The Macdonald files » Delaware

our freinds

admin — Mon, 14 May 2007 01:23:59 +0000

Hi thought you all might like to see our freinds and thier kids.We first met charlotte in Honduras in 1997..she was helping in a mission close to where we were..we invited her to our place..and got along great…charlotte has a great sense of fun and a big heart..we all spent a lot of time together including the terrible time of hurricane mitch.In the orphanage where we were was where she met Oscar…. a Honduran worker in the orphanage..who was also a great guy a great worker with the kids…well to cut a long ( actually not that long!!) story short we watched the romance blossom and 2 months after we left for the uk they were married!!they now have 4 of the most gorgeous kids you`ve ever seen….not just in looks but in lovely little characters..so I`ll show you some photos of the” cafe con crema kids”…oscars quote meaning coffee with cream in spanish!Its great to see them parenting thier kids so well..and both of them doing well and happy .They have a very peaceful home.. busy but peaceful….we will miss them when we go…and hopefully they will come and stay in England and we will drive them everywhere too!!ALWAYS WELCOME !!

For more pictures of our outings and of our friends please visit their blog at www.xanga.com/mujerfeliz The photos there are bigger and easier to see, since we have not learned how to make our photos larger yet.

Fun in the garden

admin — Thu, 10 May 2007 02:30:16 +0000

Hi..will let you see some photos of charlotte and Oscars huge garden..or should I say collection of fields!Hamish likes mowing the lawn better than at home..I think due to the fact that he uses a tractor..and boys like thier toys..he takes a child or 2 and calls it childcare!!the kids love it!!The kids helped make cookies and charlotte made strawberry pie which we are eating now good food!! went into macdonalds and ordered a coffee “what size mam!” I said small..and they guy said you can get a large for the same price so I said I`d have a large thankyou!!..well it cost about 30p and was the size of a large coke…I started giggling..saying it was REALLY large…he looked at me with a here`s a strange little english mad person look on his face..but totally impressed..shared it with Charlotte..great value!!Anyway getting back to the garden..played in paddling pool today..and the kids found fresh snake skin…they were so excited Hamish decided to go on a snake hunt through the woods!! boots on insect repellant on..and a big stick to fight off anacondas!!..sadly the only thing that was found was a deer skull..pretty cool..and Hamish came back bitten to death by mosquitos…they think he`s pretty tasty out here!..we booked some tickets today to fly from LA to Guatamala city for eight pounds !!! that will save much trecking in Mexico…we were reading a funny but scary story about bandit activity along the rd we were to travel on.It happened to Hamish and I before we had kids but dont fancy it with 3 blond kids..we had planned to do it but with these tickets being so cheap..it seems like a good option..and its a good budget airline here in the states.so in a short while when we have purchased a car we will be travelling across to california..we will keep you posted of the route we plan to take. ( pray its a good one….Ham phoned about one you needed a screwdriver to start it…we had a car like that once).Hopefully it wont be that one!!Keep posting..oh the youth at southport elim church are the best!!thanks for all your comments its great to be in touch with you..you are all fab..lots of love Rachel Hanish and Rascals.

animal encounters

admin — Tue, 08 May 2007 02:30:33 +0000

Hi it is late andI want to go to bed but thought I`d spend a few moments talking about my kids favorite subject…animals!! Flora..as indeed all the kids were delighted with 2 kittens found here..after telling my kids for weeks( and the point laboured after every rabies jab !!) we are all cooing over scabby kittens with gummed up eyes and our kids are playing with them and obtain some scratches by the fiesty wild things!!our freinds tell us not to worry so we wont too much!!

Today we went to a pet shop to see pythons ,spiders and other creatures that parents hate and kids love…isnt this a lovely picture of man and beast in perfect harmony…

Seth thinks of himself as a bit of a steve urwin..and is trying to lift the tortoise…actually to look at its bum..and is trying to feed it..( not with his little sisters)..I said “its fine we used to have a tortoise and they are really sweet…it wont hurt you……..” tortoise turns nasty.”.I`m coming to get you!”

..killer turtle plants a bite right on the end of his finger..Seth cries..it bit me very hard..tears roll..but he is very brave and shows his blood to the camera so hopefully his mates at school can see yet another scar.Goodnight.

