Week 40 - My Sunday Photo and 1000th Blog Post

Today marks my 1000th blog post, which I started in October 2009, my first post was all about 'My week as a Dalek' and has gone on to describe family life as expats living in Africa and Asia and travel to Northern America and Europe.

I wanted something special to photograph today, something that sums up my blog and my life, something that describes my life 6 years on. My week is just as busy but with no kids at home or a job to go to. In many ways not much has changed, I still do daft things as my husband will vouch for.

This week I've been trying to book my flight to South Africa, I have very flexible dates and no preference of which airline I travel with. I have enough Avios with British Airways for the trip, but as BA don't fly directly from Dubai to Johannesburg, I have to fly via Heathrow making it a journey of 19 hours.

The whole purpose of my trip is to work with a couple of charities I was involved with in the 4 years I lived there and of course to catch up with some very dear friends. I've been trying to raise funds to support my charity work, but not my actual personal expenses. I have money saved up to spend in addition to my flight, accommodation, car hire and food, for various equipment and gifts for the places I will be visiting so the cheaper I can get my flight, the more spare cash I will have.

I'm struggling to understand how Emirates can charge me £587 If fly from Heathrow to Johannesburg and back again with the plane stopping over in Dubai. But if I travel from Dubai, getting on the same plane that has come in from Heathrow my flight would cost me £718. 

With other airlines I would have to fly the following return journey.

 Dubai - Seychelles - Johannesburg - Johannesburg - Abu Dhabi - Mumbai - Dubai

It's only 90 minutes by road from Abu Dhabi to Dubai, I would not be able to get off the plane in Abu Dhabi and my case wouldn't be returned to me, due to air regulations for travel.

I gave up trying to book my flight and tackled the house work instead, which took me most of the morning after the cat and dog ran through an open door straight over my still wet mopped lounge, hall, corridor and dining room.....grrrrrrrr.

Suffering with cabin fever and the air con drying out my skin and being extremely noisy, I walked to our local Starbucks and received a very interesting telephone call, which I'll tell you about later this week and one email with a request for more paid writing work.

I like My Sunday Photo to reflect the week I've had or the week ahead, but this today has caused me some confusion, the flights and the phone call. The flights I can work out the phone call will require a lot of thought, starting with do I stay with what I know, where I've finally become comfortable? do I take the plunge into something new? or do I return to what I do best?

Summing up my confusion. Nope, it's not an Ostrich.

#fancydressfriday Twitter

Having fun this week as the winner of #fancydressfriday. Wearing my costume at a variety of locations. Hubby slightly amused over the weekend now thinks I'm completely bonkers, which I probably am. Nagged 17 year old son to crawl round the loft space until he found something I could wear. I rejected his first choice of a Santa hat. His reply 'for god sake Mum, get a life.' Now bribing the kids to take photos.

Spent Friday night celebrating my win with a glass of Rum and coke. Did ask if I could crack open the champagne, that didn't even raise a smile from Hubby. Firmly told 'no' 'grow up'. Then did some sewing as my 14 year old son left for France on Saturday morning with Sea Cadets aboard the TS John Jerwood. By Tuesday he and the crew had made it to Brighton Marina. And finally to bed in costume, hubby lost his patience by now and refused to talk to me till I took the dam thing off, slept like a baby dalek all night in it.

Saturday saw me in #fancydressfriday at Barnard's Green Cricket Club for Malvern Town Wanderers football open day. A huge success we signed 23 mini kickers, gave away goodie bags and footballs. I helped serve up the bacon butties and drinks to parents whilst dressed as a Dalek.

Sunday was the autumn show at the Three Counties Showground, did a bit of gardening in the morning in #fancydressfriday then spent a lovely afternoon with 10 year old son buying useless things that may come in handy one day. Not sure when that day will be but sure we'll find out soon.

Monday in the office all day sorting out case files and chasing up some loose ends. Got spotted by the neighbours hanging up the washing in #fancydressfriday. Tried to explain twitter but they didn't have a clue. I have 2 twitter friends in my town but haven't met either of them yet. Gave up 2 hours of my time to 'help' hubby set up his new computer. For 'help' read 'watch'.

Tuesday spent hanging round the garage, in Cheltenham, for the best part of the day. Popped in to see step daughter for a bounce on the trampoline and cup of tea. Then off to Asda for the weekly shop. Hubby hid #fancydressfriday costume and I finally found it in a case in his office just in time to bake my son his Gluten free cakes for school.

Wednesday a really boring day. Housebound and cleaning windows, bathrooms, dusting and hovering all in #fancydressfriday costume, got a bit hot and there wasn't anyone in so set up the camera on the timer which took more shots of the back of me as I tried to get it right. 17 year old son came home with a friend and is still not speaking to me as I showed him up, his mate, however, is wetting himself laughing and thinks it's great, finally had an audience to talk twitter to as he had at least heard of it but said he doesn't tweet as it's for old people. Cheeky bugger. Hubby away for the night so had uninterrupted fun on Face book.

Thursday in the office for the morning persuaded a colleague to take a photo of me at my desk, although there was a condition I had to let him have a copy of the photo. Agreed as he was the only one in the office that noticed I had had my hair done last week and now have lots of blonde streaks. Don't know if everyone else in the office has noticed it or doesn't like it. Who knows? Who cares? My evening was spent running kids around to various activities.

It is now Friday and my last day of #fancydressfriday. Didn't wear my costume on my epic journey from Worcester to Ramsgate return leaving home at 4am and returning at 2pm. 447 miles and was only there for 10 minutes to collect son and 3 Sea Cadet buddies after they spent the week sailing to France. I won't be putting the costume back in the attic just yet as I wear it every year to hand out the goodies on Halloween. It's sad now that the kids are no longer interested in this activity. 10 year old will go out for half an hour if he can persuade anyone to take him, to rob the neighbours of their sweets but isn't interested in dressing himself or the house up, thankfully the boys still love Christmas, although I think they humour me with the decorating. Will sit down this evening and search for #fancydressfriday and announce the winner live on twitter. I wonder if they will do the same next week or just keep their avatar up. Hope the spirit of #fancydressfriday continues. Last job to do in #fancydressfriday is to wash the costume. Off to bed early tonight as this week’s activities have left me exterminated.
Finally quote from hubby 'thank f*** for that, now will you pay the family some attention this week' huh see above what does he think I've been doing all week?