The Monday with cold weather

Hi,

Mike cooked tea on Sunday night and used zucchini in the salad instead of cucumber.  I asked him if he knew the difference between zucchini and cucumber and he said no.  I got one of each out of the fridge and he swore there was no difference between them.

I am dreading the taste of roast cucumber one day later this week when the recipe calls for it to be roasted.  Zucchini in a salad is passable - but cucumber could be really horrible substituted for it.

What is the difference?

Yummy tea - beef and roast veges

I managed to get to the gym on the way home and enjoyed that.  It did mean my ride up the hill was slow as I contemplated my poor levels of fitness.

I was so happy to have Mike open the door when I got home - what a lovely surprise.  He caught the bus after his last meeting and we started tea together.  I even convinced him to join me in the bath later on.  So it was a lovely relaxing evening.

Hope your Tuesday is lots of fun!

Love,
Angela

The weekend with the race day!

Hi,

Wow - what a weekend of excitement.  Friday saw me driving Mike to the ferry terminal at 5pm and getting him away for the weekend up to Ruapehu.  I drove back home and relaxed with Toby.  The Friday night was so hot - possibly the hottest evening so far in Wellington this summer.  I slept with the window wide open and only a sheet.

Iced latte - at Mojos in Bond St

Up super early on Saturday and I was away on the 7.15am bus and at our team tent for the big race day by 7.45am.  Our first race was 9am and a practise one.  We came first in that by a whisker.

Selfie in the team tent

Paddles and feet

We had a few more races - 10.40, 12.40 and 1.40 before finding out we had qualified in 3rd place in the grand final.  Oosssshhh!

The weather was drizzly most of the day and I made good use of my warm, dry clothes during the breaks.  We also spent a bit of time in the underground market where it was warm.  Around 4.30pm was the grand final and we got to the start line with a fair bit of tension in our boat.  But, we competed well once the race started.  With 5m to go, apparently we were in front, but the two teams beside us had an awesome power surge over the line and beat us by a nose.  2/100ths of a second between us and first place.  Bronze medallists!

I was so pleased with the team effort.  Wow!  More again next summer, please!

Bronze medallists!

Anyway, I got home on the bus and sorted out tea for Toby before falling asleep in a tired coma.  My feet are so sore from running around on concrete in bare feet all day.

Sunday was hosing down and we even got a thunder storm around 8am.  During the thick of the rain, we collected a drumkit for Toby.

Drummer!

In action!

He's in a band and now I have my sights set on being taken to the Grammys one day (hahahah - right, Karen?).

Mike got home around 1900 and I collected him from the ferry terminal and went grocery shopping before he cooked tea for us.  Fish.  Mmmmm.

More rain through the night but I stayed dry riding into work this morning.  Yay!

Have a wonderful week ahead.

Love,
Angela

The Thursday that really should be a Saturday or something

Hi,

This is officially the longest working week in the history of working weeks.  I am sure it has been twice as long as a normal working week.

Iced latte at Mojos - purple shirt Thursday

It was the last dragon boat training session for the season last night.  I took my bike down there and we had an unusual session as our usual drummer was sick.  The stroke pace was fast and furious.  Good fun, in a way.

Now it just comes down to the day on Saturday.  The forecast is a bit pants.  Heavy rain.  And a southerly.  I am going to bring lots of warm clothes.

Mike and Toby came to get me and we went home and Mike finished cooking a yummy tea (lamb and couscous).  Then Mike and I went grocery shopping and got a lot of stuff for Mike's weekend away to Ruapehu (they hop to climb to the summit - but the weather looks less than ideal for them too).

Back home to tidy up a bit and then off to bed.  I had a restless sleep.  I think I might have been dragon boat racing in my dreams.

Big race day tomorrow.  Then Sunday I think I might try and relax quite a bit.  Although I do have some tasks to get through.

Have a wonderful weekend.

Love,
Angela

The Wednesday with my first gym session in ages

Hi,

Ok - so I got my haircut on Tuesday night and it is quite a bit shorter.  However, I would now call my hair "boofy" as it has a tendency to do its own thing at the moment.  I am sure the hairdresser would call it "full" or "voluminous" or other generous ways to describe boofy.  Mike says I need to start using product in my hair.  He may be right.  And the fact that I am considering fashion advice from Mike is worrying me a lot.  Hahahah!

Iced latte at Mojos on Bond St

I did get an iced coffee when Ed hauled me out for one.  He felt the need to vent a bit, and I got an iced latte.  So, win all around!  He has no need to vent - he does a great job.  But I guess we all get frustrated a bit from time to time.

That is why I was so keen to get to the gym.  I haven't been since my birthday week.  I enjoyed it and now I am hoping I can squeeze in three sessions a week.  Because work has moved, it is not as convenient, but I really like the staff at the gym there.  I will try for another month.  Especially with dragon boat training ending this week,

Yep - tonight is our last training session before the big race day on Saturday.  Here is our scheduled races on Saturday.  Come down and cheer for the yellow team:

Races :

9.00am – Lane 3

10.40am – Lane 3

12.40pm – Lane 4

1.40pm – Lane 3

The final will be between 3.30pm and 4.30pm.

Our tent is in Frank Kitts park and is closest to the car park end.  We should have a yellow sign out front to show you where we are - but if not, follow the yellow singlets.  We have been given space 4 - if that is any help.

