NOTE: This should have gone up earlier, but blogger was misbehaving. Bad blogger. Meh…

We awoke as normal at 8am.

This is a lie. Tracy woke up at 8am in a complete break with normality in order to wish her dad a happy 68th birthday. I rolled over and went back to sleep.

I am told that the house was all abuzz with the news that Lauren’s labour had started and surely we would be celebrating two birthdays today rather than just the usual one. I was made party to the wonderful news when I rose at a slightly later hour. On a day of recording facts, the record remains unsure on when this actually was.

Pretty much the whole rest of the day was spent in anticipation of more news which was notable in its absence. We went out for lunch with Tracy’s dad to celebrate his birthday with Heidi - one of his newer employees. We kept ourselves busy by running errands. We kept checking phones to make sure they were switched on.

The news finally came while all four of us present were sitting around playing cards. The phone rang at about 9:30 our time and we all figured it would be news of some kind. We were all on tenderhooks as Bart gave us the details. He sounded like he hadn’t slept in a week - he’ll be able to give us a demonstration of what that really does sound like in about a fortnight I suspect, but anyway…

Kirsten Marie was born on the 28th of December weighing 7lbs 8oz. The birth itself was a traumatic affair, involving a prolapsed cord, an emergency c-section and a lot of stress and worry (of which we were all blissfully unaware at the time). A prolapsed umbilical cord is a very serious birth problem and can have serious consequences if a c-section is not done immediately. The mortality rate in a first world hospital (I have found out subsequently) is a sobering 10-17%. Luckily they were in an excellent hospital and everyone did their jobs properly which meant that everything turned out well and we can now breathe a significant sigh of relief.

This was cause for celebration and in addition to champagne, I also managed to wet the baby’s head with a whisky miniature left over from Bart and Lauren’s wedding!

Needless to say everyone’s very happy and relieved and we can’t wait to get up there and see her.

Hello all.

Just a quick update to say that Kirsten Marie Thompson was born today - the same day as Tracy’s dad celebrated his 68th birthday!

New mother, new baby and new grandfather are all doing well.

More details tomorrow - when new father Bart manages to get some sleep.

By Washington Stoker

One of the hottest careers available is that of real estate and travel. This is the type of vocation that can have a person looking near and far to find the right property for their clients. If one were to look up career estate real travel on the internet, the number of listings for real estate careers would quite literally number in the millions. This is because owning property is not only a goal for many people, the chance to do so has never been more of a reality than now. With a fertile real estate market, there is a large majority of individuals who have decided that now is the time to make their dream a reality.

This means that there is no better time than now to have a real estate career. When looking up career estate real travel on the internet, one is likely to find just the prospects they have been looking for. Career estate real travel brings up companies all over the world that are looking for prospective employees who are ready and willing to train for an exciting real estate career. The licensing requirements for a real estate career will greatly depend on where an individual plans to sell property. Most states and countries have their own guidelines for becoming a real estate agent.

Many who consider a career in real estate are sometimes concerned by the cost of getting licensed. However, a number of real estate companies provide tuition assistance or may even pay for classes on the whole. The student then works for the real estate company after graduation reimbursing their tuition via future property sales. One is likely to find many companies that do this by looking up career estate real travel on the internet. While having a company pay up front for tuition and fees reduces financial burdens it also means getting on the fast track to a successful real estate career.

After looking up career estate real travel, finding a company that offers these options can put one well on the way to their new real estate career. Whether opting to sell locally or worldwide, this type of career is perfect for those who enjoy helping others make their dreams come true. Buying or selling property is often stressful and requires someone who can take control of a situation and make clients feel happy and secure. It also requires an individual who is genuinely ethical and who pays attention to current laws and guidelines at all times. These things together are what will lead to a real estate career with high earning potential.

Washington Stoker invites you to check out ways of earning an online income from Public Domain material: http://www.pdriches.net And from AdSense: http://www.livingfromadsense.com

To those people who don’t know anything about San Antonio: “Remember the Alamo!”.

