The Monday back at work after the long weekend

Hi,

What a day - it is always a bit harder than usual when you've had a few days off and enjoyed it totally.  But the day actually went okay. 

Caught up with Rex for an iced latte - I need to make sure we do that with him and Jo so we keep in touch.  I miss them from work.  :-(   Andrew joined us - so yay for multiple iced lattes.

Mmm - iced latte @ Machete

We don't normally get a pic of the two of us!  Thanks Rex!

Three iced lattes!  Oosshh!

Heard about Andrew's awesome tramp at the weekend to the Ruahines.  Waterfall Hut.  Sounded like great fun.  Heard from Rex about the house plans - not quite so much fun but he and Jo will be amazing at sorting that out.  And the house will be worth it.

Went to lunch with Khemry, Yosan and Davy - Chenda had to decline due to work.  We went to a Korean place on Dixon.  It was so good.  I had stir fried tofu.  Yum!

Boxing session with Quentin after work followed by Spin.  Home to cook tea.  And saw our own plans for the house in Wanaka.

Then bed!

Phew.  Good day.

Have a great day today.  Dragon boat training for me tonight.  And it is my birthday in a week!  Yes!!!

Love,
Angela

The weekend with Waitangi Day and dragon boating

Hi,

Well, it has been ages since I posted.  Hahah.  Thursday was Waitangi Day (public holiday here in NZ) and I had Friday off work.  Hence the lack of a post.

Waitangi Day Mike and Toby (and Tessa) were up at midnight to make their ferry.  Trurns out they were an hour early for it.  Hahah.

I was up early (but civilised) at 5.30am to get to my PT session at 6.30am.  Went from there to work to shower, then collected Andrew from home before heading through Haywards to Paekakariki.  We ate brekkie at The Perching Parrot (ok - despite the continued lack of iced lattes, I like that place!) and then drove a short distance to Campbell Park.

Hongi part of the powhiri

After checking out the stalls and finding a coffee van that sold iced lattes, we got told it was too close to the powhiri and they were now waiting until the end of the ceremony before selling drinks.  Oh!  Good on them!

The powhiri was good fun.  Andrew and I milled around with the visitors before tagging onto the back and going into the reception area.

Great speeches (showing my complete inability to follow te reo with any competency - shameful) and waitata.

Stalls around the outside of the park

Finished and drove back to Sally and Andrew's place well ahead of his lunch with his friends.  Home to chill for me (via the supermarket).

Her fave spot on a sunny day

She sleeps next to me on the couch

Friday was lazy (apart from a flurry of work excitement late in the working day that I had to ring in about).  Read lots. 

Saturday saw me up early to check in with work stuff and then off on the bus to town for Fun Day for dragon boating.

Ready to take it on!

We had such a good day.  Joycie sorted out all our needs in the tent.  Matt and Leanne brought in baking.  Yum!

Our timing was awful for most of the races - but we improved through the day.  Last race we won!  Wow!

For me, it was very interesting.  My upper body strength has improved so much that I find our pace really slow and I could actually either go faster or go further.  In previous years by the end of the race I am sucking in lungfuls of air like a starving fish.  No, wait.  That analogy doesn't work.  Fish don't have lungs!

But this year, at the end of every race I was just breathing heavily with the tank still available for a tiny bit of extra mileage.

I don't think that analogy stands up well either.  But thank you Quentin.  Obvs you are doing the biz.

Relaxing 

Sunday was relaxing.  And Google informed me of my January stats in its stalker mode.  2020 starts off with a bang!  16% around the world!  Oosshh!

Google stalking me

Have a great week ahead.

Love,
Angela

The Tuesday with dragon boat training in windy conditions

Hi,

Met up with Sarah at lunch yesterday and saw Ryan for the first time in ages.  He's changed so much since the last time we saw him - I guess neither him nor Toby are wee boys anymore.

Cheers!

Industrial fans to cope with Wellington's humidity and heat

At lunch, a work colleague came with me and Mike (Yasmin) to meet Sarah's acquaintance who is a recent immigrant and looking for IT work.  We chatted away for a while.

After work, I rushed from a client meeting to the dragon boat training session.  Got changed there and due to the conditions, Jacob had us in the lagoon only.  Even so, it was so gusty that it was often hard work.

Sreejith drove me home - and it was his birthday too!  Hahah.  Mike gave him an almost full bottle of wine when he dropped me home because it is dry February.

:-)

Great fun!

Holiday tomorrow.  Mike and Toby (and Tessa) are on the 2am ferry tomorrow morning for a road trip to Wanaka.  Mike is starting the Wanaka house update project.  Sadly overdue.

