The Macdonald files » General

Live | Some New Venues Dates

admin — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 20:48:55 +0000

Hi all,

Rachel here, just to let you know,

Princess Diana gardens lord St Southport 5th sept singing at a prayer day starting at 12.

Same venue Sunday 13th sept singing two 15min sets at the international day starts at 1pm.

Myself and band in Concert at Elim Christian centre Manchester Rd 6.30 sept 27th Sunday.

Thanks alot Keep smiling Rach.

Roatan in Honduras, Raratonga and pictures from the Cook Islands

admin — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 09:20:35 +0000

Roatan in Honduras

beach at west bay

Flora is holding a night monkey

Seth with Iguana

Raratonga

Chillin’

Sunset

Cook Islands

Hey yesterday we saw a stone fish ahh

the beach near where we stayed

Seth feeding fish in the sea

Happy New Year

admin — Mon, 31 Dec 2007 23:11:24 +0000

Hello and happy new year to you all. We flew yesterday from NZ to Vanuatu a group of Islands in the South Pacific..looks lovely but havn`t explored much yet.We are here for a week then back to NZ to catch a flight to OZ.The islands here are ruled by chiefs and you need to get thier permission to go on thier island…totally different way of life..very relaxed..we are pleased it runs on Macdonald time!Looking for a nice place by the water to eat tonight to bring in the new year..never done new year by the beach..think it will be great.It is very hot and wet..we are in rainy season..it is 31 celsius…rainy much of the time..and 80% humidity..hard to sleep..but thankfully have a fan in our room..which helps despite sounding like a helicopter!The children enjoyed mum and dad frantically trying to kill the most enormous flying cochroach sat on the wall near sleeing Flora..I had almost forgotten about tropical sized creatures due to civilized NZ!and what a joy it was to drink water out of a tap!I am thankful the children remain in good health and spirits they have missed home at Christmas time..but are enjoying all the bizarre and wonderful experiences.I hope they will not be too bored when we return..I think it will be an adjustment for them.Oh Hamish got a speeding fine in NZ..rather quiet for the rest of the day..as was his driving!!We all went to hot water beach that day..at low tide you dig a hole in the sand that fills up with boiling thermal water..fantastic the kids loved it.Hope to post some pics of cook islands and New Zealand we have found a good internet cafe in Vanuatu overlooking the harbour..it had movie night last night..they put up a screen and it was Star Wars..Seth was impressed!so we will post later..thanks for all that write to us..take care Happy New Year the Macdonalds.XXX

Married fifteen years

admin — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 00:02:47 +0000

Hi all..things are going well and yet another week passed.woke up this morning and wanted to do something English so had marmite on toast..(bought at home…from my mum for flora who loves it) .and a boiled egg..yummy!never short of eggs round here..chickens everywhere.Eva lent us an abba cd listening to ..the winner takes it all..nearly crying what a saddo…think its one of the most beautifully written songs..on my diverse list of all time greats!this week was our wedding anniversary(15yrs!..wow.).We went to a most gorgeous restaurant overlooking Tegucigalpa..dead romantic and fantastic food…(great company?)Had a really special evening..followed by doing our weekly shop in the city..because we had the use of a car..beats lugging it up the mountain on a bus!honestly..the practicalities of life..it was like going to the Ritz then nipping to Tesco for tea bags on the way home!!we can still laugh about these things.Eva looked after the children they had a fab time..certainly weren’t asleep when we returned..but happy and well.This week has given us all aching muscles..walking for hours each day with different groups of kids up mountains we live at the height of ben nevis then walk another 2 hours up!you can feel it in your lungs and your legs!but gorgeous and have seen some lovely views.Had a good day representing Britain at joshuas school(Leonis son……as I`v said before..shes looking for a husband..but only millionaires need apply)We painted union jacks on our faces made bonfire toffee..and had a lovely day!everyone is cold at the moment..I have a fleece on tonight..but its still 70 degrees but with a cold wind..the Hondurans would have a shock in Britain in November!singing at church inTeguc tomorrow..and going to a friends house early for lunch should be nice..off to the finca church tonight just made a chilli for everyone..for the prayer time after church..should warm everyone up!Hamish not impressed I turned on the water in the kitchen when he was having a shower ..it turns the shower off..no water pressure..he was shouting and I didn’t hear him!you also cant flush the loo if you want water!!the joys!allthe children are fine..Darcy thankfully on the mend after e-coli and amoebas diagnosed in her tummy…antibiotics have worked wonders..she is much better now.Best go hopefully send photos tried last week but connection so bad as thunder storms !!so slow to send..hopefully this week.Love to all God bless Rachel and clan.

