Week 17 One Daily Positive - Preparing to leave Dubai

I'm more than ready to leave now, many love Dubai but for me I've never really been able to make it home. I'm not a fan of city living or of large crowds of people. 

Too hot to be sitting outside for too long. I'm up at 6am and can manage 2 hours in the garden before the sun comes up fully, it's over head pretty much all day.

114 Saturday Out and about to take photos for my Construction project. Before, During and After. Dubai has changed so much since we first moved here just over 5 years ago, not just physically but how it operates also. I had to return a pair of sandals to Coach for a repair and collect Peter's watch after a repair also. Afternoon and evening spent watching the football and tweeting about it. Really hoping I will be able to get back to St Andrews every week to watch live football again.

115 Sunday To Ibn Battuta where I did some shopping and Peter sold his car.

116 Monday I had the Dr's first thing so walked, caught the train and used a taxi to get to there for blood tests, ECG and x-rays. I travelled home via the metro stopping at Mall of the Emirates for a drink and some food and stopped at the Marina to walk some more as I didn't want to just spend the afternoon in the house.

Mask wearing outdoors is compulsory in Dubai, at 35c it's stifling and slows me down.

117 Tuesday Up early and finally caught up with all my blogging comments, tweet outs and replies. Shipping company came out for a quote. We needed to hire a car but need a credit card for the deposit and as our Dubai one will be closing soon, we had to take a trip out to check our UK credit card was actually working as it's never been used. 

118 Wednesday Out to collect car hire from the Marina, then drove out to Dragon Mart and the afternoon was spent sorting through remaining paperwork, kitchen ware, clothes and garden stuff having a clear out getting rid of/donating items and arranging for the rest to be removed along with all the garden if we can't sell it.

The malls are very big and airy, it's easy to socially distance in them.

119 Thursday I had the dentist at 4pm, getting across Dubai on the weekend, just before fast is broken was NOT my finest idea. It was mayhem on the roads. Had a deep clean of my teeth and gums making the most of the medical aid before it expires on our return to the UK. We looked into keeping it on but at £23,000 per annum (yes, you read that correctly) we've decided not to. 

Sand storm and stormy skies happens as the weather changes, a sign that summer is firmly on the way.

120 Friday Woke up to rain, we decided to go to brunch. The days of walking around and getting your own food have now been replaced with menu and table service. We were at the Hyatt hotel in the revolving restaurant having got a taxi there and back to take advantage of the drinks package.

On the blog this week:

Preparing to leave Dubai.

Post Comment Love - A weekly linky (feel free to join in with any post you've written this week).

Before and After photos 7 years apart. Documenting the ever changing skyline in Dubai.

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One Daily Positive - Week 28

I've decided not to mention on Project 365 when I'm feeling ill as it's quite depressing to realise it's 90% of the time, so from now on, when I'm pain free, I'll let you know.

Please also assume that it is bloody hot here and humid, we're on the coast. It is NOT a dry heat. In the UK winters you have a windchill factor, In Dubai it's called humidex and it adds 10-15c to the actual temperature.

Think opening the door to a fan assisted oven, with the heating on full blast, all the clothing on you own and a hairdryer on the back of your neck and you're somewhere near just how hot it is here.

On Tuesday it turned 28c to 53c, it's just not possible to function in that heat dripping with sweat. I'll let you know when temps drop to 'manageable'

188 Sunday Walked Bob before sunrise, the humidity is unbearable now. I did some batch cooking and cleaned the house top to bottom. Joined Peter for a coffee and did some shopping, then spent the evening watching TV.

Can't wait for this station to open and I get get around Dubai by public transport.

189 Monday Dentists for mouldings to have 3 teeth made, which will be inserted into the dental implant posts next week. Drove onto Deira to wander around the markets, home to collect Peter and drop him at the train for his trip to Saudi and called in for a coffee with a friend in the Marina.

