The Mid Winter Swim

Hi

Yesterday Jacob, Abi and Allen part took in the Mid Winter Swim along with 200 other mad people. It involves running into the South Atlantic Mid Winter, getting your head wet and running out. Abi was the youngest participant but not the whiniest on exit of the water - some children cried for ages. She didn't cry but did moan and who could blame her! The water was around a warm 6 oC, the sand was freezing. I wore my entire ski outfit and was the towel holder. I've included 2 photos from before they went in and one after. Jacob and Abi definitely enjoyed the before bit better, there were even dolphins playing around in the water too. After the 'swim' we went to where we were staying and Abi had a long shower. We went out for lunch with 3 other families and stayed the night in Stanley. I've included a photo from today of us at Hillside (a small military camp in Stanley) with the snow and a great back drop. We drove home today, Fathers' Day, it was very scary. Allen slid and just managed to keep the car on the road/track. We ended up just off the road between a ditch - there was one small piece of land between a big ditch and Allen managed to get the car on it. I was busy shouting to the kids to hold onto something tight as 2 cms either way and the car would have rolled. I'm glad I wasn't driving. We were not going fast it was just ice and snow on a crap road surface. It's made us decide that we will not drive that road again in the snow as it's just too dangerous.

Anyway we're back safe and sound. Have just enjoyed a family movie and are off out, as a family, for dinner at a friends house down the road. A blizzard has just stopped so we'll be fine walking. Not enough snow on the ground yet for sledging but who knows by tomorrow.

Hope all's well and Fathers Day has been enjoyed

Rachael.

Liberation Day Celebrations

Hi

Twenty seven years ago on Sunday the Falkland Islands was liberated by the British Forces from Argentina. They celebrate this each year with a variety of services / parades / dinners / balls / drinks parties. We went to an evening thing in the Mess. Allen was PMC, ie he introduced all the speakers and ran the evening. He enjoyed it thoroughly. It was a good night although a tad long for me. WE sat down at 7.30 and left the table, finally, at 11.55. The service people weren't allowed to go to the toilet until after the Loyal Toast at 10.45pm - I'd already been to the loo an hour earlier! They have some daft rules in the Forces but this is one of their worst. There were 2 speakers at the dinner. The first was a Falkland Islander who has written a book about being in Stanley during the 74 day occupation by the Argentines, the other speaker was an Officer who took part in the Battle at Tumbledown. Both speakers were excellent but spoke for too long! They'd been given a 10 min slot and each spoke for 40 mins. Anyway I got home at 12.30 and Allen rolled in at 2am. We were then up at 7am on Sunday to go to Stanley for the Liberation Day church service, parade and lunch. Jacob came too as he was with the Beavers. Abi stayed on base and had a great day at 2 different friends houses. I've included photos of us in front of the huge flag that was in the Mess and one of Jacob with his Beaver lot. The church service was quick, the parade was cold but interesting and the lunch fine. We got to talk to lots of people who had lived in Stanley the Falklands during the conflict, I chatted to one lady who had lead lots of troops through the mine fields as she knew the area well and had been watching which way the Argentines had gone.

Photos this week are from the old camera as the new camera was to big to fit in my hand bag!

Half term is over so it's back to school for everyone. Busy as ever!

Hope all's well

Rachael.

Port Howard Again!

Hi

Well this was my 3rd visit to Port Howard but Allen's 1st. Allen had a few days off and it's also half term here so we decided to go for 2 nights to the West Island. I'd gone in April with 3 other mums plus 8 children so this time, with just our family, it was very different. We got the helicopter over at 9 in the morning so had all day Saturday and all day Sunday to explore. The helicopter didn't pick us up until 2pm on Monday so we did more in the morning too. I've included photos of a variety of walks we did. All involved Jacob and Abi throwing as many stones as possible and picking up as many bones as they could see. Allen made them pick their favourite 2 bones to return with!

Luckily, the helicopter was an hour early so the bones got left behind in the rush! The photo of the bones shows Abi making the skull dance, she was determined that she'd have enough to make a whole skeleton when she got them back to base, Allen was not keen. They also had great fun trying to build a dam to stop a small stream - another of the photos. The photos were taken using our new camera - can you tell?? We have already decided we need to buy another lense so we can zoom in more. We were also very lucky with the weather, we're just about in the middle of our winter here and we wouldn't have known it this weekend.

Now back home after a relaxing time away and have got to go out tonight, hosting a group who are visiting from the UK. Allen off for a couple more days later in the week, not sure what we'll get up to yet.

Hope all's well

Rachael.

