Wednesday 30 September 2015

I'm NOT the British Ambassador to Dubai

I live in Dubai, I'm an expat, my husband works abroad and I trail behind him, willingly. It's boring, it's too hot and I don't like it, but that doesn't mean I'm unhappy with my lot in life.

After 5 years as an expat, 4 in South Africa, I've just about finished reinventing myself as a SAH, who, for a hobby blogs, surfs the internet, explores the neighbourhood, attends coffee mornings, has adjusted to the kids leaving home, is making new friends and maintaining relationships with those in the UK and South Africa and visiting new friends in Canada and in Dubai that I've met online.

I get asked often what I do for a living to which I reply 'I don't work, I just travel and I represent Dubai in informing the world what it's really like to live here'.

Only joking, well the last part anyway, but it sure feels like it sometimes and I have actually googled 'advisors for Dubai' employment.

I wrote before about the myths and realities of living in Dubai when we first arrived, but it doesn't matter how many times I tell people this isn't Saudi Arabia, I still get questioned about my life here in regards to my freedom.

Here I am yesterday evening. I'm lying in bed under the air con as it's just too hot and I've been working outside in the garden. I went out to the shops on my own this morning, I drove the car by myself and I was wearing this top with bare arms and not wearing a head cover. I'm also drinking a bottle of Smirnoff Ice that I purchased at the off licence over the road, next door to the coffee shop and tonight for dinner we are having pork sausages that were purchased in the supermarket.


Dubai is boring because I don't have a job nor am I interested in group hobbies, I spend all day on my own with the dog and cat while hubby is at work and it's starting to grow on me, my time alone. I have numerous projects on the go, travel planned and visitors booked.

Dubai is too hot.....fact. It's great for a holiday and no matter how much you tell me you'd love the sun, let me equate to you what it's like just sitting still, then tell me how you'd cope walking the dog, doing the food shop, cleaning the house.

Go sit in front of the oven with the door open and ask someone to hold a hair dryer on hot to the back of your neck. now boil the kettle let it cool to 46c and then take a cool shower or have a cold refreshing drink in that temperature water.

Dubai is a city, I'm not a city girl, I like to visit but I prefer the countryside or seaside to live at. I like open space and peace and quiet, it is full of tourists all year round and when I want to pop out for a carton of milk, I don't want to have to fight for a parking space or get swept along with the masses and bashed on the head with a selfie stick.

I'm looking forward to winter so I can get out on the beach, explore the souks more, walk the dog during daylight hours, spend more time in the garden and drive further afield to explore the other Emirates.

We've been in Dubai now since December 2014. We've had Christmas, Easter and now the shops are full of Halloween decorations and costumes.



There are Christian Churches in Dubai, in fact all religions are welcome in Dubai and are represented, you're just not allowed to preach in public or advertise religious events, but that rule coves EVERY religion

We've taken part in Ramadan joining in with Iftar and Eid ul Fitr the day marking the end and Eid al Adha the festival of sacrifice.

There are lots of myths about the way foreigners are treated and rumours that if you're involved in a car crash with another Emirate that you will automatically get the blame, but then in South Africa they said if you got stopped by the police over there you just bribed them, but I never met a South African who had actually done that either.

Dubai is fair and equal, the same rules and laws apply to everyone, with the only difference being that if you are a foreigner and commit a crime, you will be deported after conviction and serving your time.

The media in Dubai report on all crimes and outcomes regardless of your nationality and crime, whether it is rape, murder, theft, drink driving, smuggling drugs, you'll see no one from any nationality is excluded from prosecution or from the reporting.


Tuesday 29 September 2015

Pet Boarding with Posh Paws in Dubai

Bob and Pushkins spent 17 nights in the kennels and cattery at Posh Paws in Dubai, while hubby and I were in the UK.

This is the first time they've boarded, we were very careful with our research as when I googled the options, the costs were too high and when I looked for alternative boarding all I came across were negative experiences.

Returning to the house in the evening after dropping the cat in Dubai, on the Al Khawaneej around 30 mins from home and then the dog at the kennels in Ajman another 40 minutes away, was a very strange feeling. I didn't fly till later that evening and hubby had a further day and night at home before joining me.

On my arrival in the UK I emailed Posh Paws to find out how they were both doing and was reassured they were both fine. Although I thought about them quite a bit, I made no further contact, knowing they had my email address should there be any problems.

