The final countdown!

I got up Sunday morning, and after many times communicating with the illustrator of my book and letting her know it wasn't uploading correctly, she fixed it. I uploaded it and then I just had to wait for a response about the printing. I was so excited! Whether I sell one copy or not, I have fulfilled an item on my bucket list. I can't wait to get a copy in my hands. 

Sunday at school we moved our books for next year. It was hard work, but now all books are where they belong. I ended up leaving school early to go to the kids student led conferences. They had portfolios that could make a mother cry. They were so beautiful. Both of the kids have made such wonderful progress this year. Jack has become a phenomenal writer. I can hardly believe he has just finished second grade. His writing is definitely beyond his years. Millie has also made so much progress. He writing and reading have really started to take off. Although they are leaving Brighton College, I am hopeful the move won't interrupt the progress they have made to this point. 

Once we were home from the conferences, the kids hustled to get their bags unpacked and their clothes changed so we could head to Bounce. Ciera, Millie's friend, came and her parents needed me to keep her as they were getting a new car. So she stayed with us with the intention that I would take her home. However, in the end her mother came back and I was off the hook. 

After the kids were home and showered, we had dinner and then it was off to bed for them. They were exhausted and so were we. The heat and boredom are causing such sleepiness in all of us. 

Monday I started cleaning out the closet next to my office. What an incredible daunting task. The cleaners had brought up many materials from other classes that were not being used. I was sure I would never get it all in. I left most of it outside the door, thinking I would tackle it first thing Tuesday morning. 

Monday after school we went to Barari Mall to shop for a bit. I bought the kids a donut and got told off by the security guard for letting them eat the donut in public. Uh, kids can eat in public during Ramadan, but adults can't. At any rate, I apologized and stopped them from eating. 

Once we were home Mandy came for a visit. Millie had already showered, eaten, and we had played a game of Kurplunk. Jack came home from Austin and Keith's and did the same as Millie. Once Mandy was gone I put Millie to bed and went to the store for some milk. 

Jack was in bed just after 8 pm, and Stuart and I ate a dinner of mashed butternut squash and some leftover spaghetti sauce I had frozen a week ago. Stuart had about a half of a cup of food. It is still baffling to me to think he had this surgery. He's done so well and I hope he's happy with his decision. The rest of the evening I spent trying to get my book uploaded as an ebook. I finally got it all organized, which was a relief. 

Tuesday morning I got up to walk because I couldn't think of a good excuse not to. When I got outside and met up with Lara, she made the exact same comment. We both decided we had better just get going and get it over with. 

Tuesday at school I totally reorganized my storage area and all the crap that was outside, piled to the sky, actually either got tossed or fit into the closet. I completed that task around noon. It felt good to be finished with that particular job. 

When I got home from school I got a text from the nanny of Zayed that said he would be coming to Bounce with his mother (the Shaikha) instead of the nanny. I got all nervous. People who can afford nannies often just send their children to an event with the nanny, especially the royal children. 

When Zayed got to Bounce he recognized me, but still yet his nanny called to make sure I was there. Zayed then asked if Jack could go to IMG World, an amusement park in Dubai, the following day. Well, he technically had school but since they sent his books home Stuart and I decided he could skip school the next to last day. 

Also, the Shaikha insisted that in December we come to the desert with her family and camp. Uh, ok. We had a lovely conversation. She was very normal, had her abaya open so you could see her kandora, which is not common at all, and her shayla was just draped on her head instead of being wrapped tightly. 

Zayed only stayed for a little bit. He wasn't exactly keen on bouncing but wanted to come, according to his mother, because Jack had invited him. Jack and Millie bounced another hour after Zayed and his family left. 

We got home and had a rest before going out to dinner to celebrate Cathy's birthday. We had missed her celebration last week so we thought we would prolong the festivities. We went to the rugby club because we knew Stuart and I would be able to eat salmon and mashed potatoes. 

After we were home and the kids were in bed, I got message from Belinda, Zayed's nanny. She said they would leave Al Ain the following day at 3 pm and would come and pick up Jack. Seems Zayed wasn't up for an early morning trip because he had been staying up very late during Ramadan as so many locals do. It made me giggle a bit. Missing school was not needed after all. 

Jack woke up ready to go to IMG World. I broke the news to him that he would not be going until after school. He was disappointed but was okay in the end since he still got to go. 

Work was full of a whole lot of nothing to do. My closet was clean and my data was analyzed. So sitting around and chatting with everyone was what my day consisted of. It was nice, but I'm ready for the dull days to stop. 

After school I rushed to Al Ain English Speaking School to pay the kids' school fees. It's good to get that out of the way. They are ready to start a new year, you know, after an 8 week holiday, which we are all excited for. 

I got home just before Jack got home. Once he had unpacked his things, he changed his clothes and got ready to go on his adventure with Zayed. His ride arrived just after 3 pm, and we were all a bit stunned. I gave Belinda his ID card and his health insurance card, to which she said, 'we won't need that', and then I tried to hand her some money, to which she said, 'we won't be needing that either'. Not gonna lie, I was glad she didn't want the money. Ha! Once they were off, Stuart and I went to pick up some shoes for my mom and then headed to another mall to walk around a bit before having to pick Millie up from her friend Ciera's house. 