School Technology week.

Hi

Jacob and Abi had a week of technology at school. They both had a task, Jacob had to build a house for the three little pigs that was strong enough to hold 250g on the roof. It had to have a door big enough for the pigs to fit through and also had to be pleasing on the eye. They experimented with different materials at the start of the week and then built their houses. Abi's task was to build the highest tower possible. We'd talked to her at home about it but she went in her own direction - what a surprise! There was also a prize in her category for the best looking tower. I've included photos of both of their efforts. Neither won a prize but I thought they did a good job. I liked Abi's the best out of her year groups as it was the most individual effort. We called it the leaning tower of Abi! Jacob was extremely proud of his and at least his had made it home in one piece.

Today we went to a free family showing of the Night at the Museum 2. Everyone in the family enjoyed it. After we popped to pre-school to add the names of 3 new children starting this week and had a bit of a tidy up. Then it was off for a Community Sunday lunch - all very social.

Allen and I went to the Sergeant's mess Saturday night. It was a fun night, a decent band were playing and we sat with a good crowd of people. Too much was drunk and Allen appeared out of bed in time to go to the cinema at 10.30!

This week will be hectic at pre school with numbers up to 13 now. At least that means I can employ 3 people a session which makes it so much easier.

Half term next week, can't wait!

Hope all's well

Rachael.

Little Miss Gappy!

Hi

As you can tell from the title, Abi lost her first tooth this week. It had been wobbly for nearly a week and finally fell out at lunch time at school. I was in pre school so Abi could come across and tell me. I've included a photo of her looking very proud with the gap!

I've also put in 2 photos from a 7 aside football competition they were both in today. We were playing Stanley, their infant team was a bit better than us but the juniors were well matched. Jacob and Abi had fun and didn't even realise that they hadn't won!

They then went to a birthday party this afternoon so it's been a busy day. Allen and I are off to a ski party tonight. Cheese fondue and ski wear, let's hope that they have all the windows and doors open or else we could be turning a tad pink.

Hope all's well

Rachael.

Sledging

Hi

Jacob and Abi have had so much fun sledging, we even went out before school this morning and did a few runs! I've included a couple of photos of them whizzing away. So as you can tell we got some more snow, quite a bit really as it made the flight have to turn around and go back to Ascension. The sun is out though and it will soon be gone. Jacob now needs another winter coat as his is hopeless and this is only the start to the winter hence it will get even colder.

My butchered cow arrives at 3.30pm, have cleared the freezer in readiness. Lucky it's being delivered today as Allen has invited 9 people round for tea on Sunday. Still car less. Hoping to get it back on Saturday. Has been a great excuse not to go to the gym! Abi fell over at school and we had to go to the med centre with her due to all the grit involved. She's fine but her face is bruised and grazed. They washed it all out at the doctors and she was very brave. No black eye but a black chin instead. Allen's exercise finished at work so no more 14 hour days for a while. Inspection at pre school next week, had a mouse there yesterday. We managed to chase it out of the door much to the children's amusement! Off to set a trap up there now.

Hope all's well

Rachael.

Burtha's Beach

Hi

We were meant to be going into Stanley today to go swimming, out for lunch and go toy shopping plus get Jacob some trainers. The car however had other ideas as it wouldn't start. The day it snowed we had the same problems and the nice MT people came and fixed it. Now it needs to go to the garage in Stanley so we are carless at the moment. Luckily a couple of families were going down to Burtha's beach so we got a lift with them. It was sunny but the wind and water were freezing. The boys rushed straight in, got soaked straight away so ended up going in in just coats and pants. They loved it for about 20 minutes and then realised how cold it really was. The 3 girls that went were very sensible and had races up and down the sand and paddled in the water. The 5 boys all needed a change of clothes and had very cold feet! Ben had it the worst as he fell flat in the water after about a minute of playing. So we got back, after everyone had warmed up in the cars, and all of the children played very well while the mum's had coffee. We got home and had showers to try and get rid of some of the sand and then I had a phone call suggesting bike riding would be fun as the sun was out. So I decided to put their stabilisers back on due to riding on the road and I couldn't physically cope with 2 children needing a helping hold and run technique. We were out with 9 other children having a great time riding up and down the road - luckily not that busy. As the sun disappeared so did we as it was getting rather cold. I took 2 extra home with me and we did art activities while Jacqueline (my neighbour) cooked tea for the kids. So it was an easy evening. I've included a photo of Jacob and Thomas running merrily out of the sea and then one of Abi and Emma wearing most of the make up Abi owns!

Rachael.