The Thursday with Mike and Toby packing

Hi,

Mike and Toby have left the island.  They are probably at Maccas in Blenheim now, drinking their way through coffee and eating their way through bacon McMuffins and pancakes.

Iced latte and cheese scone @ Machete with Jo

I get to work through today, meet Sally and Andrew for drinks and dinner, and then catch a movie with Mike's friends.  Solo.  It had better be good.  I don't want the Star Wars franchise mucked around with.  And when I was a kid, I really liked the books in Han Solo's world before he met Luke and co.

Tomorrow I am helping Sreejith move into his new house.  Woot!  And Sunday I head over to Blenheim and catch up with Iona and Col for a day or so before Mike collects me Monday afternoon for the ferry ride back.

It's a plan.

I have also entered the Round Taupo cycle challenge this morning.  I am bib 41.  Committed.

Have a brilliant long weekend here in NZ.  And, a normal weekend elsewhere.  Although most of Aus do get a long weekend the following weekend. 

Love,
Angela

The Wednesday with are we there yet?

Hi,

We're not at the end of the working week yet?  Sigh.

Toby went to the orthodontist and he needs braces.  Mike was surprised.  Toby wasn't.  I wasn't.  What was surprising is how much Toby wants them so his teeth are straight.  That little fact, Mike and I didn't really know. 

Anyway, that's all good.  Still cheaper than his private school education was costing us.  So - win!  Right?

I caught up briefly with Andrew at Aroha before my Spin class and was animatedly explaining some probably pointless story (as I do) when after 5 minutes of arm-waving and talking non-stop, I glanced over to the next table and discovered Sally (work Sally) sitting there with a smirk on her face because I had completely failed to see her the entire time.  And she had texted me to say "Boo!" too.


So I introduced her to Andrew and that was kinda funny.  Sally and Andrew.  But - not the right combo.

I ran off to Spin and hopefully will catch up with the Sally and Andrew couple on Friday after work for some fun.  Well, a nice dinner out somewhere.  Which is fun in my book.

At home finally, after appointments, meetings and whatever else (Sreejith took me and Toby home and collected the hand trolley), I cooked tea.  Mike and I chatted away.  Turns out he thinks I am stubborn.  But, in a good way.  Good stubborn.  Mainly because he admires that when I say I will do something, I generally do it.  I figure if it is "good stubborn" there must be a far better synonym for that trait.

Turns out the thesaurus has mainly poor words that also depict the trait of being stubborn.  But I have selected "strong-willed" as my synonym of choice. Mike can argue that with me later.  But if you know me, you know I will just go along with my interpretation because I am, after all, strong-willed. 

Bwhahahah.  I am really making up some rubbish now.

Ok.  No towel shaming.  It was gym day for Mike so no damp towel to spread over the bed.

Toby has a half day at school - with rehearsals for Cymbeline after lunch.  And the boys both head away down south at 2am tomorrow morning.

Woot!

Have a brilliant day!

Love,
Angela

The Tuesday that felt like Thursday but with no purple shirt

Hi,

I can tell you this - if I had a purple shirt on yesterday I would have sworn it was Thursday already.  That one day took 3 days duration.

Anyway, even the caffeine in my iced coffees did next to nothing to make the day go any faster.  But I guess I did stay awake and meet Andrew and head to the Sprig and Fern with him to secure a big table for quiz night.

Morning latte with Andrew

And another at Ti Kouka with Cate

We were a big table so Andrew sat out, reading a book.  They have a limit of 6 people per team.  But I think I may have been the 7th person.  Oops.

We came 4th - but the top three teams were well in front.  I think there was a tie with 96 points.  From ten rounds, that's an impressive point tally.

My best answers?  I did the crossword round fairly easily.  Got a few of them.  Knew Oliver Cromwell and a few others.  It's amazing what rubbish is in your brain.  But some of my guesses were way off.  Hahahah.  It is a great quiz night and I loved the chap running it.

Dropped Andrew off and got the hand trolley for Sreejith and the boxes of books for Andrew's cousin in Dunedin.  Yay!

