The Tuesday with not much

Hi,

Mike met up with Andrew after work, so I headed home and cooked tea.  The dinner was beef sliced over chips and with broccoli and mushrooms on the side.  I had decided to start making my meals vegetarian after Jane Goodall's explanation of her vegetarian status resonated with me.  She just said how much of Earth's resources were used to raise a kilo of beef versus a kilo of grain.  And you know what?  She's right.  Now I make vegetarian options when I can.

To aid in that, I have hit upon haloumi cheese in place of the meat Mike and Toby eat.  And tonight it worked perfectly.

Haloumi version of dinner

And the beef one

My meal was absolutely scrumptious.  Mike got home late and ate his and said it was exceptional.  Funny!  It was just steak and potatoes and some vege.  Isn't he easy to please?

He's off to Auckland for two days for work now.  Left early this morning and was on his flight by 6.30am.  It's just me and Toby for tonight.  And I have told him we're tidying his room!

Weather is wet.  But not too cold.  Hope your day is a good one too.

Love,
Angela

The Monday with Celia back

Hi,

Celia has been away for nearly a whole month, celebrating life events with family on the other side of the world.  It was so nice to see her back at work yesterday.  She got me socks - and they made me feel very happy.  London Tube socks.  Mike was amazed when he saw them.  I think he's already planning a foot massage for me tonight just so he can lovingly caress the London Underground socks and reminisce.  Nothing to do with my incredible feet - and everything to do with checking if the new stops on the Jubilee line are there (there have been a few changes to the Tube in our absence).

I got socks - and these socks would never lie to me

I got an iced latte with Celia too.  Woot!  Nothing like some caffeine to make me bounce with energy.

Iced latte with one of my favourite people

Anyway, the day progressed and before I knew it, I was on the bus on the way home.  Mike timed it perfectly and he jumped on the same bus as me.  I love it when that happens.

We cooked tea - it was fish night.  I quite liked the tomato based sauce the fish baked in.  And the new potatoes were good with yoghurt and basil.

Fish dinner last night

Mucked around trying to haul the house into less disarray than it was already in.  Not sure I achieved that, but I did get ski gear rounded up, and two loads of laundry through the mighty cycle-of-washing.  A stranger entering the lounge may not discern any effort on my part - but believe me - I know what it looked like before it looks now!

Have a fantastic day!

Love,
Angela

The weekend with Mt Hutt and Ruapehu

Hi,

Ok - I had a great weekend!  Andrew and I met Mike and Toby at the car, and we dropped Mike and Toby at the train station for their Ruapehu adventure.  Andrew and I got to the airport with plenty of time to check in.

The flight was easy and we got to Chch and the rental car without any hassles.  A wee Toyota RAV4.  Very nice.  It's front styling looked like the stormtrooper on my t-shirt.

The airport now has a Countdown supermarket so we stocked up on breakfast stuff and milk and then headed to Methven.  Well, Pudding Hill.

Got into the room at a reasonable time (maybe 9.30pm?) and it wasn't long before I got into bed.  I had an allergic reaction though so spent quite a bit of time scratching before it subsided.

Up at 6am and the sunrise was amazing!  We excitedly got into ski gear and stuffed breakfast into us. Our plan was to meet my work colleagues at the bottom of the hill at 8am.  We wondered when the gates did open so I checked on the ski field website.

Really odd camera effect - sunrise behind me

It took a few reads of the "Skifield closed" sentence before I realised what it was saying.  Yep - no skiing today.  Closed all day due to strong winds.  Aaarrghh.

I contacted the work colleagues and they had switched their plans to Porter Heights for the day.  But by then Andrew and I had switched plans to tramping and were dressed for that.

Summit of Peak Hill

Our stormtrooper car - worked well

We drove up to Lake Colerdige (in from Windwhistle) and climbed Peak Hill.  The wind was terrific at the top.  Based on this being half the height of Mt Hutt, the wind up there today would have been impossible.  No wonder they closed the mountain.

Peak Hill was great.  A slog up from paddocks to a long ridge leading to the top.  Scraggy bushes of an alpine nature.  And wee skiffs of snow left behind from colder blasts and turned to ice.  It was fairly popular - we shared the hill with about 7 other people.  The views were stunning.

After that we checked out the shore of Lake Coleridge and then drove over to the Arthurs Pass road.  Despite the road closed sign.  Hahahah.

Back into Methven for lunch at Cafe 131 and back to Pudding Hill to read the afternoon away.  I tried to watch television with Andrew in the evening, but failed.  Horrible stuff on.

