Is this Summer?!

Hi

Well our second week has flown past. It is hard to believe it's summer though when I don't think I have been out in a t-shirt yet. I was meant to be going to Stanley this week but the road was shut due to high winds. Apparently that can happen quite a bit in the summer but not so much in the winter. Walking to the bus stop I had to hold onto the children or they would have been all over the place. Still it's an experience!

Other new things I've done this week are spinning, no not the cycling kind. I was asked if I'd ever tried it and straight away I said I wasn't into stationary bikes. The girl laughed and said not that type - proper wool spinning. I thought this was an older lady thing to do but gave it a go. You get a piece of the just shorn sheep and have to brush all the crap out of it - mud, thorns, knots. Then you get onto the actual spinning. Lots of coordination needed and I was hopeless. So I am going back, as other people make it look easy, and I am determined to have my own ball of Falklands wool before Allen's mum gets here. Other new things - Jacob going in the sea fully clothed up to his chest! I went back to Bertha's beach with 3 other mum's and 8 children in total. The children had a lovely time and we saw miniature dolphins in the sea plus a penguin having a swim. Jacob loved messing about and Abi was fine until she fell face first into the sand! I've included a photo of all the boys in the sea and then Abi (before she fell over).

Socially it's been a busy week. Ladies night to meet people, dinner at the top blokes house to meet the person who's about to become Chief of the Air force (or air staff maybe?), anyway pretty high up person. Bit of a nightmare dinner really as it was lamb for main course, which I didn't think I would be able to eat. It was actually OK. I needed the toilet from about the main course onwards and you're not allowed to leave the table. This was not helped by me wearing my hold it all in knickers. So I sprinted to the loos once cheese was done with. Mental note, remember not to wear those knickers to a thing like that again! Our final social thing was last night - Burns Night. Great night, speeches too long but good dancing afterwards. Staggered home at 1am and the children stayed in bed til 7.30am which is very unusual. Allen's still in bed now, he'd had to go in at 5.30am on Saturday morning as they did a practice call out/in.

I've included another photo from a beach we visited last weekend - Gypsy Cove. Hoping to go to another one today but it's tipping it down so we'll see. May have to venture to the ball pit instead.

Hope all's well

Rachael.

The Falkand Islands

Hi

Finally online and in the Falkland Islands. Left the UK on the 11th January after three weeks in the UK. We had a great time visiting family and friends, our last lunch out being with Janine, Paul, Isabel and George. Our other friends, Sarah, Lee and girls were meant to be there too, but due to car sickness, didn't make it. It was lovely catching up with everyone when we were home.

Flew from Brize Norton on Sunday 11th Jan at 11pm. I hadn't realised that the plane would have bigger seats at the front and that we would be allowed in them. It was all a bit lost on me as I never sleep on a plane - even when I flew to Australia. But the children slept brilliantly for the first leg as the seats reclined as if it was a bed. Abi was off by the time we were airborne closely followed by Jacob. Seven and a bit hours later they woke up for breakfast and an hour later we were at the Ascension Islands. We were lucky again here, Allen had to go and do some work so we got a quick sight seeing tour of the Island. Normally you have to stay in a big caged area and wait for the plane to be refueled. Ascension is a small tropical ish Island. There are palm trees and white beaches but it is a volcanic island. Bananas grow in the mountain area and it's hot/warm all year round. I was in my jeans and t shirt and was hot at 8am. The kids had a lovely run around before having to get back on the plane for another 8 hours. It actually went quickly. They slept a few more hours and were entertained by both of us for the rest of the time. The films were crap - all 15 rating so no good for our 2. Will be investing in some portable games that play videos I think!

As we were landing a jet flew along side us which was very exciting. I got a photo. I also took quite a few shots as we came in. White beaches and blue seas. Can't upload loads of photos though due to the link we have, it's weird here you pay for downloads each month so Allen's banning me from certain sites and it will limit what I can do online. So my first impressions of this Island have been good. It's not that big but there are loads of smaller Islands off the main 2. Beaches are white sands but lots are full of mines so are out of bounds. There is more food available, I thought it would be very limited. The house is much bigger and better equipped than I pictured. It's very sociable - just my thing really.

Saw some penguins. Did a walk to Bertha's beach - very beautiful, I've included a photo of Allen, Jacob and Abi walking, well trying to walk, on this beach. It was very windy and it was an hours walk to get to the penguins. We gave up after 15 mins! So on Sunday we went to another beach in Port Stanley and saw penguins straight away and extremely close. I've added a photo of a Magellanic penguin and also one of Jacob and Abi on the first day of school outside our house. School is a bit strange. Jacob's not keen, I think he's bored. Abi loves it. I'm giving it another week and then I'll be in to see what they can do for Jacob if he's still moaning. He's already been to the doctors, bless him, with a rash and he was very happy to stay at home with me. He's fine, may be the washing powder.

So all in all a brilliant start to our 18 months in the South Atlantic. I have a job as pre school teacher that starts after the Easter holidays. 4 mornings a week, so just what I was looking for really.

Hope all's well

Rachael.