Of scrummy food

admin — Sun, 21 Oct 2007 22:30:05 +0000

Well..its Sunday morning..I have just microwaved my cornflakes !!!those who are nearsest and dearest to me are not a bit surprised by that information….but I should be having a great morning….had a bit of a lie in..the children stayed at Evas house last night..they wanted to go and sleep there to catch scorpians!!they were so excited..we packed them off with their pyjamas..a night in the hut in the woods!!of course I was a bit worried..especially as it’s a very wet rainy season..but we enjoyed a night of real rest..not being pushed around in the middle of the night by our 3(especially Flora).We watched a film on the laptop and had a lovely evening.!Wanted to show you some pictures of a walk we went on yesterday up the mountains with the older boys.We went to one of the workers houses..she is called Mecedes..but the kids call her grandma!She is such a hard worker she sets off at 5 every day to get down the mountain in pitch black..there is no electricity there yet….and works 2 jobs…washing with no machine..and tons of other real hard labour..she says she has never had to have a day off sick.She is fab with all the kids always has time and patience for them..the kids love her.She then prays in the church she helped to build..(how I don’t know…she has nothing!)she prays at 3 in the morning!!and says its like fire!!her whole life is work and service for others..no leisure time….she is an amazing woman.I`m sure this is why the church of Latin America is growing so rapidly..faithful people praying.We took coke and crisps for everyone and she had made spagetti bol for us all..fantastic!!it was a day of eating yesterday..pancakes in the morning..sandwich at lunch..spaghetti 2 hours later..then I had friends from the village round cos they wanted me to make spaghetti for them!!(more!!) they brought a bottle of wine and ice cream..then after we dropped off the kids with Eva returned for a meeting with everyone concerning plans for school for the kids..and guess what more food..typical Honduran delights then Hamish whipped out a chocolate bar he had bought for me as a surprise…Always room for chocolate I say!!yummy it was like a mars bar…but as not used to it here felt a little sick!..we felt like it was Christmas all day…Vicar of diblys Christmas I think we should fast today.I`m playing keyboard in Teguc tnight..will enjoy that ..it’s a real break from the routine which really helps me!hopefully retrieve our children soon and walk to the market to buy the most fabulous bread!love to you all God bless you..Rachel and Cl

Interesting porridge

admin — Mon, 15 Oct 2007 01:22:17 +0000

Hi a few moments to myself..so here again..well another week almost passed..its been a funny week…not a bad one…just a slow and rather tiring one.The weather has been stormy and rainy..which turns most roads to mud..not pleasant.The week started with me asking the pharmacist in the village if she had any medicine for a wart on my thumb and for verucas on darcys feet…be warned..village life is not for the fainthearted!!!she said I would have to go to Teguc for medicine..but said she had a failsafe method for removing them!!I was all ears…here goes…….we had to draw a little blood from the wart(there is some truth in this bit)…then put a coin over it and walk around the whole village and it would be gone!! I nearly fell over and thought of Andrew tickle….giving out that advice over the counter at Boots…she saw my look of disbelief and told me it was true..she did it to hers and its never returned…wow.Characters everywhere.It has been the fair all week…very noisy..it wouldn’t be allowed back home..guys with loud speakers in their cars..all night..totally outrageous but quite the norm here.Missed home this week..and all its comforts…cold showers when its raining and cold are not nice..but most people have to wash outside..it could be worse.There are a family of cochroaches living in the microwave..they sit in the clock section..cant get them out….horrid.Flora made us laugh this week..she loves porridge and eats it every morning…but this batch had loads of insects in it..small long brown beetles with legs!she had eaten most before I noticed things wriggling…I asked her..did you have any black things in your porridge she said yes..they had legs on I left them but Dad ate one to show me they were ok….save me from this madness.It reminds me of a very famous lasagne Emma cooper made in Honduras with weavels in the flour….we ate and we lived.Miss my piano nearly as much as my friends making do with small keyboards isn’t the same but better than nothing.Darcy lost her tooth this week whilst eating sugar cane! over the pile of sand and cement outside the house..I gave a group of kids a sieve they had such fun trying to find it which they eventually did.Mummy and Daddy did the unthinkable….the tooth fairy didn’t come!!!we told her the Spanish are never in a rush and she would probably come tomorrow…Manana!!and she bought it she has obviously been here too long!hope to go to the Holy hole in teguc with leonie…a church which meets in a shack in a deprived and dangerous part of town..she says it smells awful and I`ll die when I see it..but its full of the prescence of God..sounds good.We went up to Munda and renees house this week .They live in the mountains and have very little most English people would struggle to stay there for a night..never mind a lifetime..but I love going ..they are the most warm generous people..always smiling and thankful love them…fine people a real role model.Their house is always open they share everything and their faces seem to shine..no other way to describe them.Wonderful people ..I always come away from their home feeling better in some way.Anyway going to the commodore(dining room…of sorts!)we are all eating together today wonder what it will be!I`m hungry so it will taste good I`m sure.Love to you all.Rachel and clan.PS we are going to leonis son Joshuas international day at school this Thursday..so we are going to help them represent England amidst all the yanks here ….should be a laugh…send more photos soon.

Another Blog

admin — Mon, 14 May 2007 04:13:35 +0000

Just to let you know that we will have another blog. I have just started it tonight, to see if we had a better way of sharing our photos. It seems good and a little speedier, we will probably keep both Blogs going, Rachel writing this one(witty and funny) giving a girl perspective and i’ll try and write the other one, but least i’ll have the photos! all you have to do is go to www.xanga.com/HamishandRachel