Hey good lookin, whatcha got cookin?

So it has been ages, and I am sure you are all wondering what I have been up to. While I was in Dunedin I got an urgent email from my mom saying that I am really low on funds. That got me all worried, because I want to have enough cash for Fiji, so I decided to hault my travels and start to work in Christchurch. I was worried about finding a job for only a few weeks, I hate lying to employers. So I stopped in Timaru (Selene's home town) and stayed with her folks for a few nights. They are great at making you feel like one of the fam. By doing that, as Selene puts it, I weaseled my way into an invite to her brother's wedding the following weekend. I was only going to go to the dance and the bbq the next day, but one of the guests just had heart surgery so I ended up being Noella's date. And boy did we have a marvelous time. The wedding was tons of fun the the hungover BBQ the next day was hilarious. A bouncy castle in the lawn and a lamb on the spit roasts makes any party great, eh?

Selene's brother's girlfriend, Tess, just started a catering business so I have been helping her out for the past few weeks. My dad was shocked to learn that I was doing lots of cooking. He apparently thinks I am a bad cook, which couldn't be more untrue. Ha ha. So I have been up to my elbows in meat for sausage rolls. We do a bun run to local businesses so I have been making friends with all the factory men. It is quite fun and Tess is awesome to work for. I had to clean, debeard and prepare 13 kilos (about 30lb) of mussels. Cooking hint: boil them in sea water for extra flavor.

Now Katsu (good buddy from high school) is in town so I have had a ball watching him and his buddies adjust from being down in Antarctica. Apparently they think it is perfectly normal to strip down to their tighty whities and go for a swim at the beach.