The weekend in Wellington with a lot of painting

 Hi,

It was a rainy weekend - not as wet as it has been in Sydney lately.  And a weird lack of wind meant we have vertical rain for a lot of it.  Calming when it falls like soft dribbles.  :-p

Home made Friday morning iced latte

Friday saw Mike get a migraine through the early morning while he was asleep.  So he woke and took it easy but finally succumbed to his cotton wool head and went to bed.  He slept for something close to 18 hours!

 

Lunch with Andrew @ Home

Moxley loves the airing sheets

We did get up for Park run on Saturday morning.  The rain stayed away for it - but the Nor'wester was super fierce and I had no legs.  It was not surprising given my last run was a slow 3k the weekend before.

Smudge claims her spot

Moxley close up

Surrounded by cats and sheets

Last 50m of my run on Saturday.  Not pretty.  Not fun.

Back to start painting.  Andrew joined us while Sally was in town - thank you for that.  We made a lot of progress with the primer.

Sally and Andrew came back in the evening for the venison slow cooker stew.  And Mike joined Sky for a trail and we watched Ireland own the All Blacks in Dunedin.  Pretty poor effort against a collected Irish team.  Lovely stew though.

The undercoat work on Saturday meant Mike and I could thrash the top coat work on Sunday.  And we did.  We cycled through the windows every 2 hours.  And we got 3 top coats on each window.  Sweet!

Sills looking good

Smooth!

Me in action

That meant we could head to the trap line quiz night happy with our efforts.  Windows all done.  Awesome.

Our quiz team

We were in a team with the others that do our trapline.  UTS.  That's us.  7 of us.  Elly was supposed to be with us - and she did join us for tea in the restaurant part of the Petone Working Club.  We got there at 5.30pm and had no queue and were eating the last of our meals when Elly arrived.  But she had to drive to Napier for work right after her food.  :-(

The winning board

The crew had organised a superb quiz.  Thank you to them!  Great fun.  Well run.  They only needed a calculator right at the end.  

We won!  By a handy 7 points in the end.  Thank you, UTS team.

The week looms large.  Covid looms large.  NZ finally has a case of monkeypox.  Oh yeah - all the good things.

Have a good week.  Take care.

Love,

Angela

The Wednesday with a quiz evening at work and a late gym session

 Hi,

Yesterday we had a work quiz event and I had pulled together an awesome team because in the end we came in second - by only one point.  Oossshh.  It was great fun.  Good food supplied too (every Business Unit gets to host a social event with a wee budget) - we had pizza and sushi.  Thank you to my team mates for a fun evening.

I had to rush off at 1815 for my PT session at 1830 with Quentin.  That was good too.  Dead lifts.  Low weight but trying for high reps.  And trying for form.  Which was getting raggedy by the end of each set.

Back to collect Mike and home on a handy #14 bus.  Fed the cats and fell into bed.  Up for a slower paced Thursday morning for a change.  Our PT sessions were Wednesday instead to let Quentin chill with his mother who is over for a long weekend.

Thursday sunrise is stunning

Home made iced latte - nailed this one

Made scrambled eggs for our brekkie before we piled onto a later bus.  In at work.  Mike has some leadership meeting on after work.  I'll head home and get ready for a weekend of window painting.

Have a great weekend.

Love,

Angela

The Tuesday with work and a run for Mike to Lyall Bay

 Hi,

I did get a scone date with Barb early in the morning.  As far as my actual working day went yesterday - it was by far the highlight.  Hahahah.  Mojo always deliver a good iced latte.  This time I added a spicy date scone to the mix to... well... spice things up.  That and I was starving already and had a lunch meeting booked in.  Eat when you can!

So after a busy day at work yesterday Mike and Janine headed out for a run to Lyall Bay.  Mike had booked for tea at 6.30pm.

Look happier, said Barb!

Bigger grin from me!

I worked until 5.45 and then drove to collect Andrew from his workplace.  He'd had a slight lull in frenetic activity and could sneak away "early".

As I sat in the car outside his work, Mike and Janine pinged to say they had arrived at The Botanist.  What?  I pinged Mike to tell him to run back.  But he didn't take that advice.

Andrew came out pretty soon after that and we headed to Lyall Bay.  Got a close park (but there was a closer one yet we noticed as we walked in).  

Had a nice meal.  A few drinks.  Then we dropped Andrew home and Janine at her car not far from her place.

Fell into bed when we got home.  Good sleep.  Up late and bus in.  We have a work function after work today.  And I have gym with Quentin at 6.30pm tonight.  Ooohhhh.

Wednesday work iced latte

Enjoy your day.

Love,

Angela

The Monday with my busiest day at work for the quarter

 Hi,

Oh - so it appears that on my busiest day of the quarter, I do not have time to take photos.  Hahahah.  Anyway.  Busy at work on Monday but it all went okay.

One of the team was down from AKL so she invited us out for tea.  Mike included. A friend tagged along from work too. We chose Rosies and I made a good choice.  Their cauli bowl was delicious.  I did eat a lot of their guacamole and corn chips though as my meal seemed to get delayed in the kitchen.  Mike's smelled scrumptious too - brisket tacos.  And he enjoyed marguerites through the evening.  Hahah.

We left Anne not far from her accommodation - and she popped into the supermarket to get a few things. And our #14 bus was not far away so we got home nice and fast too. 

Fed the cats and got ready for my Tuesday.  Fell into bed and was fast asleep pretty early.  Up for gym and we drove in.  Mike and Janine are running to The Botantist and I will drive there and meet them for dinner at 6.30pm.  Sweet.

Have a good day.

