2nd - 4th October 2020 - Post Comment Love

Post Comment Love or #PoCoLo is a weekly link run by Stephanie from Life at 139a and I. You can link up with any post written this week. You Post, We Comment and We share the Love.

There is always a great selection of posts from fashion, gardening, child care, days out, sewing patterns, seasonal events and just general day to day life. If you've not joined in before or linked up for a while why not take another look.

For all of you who join in weekly, thank you. I really enjoy connecting with other people especially during Covid and the restrictions placed upon us for real life experiences.

I took Bob away last weekend for a few days, I wasn't enjoying the prospect of being stuck in one place for the foreseeable future. I'm constantly checking on travel requirements so I can hopefully get back out to Dubai for the winter, I'm concerned entry from the UK may be restricted with the R levels rising as they are.

I'm not surprised really having spent the weekend in Burnham on Sea. Whilst I took myself off to quieter beaches and other than the hotel or public toilets stayed outdoors for most of the time (including to eat) I was alarmed by the numbers of people on the sea front and beaches when I drove through Weston Super Mare and through Burnham. Groups of more than 6 adults, little social distancing and queues for piers and Wetherspoons just snaking down the pavements.

I find it easier to social distance when I'm on my own or out with Bob, I can cross roads and move out of the way easier, although I am fed up of constantly being the one who stands back to let others pass without acknowledgment and being the one to constantly step out onto the road.

We've only ever taken Bob away camping and to one place where we stayed in a house for a week and that was in South Africa and when we travelled we had a house sitter. In Dubai Bob always went into kennels when we were away. The UK gives me a combination of all 3 options. We have house sitters lined up for November, assuming I can travel and I was surprised to find the Travelodge accepted up to 2 domestic pets per visit. I've linked up with Bob's hotel stay this week.

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They're building on the beaches

This is the last remaining open, free and natural beach in Dubai. There are no cafes, restaurants, toilets, deck chairs for hire or jet skiers whizzing by.

Reached only by car and local knowledge, it is located next to the Sheikhs Beach residence and I can only assume the construction is something to do with maintaining his privacy. In the past you could swim and kayak in front, boat tours and the ferry used to pass by, but now all traffic is directed around the Palm.

Dubai's main industry focus these days is no longer oil, it's tourism. All the other public beaches are now amusement centres aimed at tourists to the region, new land is being constructed out at sea to increase the shore line to build more hotels and holiday resorts on.

Sadly for us locals it puts the cost of living up, expensive parking to the other beaches, entrance fees and overpriced food outlets to now do something that used to be free to us.

I don't want my experiences in Dubai enhanced anymore.

If you're interested in seeing more about the construction projects I've been documenting in Dubai and around the world, then click on the links below:

Week 158 Dubai Bluewater Islands and Dubai Eye. Man made island a 210m high Big Wheel
Week 159 Dubai Dubai Marina - Reflections
Week 160 Dubai Dubai Frame. A window between the Old and New Dubai and a 150m high glass floor.

Week 161 Dubai Dubai Marina 3 years apart.

Week 162 Dubai Dubai Water Canal Bridge Construction and reconfiguration of roads

Week 163 Dubai New Metro Line for Expo 2020
Week 164 Arizona and Nevada Hoover Dam 2002 - 2010
Week 165 Dubai Dubai Opera House What a difference a year makes
Week 166 Dubai Unfinished buildings. The Pentominium
Week 167 Coventry Mixing the old and the new. Coventry Catherdral
Week 168 Dubai New Dubai Metro Station 
Week 169 Dubai The new extension of the Dubai Mall and Burj Khalifa 
Week 170 Dubai Hotel fire After the Address fire 
Week 171 Dubai Unusual designs The Opus Building
Week 172 Dubai District Cooling. Keeping the desert cool.
Week 173 Dubai Can I visit the Burj Al Arab
Week 174 Dubai The Almas Tower
Week 175 Dubai The Cayan Tower
Week 176 Toronto The CN Tower
Week 177 Nevada The Paris Hotel 
Week 178 Dubai Ibn Battuta Gate
Week 179 A Wedding Our first child got married
Week 180 Dubai The World's Tallest Tower
Week 181 Dubai and Wales Al Fahidi Fort and Chepstow Castle 
Week 182 Dubai New Metro Station in Al Furjan 
Week 183 Dubai Ski Dubai
Week 184 Another Wedding
Week 185 South Africa Life in a township
Week 186 Austria Ski Jump 
Week 187 Dubai Green Plant Bio Dome 
Week 188 Dubai Update on the Metro Station
Week 189 Dubai My view from the balcony changed in 8 months
Week 190 Greece Just how instagramable is it?
Week 191-192 Dubai Before and After. 3 months out of Dubai
Week 193 Dubai Building a boat in the sky
Week 194 South Africa An African Sunset
Week 195 South Africa Building with boxes Charity work in South Africa
Week 196 Another family wedding and a year of travel
Week 197 Dubai What are they building now? World Trade Centre
Week 198 Monmouth Building work in South Wales
Week 198 Dubai The cladding is going on, on the metro station

