A Kiwi Christmas

December 24th- Christmas Eve Day

Here are the comments about the girls first sunny warm Christmas from all of us on Saddler Rd:

Amelia –“ Kooooool!! It is kind of weird when people say Merry Christmas when it is so sunny out.”
Bridget – “Bad, cuz there is no snow”
Dianne- “It is great to break out into a sweat on Christmas Eve”
Carolyn – “It is hard to believe that it is Christmas when the temperatures are so warm and we are in our shorts. I love running in tank top in December”
Viki – “Had to keep up with the Canadians and HAD to attempt the rockslide”
Kristin- “ Being surrounded by Canadians makes me feel a bit closer to home at Christmas”
Maia – “It’s good to have lots of kids around”

It has been awhile since we have posted anything, but we have had a very busy but relaxing time back in Gisborne. Kristin, Viki, and Maia have been great hosts to us out in the country. The kids have played outside, climbed trees, swam in the pool and just had fun being kids again. The sun has been shining none stop since we got here and we are soaking up every ray of it. We have spent a lot of time catching up with friends and drinking the mighty fine wine here in the Chardonnay capital of NZ.
Dianne’s colleague Steph spent the last two days with us here. Viki wasn’t sure which country she was in, as she was surrounded by Canadians! Steph got the tour of the city and was fortunate to see Moko the dolphin in the bay. That is something that the kids and I have yet to witness. Today we went out to Rere Falls for a picnic lunch and then over to the rockslide for some thrills and spills. Out of the group of us I was the only one who had been down the rockslide before. The rockslide is a natural, steep rock slide with a thin layer of water running over it. It makes for some speed and danger. I was forced to go down first. After twice down and some encouragement Amelia and Steph got up the nerve. Steph had some skill and had a great splash in the pond. Amelia’s first attempt was not so good. She got a little too close to the rock face on the side and luckily she knows the skill of “baling off” tobaggons at home!! She lifted her face just before the rock took it off. All is good! All she has is a little scrape on her butt. Steph and I both entertained thoughts of a great lifeguarding rescue, but my tough as nails kid came through it with flying colours. She even got back on the boogy board again and made a few more successful attempts, a little further down the rock face this time. And I made sure I pushed her further away from the side this time. Not to be out done by the Canadians, Viki did it too. First time ever and she grew up here!! I think she may do it again in the future now. She may need my help to push her down again though.

After sending Steph back to Wellington we headed back to the house to celebrate Christmas Eve in typical Dixon fashion... Kristin and Viki’s neighbours came down for drinks!! It brought back many memories of Dad and Bill drinking together trying to put our presents together! It is amazing that we ever got anything for Christmas.

Dec 25 - Christmas morning

We had a big surprise last night. We heard Santa’s sleigh bells ringing outside! So we woke up Amelia and Maia (Bridget would have nothing to do with waking) We opened the curtains and we saw Rudolph’s nose blinking outside by the fence !! It was so cool. And to top it off, there was reindeer poo right in the same spot where we seen Rudolph. We saw it in the morning when we woke up.

We have had a typical Christmas morning, stockings and gifts, bacon and eggs, champagne and orange juice. Just a few slight changes, we ate breakfast outside and eventually had to move to the shade because it was too hot by 9 am. And the kids have had a swim this morning. A little later we plan to head to the beach for some waves and sand. Nothing says Christmas than that.

We are wishing all of our family and friends a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Carolyn