Week 49 - One Daily Positive. Back in Dubai and the Golf

Back in Dubai early hours of Tuesday morning, it's been a long week and all happened very fast, considering last Friday at 4.50pm I'd given up on my container ever being delivered. I will be sorting the issues out with the company here in Dubai, but I'm not hopeful anything will be achieved as everyone was passing responsibility back and forth. I'm really pleased I got back in time to work on the European Golf Tour, it won't be long before I resume working back in the UK and I really need to have some more areas of interest on a CV that has been fairly empty for the past 10 years.

334 Sunday Not a word from the moving company till 1pm 'we're on our way' from Greenwich. They arrived at 7pm, it took 2 hours to unload. The sofa that came out the house almost 10 years ago to the date, is now in the neighbours garage, because it won't go back in, they unwrapped the oven smaller sofa, fridge freezer and that was it. I'd paid for a full unpack and removal of waste on same day. But if I wanted my container now, that was the deal. Another complaint to add to my list.

335 Monday Up early, said good bye to the cat and dog. House sitters were still sleeping when I left. Caught the train into Paddington, which was so quiet, I could've cried. It's only when I travel that the enormity of covid really hits home, that and the 'Clap for Keyworkers' I'd booked the evening flight as I was unsure I could get to Heathrow for the earlier one, but I had plenty of time and transferred to the earlier flight. No fees payable to rebook during covid. I had a row to myself, an uneventful flight, got some sleep and had no anxiety at all.

An empty Paddington Station.

336 Tuesday On arrival had a PCR test and now playing the waiting game for results. Peter had his within 8 hours when he returned from Saudi the other week. I arrived during a busy time for transit passengers and it's a public holiday so I had to wait longer. Most of the day spent in bed, only had 4 hours sleep during the night, body clock in regards to meal times is confused. While I was having breakfast, Peter was already at lunch time and asking me what I wanted for dinner. I unpacked and got ready for the golf tomorrow.

View from the bedroom window.

337 Wednesday 1st day at the golf. I was assigned a spotters role, basically counting the number of shots made by a golfer on each hole and radioing the scores back into the TV studios to provide information for their live commentary. I was bitten whilst hiding from the TV cameras in the rough (long grass) and got sunburnt. Came home, showered and off to the Polo Club for dinner and pub quiz with friends, which we won.

338 Thursday More golf and another long day outside in the sun, The TV compound is off site so we found ourselves sitting by the driving range for an hour whilst there was a break in live TV, it was nice to have a rest. Some of the golfers, but mainly the caddies start to recognise us now.

We went to a small baby shower and BBQ for the evening

339 Friday Golf again, just one round of 18 holes walked today, TV finished at 3pm, so home early. We went for a walk along the beach, had dinner and an early night.

The pods are finally on the wheel.

340 Saturday Up early again, did some blogging and headed off to the final day of the golf for this week. I've been walking an average of 8 to 10 miles a day in a circle, round 18 holes of golf, I know the course like the back of my hand now. The afternoon was spent putting up the Christmas Tree and decorations.

More golf next week with the finale of The Race to Dubai where a prize fund of $8 million. This weeks Golf in Dubai Championship was a mere $2.3 million.

On the Blog this week:

The role of a scorer at the golf.

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Week 45 - One Daily Positive. I'm waiting for my ship to come in.

I'm finding it harder to find a One Daily Positive at the moment. I was almost thrown over the edge on Tuesday when I saw the alternative John Lewis ad, his dog ran off and died and then he collapsed and died in the snow. My dog and cat are the only things keeping me going at the moment and it brought back horrendous memories of the night my father died also.

The tenant in the flat stopped paying rent after 1 month. Turns out it was an admin error (fault of agents) but it caused me immense stress for 24 hours. There was still no word from the UK agents in regards to the shipping container as the moving company in Dubai didn't pass on my UK contact details and it's due in on Saturday. I've tracked them down after the Dubai side stopped replying to me and now have the info I need, should be with me end of the month, then I can go back to Dubai.