One Daily Positive - Week 37

A roller coaster of a week. We went to Lyme Regis for a few days and I was a mess. It was the first time since my Dad died 9 weeks ago that I'd been away for more than 24 hours and I felt very frightened about returning to Dubai in the near future, knowing that when I next come back to the UK my Dad won't be here. It was also the first time I had time with Peter on my own to really talk properly and not be the person everyone else was turning to for support. I had a panic attack in a shop, my legs went from underneath me and I couldn't breathe. I've also had a bad does of the flu, nut a few days on the beach, the fresh air, some time alone while Peter went fishing and finishing the week off with a shopping trip and catching up with friends, I feel a lot better.

253 Sunday What's the story?

My sister took me to Ledbury and I caught the train to Birmingham airport to collect Peter, we sorted car hire, picked up the teen from Stratford and returned to South Wales.

254 Monday TV

Off to Gloucester to visit Child 1 and then collected my niece from school, we explored the castle, some tunnels and had ice cream.

255 Tuesday My World

We drove to Lyme Regis, stoppimg off in Keynsham to visit MIL for coffee, checking in at the B&B and finding a pub for dinner after a walk along the sea front.

256 Wednesday Sharp

We set off after breakfast to Weymouth, but after getting halfway there turned round and went to Exmouth for the day, where we battled the wind and rain and walked along the sea front. My parents were due a holiday in Weymouth this week and I just couldn't face going there, knowing that we would've been meeting up with them under different circumstances. Peter's friend came down for the evening and another pub dinner.

257 Thursday If Pets could talk

Peter and his friend took the boat out for the day, I wandered around the town, went back to the B&B after my panic attack then pulled myself together and went hunting for fossils on Monmouth Beach. Back to the pub for dinner.

258 Friday Music

Up early for a walk on the beach and stopped at Wookey Hole on the way home, we had a game of crazy golf, lunch and got lost in the hall of mirrors. Called in at MIL's on the way home. The teen went back to Stratford for a few days.

259 Saturday Hug

Met Mum in town for coffee, dumped a weeks worth of washing on her and headed off to visit child 1, took her to the Quay's and did some shopping. Met up with some friends for a drink, called in at mum's for an hour and spent the evening chilling out in the flat.

On the blog this week:

My Sunday Photo - A is for App, Arrivals and Aeroplane
PoCoLo TriumphantTales TweenTeensBeyond - What makes a strong woman?

Week 84 - My Sunday Photo - Lyme Regis

It was a glorious day in Lyme Regis yesterday. Peter went out fishing on his friends boat, while us wives wandered around the town and sea front.

As the boat came in, we walked across the beach to the harbour wall, past families and sun bathers to discuss (take the piss) out of the day's catch.

Our time spent on the actual beach was less than 10 minutes, but it was the most stressful 10 minutes I've had in ages. 

Territories were clearly marked, battle lines were drawn, kids were in meltdown, ice creams had been dropped, mums were pinning kids down rubbing sun cream onto sandy skin, prams were being dragged, mums and dads were snarling at one another as they attempted to shield their lunch from seagulls, set up windbreakers and inflate beach balls.

Holidays have always been a nightmare for me, with 5 kids, one of whom is disabled and likes to eat sand and rub it in her eyes, only 2 adults and with 5 kids to supervise, a crowded beach filled me with dread, we've had lifeguards rescue kids from the sea in France and the coast guard out looking for the youngest on Perranporth beach whilst being filmed by BBC Seaside rescue, apparently I didn't show enough emotion over the 2 hour period for them to use any footage.

