We were up early, bidding a farewell to Gina. She got a cab to the airport to head back to Saudi Arabia. The kids then headed to school as did I. I had to leave early on Sunday to do a follow up appointment at the girlie doctor. What a joy it is! I was informed that I had polyps, which I thought was only for old people (no comments, please), that would need to be removed. I suppose the hospital will call me when that time comes.
After the lovely visit to the doctor, I decided to hit the grocery store in order to get some bread and milk. The kids were going to have chicken legs and vegetables before rugby training and then do the usual of cereal or a sandwich after rugby. Kayleigh was going to come over after training and babysit because Stuart and I actually decided to go out on a date.
We haven't been on an actual date in many moons. We went to Trader Vic's, one of the nicer restaurants in Al Ain. He had a steak and I had crispy duck pancakes, which ended up being his dinner the following night because I might have eaten a fourth of the dish. We had a nice time, but as I sat there I realized that we talked about people we were watching or the kids. I suppose this is the phase of life we are in. I giggled as I said, 'Has it finally happened? Have we run out of things to talk about?' We agreed that we really do talk all week and there is no way we could ever run out of things to talk about....well, at least I couldn't.
When we got home, we were both tired. Although I did still stay up and watch the trashy television I love so much. I know I need to get back to going to bed at the same time as Stuart, but oh how I love my tv time! It's my way of winding down from the day. However, because I get up at 4:30 am to walk with my neighbor Lara, I am going to have to start going to bed earlier.....next week.
Monday I was late to school because I had to go in for fasting blood tests. Of course, it gave me an excuse to get a pumpkin spice latte. Did I mention I actually think of things to do around town that would cause me to go by a Starbucks? Yes, I do! I didn't arrive too late, but missed first period, which was fine by me. School is really getting in the way!
After school I picked Jack up from Performing Arts. On the way to get him, I started hearing a weird noise when I moved the steering wheel. Ugh! Car trouble was the last thing we needed. However, once I was home the noise was unbearable and when Stuart went out to turn the wheel a bunch of fluid squirt out. It seemed that something was wrong with the power steering. Super! I suppose that meant that the bike and weight machine we were going to buy from a friend who was leaving would have to go to someone else. I guess we know what we were spending that money on now. Super!
When I got home with Jack, Stuart had made the chili and we awaited our friends for the trick-or-treating extravaganza! The Village always has a ton of trick-or-treaters every year. The Halloween festivities started at 5 pm with food. Then the kids went out to trick or treat from 6 pm to 7 pm. Our compound is a wonderful, safe place for them to do this. All children from around the city were welcome to come trick or treat. All they needed to do was bring candy to pass out. They just needed to drop it off at one of the houses and it was passed out. The kids ran around the compound while the adults passed out candy. We had all of the usual friends over, but ironically enough, I only had one picture of the event, but I acquired a few more from friends, thank goodness. I'm not sure what was occupying my thoughts.
Xavier was the spook.
The girls were collecting a lot of candy.
And the adults passed out a lot of candy.
I started cleaning up just after 7:30pm, and everyone was gone by 8 pm. Claire and Kayleigh helped bathe Millie and Jack took a shower. After Cathy and the girls left, the kids went to bed. I tidied up and then took a shower. Stuart had gone to rugby but was home by 9 and we contemplated what to do with the car. Obviously we would have to take it to get fixed, but the guy we usually go to has been out of the country for a while, maybe never to return. Who knows! So we got in contact with a guy named John, where Brian (our driver) takes his car.
So Tuesday we dealt with the car. The good thing about car trouble here is you always know someone who knows someone who fixes cars. And typically the labor is cheap. So we went to the industrial district and dropped off the Land Rover. It didn't get fixed on Tuesday, and actually no one even called about how much it would cost. That is the downside of car problems here. If you take it somewhere to get fixed, it will get fixed without you always knowing the price. In the end it only cost us about $460, which is not bad for having to totally replace the power steering hose and some other stuff he did that I can't remember.
The kids were home from school and in the skivvies, as usual because I make them take off their uniforms when they get home. They stay in their undies until it's time to go to rugby, which kind of cracks me up. We really could have gotten away with buying them 3 pairs of shorts and 3 t-shirts this summer. Most days they only wear their uniform, which keeps the laundry down for sure. It does diminish my need for shopping, which somewhat makes me sad.
