Coming Home

Well for those of you who don't know yet, it's official we are moving back to the UK. Our flights are booked for March 30th 2007 and we land in Manchester on March 31st.

Our reason, well Scott and work. The situation here has gone from bad to worse, (ask Scott and he'll tell you all about it) and unless we wanted him spending most of his time in the UK (which we don't) we have decided the best option is to go back.

Now how we feel about this is a mix of things really. As i sit here writing this blog i only have to look up to see the ocean. Hannah and Lauren have gone off for the day to Half Moon Beach with a friend and Jess is in the pool. Will i miss this..hell yes.
On the other hand we have had alomost a week with a lousy internet connection and a supermarket with hardly any food in it, will i mss this....hell no.

Another major downside to the move back is the packing issue. We arrived here with 2 fairly full containers of stuff and have to take quite a lot of this back in suitcases. A big thanks to Janine and Lloyd and Ethel and David who have already taken some cases back for us. The rest is proving difficult, i want to take as much back as possible, but there are some things that haven't been touched by the girls since we've been here, and well lets face it, if they haven't played with it in 18 months are they really going to miss it.... NO!!!!!! So we are getting rid of stuff by sale and giving it to needy homes.

On the upside, we are all looking forward to seeing family and friends we have dearly missed over the last 13 months. I will have 2 new nieces/nephews that i wouldn't otherwise have seen, Scott gets back civilization and Hannah and Lauren will see friends and re-join activities that they have dearly missed whilst they been here.
I think we have all gained an insight into society that we would never have got in the UK, the girls are all far more tolerant and confident than the were in the UK and we have learned a real appreciation of what living in a 3rd world country entails, which is both good and bad.
I obviously can't speak for anybody else, but i have really enjoyed my time here in Antigua and have made some lifelong friends.

Anyway, hopefully i will be able to download birthday pictures tomorrow and get them on the blog, but as i said earlier we have a really lousy internet connection at the moment so can't promise anything other than i will try.

Janine's Birthday

Janine's birthday in the sun turned out to be a birthday in the rain, but we had a great day and a fantastic meal at Pete' s

Hannah, Lauren and Jessica all dressed up.









David, who i finally managed to ge a shot of.








The birthday girl and Hannah












The littlest princess with her best smile

Christmas photos

Hannah and Lauren helping Jess to ride her new bike.








Lauren was over the moon with her new magic set.








Hannah on finding out she had got her gameboy advance and games.









Jess with her new bike.










All the crew at the the Jolly Harbour Christmas Party, not very often you can ave an outdoor Christmas Party. Everyone had a fab time, especially when Santa arrived by helicopter.

Art Show pictures

Hannah's grade also made tapestry











Lauren's grade made a bird sanctuary











Flying angels from Hannah's grade









Twinkle twinkle little star from Jessica's class

HAPPY NEW YEAR !!!!!!!!!!!

Happy New Year to all!!

Hope you all saw the New Year in in style and that good times were had by all.

We all spent a nice evening in with Ethel, David, Kath, Roman, Alyx and Kazia. The evening started off with the kids being pulled around in the ringo on the back of the jet ski, then everyone piled in to eat, thanks to Kath and Roman for some great potato salad, quiche and fried rice, not good for the waist line but bloody good to eat!!!!!

After that the children played for a while and then decided to go for a night time swim, mad if you ask me as the water was freezing but none of them seemed to care as they spent a good hour splashing around before they finally caved into the cold and got out for a nice hot shower.

After that it was Brother Bear 2 all around then the children watched cars and the care bears whilst the adults...... well chatted. Poor Alyx was asleep by 8.30 bless him but woke up to see in the New Year.

Have to admit to being a little disappointed by the New Year fireworks from Jolly Harbour, a better display was put on for Christmas but we all had fun walking down the North Beach road popping party poppers and blowing party horns whilst looking for the best fireworks going off. All in all a great night and certainly a hell of a lot better than last year when Scott went back to the UK on New Years Eve and i was home alone.

So again Happy New to all and we hope 2007 brings all you hope for.