190 Tuesday Dog park day, washed Bob and started on sorting out the office. Had a really funny day, nothing happened, but I left the dog park in tears. I've been mulling over the dog incident on Saturday and been having flashbacks to the night my father died 2 years ago on Thursday. I came to terms with his death, it wasn't a shock that he died, just the manner and sitting with him feeling so helpless, just waiting for the inevitable. Spent the afternoon dismantling the old MFI furniture and organising the study.

191 Wednesday I had a Doctors appointment, identifying I needed some help, a lot of questions were asked and answers given. Grief is one thing, but trauma is another and it was strangely comforting for me to be told I'd experienced a traumatic event. Had coffee at the Souk Madinat, then off to collect a prescription, food shop and home to sort out the black out curtains. pub quiz in the evening.

192 Thursday Peter arrived home in the early hours. Had a sweep through of the house and put the rugs back in place, cooked a roast dinner, mainly in the slow cooker. Went for a swim late afternoon.
Peter came home from work with a coffee for me as he knew I wasn't allowed to drive today, until I knew how the meds would affect me.

193 Friday Brunch with friends, it involved dancing on the tables, the morning and evening were written off.

194 Saturday Decided to spend the day walking around Dubai Mall. It's the World's largest mall. All the malls are built/owned/designed by only a few companies, therefore they all look pretty much the same with the same stores, just a different layout. Finally got round to booking car hire and a hotel in Sydney ready for my trip to visit child 3 in 10 days time.

On the blog this week:

How can I manage my stress levels and not take everything to the nth degree?

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One Daily Positive - Week 23. Eid Mubarak

Although Peter and I travel a lot, we don't have holidays together very often. I've been to the UK twice this year and Peter joined me for a week, but we had jobs to do, bills to pay and family to visit. Last month I was in South Africa, and although I had some time with friends and took myself on a self drive safari, my purpose for being there was to do some charity work. Later this month I'm off to Dublin with a friend then on to Northern Ireland to visit child 4 and 4a and next month I travel to Australia to visit child 3.

Ramadan finished on Monday and Peter had the week off for Eid so we treated ourselves to a two night stay in a hotel in Abu Dhabi. Bob went in for boarding and we left the cat at home with a clean litter tray, fresh water and plenty of food hidden around the house. I spent Monday night refreshing social media waiting for Eid announcement so I know what I can do on Tuesday in regards to eating and drinking in public.

153 Sunday Off to the dentists for the stitches to be removed and a deep clean, needed my whole mouth numbing. The rest of day was spent in bed feeling sorry for myself. We popped out to the mall in the evening for a walk, food court dinner and a coffee.

A new building at the World Trade Centre.

154 Monday Dr's at 9.30am for routine bloods, then collected Bob and visited the dog park for a couple of hours, then home to do nothing and a BBQ for dinner. Packed for our trip away.

155 Tuesday Up at 5am and hanging around waiting for a suitable time to drop Bob at boarding and set off to Abu Dhabi. Spent the afternoon on the beach and the evening in one of the bars.

Very few tall buildings in Abu Dhabi, more a traditional City.

156 Wednesday Had a long lie in thanks to black out blinds followed by a leisurely breakfast, time on the beach and a pub lunch followed by a massage and pool side and the evening spent in the pub.

Tidal sea water but an inlet, one of the many islands that make up Abu Dhabi

157 Thursday Left Abu Dhabi at mid day after time on the beach. We collected Bob on the way home. Pushkins was pleased to see us. In the evening we watched TV and just chilled out.

The Last exit food stop or drive through only in this heat, located on the border between Abu Dhabi and Dubai.

158 Friday Coffee and food shop while Peter got the valve repaired on his tyre then off to brunch with friends at The Address Hotel in Dubai Marina, apart from that nothing else happened all day.

The hotel foyer.

159 Saturday A lazy day, too stuffed from yesterday to do much. Been thinking it's Saturday all week, I'm not used to Peter being off work. Spent 5+ hours wandering around Dubai Mall and only saw a small part of it.

The aquarium inside the mall.

On the blog this week:

Why I'm fed up of people telling me I should take vitamin supplements.

