I know a few people who split their time between New Zealand and North America, never getting to experience winter. I see the method to their madness because I tell you, winter in New Zealand isn't as lovely as it is in North America.
I am going to grouse a bit... I can't feel my toes (I tend to grouse when I can't feel my toes.) I was living in a land of Cadbury-fueled nirvana until the weather turned. That's when it dawned on me just how uninsulated New Zealand houses actually are. I know there's a good reason for uninsulated houses down here, I just don't know what it is. Nonetheless, it doesn't make for comfy living.
Hunter said to think of it like winter camping. I gave him the stink eye because one of the big tenents of our relationship is his superior camping skills. If I was winter camping with Hunter, I'd be warmer.
We're adapting like good immigrants do. We layer up the kids, wear our wooly socks and slippers in the house and we've taken to retreating to our toasty, electric blanket heated beds earlier than normal to keep ourselves warm. I'm doing a lot of reading, spending more time on Facebook than I'd like and my Pinterest board is looking pretty snazzy! Yup, the upside to this is that I feel tremendously informed.
Actually, I feel a little tinge of jealousy over my dog's fantastic summer. While I'm huddled under an electric blanket, Milton's touring Alaska in a motor home with his new family. He went to Denali - I've never been to Denali. He went to a waffle wedding - it looked like fun. He's panning for gold today. Lucky dog.
On the good side, there are some neat things going on in Oamaru. A good friend introduced me to an amazing yoga class. She and I have a standing wine and yoga date every week. I look forward to Tuesday like Milton looks forward to dinner. I'm sure yogis would frown on my wine before yoga routine but I think it's what keeps me from falling over.
Pea has gone back to school after a two week break. We had lots of fun being tourists in our own town. She and Little Hunter went to art classes, swam at the pool almost every day, visited the Steam Train rail shed for a tour, played with friends, fed the ducks... we had a lovely winter break.
Time to add another layer and pick Pea up from school and take her to the pool for her next lesson. It's warm there.