The beta blockers seem to be doing their job. I think the chest pains were due to anxiety, I queried pneumonia because I've had it a couple of times. The last time it was walking pneumonia, it's when you don't know you've got it and I needed antibiotics.

306 Sunday Child 2, DIL and grandchild visited in the afternoon for Sunday dinner, this will be the last time I see them until the beginning of February. A planned visit prior to the lock down announcement.

Drinking my coffee outside still when I can.

307 Monday Spent the day back at my friends in the Forest of Dean part 2 of helping her clear her fathers home of 50 years after his death last week. I did runs with my car filled of things she wants to keep back to her home in the village where I used to live and first met her, back in 1994. I started cleaning my dad's antique desk I inherited, the wood was smelling, I discovered fine dust in the drawers, but no other sign of woodworm, but I'll keep a close eye on it.

The Wye Valley at Lydbrook.

308 Tuesday Took Bob for a socially distanced garden visit and walk with @mustntgrumble, we last met in 2010. We've been penpals ever since. We'd planned this prior to the lockdown announcement. Finished cleaning the desk with white vinegar and water and put it all back together.

309 Wednesday Morning spent sorting out registering the cat and dog with a vets and registering their microchips, I only found out recently this was compulsory, when we moved them to Dubai, we were given all the info we needed when they were delivered to the house. Bob and I went to Croome in the afternoon, via picking up a highchair off facebook. Hope, washing on, in pjs and ate dinner in front of the TV, not getting dressed now will tomorrow evening. 

Round 1 of the fireworks.

310 Thursday Peter is in Saudi for a couple of weeks, he has to isolate for 3 days, then have a covid test and wait 24 hours before the results come in, until then he had to install an app on his phone and he's not allowed to leave the hotel. I spent the day chasing news about the shipping container and the insurance, finished writing the pets routine up and providing a list of how things work in the house for the pet sitters arriving on the 11th. I made a bird box, painted the cold frame and did the ironing. 

Round 2 of the fireworks. By Friday they were used to the noise and it didn't bother them anymore.

311 Friday Completely forgot my #PoCoLo linky post this week until I woke up, so spent the day catching up with comments and posting links and scheduling posts for the next few weeks. Took Bob for a walk mid afternoon to break the day up. Started a list of things I need to do before the house sitters arrive on Wednesday so plenty to occupy me, just all a bit daunting with how much I have to do between now and then, most of it can't/won't be done till Tuesday though. I started some Christmas crafts, including Bob's footprint on a canvas.

312 Saturday Spent the morning on the laptop, tidied a few things away and went to the post office to send child 1's Christmas gift from my mum as I won't be able to see either of them again now until I come back from Dubai in February. Met up with a friend to walk the dogs, out for almost 3 hours, it was really muddy. Home to mow the lawns, clean the mower and strimmer and wash the garden wheelie bin as well as preparing the compost heap for winter. 

On the blog this week:

My Sunday Photo - Batsford Arboretum Day out with my dog.

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6th - 8th November 2020 - Post Comment Love

Welcome back to this weeks Post Comment Love #PoCoLo with Stephanie and I.

I'm late with this post, in fact I've written it this morning after a call with my husband who is currently in Saudi Arabia with work. Normally on a Thursday night he will discuss his weekend plans with me and it prompts me to sort the post, but as he's having to isolate in a hotel for 3 days after arriving, him and his colleagues are working today as they can't go out to explore. Weekends are Friday and Saturday.

I've also had a stressful week, nothing to do with Lockdown 2.0. I've been trying to track my shipping container down 'Let us take the stress out of moving for you' is the tag line on both the Dubai and UK agents website. 

The ship docks tomorrow, the Dubai side of the operation have done their bit so stopped replying to my emails and I finally tracked down the UK agents in London, who had no contact details for me. The container should be with me the end of November, assuming customs don't pull it for a check and then I can get back to Dubai in time for Christmas.

It's really strange looking at flights at the moment, usually there are 3 a day from Birmingham, at the moment there are only 4 a week. 

My house and pet sitters arrive on the 11th and I need to find somewhere else to live until the container arrives. Have a few things sorted but lockdown has complicated an already complicated situation.

