One Daily Positive - Week 22

Final dental surgery, gum cut and post exposed, temp tooth installed and a couple of stitches, back next week for stitches to be removed and final fitting of permanent teeth in July.

My chronic pain has flared up again, it seems to disappear when my iron stores drop, but after an infusion a couple of weeks ago, the pain and the headaches are returning. I'm also suffering with my cognitive ability and finding it hard to find the right words for everyday objects. With it comes the depression. The chronic pain never leaves but I've had it for 24 years now, so it's just part of my life, when I get respite for a period of time, any flare ups are unmanageable.

Sunday 146 Dentists and rest of the day spent in front of the TV. Did some ironing early evening while Peter went out for an Iftar meal and washed down the patio. It's getting really hot out there.

Car temps parked in the shade and 30 mins later after a drive home. Outside temps 36c

Monday 147 Spent the day cleaning the house and washing rugs, dog bedding, shower curtains etc popped out for coffee and had a swim late afternoon.

You don't need to go to a fuel station to fill up in Dubai, they come to you.

Tuesday 148 Dog park with Bob, coffee and yoga. We mowed the lawn as it was cloudy and overcast. Out to a colleagues of Peter's for dinner, I just had drinks, still can't eat with my teeth.

View from the balcony

Wednesday 149 Took Peter's car for a service. I met a friend for coffee then took myself to Mall of the Emirates. Peter collected me on his way home. I went for a swim and we had pub quiz in the evening. 2nd place for us tonight.

Thursday 150 Dog park, no yoga. Peter dropped me at the local mall to get my nails done then I walked home via the pool to cool down. Peter worked from home then collected his visa from the Saudi embassy.

Friday 151 Had a lazy morning then headed out for coffee and a food shop, home by 3pm. Peter made a risotto and then we just sat in front of the TV till bedtime.

There's a gentle breeze today making the garden just about manageable to sit in to drink a beer.

Saturday 152 Collected Peter's car from the garage, then got a taxi from home to meet friends for lunch and a few drinks, the evening was spent in front of the TV with a few snacks.

I'm always amazed at how green Dubai is, never knew there was a lake here.

On the blog this week:

Around the home and garden in Dubai and South Africa

Guess where I am in the world?

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

One daily Positive - Week 12 Perfect weather for outdoors

First full week back in Dubai and feeling bored and lonely again......grrrrrrr. I decided to join the local leisure centre where I can use the pool, which will help with my neck pain, there's a gym I'll pluck up the courage to use, coffee shop and a beauty salon. I have to cross the road only to get there, which means I can still go there in the middle of summer, although I'll be spending most of it in the UK.

We have new neighbours and it's not got off to a good start, with them parking on my drive then not happy when I asked them to move so I could go out, when I got back the wheelie bin had been moved onto the driveway and they've constructed a huge gazebo in the garden which blocks our view, but on a positive, it will provide additional shade for our garden in the summer.

The cat and dog haven't left my side since I got back, I'm constantly tripping over them both. The cat is moulting everywhere. I bought a glove to brush her with, she keeps attacking me, but purring at the same time, there's so much fur coming off her, I could knit a blanket.

The weather is absolutely perfect at the moment, still haven't put the air con on since we moved here December 5th, which is a winter record, although it will soon be too hot to be outside, so we're making the most of it while we can.

77 Sunday I met up with Rachel from @silvernlilac who was visiting Dubai and we went to the Miracle Gardens and had a drink and a walk on the beach. I spent the afternoon in bed, I'm still adjusting to the heat.

78 Monday after a late start to the day, I caught up with some gardening and put the solar panel lights up I bought in the UK. Took the car for a wash and collected Rachel before heading off to Dubai Garden Glow, visited the new Ice Park, which at -8c was freezing, despite being given a coat to wear I had 3/4 trousers on and sandals. We had dinner at Reem Al Bawadi and sat in the garden.

79 Tuesday I headed off to Ibn Battuta Mall for a coffee and a walk around. I lack motivation now I'm back in Dubai, I can find things to do, but I get bored and I'm lonely.

80 Wednesday Met up with Heidi at La Mer, the new beach area in Jumeriah, we paid 60 AED/£12 for a coffee and a tea, thankfully parking was free. Headed over to Mercato Mall for lunch and some shopping. Spent the evening at the pub quiz with Peter, we came 2nd, would've been first if I'd not gone to the loo as it started, I knew the answer to the first question, blast.

81 Thursday spent the day cleaning the house, top to bottom. Bob had been sick during the night. Popped out for coffee and joined the leisure centre over the road, looking forward to getting back swimming again. Peter and I went out for coffee in the evening and a long walk with Bob.

