Merry Christmas!

Hi all,

Nicki and Tayla have arrived in South Africa today after 20 hours of traveling and I am home alone this week - suppers should be interesting as there are NO food delivery services in Bermuda.  I fly out on Friday and arrive in Umdloti on Sunday morning spending Saturday night with "The Arnott". Hopefully the Liverpool loss will be long forgotten - sorry Jamo!! 

It has been a very busy end to 2007 as can be seen by the "Sushi night" that has remained the focus of our blog for three weeks. I received a phone call from Dubai and was confronted about this serious breech of blogging etiquette by one Nathan Carr - and you know that no one messes with Nath!

Just to ensure that Nicki has a chance of saying something in this blog here is her Christmas letter to all our friends.

"I cannot believe that the year has almost past and that we have been in Bermuda for 16 months - hectic. I constantly hear others saying that their kids grow up so fast, but man, they are right!

Dave continues to steam ahead at Warwick. Other teachers come and ask me how I manage to cope with all his energy, but I guess when you are passionate about something then it is easy to have that level of energy. His Training and Development portfolio at school has had to fit in with a pretty heavy timetable as well as being Super Dad. Dave has been holoding the fort for the last week while I have been in the UK and Luxembourg. As many of you know, he made his international hockey debut at the age of 35 as the captain of the Bermuda team (we won't mention the fact that he got sent off the field this last weekend - but it was all the ref's fault!). The team's tournament was on the Isle of Man so he managed to see Basil and Penny there.

The sad part of the year was that my grandfather passed away. We all take great comfort from the fact that he is now with Gran and much more comfortable than he was at the end.

Madam Tayla is just like her Dad - lots of attitude and way too much energy! Our pastor at church told us that kids have the most amount of energy at the age of 4 (so we are still on the up). She is VERY into Cinderella, Belle, Snow White etc. Ballet lessons are still popular and I am happy she is enjoying them as I think they will help her foot in the longer term. School is going well for her, they are even giving the kids Spanish lessons (and Dave and I learn at the same time!), although I must say that our Afrikaans comes in handy now and again when we have to have a 'private' conversation.

For the most part I am fine. Work is a little challenging whilst they recruit a new Finance Director, and I am juggling a few balls and waiting for one to fall.

We are still very happy in Bermuda and it continues to suit our lifestyle. In some ways it is really limited (shopping), but the way of life and the secuity we have more than makes up for it. Depending on the jobs, we will probably stay a while. It can only ever be temporary as we are not able to buy a home there as expats. They are leading up to election and there is quite a bit of racial tension (which is interesting after having lived in SA and left to escape all that).

Christmas will be in Durban and then PE.

Love to you all and keep sending news."

We wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year. We look forward to seeing many of you next year and, if you feel moved to visit "the rock", know that our door is open to you.

Love 

The Horans