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One Daily Positive - Week 13

One day I might write a whole weekly blog post that doesn't involve sand, blood tests, scans or dental surgery, who knows when, but it's not this week for sure.

Think it's time to get new tenants and agent, since the last agent left the company, things have run as smoothly. We found the building regulations sign off sheet after the loft conversion in 2004, to prove we had fire doors and an adequate escape route. When the tenants moved in in 2017 they removed the automatic door closers that form part of the regulation requirements, we had them put them back on, but they keep asking to have them removed which would mean replacing all doors with fire doors and now mysteriously 2 of the bedroom doors slammed shut in the wind the other week and need replacing

Also I had a new boiler installed last March and it's due a service, they've rearranged the appointment 3 times now and it will invalidate my warranty if it's not carried out soon, the agents failed to inform us the service wasn't carried out on Monday as arranged.

We had tenants from hell in 2012 and a rental agent who was scared of the tenants. Our current agents keep coming down on the tenants side, even telling me the tenants are conscientious and have always taken great pride in the properties. All I've ever had is complaints about the quality of repair work that some how is always at our expense and is arranged by the agents not us.

Alarm bells are ringing and it's time for a change, before we get into another mess that we've only just financially recovered from.

83 Sunday Swept through the downstairs and mopped after de shedding the cat and dog, then off to the gynaecologist to see if irregular bleeding is the cause of my anaemia or something more sinister. My stomach doesn't absorb iron or B12 and my levels can only be maintained by infusions and injections, I've never been anaemic when my iron levels were low. Spent the afternoon in bed, I'm so tired all the time and having cognitive difficulties processing what I'm thinking, saying and doing.

One minute it's raining then blowing a sand storm, then too hot. Guess I'll spend a lot of summer dreaming of the cold.

84 Monday Dental surgery bone grafts and implants for two teeth. 4 hours in the dental chair and £3,600 lighter in my wallet. I have a mouth full of stitches. This is phase 2 of 5. Phase 3 is next week, 2 hours and one implant and bone graft in my lower jaw. Slept most of the afternoon and didn't sleep much at night. Had some rice and fish for dinner.

85 Tuesday woke early and felt absolutely fine, face swollen but no pain other than irritation with the stitches. Dentist phoned to see how I was, I was at the dog park drinking coffee, he was surprised I was out and about and was eating and drinking as normal. Had a sleep in the afternoon after doing the ironing and sewing the lining of my winter coat, then Peter came home early and we went out for coffee, had dinner, watched TV and bed.

Meet Bob, Boris, Harvey, Jade and Geoff. Some of the regulars.

86 Wednesday Peter was at a meeting all day then out for dinner with clients, so I dropped him at the hotel and I headed off to the beach for a walk, a paddle and coffee, breakfast and blogging. I forgot my purse, it was raining so I returned home, made soup and dog biscuits and watched TV. I popped out for coffee, collected Peter and had an early night while Peter went out with colleagues.

The face of dental surgery, bruised, swollen and lopsided.

87 Thursday Woke to torrential rain again, roads flooded. Dog wanted to go out then come straight back in he's not used to this rain anymore. Took myself off to the local mall for coffee, blogging and pick up a few bits and pieces. Finally it stopped raining so Bob and I went out for the afternoon.

88 Friday Took Bob for a long walk, we stopped for coffee on route and then spent the rest of the morning watching TV back in bed. Got ready around midday and headed off to Brunch, spent the evening recovering on the sofa. The stitches in my gums are really aggravating me now and making the gum sore.

89 Saturday A lovely lie in, followed by a dog walk, weather is getting quite humid and these day time walks will end soon. Watched movies all day and persuaded Peter to pop out for a McDonald's  for the cat's birthday party.

On the blog this week:

After 16 years of owning teenagers, the last one turns 20 next month. I did however stop day to day parenting almost 7 years ago, when the almost 20 year went to boarding school. So empty nest is well and truly over

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One Daily Positive - Week 7. More dentists and a migraine

WTF are the neighbours doing at home every afternoon? The bounce, bounce, bounce for almost an hour everyday is the 8 year old playing football indoors before his parents return from work, lord knows what the maid is doing and I do wish whoever it was that plays the bannister rails would stop also.