I cannot speak highly enough of Posh Paws and their care of Bob and Pushkins. Both animals were happy and with healthy shiny coats when I collected them, neither had lost of gained weight which was one of the complaints many people have had of boarding their animals in Dubai.




Bob was very excited when he was brought to me, but that excitement was for being outside and not seeing me.


Pushkins was brought to me in her basket and was very stressed for the journey home, but when I let her out she explored the house and gardens with me near by, just in case she decided to make a run for it.

I went out that evening to do the food shop and Bob was he usual happy self to see me when I got back, however at 4am the following morning when hubby arrived home Bob was bounding around him. We popped out that afternoon and Bob ignored me on our return but fussed over hubby. I guess this is my payback for leaving him. He is however following me from room to room to keep a close eye on me.

By the end of the weekend I'd been forgiven and he was back to his usual greeting of me as if he hasn't seen me for many years, yet alone minutes.

Pushkins has discovered her voice and is mewing/shouting at me none stop, following me everywhere and if I stand still she sits on my foot.



Both animals are making none stop demands to be outside as at the kennels and cattery they had cat/dog flaps they could access, whereas at home we have to open the door to let them out and the weather is much cooler than when we left.


Bob is back in his usual spot and as for Pushkins she's back to not being able to find her spot.


I've been looking out for a female cat and her 3 kittens, I've been away quite a bit during the summer, but they're getting food from somewhere and drink the water from the air conditioning unit. I wanted to befriend them so I could take the kittens to be sterilised (someone has already done the mother a few weeks after she gave birth) 




I won't be doing that any more after a vicious attack from the mother last week when I was feeding them all and was inching my way closer so they could used to my presence when the mother pounced and bit my hand rather badly, causing me to shake her off. There was a lot of blood, but I've survived as will the offending cat.

I had a tetanus shot when I was bitten on the back of my leg by a dog in the UK in 2013 and a booster in 2014 when a monkey in South Africa bit my arm.

Monday 28 September 2015

What a difference 3 weeks make with the heat in Dubai

Three weeks ago in Dubai we were having hot showers from the cold water tap, we didn't need to put the water heater on to do the washing up and we were having to fill plastic tubs with water and leaving them outside so they'd cool down in the shade to water the plants and wash the dog.

The water temps in the outside cold taps were reaching 46c. The air temps were reaching 50c.


Now for some reason the water is brown again, we drink bottled water anyway but washing up and showering in it, is a bit off putting.


The water pipes in the house provided us with 30 seconds of cold water as they're out of the sun, now the shower is cool for the whole duration and it won't be long before we need to heat the water again.

June, July and August were spent indoors, apart from a 3 week vacation to Canada during Ramadan, we spent little time outside, we took the dog to the lakes in the desert early on a Friday morning and he had a short walk around the block around 8pm. I did make a point of getting out the house everyday to escape from cabin fever, but I could only manage a very short walk to the bus stop before becoming drenched in sweat. We managed the odd day on the beach in the evenings, with the sea temps around 36c it was hardly refreshing and cooling.

I've finally been able to open the curtains in the house during the day and some natural sunlight is most welcome. The sun no longer streams in through the windows in the morning, which means the house is much cooler. 


It does however still hit the front of the house and if I go behind those closed curtains it's like getting in a sauna, you can see how the curtains are being sucked backwards by the extreme heat.


This weekend I managed to finish tidying the camping equipment in one of the out buildings, although I was very hot, I wasn't drenched with sweat within minutes and abandoning the sort out like I'd done 3 weeks earlier.

The air con temp has been turned up and during the early hours of the morning we've been switching it off as it's got a bit chilly. Our electricity bill has been around £500 a month for the past 3 months.

The average day time temps are now in the mid 30's instead of the mid 40's, although the humidity can catch us off guard every now and then making it feel hotter than the thermometer reads sometimes.

I'm off to South Africa in 3 weeks time and it will be summer down there, I've not had a winter since June/July 2014. I was in the UK April/May and again in September and had some lovely warm weather. I'm looking forward to the winter in Dubai which is similar to a UK summer, but with far less rain.

Sunday 27 September 2015

Week 39 - My Sunday Photo

Well I'm back in Dubai after a trip to the UK, but only for 3 weeks then I'm off to South Africa to work with two volunteer projects with vulnerable children for 5 weeks.

I can't believe the difference in the weather, in Dubai, in the 3 weeks we were away. Although temps are still in the mid to high 30's it is noticeably different and the cold water tap actually doesn't run as hot and I was able to bathe the dog after our trip to the lakes in the desert today from the hose pipe rather than having to cool water down in buckets in the shade.

