It's Christmas Eve!

Hi,

What an exciting time for us.  Mike and Toby left at about 5.30pm last night and were off on their adventure.  Mike would be pitching tents and Toby would be playing with Sampson children for hours.  Meanwhile, I went grocery shopping.  Sally has prepared a menu and I have two things to produce for it.  It did involve buying things I have never bought before.

I have now bought baby beetroot, watercress and various other herbs that while I had heard of, I am sure I have never bought before.  My life has taken on new meaning.  Anyhow, I read the recipe, rang Sally to confirm finer points (is this recipe a hot or cold dish?; is "hot smoked salmon" hot?) and started work.  I think it turned out ok.  I did leave the mushrooms roasting a bit too long I think.  And possibly one batch of salmon might be darker than the others.

Anyhow, I finished wrapping presents and collapsed into bed.  Had a good sleep then into the shower to get ready for the day.

When I was just finished, Mike turned up!  What a lovely surprise.  But he had been up at 2am tightening the tents down and just had word from Lesley that one of our tents had blown down and poles were splintered.  Could be the death knell for our $35 tent.

Wally is rushing up to assess the situation.  We might be having Christmas at home after all.  We'll drive up after lunch and check it out.

I can't wait for the holiday.  Really looking forward to it.  I do hope it is in a tent camping, and not in the lounge room at home.  Heheheheh.

Love you lots.  Have a great Christmas and New Years.
Angela (and Mike and Toby).

The Wednesday with lots of packing

Hi,

Well, the car is packed after a marathon effort last night.  Toby got dropped off at lunchtime at Mum and Dad's place and we went around after we got home and had dinner and went back home to pack.

Phew!  Eventually the car was ready.  Mike will drive home today to collect Toby from Skids (it is a secret Santa day at Skids and Toby is quite excited) and they will head over the hill for camping.  Mike will pitch tents and sleep there.  Then Mike will leave Toby with the Sampsons there, and drive back for work tomorrow morning.  Cool Gilbert logistics plan.

Meanwhile, I will sort out Christmas lunch stuff for Sally and Andrew's place and generally tidy up the remaining tasks at home. 

I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas and New Year.  Keep an eye on southern North Island weather over the next few weeks and see if we're having a good time or not.  Heheheheh.  We will have no cellphone reception where we are, but on Christmas Day we'll be back in Wellington for a few hours in the afternoon.

One more day of work then Mike and I head over to join Toby.  Yay.

Have a great rest-of-the-week.  Enjoy Christmas Day.

Love,
Angela

The Tuesday with no Toby

Hi,

I can't believe how slow this week is going.  It should be Friday already.  I keep having to check the day to make sure it really is Wednesday.

Toby was away all day yesterday and a sleepover with the Tabors up in Waikanae.  I hope he had a lot of fun.  He is letting his hair grow and I really need to post a photo of him.  He is looking older than his 8 years.  He is so funny at the moment - he has realised his hair moves when he tosses his head.  So he'll flip his head violently back and forth and come up with a new hair-do.  Very cute.

We'll be packing for our camping holiday tonight.  Mike and Toby will head up there after work tomorrow and pitch the tents.  Toby will stay with the Sampsons who will (mostly) be all up there at the same time tomorrow.  Actually, I think they'll be arriving a little earlier in the day tomorrow than Toby and Mike.

Mike will come back into Wellington first thing on Friday morning for work.  We'll re-pack the car with food and a bit more gear (and the Christmas tree!) and drive into work.  When work finishes, we'll be off.

Last night Mike and I had a decadent evening watching movies and eating cheese and baguette, strawberries and cherries for dinner.  Yummo!

Today is a sad day for me at work.  One of my bestest work colleagues is leaving work today.  Work won't be quite the same.  Time for me to harden up, eh?  ;-)

Have a great day.
Love,
Angela

The Monday with more rain

Hi,

And the rain continues - but it is still warm.  The wind has got up a bit though.  So long as it clears for Christmas.

Toby has a sleepover tonight up in Waikanae.  He was collected this morning and Aidan will take the boys to enjoy some indoor activities.  Scootering is on the agenda I believe.

We got a ride into work in Moby so I didn't ride in.  Soft, I know.

I have had clothes on the clothes line since Saturday afternoon.  They are very well rinsed now.  Not a trace of soap anywhere near them.

Busy at work again.

Have a marvellous day.

Love,
Angela

The social weekend before Christmas

Hi,

What a weekend of social activity.  And what is it with this constant dribbling rain and steamy conditions?  If you're going to have bread sit out for more than a day, check for mould.  This is a thriving environment for mouldy bread.

Friday night saw Toby sleeping over at Grandy and Gramps' house as we attended our departmental Christmas party.  Mike stayed on for the long haul, but I got home at a reasonable time.

Saturday was the quieter day of the weekend.  We collected Toby after a bit of shopping and went home to relax for a bit.  Mike had another party to attend that evening.

Sunday was full on!  We went to a church play in the morning (Toby was very keen and excited) then lunch at the library afterwards.  Then off to Jack's house for a big social gathering of Jack's parents' friends.  Toby played with quite a few 7 year olds.

Then off to Kara's for a BBQ.  Toby played with some kids there until they left and then he found Kara's PC and was entertained doing that for a while.

Then home to collapse into bed.

Busy week ahead at work.
Have a great week.
Love,
Angela

The Thursday with the last day of school

Hi,

Toby was so excited at the last day of school he could hardly sleep the night before.  I remember those days.  When I collected him (after a hot, humid ride up the hill with a light misty rain trying to fall from the sky) he was bouncy and tired all at once.  He didn't want to do very much so our trip to Queensgate was postponed and we just had tea and watched a movie.

We all slept in the same bed, with a sheet and the window open.  It was a warm, humid night.  The light rain got slightly heavier and fell gently all through the night.  I slept like a log.  I hope Mum and Dad loved it.  They have sold their house (I'm not sure if it is unconditional yet) and will move back to Australia where the weather will be hot and humid far more often!  Toby is sad to be losing Grandy and Gramps.  He doesn't realise the half of it!

Anyhow, Toby has a day with Grandy today.  I think they'll take it easy.  I hope they have loads of fun together.  Mike and I dropped him off early this morning and drove in.  We have our IT Christmas party today.  For some reason this year I am over all these celebrations.

Better get stuck in.
Have a marvellous day.
Love,
Angela

Toby's best day ever

Toby has been talking about yesterday a lot, and saying it's been his best day ever in his life.

There's a troublemaker at his school who was, well, making trouble - waving a branch around and biting a girl who went in to stop him.  So Toby and his two friends went in and subdued him.  Toby disarmed him and threw his weapon away in the bushes, and then together they kept him under control until the teachers came.  The troublemaker had to go and see Mrs Williams, The Strictest Teacher In The School.  Toby thought that no good could come of that, oh no.  He is very, very chuffed at how well it all went.

Benjamin's babysitting went very well indeed last night.  When we came home all was quiet, Toby's door was shut, and Benjamin said that Toby was asleep.  But, when I went in to check - the cheeky boy was reading and looking at me with a slightly guilty look on his face!  But all good.  Thanks, Benjamin!  We'll get you back.

This morning Toby slept in the longest ever - ten to eight was when he got up!  Which should have been a complete disaster.  But he got ready quick-smart (with a bit of prodding from me) and we actually got away on time.  Very good.  My mornings are proof of The Theory of Relativity - time indeed flows at different rates.  How else could Toby be ready on time when he gets up at 7:50, and late when he gets up at 7:00??