The Macdonald files

It was sad to leave our freinds in Delaware..we spent a day in Washington checking out some museums and the whitehouse..which was exciting as president Bush was about to land there was lots of police and what looked like FBI on the roof! We travelled to Virginia and walked in the blue ridge mountains..beautiful we also saw a snake on the road .We visited a little town called Lexington which I fell in love with..art galleries ,book shops coffee and ice cream hangouts..organic grocery stores all lovely wooden houses in fantastic scenery..I could just live there..but I`d want all my freinds there too..Dawn whittle would like it..I could see it needing a handmade jewellry store..but there is no Primark(its only fault!).Today we woke up in Tenessee right near dollywood …a theme park homage to Dolly Parton!thought of Steve Kenyon! We didnt visit but went out walking in the smokey mountains everyone sounds just like you would imagine…and really freindly..like tennessee so far!We went up a mountain over 6000ft fantastic views..fab day.everything feels slower and I just want to saver every moment..the day came to a great end by seeing just off the roadside a bear with her cubs ..playing and climbing trees!!wonderfull to see..we were all so excited..a great day marvelling at the beauty of Gods creation.We then came sharply down to earth with another long drive to Nashville…with fighting children!!! they soon calmed down and slept,but woke on arrival to our motel room!Motels here are a bit hit and miss …generally very good cheap and clean and family room great!!but continental breakfast in some of them means a piece of cake or a doughnut !! kids thought they were in heaven having cake for breakfast!!others have been better..waffles bagels and cereals..more choice and we went in a pool for a swim after breakfast had loads of fun!On arrival in Nashville which looked like a really exciting place at night..to wander round places with live music and atmosphere..sadly all I did was wash laundry in the bath!!oh well!!we have about 8 hours drive tommorrow…going through memphis and hopefully get to the next state Arkansas!! thanks for you all keeping in touch were having great time but do miss home and freinds! oh happy 18th birthday to Jon and well done for passing your test!hope your still doing great job with PA!! Here is a photo of our banner and our day in Washington and virginia in the mountains..sorry it is small we dont know why please someone give us some tips!

keep on lookoing on xanga for bigger photos!

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Hi..spent the late afternoon at rehoboth beach..great..kids and us had lovely time.Earlier in the day Seth had noticed the nest outside the window with the eggs in had hatched..4 baby chicks..was so lovely to watch as the nest is right outside a downstairs window..we can see the mother bird coming and going and feeding them..its been great to watch..but as we were watching Seth shouted “theres a snake!” and there was climbing up the tree..practically in the nest..a small garter snake we think.We all rushed out trying to catch a snake and protect the baby birds.The snake was so quick..but attempted the nest a couple of times we kept knocking it down.When we returned from the beach the kids wanted check the nest so we looked on the nest through the window with torches..and theres a different snake..with mouth open and a chick in its mouth!!!well they all rushed out( apart from thier wimpy mother whos not too fond of snakes) in the dark and rain..and Hamish managed to catch the snake!! what a man!he was sad he had no camera to take what would have been a fab if not disgusting picture of it swallowing a chick!!Hamish put the snake in a large bin kids so excited Seth kept saying 2 snakes in one day and we have 50 weeks left yet!!(yikes cant wait to see what delights Austrailia will bring!) So the kids now have a pet snake for a couple of days..its a black rat snake..non venomous..all the kids have held it under strict supervision of thier father(mother ran off somewhere) It will be let go shortly! the 3 remaining chicks are doing well..and no snake dare go near them.We saw a british fish and chip shop at the beach..so we all sat outside it for a photo! car is running well so far!which is a relief!..tired going to bed Adios love Rachel.Enjoy the photos.x

Please for bigger photos go to… www.xanga.com/HamishandRachel Iam working on getting these bigger on this site..but as my closest freinds know I am an IT disaster ..but learning! !Any tips welcome!!xx oh my kids above are sowing potatoes..if its hard to see …set them to work we say!!

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Hi yes here is the new car!!looks ok doesnt it!..apart from the kids say it smells of sick ( it does )..but its probably gonna smell a whole lot worse after we have done 3000 miles in it!! Hey the radio works! definately the most important working part on a car I say….and its purple..a girlie colour…..and its a pontiac….classic American ..its done nearly 200000 miles!! we looked on a review site of the car which was pretty horryfying…..we laughed and laughed!! some reviews were great and we are hanging on to thier positive words!!but far too many of them slated our make of car..here of some of the repeatable ones!!….theft resistant..no-one wants to steal it……..It has won awards for being in the least reliable cars for the last 8 consecutive years!!!…..you have to try to make junk this bad!…..a rolling junkyard! Hamish found some saving graces in these next 2 comments……It looks sexy………and….picking up girls..no problem!! what!…Charlotte has told Hamish it takes a confident man to drive a pink car!It seems to run nice but you know our track record with cars..please pray this will be the exception to the rule!! and get us all the way to LA in time to catch flights to Guatamala!!We wont have resident mechanics likeJeff..my Dad and Dave Shep to come over and get the thing going! The car salesman couldn`t believe we were doing this trip and kept saying “is he for real” behind Hamish`s back…well I`m afraid he is real…..and I think were going to have fun!! I will end on a musical quote from a band some might know called fat and frantic……we will get there…….” on a spanner and a prayer”oh nothing to do with the car… George vernon I have already used your journal…I`m hoping to use the church piano in the next couple of days….feeling songs coming along!! and Katie I have used your lttle manicure set my nails have never looked so nice!!! having a bit of space to actually do them is lovely! thankyou ..miss you all guys!! write soon…keep us in your prayers..cheers veronica…yes we have brought the banner you all painted for us photos for how many uses of a banner will follow!!!!! they will be good.And our camera broke!!we have to buy a new one ..If only Nik vernon had lent us his new one!!!!!!!!! hope all is well at church ,I miss playing lots but sure everyones doing a great job!God bless you all.thanks for all your emails ..appreciate them!love Rach and Ham and kids.Please anyone with Anitas number please give her a call feel like we cant communicate with no mobile set up as yet..and tell her we miss her.!cheers

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