Before we left Dubai we were moved on from our usual Friday morning watering hole where we met weekly to socialise the dogs and ourselves as it was private property. We didn't manage getting up in time on Friday to meet the usual crowd at the new destination, but did manage it yesterday. The other people there weren't in a group and although friendly when we said hello as we walked past you could tell they weren't there for socialising, so we walked around the new lake, which is something we wouldn't have been able to do 3 weeks ago in the heat and humidity.

This part of the desert is covered with trees, the lakes are much bigger and the water is pumped through filters to keep them clean, there is an abundance of wildlife and in the centre of the picture although not very clear is a crane that was circling around (I must remember to take my grown up camera with me next week as well as my iPhone)

I was rather disappointed to find 3 dog poo bags that people had obviously gone to the trouble of cleaning up after their dog then just dumped them by the trees, the cycle centre is less than 2 kms away and has bins. There was also a lot of rubbish, plastic cups, drink bottles and food waste and wrappers, but I'm assuming this has been left behind by people celebrating Eid as there was also lots of ash piles from bonfires which I very much doubt were lit by the dog walkers so early in the morning. Teams of workers were out picking up the litter and thanked me for the carrier bag full of rubbish I gave them that I'd collected as we walked around the lake.

It's good to be back at the lakes and lovely to have both the cat and dog home after their holiday to the cattery and kennels while we were away and it doesn't appear that their adventure has caused them any issues.


Saturday 26 September 2015

Week 39 - Project 365


I started the week in the UK and spent Sunday with hubby in Somerset, he went sea fishing with his friend while I trawled round the gift and tea shops. We spent the morning on the beach at Seaton and then went to Beer for Sunday lunch, before driving back to Monmouth, via putting my 4 year old niece to bed, with one last story before we return to Dubai. I was up late writing christmas cards and sorting out some last bits and pieces of paperwork.

Day 263 #onedailypositive #red #fmsphotoaday#nature #snaphappybritmums #project365 the UK seaside towns have looked wonderful this weekend.


I woke on Monday morning not wanting to return to Dubai, I felt sad at leaving the children behind and not having enough time to spend with everyone. By 10am children 2, 3 & 5 had made contact and asked to see us before we left, so after a day in Newport with my parents and lunch in a pub, we set off around 5pm on a 100 mile trip to collect child 2 from Coleford and child 4 from Lydney and collecting child 5 from his school in Tewkesbury going for coffee in town and then dropping the kids off when we were kicked out the coffee shop at closing time.


Tuesday was travel day and off to Birmingham airport by midday, the flight was almost empty and I had a row of 3 seats to myself and after the drink cart came round I settled down to sleep for most of the flight. I got a taxi back home and it was very strange arriving to an empty house, 1000's of miles away. This week's #animaltales was 'How to ride an Ostrich' in South Africa.

Day 265 #onedailypositive #yellow #fmsphotoaday#InitialLetter #snaphappybritmums #project365 I spent my time on the flight from the UK to the UAE writing letters using the review envelopes I was sent from #AllColourEnvelopes

Waking late on wednesady I had to unpack and drive to Ajman to collect the dog and cat from the kennels and cattery, in the evening I did a food shop, had dinner and went to bed.

Day 266 #onedailypositive #green #fmsphotoaday#star #snaphappybritmums #project365 having landed in Dubai in the early hours, collecting the cat and dog from kennels, unpacked and a food shop I forgot all about today's photo prompts. In my mind my green food bought today and arranged in the shape of a star didn't match the reality of tins and a wonky cross.

Hubby arrived home in the early hours of Thursday morning, his original trip to the UK was cancelled after I had booked mine with Emirates air miles, so when it came to booking his flight we just couldn't get on the same flight. Eid is currently being celebrated, so hubby had a few extra days off work. I spent the day doing the washing and sorting out the UK paperwork. For my #TimeTraveller post I took a tour of Dubai airport in search of 'things to do' and to explore the Zen Gardens for HDYGG?

Day 267 ‪#‎onedailypositive‬ ‪#‎blue‬ ‪#‎fmsphotoaday‬ ‪#‎harvest‬‪#‎snaphappybritmums‬ ‪#‎project365‬ practicing camera settings for the Harvest moon in a few days, which will also be a super moon which I believe is also a blue moon. The only blue in this shot was my language as I couldn't get the settings right in the dark, but when I used a torch to see the dials all the settings were then wrong when I turned the torch off


On Friday after another lie in, we went to Dubai Mall to buy floor cleaner, reading glasses and have a coffee. We lazed around the house for a couple of hours, walked Bob and then out for a meal with a friend and her husband I met through #fmsphotoaday from Cape Town.