Week 39 - Project 365

I started the week in the UK and spent Sunday with hubby in Somerset, he went sea fishing with his friend while I trawled round the gift and tea shops. We spent the morning on the beach at Seaton and then went to Beer for Sunday lunch, before driving back to Monmouth, via putting my 4 year old niece to bed, with one last story before we return to Dubai. I was up late writing christmas cards and sorting out some last bits and pieces of paperwork.

Day 263 #onedailypositive #red #fmsphotoaday#nature #snaphappybritmums #project365 the UK seaside towns have looked wonderful this weekend.

I woke on Monday morning not wanting to return to Dubai, I felt sad at leaving the children behind and not having enough time to spend with everyone. By 10am children 2, 3 & 5 had made contact and asked to see us before we left, so after a day in Newport with my parents and lunch in a pub, we set off around 5pm on a 100 mile trip to collect child 2 from Coleford and child 4 from Lydney and collecting child 5 from his school in Tewkesbury going for coffee in town and then dropping the kids off when we were kicked out the coffee shop at closing time.

Day 264 #onedailypositive #orange #fmsphotoaday#StraightLines #snaphappybritmums #project365

Tuesday was travel day and off to Birmingham airport by midday, the flight was almost empty and I had a row of 3 seats to myself and after the drink cart came round I settled down to sleep for most of the flight. I got a taxi back home and it was very strange arriving to an empty house, 1000's of miles away. This week's #animaltales was 'How to ride an Ostrich' in South Africa.

Day 265 #onedailypositive #yellow #fmsphotoaday#InitialLetter #snaphappybritmums #project365 I spent my time on the flight from the UK to the UAE writing letters using the review envelopes I was sent from #AllColourEnvelopes

Waking late on wednesady I had to unpack and drive to Ajman to collect the dog and cat from the kennels and cattery, in the evening I did a food shop, had dinner and went to bed.

Day 266 #onedailypositive #green #fmsphotoaday#star #snaphappybritmums #project365 having landed in Dubai in the early hours, collecting the cat and dog from kennels, unpacked and a food shop I forgot all about today's photo prompts. In my mind my green food bought today and arranged in the shape of a star didn't match the reality of tins and a wonky cross.

Hubby arrived home in the early hours of Thursday morning, his original trip to the UK was cancelled after I had booked mine with Emirates air miles, so when it came to booking his flight we just couldn't get on the same flight. Eid is currently being celebrated, so hubby had a few extra days off work. I spent the day doing the washing and sorting out the UK paperwork. For my #TimeTraveller post I took a tour of Dubai airport in search of 'things to do' and to explore the Zen Gardens for HDYGG?

Day 267 ‪#‎onedailypositive‬ ‪#‎blue‬ ‪#‎fmsphotoaday‬ ‪#‎harvest‬‪#‎snaphappybritmums‬ ‪#‎project365‬ practicing camera settings for the Harvest moon in a few days, which will also be a super moon which I believe is also a blue moon. The only blue in this shot was my language as I couldn't get the settings right in the dark, but when I used a torch to see the dials all the settings were then wrong when I turned the torch off

On Friday after another lie in, we went to Dubai Mall to buy floor cleaner, reading glasses and have a coffee. We lazed around the house for a couple of hours, walked Bob and then out for a meal with a friend and her husband I met through #fmsphotoaday from Cape Town.

Day 268 #onedailypositive #pink #fmsphotoaday#cheers #snaphappybritmums #project365 well I'm all over the place after all this travel I missed #perspectiveout on Day 263 and got ahead of myself and confused with the time difference anyway the @britmums prompts are a day out with the weekends. And who cares? Cheers everyone, it's not like there's a prize at the end of the rainbow which is now tomorrow's prompt instead of Sunday's....hey ho full perspective will appear on Sunday and I'll be back on track

On Saturday we woke early and took Bob into the desert to a different set of lakes, most of the day was spent lazing around, watching sport, writing up blog posts, snacking and sleeping. We were putting off the difficult decision as to whether we should go to the mall to buy a new non stick saucepan or to the beach.

Day 269 #onedailypositive #rainbow #fmsphotoaday #SundayRoast #snaphappybritmums #project365 It's not Sunday and even if it was I certainly wouldn't be cooking a roast in this heat. I'm all out of sorts with my prompts this week, having missed writing one down, but I have the solution. We started this week at the seaside where we had a Sunday Lunch in Beer and I took this photo of the multi coloured beach huts in Lyme Regis.