WE'RE IN THE HOME COUNTRY!!!!

Yup, I'm on-line. The trip home went well. We've been shopping, eating, playing and sleeping. In other words, an excellent vacation so far. I've picked up my jumbo home country vehicle of choice, and boy is it fun to drive. Many thanks to Dad for helping with the transaction and paperwork to make it possible. I'm at the parents' house currently, and I'll be heading back north on Saturday to pick up the jet lagged husband at the airport.

Later!!!!

A full year in the Middle East

Wow. I just can't believe it. We've been in the Middle East a full year now. And what a year it's been.

We've acquired a pet rat - Daisy.

We learned the joy of swimming off the coast of Oman.

We experienced Ramadan here.

We roamed the southern coast of Norway (Kristiansand and up to Oslo).

We celebrated with friends at their wedding in Pune, India.

We've made friends (adults and kids) from more countries than I think I could list here.

My kids are learning some Arabic, and Munchkin #2 has had some seriously good exposure to Dutch.

I've had the totally awesome experience of having some truly lovely co-workers. I'm looking forward to the next challenges! I am so grateful to have worked with such great guys (and guys, the chocolates and the pedicure certificate are very appreciated!!!!!).

And, we now have a 70 gallon tank complete with a variety of crabs to get it going.

Less than 48 hours until the home country.

Until I can post again, may your road be interesting and peaceful.

News Flash for people in the home country

Sorry, no snap to post today. Less than 72 hours from heading for the home country. I'm too tired to pack and clean, so I'm typing.

Big news in this region. Is it hype? Is it something to pay attention to? I don't know.

Please read the following:
http://www.alarabiya.net/articles/2008/06/16/51590.html This article is the 'big news.' Work and the kids' school was buzzing today about it.

http://www.alarabiya.net/articles/2007/10/30/41005.html I found this to be interesting.

http://www.alarabiya.net/articles/2007/11/07/41346.html

http://www.alarabiya.net/views/2008/06/17/51645.html This article/opinion piece is something my readers in 'western' countries might be unaccustomed to seeing.

http://www.7days.ae/showstory.php?id=74521 The last few lines are what's interesting about this one.

http://news.scotsman.com/world/Terror--red-alert-.4190515.jp Again, more interesting tidbits I have not seen elsewhere in the press. Some of the inferences given here are what my colleagues think is the case. Certainly makes one stop and think.

Since the Americans tend to give the appearance of worrying more about this kind of stuff than other countries, I checked the American consulate website for the UAE. It contained nothing on any of this.

So, is this 'hype'? I don't know. The UAE is a lovely peaceful place. After traveling all over this part of the world (and listening to my husband who's traveled even more), I can truly voice the opinion that the UAE is a lovely place.

Sincerely, Peace.

The Tank Saga

Here's the next phase of my tank. We're running a kicking little system. Two serious powerheads are pulling through the undergravel plates. The gravel is a mix of natural hand collected shell hash and commercially available gravel. The large rock is courtesy of the husband's morning jog along a rocky shoreline. We're not sure what the composition of the large rocks is, but since they were in salt water already....we hope they'll be ok.

We now have an assortment of 'sacrificial' hermit crabs and gastropods. We've had loads of fun watching the herms hunt/dig around the selection of empty shells. They keep changing 'houses' which is great fun to watch.

We bought one of the biggest heaters we could get. Since we keep our home rather chilly, we didn't want to freeze out our little aquatic critters. We are also running a hefty canister filter - Polish made. It has several layers inside: a standard filter sponge kinda stuff, two layers of activated charcoal/carbon, and a layer of zeolyte. We took out the layer of ceramic 'bio ball' kinda stuff. With the extensive undergravel, I just didn't see the need to run more surface area for bacterial growth. I was concerned about increased nitrate levels. If we find we should need it, the canister has an insert for a UV light. I'm not keeping corals or reef fish, so hopefully I won't need it.

When we first installed the canister, we noticed that it leaked at one of the o-rings. So, the husband took it back to the store today. The store swapped out the defective piece right away, but put the defective piece back in a new box on the shelf. Nasty. Kinda reminds of the time in Belize when I returned a pre-made graham cracker crust to the store because it had bugs in it. The store clerk gave me back my money and put the crust back on the shelf. Nasty. Ick. So, we are carefully watching the new part on the canister, and keeping the canister inside a very large bowl under the tank just in case.

(A few minutes passes.....)

Canister is leaking. The saga continues......

On retreat and desert dreams

Munchkin #2 composed this poem at school. It tends to sum up the simple day dreams we have here currently. If you can't read it, then click on the image and it should enlarge.

Today, Mum's 'on retreat.' It has been a rollercoaster of a week. The husband had a very busy week with work. I've had a busy week with work. The munchkins have been on some rollercoasters with friends and school. Friends are moving back to home countries; cultural differences are sometimes difficult to deal with at school; we are homesick. Don't get me wrong. We really are enjoying living where we are living. But, when the kids see home and things about home on cable (like on Animal Planet), then we really realize how ready we are for an extended holiday.