I'm not sure they realise how noisy they are, they apologise and shut up when I complain, but that's only ever after 11pm and before 6am and mostly involves the dog barking.

Peter has agreed with me, no neighbours when we next move, even if it isolates us or costs us more.

41 Sunday Dentists at 8am and driving across the city is stressful, crown prepared, more moulds taken and plate adjusted. Head was hurting before I left home, had booked pedi and manicure and hair cut. Dropped some things at a friends and straight home to bed with a migraine.

42 Monday Migraine kept me awake from 3am, spent the entire day in my pj's, in bed, in the bath, on the sofa, slept, watched TV, ate.

43 Tuesday Off to the dog park first thing, still not feeling right so a lazy afternoon, another dog walk and an early night.

44 Wednesday Took Bob out for a coffee, swept the sand off the balcony, watched TV, sorted craft stuff and paperwork.

45 Thursday Bob's 9th birthday. We had a McDonalds and cake.

46 Friday Brunch at Nara. 2 for 1 all you can eat and house drinks for a total of £30. We of course over did it and spent the afternoon and evening on the sofa binge watching The Grand Tour. The neighbours decided to make a noise until almost midnight, not impressed.

47 Sunday A lazy day, coffee out, watched TV, carried out a few jobs, hubby cooked dinner and we watched football in the afternoon. My hometown Newport kick off late here against Man City so a late night for us.

Can I please ask if you join in with the blog hop that please find the time to visit and comment on everyone who does the same for you, it's polite at the end of the day. I read and comment on every single post that links up, every single week, even if I'm on catch up. There's a few of you here who haven't been over to my posts yet.

I might not be a baby/mum blogger or even have a job, monetise my blog or be an influencer you need to follow, but I'm here, every week, taking part and have a wide range of life experiences to share.

On the blog this week:

I guess it's because the kids have left home and I'm stuck in limbo, but it's not helped with all the ill health, family deaths and losing my teeth over the past 18 months, but I'm starting to feel old.

Animal antics - Bob needs a bath and Pushkins has been exploring the balcony.

Creating a garden in the desert - my gardening in January has been all about rain and sweeping sand

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One daily Positive - Week 5. Golf, a chest infection and the kids fly home.

I'm fed up of being ill, went for routine bloods on Monday to be told I have a chest infection and now on antibiotics. Had this cough and cold for 2 weeks. It's flu season, everyone has it, but no, mine has gone onto my chest. Doctor asked why I didn't come and see her earlier, my reply...I'm always ill, I can't come here every 5 minutes, she said I'm always ill because I don't go soon enough.

Iron levels have risen after an infusion last month, next blood test 3 months away, lets hope I don't need anymore infusions now as the last one gave me an 8 day migraine.

Now it's February I have to start counting the days or I get out of sync with this project. I've numbered the whole year in my diary and made several mistakes so it's now one big mess. How do you remember?

27 Sunday Dropped 2 & 2a at the beach then I headed off for the final day of the golf. I walked out with Sergio Garcia and Lee Westwood. I don't see much golf as a marshal and the golfers rarely introduce themselves or say thank you after the round. Some are very friendly and chatty afterwards, not these two.

28 Monday Dr's for a routine blood test after last months iron infusion. It was a year ago today I woke up to the news that my SIL lost her fight with cancer over night. Headed off to Mall fo the Emirates for the day and visited the Frame in the evening.

We're 150ms in the air on a glass floor here. All 3 of us have also stood on the glass floor in the CN Tower, Canada which is 342ms high.

29 Tuesday Visited the Souk Madinat, took a walk on the beach and after Peter finished work we went to Global Village for the evening and dinner.

Peter photobombing.

30 Wednesday I popped to get my nails done as 2 and 2a sleep later, then off to the local mall for lunch and 2 and 2a went off on a desert safari in the afternoon. Peter and I watched TV all evening.

