The Tuesday working in the Chc office

 Hi,

Oh - I took next to no pics yesterday.  Well, the ones I did were just of my iced latte indulgences.  I have experienced a lot of the iced lattes Christchurch has to offer.  Not met a bad one yet.

The cafe across from work in Chc was great.  Sneaky bandit?  Cheeky bandit?  Something with a bandit.  But we went there for brekkie and we went there for morning tea (with Martyn) and we went there for lunch.  By lunch I was done with caffeine.  Hahah.

Manic iced latte stare

With Martyn

After work we went to CityFitness across the road from work.  Turns out you need to get there at 4pm and put your towel (or your entire gym bag) on the machines or weight benches to bags them.  It was not that busy, but every machine had apparel draped on it.  We ended up on the treadmill.  Still - better than nothing.

Ubered to the airport and ate a cheese roll in the one cafe still open (slight exaggeration - but not by much).   We think Chc airport has consolidated into one arm of the airport and nothing else is open.  We both wandered around and the rest of it is deserted.

Slightly bad cheese roll at Chc airport

Got home and Ubered to our house.  The cats were happy to see us.  Well, Moxley was.  Smudge was her usual aloof self.

We were happy to see them.  :-)

Slept well.  Up for work and my volunteer leave day this morning at RMH.

Take care.

Love,

Angela

The weekend in Christchurch to say goodbye to Toby

 Hi,

We were hosted in Christchurch by David, Steph and Sam and they really looked after us.  Drove us around and showed us some of the best cafes and swim spots in the city.  And we met loads of Steph and Sam's friends as well.

Toby has great support around him for the start of his uni adventures.  

Mike and I were up at 4.50am to get ready for our 5.20am Uber to the airport.  The cats were in good hands with Ange coming to visit a few times to ensure they were fed, watered and patted.  She doesn't give them food until she gets a pat.  Thanks Ange!

On board our ATR for the flight to Chc

Landed in Christchurch and got picked up by David and Toby and Tessa from the airport.  Didn't expect that.

Went to Little Poms for brekkie and I met Steph and Sam for the first time.  They are such a lovely couple.  Very chatty and smart.  Full of interesting facts and Sam loves iced lattes.  What more do I need to say?

Mike looks too caffeinated by far

Little Poms was great - I had the grilled haloumi and it was good.

Selfie

Steph and Sam's flat

Toby, Mike and I went to C1 as we explored parts of Christchurch.  We needed to get a few things.  And needed lunch too.  The iced latte here was so good.  And the cafe had just the right amount of quirk along with its good food and coffee.

C1 is amazing

Went out to the bigger Poms for dinner.  I have no idea what it is called.  Pomeroys?  Maybe? [ed - its full official name is Pomeroy's Old Brewery Inn.] Anyway - ate a huge meal of a salad with buffalo mozzarella.  Mmmmm.

Back to Ashford Motor Lodge for our accommodation.  Same place we stayed at in 1992 for our first date.  :-)  Nostalgia. Mike even spotted Unit 17 where we originally stayed.

Ashford Motor Lodge Unit 17

Slept well.  Up for brekkie at Riverside Market after Mike did a 7km run through Hagley park.  Riverside Markets is great!

We had sushi train and I then ate my way around a few other shops.  Mmmm.  Then Mike, Toby and I went down to Rebel to buy some clothes for Toby.  Then New World and finally walked back to Sam and Steph's house.

Iconic Christchurch photo

Sunday evening saw us head to John and Nic's place for a BBQ.  In a surprise, John's parents were visiting.  So we saw Mike's Uncle Robert and Aunt Judith as an extra bonus.  Had a lovely time catching up with them.  Flynn and Reuben are now really tall (16 and 12) and play a lot of football.  John is their coach.  Nic barely batted an eye when 7 of us turned up.  We had great food and dessert too.  So good to see them all - they all looked well.

