The Monday back at work

Hi,


After a busy launch into the week, I managed to get a Spin class squeezed into the portion of my day between work and home.  Yay!

Mike was exhausted and when I got home, he went to bed.  Toby had cooked tea for himself and Jase.  Ummm.  If you can call chicken nuggets "cooking".

Before long, I followed Mike to bed.  I did tidy up a wee bit.  But I have some more to do tonight to get the house vaguely tidy.  Laundry.  There is a mountain of laundry.

Mike is still all blocked up - and so tired.  He was asleep by 8pm.  He slept like he had a head cold - lots of breathing through his mouth.  I hope it all clears up soon and he feels better.

Anyway - another day.  It's lightly raining here today.  But hardly cold.

Have a good day wherever you are.

Love,
Angela

The weekend with me skiing and Mike recovering

Hi,

Mike had his operation on Friday and I got updates during the day.  He was recovering by 10.30am Friday and by all accounts it had gone well.  I suspect I was stressed, as about 15 minutes after he told me he was ok and out of surgery, i got a migraine.  And I hardly ever get those anymore.  Doh!

My weekend was a different story to Mike's - all go for me.  Road trip.  Skiing.  I dropped Mike at the hospital at 7am and then drove into town with the car and all my ski gear (and others' gear too).  I couldn't park at Clifton Terrace with the roofbox on - I clanged the height restriction sign as I approached and had to back out and figure out another car park to use for the day.  One without a height restriction.  Behind the Beehive on Bowen was it.  $22 later.  Ouch.

Anyway, after sorting out the logistics around meeting the road trip punters, I left work on time at 4pm and walked to the car.  I met Momo there and drove to the Z on Taranki (just down from Toby's school ) to meet Jo, Denny and Melissa.  They were all on time and we squashed in the remaining gear.  Luckily Melissa had decided to rent on the mountain.  Woot!

We were off.  We hit the usual SH1 traffic on the urban motorway and read on the road signs about a traffic incident at Paremata.  So, over Paekakariki Hill Road we went - and possibly not a bad option.  Not sure it saved much time, but given Melissa's exclamation of joy as she saw the view from the top of the hill, it was worth it for that.

Stopped at Bulls for tea.  I had a sandwich from the BP - and it wasn't bad.  We got back on the road and someone suggested listening to a podcast.  The podcast was "My Dad wrote a porno" and it was the funniest thing I have heard in ages.  I had to get them to stop the podcast at one point as I could barely drive.  My eyes were watering and my abs were working hard with all the laughing.   We got up to the lodge lateish.  We got our gear up and realised we also had to get the food up from the storage place with the others in our group.  It didn't take too long, and after Momo's lodge welcome talk, I was ready for bed around midnight.  However, someone was in my bed and had left me the bottom double bunk.  I was supposed to be in a single bunk.  Weird.  Ok.  I didn't mind getting a bigger bed.

Saturday morning

Sunrise looking at Mt Taranaki

Saturday was the best day ever.  Good snow and not a breath of wind.  I skied all day with Jo, Momo, Melissa, Anna and Daniel.  Jo taught me the finer points of queue jumping without actually annoying anymore.  It helps that she is small.  She especially figured out how to cut the first queue at 9am down from a 40 min wait to just 15 mins.  Skills!  As soon as we got up Waterfall, we headed west.  Skied all day out Far West - but the queues were so long.  The longest I spent in a queue was 23 minutes.  Which in the scheme of things, isn't long.  I mean, I have regular work meetings that last far longer than that.  But when the run only takes 3 minutes to do, it is a ratio that is a tad frustrating.  But it is what it is.  Busiest day of the year for them.  And the skiing was just grand.

I didn't take my skis off all day.  Such a good day.  At 3pm we wandered over to the Valley T and there was no queue.  I didn't want the day to end.

And sunset - with drinks on the deck

Sunset

Almost gone!

Sunday was a rinse and repeat.  I have never skied in such primo conditions for two days in a row at Whakapapa.  Amazing.  Makes me think my life pass was a fine idea.

The hard packed icy snow wasn't great on my skis - the new ones don't do ice that well.  They chatter.  I think I need to be super aggressive on ice to make them work - and ice makes me cautious.  Oops.  But, by 10.30am the snow was soft and you could ski anywhere.  And I did.

