This and that from USA

Well time is flying and our time here with Andre and Jenelle is into its last month. Can't believe that on Thursday it will be Christmas our first, and probably the only one, we will have with our USA family. The shops are very quiet the result of the recession I suppose. Went into Dillards, a very upmarket shop, the other day at Boynton Beach Mall and I think Maureen and I were the only people walking around Sad sad sad. Such lovely things on display but no-one buying even Maureen is slowing down now. Andre had taken us to the Mall at 10.45am and Shelley picked us up at 4pm. Boy have I learnt to use my legs since not having the convenience of my faithful Monza. Of course there are all the sales now on and up to 75% off is promised at some stores. I don't think I have written on my blog since our visit to Las Vegas. Andre and Jenelle took us to the airport on the 8 Dec and got us booked in before returning home. The flight took 2 1/2 hours to Atlanta where we waited until others boarded and then on to Las Vegas. We had to change our watches once again to 3 hours behind Florida so we arrived in LV at 11pm. Flying over what is the Nevada Desert you see the lights of Vegas in the distance. What a sight!!! Caught a shuttle to the Harras Hotel which is like a Holiday Inn but more flambouant. In the airport there are slot machines so you could actually spend you money right there and just get back on the plane to return home. The room was great but a big disappointment no coffee machine in it. We are so used to having one that it really was a loss. The next day we got a map from reception and started out at 9.30am. We WALKED until nearly 5pm. Yes we WALKED. Maureen and I are managing quite well but Gerrit's back was troubling him. I did offer to get him a wheelchair but you can imagine his answer ?#!!**. So he had to soldier on. We went from one casino to the other where he tried his luck in each one But needless to say we are stilll on a budget. The casino buildings are amazing each one has a theme which is carried through from outside to inside. Tjhe vibe is ongoing and alive with visitors. Vegas has a permanent residency of about 1 million and an annual influx of 35 million visitors. Our hotel was full of real cowboys all visiting the 50th National Rodeo. To Gerrit's disgust the sit and eat with their ten gallon hats on!!! I think its cute and if they weren't so expensive I would have bought one. I did however borrow one from a cowgirl and had my photo taken with two genuine cowboys in the bar in Paris. We had a great time that day. The next we decided to buy an all day monorail ticket which travels, without a driver, way above all the hotels and stops along the way. At each station you can see which casinos are at that stop so once again we walked. At the one stop we walked from Sahara to Statosphere where we took the elevator to level 1814 ft above the ground!!! I could not stand near the edge of the indoor observation floor vertigo took over but Maureen and Gerrit had a great time getting a birdseye view of Vegas. By the time we got back to the Harras we were tired and hungry. Oh did I mention the mornings and evenings were VER>Y cold as it is in the desert. In fact the week after we were there they had a snowfall. Actually I'm sorry we missed that. That evening on arrival we went to our room and at about 8pm went down and had a lovely meal at the Italian Restaurant. Next day the shuttle took us back to the airport and it was back to Fort Lauderdale where we arrived late - at nearly 12pm. Andre and Jenelle were waiting to fetch us. What a blessing they are to us. The next day I truly felt the time change and all 3 of us just relaxed. That was Thursday and on Friday after sleeping late we went to babysit Emma while Shelley went to a ladies lunch at the church. She was gone 4 hours and during this time Emma was our entertainment and a real little llivewire she is. I took her up for a nap but needless to say after an hour of listening to her on the intercom I felt I should fetch her out. Well....... what a sight welcomed me to say nothing of the smell! She had the biggest pooh I have seen in a long time in her diaper (nappy) and I honestly was at a loss. What the h...l to do with it. I managed to remove the parcel and then cleaned her as much as possible and then.. I didn't know how to put on a clean diaper. But with help from Maureen we got one on. I must say when I put her down to walk she seemed to have a lot more bottom than before. Heavens I will have to get this sorted out if I am ever to babysit again. I'm so glad Nana Margie is now in charge of babysitting. I'm off the hook. Jenelle is very uncomfortable and we are hoping the time now goes quickly so that Baby A can arrive. Who can tell when she will be ready to face us all? Well dear bloggers we are now slowing down but today Sunday we went to church with Shelley and Vaughan and Emma. Margie, Mareen and I thoroughly enjoyed the family service in a beautifully decorated church where the children sang Happy Birthday to Jesus. People dressed in red and green and there was a communal breakfast to start the service. It was truly great and has made the begining of this Christmas week very special. On Wednesday we are going with them again to a candlelight carol service. It is the shortest hours of daylight today and the official start of USA winter. But the weather here is still lovely and very hot in the sun. It is dark at 5.30pm so all the lights in the various homes are lit. Lovely, lovely. Have seen Susan' maginificent photos of Cape Town and it made me feel quite homesick. So now dear Bloggers, to each and everyone of you wherever you may be may you all have a Blessed Christmas and may the Peace and Goodwill of this wonderful time remain with you and alll you love through 2009. With lots of love from 'Nor, Gerrit and Maureen.