31 Thursday 2a and I went to Miracle Gardens for the morning as 2 doesn't surface until midday, spent a couple of hours at home catching up with the washing then headed off to the beach in a taxi, for a walk, dinner and to see the fireworks. Peter was working near by and joined us.

Too many nice things for just one photo.

32 Friday Brunch, not much else to say, ate and drank far too much but it was worth it, evening spent in front of the TV.

33 Saturday Up early to take 2 and 2a back to the airport. We were home by 6am, had breakfast and hit the last day of the sales. Dinner in front of the TV and the football on.

On the blog this week:
Do you actually get to just sit and enjoy your garden or is there always something that needs doing?
2a came to visit. It's the first time our Daughter in Law has visited our home.

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Christmas in Dubai 2018

Yes they do do Christmas in Dubai. They play carols in the malls, they sell decorations in the malls and they erect huge trees in the malls.

You can't escape Christmas in Dubai.

From shopping, through Santa to Christmas Brunch on the QE2, it's Christmas everywhere.

Mum is visiting us for Christmas this year, she came in 2016 and is on the hunt for the biggest Christmas tree she can find, we're going to every Christmas market, eating Christmas cake from M&S, watching movies, shopping and she's getting freaked out by spending days on the beach in December.

So far Mum is disappointed with the Christmas trees she's seen, there's no point taking her to the biggest ones in her first few days. She has no concept however of the size of the malls she is in and says this tree is too small.

Another disappointment, but this tree is inside a shop in the mall.

Here we go, she was happy with this tree, but wants more.

The Souk Madinat

Mall of the Emirates I'm stood on the 3rd floor to get the tree in one shot.

I'll be adding more photo's leading up to the big day, so don't forget to check back as the trees are going to get bigger and better.

I'm wondering if Costa Coffee are using the same throughout their stores like they are in Dubai.

It's too hot in Dubai, despite it being winter, so I have a selection of Christmas t-shirts from Primark bought over the years. It's the Christmas pub quiz on Wednesday, help me choose one to wear.

One Daily Positive - Week 43. Back in Dubai (again)

What I didn't say last week was that I was cleaning the flat within an inch of its life. My insurance company requires I empty the water tanks and turn the electrics off if the flat is left unoccupied for more than 60 days. Fridge freezer defrosted, oven cleaned, all cupboards emptied and cleaned, food taken to mum. All appliance doors left wide open to stop them going mouldy.

294 Sunday Did some more cleaning, cooked a roast at my mums with child 3, visited the Things and went to see a friend in the evening before a quick stop at the pub. Finished packing my case and watched Dr Who.

295 Monday Finished the cleaning, emptied the water tank and met mum and child 3 for a coffee. Left at 3pm, and sat at the airport reading. I prefer to get their early rather than worry about being late.

296 Tuesday Arrived home at 10am, Peter collected me from the airport then went to work, I had a shower and unpacked. The cat and dog were pleased to see me. Slept till 1pm, at 3pm I went out to food shop, get my nails done and walked Bob. I was in bed by 7.30pm, Peter went out to meet a colleague.

297 Wednesday Up early, walked Bob, unpacked my suitcase and had a general tidy round, bed in the afternoon and out for dinner in the evening for pub quiz.

298 Thursday Back to the Dr's for another blood test, met a friend for coffee, my ankle is really hurting now I'm not wearing my winter boots, will ask the Dr to look at it when I go back next week for my results. Looking forward to starting work in the garden on the weekend.

299 Friday It's our 16th wedding anniversary, Peter's turn to have forgotten this year. Had a lazy morning before heading off for brunch 12-4pm at a Japanese restaurant. Spent the evening watching netflix and complaining we ate and drank too much.

300 Saturday We spent the day working in the garden and cleaning the balconies setting it all up for winter use, looking forward to BBQ's and just just chilling outside.

On the blog this week:

Why I'm not frightened of dying, it's survival that scares me

I'm not back in the UK until February, i'll be interested to see how quickly they complete construction projects outside of Dubai

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