I'll be over to comment on last weeks posts later today and will be sure to tweet out any links you've added.

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Week 35 - One Daily Positive. UK vs Dubai during Covid

Although I've spent large chunks of time in the UK over the past 4 years and am from the UK, I still consider Dubai my home at the moment. I've not really been settled here though as I find making friends here difficult and the heat means I spend large amounts of time in the home or when I do go out I'm in malls. I was grateful to have been in the UK for the first part of lockdown as I was able to go out and walk Bob for an hour a day and just sit in the garden. However I wish I was able to stay in Dubai now and am making plans for the winter to come back out here. I'm just struggling to find someone to look after the dog for more than a few weeks and I'd really like to reduce the amount of flying I do.

Covid is being managed much better here, I'm happy to attend medical appointments and even had my hair cut and nails done. Indoors here is much bigger, more space, temperature checks, social distancing and EVERYONE is wearing a mask, people respect requests from security guards to put a mask on, knowing it is punishable by law for failing to follow the rules. The only time I struggle with wearing a mask is when I'm outdoors in busy areas, such as the mall car parks and walking to the train as it's just so hot here.

Dubai's 'to do' list is for me to sell my car, close my bank account, tidy and sell the garden and sort through and organise packers to get some stuff shipped back to the UK. 

236 Sunday Off to Dragon Mart to purchase some outdoor lights, we had coffee out and spent the rest of the day in front of the TV.

Usually lifts are a free for all, as is any doorway in Dubai, typically as you try to get out, 20+ people are piling in. So much more civilised during covid, although facing the wall seems a bit weird.

237 Monday Up early and off to the dentist for a check up on my implants and a deep clean, scale and polish. I called in at Mall fo the Emirates for lunch, then had a manicure and pedicure and then took my car for a valuation after having it cleaned. We watched TV in the evening.

This is the view from the dentist, although my 90 min view was of the ceiling.

238 Tuesday Peter went into the office and I had a virtual phone consultation with a moving company. I did have a tidy up first. I sold my car for £800, it was purchased for £5,000 4 years ago. Cars are cheaper here than the UAE and the deprecation is the same as I would've had in the UK. I then walked and caught the train to Ibn Battuta for an opticians appointment. Peter met me for a coffee and a lift home. 

239 Wednesday Up at 6am to continue cutting back the plants and tidying the garden. Off to the bank to close my account. Stopped at The Souk Madinat but it was closed till midday, so visited Mall of the Emirates for a coffee and some shopping. Evening spent mowing the lawn and power washing the patio.

One of my favourite views of Dubai.

240 Thursday Up early to finish the garden, shame I won't get too much time to enjoy just sitting out there. Packers booked and arranged for Sunday, container will be shipped on Sept 10th. I spent the day applying for my tax relief in the UK, organising the shipping insurance and cancelling car insurance. We went out in the evening to visit a friend for dinner.

I have to itemise our belongings and list a replacement price for destination. There's no where to add things like throws or cushions so you have to be creative with where you write things down.

241 Friday Collected my new glasses from the Mall, bought a couple of cards, had a coffee and then off to visit colleagues of Peter's for the afternoon, didn't get home till after 10pm, straight to bed.

3 years ago when we moved here, this view was just sand. The building I took this photo from didn't exist either.

242 Saturday Met up with our friends for breakfast at Mall of the Emirates, did some shopping, went to the cinema to see Tenet and home to get ready for the packers tomorrow and to watch the football.

My to do list in the UK is to repaint the doors that Peter had to shorten and rehang after having new carpets fitted, finish painting the shed and restore my old dolls house.

After our belongings are packed tomorrow, I just have to clean, rearrange the remaining furniture, then I have a full week of doing nothing before I return to the UK, so I'll be doing some serious shopping now I don't have to take things I need back in my suitcase for winter as the container will arrive mid October.

Eating out in Dubai - Sponsored Post

Keeping the romance alive during covid - Sponsored Post

The Road to nowhere - My Sunday Photo

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