I am off to a marae tomorrow after my PT session at 6.30am.  Quentin said yes to that madness on a holiday!

Then a 4 day break.  Got Friday off.

Have a great long weekend!

Love,
Angela

The Monday with work

Hi,

What on earth was I doing at Machete for this pic?  No wonder Andrew sniggered when he looked at it.

Iced latte weirdness

Anyway - busy day at work.  But I had my PT session afterwards followed by a Spin class.  Caught the bus home and Mike caught the same one.

Sorted tea out - just for me because Mike had eaten in town and Toby was nowhere to be seen.

Dinner!

Mike decided to go for a run around 8pm, and was out for ages. He came back looking quite chuffed and said he'd 'accidentally' run 10k instead of 5k. Good on him. His sore Achilles seems to be holding up okay,

Toby got home late after helping Tessa with her CV.  Not sure what she is doing with that.

Toby has picked up sociology instead of biology this year and seems very happy with his subjects.  Yay for his last year at high school.  Wow.

Spin was hard work this morning

Hope your day is a good one.  Dragon boat training tonight.  Last one ahead of the fun day this Saturday.  Come to the harbour and watch us!

Love,
Angela

The weekend with cricket and more cricket

Hi,

 Friday was a bit sad for me - saying goodbye to my friend Jo.  She's been at work for almost as long as me.  I might have had a wee cry as I left the morning tea.  Stayed strong while I was in there though.

It was also Sam's last day - he's off on his OE.  Got a few hugs with him at the leaving do.  Mike turned up too after his other leaving do.

Khemry and I get a hug with Sam

Sam happy with his presents

Bye Sam!

Iced latte with Mike

I had to rush off at 7.15pm to meet Toby and Tessa at the Sky Stadium for the T20 match against India.  What a great night!

Crowds gathering at the start of the T20 match

India smashed us!

Toby and Tessa (with Saraubh and Manisha behind them) at the cricket

It went to a Super Over.  Which NZ had no show of winning.  India had batted first and didn't get a huge score so NZ was int he driving seat with plenty of overs and wickets.  And managed to only equal India's score.  For the second match in a row. 

And promptly went and lost the Super Over.  NZ batted first in the over and got 13.  India came out and smashed a 6 off the first delivery. 

Sigh.

It did go until 12.30am!  So we had a super late night.  Walked back to Kaustubh's car so Tessa could catch a ride home with them.  Thank you Kaustubh.

Late morning, but had to pack for Toby's camping, pick up his mates and drop them at Catchpool.  They had a great time there.  Him, Tessa, Isaac and Zack.

Back via the supermarket to find a super tidy house - ta Mike.  Had people arrive for a BBQ.  Then an awesome game of backyard cricket in Izard Park.

Saturday back yard cricket

That tuckered out Mike!  Hahahah.

Mike and Moxley take a nap

Sunday saw us having brunch with Andrew.  Sally is busy at work with coronavirus stuff. 

Chocolate days

Took Moxley for a wander

Short week this week.  Thursday is Waitangi Day and I have Friday off.  Yay for short weeks.  Mike and Toby are off to Wanaka for a road trip!

Have the best week!

Love,
Angela

The Thursday with dinner out at Honey Badger

Hi,

Here I am with my new haircut and anticipating my iced latte from Machete. Ok - so my new haircut is actually just my old haircut.  Hahah!

Anticipation is huge!

Cheers!

Had lunch with Arthur and the team at Pickle and Pie - great pie as usual there (mushroom and Parmesan).

After work, Mike, Arthur and I went to Honey Badger for a Curious G burger.  So, so good!

Home on the bus.  Tried to sort out some stuff at home.  Not sure that worked.

Hahahah.

First day at school for Toby today.  Last year of high school!

Have an awesome day.

Love,
Angela

The Wednesday with a haircut

Hi,

Oh - my day wasn't super filled with excitement really.  The fitness session at Frank Kitts park was so good.  But now my legs and glutes and abs are totally grumpy.  Hahahah! 

Had a haircut after work - then met up with Mike as he finished catching up with some mates.  Drove home with him.  Sorted out tea for me (Toby had already had pizza and Mike had grazed at the local pub) and before I knew it, it was bedtime.

Up early to ride in for my early PT session, but had a text from Quentin to say I could have the 7am slot.  So a little less rushed this morning.

Deadlifts morning.  Legs complaining.  But it went well.

Arthur is down today from AKL.  Woot!  Looking forward to seeing him here.  He's visiting to go to the T20 cricket with us all.  Thirty of us are going tomorrow night.

Enjoy your day.  Last day of hols for Toby.

Love,
Angela