The weekend with a dirt duathlon event

 Hi,

What an unusual start to the weekend.  No boot camp.  Mike and I hardly ever get the chance to stay in bed late on Saturday mornings.  So that is what we did.  And the weather was yuck - so it made it extra specially nice to stay lounging around in pyjamas.

Mike made me an iced latte after brekkie (I made the brekkie).  Mmmm.  He absolutely nailed it.

Saturday morning home made iced latte

Mike nailed it

Looks like the surface of Jupiter

Smudge claims my lap

The rest of the day was lazy.  We did go to the supermarket to get provisions for the race day on Sunday.  And after we had tea, we packed for the race too.  Car and bags were ready.

The Forester's drivers side front indicator failed as we pulled up to the house late Saturday with our groceries.  Stink!

Anyway - up at 5.30am to get ready for the race.  Last minute things and brekkie.  All good.  We were packed into the car by 6.35 am or so and off to collect Callan, only a tad behind schedule.

At his house just after 7am.  Shuffle of the bikes to use his bike rack.  Piled into the car and we were at Z Mana to meet Chris at 7.21am.  Almost back on schedule.  Woot!

At Theresa's house by 7.45am and she piled into Chris's car and then we drove to Waiterere Beach for the Dirt Duathlon.

The farmer had lent a paddock, handily cropped recently by cows.  Full of evidence they had been there.  Chris noticed a plover nest with 4 eggs in the middle of the paddock where everyone walked and drove.  So we protected the nest and the angry parents squawked at us from time to time through the day.

Theresa got our registration.  Team 038.  And Theresa got a spot prize - yay!  Team:  Straight off the couch.

Me, Theresa, Callan and Chris - all supported by Mike.  Mike pitched the tent which was lovely to use at the end of the race as it was raining fairly heavily by then.

10am start.  We were green which meant we did the course backwards.  C - B - A.  B was a bike leg through the forest.  C was a short race on foot with map and compass.  And A was a bit longer (5km maybe) through the forest on foot.

We get ready for the race

Plover nest with eggs

Finished 3 hours and 9 mins later

Hot soup in the tent

It took us 3 hours and 9 mins.  We were one of the last to finish.  The fastest team did it in 1 hour 57.  I need to do more cardio and running to keep up that sort of speed.

Happy bunch

But it was great fun.  Chris and Callan navigated like a boss - we made no mistakes (which was lucky as missing a gate meant a 1 hour penalty), Chris was awesome on the bike.  Theresa can run all day.  Callan was looking out for me.  It was such fun.

The campground across from the car park paddock let us use their toilet block - that was a huge help.  I thought we would have portaloos.  :-)  Flush toilets - so good.

Finished just after 1pm and fell into the tent and enjoyed hot chocolate and soup from Mike (who had the camp stove fired up in the tent porch).  Eventually packed everything up and headed home in the Sunday traffic.

Home to shower and dry things out and a quick turnaround to have dinner at Sally and Andrew's place.  Caught up with everyone's news.  Malcolm and Marion are moving to Blenheim very soon.  Malcolm has work there starting August 1.  Wow!

On our way there we stopped for petrol at Z Hutt Rd and Mike took the opportunity to replace the indicator light on the forecourt.  Did it (and fueled the car) in 5 minutes!  Wow.

Back home and fell into bed and slept like a log.  Hahah.  My alarm at 5.30am woke me with a huge start.  Funny.

The week stretches before us.  Shortest day today.  And Wellington is turning on the cold, wintry weather.  Rain.  Bit of wind.  Yep - winter.

Here at work the heating system is also blowing out cold air for some reason. It's actually colder inside than outside! So I am feeling a little chilly here at my desk.  :-o

Have a great week.  Last week of exams for Toby.  Good luck, Toby!

Love,

Angela

The Thursday with a hamper coming from my parents for Mike

 Hi,

It was good to go for a walk at lunch time to meet Andrew for lunch.  After working so close to his workplace for ages, it has been much harder to catch up for a semi regular iced latte with him.  The distance - and his crazy workload.  Maybe the latter rather than the former.  Anyway - we got to the cafe at the same time and got the toasted sandwiches and chatted away.  Good walk back to work too.  So if I need a break from the office and Andrew has the time - it is not a bad idea to wander up to Sally and Andrew's end of town.