In the heavy off-piste snow my skis are great.  And I ski much faster.  I think that extra momentum helps me absorb bumps too - I never fell over the entire weekend.  Yet I skied much faster than normal.  I did catch bumps every now and then, but caught my balance as I flew over the bumps and kept going.

Ok.  Maybe this weekend really was my most favourite time skiing.  Except - I say that a lot after my ski days.

Sunday selfie

Where is Melissa?

Lift queue before the hordes also got up here

Something isn't right here.  Lyndsey was staying at the lodge and we finally skied with her Sunday

Jo and Melissa enjoy the day!

As we finished the day (I also didn't want to stop skiing), I walked back to the car (which was down the hill a little ways) in my ski gear.  Jo's feet were killing her, so I took her snowboard too.  She went back to the lodge with Momo.

I walked happily down to the car in my gear, carrying my skis on my shoulder and Jo's board in my other arm.  This random young chap talked to me and said I had a lot of gear and did I do both?  Hahahah.  I said I was carrying it for a friend that had sore feet.  And that I had a great day.  And how was his day.  He said I must have been the strongest person in my group.  And I don't know about that, but he kinda made my day with his throw away comment to a stranger.  So thank you to the unknown young man.

I stashed the gear in the car and switched to my walking boots and went back to the lodge.  Got my bag and came back.  Momo helped get the gear stored in the roofbox (ok - that was tricky.  The gear jammed the mechanism - it needs to be closed and free from anything to close properly).

The drive back was good fun.  More podcast and laughter all the way back.  We were in Wellington just after 8.30pm.  I dropped people off and got home around 9.15pm.  Saw Mike - he looks absolutely fine. But his nose is all snuffly.  Like he has a cold.

He hurts my heart.  I big piece of me wishes I had been home to look after him.  But I am sure he will be fine soon.

The week beckons - here's hoping it is a good one.

Love,
Angela

The Thursday at home sick

Hi,

Yep - I was off sick yesterday.  I am not going to blame the awesome dinner on Wednesday night though.  I was just not well.

But, back to Wednesday.  Ran to Jo's work (she works near the hospital).  At Toby's school, it started to pour down rain.  And when I found Jo's street (hahahah - that's funny - for another reason) where her work is, I spent ages stoating about in the rain trying to find it.  I was dripping wet by the time I slunk into her car.

Feet in Ugg Boots

Awesome dinner

Stunning morning view

Smudge keeping me company in bed when I'm sick

The Yorkshire Pudding get assessed

But, Momo and Jo cooked up a storm.  We met Mike at the supermarket and bought the stuff for tea.  Cooked it (Momo and Jo did - including Pfitzauf - or Yorkshire Pudding) and watched Fantastic beasts.

What a lovely evening.

Next day though - off sick.  Never mind.  Smudge snuggled.  Toby was also sick and came home from school.

At least I did get through the laundry pile and pack for the weekend.

And - Thursday evening I found out that Mike's operation today (Friday) is not so wee.  He is actually staying overnight tonight!

Now I am slightly worried.  Ignorance was bliss.  Wish I wasn't skiing now.  Sigh.  I should be staying home to look after him.

Toby has to do it now.  And send me updates.

Toby and I also took the cats to the vet for their checkup.  And we saw Vivienne and Ramble while we were there.  It was good to see her. 

Have a great weekend. 

Love,
Angela

The Tuesday with dinner and a movie

Hi,

Mike got a migraine during the day - and that was after he went to the gym and did some amazing work on the free weights.  Good on him.  But also - sad for him.  He went home sick - and then binge watched some Netflix.

Cats played chase

Weird post in Facebook - but it makes perfect sense to me

Meanwhile, I met Jo after work and we went to Mr Go's for dinner.  Jo kindly ate the vegetarian options, although she also went for popcorn chicken.  Pretty sure Toby would love that.

We went to Gold Lounge to watch Mama Mia Here we go again after dinner.  I enjoyed the movie - it was just happy fluff.  And who doesn't like a good Abba pop song?  Catchy.

My bus arrived just as we stepped across the road and Jo walked back to her place.  She still beat me home by 5 mins!

