Wildlife and Plants in the desert with HDYGG and Animal Tales

Winter in Dubai is similar to summer in the UK except for the sand storms. It's summer now at time of posting and way too hot to be going out into the desert right now, I'm just about managing to walk Bob at 5am and again at 9pm.

Driving into the desert through a sandstorm, that cleared up about 30km inland.

 My mother was visiting in December and we wanted to share with her the places we go on a regular basis as well as the usual tourist destinations, one expects to visit in Dubai.

 She tried to climb a sand dune or two, but wasn't defeated, nor did she do it gracefully. She's 72 you know.

 We saw cranes and a variety of other birds as well as in the distance a new lake that was home to quite a few flamingos, which took us by surprise.

 Bob as usual loved his run out and swim in the lakes.

 We visit the lakes in the desert every weekend when the weather is cool enough and I've started taking Bob out on a Tuesday morning, since I've stopped working, taking my camera, laptop and a picnic to spend a few hours in peace and quiet, writing up blog posts. In February and March we had rain so waterproofs and warm clothing were required.

There are numerous plants out in the desert, whilst there is a lot of water and irrigation systems in place, I can't wait to see what else springs into life after the recent rainfall and spend some time identifying the different plants that grow naturally out in the desert.

Olympic Games - Barcelona 1992 #TimeTraveller

This is me aged 21 with my 2 month old first born child, who has never forgiven me for abandoning him at such a young age to leave him for a week and travel to Barcelona to watch the Games of the 25th Olympiad.

I won a trip for 2 to the Olympic Games, all travel, accommodation, tickets and luggage in The Daily Express newspaper. All I had to do was identify 5 athletes over the week and send my answer 'on the back of a postcard'

I am a huge athletics fan and this was a dream come true for me. I'd given up my dream of competing around the age of 12 and now with a new baby and only a few weeks before the games started I assumed that this was another dream that was over.....until I got the phone call.

Arriving at Heathrow there was a little bit of publicity, interview and photo's before boarding the flight and arriving at our hotel in Sitges.

Flowers and champagne awaited us and that evening we got to meet the other competition winners. Everyone else had won via various other methods, including one man who opened a mars bar to see on the wrapper 'you've won tickets for 2 to the Olympic games'

We travelled round the venues in a group, we had dinner together and transport laid on into Barcelona in the evenings so we could explore the city.

For me these Olympics were the greatest games ever and although the stadiums and ceremonies have got bigger and better, nothing will ever take away from me seeing Germany compete as one country after the Berlin Wall came down. Hearing all the new country names after the Iron Curtain and wondering how these names were pronounced. Recognising international athletes who I knew as coming from the USSR yet not existing as an entity anymore. Supporting South Africa compete in International sport for the first time during Apartheid, if a spectator didn't have a countryman in that event you can guarantee if South Africa were represented they supported them.

We took part in the then largest and longest Mexican wave at the swimming events, boo'd Ben Johnson on his return to the sport after his drug's ban. Screamed ourselves hoarse at Linford Christie in the 100m's and travelled to the hockey and the rowing events and stood in silence when medals were given and national anthems played.

I had the most amazing holiday of a lifetime, one I talk about often and I would love to revisit Barcelona one day. Some of the world's greatest athletes competed at those games and went on to be some of the greatest athletes the world has ever seen and i am proud to have been there.

Taking care of pets during Summer in Dubai

I spent 3 weeks in Canada, which meant I left hubby with the cat and dog for 3 weeks.

Hubby was working everyday which meant the cat and dog were on their own in the house on their own from 7am till 5pm, Sunday till Thursday.

They bonded, this is a photo hubby sent me in the first week of the pair of them.

The cat hasn't had a good week, it started with a poorly eye, it must have been irritating her as she would come to me for it to be wiped. It cleared up in around 3 days and there seems to be no lasting effect.

It's also the middle of summer and during daylight hours it is far too hot to let them outside without supervision, so our once outdoor pets have now adapted to be indoors all day and they seem to be coping very well.

Pushkins sneaked out the door on Saturday when I put the shopping away, it was 2 hours later before I realised she wasn't in the house. I felt so guilty and I nearly passed out from the heat looking for her.

The Cat suffered with heat exhaustion on friday. We keep her inside during the day but sometimes she sneaks out and has been outside for 2 hours she has been licking her self to keep cool. Cats sweat through their paws. She was too exhausted when I found her to walk and I've brought her back and she let me put her in a bowl of luke warm water to cool her down and I wrapped her in a damp towel. I've never seen a cat pant like this before. She made a full recovery and is still trying to sneak out in the midday sun.

We do of course take Bob out for walks every evening and do early morning trips to the lakes in the desert.

He is getting braver with the water now, up till now he's relied on another dog bringing his ball back to him as you can see from the first video he just won't go out of his depth.

This is Bob the day after in the desert, he seems to have overcome his fear very quickly.

They also like to spend early evenings on the doorstep, getting some fresh air.

Every time I see this stray I wonder how she is managing to live in this heat. There are mice in the garden I assume she eats and I leave water out for her and the birds, but I can't take her in, she's too wild.

