with mash and green beans!

After some frantic reshuffling of the schedule to accommodate Akash's last minute birthday party, Toby and I had a wee sleep in (unexpected) before I took him to Shed 1 for bubble soccer fun with Akash.  I read in the car outside the Beehive before going to pick him up at 1pm and head off to Palmerston North.

We got caught in a huge traffic snarl and it tool 1.75 hours to get to Waikanae.  After that the traffic cleared though and we got to Iona and Col's house at 4pm.  Three hours is quite a long trip.

We went to take Frida for a walk by a wee creek that was running quite high and fast (according to the locals).  Then back to get ready for dinner and a movie.

We went to Lone Star and enjoyed steak (Toby), ribs (me and Col) and fish (Iona).  From there we went to see Hidden Figures at the movies.  What a wonderful movie - just the sort of thought provoking stuff I like to watch.

Back home and I may have read until I couldn't keep my eyes open any longer.

Next morning Toby stayed with Frida (Toby was sore and Frida has a sore shoulder) and we went to the Manawatu Gorge for a lovely walk.

Walking with Col

Feet on the Manawatu Gorge track

Lovely view of the gorge

After an iced coffee with Col where our table number featured strongly, we went home and I packed Toby into the car and we headed home.

Iced coffee goodness

The drive home was the usual 2 hour trip - yay!  We got Toby ready and I dropped him off for his sleepover with Isaac.

Monday I went to collect Celia and we went to get our shiny telescope from Phil.  Awesome.  Two hours later we were armed with instructions and very keen to get a clear night so we can try it out.

Our new telescope

Toby watched the Superbowl and is now enamoured with it.  Weird kid.  Mike got home and we collected Toby and dropped Akash back home.

And that was our weekend!  Oossshhh!

Toby is off sick from school today though.  I may have broken him after his physical week last week.

Hope you had a lovely time.  I know it was Stephanie's birthday yesterday - I can only hope Geelong had better weather for it than we had here.

Enjoy the short week (for NZ) this week.

Love,
Angela

The Thursday with lunch with Sophie

Hi,

Another iced latte at Mojos

I met with a client and caught up with their news (and hers - she is pregnant with her first child, and so excited) and got an iced latte while there.  Yay!

Then had a lovely lunch with Sophie and caught up on all her news.  She is halfway through her pregnancy (second child) and possibly having a girl this time for a baby sister for wee Pax.  Things are going well this time.  We had a lovely meal and had a quick wander around David Jones too.

Then after work we had dragon boat training.  Jo had an ankle injury at netball and was rushed to hospital to check it.  So Toby had no babysitting duties and went home.  But we had training in the weird weather.  And Guns N Roses were playing at the caketin - so the traffic was snarled up and I bet they aren't in a huge hurry to come back.  Gale winds and rain.  Not exactly summer.  Celia and James managed to finish the training and get to the concert.

Mike came to collect me and we ended up just getting burgers on the way home and then com,ing back later to clear out my stuff.  I didn't realise they were dismantling everything Thursday night so I had to go looking for stuff.  Found most of it.

Back home and we got the Corolla ready for Mike's weekend (rooftop box on) and then collapsed into bed.

At least Friday morning is showing signs of sunshine.  Fingers crossed that gets better.

Have a great weekend.  It's a long one here in New Zealand for Waitangi Day.

Love,
Angela

The Wednesday with two iced coffees

Hi,

Ok - do you think it bodes well for a day where I had two iced coffees before 1pm?  And by that I mean for my colleagues that have to endure my caffeinated self.  Hahahah!

The people taking the photos seemed to get right into the spirit of it completely!

Mojos iced latte

Mojo iced latte

Sensible Rahzoo photo

Rex - what are you doing?

Here's a silly face for the iced coffee pic

Pleading now with Rex!

And the taste test pic

Lunch at Rahzoo was to celebrate Mary's birthday and mine later this month!  Woot!  Jo and Rex joined us and Rex even found meat on the menu.

Managed to get a gym session in with Sreejith - yay for normal routine.  Of course, i did have two iced coffees to work off.  Hahah.

The weather was awful so I caught the bus home with Mike.  Cooked tea - pulled beef sliders - yep - forgot the photo yet again.    Yummy.

It was late by then, so pretty much off to bed really.  I need to get a few things done tonight and tomorrow night before our weekend fun.

Today is our last day in this building for work.  We are working from home tomorrow and the move begins!  Very exciting.  We're down Willis St from Tuesday after the long weekend.  New cafes to discover.  I hope they have a Mojos down there that does those iced lattes!

We have dragon boat training tonight.  If the weather co-operates!  Toby is coming to my work (for the last time here) and we're heading to the park and he'll look after Ava while we train.

Have a wonderful day!

Love,
Angela

The Tuesday with gym and not a lot else

Hi,

I managed to catch up with Rami about the year ahead with the user group.  And got an iced coffee out of it.  Woot!

Iced coffee at that cafe under Microsoft

Also squeezed in a gym session - two in a row.  My routine might just be coming back to normal.  Got another one lined up today too.

I caught the bus home after I went back to work for a bit and it took 35 minutes to get on a bus.  I cooked tea when I got home, but forgot to take a photo of it.  Stir fried chicken.  It was pretty yummy.

Mike did a bit of homework and I managed to do laundry but before I knew it, it was time for bed.

Toby is off to school today.  He isn't looking forward to being back.  I think he is a bit apprehensive about Year 10.  Not sure why.  His school bag is ready for the day - so long as he remembers his phone and laptop.  I remembered his lunch!  Woot!

Have an awesome day!

Love,
Angela