That’s right - the famous battle for Texan independence occurred in what’s now central San Antonio - at the Alamo mission. For those who don’t know about Davy Crockett and his contemporaries, see Wiki.

We’ve been to San Antonio many times before (Trace even went to university here) so we’ve done all the touristy stuff that we need to do, so we got straight down to business: settling down into our free accommodation. Tracy’s brother Ross found a friend of his who had some floor space, so we stretched out there. Amtrak was very late (for a change) so we only made it in at 2am. No problems falling asleep.

The next day we left for Texas’s state capital, Austin. There were two people we wanted to meet up with in Austin - first of all Janet from our trip to Tasmania and secondly, Tracy’s friend from college, Kristi. We always said we’d drop by and see Janet when we got back to the USA and now we found ourselves in her neck of the woods so we dropped by for a visit. It was really nice to reminisce about being back in Tassie. She was just about to jet off to San Diego and was telling us about her plans to visit Asia.

Last time we saw Kristi was 1,000,000 years ago, so we had a lot to catch up on. Kristi is now married to John and has two pet cats and a couple of dogs too. Naturally we had a pretty good time. We spent a while talking about what we’ve all been up to and they were (at least pretended to be) interested in our photos. Little Red Bean was so cute it was an effort not to take him with us.

We had a couple more days in San Antonio to kill before heading back to Houston for Thanksgiving so we occupied ourselves by watching movies and going bowling both of which were great fun.

Tracy had one more friend to catch up with: Nicole. I wasn’t there so don’t know everything that went on (I’m not sure I want to…) but I believe that the Riverwalk was walked and snacks were eaten. I’m pretty sure that conversation was had and suchlike, but I’m afraid I can’t confirm or deny those rumours.

Anyway, we’re now in Houston - about to enjoy what is sure to be a huge Thanksgiving day meal. Just a couple of things before I leave you:

1. No news on Bart & Lauren’s baby.
2. Congrats to Liz & James!
3. Happy Thanksgiving! Be thankful or else…

Just a quick note: I’ve added some more piccies for general consumption. Expect an update from Houston soon.

That is all.

by Anne Peterson

With the economy where it is today, there is no better time than now to get involved with real estate. In order to sell real estate with a company, you’ll need to have your license - which is where a real estate school can help you. As you may know, buying a home involves many different decisions about where you will live and for how many years. Along with geographical decisions, it will often have implication for your financial future as well.

For this very reason, almost all home buyers will enlist the services of a real estate broker or agent to help them make those types of decisions. A real estate agent is someone who is licensed by their state to handle the sales of real estate, while a real estate broker is also licensed by the state, but who has the overall responsibility for the actions of a real estate agent. To determine the value and fair market retail of a home that is for sale, a real estate agent may enlist the services of a real estate appraiser.

No matter what you state you happen to reside in, you can find a real estate school to help you obtain your license. Those of you who are time restrictions or don’t like to travel too far from home, can get your license online. A real estate license doesn’t require a lot of time, yet it will help you get your foot in the door when it comes to the vast world of real estate. Real estate agents, brokers, and appraisers make really good money, and generally get a commission on each house they successfully sell.

If you’ve been looking for a career that will give to you what you put into it, real estate is the career for you. Even if you have no experience with real estate, a real estate school can give you all of the training you need. Then, when the time comes to buy your own home, you can do it yourself. Knowing the real estate market and knowing what to look for can save you a ton of money when buying your own house or property.

About the Author
The author’s website is Brandon Routh. Any or all parts of this article may be reprinted in any form, as long as there is a link to the website.

It's that time again! On 9th and 10th December, and then from 16th December 2007 until 6th January 2008, Le Village du Père Noël opens its doors for the winter season. 11am to 5pm. Print $2 discount coupons from the website - your kids have to colour a picture and bring it. For all ages - allow 2 hours to visit all activities, minimum! Four hours is perfect for everyone to have an extra turn on a favourite activity. $10.50 (age 2 to 65) - free for under 2s.

