Street Party

My Swatch has given up the ghost – we thought it was the battery but we took it to a watch and clock repairer on the island (which meant taking it to his house and staying for a chat – they asked if we knew Martin Holdt as they listen to him on radio, and were surprised that I had been his PA!), and he said the battery was fine, but being a Swatch it can’t be opened and fixed, so that’s the end of that. I will find a new one when the shops are open again.

This afternoon we walked down to town where there was some activity going on. The police have closed off the main road in and out of town, and there is a live band set up just outside the market, and almost everyone from town is down there. There were apparently some sorts of sports for the kids, little races and things, and then a street party which will continue until 1 am tomorrow morning. All the kids were given a packet with a liqui-fruit, chips, kit-kat and lollipop, for which a collection had been taken on Christmas Eve (the shops all stay open late on Christmas Eve, and the kids go in and buy presents for themselves, and there are people about collecting money – we didn’t go though). We got there just in time, our boys got the last ones! We walked back home after a short while, and since it was still early (about 4 pm), we decided to go to Ruperts Bay to throw stones, which we did, which was very pleasant. It’s always nice to sit and watch the sea. Caleb is getting quite sure-footed on the rocks, climbing about very well and loving it. Aaron kept passing me stones to throw into the sea, which he thought was very funny.

Oh yes, for Christmas Nick bought me a pair of casual blue shoes (suede/leather sort of things) and a pair of pants (which were slightly a wrong fit, so will have to change them). I bought him a lightweight jacket, unmentionables and swimming goggles. Nick received a pair of smart black shoes and a pair of socks, and I got a HUGE sleepshirt (one size fits all), a tablecloth and some pretty dishtowels. We also got a pretty blue island-made ceramic bowl from Steve and Maureen which will go nicely in the diningroom.