Christmas Preparations - Day 178

Christmas is well and truely upon us. We have a tree - a potted palm from outside brought in for the season, decorated with flashing fairy lights that extend around the door and over the window. The tree is decorated with sparkly tinsel and home made decorations which involved cardboard, pasta, copious amounts of glue and gold spray paint. Under the tree presents cascade onto the floor - these are regularly fondled and loved but the little people know that none are for them. Santa has been written to - in case he didn't know where we were, and has replied with very wobbly writing as he was so cold from the snow! Our friend Chad has asked Santa for super powers, including x-ray vision, laser beams and the ability to fly, I think this is wonderfully ambitious and has caused lots of discussion. Our wishes were a little more tame and have to be limited to what we can carry in our luggage.

School is now over for the children. We think it has been a great experience for them. Zac recieved an excellent end of term report and scored an A+ overall. Maxi's teachers said they couldn't say much about him as he was never in class but they reported that he was always very busy doing I'm not sure what. Maxi did take his poetry test and was marked 50% - the teacher said "I have never heard Baa Baa Black Sheep quite recited like dat before!" I can imagine many Maxi variations and embellishments in that particular recital.

The Christmas concert was a fantastic achievement, Zac was a fairy light along with the rest of his class and sang and danced with due diligence. Maxi, resplendent in a green shirt and red bow tie, was threatened with licks if he didn't sing and spent much of the time wringing his hands and looking concerned but afterwards he reported that he had done very well so all was OK.

Christmas holidays are just another excuse for us to take more excursions and adventures around the island. We have travelled to the east coast - a long stretch of straight coast-line that is lined with coconut palms for as far as the eye can see, where the sea is warm and the waves gentle. We have (finally) done a hike up the Maryann river in Blanchisseuse where we waded up the river, climbed over lot of fallen bamboo and trees and finally plunged into the cool waters for a swim. It has rained so much here recently that the river was higher than we have ever seen it, and the natural water slides that we have played in before were too fast flowing for all of us so we had to make do with the river pools instead. we have visited the Point-a-Pierre Wildfowl Trust where Zac held a Rainbow Boa and is more determined than ever to have a reptile as a pet.

We have visited Hanuman the monkey god (a 100' high statue), and the Temple-by-the-sea a tiny hindu temple on a walkway that stretches out into the bay and finally to the zoo, a special trip for Maxi which was better than expected as it had many caiman, a huge snake collection and lots of toucans. We have also returned several times to Toco which is beginning to feel like a home from home!

We have a Christmas party planned for Christmas Eve to welcome my Mum who arrives the day before and to thank all our friends for everything. Christmas will be spent partly here and partly in Toco where we shall spend a few days. If all goes well we shall be partying at a friends for New year. So everything is planned and anticipation is high. Maxi asks after Santa every day and each morning we fight to stop him from opening every door on his advent calendar - time goes too fast as it is it seems without wishing it away before we can enjoy it!

Have a wonderful Christmas everyone and may all your New Year resolutions come true. Lots of love xxx