The Wednesday with working from my real workplace

 Hi,

Busy day in the office yesterday. The weather at least came right - glorious sunshine. I got an iced latte from work, which started my day off after my gym session just nicely.

Work iced latte

I can watch Arsenal play from my meeting room

Headed home with Mike on a #14 bus. As we walked up the hill to our house, we saw a car with a personalised number plate very similar to one we saw in Lyttleton over the weekend. Too funny. Both black hatchbacks too. I thought it looked familiar when I spotted it in Lyttleton. Only the last character is different. One has the letter "I" and one has the digit "1".

Anyway, we got home and had a Buddha bowl for tea. Ate all the leftover bean sprouts that were on their last legs. The bowl was a bit sprouty - but Mike liked it.

Off to bed. Had a good sleep. Awake at 5.45am when Moxley put her claws on my arm and asked to be let under the duvet. Up at 6am for my online PT session. Will work from home today and dash in and out for my haircut in the afternoon.

Tomorrow morning I am off to Chc to see Toby briefly then collect Celia and head to Tekapo.  Meet Ange and enjoy time with them, and have a session at Mt John. Hope the lovely weather forecast for Saturday night holds.

Have fun. Keep Mike entertained if you are in Wellington.

Love,

Angela

The Tuesday with meet the candidates in local body elections

 Hi,

After a day at work (like, in the actual office) Mike and I headed away on time and got home on the #13 bus easily.  Had some tea and then headed to the local hall at St Luke's church for the 7pm Meet the Candidates in the local Wellington elections coming up soon.

Not quite full yet

They got a full crowd by the time it kicked off. Plenty of candidates, although the incumbent mayor (Andy) was late as he had a mayoral meeting. But they gave him his 2 mins when he got in, about halfway through the session.

Listened to very passionate people - most of them well aware of the issues facing this wee city. Some people lent themselves nicely to being discounted as options. And the main runners (for me) left me with a bit to consider before I cast my STV vote.

Walked back home and was in bed by 9.30pm. Slept well.  Up for early gym. Leg day. Never miss leg day.

Iona's walk to work this morning - spring blossoms

Working at my actual workplace again today. Iona sent me a pic from her commute this morning. I need to visit her in early Sept next year so I can enjoy a beautiful blossom walk like that one. Stunning.

Have a great day. Mike has 5km and a pint after work today. Woot!

Love,

Angela

The Monday with the final episodes of Friendcation In the soop

 Hi,

Worked from home on Monday. Moxley was missing me as she was like a wee shadow all day. I couldn't move. And from about 2pm, she was adamant I should feed her.

Home made iced latte

Kowhai blooming

Hokey pokey biscuits

I made biscuits at lunch time. And after work, Sarah came over. We watched the final two episodes of Friendcation In the soop - a Korean show where some mates go on holiday.  We've lined up the next show - Extraordinary Attorney Woo.  

After we finished the soop - Mike used Sarah's Bissell to clean some of our carpet. What a great wee gadget.  Shame it was dark and we couldn't find the stains we wanted to lift out.

Trying the Bissell

But all good.  Sarah headed home and we fell into bed. Up for my first gym session for a while.  The rain was icy and it is so cold. Mike videoed hail on the deck before he left to come into town. I did inclined bench and it was great fun. First time since my ski injury. Did a lot of back and shoulder work, actually.

Off to work after that.  Nice warm shower to kick start the day.  But I am now quite cold at my desk at work. Brrrr.  Just got a hot chocolate. Might follow with a hot miso.

Have a lovely day.

Love,

Angela

The weekend with a mystery weekend away in Christchurch

 Hi,

What an awesome weekend.  Mike and I got up early and away super early to the airport in our car.  Mike had pre-booked a car park. Had a little issue getting in as it did not read our number plate. But we got there and checked in.

We were off to Christchurch! Wow! That was super exciting as it is Tessa's birthday. How cool. 

Friday morning - iced latte at the airport and Arsenal on the TV

Not a bad iced latte

Hello Kaikoura

The mystery weekend came with flights, a nice hotel and a rental car.  It has been a while since we'd picked up a rental at Chc airport. But Avis were great and it went smoothly. Soon we were in a wee white Corolla. It really was very small. Room for two day packs in the boot. And Mike kept donking his leg on bits of dashboard.

