And Then We'll Do It Again

Life at the Hostel has been pretty mellow. I think I am enjoying it more now that I know the boys a lot better. They all absolutely adore Scotty and I keep hearing them trying to convince him to stay longer or come back next year. It's crazy to think that we'll be heading back home in under three months. We're back from our holidays, but i still have TONS of photos and stories to share. I just uploaded a bunch more pictures (from our final trip up north)... New Zealand is a stunner. I wish my friends and family could have been with us on some of our adventures. Sigh.

Anyways, here's a little photo roundup to show what our life has been like lately. Scotty and I have been on shift at the hostel these past three weekends, so we've stayed pretty close to "home." I think the place we've visited most has been the library. Scotty has been a voracious reader- he's just about polished off his ninth book since New Years. I've been reading about colour theory for interior design and honing my crochet skills.

HERBERT HAS CONTINUED TO VISIT OUR BACK STEPS EVERY NIGHT. I'VE BEEN LEAVING OUT RAW PEANUTS AND CAT KIBBLE. HE MAY BE TINY, BUT HE'S SUCH A LITTLE PORKER. I DON'T KNOW WHERE HE PUTS IT ALL.... UNLESS THERE ARE 5 "HERBERTS" COMING BY INSTEAD OF JUST THE ONE- IT'S HARD TO TELL HEDGEHOGS APART.

I WONDER HOW SUCH A TINY LITTLE GUY GETS UP AND DOWN THE STEPS. SCOTTY SAW HIM OUT ON ONE OF THE WALKWAYS AND SAID THE LITTLE GUY CAN REALLY MOTOR. I THINK I'M GONNA WANT TO PUT MY NAME IN AT THE SPCA TO ADOPT ONE WHEN I GET BACK. THEY'RE JUST LOVELY LITTLE CREATURES.

SOMEONE WANTS DINNER

FRESH FROM THE GARDEN. THE PEAS ARE UNREAL.

I'M JUST ABOUT FINISHED MY RED COWL SCARF. I'VE ONLY JUST LEARNED TO CROCHET AND ALREADY MAKING UP MY OWN PATTERNS. CLEARLY SOMEONE HAS AN ISSUE WITH BEING TOLD WHAT TO DO.

WE HOSTED "COLOUR WARS" (CAMP QWANOES-STYLE GAMES) ON THE NEARBY FIELD FOR THE BOYS AT THE HOSTEL. IT WAS SUNNY WHEN WE STARTED, BUT SOME HUGE BLACK CLOUDS ROLLED IN AND WE WERE STUCK IN MONSOON DOWNPOUR FOR THE LAST 40 MINS. EVERYONE WAS SOAKED WITHIN THE FIRST 4 MINUTES. NEW ZEALAND WEATHER. IT CAN CHANGE SO QUICK.

IT WAS STILL REALLY WARM, I STOOD IN THE STORM GUTTERS AND THE WATER RUSHING ALONG WAS UP TO MY ANKLES. THE BOYS HAD SO MUCH FUN PLAYING THE GAMES IN THE DOWNPOUR THAT WE LEFT HALF OF THEM AT THE FIELD TO PLAY RUGBY. THEY DIDN'T RETURN FOR ANOTHER HOUR AND A HALF. 

WE STOLE A FLAG FROM BRIAN AND PUT IT IN OUR WINDOW. PROUD TO BE CANADIAN.

SULLY HAS BEEN OUT OF CONTROL CUDDLY. IF YOU LIE DOWN, HE'S ON TOP OF YOU INSTANTLY. MAYBE HE KNOWS WE'RE LEAVING IN A FEW MONTHS TOO.

SERIOUSLY. ADORABLE.

THIS BACKPACK SUCKS. IT OPENS AS SOON AS IT HAS ANY KIND OF WEIGHT. POOR POOR DESIGN.  I'VE ALREADY HACKED IT APART. IT'S BEGINNING TO LOOK VERY SATCHEL-ISH.

A REFUSAL TO DRINK OUT OF THE WATER DISHES I LEAVE OUT FOR HIM MEANS THAT MY BLEEDING HEART POURS WATER IN THE SHOWER SO HE CAN HAVE IT HIS WAY.

HELEN LENT ME HER PLUNGER. I HAVE NEVER BEEN MORE CONTENT. I'VE NOW UPPED MY TWO CUPS A DAY TO 4. I FEEL LIKE I'VE STRUCK GOLD.

COFFEE FOR WINO'S. PERFECT.

THEY'VE STARTED TO GIVE IN TO MY VEGETARIAN NEEDS. THEY TRIED TO SMOKE ME OUT BY SERVING ME THREE SPECIFIC MEALS IN CONSTANT ROTATION: FRIED POTATOES AND PEAS, OR JUST RICE, OR A WHITE BUN WITH BUTTER ON IT. I HELD MY GROUND... NOW THERE'S PUMPKIN LASAGNA AND QUICHE AND HARD BOILED EGGS. HALLELUJAH. 

I LIKE MY LLAMA GARLAND TEN TIMES BETTER THIS WAY.

MY LOVE FOR HIM OVERPOWERS MY OCD TWITCH TO MAKE THE BED. 

DON'T MESS WITH US. WE'RE REAL INTIMIDATING. AND OFFICIAL.

SCOTTY RECEIVED A GLOWING REFERENCE LETTER FROM THE VICE PRINCIPLE AT OTAGO FOR HIS PDP APPLICATION. THAT GUY IS WELL-LIKED.

I'VE BEEN MEANING TO GET BACK INTO IT FOR YEARS, THEN ASHLEY INTRODUCED ME TO PENGUIN CAFE ORCHESTRA AND IT JUST KIND OF SPARKED SOMETHING... YOU WERE RIGHT MOM, I NEVER SHOULD HAVE QUIT. I WAS PRACTICING YESTERDAY AND THEN I GOT A LITTLE AUDIENCE OF JUNIOR BOYS WHO ALL WANTED ME TO TEACH THEM A SONG, SO I SHOWED THEM THAT "KNUCKLE" SONG- IT TOTALLY BLEW THEIR MINDS. APPARENTLY IT IS LIKE RIDING A BIKE- I CAN STILL SIGHT READ!!!

HE KNOWS THE WAY TO MY HEART. THANK GOODNESS WINE AND CHOCOLATE ARE CHEAP AS DIRT HERE.