The vehicle that picked him up. 

We picked Millie up around 5:30 pm, got her home and clean, and then fed. Sean came around for a chat. I hadn't seen him in a month so it was good to catch up. 

Belinda had sent pictures throughout the evening, showing what the kids were doing. Jack arrived home around 10 pm with lots of gifts and lots of stories to tell. He had been spoiled to say the least. He was tired, but really excited about his day. Naturally I thanked Belinda and Zayed, as did Jack. The pictures tell it all. 

Roller coasters!

What a lucky kid!

Thursday was the kids' last day of school. Although I know Jack will miss Brighton, I think he will be fine. He said his last day was fine and we promised to keep in touch with his class mates there. 

Thursday after school we went to Bounce. Claire and Kayleigh met us there after Jack and Millie had been bouncing an hour. Both the girls said they didn't know how Jack and Millie bounced for two hours at a time. We will miss our Ramadan Bounce pass, but we will get one again next year. 

When we got home Stuart had the kids' dinner nearly ready. They showered and then ate. They stayed up for a while, but were exhausted from their day so were easy to put to bed. The air conditioner in the living room was still acting up so I didn't even stay up as long as I normally do. We need to get that sorted out before we go on holiday so that the lady who is staying with the animals does roast all summer. Inshallah, we will have it al fixed once Ramadan is over. 

Friday morning I got up and went to Dubai with DeDe. We started at Times Square where we usually attend the Arte show. However, there were not a ton of vendors there so we didn't stay long. We then decided to go to a place called Dragon Mart. I have heard people talk about it and how you can find anything there. It was a huge swap meet. There was everything you would ever want in there and some things you would never want in there. It was good for a couple of hours. We then opted to go to Murdiff City Center Mall and have something to eat. We ate at the food court that was blocked off as not to offend Muslims during their fasting hours. 

While I was in Dubai, the kids went to Bounce and then ate lunch at the club. The ended up going home and then chilling for the rest of the afternoon. I know they were tired from their last day at Bounce. 

DeDe and I ended up getting home after 10 pm because we decided to go to Mall of the Emirates and eat at Chili's for dinner. We had a very full day for sure. I bought some things to keep the kids occupied on our flight to London in two weeks and I also bought some pajamas for my niece and nephew who were coming to Dubai on Sunday.  

Saturday morning we got up, finished packing and headed to Dubai for Millie's last gymnastics class. She did well again and the owner of the gym wanted to speak with me regarding Millie coming at least two hours in the first term next school year. It seems she is going to be put on a team, which is very exciting. However, the drive to Dubai is not going to be as exciting for me. But we can't deny her the opportunity to explore a talent just because it's not convenient for us. 

Stuart decided since we were coming to Dubai on Saturday anyway that we should just stay over. Our plan was to stay with my sister in law, Louise, the kids, Billy and Zoe, as well as Louise's mother, Evelyn, Sunday and Monday night at Anantara on the Palm. So what was one more night in Dubai? We stayed at our favorite, Le Meridian Mina Sayahi on the marina. We checked in after Millie's gymnastics class and then went to the pool. After and afternoon at the pool, we ordered room service and called it a night. The kids were very excited to see their cousins the following morning. We also found out that our holiday for Eid would only be three days instead of 5 days. They saw the crescent moon on Saturday evening so we would head back to on Wednesday. The local newspaper shared this news to us. It's how we roll in the UAE. 

One more week until Eid

Sunday morning I went to walk with Lara. When I got home, Jack was awake and eating breakfast. I went to take a shower. When I was dressed I came downstairs and Millie was awake. I fixed her breakfast and they both got ready for the day. I had made their lunches before I went out to walk, so I sat down to enjoy my cup of coffee. 

Once we were all off, and Stuart was tucked back into the sofa, our third week of Ramadan officially started. When I first got to work I was expecting to be able to start my data analysis that I had actually put off the week prior. But instead I was informed that our books for English, Math and Science were being delivered. This is my least favourite day. The boxes consume our school nursery and then have to be collected by teachers and put away. They have 7 books for every child in their room. We received over 7000 books. These are consumable books and are given out each year. Im not sure it's the most efficient teaching tool, but it's what we get so we go with it. 

While the books were being delivered, I did try to work on our data. While I was sitting at my desk I got a phone call from a nanny at the Millie's school. Millie was being invited to come to the palace again with Osha. They would play for a bit, go to the mall to a soft play area called Cheeky Monkey, go back to the palace for dinner and then I could collect her from the palace. The nanny told me if it was too short notice we could plan it for another day in the week. I told her it was fine and that Millie would probably be thrilled to go with Osha for the afternoon. What's with my kids being friends with royalty? 

After school Jack played at Ian's and Stuart and I had our daily afternoon Ramadan nap. There is something about this time of year that requires more sleep. I'm not sure if it's that we don't work as many hours or that it's so dang hot. Either way, I feel a bit lazier during Ramadan, which I don't think fulfills the purpose of this holy month in Islam. 

Grounds outside Osha's house. 