Back home to bed when I found myself getting sleepy around their dining table.  :-)  And I took no pics of our evening.  Grumpy when I realised that.  Sorry everyone.

Up Monday morning and ended up getting picnic/BBQ things and going to Waipara River for a wonderful swim.  Ate food the entire day.  And watched families all enjoying the respite from the 29C day.

Waipara river

The swimming hole is there because the Waipara Adventure Centre next door has carved out a channel from the river into this section of the river and added weirs on both sides so they can manage the water.  But with low levels due to the summer dry, they may have to drain it as it is not getting the flow through they need to keep it good quality.  But for now - it was superb.  Refreshing.

Stunning feet

James cooks the BBQ to perfection

Lovely spot

Picnic in full swing

Tessa's amazing lemon meringue pie

View back to our spot

I drove back and hit Christchurch long weekend traffic.  Oops.  But got to Steph and Sam's place, relaxed for a bit before going with Steph and David to wander around the campus and see where Toby is staying.  The Ritz blocks at University Hall.  Couldn't get in but had a look in the windows.  Nice dining room area for all the halls of residence.  Huge laundry area.

Met everyone back to Rollicking Ice Cream and shared a dessert with Mike.  Mmmmm.  Yum!  Then Mike and I said goodbye to everyone - especially Toby.  And we walked to our motel.

Had a good sleep despite the really warm room.  Up for online PT session with Quentin.  Arms.  I feel like a gorilla now.  Then Uber to work.  And turns out CityFitness is 1 min walk away.

Take care.  Hope your day is a good one.

The Thursday with dragon boat training and Toby leaving

 Hi,

Busy day at work with the weather slightly cooler than it has been.  Dragon  boat training after work in a decent southerly chop.  But the water is still beautifully warm.  Hard yakka but lucky to have Mike collect me from training and whisk me home.

Whereupon I learned that Toby had left home already.  I thought it was Friday that happened.  But - no.  He is gone.  Said goodbye to the cats (Moxley looked forlornly out the door at him).  Mike took a pic for posterity.

Packed up and ready to go

Toby was well gone by the time I got home.  We moved the last of his packed up stuff into the loft - waiting for a day in the future when he collects it and unpacks it and goes:  why did I box that up?

Been there - done that.  Sorry to the mothers reading this for that.  Sins of the fathers and all that.  :-p   We're now reaping what we sowed back in our 20s.  Right?  Hahahah.

Boxes up to the loft

Boxes in the loft

I made dinner.  And we sat around looking at each other.  Cats pottered around, looking at each other.  Our new normal.

Have a lot of fun, Toby.  You'll be amazing.

Oh - and see you on Saturday.  :-)

Love,

Angela

The Wednesday with an unexpected lunch with Peter

 Hi,

Iona has ended up with scratches from her trapline bush bashing at the weekend so I chronicled my dragon boat bruises from last Friday.  Mine are all fading glory now.

Chronicled my bruises for Iona

This is a good one. Tiny, but impactful

I can't even see this one anymore - and there is one under my shoe

I got away for a work meeting with Juliet to Mojo for an iced latte.  Woot!

Mojo with Juliet

At lunch I hurtled up to Cafe Vanilla and met Mike, Andrew and in a huge surprise, Peter.  Peter is riding the length of New Zealand and is in Wellington after 1500km and just on halfway.  Very convenient for both our islands to be the same length.

He was off on the 1.30pm ferry crossing and meeting Iona on the other side of the Strait.

Cafe Vanilla with Mike, Andrew and Peter

Andrew surveys his iced latte and wonders at that syrupy layer at the bottom

Our iced latte had some syrupy sweetness at the bottom.  Not good.  But I do like this cafe.  It does great trade with constant foot traffic.  But I wonder if they will forego the syrup next time?

Mike went out for drinks with some old work colleagues.  I headed home and found the house empty.  Fed the cats and myself and chilled until Mike was on his way home.  The evening was so lovely he walked from the shops so I went to meet him.

