HENRY and RANDY

For those of you who know us birthdays are an event.  

So here are some pics for you to share some recent b-days.

Princess kitty wished Henry a happy birthday.  That was his favorite.

The hard part about birthdays is not having family to share the day.

Mary is expecting everyone here on December 19th.  So I hope you all bought your plane tickets!

crazy weather

Yesterday we had a taste of true Azorean weather.  It rained, a steady, heavy, cats and dogs type.  Poured, all day long.  I think there was about an hour at lunch when it rained lightly, but then it came back full force. 

 I tried to stay home and enjoy the sounds of rain in its varying degrees on the roof, but I had to go to the post office and phone company.  The post office is closed for the rest of the week and its always good to go to the phone company every once in a while to make sure things are being done correctly.  Its funny how much power the phone company has.   When I get a text message in Portuguese, I get worried.  So off to the phone company.  

It wasn't stormy. It was kind of nice walking through the rain in my flip flops and umbrella, for a while.

By the time I returned home, my jeans legs were soaked, my toes cold, and my umbrella had flipped inside-out twice.  

I've been making out my L.L.Bean wish list.

BUT......

Today, the sun was out and warm!  It was so wonderful to wake up to the sun!  We went to the swimming hole at high tide to enjoy the sun in case it disappears again tomorrow.  

Living here has shown us many ways to appreciate what we have:  

A car with seven seats,

 multiple electrical outlets,

 running water, and

 THE SUN!  

Missing everyone!  Karen

Today i don't have school so i decided to write in our blog. Outside it is very noisy because they are building a fishing dock. Many of the nieghbors have come to watch it. Mary went walking by it and saw some crabs. She said they were very mean.

-Henry

Halloween

Of course in Portugal the holiday celebrated is Day of the Dead (all Souls), but with the American base here, everything is a little askew. 

 We went trick or treating on base.  Bonnie was a kitty and Mary insisted on being a bull.  She even had a rope tied around her arm for Daddy to hold her back.  

Let me tell you the costumes were not easy.  A seamstress I am not!

They had two gates open from 6:00 to 7 for Americans only.  That in itself was fun because everybody is participating.

Then it got interesting.

The Portuguese kids were being held back at the gates until 7:00.  We were down the street and could hear the yelling when it started.  Most of the kids didn't wear costumes.  It's all about the candy.  Our friends (sonny and cher) ran out in 25 minutes.  The crowds were crazy!

After we went home that night we had our only trick or treater at 10 pm.  Poor guy.  Randy gave him what for instead of any treats.  I'm surprised our windows weren't egged!

Today is the day after election.  Randy stayed up till 1 am last night.  The kids and I got up early to watch final tallies.  I still can't believe we missed the whole thing.  I can't talk too openly about politics unless I want to argue.  I think its very hard for many to see past their living situation of being Air Force families, to believe Obama can improve America.  Too many are worried about money being diverted from military instead of the other possibilities, like going home!  

Time will tell.

Cheers,  Karen