The Monday at the start of the week

Hi,

Well, not sure what was happening in Wellington when I left work at 5.30pm, but The Terrace was completely broken and traffic was at a standstill.

I sat in the car, reading, because the traffic couldn't get out of the car park onto The Terrace - it was banked up all the way back to the entrance.

But, once whatever was causing the jam cleared, it seemed to come right.  By the time Mike got to the car at 6.15pm, we just drove straight out.

Fish - mmmmm

I cooked tea while Mike sorted out his homework.  We took Toby through some science revision.  Toby and I both taught Mike that Vitamin D came from the sun, and Vitamin C was from citrus fruit.  He was sure it was the other way around and blamed the Refresh ads on TV when he was little.  Something about seeing the sun on the packet with Vitamin C bandied about.  Whatever!  We convinced him with the power of Google that he was wrong.  He wasn't about to believe me and Toby.

Anyway - we had brekkie in town this morning with Kate (colleague from Chch).  It was good and now I am completely full.

Have an awesome day.

Love,
Angela

The weekend with a long bike ride for me, movies for Toby and tramping for Mike

Hi,

After a tough week, it was good to head home.  I dropped Mike off at the ferry terminal where the WTMC tramping club vans are stored - he had a long drive ahead of him up to Ruapehu.  It sounds like he had a great weekend up there at the lodge with a group from WTMC. The weather was pretty changeable and he even thinks he woke up with the aftermath of a migraine on Sunday morning, but they got some good walks in and found some sun in between the showers if the photos are anything to go by.

Anyway, I collected burgers for Toby and I after dropping Mike off.  We relaxed and didn't do very much for the evening.

I like this Mojo iced latte

A fairly lazy start to the Saturday.  We read and watched videos until Toby had to go out to meet Tessa and see Dr Strange.  I went grocery shopping after dropping him off in town.

Toby rang me when the movie was finished and I collected him from town.  Town was pumping because of the Guy Fawkes display at 9pm but we went home.  Toby contented himself with watching the neighbours displays from the lounge with Smudge.

I tried to get to sleep early, but fireworks kept jolting me awake.  Had a restless sleep and woke well before my 5am alarm.  Got up and tried my pre Taupo breakfast.  I ate Weetbix and an omelette.  It seemed to work ok.

I left home at 6am and drove to Sally and Andrew's house.  Hopped on my bike and headed to James'  house to collect him.  Then we went down to Ngauranga, up there, into Jville, through Tawa, meandered through Porirua, Aotea, Whitby and over Haywards.

Our ride

Then we headed up SH2 to Whitemans Valley.  I eventually found Blue Mountain Road and we headed up there.  But three quarters the way up a cycling race came up.  A motorbike rider said we were about to get swamped.

So we cut our losses and headed back down the hill.  Yeah - there were a lot of riders coming up.  But I think we would have been fine!

Anyway, we headed back and I got a cup of tea at James' house.  Chatted to Celia and the girls.  Met the dog and cat too!

Then I went to get changed at Sally and Andrew's house.  They weren't home so I changed on their front porch behind their bush!  But as I left to take my bike to Gary's for a service, they arrived!  So I dropped my bike off and came back for a nice cuppa.

Headed off to Queensgate to get presents for a colleague whose wife just had their second baby and then came home.  Left again just before Mike got home to visit Helen and Ron for tea.  Had a great catch up with everyone.

And a great ride in this morning on dry roads!  Woot!

Have a great week!

Love,
Angela

The Thursday with an awesome evening bike ride

Hi,

Every Thursday I wear my purple shirt.  For "Purple shirt Thursday".  Because it is a thing.  Anyway, yesterday our entire pod had everyone wearing a shade of purple.  Woot!

Purple shirt Thursday is a thing!

I met James after work at the train station and we rode from there, up Ngauranga Gorge, then up through Newlands to Woodridge.  Took a look at the new houses being built before coming down the gorge (ok, I made James go really slow there!) and back up SH2.

