The Wednesday of chaos and mayhem

Hi,

Well, it was a typical Wednesday, truth be told.  Chaos is the new normal.  I met Mike at 3.20pm outside my work and we hurtled to Toby's school.  As we sat down to the interview with the teacher, Toby rocked up.  Sweet.  Perfect timing.

Toby got a good report - he has done better in the areas he was targeting.  And was exceptional in Media Studies and Drama.  Interesting.

Toby and I dropped Mike off and then I worked from home to make up the time.  Got tea cooked for Toby and before I knew it, Mike needed a lift home.

This morning is looking stunning

And the foyer is shaping up nicely

Our renovations are taking shape.  We have joists now over the old concrete floor of the porch.  The new front door looks great.  However, the expected size increase in the upstairs bathroom has failed to materialise.  Shucks.  We'll just remodel a wee bit in there - but we won't notice much in the way of any more room.  Maybe I can get a heated towel rail in!  And a new vanity (but it will just replace the existing one) - wall hung and maybe with a drawer.  An illusion of space is all I can hope for now.

Right.  Time for the day to continue as it started.  Frantic pace - but with the odd cup of tea to mellow me out.  And aiming for a Spin class after work to take the edge off.

Enjoy your day!  Lots!

Love,
Angela

The Tuesday flying back from Auckland

Hi,

I spent the first two days of the week in Auckland for work.  Ok - so you can't tell from the photos that was what I was doing.  But it was so busy at work.  Honest!

Some cafe on some corner somewhere in Auckland

Key Lime pie!  At Miss Clawdry - really nice place

The blue matches my eyes!

I saw Lesley and Wally and enjoyed dinner out with them at Miss Clawdry.  Creole style food.  Really good.  I would go back there.  Lesley and Wally are in fine form and I caught up on all their news.

Got a lift back from work to the airport with Joe and the new tunnel meant we made it from the office to the airport in thirty minutes!  Unheard of speed!

We sat in Koru and I ate my way through a lot of cheese.

Joe dropped me home at the other end - and we have a new front door.  There was a blue tarp across the door and when I peeked behind it, there was glass.  I knocked and Mike let me in.  The new front door is in, and there is no wall now between the bathroom and the laundry.  It's so open!  And there is a hole in the ceiling into the roof space.

All very exciting.  I'll try and take pics tonight for you.

Have a fantastic day!

Love,
Angela

The startling Monday

It wasn't really a startling Monday. But that was the first word that came into my head so I ran with it.

So how was our Angela-less day? It wasn't quite Angela-less for me as I got a sleepy kiss as she ran out the door to catch her plane. Tobys morning went like clockwork and he was out the door in good time. Me not so much. I was on the bus after the late bus.

It was an uneventful day and an uneventful evening with pizza for dinner. Toby has decided that burger Wisconsin has lost its mojo. Maybe he's just sick of it?

Angela tells me she had a pretty good day yesterday - caught up with Lesley and Wally over Key Lime Pie at Miss Chawdry's in the Viaduct.  (Named after a 1950's song, "Oh Lawdy Miss Chawdry" - which we think we've heard Christine exclaim before.  Well, there you go.)  Not as good for flavour as Dillingers down here, but much better because they haven't removed it from their menu.  Auckland has run out of jet fuel thanks to a digger through a pipeline, so maybe she'll need to turn up at the airport with a jerry can.

I have some work to finish so I'm on the early bus this morning. It's a stunning day today. The builder has promised us scaffolding and a porch truss. Let's see what happens!

The weekend with chores, no Toby and a quick Waikanae trip

Angela's in Auckland today and tomorrow - so you've got Mike as a guest blogger.

Saturday started fairly bright and early with Angela off to the spa and Toby off for a weekend with friends at someone's bach in Foxton.  After a bit of shuttling and various McDonalds breakfasts, everyone was where they needed to be and ready to face the weekend.

Next job was, our neighbours were moving stuff to a bach in Waikanae and asked for a hand.  I was ready for a day of reasonably hard work.  Turned out it involved moving a light but large workbench a few metres onto a trailer in Wellington; then moving it a few metres off the trailer in Waikanae.  With a quick drive up to Waikanae in the organge car and coffee at the Front Room cafe in between times.  What a hardship!

There are lots of photos of Angela drinking iced coffee there - taken on her phone.  You'll just have to imagine them.  Tip: they look very very similar to all the other photos of Angela drinking iced coffee.

Editor:  Angela has added in the photos!

Why am I holding Mike's phone?  Oh yeah - the Stuff quiz.