Around 6 pm I headed to the palace, a different palace than where we picked Jack up the previous Friday, to collect Millie. I got to the gate, and again, a non-English speaking guard with a machine gun strapped to his back, came out and did his best to understand why I was there. I finally called Kelly, the nanny, and she had the Shaikha call the guard to tell him to let me in. I pulled through the gates and followed Kelly's directions. When I pulled into Osha's driveway there was a many playing with her little brother. I walked into the home and was introduced to Osha's mother, the Shaikha. She was very sweet and explained Millie's outfit. Since Millie had come straight from school she didn't have any play clothes, just her school uniform. So they told Millie she could pick out an outfit to keep from Osha's closet. I wish I would have taken a picture of her clothes. She had on a cream shirt with gold hearts around the top, a pair of red leggings, which she had on over her white bike shorts that she wears under her school dress, a pair of yellow socks with red and white hearts, and her black Mary Jane school shoes. She was quite a sight!  I asked her if she had fun and she said she did. I asked her what she had for supper and she said 'nothing'. This was my fear. I know her tastes and I know we haven't talked enough about being polite and eating a bite of what is offered to you. She said, 'Mom, it was Arabic food and I didn't like it. I did taste it. But they told me if I didn't like it I didn't have to eat it'. Thank goodness she is 5 years old and a little easier to forgive for her rudeness. Ugh! 

Once we were all home it was showers and bed for the kids. Stuart and I watched some television and then he moved up to the bed. He had spent the entire week before sleeping on the sofa backside laying flat was too painful for him. I was so glad he was doing better. More importantly, him moving upstairs meant I could watch the Bachelorette again. Thank goodness! 

Monday school was a lot of the same. Teachers were either moving or preparing to move the following day. We had declared Tuesday as moving day. Once school was over, I came home and took  Molly on a play date with Greta. Greta was a little more aggressive this play date, thank goodness. I really need Sarah to take care of Millie this summer. If those two puppies don't get along then Sarah staying at our house may not happen. At the end of the time, Sarah decided she would come and stay at our house from the middle of July until we return at the end of August. 

Once I was home with Molly, I told the kids that if they would hurry and take a shower I had a special surprise for them. I had purchased the new Beauty and the Beast on iTunes. When they found out what it was they were very excited. I popped popcorn and they had a sweet treat. It was a successful surprise, and what a beautiful film it was. 

Tuesday was moving day at school and most of my teachers were ready. The ones who we not ready were the ones who are always slow on the uptake, so it wasn't surprising. 

Once I was home I took the kids to Bounce. We were going to get our money out of those passes if it killed me. I decided I would jump, just concentrating on bouncing up and down or falling to my seat and then back up. It was fun, but I did tweak my knee a bit. Why do I think I'm 20 years old? 

Once we were home Stuart fixed the kids dinner. They were all ready for bed, and Millie actually went to bed at her normal bedtime. I had a follow up appointment for my knee pains where she told me nothing I didn't already know. The appointment was at 8 pm because during Ramadan doctors do a split shift. They work from 10-1 in the afternoon and then 8 pm until midnight. Don't ask!

Wednesday I finished up my data and got it submitted to the principal. I did get a call from the Vice Principal of the school where I was to transfer. She stated that most likely I would not be able to transfer to her school. She said the HR department was trying to make sure that if a school had a Western Vice Principal they didn't have a Western Head of Faculty. We are both Western. Boo! So I may keep my happy butt right where it is. I spent the rest of the week trying to wrap my head around that fact. 

Wednesday afternoon I had invited all the English teachers to our house for a staff party. Everyone brought a dish to share and their favorite beverage. We played games, chatted, ate and enjoyed the time away from school. Stuart didn't spend a great deal of time with us for a couple of reasons. First of all we were all eating and he couldn't do that. So that was no fun, and secondly he didn't know many of my staff. He's not terribly crazy about situation like that. So he kept the dog company out on the back patio. All guests were gone before 10 and it was nighty-night for the Telfords. 

Thursday I took in some of the leftovers from the party. We all gathered in my office again and had some laughs. I will admit that these three weeks of Ramadan seem to have gone faster than in the past. 

After school I got home and made my mom's banana cake. We headed to Scott and Clare's just after 4 pm. Stuart had planned to eat some of his soup there but just never got around to it. They were having a farewell for the summer party. It was a nice gathering, but we left just before 7 pm to take Jack to a Harry Potter themed birthday party at Meriana's house. Meriana is a friend of Jack's from school, and her parents are both Heads of Faculty, like Stuart and myself. The party was great and Jack had a wonderful time. I picked him up at 9 pm, taking Millie with me so she would fall asleep on the way. On the weekends it's the easiest way to get her to go to bed. 

Jack went as Harry Potter. 

Friday Stuart took the kids to Bounce in the morning and then to the club for lunch. He was so excited because this was the day he was going to get to eat his first solid foods. He ate about a third of a scrambled egg and Millie ate the rest. He said it went down well. At the club he had soup and that was also a good choice. He seems to be having an easier time, food wise, than I did. I'm very happy for him. 2 weeks after surgery and he has already lost 40 pounds. It's quite incredible. 