Tampons, naked saunas and swimming sideways

I've had enough.

Responses from tweets indicate it is the same whatever gym you go to, regardless of where you are in the world.

As I enter the Virgin Active Gym there is a board

'Lets make South Africa Proud'
Followed by a list of do's and don'ts.

'LET'S RESPECT EACH OTHERS BOUNDRIES, SO NO HARRASSMENT OF ANY KIND'

Do you know what that means?

It means if someone isn't respecting your boundries, you challenge an issue or just about anything else, you're likely to get sworn or shouted at, or told to mind your own business.

The pool has a current, yesterday I gave up after 10 lengths, I was in lane 1 of 6, the lane with the strongest current, lane 6 was empty and lanes 2, 3, 4 & 5 were occupied...by men and women training, with paddles and flippers and one guy was even using a snorkel.
The current was so strong it took me 10 strokes to swim up the pool and 16 to get back and most of that was sideways.
Just a thought, silly I know, 'excuse me Sir, would you mind swopping lanes, only I'm just here for leisure swim, maybe it'll be easier for you to swim in the current with your flippers on than it is me'

'fuck off'

I went back to the pool today, I was the only one in theRE, the pool was really cold, but at least the showers were working this week. Last week there was a problem with the hot water so after a freezing cold shower I thought I'd nip in the sauna just for a few minutes to warm up.
I don't particulary enjoy walking in the door and being eye to vagina, thank you very much, OK, people go naked in saunas, but knees bent, legs apart on the top bench, facing the door just really isn't necessary. I walked out, there was nothing I could say.

Anyway back to today, out the shower, why are the doors see through perspex? we don't all enjoy showing off you know. I return to the changing room, put my costume, googles and hat on the floor, open my locker put my clothes on the bench and grab my make up bag and go to the mirrors to sort my hair and face. I return to my bench and despite there being loads of space a woman has put her damp towel on my clothes, I pick it up and ask 'is this yours?' to which she just snatches it off me and puts it back as close to my clothes as she can. I told her I don't want wet clothes and could she move her stuff, she replied that I was to move mine, so I shoved her clothes and bag along the bench, with most of it falling on the floor, grabbed my stuff and went to another bench.

Big mistake...
Me: excuse me would you mind going to the toilet to insert your tampon
Her: Why
Me: *Gives up, gets dressed, buys coffee and blogs*

'LET'S RESPECT EACH OTHERS BOUNDRIES, SO NO HARASSMENT OF ANY KIND' translates to

'LET EVERYONE DO WHAT THEY WANT AND DON'T YOU DARE COMPLAIN OR THEY'LL HARASS YOU'

Giving up smoking is killing me

I gave up smoking on August 17th 2012.

For 4 fabulous days I was a non smoker.

On day 5 I smoked 1 cigarette.

On day 6 I smoked 2 cigarettes.

On day 7 I smoked 2 cigarettes.

On day 8 I smoked 3 cigarettes.

It is now day 9 and I feel like the hungry caterpillar, but for cigarettes.

I get to 1pm every day without giving smoking a thought. I'm back to swimming 1km everyday and with ease. Head down 10 lengths freestyle, without stopping. I can now swim it in 15mins instead of the 40mins it was taking previously. I have plenty to do in the mornings and then by 1pm I want to smoke.

I've changed my morning routine, I associate a morning cuppa with a cigarette, so instead I have fruit juice, but by 1pm I want a cup of tea and I start to think about smoking, by 4pm I am smoking a cigarette.

It tastes vile, I cough, I can smell the smoke already on my clothes and in my hair. I hate the smell of other people smoking, I always have, that doesn't make me want to smoke. I'm making crafts and sewing and gardening to occupy my hands. I spend more time upstairs as I don't smoke indoors and I'm not near the door just to pop out for one.

I've smoked for 24 years, I don't enjoy it, I'm addicted. I don't need a cigarette to calm the nerves, relax me, make me happy. I need the nicotine. It doesn't calm the nerves, relax me or make me happy, it just stops that nagging feeling inside as my body screams for the 24 years of nicotine it has gotten used to.

I think I was too adventerous, I told everyone I was a non smoker from August 17th onwards. I haven't failed, I've just stumbled at the first hurdle, not realising what a challenge I was embarking on.

So I will carry on smoking my 2-3 cigarettes a day, increase my exercise, cut back on the fats and sugars and will become a non smoker on September 3rd 2012.

I'm driving for 5 hours with my son to Kruger Park and spending a week in a tent and going on safari. I can't smoke, I won't be able to buy cigarettes and I will have changed my environment and routine and see if that works.

UPDATE

Well my plan to stop smoking at Kruger back fired. I'm back to 10-15 a day. I followed all advice, I re read the book and I know I'm stupid. The nicotine had a stronger grip on me than I ever thought possible.

I'm stopping smoking (again) tomorrow. Hubby is away for another 2 weeks, I've smoked the last cigarette in the packet this evening. I have no cash on me and no need to go out. I want to stop, I will stop, it's just harder than I realised.