Iced coffee at The Front Room

Iced latte with Mary at Machete

Celia has a fancy spreadsheet to determine the best car for her needs.  She's faking the confusion, because the spreadsheet makes it all clear

Saturday night I managed to convince Angela to come out to a wine and cheese evening at Lauren's place.  I just met Lauren at another friend's house but I've emailed her lots sorting out Ruapehu Lodge bookings so I feel like I know her well.  It was lots of fun with a lot of interesting people from her dance class.  I think Angela enjoyed herself!  In spite of having to interact with many strangers.

Sunday was chores day.  We needed to clear out the laundry, ready for one of its walls to be demolished.  I had an ambitious plan of triaging all the stuff there and putting it in the garage, or the loft, or the skip.  Angela had a less ambitious plan of stacking everything in the lounge.  

We got about halfway through and then I got sidetracked by cataloguing our photos.

All the laundry stuff is now stacked in the lounge.

In the middle of this, Toby came back from his weekend, sounds like he had a fantastic time.  He promptly wandered downstairs and slept for 4 hours.  I wonder how much sleep he got on Saturday night.

OK time for getting some work done.  Another stormy night last night, clearing to a beautiful day. Have a good one whereever you are!

The Thursday with brewing for Mike

Hi,

I got home and cooked tea for me and Toby.  He enjoyed the Greek style baked chicken and roasted baby potatoes.  It was scrumptious with the haloumi substituted for the chicken.

Chicken version of some sort of Greek dish

And the haloumi version - yummy!

Mike got home late from another brewing session.  Sounded like it was a lot of fun.  Josh attended this one.

Mike is away in Auckland today - but just for the day.  And why does it seem like the highlight will be the pub at the airport with Beth while they wait for their flight home?  Hahahah.

I am in Auckland Monday and Tuesday for work.  We may as well go and live there!

Toby is away for the weekend in Foxton with his mates.  And I just committed Mike to helping a neighbour move a huge workbench on Saturday.  Surprise, Mike!

Actually - I wonder if I can convince Mike to do that, and then come with me to Waikanae to help them move it in, and entertain me with lunch out that way?  Fancy a drive in the orange car, Mike?

Yes, I only communicate with Mike through social media and texting.  Isn't that how any modern relationship works?  Hahahah!

Love you Mike!

Snort!

Have a wonderful weekend.  Get into trouble, if you never do.  And stay out of trouble, if you always do.

Love,
Angela

The Wednesday that felt like completely another day

Hi,

I got a haircut last night after work.  There is something relaxing about having someone play with your hair.  I couldn't care less what she wanted to try.  And she did ask at one point.  I just said:  Do whatever you want.

She gave me a number 1 all over!

Nah - just joking.  It looks the same as last time.But apparently with something done to make it look slightly different in some mysterious way that only trained professionals can notice.  Or something.  I dunno.  Sam at work just walked past me and said my hair looks good.  So at least he can tell.

When I left, I texted Mike.  He was supposed to come home with me after some drinks with some friends.  When I suggested I catch the bus, he agreed and said he would be coming home right after me.

Sure, sure.

Anyway, I saw the porch had moved on from the morning and took some photos.

The porch is taking shape

Looks like I can imagine what it might look like - maybe

I was asleep by the time Mike got home.  But he was in the mood for talking, and my monosyllabic responses didn't deter him.  After about 40 minutes I finally woke fully and we chatted away for a few hours about rubbish.  By 12.30am, he was snoring his head off and I was lying there thinking about how nice it would be to be asleep.

Hahahah.

Anyway, I ended up with a solid 4 hours of sleep!  Ooosssh!

Let's see what today brings.  Hopefully nothing too taxing.

Have a great day.

Love,
Angela

The Tuesday with a bike ride with Sreejith after work

Hi,

That Sreejith is great for my training.  He makes me do things.  Hahah.  After a beautiful day when I was stuck inside working, Sreejith and I got ready for our round the bays bike ride after work.

I met Mike and handed him my dirty washing and his flipchart for his tramping group session.  Then Sreejith and I headed down Willis St, into Mercer St.  And the rain started then.  And it never really stopped although it was never heavy.

Happy cyclist with scenic hills behind

The bays were lovely

I stupidly only had some button lights for the front of my bike.  By the time we got to Island Bay, I was a bit worried about being visible.  I turned one of my button lights around so it glowed off my fluoro jackets, making me a bit more visible (I hoped).

I got back to work and met Mike got the end of his tramping session at the top of the GP pub.  Josh and Andrew were there, so I got to chat to them too.  Josh drove us home.  Then I sank into a bath, and finally got warm.  Bliss!

And this morning is a stunner

This morning is stunning here in Wellington.  Woot!  I have a haircut after work today - and it can't come soon enough.  I can barely see.  Hahahah.

Right.  Time for the day to start.  Have a good one.

Love,
Angela