But it went fine.

Off to see everyone at Steph and Sam's house. David was down too. Being Tessa's birthday and Fathers Day weekend. Perfect.

In our rental car at Chc airport

At Steph and Sam's house

We got in Tessa's car and headed to Lyttleton for a cafe stop. Lovely iced latte and we had brekkie too. Second brekkie.

Hello Lyttleton

Another iced latte -this was a good one

Why, Mike?

Picked up some stuff to sort the van out. Mike and I checked into our hotel.  Rydges on Latimer Square. So central. We easily walked to the Isaac Theatre to meet the others for a 7pm play.  Krishnan's diary. An interesting one-person play. So well done - it felt like there were many actors. Talented chap. Sad messaging too. But hopeful in the end.

Korean mozzarella corndog

Hello Toby

Grabbed a late dinner at The Permit Room, a South Indian place, in keeping with the theme. Back to the hotel for a lovely sleep.

At a play

Up to check out their gym in the morning. Did my first run since the ski crash on the treadmill.  Not too bad. Shoulder just a little achy - not sore.

Saturday morning gym session

Just one more coffee

Walked to Uprising - a bouldering gym! Wow. Great place. Mike and Toby loved it! 

Induction at the bouldering gym - how to fall

Happy Mike

Iced latte at the gym

Toby bails from the yellow one!

Just hanging, checking out some moves

Mike tries the yellow

Sam shows how the yellow sends

Popped in for second brekkie (I couldn't manage it!) at Little Poms.

Little Poms iced latte goodness

Second brekkie

Hadstock Farm had their annual open day so we headed out to Springston, a wee ways south of Christchurch, to pick some daffodils.

Toby in the daffodils

Awwwww

Mike

Us

Smile

Bucket for $20

Clutching the bouquet

Mike replaced the van's dodgy cigarette lighter with a USB socket after that. Then back to the hotel.  I ate vegetarian jerky and watched the rugby from bed and Mike met the others at Pomeroys for tea.

Okay - this was good

Yep

Sunday was stunning. Up to meet the others at Sign of the Kiwi for brekkie and then a wee walk around the crater rim above the cafe.

Sunday looks glorious

I see the port hills

Sign of the Kiwi cafe

Iced latte

Walk

Selfie

Back to relocate the van to Toby's flat ready for my Friday morning pick-up. And onto our slightly delayed flight home.

Flight home

Back to the house - cats happy. Thank you Janine for feeding them Saturday for us. Week looms large.

Awesome weekend. Thank you Sally and Andrew for such an awesome present.

Love,

Angela

The last burger on the last day of August

Your guest/locum blogger is back again, filling in Friday morning with the very last burger of WOAP 2022.

Wednesday morning I left my water bottle at the gym and I had to go back for it at lunchtime. That brought me to my usual sushi place, Yoshi, but at at their Press Hall branch on the other side of town, and ... it would have been rude not to have their WOAP burger on the very last day it was offered.

The verdict? I'm going with 8/10. Maybe high 7's.The popcorn karaage chicken was delicious. The "fries" were like hash browns and were really, really good too. But, I think the sum was less than the parts. I'd probably rather have had the individual ingredients - chicken, slaw, mayo - without the bun.

I remember this from previous years, they do the best burger you'll ever get from a Japanese Bento and Sushi specialist - as in, they are well out of their comfort zone. I'll continue to stick to their amazing sushi and their delicious bento and poké bowls, and certainly give their burger another go next year.

That's what I keep coming back for!

The Wednesday with another woap burger for Mike

 Hi,

Worked from home yesterday - busy.  I did wonder where Moxley was at once stage - she often sits next to me when I work at home.  But I found her hanging in the washing.  Hahahah.

Came up to find Moxley hanging about in the washing

Last of my stash from Mike's stocking up to welcome me back home

Mike got distracted after work and ended up having a WoaP burger from Bin44. He liked it. Got home and I had already fed the cats and had an omelette for my tea.

Relaxed before bed - Mike tidied the ski gear away. He knows where we're going for our mystery weekend and isn't telling me.  Hahahah. 

Another day at home - but my cold seems almost gone. Who knows? But I will head into work for a later thing and then catch up with Mike after work for a Nepal evening to sort out a few things ahead of his trip away.

Take care.

Love,

Angela