Delaware USA

admin — Sun, 06 May 2007 21:00:40 +0000

Hi some more updates and pictures for you all..the first is of us waiting to board the plane and hamish captured me talking to my mum

We had a wonderful evening with charlotte and her extended family..the kids made a fire and we cooked hotdogs and my children were shown how to make toasted marshmellows..gorgous..though our inexperience resulted in a few.”.marshmellows are on fire mum”!!!..and floras sausage was doing great till it fell to the ground!!! a great fun evening very chilled people do this lots round here apparantly!!we do look a bit like gypsies in the photos..but hey weve just had an email from my dad saying “calling all gypsies”!!!

I think you`ll find travellers is more PC!! The children had thier first recorder lesson from mum..a travelling trio..I hope to put them to work busking if times get hard!!!the kids were quick to learn and enjoyed making music(??) shame everyone within a 5 mile radius didnt fully appreciate the joys of creative play ( what possessed me to bring recorders…we might swap to harmonica lessons on route!)

We visited fort delaware and had a great history lesson in the American cicil war( whoops..the Civil war )Seth was delighted with a shooting show..and scrambling round the prisons…on the way back across from the ferry there was a car show and the kids were able to go on fire engines and army trucks.wonderful..here is our son..role playing some death and destruction…its what 10 yr olds do best!!

we then went on to some fab gardens which were so beautiful I could of stayed there forever..our freinds got a family pic so we thought we would send you all proof that we are all still alive..if not a little weary!!love to all who reads this God bless..thanks for your comments it makes us miss you more but warms our hearts to hear from good freinds.Rachel and Clan xx

The arrival

admin — Sat, 05 May 2007 01:22:32 +0000

The journey..started with Jeff taking us to Liverpool..we ate great salt and pepper chips from the chippie in Walton and sat in Aldi car park..we had an hour to spare Hamish got the time wrong an hour early! a miracle!!so we got to the station calm and not running down the platform waving frantically at the train in our usual style!!the train to London was great..parents ..its a wonderful thing to do with your kids..modern trains..Seth kept opening the doors just by placing his hands on a sensor in the door..it was play star wars all the way!! Darcy on the other hand…was pretending she was in dr whos tardis in the toilet..which brings me onto the highlight of this trip..electric doors on toilets!!!seth was messing aboutwith the buttons outside the loo..and to his horror…daddy was sat on the loo..I heard hamish shout!! I was about to tell seth off for being silly but could not contain myself it was a magic moment..and I think Hamish will lock doors in future but its a trick worth trying kids!!Getting across London at 11 oclock at night with kids and far too much luggage and heavy rugsacks..was hot..and tiring..but had some laughs..some American tourists wanted to take a picture of Flora..they asked her so kindly ..”may we take your photo” she said no and turned her head..at which Seth piped up “you can take mine!”which they did whilst he was pulling his best zombie face..the carriage was having a good old giggle at our 3 all pulling faces at these very freindly Americans!!will they let us in to the states?we safely got to our freinds ..Alex and Alethia’s house..we were greeted by home cooking at midnight..they are so great! thankyou so much!Morning comes and Rachel turns into neurotic shaking pathetic creature..planes dont fly in my mind only crash!!talked to my mum who tells me God is in complete control..this I know but stomach is telling me otherwise..Hamish got me to go in the cockpit with the kids to meet the captain..he said it would help..it did!! the captain ( and the co pilot!)were so handsome I forgot I was in a plane immediately!!! wonderful.The flight was good.. films great, virgin airlines couldnt fault…we land in America I could cry with relief and excitement we are here and its happening..and it feels very liberating.We meet an Irish couple who were visiting thier daughter..ask us about our trip they are so supportive of what we are doing..which is nice it beats the ” with kids:!! reaction ..we exchange emails….travelling really is about the people you meet.We get through immigration..perhaps easier and less questions now Hamish has no dreadlocks..I chopped his hair in the garden the day we left.We were met by Charlotte and her father and travelled to Delaware..and chatted..great to be reunited with her and later her husband Oscar and thier 4 gorgeous kids.They live in a great wooden house with load s of land and a chicken farm..comfy beds and lots of food weare going to be fine here..its scary though the kids have started asking for soda !!more soon early start tomorrow..send photos soon..love and God bless Rachel.