When I got home I realised the towel shaming has completely failed me.  I still get a damp towel on my bed.  But now I get chocolates.  And what's worse is, this is now conscious thought from the towel fiend.  He now knows he shouldn't leave the towel on the bed, but now he goes out of his way to leave it there.  On my side.  All spread out, making as much of my side of the bed as damp as possible.

Towel shaming is backfiring on me

What else?  Not a lot.  Not enough sleep.  Need more gym.

Toby has the orthodontist today.  Let's see what happens there.  Woot!

Have an awesome day.

Love,
Angela

The Monday at work

Hi,

Brrr - what a cold snap we have here.  I went to Spin after work and Mike was kind enough to come in and collect me.  I chatted to Vanessa as I waited for him because she was up for work again.

Towel shaming.  Something is not quite working.  But the chocolates are soooo good.

Home made burgers - this is a mushroom one for me

Cooked burgers when we got home - they were very good.  Toby got one for his lunchbox today.

I left early this morning to walk to Spin and met Vanessa for it.  Woot!  Good fun!

Have a great day!

Love,
Angela

The weekend in Wellington with climbing

Hi,

My weekend was kinda good - could have done more around the house.  But hey - why would I start bucking a trend now?

The only thing I achieved was I took photos of the new garden for you to see - in broad daylight rather than those fuzzy nighttime ones I have shown you.  See below.

Saturday was lazier than I anticipated.  Oops.  No painting done at all.  But we did get out for dinner before dropping into a party at Jo's house. 

Sunday I collected Jo from her place at 11.15am and we went to The Botantist for brunch.  Yum.  Good iced coffee - not sweet at all and not bitter.

Where should I put my feet?

Someone looks happy and someone looks more concerned than anything else

And I went climbing for the first time in forever.  The fact that the last time I did a lot of climbing was outdoors and before Jo was born did actually show.  But I had a lot of fun and keen to go again. 

Winter is here! Monday morning brrrrr

My photos are out of sequence.  This was this morning's hailstorm!  Wow!  People and cars were taking things gingerly.

The Botantist for brunch Sunday - good iced coffee

Daffodils in daylight

Garden looking mighty fine!

I can see it being great - soon.  Once the building is finally all finished

More garden

Even more garden

Ok - last garden shot for today

Towel shaming chocolate

Friday iced latte

Ok - two iced lattes on Friday

Right.  The boys have a short week this week.  They have Friday off and they are on the 2am ferry Friday morning for their road trip to Dunedin.

I am on cat duty. 

Hope your week is a good one!

Love,
Angela

The Thursday with nothing much

Hi,

I got a chance to have a coffee with Anjali and Sreejith during the morning yesterday - yay!  They move into their new house on Queens Birthday weekend!  Oossshh!  Good on them.  They have bought in Avalon.  Nice work.

Purple shirt Thursday iced latte @ Machete

Was busy at work until really late with a bit of a messy issue.  You get that.  Mike kindly came in to get me!  How nice is he?

I can't wait to see our garden in the daylight this weekend!  Woot!  It looks so good.  Need to paint the laundry so we can get the tub and doors in. 

And I might be going climbing Saturday afternoon.  Goodness knows how that will go given I haven't done it for 20 years.

Have a great weekend.

love,
Angela

The Wednesday with stuff

Hi,

Had a super fast day at work - guess that's what happens when it is madness.  Takes a blink and it's gone.  I did catch up with Andrew to hear about various things he is doing with Sally.  They are also busy.

Iced latte with Andrew

I had a PT session at the gym yesterday morning and now I have a routine to try besides Spin classes and yoga (and a bit of Just Dance every now and then).  I'll give it a go today because work has stuff on during the Spin classes.

Mike collected me from work after his bottling session and we got home.  I cooked sushi for the boys while he sorted out his bottles of beer and my bike.  By the time he got back from fiddling in the garage, I was serving it.  So despite our late home time, we did eat ok.

Then - into bed.  Up early for my ride into work.  And the day stretches ahead.  Hope your day is a good one!

Love,
Angela