Today, we did not go to our favorite place of prayer. Today was a 'retreat day.' We had some morning quiet time. Then, Munchkin #1 made waffles for the family, the husband hauled/fetched the last of the salt water we needed for the aquarium, Mum did dishes and laundry and is now blogging. We are beginning prepping our home here for our extended absence. A colleague of mine is going to watch Daisy for us. The aquarium will not yet have fish, so it should keep just fine.

Family news......

Very exciting stuff. The husband's brother and his wife (I can't remember if I've already blogged on this) just welcomed into the world their first little one - a lovely little girl! We are all very excited.

More very exciting stuff. One of my dearest friends and her husband have been trying to adopt for a very long time now. Well...they received a referral out of Russia. They traveled to Russia, and now.....we all are anxiously awaiting when they can bring Amelia home! Because of how Russia handles adoptions, my friends have to wait on paperwork and other red tape before they can travel again and bring their little girl home. So, now the wait becomes difficult but happy and hopeful.

A 'fish' story.....

The other evening (Tuesday I think), we found out that Munchkin #2 has a bad case of swimmer's ear. We skipped her sport of choice for the evening and headed for home. Mum decided that the pain might be easier to handle with a bit of relaxed fun. Rather than swim, we headed for the beach to pick up seashells. Munchkin #2 was standing in ankle deep water. The water was a bit rough/cloudy, and the tide was quite high. Two very large cuttlefish swam right up to us. We could see that they were really looking at Munchkin #2. Munchkin #1 ran over from up on the beach to watch these two critters watching us. After a bit, the cuttlefish moved off. We then saw them (explicit stuff now....make more cuttlefish....ahem....) and turn a brilliant shade of blue while they did so. The munchkins thought they appeared to be kissing. Really was an amazing thing to get to see. Best part was, the beach trip worked. Munchkin #2 forgot all about the painful ear.

For this week, we'll continue to clean up things here. I need to do some last minute shopping for things to bring back to the home country. We have things to pack to take home and paperwork to drag along to take care of business in the home country (like kid shot records, yuck). I don't know when I'll get to post again. My house in the home country is currently without internet. I'm hoping there is a nearby coffee place that will allow me wi-fi access.

Until then, peace.

What a weekend so far

I have no idea as I sit here uploading this video, if you'll be able to see the swarm of little fish. All these little babies were schooling so big, it was almost like swimming in a 'bait ball.' And, when we first went out in the water, I didn't have my camera. So naturally, no camera in hand, we found a fabulous cuttlefish. A cuttle fish is from Phylum Mollusca, Class Cephalopoda. They are related the octopus and squid. If you've ever put a white cuttle bone in a bird cage, then you've put in an internal piece of a cuttlefish's mantle (head/body region) for the birdie. They are rather intelligent critters. This one, didn't swim away from us as much has he'd swim sideways to us checking us out as he'd change colors to match the bottom. He was about 12 inches/24 cm long. Really cool critter.

http://www.tonmo.com/articles/basiccuttlefish.php This website has some good info and pics of cuttlefish. Unlike this website, I don't feel that they'd make good pets. Yes, they are fun and intelligent, but their ink and their octopus like craftiness would make them difficult to deal with. One would also probably a fairly good supply of live crabs. A very good friend of mine used to be involved in a cuttlefish breeding program for neurological research (their neurons are huge and very similar to humans'). I went an visited him once at the lab. The cuttle fish would 'follow' him around in their tanks. And, if I remember correctly, if they saw him with a food bucket and they didn't get fed, they'd ink in their tank and generally make a fuss. Yup, intelligent critters. Great fun.

Now to change subject....We finally bought patio furniture last night. They had what we wanted in stock and in the boxes still. We inquired about delivery, but found out that it'd be about 3 days before we'd get it. So...being 'us', we loaded the boxes in the SUV ourselves including tying a large box to the cargo rack on top. I also bought 14 bags of aquarium gravel at the same place. Well, you can probably imagine the few spectators we attracted loading our own stuff. I don't think folks here are used to seeing ex-pats loading their own stuff. Yup. Gotta keep it real.

Just reading

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/13/world/middleeast/13girls.html?pagewanted=1

Just read this at the New York Times' website. Really interesting stuff.

Where I live, I've seen groups of teenagers (groups of boys and groups of girls) roaming the shopping malls. All had mobile phones and were very busy with them.

Only in the Middle East

This morning after totally oversleeping etc., we missed going to our place of prayer. Sigh...some days are just like that.

Munchkin #2 was playing this morning and came scooting into the living room on her knees pushing her camel ('Camie') with two riders. The 'riders' are mice dressed as Bedouin. Munchkin #2 has a collection of dolls (like Barbies), but they come with a collection of culturally appropriate clothes. So, the mice borrowed from the dolls and were "off on a desert adventure." Wow. I guess my kids are really thinking about the culture in which we find ourselves if it shows up so vividly in their play.

