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Hey there -

We are all well here in our new town. The Hotel is nice & we have 2 rooms next to each other. The GM sent us a nice welcome gift bag & last night we had a couple fancy chocolate trays in our rooms as well. We have not actually eaten a meal here yet - but I heard they didn't have a chef just now anyhow...hahaha.

Yes, we have a new car - a Toyota, of course. I picked it up yesterday. It had only 8 miles on it. It is a nice blue that I chose cuz I imagined how it would look sitting next to my other car which is yellow. My husband thought that was a strange way to choose a color...well, what does he know?  Anyhow, I now have a car & insurance - getting a foothold on the States, one bill at a time...

There was only one house with a gourmet kitchen like we wanted, but the rest of the house is not the right one...so, there is another house that I like & that my husband seems to be willing to trust me on so we will probably put an offer on it. My Realtor says we don't even have to get with her to do the offer - they do it all online now.

Speaking of chocolate, there are still a couple left from last night - breakfast!

Last night we finally wandered around the town. IT IS COLD for us recently from the tropics! Temperatures were in the 40's! We walked on Bourbon Street. The Hotel is just a couple blocks away. Bourbon is the street with all the tourist action & the ladies throwing beads. We only caught two necklaces. My younger son said if he had some friends here they would have a contest to see who could get the most necklaces. There were lots of live bands playing & lots of Big Ass Beer's (beers in bottles about 3 times the normal size) & a million places selling daiquiri's. It all smelled like pipe & cigar smoke & lot of kinds of food. If I was in the market for a Voodoo doll, this would certainly be the place to find one, as there is one for everyone! Some of them come in their own little coffin, which is a nice touch. We ate at some upstairs pub & grill. We will probably not eat out too much ('cepting McDonald's across the street for coffee). Need to get us all used to the fact that we are not on vacation this time.

Schools open on the 3rd. I will try going over on the 2nd to see if the office people are there so I can fill out forms, etc.

So far, all the people we encounter are friendly. When we were lost on the first night (hey - it was dark out & there are bridge's just about everywhere you look!) we stopped at McDonald's to feed the boys & as we opened the door to go in a family was coming out. The two young boys (under 7 years old, looked to be) both said 'excuse me' as they passed. It is funny how a little thing like that catches your attention. My older son commented that we are obviously not in Jamaica any more.

Today I need to return the rental car back to the airport. Hopefully I will not get lost, as it will be daytime this time! Maybe later this morning the boys & I will walk out to see if there are any croissants as good as the ones we find in France.

The boys are happy enough, tho a little nervous about a new school, of course. Tho, they are encouraged by the general friendliness that seems to be the norm here.

So far so good on my end. I am sure my husband still has lots of stress going on back in Jamaica. it will be good when he finally has a date for the movers & can come & be with us. Plus, he would probably like to drive the new car!

Hope all is well with you all & that you have a nice New Year's Eve. We will probably go out on Bourbon street again on that night; I expect it will be madness!


helen