The working day was tough and I decided a lot of my stress was due to a lack of exercise.  My cold had meant the chance of a decent cardio workout was diminished.  Off to Spin I went after work.

Iced latte with Andrew for lunch

It was a 30 min class - so good for my first one for a bit.  Not too busy in there - maybe 15 punters.  Nice.

And then I decided to walk home.  Even though it was lightly raining.  As I walked it did get a bit heavier.  Oops.  But by the time I got home, it had lightened up again.

Spin for Sanity

Found the courier had delivered Mike's hamper from my parents.  It was amazing.  Two boxes of goodies.  

Birthday hamper

Happy

Wow!  It looks amazing.

Off to bed and Mike answered his birthday social media notifications.  Took a while!  Had a good sleep and up in time to catch the neighbour driving into work.  So we got a lift.  Woot!

Morning iced latte snuggles

There are dribbles on my saucer

Careful with the dribbles

Weekend is here (soon!).  No boot camp tomorrow.   But we will be up to finish the car port painting.  And I need to prep for the race on Sunday.  Snacks.  Gear.  Bike.  Clothes.  All that.  Oosshh!

Have a great weekend.

Love,

Angela

The Wednesday with Mike's birthday

 Hi,

Mike was so looking forward to his birthday dinner after a hard day at work.  He even got some beers in with work mates before dinner started.  Hahah.

Meanwhile, I caught up with Juliet and Barb and we enjoyed the iced latte that Cuckoo offers.  Scrumptious.

Cuckoo

It's near perfection

Sally beat us to Dockside but I wasn't too far behind her.  Managed to haul Mike away from beers to join us.  Andrew was also pretty early considering his workload.

Ready for dinner

And it was so worth it.  Dinner was superb.  Three of us had the vegetarian degustation menu.  Mike had the meat version.  5 courses.  All good (except why put alcohol in a cheesecake???  Mike ate mine).

One of the courses - tofu kofta

Home in an Uber at 9pm and fell into bed.  Up for gym and deadlifts.  Woot!  And Little Peckish for brekkie with Celia, James and Ed.  Choice!  They are all good.

Iced latte @ Little Peckish with the old work mates

Busy day.  Will try for Spin after work.  A bit of cardio after my cold.  Hahah.

Have a good one.

Love,

Angela

The Tuesday with working from home

 Hi,

Happy birthday to Mike.  Yes, it is a significant birthday.  He's treating it like any other.  That's because he's very mature now. :-p

He walked home from work yesterday evening and we ate a light dinner before settling on the couch.  Mike then proceeded to hook Toby's face into a singing app that animates the pic to sing to a song.  It was slightly disturbing.  And the song was Safety Dance - which I don't like at the best of times.

Our evenings fly by

Smudge curled up next to me on Mike's home office chair

Anyway - off to bed nice and early.  And up for a present before heading into The Lab for brekkie.  Roanne joined us before work so that was good to chat to her.

Happy birthday Mike

Iced latte brekkie date with Mike for his birthday

Moxley wishes Mike a happy birthday

Excited bus people

Birthday boy before his caffeine

Got a degustation dinner @ Dockside with Sally and Andrew after work.  Woot.  Should be lovely.

Have a great day Mike.  You make all my days special - so enjoy this day lots.

Love,

Angela

The Monday working from home

 Hi,

When I work from home, not a lot happens for a daily blog.  Hahahah.  I worked.  Mike worked.  He went to physio in the afternoon.  The physio told him not to run still.  He went to the gym instead.

Tofu scramble on my Buddha bowl

Came home and ate Buddha bowl for tea like me.

He went and did the basement plastic shrouding work.  I heard some swearing.  He came back upstairs after a bit.  We went to bed.

Boring.

But my cough is much, much better.  I think tomorrow (Wed) I will be in at work.  Mixing socially.  All that good stuff.  Hahahah.

Lucky - because it is Mike's birthday tomorrow.  Phew!  

