the night before christmas

It's Dec 24th here in New Zealand. I arrived safely in Kerikeri and have settled in pretty well. The weather here is nice, although I'm told it is unseasonably cold for this area. But it's not snow. It's about 16 degrees in the morning and it warms up as the day goes on. I'm living and working at a place called the Stone Store Lodge. I do four hours a day in exchange for room and board. I help with breakfast and then I make up the rooms. There are only 3 rooms so it's manageable. Right now there is a Canadian couple in one of the rooms and every morning they make their bed exactly like I'm supposed to do and hang up all their towels just so. All I end up doing is emptying the garbage and vacuuming the floor. I'll be sorry to see them go.

The owner's name is Richard - tonight I am tagging along to a dinner party with some of his friends. His son Harry, who is 15 is staying with his mother for Christmas, and his two daughters who are in their early 20s are in Spain. Tomorrow I get to drive his mother Mary to the airport - my first time driving on the 'wrong' side of the road. I think I've been gettting used to the way traffic goes here, but I will be sure to keep repeating in my head about driving on the left side of the road.

Merry Christmas to everyone and don't forget the cranberry sauce.