Up early again Sunday after falling asleep at 9pm!  The skiing was on!  Ooosshhh!  Strong winds might cause problems, but it should be ok.

Summit of Mt Hutt - looking over spectacular mountains

 And it was!  Had a fantastic day!  Andrew and I checked out at 7am.  Woke everyone, including the cats and the kuni kuni pigs when we tried to pay.  Only to find out the payment had been made already.  Doh!  We left the chaos in our wake and headed to Mt Hutt.  I paid extra for First Tracks and skied from 8 - 9am on the Summit Six and had a blast.  Great snow conditions and no one there!

Andrew joined me for a few hours from 9.  We skied the Triple too.  But they closed the Summit for a bit and I skied the quad for a while.  Andrew was playing somewhere, doing crazy stuff.

I popped in for something to eat at 2pm and discovered I had lost my watch somewhere.  A few texts exchanged with Toby and I decided to follow his advice and ask the mountain staff.

Turns out they had someone hand it in!  Wow!  Must have only just happened because all I had done was go to the toilet, and buy some wedges for lunch.  Didn't leave much time for someone to find it and hand it in.  But they did!  Thank you!

Skied until 4pm and hauled myself into the car for a fast drive to Chch.  Checked the car in, then ourselves and waited for our 7pm flight.

Wonderful weekend!  Woot!

Hope the week ahead is a good one!

Love,
Angela

The Thursday with work that can only be described as pants

Hi,

The highlight of yesterday was definitely going home at the end of the day.  What a pants day.  Best to wipe the day off as a bad day from start to end and look forward to the ski weekend extravaganza!  Woot!

Off to Mt Hutt with Andrew tonight.  The weekend has strong winds forecast, but is clear.  So I hope the skiing is mighty fine.  Mike and Toby are away skiing too.  Mt Ruapehu is their destination.

Sweet. Gilbert ski bunnies.

Right.  A tonne of work to get through before Toby arrives here after school.  I'd better get stuck in.

Have a wonderful weekend.

Love,
Angela

The Wednesday with loads on

Hi,

Highlight of yesterday came at the start and end of the day.  I had brekkie with Steph (and bumped into Andrew on the way there!) and got an iced coffee.  This was a pretty good one - and had a wee chocolate fish.  I like that touch.

Happy with Little Peckish iced coffee

And the taste test passes well

Work was work.  And then I met James G at the pub for his leaving drinks.  Had a whole bunch of people there.  Sad face though.  I will miss him at work.

Met Mike on Lambton Quay and headed to the car.  I packed for the weekend when I got home.  All set to go.  Just finalising the logistics now.

Roll on Friday at 4.30!  Ooosshhh!

Love,
Angela

The Tuesday with an iced latte

Hi,

Ok - I did get away for a coffee with a work colleague who was having a birthday!  Woot!  Mike took an action shot of me slurping my iced latte at Machete.  Mmmmm.  Best iced latte around.

Iced latte

Sluuurrrrppp!

I did fit in a spin class at lunchtime.  Got home and cooked tea for Toby.  Mike got lucky with the weather for his evening tramp up Mt Kaukau.

Wee Toby was in fine form and declared the chicken nuggets I cooked up for him the best I have ever baked.  I didn't tell him they skated off the greased tray and into the sink full of dishwater so I had to wash them before baking them.  Sssshhhh!  Apparently Morning Fresh is good for chicken nuggets.

This morning is stunning in Wellington.  But frosty.  Brrrrrr.  I hope the weather stays good.  And I might fit in a spin class again, if I am lucky.

Have a wonderful day!

Love,
Angela

The Monday back at work after a ski weekend

Hi,

After such a great weekend, the Monday was a tough grind.  But I did get to the gym twice, so that is a good thing.

Toby met me at work at 4pm after school and I took him to get some sushi.  I worked for a bit longer before we brushed his teeth before his dental appointment.  That was super fast and before we knew it, we were outside Mike's work.  As we waited, we bumped into Mike's friend, Jennie, and chatted to her.  Caught up on her news (they are buying a house - in France!) before seeing Mike.

We bussed home on a 13.  Ooohhh.  A new experience for Toby.  And it was time for bed before too long.  I did get some laundry done.  I am away this weekend after all.  So I need to put a dent in it now.  Mike and Toby are heading to Ruapehu without me!

Right.  I need Rooibos at work - I have run out.  I think it might be the source of less job satisfaction than usual - I need my tea to enjoy the day even more!  Hahahah.  Shame my favourite brand is only at Countdown.  Doh!

Have a great day!

Love,
Angela