Another glorious evening

Today was boxing day at the gym with Quentin.  Hard work.  But great fun.  Weather has turned a bit cloudy.  Supposed to be a southerly change today too.  Last night a sinkhole opened up outside TSB arena.  Well, more like a pothole really.  30cm across.  But deep.  Unlike a pothole.  Created traffic havoc.

It's all exciting fun in Wellington.

Take care.

Love,

Angela

The Tuesday with a few things

 Hi,

Another stunning day in Wellington.  Woot!  Mike and I ended up having lunch at Press Hall and I saw so many ex colleagues.  It was great!  Victor and Joycie actually ate with us.  Good to hear their news.  

Yesterday was a current colleague's birthday so we had cake and that was followed by a drink after work.  Hope your day was a good one, Laura.

Mike headed to Shoe Clinic after that and got himself some new running shoes.  Looking for a PB next run, Mike!

Good morning Wellington

My summer self

Work PC on a go slow

Facebook says this was 9 years ago - first day at Scots for Toby

Headed home and cooked chicken schnitzel for Toby because I am trying to make him miss me.  :-p

The evening was one of the best I have ever seen in Wellington.  Beautiful.

Have a great day.

Love,

Angela

The Monday with dragon boat training and 10km from Mike

 Hi,

What a great evening out on the dragon boat last night.  I was in two minds about going in because...  general malaise.  But I felt better by the late afternoon and headed in for it.

Our dragonboat session (left) and Mike's run (right)

The weather was as good as you will ever get in Wellington.  And towards the end of the session, we ended up doing a fountain race.  OMG.  Talk about hard work.  Wow.  But I managed to paddle the entire way.  Yay!

Mike ran 10km around the waterfront while I was out on the water.  He did it in just over an hour.  That is amazing.

Tuesday morning is superb

Got home and it was glorious still.  We ate and fell into bed.  Slept well despite the warm night.  Up for gym this morning.  Dead lifts.

Another stunning day.

Take care.

Love,

Angela

The last weekend in Wellington with Toby living with us

 Hi,

Well, I am undecided about things happening.  Am I well or am I a bit sick?  No idea really.  We did dragon boat training on Friday night because the Thursday night was cancelled.  And I have never got so many bruises from a session - ever!  Something was not working.  Wrist, shin, elbow, upper foot - and a wee tweak in my right side of my back.

Not happy.

The Friday started well though as I caught up with James G and Celia for brekkie at Little Peckish.  Ed had car issues so couldn't make it.  Good to see both of them - they both recently had their 40th birthdays.  So cute.  I can't remember back that far.  :-p

Iced latte at Little Peckish

Anyway.  Up Saturday for the first boot camp for 2021.  That was tough work.  Hahah.  Quentin was in his best clothes for a stag do.  (Note:  my PT session with him on Monday morning showed he was still recovering from the excesses!)

Home made iced latte with Toby

Brekkie Saturday at home

Pinned

Mike and I went to Porirua Mega Centre for a few things and used a courtesy trailer to get a sleeper or two back to our house.  He then cut up a sleeper and used that and some older ones we had from years back to build steps.

Watching Mike use the Skilsaw to cut through sleepers

It worked!

He was surprised the skilsaw got through the sleepers without much of a hassle.  The smell of creosote was in the air (and on my hands) for a while.

Smudge pins me - and she is covered in catnip

Best BBQ weather!

Sunday we had a BBQ for tea.  Tessa was over.  And Andrew just landed in Wellington from his weekend away with Sally in Napier.  So I popped into town and collected him for an impromptu BBQ with us.

David (Tessa's dad) also popped in.  So we nattered away for a bit before Toby went with them both to the botanic gardens for a summer event.

Whereupon Janine spotted them both and took a photo for us!  Hahah.

Slept well (ish) and up for an online PT session with sleepy Quentin.

Dragon boating after work today.  Lovely evening for it.

Love,

Angela