I headed to the mammogram clinic just before 4 pm, on Tuesday, which was another bonus of going to the girlie doctor. Because no one called my insurance company to get an approval for a squeeze, they couldn't do it. Now, you would think that would be one of the first things they would do when they scheduled the appointment. However, we must remember....tax free sometimes equals logic free. When I was finished showing my butt to the lady at registration (not literally, but figuratively), I set out for the rugby club to pick up Millie. Stuart had taken them both to practice. I took her home and bathed her. Both kids had sausage rolls and French fries before rugby, as we always try to feed them a hot meal before so that after they can have fruit or a bowl of cereal when they are home and clean. Otherwise they wouldn't be in bed until at least 8 pm.
Once Stuart and Jack were home we headed to pick up our new sofa. We sold our white one to Sean and bought a blue one, for half of what we sold ours to Sean. We made some money on the deal. We were going to buy some other things from my cluster manager who was told 3 weeks ago that because of his age his contract was being canceled, but as I mentioned above the Land Rover running took priority. We had to borrow Sean's truck to get the sofa and once it was in the loft the kids finally went to bed.
I didn't get up and walk on Wednesday because I just couldn't be asked. I messaged Lara and she was fine with it, saying she hadn't slept well so it would do her good to sleep another hour. School was non eventful, as it has been the last week or so. We have a lot of teachers absent, which stinks because we don't get substitutes for them. We have to make due with our teacher assistants, librarians, computer teachers, and anyone else who doesn't teach 24 periods in the week.
I picked Jack up from school, which was such a great experience that particular day. When I pick him up I try to ask him open ended questions (thanks to Sue Tharalson). This day I started asking him who he sat next to during lunch. At first he quickly said, "No one", which totally made me sad. Then, as I probed, as one does, I discovered that he sat next to a boy named Fares. Probing a bit more, again, as you do, he finally fessed up that he sat next to a girl in grade 4 named Eleanor. I asked more questions about Eleanor and discovered quickly that my boy had a crush on this little girl. He finally told me that she was his girlfriend. When I asked him how he knew she was his girlfriend, he said, 'Because she told me she was'. Ah, a girl after my own heart.
I started to tell him that it was good that he had friends that were girls, and when he told me he told her he LOVED her, I held my tongue. I don't ever want to say anything to him that makes him feel badly about what he says to people and I definitely don't want to say anything to him that might keep him from sharing these things with me, because I know inevitably one day that will happen. So, I just told him that 'love' was a really strong emotion that we saved for family and when we got older. However, I recognized that he really liked this girl and I thought that was nice. When I asked him why he liked her he said, 'Mama, she's so nice', and then he added, 'And she has the prettiest blonde hair. And you know how I've always wanted a girlfriend with blonde hair'. Then he added, 'Her eyes are so blue, and pretty'. My boy is smitten for sure.
The kids ended up going to bed early. It seems when I headed to the grocery store, all heck broke loose at the house and the kids were wild! The kids would not follow directions or listen to anything Stuart had to say. I always tell them that children who do not listen and follow directions must be tired and need an early night. Although I am shooting from the hip a bit, I do believe tired children have a more difficult time obeying. Fortunately, they had eaten by the time I got home. I then sent them up to shower and it was off to bed for them. I was asleepon the sofa by the time Stuart got home from rugby. I woke up to watch a little more television and then was out for the night.
Thursday was flag day, which was supposed to be a celebration at 11 am, but it ended up being the majority of the day, even though an announcement was made stating that only period 6 was to be used for the celebration. There are not a lot of listening ears at my school. As you would guess, the boys were a bit out of control for the entire day.
When I got home from school Jack asked me if he could go to the birthday party Millie was attending that evening. It seems that Sam, Eleanor’s brother, was invited as well and so Eleanor was also invited. I messaged Monica, the mother, and asked her if it was okay if I paid for Jack to come. Now this went against every bit of my being, because if you will remember last week I announced to a certain establishment “they would never get any of MY money again”. And guess where we were going? Monica told me I could give her the money so I could technically say I didn’t give them any of my money.
Millie got to wear her Super Girl costume again, so she was thrilled. The kids played for over two hours. I sat and talked to Eleanor’s mum, and Jack was right, Eleanor was SO nice. She seemed like a really sweet little girl. They had the best, most innocent fun together. When they left each other Eleanor gave Jack a hug. It was so sweet. I got Sally’s number (Eleanor’s mum) and we told them we would arrange a play date very soon.
