X Factor

Hi

Had a busy last week of term and we are finally on our winter holidays! The pre school fund raiser was great fun last weekend. One of our neighbours won a bottle of Moet and kindly gave it to us when she found out it was our 12th Wedding Anniversary. Can't believe it was 12 years ago, I can still remember Allen doing his handstand in his kilt like it was yesterday! So we did enjoy our anniversary. Different to normal as we try to go away/ out for a romantic meal etc... Bit difficult down here especially when the snow comes in and everything is shut including all the roads. From that comment you can probably tell it has snowed a bit, well not just a bit a lot. At least 5 ft snow drifts. Our car couldn't cope with the cold so we got lifts from kind neighbours. It was too cold/too deep to walk anywhere even though we don't live that far from anything. No school closures though as everyone can get in the military did get a half day which I thought was a bit off. I've included a photo of the children near our house in the snow. They have had a great time in it all. The ice caused lots of heating to break, not ours thankfully and also the water tower to crack so we've had no water for 24 hours. I have just about used all the pans we filled up but I suppose there's lots of snow outside that I could use too! It should be fine later, we'll see. So no showers this morning.

Jacob and Abi took part in the X Factor at school. It was an end of term thing. Jacob played the recorder. I had no part in this. He was up on stage with 2 of his friends and did a great job. Abi did a ballet dance to Hi Ho with her best friend Emma. They loved it and looked very sweet. They also did a class song that was very funny - I won't survive. It was about staying in the same class with the same teacher due to being in a small school - Jacob and Abi stay with Miss Scott for the next school year. Abi's not bothered by this but Jacob's not so keen. We actually went in to discuss his report with his teacher as we felt it was extremely negative and made him out to be a difficult child. I know he's not an angel! She was very helpful and did apologise as she didn't mean it to be a negative report. She has suggested a behaviour chart idea that we are going to use in September when he returns to school. It was good to talk to her and stopped me worrying so much. School holidays now and it's lovely to just not rush in the morning. We have got to go to pre school and sort it as I won't have any time when we return from the UK. We fly out on Tuesday - flight dependent as the flight this week got turned around and didn't make it to the Falklands. We have gradually run out of fruit and veg. The plane landed last night so there should be food in the shops again!

Anyway hope to meet up with lots of you over the next few weeks,

Rachael.

Go-Karting and other bits!

Hi Everyone

Had great fun at the Go-Karting track last weekend. It was a wives trip out to the local race track on base. I've included a photo of me and Rebecca, she's the one in the green suit and I chose not to wear one. I however got covered in muddy water so next time I'll look as silly as she did! I couldn't stay for the whole time as Allen was home with the children and he wasn't well with his elbow infection. He's much better but it still hasn't cleared up after 10 days on antibiotics. He goes back to the Dr at the end of the week. So I didn't get a medal on the Karting as they counted your laps. I have to say I wasn't bad, I think I would have been second overall. Allen went karting the following weekend and he won a trophy. I've suggested a go of wives against husbands and it seems popular. I don't think I'll beat Allen but I think I'll beat most of the other husbands.

Also had 5 families around to say farewell to the Dr and his family. They are off to the sunny climbs of Texas. Abi wore her cowboy boots and cowboy hat for their farewell!

It also snowed quite a bit so we, of course, went sledging. The snow had drifted so it went up to my tummy in places.

Went to a dinner night in the Mess on Saturday, it was a British summer time theme. Good fun and much more relaxed than normal.

Jacob and Abi had a knights and princess day at school on Friday. They'd been doing a castle topic for 2 weeks and had a party at the end to celebrate. I've included photos of them dressed up. We have a busy rest of week. Took pre school on board HMS Gloucester today. I was most impressed. Unfortunately they have had swine flu on the ship and they only found out after our visit, oh well. I'm taking the pre schoolers to see the helicopters this week too. Off out in Stanley tomorrow night for dinner and then a pre school fund raising dinner on Saturday. I'll need a rest when we get back to the UK!

Hope all's well

Rachael.

Tornadoes, arts week and the beach.

Hi

I have had a cold and have also been very busy down here but have finally got a day to myself! Did a trip to see the Tornadoes with pre school. We all enjoyed it and I had fun sitting in the cockpit - see photo. Did you know female pilots wear big nappies on long flights, the children giggled at this! It was sad though that the day after we'd visited a Tornado crashed in Fife with the 2 air crew being killed. It was very sad down here as they were known to a lot of people, Allen included.

Jacob and Abi had a big arts week at school. Jacob performed in a play. It was set in Victorian London and had slang in it. Jacob did well to learn his lines as it was lots of 'ere, 'and, feelin' etc. I've included a photo of him and his friend Harry dressed as street children - Jacob sold violets. Abi was a mouse for her performance. She loved it and showed off particularly well! They then both got swimming certificates, Duckling 5, the highest one they could get for their class. They are both good little swimmers. Jacob also got his 3rd smiley certificate, beating his sister so he was well pleased.

Last weekend we celebrated July 4th and invited around 20 people. I did American food and drink. We started at 6pm and kicked the last people out at 11.30pm. I let Allen have a long lie in on the Sunday, it'll be my turn next weekend! Sunday afternoon we headed down to Burtha's beach as it was sunny if chilly. I've included photos from the beach. We all had a great time.

This week as been busy. Allen's been on exercise so stayed at work for 48 hours, they pretend they are at war. Chicken pox has hit pre school and we had 7 off with it so it was a quiet week there. I've started helping out at the local cafe as a volunteer so I can now work a coffee machine - hot milk and foam. The cakes are lovely there too. I did 2 afternoons but am probably only going to do one normally. Haven't been to the gym this week due to my cold. Still can't breath and my nose is a glowing red colour.

Was hoping to take the children sledging after school but the snow is melting, had a few snow falls this week, so it'll have to be the cafe instead!

Hope all is well

Rachael.

More Sledging

Hi
We have had more snow over the past week and we, at last, got to go sledging. Jacob and Abi are so busy after school during the week it's hard to get out and play in the snow, especially as it's dark by 4pm. So Saturday morning we made up for it and sledged for a good hour and a half. I've put 3 photos in. One of Abi doing a backwards roll down the snowy bank, one of Jacob post sledge and one of Harry sledging with Jacob looking on.

The other photo is of Jacob and Abi in PJ's, it was the wrong trouser day at school and they could wear anything wrong! Jacob had been off the day before with a cold, he's still got a cough, hope he makes it into school tomorrow.

Allen and I went out to a fund raiser last night. It was fun if a bit loud - how old are we??? Had a Sunday lunch thing at the Mess which was very social but we're knackered due to our night out. Busy week this coming week with book club and a ladies leaving thing too. Having an American night for the 4th July, so it's be wings, chili and brownies.

Hope all's well

Rachael

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.