UPDATE 2

I asked the Doctor for help. I've been prescribed Champix, I've picked day 11 to stop.
Check back on September 21st and I'll let you know whether I'm thinking about cigarettes or not.

Meeting men in speedos

I love people watching, I eye up other women for what they are wearing, does it look good on them? Would it look better on me? I smile polietly when someone tells me they've spent all day getting ready and I think I took 5 mins and feel better than you look. It is human nature, we all do it...be honest.

But do men do it? I asked hubby and he said, if a woman really looks a mess it's only because she looks so bad that he has noticed and he usually replies to my comments of 'what a mess' with 'she's made an effort.

But what about men with other men? Do they look at another man and think 'where did he get that shirt? those shoes? that tie?'

Since joining the gym I've come to the conclusion that men do look at other men and aspire to be like them. They all arrive in the morning, mostly with designer bags, shirt on a clothes hanger, wearing the latest gym gear to pump their artificial upper body muscles up higher while their legs remain skinny. but is that just me making an assumption, that they happen to all want to look and act the same?

Well here's my evidence.

I usually have the pool to myself when I go at 8am, but the last few mornings I've been in the water by 7am. Take your average male swimmer, mainly in their mid 30's to mid 40's. Tight speedos snapped into place, snug fitting swim cap and OMG all the equipment they bring with them, flippers, face masks, snorkels, paddles and they pick the middle two lanes as the outside ones have a current. They flex on the side of the pool, adjust their googles, preen themselves and off they go...super warp factor speed, powering up and down the pool, most of them have very good strokes but don't seem to know how to use their legs for swimming. I plod along same speed, breast stroke, up and down, no stopping until I've completed my mile and often swimming two. They stop every 4 lengths to adjust their goggles and flex a bit more.

Now I'm a smoker, I find aerobic exercise difficult, get out of breath and really struggle to swim front crawl, besides my fag would get wet. Now swimming breast stroke my head pops out the water and I can see what is going on in the pool. Today in came 'adonis' no older than 25, red speedos with white flowers on, a swim hat and goggles, he flexed and fiddled with his goggles. And out of the corner of my eye I see the guy in the next lane looking at him, the guy then powers off for 4 lengths front crawl, sips out of his water bottle and 'adonis' guy, lowered himself into the pool and swam 8 continious lengths of butterfly, the hardest stroke known to man, he then swam another 8 of breast stroke, followed by back stroke then front crawl, without once stopping. Guy in the other lane, in his early 40's wasn't going to be outdone and powered himself up and down the lane glancing at 'adonis'. Now this guy had only been in the water for 5 minutes before 'adonis' got in and I'm sure he had a routine he wanted to stick to, he hadn't used his floats or his face mask.

I swam my last 2 lengths and as always, despite being a smoker, I also swim length 64 underwater, so I didn't see the guy climb out the pool and collapse/sit on the end gasping for breath, so as I reached the end of the lane, I pop up above the water and nearly bloody chocked...the guy is sitting their legs in the water, wide apart and I'm stood there staring at eye level with his crotch scrunched up in his speedos....'adonis' is unaware of the competition he has sparked and carries on with his swim.

Blogging from the Gym

I joined a gym. Not just any Gym, but a Virgin Active Gym. I'm not getting paid for this blog, nor I have I received any incentives, I just Love this gym.

I needed to get out more and especially to exercise. In the 9 months since we've been in South Africa I have put on nearly a stone in extra weight and at 40 I could do without it spreading further.

The only exercise I've been doing is sweeping and mopping the wooden floors, I tried a keep fit DVD but there is always someone in our house or in the garden, unannounced, fixing, gardening or cleaning the pool. I started jogging, but that was rather pathetic and by the time I'd dragged myself half way round the estate the golfers had tee'd off and I was dodging the balls.

We are with Discovery for our medical aid and as a vitality member I paid R735 as a one off fee and got a Virgin Active bag, I then pay R89.90 a month to use the pool, the gym, saunas, aqua room and access to all the classes. I only have to book for a spinning class as they seem to be the most popular.

At the moment I swim, I love swimming and used to swim at County level. I started off last week with 10 lengths, the following day 20, then 30 and then swam a mile 3 days in a row, my best time so far is under 40 minutes.

The kids have joined me and they go after school, sometimes I'm there twice a day. It cost R90 for each child as a one off fee and they can use the same facilities as I can at no extra charge.

The changing rooms are spotless, fantastic hot water in the showers and plenty of lockers.

I'm not a big fan of these communal changing rooms and the 12 year old comes out in fits of hysterics at the 'old' men and their dangly bits everywhere and I although I'm not shy, I really didn't appreciate the woman opposite me who, stark naked, lifted her foot onto the bench and proceeded to rub cream onto her inner thigh, I was sitting down at the time and it really wasn't a pretty sight.

The eldest is working out right now, I have a headache/migraine and really didn't feel like swimming at the moment, so I'm sat in the cafe with a latte, using the computers and the internet.