The newest member of the family

So. Here I am in Florida, at my parents' house. What can I tell you about the last few days? The 20 hour trip to get here? The feeling of unfolding myself into the light after the beginnings of an early winter hibernation in Scotland? The bizarre sense of culture shock I always experience at first- the cars, so big! The food, so big! The houses, so big!

But I won't go into any of that right now. Instead I will bid a warm welcome to the newest member of the Mare household- a jazzy new laptop for E. with all the bells and whistles. I was ruthlessly decisive in picking it out, and felt no worry at the fact that it's a PC, not a Mac. The kids will just have to learn to live together, that's all.

My parents were raising their eyebrows at the cost, but I mean, och...[insert Scottish sound at back of throat]. Have you seen the exchange rate lately? My credit card will be bursting into flames by the end of the trip, as I plan to shop til I...have to stop.

I'll try to post something later, something more properly bloggish, but for now, there is sun to be lain in (is that grammatically correct?) Who cares, there is sangria to drink and sand to stir beneath toes.