While Stuart was with the kids in Al Ain, I was in Abu Dhabi spending the day with Gina. She was passing through on her way to Italy, starting her summer vacation with some pampering and relaxation in Abu Dhabi. We went to a few malls so I could buy Stuart something for Father's Day. Naturally I decided upon smaller clothes for him from American Eagle, one of his favorite stores that he is so excited to shop in when he is at his goal weight. I also ended up buying the kids journals and a camera for our summer adventures in the U.K. as well as in Italy. We had a full day, eating lunch at Olives at the Ritz Carlton. We also spent a few hours at the hotel pool, which reminds Gina of Arizona. It was lovely to see Gina and catch up for a while. She promised she would come to Abu Dhabi more this next school year. We saw her back in August and hadn't seen her since.  Was glad she said she would be in Abu Dhabi more. 

Time by the pool with a refreshing lemon and mint drink. 

I got home just before 8 pm and the kids were still awake. Boo! They had showered, well at least Jack had. Millie was told since I was changing the beds Saturday morning she didn't have to have a shower. It made me itchy. Oh well, I wasn't in charge so who cares? Stuart put the kids to bed just after 8 pm and I went up to say goodnight. Then back downstairs for some television and napping on the sofa. 

I got up early Saturday morning. Molly is my new alarm clock most days, so sleeping in is not much of an option any more. I had some quiet time before the kids were awake. I had a cup of coffee and did some laundry. Once the kids were awake I started changing beds. I got everyone's bed changed, but had to hang Jack's duvet cover to dry more. 

Stuart and I sorted through clothes that were too big for him or things we no longer wore. We gave away two bags of clothes to the local charity here. 

I messaged Cathy to see if she was interested in riding with Millie and myself to Dubai to watch Millie do gymnastics. She decided to do so. We left just after 11 am. In the meantime Stuart and Jack went to the club to the pool. Stuart didn't swim because of his incisions, but Jack did. They then had dinner at the club. 

When Millie finished gymnastics her coach told me that she had done an evaluation of her at this particular practice. She told me that Millie was going to be a champion and that next fall she would need to come for two hours a week. I kind of knew this was coming. Millie is built like a gymnast and has incredible balance and poise. She is strong and is able to do everything her coach tells her to do. So the conversation I would need to have when I got home was 'how we going to do this?'  I can't deny her natural abilities, even if it means me driving to Dubai once a week next year. There are no facilities in Al Ain, so I suppose we will bite the bullet and let her explore this sport. 

After gymnastics we were planning to have lunch at the Dubai Mall and then go see Wonder Woman. However, the only tickets for the movie were in the front row, so instead I told Millie I would buy her a toy at Hamley's. We had a wonderful time, making a stop at the sweets store before heading back to Al Ain. 

Once we were home, Millie showered and watched a bit of television. Millie went to bed at 8 pm and Jack was in bed at 8:30 pm. Stuart and I watched some television and then Stuart headed to the airport to pick up Sean. His flight was due in just before midnight. What a way to end the weekend. He was home around 1:30 am and off to slumber land we went. 

It's only week two of Ramadan and we are already bored at work and at home.

Sunday work was very boring, dare I say. I mainly worked on data calculations. There were several teachers in my office which kind of kept me from the work. I have plenty of time to complete it, but if I get a transfer I want to be ready to possibly go to my new school before the end of the year. So I really need to get my butt in gear. 

When I left school, I  took the cats and dog to get shots. What a fun car journey that was. They all handled their injections quite well, but on the way home Molly peed and barfed. Lovely! As soon as I was home, I called Brian to tell him to send the kids back home. They changed out of their uniforms and we went to Bounce. I did sign up on Sunday, and nearly broke my neck, literally. I was bouncing on the long trampoline that feeds into a big pillow. When I got to the end I kind o slipped and couldn't decide what I wanted to do, so naturally I should attempt a flip and land on my neck. I was stunned for a moment, realizing I needed to get off the pillow. I crawled to the edge where an employee met me and asked if I was okay. Clearly I was not okay. My arms had gone numb and when I hit my neck I heard a crunch, very similar to twisting an ankle. I sat up against the wall while someone bought me a bag of ice. Wow! How stupid to pretend you are in your 20s when you are approaching 50! I just sat around for the remainder of the time and attempted to do some stretching. I will now stick to the flat trampolines that don't dump into a pit. 

Once we left Bounce, we headed straight home. It was almost 6 by the time we got home and the kids headed to the shower. Once they had eaten, Stuart face timed us. It just before he was getting in the cab to go to the airport. He looked thin.....in the face. That's a constant running joke with us. When fat people start to lose weight, the worst compliment you can give them is to tell them 'I can really tell you've lost weight, especially in your face'. That just is irritating. I always wanted to say, 'How about my ass? Can you tell I've lost weight in my ass? Because that's where I really want to lose it.' I digress. 

After we finished speaking with Stuart, we rearranged the living room so I could make up the couch for Stuart. I felt it was important that he was on the sofa, facing the television. Once I had it rearranged I decided I liked it better than the old way.  It only took Stuart having surgery for me to figure that out. 