Have a great day.

Love,

Angela

The weekend with a covid test

 Hi,

It was probably a good call to avoid sitting in a cold stadium to watch the rugby on Friday night.  Elly and Tom opted for the Wilton bowling club instead - so I walked down there at 6.35pm and was at their table by 6.45pm.  Turns out they have Friday night dinners and although when Elly and Tom got there, the rugby was not on, they turned it on for us.  Woot!

Friday morning iced lattes

I had a lovely pumpkin and feta lasagne.  It was accompanied by two fresh salads.  I was very happy.  Mike popped down after burgers with Sarah, Hamish and Ryan.  He had a beer with Tom and Elly.

Wilton bowling club for the rugby

Back home and off to bed.  But when I woke, I had a cough.  :-(  Combined with my slightly snotty nose I decided it was best to skip boot camp and have a covid test.  Just in case.

Saturday morning covid test drive through queue

We drove at 9.40am to the car wash and sat through that until closer to 10am when the covid drive through testing station opened on Taranaki St.

There was a car in the covered part already - and one that pulled in just ahead of us.  I think a bicycle turned up behind us.  So - fairly steady.

I was approached by a young woman in a mask and she read out a form and filled it in for me.  Questions like:  do you work in MIQ?  Have you travelled overseas?  Have you been in contact with anyone from overseas?  (Yes, I had.  Were they from Australia?  Yes.  From Melbourne?  No.  That's fine).

We waited for a short time and then drove under the temporary covered porch thing.  The nurse explained the process for the swab well.  They identified me - again.  And I wriggled my toes while the nurse shoved the swab up my nose (apparently wriggling your toes takes your mind off your nose).  10 seconds.  5 seconds in one direction and 5 in the other.  She counted up for the first 5 and then down for the second 5.  Very well done.

And despite my eyes watering from it - it was almost nice.  Certainly not sore.  And not uncomfortable, really.  Kinda ticklish?  

Negative result

The notice I got along with the swab said I had to isolate at home until the results came through.  And stay at home even with a negative result until my symptoms were gone for 24 hours.

It took 24 hours almost to the hour for the result to come by text.  Negative.  Woot!

So Saturday saw me stay home while Mike went out with Sally and Andrew.  Car port prep work and dinner at Bin44.

Sunday saw the same.  Me at home.  Mike, Sally and Andrew really making progress at Polly's place.  I think the car port needs another layer of paint.  And then it is ready for the iron.  The shed got the flashing sorted - yay!  The garden was tidied up with some edging and bark chips.  

It looks good.  Once the car port roof is done, it will look pretty good.  Maybe windows could be next.  :-)  Bit of double glazing?  Keep it toastie pie warm.

Andrew painting

Shed is much more flash(ing) now

Outside garden is nice and tidy

Anyway.  Mike got home and we had a great dinner.   Buddha bowl.  And then bed.  The weather has packed in.  Really wet this morning.  Can barely see over the valley.

I am working from home.  Because... cough.  But it is already better than the weekend.  Maybe I can go back to work tomorrow or Wednesday.

Friend at work (Theresa) had a kick boxing fight on Saturday.  Her partner recorded it and put it on Facebook.  She looked amazing!  And she is the main instigator of the Dirt Duathlon race which is this coming Saturday.  Got to be ready for that.

Mike's birthday week!  Yay!

Have a great week.

Love,

Angela

The Thursday with not much for me

 Hi,

Mike had his snow lovers meetup after work but before that he asked me to have a quick dinner at Honey Badger.  Certainly happy to do that.  My burger was quite nice (hemp patty) with a bit of spice to it.

Spontaneous beer with Mike after work

I jumped on a bus and headed home and fell into Netflix (which hardly ever happens - but there you go!).  Mike stayed out for ages because it turns out there are a lot of keen skiers ready for the snow.

Slept well and up to stuff warm clothes into my bag as I am meeting Elly to watch the rugby after work.  7pm kick off.

The weekend is just ahead.  We hope to work on the carport.  No - that is not deja vu.  I have said that many times.  Let's see if we can actually get it sorted.

Have a good one.

Love,

Angela