Mike was feeling a bit better - but had red puffy eyes.  Probably from playing with the cats all day.

Tonight we're watching Fantastic Beasts at our place.  With dinner.  Uh oh.

Have a great day!

Love,
Angela

The Monday back at work

Hi,

It was certainly hard to get back into the routine of things after such a great weekend.  however, the day flew by and I did manage to get a Spin class in after work.  Yay.

I got home and discovered Toby had done his washing.  Yes, I know!  I am putting pics up to shock his Grandy though.

Toby's hanging up

Clothes just strewn

It's proof we need Grandy to visit, just to show Toby the best way to hang clothes.  Like a lure.  It'll work!  Hahahahah!  She'll know now that Toby is my true offspring.

When I asked him about the washing load, he said he threw in his entire dirty washing basket of clothes.  I suggested he should have sorted it and done two washes to ensure the clothes could actually move in the washing cycle and have a hope of actually getting cleaner.  He said to me:  Do the clothes get wet?  I said:  Well, yes, they do.  He then said:  Then the clothes are washed.

What can I say?

We all had tea together - Jase helping Mike cook chicken nuggets.  Jase and Toby chose that over porterhouse steak.  Go figure!

Right.  Time for the day to start again.  Oosshh!

Love,
Angela

The long weekend in Wanaka with Andrew

Hi,

Photos are being all grumpy with the Internet and not wanting to sync.  Sigh.  Let me recount and possibly my phone may decide to interact with the ether.

Or not.

Anyway, I had Thursday off work, and finished my packing in the morning, after watching the "Mike and Toby Morning Show" which I reckon I could sell tickets to, and market it as a comedy/drama.  It consists of a lot of repetition and shouting.  Kinda slapstick, I guess, if I had to choose a genre.

Mike shouts down the stairs.  Often.  The refrain is usually "Get up Toby!".  And "Sorry Jase".  Or "I want to see your head around the door!".  This is from Mike, who is invariably not ready himself at this point.  Possibly still only clothed in a towel. 

Anyway, when I ask if they are aiming for the 7.46am bus, Mike says yes.  I point out we haven't seen Toby and Mike is still in a towel and the bus is coming in 4 minutes.  To which Mike replies:  We're going for a later bus.

Well, wonders never cease.  They do make a later bus - and when I suggest Toby will be late for his school on that later bus, Mike says he has science first thing and that teacher thinks the buses are all dysfunctional and Toby only needs to roll his eyes and mention dodgy buses and that teacher is ok with that excuse.

OMG.  What are we teaching Toby???

Anyway, I call an Uber (after an issue briefly with my credit card - which was a sign of things to come) and get to the airport nice and early.  I check our luggage (one suitcase and a ski bag) and wait for Andrew to arrive.  Meanwhile I eat a sandwich at Wishbone.

We get on our flight and we touch down in Queenstown by 1.35pm.  Collect our red shiny RAV4 and head to Arrowtown for a late lunch at the bakery there.

Car overlooks Andrew, overlooking the Crown Range Road and Queenstown

View from Treble Cone

Ski feet on fresh cord

A selfie that is not quite as hapless as some

 After eating a great veggie pie and custard square (and feeding sparrows and waxeyes) we drive over the Crown Range road to Wanaka.  Andrew hires his ski gear from Mt Outdoors (or something, opposite New World, but on the corner) and we check into the motel.  Fairway Motel.  On the main road into Wanaka from Cromwell.  It is a nice clean unit.  Number 10.  No complaints.

We got a kebab (for me) and a burger (for Andrew) and ate it on the foreshore, watching the darkening lake and mountains and then we went back to get a good sleep ahead of the skiing the next day.

Up at 6.30am, and away by 7.40am.  Not too shabby.  We ate muesli and orange juice in the unit and that seemed to do the trick.  Purchased our lift tickets online (and a lesson for me).  Made wraps for lunch (cheese slices) and we were off.  We were at the office getting our Treble Cone lift cards by 8.30am.  Got a car park 10m from the office.  And we were on the lift as it opened around 8.55am.  Oosshh!