Once the kids were in bed I did some tidying up and decided to go to bed as well. Stuart was due to be back home at 5 am so I wanted to be up to see him. I didn't sleep so well because of my neck. However, I did have a heating patch, that my mom swears by, to help with the pain. It really did make a difference. Thank goodness for mothers with tricks to cure your pains. I also kept waking up in anticipation of Stuart's return. He messaged me just before 3 am to say they had landed. I got up at 5 am so I could help him settle in. I was dressed when I got the text from him. He was already in the house. He said the ride home in the cab was miserable, but he seemed to be getting along okay. Apparently, the guy Dr. Ali had hired to bring them home, brought his kid with him. The kids was drinking a Coke and eating Doritos all the way from the airport. 

While he laid on the sofa I finished getting the kids' lunches ready, and doing other things to get ready for the day. I emptied his back pack and put his laundry on to wash. I took his back upstairs and emptied that as well. 

Jack was up just after 6 am and had breakfast. Stuart was asleep so Jack didn't disturb him. He got dressed and ready for school, then watched Phineus and Ferb. Millie was awake  just before 7 and also got ready for school after some breakfast. 

Stuart woke up briefly to speak to the kids. Then we were all off to school, leaving Stuart to rest for the day. I left school early to come and see what else I could do for Stuart. I didn't really do anything but be home with him. I wasn't feeling great because of my neck and I had developed a bit of a cold. 

The kids got home and did their homework. Our internet wasn't working so well last week so Jack had several math lessons to do on a math website. I was very proud of him because not only did he stick to it for almost an hour, he actually knows a lot about fractions and money. It was very impressive to see. 

The kids left the house at 3:30 and returned at 5 from Keith and Ian's. Stuart and I napped. We went to the club on Monday evening for dinner. Stuart insisted on going to the committee meeting, which I think he might have regretted. The kids got to play with their friends and I didn't have to fix them anything for dinner. 

After we were home, the kids were clean and in bed, I headed to the hospital to collect Stuart's meds and get a sick note for myself as I wasn't feeling well. The doctor ended up giving me two days off of work. I didn't say anything about my neck, but that was my main issue. The cold was coming on strong as well, so I suppose his diagnosis was justified. 

Tuesday I got up early because although I had no school to attend, I still had kids to get ready and lunches to pack. Once the kids were off to school, I slept most of the day. I read somewhere that when you injure yourself, such as the neck injury I had, your body sleeps in order to heal it. I'm so thankful it wasn't any worse than it was. Stuart slept a lot as well, but he was getting along really well. 

Tuesday afternoon the kids played at Ian and Keith's until around 5 pm. When they got home they took showers as I was getting their dinner ready. Cathy and Mandy dropped by to see Stuart. The kids were wild the entire time. They don't want to be in the same room as us unless we have company. Unbelievable. 

After Cathy and Mandy had gone the kids ate dinner. Then they were forced into getting some of their toys downstairs and as Jack would say 'play the old fashioned way'. Really? 

Once the kids were in bed, Stuart and I took our places on our respective sofas and watched television for a few hours. I went to bed around 11 pm, woke at 2:30 am to take Molly out, and then was back to sleep until almost 6 am. 

I got up and got everything ready for the kids' lunches. Jack was awake by 6:30 am and getting himself ready. He ate breakfast while I went up to wake Millie. Once the kids were ready for school they played with Molly until Brian picked them up for school. When they were off, I headed to the store for some items. Astrid, our friends Gemma and Fechin's daughter, was coming over to bake on Wednesday evening, so I needed some items for the sweet rolls we were going to make. 

When I got home, I had a cup of coffee and then Stuart and I headed to the Ford dealer to take the truck in for a service. We got home and sorted out our Scotland trip in August. I also helped Stuart get the sticky residue off his belly from the bandages he had before he got home. It was a special bonding time for both of us. 

Once the kids were home they got dressed and back to Bounce we went. I had decided since I had been off of school for two days and my neck was still a wreck, I would sit out on Wednesday. I was sure by Friday I would be back to normal, or at least I hoped. They bounced for two hours. Then Astrid and Oscar came back to our house. I made spaghetti for the kids and Astrid and I got our bake on. 

There was a bit of a mishap while baking, and the cinnamon rolls that were to be delightful and soft turned out as hard as a rock. The kids reported that they were still good, but a bit hard. It seems that when you are pouring sugar from a plastic bag you must be careful as to not dump in too much. And if you do make such a mistake and attempt to correct it, be sure that you also add more yeast for riding purposes. Epic fail! But when I took them to work Thursday morning, my staff was not put off at all and ate every morsel. 

They were deceivingly beautiful!

Once the baking was over, I took Oscar and Astrid bake to their house, popped in for a cup of tea with Fechin and Gemma, and finally got home and showered a little after 11 pm, forgetting I had work the following day. 

My alarm went off at 5:30 am and it dawned on me that I didn't get up at al with Molly to take her out to pee. She is growing up, bless her. I came downstairs, fixed the kids' lunches, and sat down for 30 minutes with my cup of coffee. The small pleasures in life are something to thankful for. 

