Well Earned

It’s a long weekend and I have a list. Today was the day for some sorting, tidying and finally getting rid of some stuff so hardware store sausages were a well earned treat for lunch. 

Feeling Healthy

It’s been a big week for health checks and so far so good:

✅ blood tests all clear 

✅ 5yr check for internal nasties all clear

❓dodgy hip X-ray results coming this week 

Fingers crossed for a clean sweep. 

Personality in a glass

A few weeks ago my work colleagues and I went out to lunch. It had been a long complicated week so a little extra treat was definitely called for. What we realised we ended up with was our personalities in a glass. 

Not giving away any secrets but we three are definitely an interesting mix. L to R; fruity mocktail, affogato, hearty red 

Wow! (Again)

Another wonderful night with friends being totally blown away by the sheer creativity of WOW. 

A Taste of Weirdness

I do have a love of weird flavours and unusual combos but the last supermarket shop has yielded one of the best yet…

It absolutely should not work and yet it totally does. 

A Weekend of Water

I was in Taupō last weekend, catching up with cousins. We had a lovely relaxed time that ended up with us marvelling at some pretty impressive water. The Waikato river runs out of the lake and has fantastic walking paths, not that we went terribly far. 

We visited Huka Falls again and this time also went to see the release from Aratiatia dam. Here is the channel before…

And during 

All The Weathers

This image has been around for a while now but it’s still incredibly accurate. 

This last week we’ve had glorious sunshine, wind, rain and snow is coming down south in the next few days. As a dyed in the wool Wellingtonian I’m prepping for all of the above on high rotation for the next couple of months. 

Back Home

I’ve been away, 10 days in South Korea, mostly to attend a conference and a little bit for fun. It was fantastic; hot, humid, amazing food, great shopping, lots of people and a visit to the DMZ. 

Sustenance

It’s a weaving weekend and food is integral to getting things done. Lunch today was homemade burgers with beetroot and pickles with a side of homemade fried wantons. 

Yellow rings

We’re deep in winter but there are telltale signs of spring. It’s raining and puddles are sporting yellow rings around their edges or surface swirls which can only be one thing - pollen. 

Turns out it’s pretty hard to take a good photo of pollen so you’ll just have to trust me that this is definitely it. 

Cat Blanket

When I’m in an online meeting from home I try and make sure that no-one can tick ‘appearance of cat’ off their zoom bingo card. That doesn’t mean said cat is not trying her hardest to make an appearance. One of my lovely colleagues is on to her and takes great delight in spotting the signs of what she calls a cat blanket. 

We’ve had a small run of beautiful clear, very cold winter days so the cat blanket is a regular feature whenever I sit down. 

Matariki

It’s Matariki, the Māori new year, and we have sunshine! After another week of orange weather warnings it feels appropriate that it’s calm (relatively) and clear when many are getting up early to see the stars and watch the sun rise. That wasn’t me by the way, still too much cloud where I am. 

Staying Warm

Even though the sun is shining the best spot is definitely under the heat pump. 

Proper Winter

Everyone has been saying how mild it has been for the beginning of winter. Not any more it’s not!

It very definitely feels like -6 and everything is going sideways; rain, trees, occasional rubbish bins. Welcome to winter proper. 

The Plan

The plan was to get myself organised, get a ticket and spend today at the Wellington Kapa Haka Regionals taking place in town. I did not get organised and I did not get a ticket so toastie and TV it is. 

Sunrise

It’s that time of year when I get a glorious view of the sunrise from the office. 

Colours

I was in the newly reopened Central Library this week and they have the most amazing art including this, which is above the entrance foyer. 

Queuing

Give librarians and archivists the chance to see treasures from the vaults and we will literally queue. 

Letters, photographs, sheet music, illuminated manuscripts, annotated first editions, protest badges and truely eye watering wallpaper samples (just visible at the bottom) were just some of the things we had the chance to ooh and aah over. 

Degree of Difficulty

It’s a weaving weekend and we’re up to the next join in our big project.  A couple of us have given ourselves an extra challenge and are stoked that we’ve cracked it. 

What you’re looking at is a join, maintaining the pattern of holes while they change direction. 

After The Storm

More extreme weather over the last couple of days but the upside this morning is a stunning end to end rainbow. 

Calm

 Today is one of those glorious good days in Wellington, harbour is calm, light breeze, sun is shining. We are enjoying it because the whole North Island is under some kind of weather warning from this evening. 

You’d never guess but there’s a serious cyclone incoming. 

Laying Low

It’s been a massive few weeks and I may have overdone it. I had zero plans for Easter but I now also have a head cold to deal with (not Covid, tested three times and definitely not Covid) so making sure I really do take it easy. 

Catering

We had a big event at work this week and I was on shopping duty. There’s something very satisfying about good packing. 

Weather

Over the last couple of weeks we’ve had it all; rain, hail, wind, sideways rain with hail and the occasional glorious day with nothing but sunshine. No surprise then that this little weather icon has been getting a workout. 

All Set

The big Kapa Haka Festival is every two years but that doesn’t mean nothing is happening in the off year. Regionals have started up and down the country to select the teams that will go to Te Matatini next year. Today I’m all set to support one of my work colleagues, admittedly from the comfort of my sofa but support is support. 

Levelling up

From our desks we look out over planes, trains, automobiles and ferries so we’ve become quite expert traffic watchers. For some of us this has extended into downloading the shipping app but this week someone took it to the next level. 

Yup, we now have a telescope. 

Bindings

One of the joys of working where I do is the chance to share in the passions of expert staff and marvel at the weird and wonderful things that some people make their life’s work. Like the intimate study of the stamps on medieval leather bound books such as these which we got to get up close and personal with. 

Travelling

January has disappeared in a flurry of travel, some for work but mostly for fun.  Seems crazy but I was in all these places over a very busy three weeks .

It Begins

A small number of us were back in the office this week but we somehow managed to hang on to the slightly relaxed summer vibe. The view might have helped, or maybe not. 

The Plan

 The plan for my week off over New Year was to tackle one room a day and get some things sorted. As with all good plans it hasn’t gone that way but stuff has been sorted and most importantly, thrown out. 

There’s also been a car load delivered to the Sallies and another one planned because the downside of being a good packer is lots of things hiding in corners.