Love,

Angela

The weekend with loads of nature

 Hi,

What a great weekend.  Friday I got the putty done on all the windows.  Yay!  The work has started.  Got a lot of sanding, re-putty and painting to do.

Thursday work iced latte

Thursday sunset

I tried to buy more iced latte for our fridge - but the supermarket was out.  I do note they have tonnes of all the other flavours.  I need a campaign.  Stock more iced coffee!

OMG - no iced latte at the supermarket

Mike was horrified at my putty plastering efforts

I did get some putty onto the windows. That was good.  Mike worked from home so I did work around him at one point.

But I did putty the windows

But after work we packed up and headed into the Orongaronga valley along the Five Mile track to the river - in from Catchpool.  We were driving fast to get there before 6pm when the gates closed.  And we drove through with 8 minutes to spare. This was my first time walking a decent distance with head torches.  It was great!  I know this track so well - but it gave it a completely different feel.  And my perception of distance changed a lot.

Sunset on Friday night as we walk into the hut

Head torch tramping

Stunning night scenes

I always think of Toby here

By night it feels so different

Also think of Toby here too - I call this Toby Tree

Stars were so clear - here is the southern cross for your viewing pleasure

I took a pic in the river valley of the clear skies and was surprised to se the Southern Cross in all its glory come out clearly in my photo.

This was all in aid of Tom's 40th.  Elly and Tom had secured the DoC lodge at Raukawa Hut for Friday night.  And it was great fun.  We got there around 7.30pm and dinner had already been eaten - but there were tonnes of leftovers.  So Mike and I tucked in.  All vegetarian - how cool is that?  Two people got in around 10pm - but I was asleep by then.  And there were 4 dogs all up!  Hank, Zoe, Katla and Toffee.

Up the next morning for some brekkie and then away by 9am. Stunning morning. Out nice and early.  Dropped Ravi off at home in J'ville and then back home to tidy and relax.

Saturday morning was stunning

The walk out

Last look back at the river flats

The walk out

Andrew and Sally popped around for Andrew's birthday.  We ate venison sausages and mash.  And sausages in white bread.  Hahahah.

Up early Sunday for our first time on the trapline on our own. Another lovely day too.  How lucky.  

Sunrise Sunday

Rat!

Hapless selfie

Andrew and me kitted out

More rats

Even more rats

Selfie in the stream

Okay - rats!

Picked up a graze

We got 6 rats all up - 4 on our line (one under a A24) and 2 in traps as we walked up.  It was Andrew's first time with us.  The track was greasy in places.  I did fall down a wee bank when it gave out under my feet.  The rain has made everything a bit soft.  I have some good grazes now.  And one on the side of my left thigh.

Back home and cooked a Buddha bowl.  Mike is tuckered out though.  He was asleep early.

Crescent moon

Monday morning home iced latte

Sunrise as I leave the house

Sun peeping over the harbour at work

Work iced latte

Up for work Monday morning.  Another great day in the capital.  

Have a great week ahead.

Love,

Angela

The Tuesday and Wednesday at work

 Hi,

Okay - you know it is my busy time when blog posts are really sporadic.  Hahah.  But I hope I have time now to smash out a quick one.

We got the windows all done and they look marvellous.  The two young lads (Jack and Mitchell) were lovely.  Everything is tidied up and the house feels great.  Thanks for prioritising that, Mike!

Tuesday evening saw Kara pop over and we had some soup and planned our ski trip.  Mike got home not long before she headed away.  But as she left, she saw this slug in the gloom and damp on our concrete steps.  So I took a closer look.  I had never seen a slug like this one.

Leaf veined slug

I poked it.  It was slimy.  I looked it up. Turns out NZ has 30 native slugs and they are all this type ^^.  Leaf veined slugs.  If they do not look like a leaf, they are exotic imported slugs.  These do not eat your lettuces and broccoli.

I was very impressed that Kara spotted this.  So well disguised.  And now I know about these native slugs.

Work iced latte

Back to Buddha Bowls

Here's mischief

Bedroom done

Last window getting sorted

Upstairs bedroom window finally dislodged

Toby's hand from 2006

Found a hand outline of Toby's from December 2006.  He was 4 years old.  And already had big hands.  Hahahah.

Wednesday saw me and Mike head home after a long day at work.  Then we ate a good tea and went to bed no long after that.  Good sleep though.

Up to drive into the gym and then me off to work and Mike back home to work there for the day.  I showered at work and somehow got shampoo in my right eye.  It looks pretty red now.  Oops.

Hope your day is awesome.  We have a busy weekend planned.  Tramp Friday night for Tom's 40th.  Saturday dinner for Andrew's birthday.  And Sunday trap line - first one since we were fully trained.

Have a great day.

Love,

Angela

The Monday back at work

 Hi,

Happy birthday to my lovely Mum today (Tues - June 28).  I hope she has a superb day.

I was WFH yesterday (Monday) as we have the builders here, finishing off the windows.  I had to duck into town to collect my Surface from work (left it there when we headed to the airport for our long weekend) and I dropped Mike off for his gym session.  He worked from our real workplace.  :-)

Stunning Monday morning view of the harbour

I headed home to watch after the cats and supply the builders with biscuits.  :-)

Old window in bedroom

Old window in study

Displaced litter box

Builder in the window frame

New window in the office

They got the two downstairs ones done.  Sweet!  After work I popped into town to collect Mike and we picked up some groceries.  

Hope to eat and then rearrange the furniture (and litter box) and off to bed.

Up for a drive into town for my gym session and back to WFH again.  Top bedroom getting done now.

Bit wetter today.  Boo!  But no wind.

Have a good one.

Love,

Angela