The kids were awaken by yours truly just before 7 am. They both stumbled downstairs for breakfast, cinnamon rolls, of course. Then they were dressed, brushed their teeth, combed their hair, and played a bit of soccer with Molly, in the hallway. They snuck into the living room to tell Stuart goodbye, and then the three of us were off to our schools while Stuart laid on the sofa and slept. What a lucky man. 

Once at school, I got organized from the two days I missed and tried to sort out crap on my desk. We have a new crew of cleaner in our building now and the one who cleans my office insists on moving all my papers around on my desk.......every day. It's us terribly unnerving. She doesn't speak English, and my charades only gets me so far, so needless to say I get to work with a new 'look' on my desk each day. 

School hours passed very slowly, but it was Thursday and the weekend was about to begin. Once I was home and settled, the kids arrived. I had decided that I would give them the option of going to Bounce Thursday afternoon or Friday morning. They chose Thursday afternoon, which was easier for us since we had to go pick up the truck anyway. The dealership is just around the corner from Bounce so it was super convenient. Stuart came by Bounce after he had collected the truck and he broke the good news to me. The truck needed 4 new tires. Super! Truck tires are cheap, right? Not hardly! It's always something. Thank goodness for good paying jobs. 

I stayed with the kids until 5 pm. I have come to enjoy my 2 hours of peace while they have fun. Although I will be glad when I can go bounce again. Once we left Bounce, we headed for home. Normally I would stop and get something for the kids to eat, but being Ramadan, no eating establishments are open until after the sun goes down each night, except for the golf club and the rugby club. It's a bit inconvenient, but probably healthier in the long run. 

So once we were home and they had showered, we had our lazy special; peanut butter and jelly sandwich and Nutella sandwich. The dinner that has no nutrition in it whatsoever! As you can see I'm still in the running for 'Mother of the Year'. 

Millie went to bed just a bit after her normal bedtime, but Jack convinced us to let him stay up later since it was the weekend. We made him watch Anthony Bourdain specials about food from Vietnam and Cambodia. We think this is going to be our Christmas destination. He admitted he would try the crickets. No thank you!

Friday morning we lazed around the house. The kids played nicely for the most part while Stuart and I continued our Anthony Bourdain marathon. He eats some pretty strange things. I went to the super market to get some items for a snack to take to Lara and Brian's that evening. It was our friend Elizabeth's birthday and they were having people over for the celebration. 

Just before 3 pm I too Jack for his play date. He was going to Sheikh Zayed bin Hazza Tahnoun Zayed Al Nahyan's house. Say that three times fast. This little boy is in Jack's class and invited Jack and his friend Harry over for a play date. They live in a compound with all of his cousins, aunts and uncles, as well as his grandfather, Sheikh Tahnoun bin Zayed, one of the 19 sons of the founder of the UAE.  So he is royalty. 

As we pulled up to the compound, a guard came out of the guard house with a machine gun strapped on his back. He didn't understand much English, but did kind of understand what I was trying to say so he let us in. We went through the gates and to say Jack was star struck is an understatement. Jack said, 'Mama, did you see that gun on that guard's back?' I told him I did and that most really important people have others who guard them from harm. Then he said, 'Mama, this is so cool. I have butterflies in my stomach.'  I told him I kind of did as well. 

As we neared Zayed's house there was another gate and another guard. The guard came out and waved us through the gates. We pulled up to the side lawn and two men were setting up a gigantic bouncy water slide, as you do on a random day during Ramadan. Harry's mum showed up with Harry just after we pulled up. We were all a little overwhelmed. I left and reminded Jack to be on his best behavior. I knew there would be thousands of stories for me when I picked him up at 7. 

In the meantime we went to the party for Elizabeth for a bit. Stuart said hello and everyone was shocked at his progress in only 10 days. He had lost 33 pounds in those ten days. It was unbelievable. We sat and chatted until just before 7 and then headed back to the palace. Millie came with us because I think she was curious about the palace. To be honest it was just an ordinary house, called a palace as a requirement of the royalty that lives in it. 

When we arrived, Zayed's Australian nanny, Belinda, asked Millie if she wanted to go on the slide. Not dressed in a swim suit, of course she did. So fully clothed she had a couple of turns before we had to leave. Belinda had taken a lot of photos and told me she would send them to me that evening. We thanked her and Zayed and went on our way. On the way home Jack asked if he could invite Zayed for a play date to our place. I told him I wasn't sure how that worked but that I would ask his nanny and see if it was possible. He told of stories of seeing Zayed's monkey (apparently he has a pet lemur) and how much fun he had. What a memory for Jack. I'm hoping even after we leave Brighton, Jack can stay in contact with Zayed. Belinda won't be his nanny any longer after the summer so it might be more difficult, but we will make the effort. 

Stuart went inside when we got home and the kids and I went back to Lara and Brian's for a while. Lara and I decided we would start walking again on Sunday even though the weather is brutally hot. We both decided that our bodies had not benefitted from our lack of exercise so it was time to get back at it. We left their house around 10 pm. The kids showered and went straight to bed. 

I woke up to Molly barking at about 5:45 am. Jack was up and ready for the day. Why does that kid get up so early? I look forward to the teenage years when I have to drag him out of bed. 