Day 268 #onedailypositive #pink #fmsphotoaday#cheers #snaphappybritmums #project365 well I'm all over the place after all this travel I missed #perspectiveout on Day 263 and got ahead of myself and confused with the time difference anyway the @britmums prompts are a day out with the weekends. And who cares? Cheers everyone, it's not like there's a prize at the end of the rainbow which is now tomorrow's prompt instead of Sunday's....hey ho full perspective will appear on Sunday and I'll be back on track

On Saturday we woke early and took Bob into the desert to a different set of lakes, most of the day was spent lazing around, watching sport, writing up blog posts, snacking and sleeping. We were putting off the difficult decision as to whether we should go to the mall to buy a new non stick saucepan or to the beach.

Day 269 #onedailypositive #rainbow #fmsphotoaday #SundayRoast #snaphappybritmums #project365 It's not Sunday and even if it was I certainly wouldn't be cooking a roast in this heat. I'm all out of sorts with my prompts this week, having missed writing one down, but I have the solution. We started this week at the seaside where we had a Sunday Lunch in Beer and I took this photo of the multi coloured beach huts in Lyme Regis.







Thursday 24 September 2015

Things to do at Dubai Airport with #HDYGG Zen Gardens and #TimeTraveller

In the past 12 months I've passed through Dubai International Airport 8 times on return journeys. 2 of the flights were a stop over from South Africa to the UK and to Dubai. All my flight bar 1 when I went on a visa run to Oman were long haul and either required a 4 hour stop over or for me to check in 2 hours prior to flying.

There's plenty to do at the airport, but not much that is free. As my flights have involved a journey of between 7 and 14 hours each way, i like to spend my time walking rather than sitting prior to flying and Dubai Airport is plenty big enough to do this. On check in, terminal B & C are connected over 2 levels, there are plenty of bars, shops, restaurants and smoking areas and if you visit the smoking lounge in Terminal C, you'll find some reclining chairs over looking the run way.

There are several free showers and plenty of rest rooms and if you're a silver card member with Emirates airline you can use the lounge for larger free showers with towels provided and free food and drink.

Despite the amount of travel I do, a lot of it is using hubbies air miles for economy travel. I've yet to reach silver status myself, so I find myself wandering around, trying not to spend too much money before my holiday actually starts.

There is a fantastic duty free shop in the baggage claim hall at Dubai Airport, so while I'm waiting for my suitcase, I spend the last of my holiday money on arrival in Dubai rather than purchasing my duty free before I travel. There is also an exchange counter with reasonable rates to change that last bit of left over holiday money.

Dubai airport is huge and spectacular, with waterfalls and plants. Prior to my trip to the UK earlier this month I googled free things to do at Dubai Airport and a visit to the Zen Gardens was recommended. 

There are lots of plants at the airport and I'd seen the area on previous visits and decided on this trip to take a closer look.


Although it looks very tranquil and is beautifully laid out with some stunning plants, it's very noisy and enclosed with glass panels so you can only look at it.



It's a fairly large area and you can walk through


But the seating is not at all comfortable and is very limited


It's also located next door to a large children's play area and coupled with the constant tannoy announcements it was not at all relaxing as the the name would suggest.


I'm off to South Africa in 3 weeks time to work with a couple of charities I was involved with in the 4 years I lived there. I will be away from home for 6 weeks, so there is actually nothing going on in the sand pit right now. Some of my indoor plants died while hubby and I were in the UK and the sandpit/garden is looking a little empty. However the bougainvillea are still flowering as they do all year round adding plenty of colour to the beigeness of the desert.






I'm looking forward to my return to Dubai in mid November for winter with more manageable temps and some rain and putting a bit more time and effort into the sandpit/garden and to explore the gardens and parks around Dubai.


Wednesday 23 September 2015

Getting ready for Christmas with All Colour Envelopes

Well that's Christmas sorted, presents bought and wrapped, cards written, addressed and stamped. I just need to wait till December 1st and hope my Mother remembers where she's kept everything for safe keeping and hands it out/posts it all on time.