It's that time again! On 9th and 10th December, and then from 16th December 2007 until 6th January 2008, Le Village du Père Noël opens its doors for the winter season. 11am to 5pm. Print $2 discount coupons from the website - your kids have to colour a picture and bring it. For all ages - allow 2 hours to visit all activities, minimum! Four hours is perfect for everyone to have an extra turn on a favourite activity. $10.50 (age 2 to 65) - free for under 2s.

So our run of sponging free accommodation off our long lost friends finally ran its course when we hit St Louis. We were finally obliged to pay for accommodation. Luckily we had a voucher for a free night’s stay so we only had to pay for one of the two nights that we spent here.

Anyway, we arrived at 8pm - which is quite respectable for us - and quickly found our way to the Metro which whisked us away to the airport and the awaiting car rental companies. Despite doing everything in their power to dissuade us from embarking in one of their vehicles (including “accidentally” spelling Tracy’s name wrong) we finally managed to hire a car. We were surprised to find that the smallest vehicle they could offer us was a SUV - a sign of the times perhaps - but at least they seemed to give us compact car rates.

So Trace hit the streets in an SUV for the fist time. Luckily (or perhaps, surprisingly) chaos did not ensue and we reached the hotel with little or no incident. Despite being a budget style hotel, the room was surprisingly luxurious and we spent a restful night there.

In the morning - yes, we did manage to get up before noon - we re-boarded the battle-bus and headed off to see what we could find. One of the things we did find was an IHOP (International House of Pancakes - for the uninitiated) which always goes down well! We also stopped by a sculpture park and spent and hour or so meandering through the acres of weird, wonderful and occasionally just plain strange art installations.

Next stop was the barracks. We had to stop a few times to find it, but eventually we found our way to the grave of Mr & Mrs E. Shepard. Section RR, number 494. The area looks nice in the red and orange foliage of a Missouri autumn. We weren’t sure if we would be able to leave any flowers or anything - so we didn’t bring anything, but if we had left any floral tribute I’m pretty sure that before long it would have been munched upon by the herds of deer who seem to roam the grounds with impugnity.

Next stop, Waterloo and a meet-up with the Hudgens side of the Shepard side of the Thompson side of our family. We met up with Ron, Judy, Chris, Susie and her kids. We all had a great time catching up - although the highlight of my evening has to be beating a 10 year-old girl in both a staring contest and the quiet game! I rule!

Today we have been roaming around St Louis like tourists. We’ve been to the St Louis gateway arch and the Cathedral Basilica of St Louis. We’re just on our way to Forest Park - but have been snagged by free internet!

Anyway, more will follow - probably from San Antonio, but for now, adios!

From Washington DC, we got a train to Alliance, Ohio. We arrived at 2am and were soon picked up by Mark. We were there to see Trace’s friend Beth (whom she met in 1995 when they both studied abroad in Scotland), her husband Mark and their three kids. We hadn’t seen each other since 1998, and we hadn’t met their kids: 5-year-old Cait, 3-year-old Aidan and 1-year-old Lia. So the visit was well overdue!

Mark took us to their home in Salem, Ohio. We got to stay there for three days, and we had the best time. Beth is a teacher, and we got to go along with her one afternoon to help tutor some of her 4th graders in math as well as talk to them about wildlife in Australia. It was such fun! We hung out a lot with the three kids, who are so cute. We had a ball. Sunday was Veterans Day, and Mark preached a very moving service at his Methodist Church. We were happy to be there for that and to see him at work! Afterwards, Chris was delighted to go with him and some kids to a Cleveland Browns vs Pittsburg Steelers football game. The horrible Steelers won, but Chris had a great time nonetheless (and shocked Trace by coming home with a souvenir Steelers towel — boooooooooo!).

One night we all went bowling, which was great fun. It confirmed that Trace is much better at bowling on the Wii than in real life!!! Beth won by a landslide, and we had a lovely dinner afterwards. Another night we went along to a dinner party for Beth’s mom. We had a great time there as well.

We were sad to leave them. Thanks for everything, you guys!!! Hopefully it won’t take another nine years for us to meet up again…