Our very short-lived 'tourist season' is about to start with the arrival of one Sydney couple today. They will be followed by another couple in a week's time who have been spending their New Year's Eve at "Riverbend" Cottage regularly for the past six years. They are our friends now and the best friends at that, namely paying friends.
After I had bought "Riverbend" in 1993, I suddenly found that I had lots of 'friends' who were only interested in free accommodation on the coast. At first, I took them all in and there were times when I had to sleep on the floor because all the beds were taken. When I began to refuse some, I suddenly had very few friends left!
Now some of our paying guests have become our friends which makes for a far more genuine and lasting friendship and we always look forward to welcoming them back to "Riverbend" Cottage.