We went along the esplanade, through some backblocks behind Seaview and up Wainuiomata Hill.  It nearly killed me.  My legs were feeling very jelly-like by the time we got to the top.  The ride down into Waianuiomata and back up was pretty good though.  The road down into the Hutt was better than I expected too.

I went to Sally and Andrew's house and almost accidentally spoke to Sally in China (she's attending a conference there this week) before I hung up when I remembered.  Andrew got home and we had a cup of tea before Mike drove out to collect me.

Mike is off to Ruapehu this weekend.  Should be fun for him.  Toby has a movie date.  I have a bike ride planned.  Busy weekend.

Hope your weekend is loads of fun, like ours sounds.

Love,
Angela

The Wednesday that was busy

Hi,

What a busy day.  And in the afternoon, my colleague's wife had a wee baby girl.  So, even busier for some!

After the hectic day, I rode home and made plans for doing a long bike ride after work today (Thursday).  Got my gear ready and planned to get my work clothes into work.  But, when Mike got home from his various activities (bottling his home brew and some tramping van key thing), we decided he'd bring my work clothes in and we'd just go grocery shopping instead.

So, we headed out after Mike's tea to New World.  Got our groceries (yay - I have my lunch at work today!) and headed home.  Mike washed his bottled beer down and set it up somewhere to sit for two weeks before it becomes drinkable.

Had a lovely ride in this morning on my road bike.  Stunning morning.  Hope it stays that way for this evening's bike ride with James.  Oossshh!

Have a brilliant day.

Love,
Angela

The Tuesday with tramping for Mike

Hi,

I went to the gym and headed back to work and caught the running of the Melbourne Cup.  Great race.  But my horses were pretty much absent.

I cooked tea for me and Toby.  Yummy.  Stuffed chicken breast with paprika chips and some rocket salad thing.

Yummy tea!

Mike got home and had a good tramp up from the Beehive to our place with a Meetup group.  He helped me with tea and then disappeared to a tramping club meeting.

By the time he got home late, I was almost asleep.  And within seconds of him getting home, I was asleep.

Wet ride into work this morning.  Everything is damp!

Mike is off to bottle his beer tonight (possibly - I think) so I'll ride home and cook tea for me and Toby and look at Toby's science homework prep for his exam in a few weeks.  I like science!  Hahah.

Have a great day.

Love,
Angela

The Monday with Halloween

Hi,

What a beautiful day in Wellington yesterday.  I rode home with Mike after popping into the New World supermarket to stock up on lollies for the evening.

The neighbourhood was buzzing with kids out trick or treating.  Toby was awfully excited when I got home and went out as soon as we got there.  His mate Zach was also going with him.

Halloween in Wellington

Toby and Zach are ready 

 Ange texted and asked me around for a cup of tea.  Best cup of tea in ages!  Had a good chat and enjoyed the view from her house.

Back home and Toby had to finish some homework after his trick or treating fun.  He did it in the end.  Lucky Tuesday mornings are his sleep in morning (his school starts late on Tuesdays).

Time for a tea and to start the day.  Good bike ride in.

Love,
Angela

The weekend in Wellington with a Halloween party

Hi,

Ok - so it appears that I took no photos during the weekend at all.  Weird.  Anyway, Saturday we got up and got the house ready for the party.

Toby invited 9 mates around from 4pm for a sleepover to celebrate Halloween.  They watched scary movies and all slept in the lounge.  They all got along really well.  I'm still not sure if I know them all.  But Tessa brought a pumpkin pie and I have enjoyed eating that during the weekend.  Mmmmm.  Now that's the taste of Halloween to me.

Jo's Halloween cupcakes

Jo's Halloween cake

Anyway, they were all well behaved and in the morning they fed themselves cereal and watched YouTube meme videos together.  Eventually they were all collected and Toby and I cleaned up.

In the afternoon, Mike and I popped out to say hello to Sally and get a nice cup of tea and pick up some crates at Mitre 10.  Back home to sort out the home brew bottles and  then off to bed, pretty much.

Lovely ride in this morning.  After the rain Sunday morning, it has come right.  Gorgeous now.

Enjoy the week ahead!

Love,
Angela