Right.  Time to finish my excellent tea.  Enjoy your day!

Love,

Angela

The Tuesday that feels like Thursday

Hi,

Apart from it being Christine's birthday yesterday, I think Tuesday just sort of disappeared.  I am convinced it is Thursday and can't believe it is only Wednesday this morning.  Slowest week ever!

Mojos Bond St iced latte

I did have a good catch up with Celia, so that was a highlight of the day.  And I got a decent haircut for the first time in years after work.  So things weren't so bad I guess.

I met Mike at the GP outside the place I got my haircut and he was having a beer with Ange and Joe.  I haven't caught up with Ange for ages, so it was good to chat to her.

Ubered home with Mike and Ange and ordered in pizza for our starving son (it was 7pm by the time we got home - but I noticed he ate Weetbix to tide himself over).

Slept the sleep of the dead, but it is still not enough.  I think I might try and sleep lots this weekend - after the dragon boat racing on Saturday!

Right.  Time for tea and to sort out stuff for the day.

Have a wonderful day.
Love,
Angela

The Monday back at work

Hi,

We have network issues this morning at work and it is messing with my normal routine.  I suspect I should just go and have a cup of tea and pretend everything is fine.  And soon enough, it will either be fixed, or my cup of tea will make everything seem better anyway.

Yesterday I got a text from Mike, from Toby's mate Zack, saying Toby was sick.  So I sorted out my afternoon at work and ran for the bus.  Got home, switched to the car and drove back to collect Toby.  He was sleepy and not feeling well, but as he relaxed at home, he seemed to come right.

I made tea - and forgot to take a photo of it.  Toby really wanted chicken schnitzels, but I said we were having the My Food Bag meal.  Turns out that was chicken schnitzel.  Toby thinks his mother is wonderful because she made what he asked for.  Hahahah.  I'll take that as a win.

Toby is back at school today so hopefully it was just a one off sick thing.  Mind you, I feel like I could do with a huge sleep too.  Maybe it is just a low level thing at the moment.  I caught the bus in with Mike this morning and could barely keep my eyes open.

Right.  Time for that tea!  Then everything will be ok.

Enjoy your day.  Happy birthday to Christine today.

Love,
Angela

The weekend with Gumboot Day and bringing the R6 home

Hi,

Happy birthday to Mike's mother for the weekend!

What a packed weekend.  I feel like I need to sleep for a week now.  Anyway, Friday night I got home and the boys were getting sorted.  We eventually left at 6.45pm or so and had an easy drive up the coast.  Mike got to Foxton before we swapped drivers.  From there it didn't seem long to Mangaweka and we found the campground in the dark (closely followed by a campervan of tourists also tryign to find it in the dark).

The campground where we stayed was rustic - the bathroom block was quite old.  But we pitched the tent in front of the car and Toby slept in the car while Mike and I enjoyed the tent.  In the morning we went for a wee walk and the rest of the campground looked amazing - right on the Rangitikei River.  We'd stay there again.

The office was just a wee unattended shed and told us the main office was back over the bridge.  So we took the cash lying on the counter and drove over to the main campground.  A lot newer and fancier.  We paid and Mike got a coffee.

Off to Taihape and brekkie at Brown Sugar cafe.  We went to the Memorial Park for Gumboot Day and enjoyed the sights.

Toby meets his hero, HowToDad man

We suck the marrow of gumboot day

After wandering around for a while, Toby spotted the How To Dad chap and we stalked him for a bit before Toby got a photo with him.  Mike and Toby both seemed a little awestruck.  Hahah.

Mike and Toby watch gumboot throwing

This looks like weird fun!

That's a gumboot in the air!

But once they had met How To Dad man, they were keen to head away.  We then went to the $2 shop to check out the weird stuff before heading south to Feilding.  

Toby steals my chocolate fish

I took the boys to the Focal Point cafe in Feilding and we enjoyed lunch (and another iced coffee) there.

We got to Palmerston North early and tried to see Logan (new Wolverine movie) but it was R16 so that was not an option.  Went round to see Col and had a cup of tea.  Mike and Toby decided to head back home and I stayed for the night.  Col and I went to Lone Star to watch two rugby games.  I saw the Highlanders snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.  Yet again.

Popped in to see Col's sister on the way home and then managed to stay awake to see Iona home from work.  Just!  Up to have brekkie with Iona and Col and then left around 10.30am on the bike.  It was a little windy on the way home, but not too bad.  I hunkered down behind the fairing on the urban motorway coming into Wellington.  And I couldn't find neutral along the Mana esplanade at one point - bit embarrassing.

Lots of bikes!

Our garage now has a lot of bikes in it.  We tried to start the DRZ, but its battery is not working.  We need to take it in for a service, a WoF and register it.  This week!

Another one at Mojos Bond St

And another - Brown Sugar cafe in Taihape

Lots of iced coffees - first one at Mojos Bond St

I did consume a lot of coffee over the weekend.  Two on Fri and two on Saturday.  And maybe a Lewis Road iced coffee on Sunday.  Or two.

Mmmmmm.  A lot of coffee for a non coffee drinker.

Hope your weekend was half as much fun - because that would mean it was still a lot of fun!

Love,
Angela