This is my 4th year with Project 365, last year a lot of you got to know more about my family in the UK after my father died suddenly in July and I ended up spending almost 5 months over there. Quite a few new people I encountered through my blog were surprised to learn that I actually lived in Dubai and have done so for just over 3 years now. Prior to that we lived in South Africa with our two youngest children for 4 years.
I met my husband in 1999, we were married in 2002. We have 5 children between us who I will introduce at a later date and we have our family home in Worcestershire. I'm originally from South Wales, he is from Manchester.
We travelled abroad with my husband's job, leaving our 3 adult children in the UK. Our children are numbered as 1-5 with an 'a' added to indicate a partner. They are now aged 18-30.
I blog about my life as an expat, my travels and my experiences of parenting for the past 25 years and my adventures as a step mum. I'm a qualified teacher and have trained teaching assistants, customer services, retail and sex education in the UK and taught reception and nursery aged children in townships in South Africa to a private school in Dubai. I specialise in Child Protection and Special Needs with a focus on autism, although it's been many years since I've worked specifically in these fields.
Anyway onto week 3:
14 Sunday The first day of the working week here in Dubai, Doctors for me, a trip to the vets to re register the cat and dog with municipality and my car with the RTA, but first a coffee stop while I renewed my car insurance. Once the fence is complete I'll be able to take the cat out into the garden, she wore her new (small dog) harness all day without any hassle.
15 Monday Another airport run as Peter went back to Saudi, just for 1 night this time, the fence is almost complete. I visited Jumeriah Mosque with a friend, the fort in Deira and museum, lunch on the creek and walked on a glass floor 150ms in the air at the newly opened Dubai Frame and went round to see another friend in the evening. Bob spent the day at a spa.
16 Tuesday The RTA delivered my vehicle registration and I went to the Doctors at 10am, followed by a trip to Ibn Batutta Mall to buy a few bits for the garden, fingers crossed the fence will be finished tomorrow. No one came today to do the fence.
17 Wednesday Peter came home at 2am, the dog peed himself with excitement and confusion, then I broke a mug, the cat broke into the food cupboard, I didn't line up the milk with the cup in the coffee machine, I dropped the dirty cat litter tray, kicked the mop bucket over and ran out of printing ink so I went out for coffee, bought cake, made some dog beds for outside, blogged, watched TV, cooked dinner and had an early night.
18 Thursday Spent the day cleaning and did a food shop, coffee and cake was involved and I sneaked in a visit to the nail bar, an early dinner and early night and enjoyed time in the garden, just the plants to put in now and we're done.
19 Friday Peter had a colleague visiting so after dropping them in Dubai Marina I drank coffee while they made their way along the coast on the RTA ferry. Posted a load of letters for family and friends world wide. Came home to finish off the garden, but it was too dark to take photo's. I'd been looking forward to a long hot soak in the bath all day, but rather than a luxurious bubble bath, I just got a little cloud.
20 Saturday Spent the day at the golf in Abu Dhabi. This is something Peter and I like to do together, although when we get there I tend to sit at the 1st tee to watch the golfers tee off, then sit at the 9th green to watch them all putt, while Peter will follow a particular pairing for a while before we meet up at the 18th. Normally my dad follows at home on Sky in the UK when Peter and I attend sporting events, the last time was for the Rugby 7's in Hong Kong last April. I have a few freebies handed to me during the day which I usually saved and gave to my dad, no idea what I'll do with them now.
On the blog this week:
My Sunday Photo Reflections
PoCoLo and Best Boot Forward What I envy in other women and why?
Tweens Teens Beyond and Triumphant Tales Assisting a school leaver into work
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ReplyDeletesorry removed in error and i didn't even get to read it first
DeleteIt must be very weird to collect stuff from sporting events, then realise you can't give them to your dad any more. I had to laugh at your catalogue of disasters starting with the dog peeing himself.
ReplyDeleteit was hard not coming home and dropping the bits and pieces in my suit case ready for my next trip. My disasters even made me laugh as they happened, which is a first
DeleteThe cat on a harness is so funny. Mine would claw my eyes out! Haha. #365
ReplyDeletemy cat has resigned herself to me dressing her up and just doesn't bother to complain anymore lol
DeleteThat harness looks fab, much better than the ones I had for kittens. The garden really is coming on well. It was so lovely to see photos on your sightseeing excursion of places I remember. I've never watched golf in real life, other then when I've caddied for works tournaments. I bet there's a good atmosphere #365
ReplyDeletethe golf was great, we try to get to all the events, especially when they're free
DeleteThe cat in the harness looks cute. Sorry, you had a day of disasters, and it's always sad when a favourite mug is broken. Eek @ the selfie with a glass floor, it gives me vertigo just looking down that photo.
ReplyDeleteit's the confined space of the lift that cases me the problem
DeleteThe cat looks very well behaved in the harnass. I have days like that and the loss of a favourite mug is always a blow.
ReplyDeleteMy SIL in bought me that mug, it's the 2nd one from her I've broken in as many weeks
Deleteyour cat is so adorable. Nice photo and love your blog.
ReplyDeletethank you
DeleteOh dear Wednesday sounds unpleasant with all those things happening.
ReplyDeleteHope you enjoyed the golf, shame in its own way it brings back sad memories.
Does the cat walk ok in the harness? Is this just because you are in anew area or has she always had one?
the harness is just because we are in a new area
DeleteNice to learn more about you - sounds like an exciting life living all around the World! Wednesday sounded like a bit of a disaster - I have days like that too, feels like everything is against you sometimes! #365
ReplyDeletethank you, i just left the house on wednesday and slammed the door with a 'sod it' lol
DeleteThat is fun collecting that type of stuff. Bless, those sound like things that would happen to me xx #365
ReplyDeletewednesday was just a typical day for me lol
DeleteWhat a pain about the fence. Nightmare Wednesday. IT's so cute seeing your cat in the harness. Doesn't it mind?
ReplyDeletecat has no objection to the harness and is happy for me to put it on her
DeleteThat Dubai Frame looks pretty cool. So many new things since we visited Dubai a few years ago...need to plan another trip! Wednesday sounds like such a nightmare!
ReplyDeleteit's changed so much in the 3 years we've been here
DeleteLovely pics - I really look forward to seeing the photos of life in Dubai! Garden is looking super x #project365
ReplyDeletethanks, i spend half the year in Dubai, the other half in the UK
DeleteWednesday sounded like a bad day from start to finish! Merrie gets a little excited when she sees Eowyns friends on the school run! Although the mug broke, you should definitely take its advice x
ReplyDeleteI did , I stopped what i was doing and went out for coffee and cake
Delete