Kelcey Chandler-Yates and Jim Yates present...

UnderSeaPhotoVideo.com

January 24,2004

Since the cyclone we are having a kick here in Tonga--like it a lot--Jim is working at the hospital as they are very short staffed and inept to boot! but he likes fixing stuff and helping people so it suits him well. I am doing jewelry and getting ready for August show in the States. I need to have 2000 pair of earrings ready by then!! I at least have a place on shore to do my firing now so the generator is not running quite so much! I am also contemplating finishing my Dive-master, it would be a lot of fun and I am almost there but it would take away from time with the kids so I will decide in a few weeks after Nick gets settled in at school..................

Nick at 13 1/2, is going to school at Vava'u High!!! He starts Monday!! He is almost 1 year ahead in school and not quite getting the straight A's I know he is capable of as it stresses him, so we decided together that the socialization as well as a bit of time to relax would be good. He has a uniform and everything!!-- It is grey polyester !! a lava lava (a skirt for those of you non-South Pacific people) with a mat tied around his middle!!--he says he feels like a rat with a mat that stepped in dog poop (his sandals have to be brown leather!) He is being quite comical-- we will see once the locals get hold of him!!--He has committed for 6 weeks so time will tell. He has a lot of local input as we are quite ingrained in the local community with Jim doing Chiropractic on everyone.

Chris at almost 17! is busy doing school-- he is finally getting all A's with a few B's and is serious, which is fantastic. No serious girls here,--- yet---- (thank god!!--give mom a short break!) but two small sailboats he can sail and fix up for Friday races-(use that testosterone!). Yesterday he WON the soon to be weekly dinghy race--he spent all day after school filing props, testing engine /dinghy combinations and then smoked em!! He came in first with almost 4 minutes before the next person came close!! He naturally could not use our dinghy as it is too big (they said he could but that he would have to fill it up with local girls to make the horse power fair!) so being Chris he went to Sun Sail and Moorings (the local charter companies) and borrowed the best, and lightest, there was to be borrowed!-- raising kids is really fun some times--actually most of the time--except when its NOT!!

The dog is healing well from the shark attack, the bird is still the queen of the boat and now climbing ropes and claiming more territory from the dog, Jim is FINALLY learning how to cook (He knew all along but starvation made the chef in him come out as I went on strike recently! He does dishes now also!! Wonders NEVER cease) the boys insist he makes better French toast than I do (I am devastated that I have to spend a few more min in bed in the morning!)--now if I could just teach all of them to pick up after themselves I might have a bit of sanity!---a lost cause I think!! but with such a great family I have to have something to complain about!!

That's all for now--hope all of you are doing well--sun is up--time for a swim!---I love it here!!