Once the whole house was awake, the kids had breakfast and got dressed. Millie and I left for Dubai at 11:15 am. She had gymnastics, which she has actually grown very fond of. It's a shame it is so far away. I'm hoping we can find something closer next year. 

After gymnastics Millie and I visited the Park and Shop again. I stocked up on pet food and cleaning supplies for the summer. I also bought some more jello for Stuart. There might have been a treat or two for the kids, and a few pet toys. This shop can definitely take my money away. 

On the way home Millie fell asleep. I was hoping she would sleep through and I could just throw her into bed. But, as fate is typically against me, she woke up and it was ever so difficult to get her to go to bed, even at 9 pm. She did agree to a shower once we were home, and then laid on the sofa watching Harry Potter with Stuart and Jack. 

I went out to get Stuart some protein powder so he could start with his second week of the meal plan. He's not exactly keen on the protein powder, but it's a must. 

The kids finally were in bed just after nine and Anthony Bourdain was entertaining us the rest of the evening.  

Ramadan Kareem

During the night Molly must have pooped 4 different times. I think she is distressed when we are away. With Stuart not being there, I think it added a whole new level of anxiety. Poor thing. 

I was up before my alarm because I didn't have to be at work until 8 am. I did all the jobs of the morning and got the kids sent off to school. My principal has been out for the past three days and was out on Sunday as well. She returned back to the states for her nephews kindergarten graduation. That's a long trip for something like that, but I think he nephew is like her son so I totally get it. 

I had an agenda for the teachers to follow so we could stay focused and get our work done. Assuming there would be no students in school, which there weren't, we got on with our grades, data analysis and school improvement plans. 

I was going to leave early to go sort out a day that I mistakenly had been docked pay for. But it seems that the accountant at our school takes care of those things. She said the lady in payroll would probably not even talk to me if I did go to the Zone. So I sent the information to Alia and stayed put until 1 pm, when we all went home. 

Once I was home, I sorted out the animals and washed some dishes. The kids got home around 2 pm and homework was started. They had a snack, watched some television and then had Keith and Ian over to play for a bit. Ramadan affords us less stress and longer awake hours. I am usually really strict about the kids' bedtimes, but since they don't go to school until an hour later during Ramadan, I'm not as focused on them getting to bed at their normal time. 

Since we will be leaving in a few weeks on holiday I am doing my best to clean out our freezers. So Sunday evening we had chicken legs, broccoli and corn on the cob. I was quite pleased with my efforts considering I don't usually cook. 

After eating the kids watched some television and then were headed to bed. They obviously know during Ramadan Im not as strict on bed time because both of them begged to stay up even later than I was allowing. Jack had a request of me as I was leaving his room that evening. 'Mom? I think I'm going to fast tomorrow with some of my Muslim friends, he announced. 'Okay,' I said. 'But can you just pack my lunch in case I get hungry?' He said. I quickly responded with a 'sure, and then he responded with, 'Ah, never mind, I'm not going to fast after all.' That conversation turned out to be quite pointless. Once they were settled in bed I was on the sofa and relaxing as well. 

Monday was a bit more of the same. We were all up and gradually got ready for our day. Stuart was still in Puckett, but was due back at the airport around midnight that night. The kids were missing him, but were more excited about the gifts he would bring them than than him actually being home. 

At school I was entertained by the English teachers coming in and out of my office. They were getting their work done, but they know they have almost 4 weeks to get all of their work done so they are not in a huge rush. 

Once I was home from school I waited for a lady named Sarah to bring her puppy over for a play date with Molly. Sarah is most likely going to keep Molly the month of August while we are in the U.K.  The play date was semi successful but Molly was a bit of a bully. I think she has developed naughty habits from our cats, sadly. 

Before Sarah showed up I had decided to attempt to make my mother's banana cake. I seem to have way too many bananas and often times they back up on me causing me to mass bake banana bread. But this time I decided I would attempt  my mom's banana cake. I don't typically eat gluten, but I had to taste my creation, and might I say it was delicious. 

Once Sarah and Greta left I got the kids bathed and fixed them dinner. Kayleigh came over around 6:30 pm so that I could meet DeDe for Iftar dinner. Iftar is what the Muslims call the meal that breaks their fast for the day. This was my Monday Meet up crew of women. It was a nice night. After dinner DeDe took me to the tailors to collect my new digs. I loved the pants, but was not a fan of the shirts. I couldn't decide what to do with the shirts, but am inclined to think I will sell them to someone. 

Here is one pair of the pants. I love them!

Once I was home I took a shower and went to bed, knowing I would be awakened when Stuart got home, which was around 4 am. He showered and got into bed for the short two hours before we all had to get up and go to school. When we got up the kids immediately wanted their gifts from Stuart, and he did not disappointment. 

I was to be in a meeting at 8 am Tuesday morning. My Arabic Vice Principal didn't show up until 9:40 am, saying she had over-slept. Hmmm, there you have it.

Teachers were still convening in my office. Some of them were pacing themselves with their work. I call it procrastination, they call it pacing. It seems that since they know they have all this time with no students, they see no need to rush. However, if they don't get their work done I can't get my work done. I have sent out deadlines to them, so I assume that will help. 