Living in Dubai means I have to be very organised and plan well in advance. My next trip to the UK won't be until June 2016. I travel to the UK twice a year and tend to take birthday cards and presents with me for the next few months as posting is quite expensive, in-between our children come to visit and bring over gifts from family and friends and take stuff back for me for the next set of birthdays. Having lived in South Africa for 4 years prior to this move, 90% of all post went missing, especially anything that looked like it may contain a gift, including cards.

The lovely people at All Colour Envelopes sent a large box to my parents address for me to use for review purposes. Now when I think of envelopes, apart from the ones that come with birthday cards, I picture them to be white or brown and in a variety of sizes, sometimes padded and ones with a hard piece of card to send photos or documents in.


I didn't expect to see so many different sizes, colours and materials. I'd bought my dad an old Roy of the Rovers football annual from 1960. I put it in one of the padded envelopes, used a silver pen and wrote 'To Dad, Happy Birthday, Love Suzanne and Peter' I had no wrapping paper on me, the book was in a recycled plastic bag. I'd only been in the UK a couple of days touring around and hadn't had chance to buy paper to wrap it.


I used the padded envelopes for birthday, new birth, christmas and even an easter gift, which included clothing, jewellery, craft activities and toys. I was able to use a normal biro to write on all of the envelopes and for the darker ones I used a silver pen. For the envelopes that went through the postal system I used a plain sticky label to write the address on.





These envelope were fab to put cash in for 3 of our 5 children, I struggle with internet banking when my UK bank wants to confirm random payments while I'm in Dubai.


I write letters, every week to friends and family across the world. The gold envelope is on it's way to Canada to my friend Catherine who I spent 3 weeks with this summer after 3 years of being pen pals, having met on twitter.


I also wrote and addressed all the UK christmas cards, which I've left in the UK with my mum who will post them on for me in December. The envelopes were white and each one needed licking to seal. All Colour Envelopes were brightly coloured and fitted the selection of cards I had and have a peel off strip to ensure secure sealing of the envelope.


I've been making some scarfs and bags that I'm selling for the charity work I'm doing in South Africa and these small envelopes were great to put a business card in.


Tuesday 22 September 2015

How to ride an Ostrich with #AnimalTales

A couple of years ago, hubby and I drove to Port Elizabeth in South Africa and drove to Cape Town along the Garden Route.

We set off inland on from George to visit the Cango Caves in Oudtshoorn, it had been raining heavily the day before so we called on route to be told the caves were flooded, so we decided to visit an Ostrich farm instead.

We started with a snack and a few drinks on the terrace over looking a lake then wandered around the gift shop and the museum. We took a guided tour of the Ostrich farm and learnt about the history of trade with ostrich feathers, had the opportunity to see some chicks and watched 2 guys racing.

Then came the most out of the blue question to which hubby replied 'er no thanks' and I said 'ooh can I?'




To ride an Ostrich they must first be blindfolded, I sat on it's back and was told to hold on underneath the wings. The Ostrich stood still when it's blindfold was taken off and walked slowly backwards out of the V shaped pen, then with some encouragement she ran with me holding on firmly, gripping my knees into her sides.

It only lasted a few seconds and then I said I'd had enough, how was I to get off and I was told 'Just let go' to which I did and the two men with me stopped me from falling.

The question we get asked a lot of in Dubai is 'do you want to ride a camel?' to which I always say I'm not interested, thank you. I've ridden an Ostrich.

Sunday 20 September 2015

My Sunday Photo - Week 38

Seaton


Week 38 - Project 365

Last weeks travel has left me and hubby exhausted. We've flown into the UK for child 4 of 5 passing out parade in Catterick last Friday, it was a very proud parent moment, you can see a picture of us all for #MySundayPhoto. The week didn't get any quieter as we visited the kids, family and friends in Bristol, Gloucester, Lyme Regis whilst staying in South Wales and slotting in numerous coffee shop trips to meet up with people. This is only the 3rd time that hubby and I have been in the UK together since the end of 2010. We split our visits up during the year so the kids get to see us both as regular intervals, rather than just once a year. The youngest comes out for all the major holidays and hubby and I can split the shorter ones between us. We crossed over in the UK for a week in September 2013 when we were repairing thousands of pounds worth of damage to our house caused by our tenants. In November 2014 to sort out our papers to move to Dubai from South Africa and this trip.

Sunday was spent with child 1 of 5, Stephanie is profoundly disabled and lives in Gloucester. We collected her in the morning and drove down to Bristol to visit Granny in her new home and to borrow Granny's car for the week. Although I have my mums car to use while my parents are on holiday Monday till Friday, it isn't insured for hubby to drive and we do need to go off in opposite directions quite a bit. 