A great story (ok. I think it's great.) Yesterday, upon picking up my kids after school, I needed to have a conversation with a mom of one of Munchkin #2's friends. The mom, who is Dutch, is also fluent in English and Spanish (Spanish is actually her first language). This other mom (and good buddy) and I needed to discuss some things that we didn't want the kids to hear. So, she switched to Spanish. I could understand her and respond with simple words (my Spanish is very rough). So here I am living in the Middle East, and I'm talking with a fellow mum who's Dutch, but we're speaking in Spanish. And, I'm trying to learn a touch of Arabic. Well, at least my Spanish seems a bit better than I thought.

Speaking about Arabic, I learned from a very gifted 11 year old I know (and well traveled) a few bits about saying 'Hello' in Arabic. In the United Arab Emirates and in Saudi Arabia, the proper greeting is 'Salaam Alaykum' (which, essentaily translates to 'peace of Allah be upon you') In Oman, it is 'Marhaba' (grind on the h a bit in the back of the throat). I'm not sure what is appropriate to Qatar and Bahrain. Arabic will vary between different countries. As I learn stuff, I get more interested.

A few weeks ago, I met a lovely woman from the same home country town where our house is! Her daughter and my Munchkin #2 even used to go to the same place/group for their sport of choice! We have so enjoyed meeting each other, and our daughters really seem to enjoy one another. They are even on the same flight as us on 20 June heading for home! And they are not coming back! They are moving back home. I am so bummed. It's hard to find people that you immediately click with. We will stay in touch.

As an aside, a very dear friend of mine (years ago she drove past tornadoes and for about 4 hours to meet me at hospital when my son was born) is currently traveling outside of our home country. She and her husband are currently hoping to adopt. Good thoughts and prayers for them. I have not heard from them since they left the home country. Again, good thoughts and prayers.

Peace/Salaam/Paz

Sport of choice and Apple Pie

This is my 'sport of choice.' I love to go out swimming/snorkeling with my family. This giant turtle has been really cool. It gives the kids a platform of sorts in deeper water, and yet it is totally Husband/Dad propelled (Mum's taking pictures). Good fun.

Munchkin #2 has had a bit of a week. I took her to her sport of choice yesterday and dropped her off. It's two hours long, and I needed groceries. Munchkin #1 and I proceeded to a 'new to us grocery store'. Well, thanks to the roads with no place to turn left (literally), I got lost a bit and had to go miles out of my way to get back to Munchkin #2 to pick her up. I was really worried (I had two+ nasty traffic circles to navigate). I phoned the husband, and he was rushing to beat me there to get her just in case traffic got worse. Well, I made it (about 5 minutes late - boy did I feel bad!). And there sits Munchkin #2 with a huge ice pack on her foot! The coach thought that when she bent her toes backward the wrong way (ouch!!!), that the foot was just 'sprained' but might have been broken. Poor munchkin!!!! (Mum now feels even worse!) The foot was really swollen....but ice and some seriously good muscle cream, and she seemed to be ok. She went to school and was just fine today!

Then.....this afternoon....I go to pick her up from school at her classroom. Her teacher informs me that there was an 'incident' on the playground and Munchkin #2 is at the nurse. Upon arriving at the nurses' office, there sits Munchkin #2 in tears with ice on her arm. A boy, evidently, REALLY twisted it (Munchkin #2 was trying to get the boy to stop picking on her friend). Again, we hear "it's probably just a sprain but could be fractured." Lots of ice and Mum's miracle muscle cream, and she seems to be ok. I'm SO very glad not to have had broken bones.

And, to take a few steps back....when Munchkin #2 was walking from the playground to the nurses' office, Munchkin #1 saw her. He walked her there, waited for a report from the nurse, then went to tell Munchkin #2's teacher right away what was going on, so that she could then inform me as soon as possible! What an awesome kid and big brother!!!!

So...after all these injuries, I am told by Munchkin #1 that I need to bake an apple pie for a special event for his Health Class at school. Now....the lovely calming smell of apple pie is wafting through the house. Sigh......

Hope your day is filled with good smells and no injuries.

Peace.

Massive headache and some newsy stuff

I had a really long day today at work. It should have been a relaxed easy day, but my head is killing me, and I kinda ache. I was craving an after work snack - I ate broccoli smothered in Danish Cheddar, yummy. Broccoli? I must not be feeling well.

While eating my cheesy green stuff, I came across an article many of you may not have seen:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/jun/01/iraq?gusrc=rss&feed=networkfront

I read/see/hear this kind of stuff, and I just don't know how to process it. So, I blog about it - try to put it out there even more. We have friends from all over; my kids have friends from all over. I read this kind of stuff, and it really hits home. Time for some headache medicine.

Let there be peace tonight.