A-shopping I did go...

I went shopping today and came home with an item that I did not expect to come home with.

I mostly don't regret the impulsive purchase, in fact very little of me regrets it at all, the only wee problem is that this lovely new thing is quite big and I (and my mum - gulp - she has no idea!!) live in a very small bedsit with barely enough room for us let alone the lovely new thing too.

I bought something I have had my eye on for years and vowed I would get before I returned home to NZ. I had thought I would get the full version of it and not the 'play' version of it. But it was the toy one that presented itself to me today with a sign on it (I think only I could see it though) saying 'Buy me Jenn - you know you want to'.

Daisy and Tom is closing - can you believe it?? I can't. It's the best toy shop I have ever had the pleasure of shopping in. It has always had just slightly different things that other places don't have. It also has the most incredible range of children's clothing upstairs. Slightly out of my price range - except for today. It also has it's own Merry-go-round that runs a few times every day for the children to ride on free of charge. Upstairs in the clothing section it has an automated puppet show.

They sometimes stocked the full size Silver Cross coach built pram that I dreamed of taking home with me one day. But what they always did stock was the children's one. I often looked up on the top shelf where it sat on display and thought how nice it would be to have one for myself.

Today my wish came true and I have a Silver Cross doll's pram all to myself. I am just not that sure how my mother will react when she arrives home to find it parked in our small room. I do think she will be a little more underdstanding when she sees that it is in fact a twin doll's pram.

I have 2 weeks in which to break it to her gently...

Where did it go...?

I could have sworn it was 2007 last time I looked.

Suddenly it appears it is 2008 and I am left wondering where 2007 went. Over the hill and far away it seems.

It's been a busy year and one with ups and one with downs - but more ups then downs. Overall a rating of about 7.5/10. Not bad at all. 2008 will hopefully continue as it has started (all 1 hour 14 minutes of it...) with more very enjoyable work, some (lots) more lovely NZ wine and of course the important factor - heaps of travel.

Happy New Year and may all your dreams be realised.

xxx

Santa came to see me last night

I had a visit from Santa at 2am this morning. I think I was supposed to be asleep, but as it was only an hour after finishing feeding the baby I was still mucking around.

He thought he was sneaking in, but I saw him all the same.


This morning I had to wake the baby up as she was still sleeping much too soundly at 7am - and I could hear squeals of delight (from 3 older children) coming from the parents bedroom. I took the baby and my stocking downstairs to find a pile of gifts, paper and people that barely left space for the baby and me!! We had to mountain climb our way in to the bedroom...

Thank you Santa for my presents, I was especially pleased to get the clementine - it reminded me of my childhood Christmas stockings!

Dark, damp and deeply different...

...from the Caribbean, but I'm so pleased to be back in London!!

I've been back in London 5 full days now and quite happy to be here. Our flights back were relatively uneventful. The small plane was once again a hit with the boys. It was quite exciting being able to see the pilot and of course the view was much better. The big plane was easy with lie flat seats, except perhaps that it took 3.5 hours to serve dinner hence lights out didn't happen until half way through the flight! The poor wee boys were unable to sleep until it went quiet and dark. We had 2 very tired and grumpy little being upon arrival at Gatwick at 6am.

Mum left for New York on Friday so I missed her by two days. I won't see her now until I go there myself in January.

I've been back at work for 2 days and so far so good. Six weeks here then off to NY.

This time tomorrow...

...I will be packed and nearing ready to go.

There will be a few things I shall miss, tortoises in the garden, on the road, near the beach and under the trees.

Lizards galore - same places as above.

The Hummingbird that flits around the Orchid tree as dusk and hovers around the flowers enjoying the nectar - desperately avoiding the camera but occasionally being too nosey and coming right up to me whilst I try so hard to get that elusive photo.

The warty toads that sit near the lights in the garden waiting for it's dinner to fly near enough...

The constantly changing view of the islands and the sea. Today choppy and cloudy, yesterday calm and mill pond still.

I'm not so sad to be leaving the hot, uncomfortable temperature - I'll see how long it takes for that sentiment to change!!

Basil's

Basil's is one of the 3 bars on the island but is the more established of them all. They have the occasional 'Jump Up' a rather lively evening with a band and lots of expensive cocktails on offer.

I arrived late and had one glass of champagne, one passionfruit and vodka cocktail and 3 Baileys and chocolate cocktails. I chatted with an American woman who's husband is an upholsterer. They were contacted a week ago to do some work for someone and found themselves flown out here for a week. She was so shocked that not only would they fly her and her husband here, put them up in the house with meals provided by the chef, fully kept, but they were going to pay him as well!! Hilarious!

I then met a Kiwi bloke who manages a few properties here and he promised to show me some of them - I'm not holding my breath. The Kiwi population seems to be one of the highest not counting local, British or US. Not that I am sure they are of the good ambassadorial types...

Off to the beach now for the daily dipping of sore ankles (not much skin left for the little blighters to eat now).

OK, so maybe it's not so bad...

Boy, not sure what I was on earlier! But I'm not on it now!

After writing my last blog I went for a 'drive'. I say 'drive' instead of drive simply because it is hard to go for a drive on an island that is 3 miles long and 1.4 miles wide. It is however possible to go for a 'drive'.

I went to the north end of the island and looked for the Herons. None there so went to a little beach instead. Spent 4-5 minutes there - long enough to dip my well eaten ankles in the sea and take a photo of a palm tree. Retraced my earlier drive in the hope I would see a Heron... none there. Until I was about to go 'round the bend (haha) and I saw, from the corner of my eye, one fly in so up the road to do a U turn and then back to take another dozen or more photos.

I'm guessing the occupants of the villa right where the Heron was may have wondered why I went past their place 3 times - innocent I promise!

Off to the airport - approximately 45 second drive - and a little plane was about to take off so stopped to have a look and snap another photo. Into 'town' (3 shops) to get a can of coke ($EC4 - Eastern Caribbean dollar) and a chat with the shop keeper.

As I was heading back to the car a man stopped me and asked if I had made it to the Lagoon the other day... Took me a moment to recognise him and the one who gave me directions - turn left up the road between the 2 trucks, turn right, follow the road to the incinerator, but keep going - not nice there, first break in the bush on the right and follow road all the way to the end. I did make it and it was well worth the bother. We had a little chat and as like so many here he is from St Vincent and works here.

The lagoon is a fresh water oversized pond that housed an amazing amount of wildlife - approx 1GB worth of photos I'm guessing. There is a walk with a trail of information which was very informative.

Oh how nice it is to be happier!!