Saturday 16 December 2017

One Daily Positive Week 50

It's strange watching the UK wind down for the Christmas holidays. Although we have Christmas here, it's not a holiday. It just happens and you can choose to celebrate it or not. Peter has the actual day off and we'll go out for brunch. If he wanted he could take leave for 2 weeks, like many people do. I love Christmas in Dubai, it's really quiet as a lot of expats go home back mainly to Europe or Asia, often for their one and only trip of the year. The weather is perfect here right now and we've even had some rain.

Although everything was unpacked after moving house last week, I've found plenty of jobs to do, mainly sorting and rearranging things and getting rid of a lot of stuff we've lugged around the world. Just a full clean left to do now before our first lot of visitors next week.

344 Sunday New (tasks)
The day was spent trying to get a refund from the utility company. I visited the Happiness Centre and left in tears. I know Dubai is progressive, but I really didn't want to speak to a robot that followed me around asking me why I didn't want to be spoken to at chest height and have to stoop over to speak to it, while staff stood on smiling at how wonderful it was. I spent the afternoon sorting through the kids keep sake boxes that we've lugged around the world, chucking tonnes of stuff out and now everyone has one box each plus a shared box of baby clothes and favourite toys ready for when they have homes and kids of their own.

345 Monday Sport
I intended to take a bike ride to the local shopping centre, but all the tyres on the bikes were flat. The main purpose being a) I like my coffee out and it's a chance to meet people b) I had a final photo to take for the fashion blog post and c) todays photo prompt was sport. Peter flew out to Saudi in the afternoon and I spent the evening batch cooking and sweeping 10ft of sand out the house while our water tank was refilled.

346 Tuesday I'm proud Of (me)
I spent the day with my friend and her parents at Miracle Gardens. This has been a tough one for me. Her father reminds me so much of mine, in looks, mannerisms, attitude and opinions. Even my husband noticed it without me having to say anything. It's the way he sits and wears his shorts with trainers and socks pulled up. I find I get so very sad about my father when I'm on my own and seek out photos and video clips of him. Guess that's probably normal and it's only been 5 months since he died.

347 Wednesday Panoramic
The day was spent catching up with the washing and ironing and paperwork. It never seems to stop. There's only the two of us here, how do we generate so much stuff. I'm struggling keeping 3 houses running, 2 in the UK and 1 here, plus I'm dealing with Mum's house sale and flat purchase, the paperwork is endless. Pub quiz in the evening and then I collected Peter from the airport.

348 Thursday Dance
Bob and I had a spa day, him at Paw Parking and me at the nail bar. DEWA returned our deposit via courier, but as the cheques was hand signed, it can't be paid in the HSBC ATM so I have to visit one of 4 branches, none of which are located near by. I am amazed with all this technology that it takes so long long to get refunds. Peter collected our rental deposit in cash from our previous house. Off to see John Bishop at the World Trade Centre in the evening. I sent my mum a short youtube link so she knew who it was, she asked for one with subtitles.....lol

349 Friday Child
Brunch with a colleague of Peter's and his wife from Europe. Nothing else other than MIB 3 was watched all day.

350 Saturday Sing
Bob and I had to cancel our visit to Santa and a swim session as well as a carol concert in the evening as I've had food poisoning and am in so much pain with my hip I've been in tears most of the day. I had to drag myself out in the morning to have my signature witnessed for a land registry document and DHL it back to the UK for my mums house sale at the cost of almost £50. The rest of the day was spent sleeping and resting in bed.

On the blog this week:

My Sunday Photo Q is for Quiz night and beer
Triumphant Tales Boho chic in Dubai
Tweens Teens Beyond and Animal Tales Visiting Santa without the kids
PoCoLo Moving Home in Dubai Part 4 - The Snag list and running out of water




13 comments:

  1. I really need to sort my girls keepsake boxes out. They have about 5 each. I don't need to keep everything! lol
    Oh no! I hope you feel better soon x

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    1. it was really nice looking through all their stuff

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  2. I handed the keepsake boxes to the children 2 house moves ago, seemed more appropriate at the time than me holding onto them. Not sure what they did with them right enough.
    Oh no at the food poisoning, feel better soon.
    Nice in some ways that your friends dad reminds you of your own, hopefully one day it will bring you peace rather than pain.

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    1. one box on the way back to the oldest child now he has his own home

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  3. So sorry to hear about the food poisoning, hope you feel better soon. Love the photo of Bob being groomed. It must have been hard seeing your friend's dad who reminds you so much of your dad.

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    1. it was hard seeing my friends dad, but also did me the world of good

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  4. Hehe John Bishop with subtitles really made me chuckle!!! I can't believe you take all those kids boxes all over the world. I really hope you feel better soon. #365

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    1. yep, we've lugged so much stuff of the kids stuff it's unbelievable

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  5. Hope you're over the food poisoning now. Bet it's nice to have weather you can go out in again.

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    1. just 24 hours with the food poisoning all better now thank you

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  6. Hope you're over the food poisoning. It sounds like it's been a tough week in so many ways.

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  7. Oh, food poisoning is so awful! I'm sorry! I'm gradually working my way through all the stuff that we dragged from the UK to the US, I never want to have that much stuff again!

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