After a few runs, I went into the ski school and ended up in a lesson with Josh from Suffolk.  He was lovely and as it was only me, the lesson was only an hour.  According to Andrew, who saw me ski before and after the lesson, it made a big difference.  Maybe I just need to ski with Josh all the time?  Hahahah.

I had a lot of fun with Josh.  Did Main Street.  Then Sidewinder.  Then he took me to the poma lift, and he taught me to ski backwards!  I was so happy to finally do that.

Caught up with Andrew after about 40 mins of skiing on my own after the lesson.  Andrew took me all over the place.  We found fresh powder all around in various places.  Even got a few runs in the saddle.  Cloud Nine was fun - and South Ridge was my favourite over that side of the mountain.

We skied until late - the powder had made my legs a bit like rubber so I moved to groomed stuff before Andrew did.  As we eventually packed our weary selves into the car and headed down the hill, the lure of the Mitukituki road proved so hard to resist and we turned left at the bottom of the hill and started to explore.  We drove up to Raspberry Flat carpark and checked out the views there.  Andrew talked to a possum hunter for quite a while.  We saw a climber's rental car in the car park.  He had been out since the Friday before and ended up in an epic climb and pulled his PLB.  He got rescued the following Friday.  Wow - he was lucky.  Some Australian army chap.

We wondered if the lack of crowds on the skifield was due to poor weather and it being Friday.

Andrew captures the day!

Next morning we were up early at the car park at Treble Cone by 8am.  And we waited for the lift to open, jumped on and once again had the field to ourselves for a lot of the day.  Ok - maybe we had to queue briefly for a few runs in the Saddle.  But only twice.  And hardly a queue as we know it at Ruapehu.

Fresh cord is all mine!

We see some first tracks behind Andrew

We did spend more time in the Saddle today than yesterday.  The clag lifted and we enjoyed good viz for a lot of the day.

Selfie take #17

Wait.  Selfie attempt take #23.  Oh, I give up!

Mind you, when Andrew takes my picture, I end up looking like a giant! See the tiny people?

Picturesque

Saturday saw us eating takeaways (Thai) in the unit before an early bed.  Up later on Sunday and we checked out and headed over to Queenstown via the Fresh Choice supermarket to buy lunch provisions.  We drove out 12 km south along the Glenorchy Road to the Mt Crichton Loop walk.  The walk was an inspired option as we had no time for a ski morning and the olives we bought were perfect with the baguette and cheese.

Summers Hut on our Mt Crichton loop walk

Andrew in the tunnel

 

Andrew checking out the lake from the loop walk

Me and my baguette (in my backpack) at Lake Dispute

Headed back to the airport, popped the car back, checked in and headed back to Wellington with no bother (on a smaller plane this time).

Awesome long weekend - thank you Andrew.  And thanks Sally and Mike for letting us run away and play.

Love,
Angela

The Tuesday with movie night

Hi,


After work yesterday I met Toby then Andrew, and we walked to Reading cinema.  Mike met us there, and we all gobbled down something for dinner.

For the first time, I tried the pizza place - Tommy Millions.  I got two slices of the Four Cheese pizza.  Should have just grabbed one.  And maybe not the cheese one.  Too greasy for me.

Anyway, we went to see "Ant Man and the Wasp" - and although it took me a while to warm to the movie, by the time it ended, I had enjoyed it.  Toby made a big call and said it was his favourite from the Marvel franchise.  Oooohhh.  Mike and Andrew hadn't seen Ant Man 1 so I imagine they were perplexed at times.

Got an Uber home, and then I drove Andrew to his place.  He threw things for our weekend into a suitcase and then I was back home with it, ready for my packing.

Truly worthy Gilbert plan in action.

My phone isn't syncing to the Internet - so no pics of anything.  Moxley slept upstairs with us again.  But not between us this time.  At least, I don't think so.  I may have been too comatose to notice.

I love the way she pounces on the monsters under the duvet.  She's like a super cat with her leaps.  Very entertaining.

Hope you have a brilliant day.

Oh - look!  I got the phone to sync!

Early morning iced latte @ Machete with Andrew

Slightly later iced latte with James - and a photo bomb of a man's bottom

So James took another from the side.  With me rather curious as to what he was doing...

Love,
Angela