82 Friday We headed off to the beach with a breakfast picnic, a swim and took our books. In the afternoon i went for a swim at the pool over the road, almost as good as having one in our back yard like we did in South Africa. Had a horrendous migraine and went to bed early but neighbours were having work done till 9pm, then I got a call from a family member to say they were having an emergency operation, which went well.

83 Saturday A relaxing day, migraine still present. I went for an early morning swim and Peter and I went out for coffee which helped and we spent the evening with friends for a BBQ.

On the blog this week:

My Sunday Photo - The new metro station at Discovery Gardens
Best Boot Forward and PoCoLo - I have the confidence to fail
Animal Tales - Gifts for the cat and dog. Easter eggs for pets
TweensTeensBeyond and TriumphantTales - Life after parenting

My Sunday Photo Week 154 Q is for Pub Quiz and Beer

This is our 4th Christmas in Dubai and every year I get asked about whether or not we can celebrate Christmas here or not along with a 100 other things such as statements like this.

'You can't drink alcohol in Dubai'

So here's me, on Wednesday in our local pub, at our weekly quiz night, where we we usually come in the top 3 but this week we were placed 4th. I suspect it had something to do with the fact we all had too much to drink.

As to whether or not we can celebrate Christmas, what do you think? I'm wearing my Xmas jumper.

Hofbrauhaus in Munich or Oktoberfest in Dubai. Which is the best?

I visited friends in Munich over the summer, It was my first trip to Bavaria and I declare Munich my new favourite city. Oktoberfest ran from September 16th to October 3rd. Peter has been fortunate to visit the festival on many occasions, although he's always claimed it's a 'work trip'

We took part in the Dubai version this weekend at the Sheraton Hotel, Jumeriah Beach resort, it was a good evening and fun was had, but I think if I'm going to be drinking German beer, I'd rather be back in Germany, with friends at the Hofbrauhaus.

Naked Sunbathing and Surfing in the Englischer Garten - Munich

The Englischer Garten German for English Garden, is in the middle of Munich and created in 1789. It covers 3.7kms squared and is one of the largest urban public parks in Europe.

You can actually surf in the English gardens, an artificial wave is produced by a water pumping mechanism, but it's only to be used by expert or skilled surfers.

There are plenty of other ways to enjoy the water if you're not a surfer.

It was lovely to see so much open space and greenery, but what I didn't realise when I started to take these photos is that it's perfectly acceptable to strip off stark naked and sunbathe in the park. 

The Chinesischer Turm or Chinese Tower was built between 1789 one 1790 at 25 meters tall, however this tower replaced the original after it burnt down in 1944 after heavy bombing.

No excuses needed for a beer, served in 1 litre glasses, accompanied by lunch of pork knuckle, which was delicious at the Mini-Hofbrauhaus. 

Gardens around the UK, Dubai, South Africa and Canada with #HDYGG

September took hubby and I to the UK for just over 2 weeks. The main purpose of our trip was child 4 of 5 passing out parade in Catterick.

I travelled for the first few days on my own, arriving in Birmingham and travelling up to Manchester, then over to Bradford where I stayed on a farm, a day out in York with child 3 of 5 and then collecting hubby from the train station in Thirsk.

We then drove down to South Wales where we were based for the rest of our stay with an overnight stay in Lyme Regis with friends.

I haven't seen any other weather other than summer for over 12 months, since moving from South Africa to Dubai in December last year, although winter in Dubai when we arrived it is very similar to a UK summer but without the rain. I visited the UK late April for my niece's wedding and the weather was wonderful and then spent 3 weeks in Canada. I'm off to South Africa next week where it's the end of spring and start of summer.

The gardens I've visited the past 12 months have been wonderful from the Dubai Miracle Gardens in Dubai, Catherine's Garden in Canada, Spring in the Western Cape and of course my Mum's garden twice this year in South Wales.

The towns and cities I've visited were still all in full bloom and looked wonderful.

Birmingham

Allotments in the car park in Saltaire, Bradford

Tewkesbury

Gloucester Cathedral

Bridport, Dorset

Beer, Devon

Thirsk, Yorkshire

York

The Gardens at the B&B in Bradford on the farm

The garden at the B&B in Thirsk

With our daughter on a stroll through Keynsham, Bristol

The Country Lanes of the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire

Woodland walks and berry picking

These fir trees were planted by my Mum and Dad at our old house in York in 1976

The Crematorium in Newport where my Gran's ashes are

Log piles

Farmers Markets

My mum's garden