First Day of School Year 2013/14

Its been one of those rolling summer holidays which we have all tremendously enjoyed. And the kids were all excited to start school today and catch up with their friends. Iman starts Year 6, her last in Junior School.  Jack is chuffed to be in Year 4, in a class with many of his good mates and Ayden is now in Year 2. Ayden was super excited to wake up this morning having had another visit from the tooth fairy. That's 3 visits in two months. Just one more before the "Nanny McPhee" tooth goes!

Mizen Head

On one of days in West Cork when all the kids wanted to do was watch TV, we packed them into the car (almost screaming) and drove south towards Bantry Bay and on to Mizen Head which is the most south-westerly point of Ireland. Mizen Head is home to the Signal Station for the Fastnet Rock Lighthouse and is now also a very informative and dramatically scenic visitor centre. It was so good that the kids even stopped complaining about the long drive! 

We saw some amazing footage of how the Fastnet Lighthouse was manned prior to building the signal station. In rough weather the lighthouse keepers on a change of shift would be hoisted up onto the lighthouse on a harness followed by their supplies!

These family photographs are getting easier!

Iman and I with shaky knees going across the bridge

And the view from the bridge

Iman was the one most excited to be at the most south-westerly point (red marker below) but Ayden was the only one willing to have a picture taken.

And one last complaint on the way home was we never stopped at this lovely beach for a swim. And of course we were to blame despite trying to get them out of the house all morning!!

Hari Raya 2013

As per pervous years it was a great build-up to Hari Raya. The sighting of the new moon adds to the suspense of will it or wont it be Hari Raya. And for us this year it wasn't. It gave us another day to fast and prepare but unusually we already has everything in place and not much last minute rushing around to be done.

The boys and I stocked up on fireworks in advance

For the "At Taiyib" family and many more throughout Brunei, Hair Raya is all about bringing families near and far together. This Hari Raya (as in prevous ones) I was amazed by the number of extended families that came to visit us. Especially the ones where we would not recognise each other on the streets, whose parent or grandparent may be a cousin to my parents or grandparents. Sadly I did not take any photogtaphs beause as usual you are only told afterwards of the connection!

As usual we had the obligatory fanily photographs.  Looking back at the years its lovely to see the children growing up.

Here are the two boys ready to go to the mosque with the sinjangs intact!

Fatin with cousins, Muzzy, Icha, Nina and Sophie

With my H3 buddies

And my lovely great aunt "Nini Amit" 

Empah with Fabulous, the No. 1 granddaughter

My friends Itut and Catherine

With the Ho Family

Hari Raya garden lamps

Jack and Ayden with Ian and Muzzy

My parents with cousin Mona