I stopped at the grocery store to pick up some dinner for Stuart and myself. When we got home Millie was already asleep, wiped from the hours of playing. Jack ran upstairs and had a shower, then came down for a snack before heading off to bed. While I was gone, the tumble dryer started making a funny sound and although it is still under warranty, for the life of meI could not find our receipt. We nearly had a domestic over itall. Instead, I decided to go to bed and save us both from a very ugly argument over nothing, really. I actually got 9 hours of sleep for the first time in forever. We should fight more often!
We got up and Skyped Grammie and Pop. We told them about Eleanor, mainly I told them as Jack slinked under the computer desk. During our Skyping G and P, I got a message from Sally, Eleanor’s mum, asking if Jack could come over for a play date and then stay for dinner on Saturday afternoon. Of course he was beside himself. After we finished Skyping Grammie and Pop, we headed to our old church. There weren’t very many people there, but the kids enjoyed the activities they had after the service. Someone told the story of Jesus feeding the five thousand, and then the kids made crafts around that Bible story. They loved it.
Jack made a bird feeder.
Millie made a 'thankful' wreath.
We came home and then took Stuart to the rugby club. We still hadn’t picked up our Land Rover so we only had one car. The kids and I went to rugby club at 3:30 and they swam for a while. The other rugby team was late for the 5 pm match, so it didn’t start on time. The Amblers won again. They are definitely on a roll. Stuart is playing really well. Oh, and he still can drink a pint faster than anyone I know. He shows those skills after each match.
Always the winner in the chugging contest.
We stayed at the club until almost 9 pm. On the way home the kids started talking about church that morning. In the conversation Millie asked why we didn’t have those ‘cookies’ we normally have. After a little detective work, we realized she was referring to the communion wafers. Bahahahaha! We all got quite a chuckle out of that.
The kids showered and had a sandwich when we got home. We all went to bed shortly after getting home. I was getting up at 3 am to take Kendra (a rugby club friend) to the airport to go have the gastric sleeve surgery. Although I was not thrilled about getting up that early, I was so excited for her and this new chapter in her life.
When my alarm went off I hopped out of bed and was off to collect Kendra and her son. He was going with her to be moral support. We got to the airport just before 6 am and their flight left at 8;15 am. The next time I saw her it would be after this life altering surgery. I know she was ready for the change. I just hope I gave her all the information she needed to be totally prepared. I have started to bring business to the doctor, so naturally I think I should get a cut of his profits. His before and after information is not that thorough, so I messaged him and told him I had a proposal for him. We will see if he ever responds. He doesn’t give a lot of details to people flying to a different country with him for the surgery. He needs a communications director to take care of those things. I think I am that person.
I got home around 7:30 am and Jack was the only person awake. Clearly I had missed nothing in the day to this point. Once Stuart and Millie were up and breakfast had been served as well as coffee, we headed to the car place to pick up the Land Rover. Stuart then went on to his monthly committee meeting, which really seems to happen more than once a month, and the kids and I went home. Both kids went to Keith, Ian and Austin’s, but Millie came back only after a short while. It seems she’s not as into the PlayStation 4 as the boys are.
Millie had been invited for a playdate at Ava’s, a little girl who lives in the B block of the Village, and we came in the same group with her mum and dad. So I walked her down there at noon and then came home. I delivered Jack to Eleanor’s house, which is also in the Village, and then Stuart and I were home alone for nearly 2 hours. Oh what to do with our time. Well, I worked on this blog and Stuart prepared our full roast dinner we were preparing for Mandy, Cathy, Pamela (Cathy’s mum who came into town to be with Cathy after her hysterectomy she would have on Sunday), Sean, Dylan (Sean’s son), Kayleigh, Claire and our two kids. We had roasted potatoes, pork loin, a slew of vegetables, and gravy on top. Stuart loves to cook and all the people invited love to eat. So it was a perfect pairing.
The guests arrived around 5 pm, just after Millie was delivered back home and was showered for the night. Dinner was served at 6 pm, and everyone enjoyed the evening. We love having people around for dinner, and being here it is easier because we really aren’t stressed about getting up and going to work the next day. I did my normal clean-up as everyone chat in the living room. That way, once everyone was gone, the dishes were finished and I could go to bed as well.
We are still lovin’ and livin’ the life here in the UAE!
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