Day 256 #onedailypositive #wow #fmsphotoaday #cake #snaphappybritmums #project365 Today my plans to wander the shops and look for an amazing cake to photograph just didn't pan out as I had planned. I mentioned this to my mum who told me there was a cake in the kitchen I could photograph and actually eat.

Monday involved a 4 year old, in the shape of our niece, Olivia. We borrowed her from her mother for the day and took her to Tewkesbury to child 5 of 5 school to meet his new teachers in 6th form. The school has pigs and chickens and lots of open space, we had lunch out and then met up with friends and child 2 of 5 and his girlfriend in Monmouth for an early dinner. When we collected Olivia in the morning my 20 year old niece was visiting with her new born son Oliver, and her almost 2 year old, Elliot. There have been plenty of cuddles for everyone today.

Day 257 #onedailypositive #ImProudOfThis #fmsphotoaday #fun #snaphappybritmums #project365 I've raised 5 kids and I often wondered how hubby and I actually managed it and are still married, with our own teeth and full set of hair, albeit a little grey. We've been in charge of our 4yo niece who is currently sleeping in bed with me after a visit to a farm, a parents meeting at our youngest's school, getting caught in a torrential downpour, nearly divorcing after the 'can't fold the push chair in the pouring rain' incident and meeting child 2 of 5 with his girlfriend and friends for dinner in the local pub while our niece demanded a picnic under the table. Then returning home to make a bed for the dog (there isn't a dog where we are staying) drawing a picture of a dog that apparently was rubbish and was torn up, reading 3 books after brushing teeth and actually all 3 of us still alive.

Tuesday saw us collecting child 4 of 5 and heading off to Birmingham to watch City play Notts Forest. Child 3 of 5 warned me he would hunt me down if BCFC broke their winning streak. I'm now in hiding. For this weeks animal tales I introduced you to the real Chickenruby 

Day 258 #onedailypositive #ToMyLeft #fmsphotoaday #IAmReading#snaphappybritmums #project365 #bcfc #kro to my left is the Gil Merrick Stand & I've been reading the advertising

Wednesday morning was spent with social services, we've had a few concerns with our daughters care providers, not the staff, we can't fault them other than the extremely high turnover, but with the reality of the activities and staffing numbers in her bungalow, we then collected her and due to the weather spent the afternoon in ASDA as the floor is even, there are toilets and a cafe and we needed to pick up some toiletries and underwear for her. Child 4 of 5 met his cousin to go rock climbing and on our return to Monmouth we called in see our old neighbour for half an hour. I popped off to see Olivia while hubby cooked dinner for us and child 2 of 5 and his girlfriend.

Day 259 #onedailypositive #ToMyRight #fmsphotoaday#art #snaphappybritmums #project365 my niece and one of our drawings.

Thursday morning I nipped into Ross on Wye to meet an old school friend for our twice a year coffee, in the afternoon we drove to Abergavenny and had an early dinner on our way to the retail park in Newport to meet   our twitter friends @lady_wl and @welsh_si we called in at the Crematorium as it's the 10th anniversary of my Grans death in October and took her some flowers. This weeks Time Traveller took me back to 2006 and a trip to Berlin with the kids. 

Day 260 #onedailypositive #INever #fmsphotoaday#lunchtime #snaphappybritmums #project365 I Never had lunch today, I just ate sweeties I bought after a visit to Ross on Wye this morning.

Friday was back to Gloucester to take child 1 of 5 out into town for lunch, we then called in at child 5 of 5 school. We spent Friday night with another set of friends at their house for dinner and to watch the opening of the Rugby World Cup. For How does your garden grow this week it was a visit to the Mall of Emirates and bringing the garden indoors. 

Day 261 #onedailypositive #MyOwn #fmsphotoaday #SaturdayRelax I haven't been on my own for a week now as hubby and I tour the UK the Saturday relax prompt came a day early and I've been so busy today (Friday) I missed the photo prompt and it's actually now Saturday. Anyway I'm now on my own as hubby is asleep and I'm colouring in relaxing.

Despite a late night, it was up early on Saturday and off to Lyme Regis for the weekend to see hubbies oldest friend and while they went off on the friends boat and deep sea fishing, the wife and I wandered around Bridport tea, craft and gift shops, had lunch on a farm and joined them in the evening for a beer and fish and chips. 

Day 262 #onedailypositive #candy #fmsphotoaday #religion #snaphappybritmums #project I'm religious about my approach to eating my candy.

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