Monday, February 23, 2009

About time for an update - being nagged!!!






Not really Chloe, you just nudged me into something I should be doing!!!

So what news.... Well Jon has been off Island for a business trip to Orlando. I stopped speaking to him when he called me to tell me he was at the Hard Rock Cafe at Universal... lucky bugger! He was thrilled to find the Bubba Gump Shrimp Shop (as in Forrest Gump) so here is a pic (bit blurry as was taken on his blackberry).

They have finally called an election date on island - they announced it the day that the Stanford scandal hit the press - if you have missed it check it out on line - only a $9.2 billion dollar fraud! Fortunately we don't bank with the Bank of Antigua! So election day is March 12 which is great as the government are now pulling out all the stops to repair roads, street lights and have finally opened the new hospital which is state of the art and a $60 million dollar building.

They have a system here that when you vote, you have to dip your whole finger in a pot of black ink and it takes about 3 days to come off so all the islanders are going to be going around with one black finger! As there is only one terrestrial channel here the party political broadcasts are done by people driving around in cars with huge speakers on the roof yelling their support to their respective party (either UPP or ALP). A little annoying but more so when they do at at half six on a Sunday morning! 

Life is pretty much ticking along. Jon still loving his job. Alfie loves his new school and has been picked as one of 24 students in the entire school to create the school's web site so once it is up I will post it here so you can have a look at his handiwork. Charlie has started a new school too and is very happy. He has a lot of friends there and thinks it is "cool". Jon has quickly picked up some Antiguan sayings (more out of necessity) such as "I will walk with it" meaning I will take it with me.

It is much cooler this time of year, about 28 degrees in the day and 20 at night which is COLD!!!! I now wear a jumper at night and we have a blanket on the bed!!! I may even have to invest in some socks lol!!! Jon had a real shock when he went to Orlando as was about 8 degrees there - he was freezing!!!

But the beaches are still lovely, we went to the beach yesterday for a BBQ and then came home for a swim in the pool (well swim is a bit optimistic as is only 3 ft deep!) but is 15ft wide so can have a good splash about and float on a lilo and sunbathe. Rudi adores the pool and often asks to go in. He is really chatting now and trying to make sentences - so sweet! Here are some pics of him too. We MUST take more of the other two but they are not such posers so next time I shall have some more of them.

Well think that is it for now, miss you all, want you all here for a holiday -GET SAVING!!!!!

Loads of love from The Islanders xxxx


Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Back to reality....

Well Dad and Sally had a wonderful time and we spent most of it liming on the beach! We had a couple of good nights at Shirley Heights and they weren't too horrified with the car (apart from when the gear stick disappeared!). So now it is back to reality with the kids back at school and I have some part time work lined up.

Alfie is loving his new school and has just agreed to run the 800m - not sure where he gets that from - not me for sure! It is his birthday today - I can't believe he is 12 already!!

Rudi is speaking more and more by the day - his favourite word being "Gecko". Charlie just loves living here and has been for a sleep over at a friends house at English Harbour.

So all in all, life pretty much ticking along...