I left school and went to the grocery store for some items. When I got home, I just chilled and Stuart napped. The kids built a fort, and then went out to play. They didn't say long because it was so hot. Stuart fixed his last real meal for a while. We had chicken, squash, peas and broccoli. I'm not sure I mentioned that he is having the gastric sleeve surgery on Friday. It was a long, thought out process, but after watching me for a year, he felt he could do it. So we will be here to support him.

After dinner, we all helped clean up, even Millie. In fact, she might have been the most help. The kids went to bed much later than normal. Millie ended up in our bed at 5 am because the cats had scared her by ransacking her room. 

We were up Wednesday morning and out the door at our normal Ramadan time. It seems during Ramadan we are all more tired than normal. The kids are crankier and we all seem to need a nap around 2 pm. Once we were home from school we went to the grocery store to try to find some soup for Stuart to eat once he was home from his surgery. Jack continued to ask if he could buy a fidget spinner while we were at the store. He said he'd pay me back, but I had told him a few weeks back that he didn't have to get something every time we went to a store. I continued to say 'no' and he continued to ask. In the end he was grounded for his behavior. When will he ever learn?

The evening was quite pleasant. After Jack's hour and a half in his bedroom, he came down for dinner and then was up for a shower. Because his attitude had softened ever so slightly, he was allowed to come back downstairs for an hour of television. Both kids were in bed at their normal, non-Ramadan, time as they seemed to need it. 

Thursday I was only at school for three hours. I went to see Jack in his production about the environment. He was Mr. Polystyrene. While I was away my principal called teachers in to let them know their placement for the following year. Because we don't mixed genders in the classroom, we flip the teachers to the opposite side each year. The only teachers who don't get to do that are the male teachers. They are not allowed to teach the girls. So if our female teachers are on the boys' side one year, they will be on the girls' side the following year. We make this very clear to the teachers at the beginning of each year. So why some of them are so hurt and surprised at their placement is beyond me. I'm just glad I wasn't there when they were told. They would have the weekend to adjust to the idea and change their attitude toward it all. 

Once Jack's play was over, we decided to take the kids home even though it was a bit early. We dropped Stuart off at Abela to catch a cab with Dr. Ali to fly off for his surgery. I'm not sure exactly how he felt, but I felt comforted knowing he was flying to and from with the doctor. 

A selfie with the doc!

The kids and I came home and had Greta over for a play date with Molly again. This time they got on much better than the first time. Molly still dominated, but Greta was a little less wussy this time. I was making brownies and when Sarah and Greta left, we went to the O'Reillys for dinner. We always say that no matter how many times we see each other it's never enough. Good friends like that are really quite rare. We feel so very blessed. 

When we got home Millie was asleep and Jack went straight to bed. Stuart messaged that he had arrived and was fine. 

I woke up Friday morning to take Molly out to pee. It was about 4:30 am and Jack was on the sofa playing his iPad. At that moment, the rule came into play 'you are not to play your iPad in the mornings until either Mom or Dad are up'. Of course I sent him back to bed. 

Stuart messaged around 9 to let me know he was going into surgery. I told him not to worry about messaging me after surgery because I knew he wouldn't feel well.  He finally did message me to say he was fine but in pain. I'm so glad I have already been through this so I can support him, but I feel badly for him that he's in pain. 

Once both kids were up, they ate breakfast and we watched a movie. At 9:30 am we went to Bounce, the trampoline place. They are running a special during Ramadan. You can bounce for up to three hours each day during the month of Ramadan for about $80. Usually the sessions are an hour long and it is about $22 a session. So if you bounce a total of 4 hours you have gotten your money's worth. On Friday alone they bounced for two hours. I told the kids I would get myself a pass when we went gain on Sunday. They were a sweaty mess at the end of their time. It's great exercise and seems good fun. After bouncing we stopped by the grocery store for some air freshener. The house was starting to smell too much like pets. Ick!

Once we were home we did a whole lot of nothing. The kids were totally exhausted. They showered after a couple of hours of laziness. We watched some television, ate dinner and went to bed. It was a great day. 

We got up Saturday morning and chilled around the house. Around 9:30 am we started toward Dubai and Millie's gymnastics class. We stopped at Park and Shop so we could find some sugar free jello and sugar free popsicles to help Stuart with the first few weeks of his new belly. We had great success. I was so thrilled. We then headed to gymnastics, and while Millie twirled around, Jack and I sat on the sofas and played on our electronic devices, quality time. 

After gymnastics we joined the Richardsons at the Mall of the Emirates for lunch behind the iron curtains. They section off the food court for the non-Muslims at the malls so we can eat during the daylight hours. 

We were going to go see Beauty and the Beast but we missed the showing just before 4 pm and the next one was just before midnight. So we ended up going to the Lego store ad buying some of the new block head legos, then heading home. The kids showered when we got home and started putting together one of their new Lego. I made dinner and we watched the Batman Lego movie. It seemed fitting for our night's activity. We had a full week for sure. 

Doing our part to make sure Lego doesn't go out of business. 

We had a great week, but we were all anxious to have Stuart home. He sent a few more messages on Saturday to let us know he was improving. Once he's home it will be all down hill.