The Monday with gym and a fierce windy day

Hi,

After the fierce wind in the morning, it did quieten down a little.  After a hard day at work I rode my bike to the gym and locked it up outside.  Did the 5pm session and jumped on my bike for the ride home.  The wind was still strong, but not insurmountable.  I slowly crawled up the hill.  Cooked tea - a yummy gnocchi in tomato pesto sauce.  But I forgot to take a photo.  I loved it.  And just as I finished, Mike got home so he ate his and enjoyed it.  The salad was ok too - cos lettuce and pear with pumpkin seeds.  Toby was not overly interested.  And he actually ate Weetbix a few hours later.

I'm not sure where the evening went but I was reading in bed and turned out my light and was asleep in seconds.  Mike even tried his best to convince me to stay awake, but I don't recall any of that.  Comatose.

I got ready like usual this morning but had a problem with my routine - obviously.  When I got to work and went to get changed, I realised I had forgotten to put a work shirt in.  I have never done that before and I blame love (it is Valentines Day and I am married to the best man in the world, so it seems like a fair blame game to me).  I rang the aforementioned best man in the world and asked him nicely to choose a shirt and go out of his way to drop it off at work for me.

He said yes!  I am lucky.

So, I sit at work now, in my bike shirt, hoping that no one mentions anything for another 20 minutes or so.

Hope your day is a good one.  And off to a slightly better start than my discombobulated morning.

Love,
Angela

The weekend with walking

Hi,

I just don't understand the weather here this summer.  Everyone is talking about it - and for a good reason.  Saturday saw the boys up and packing for their Dad Tramp to Paua Hut.  The weather was stunning - blue skies, no wind. Exactly the sort of weather you expect in February.

I had to close the doors to the deck for the cat, and then had to turn on the air conditioner as it was so hot.  That's the sort of day it was.

But Sunday dawned overcast and drizzly.  And a little windy.  Iona and Col encouraged me to join them on the Paekakariki escarpment walk, so I factored that into my day.

Dinner last night - fritters and salad with bacon pumpkin stuff

I went to the gym for a 10.20am RPM session, then home for a shower and time to catch the bus to the train station.  Got the 12.44pm train to Waikanae, but getting off at Paekakariki.  Iona and Col got on at Pukerua Bay and we started our walk from the train station at Paekakariki.

Striding into the distance on the Paekakariki escarpment walk

From the train station, you walk back south along SH1 until the rail overbridge just north of the Fishermans Table.  There are steps on the coast side of the bridge underneath and the track starts there.

The weather must have kept a few punters away as we only met 5 groups walking in the opposite direction to us.  They chose the wrong way to walk with a fierce prevailing wind - they would have been walking into the teeth of it the whole way.  We only felt it right on the top when we stopped for the view, and whenever the odd staircase headed back in a northerly direction.

Swing bridge

It was so windy on top!

Contemplating where we've been

Selfie back towards Paekakariki

We started at 1.50pm or so, and finished around 2.15pm.  The signs gave 3.5 hours, so we did it comfortably.  I got a lift back to Helen and Ron's place and Mike was there to collect me.  We enjoyed a cup of tea and a catch up before Mike dropped me at the supermarket in town and rushed back home to continue rebuilding the ASUS laptop.

He did ignore my phone calls waiting for a pickup from the supermarket, so I eventually called the landline and got a sheepish Mike.  Hahah.

I cooked tea (fritters, salad with harissa dressing, and pumpkin and bacon and pineapple grilled - Toby loved the bacon as it had pineapple sweetening it).

Dillingers iced coffee - a solid 7

I caught the bus into work this morning in dreadful conditions.  Raining and a strong wind.  I pity any cruise ships that try to visit today.  You can't believe it is my birthday week in these conditions.

Have a fantastic week ahead.  I am only here Mon - Wed this week.  Heading off to Sydney to see Brrruuuuuucceee on Thursday.  Then off to Christchurch to see him there on Tuesday.  Yep - it's a big month.

If you're in Wellington this Saturday, please head down to the waterfront and support the Raptors in the Fun Day for the dragon boat racing.  Go Raptors!

Love,
Angela

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