Christmas Mubarak!

...a little bit of arabic 'fusion' on the usual Christmas greetings!

I hope that everyone has enjoyed the holidays. Now that it's boxing day over here (no sales that I'm aware of), I can honestly say we had a wonderful Christmas.

P took off two days from work (the 24th and 25th) and spent them at home with us. Sadly, we spent 1/2 the day of the 24th at the BANK (yes...really) trying to get our credit cards and atm cards all sorted out. It took about two hours, and we will still have to return to get MY cards. I think the banking institutions here still need to work on refining their processes and efficiency.

However, after that, it was all about our little family. We spent some time playing in one of 'our' parks, with A and Phinn. And thanks to our friend Kathy, who has come back for another visit to Abu Dhabi, we had a wonderful Christmas eve supper of salad rolls. We couldn't have made this meal without Kathy, as she brought us the essential ingredient: rice paper rolls. To date, we have not been able to locate these here (although, I'm SURE they are somewhere in Dubai). In addition to the rice paper wrappers, she also brought us a 'care package' made up of gifts and other 'requested' items from back home. Thanks to Kathy, not only are we eating well again (wraps and salad dressing), but we are also smelling fresh organically.

A enjoyed trying to make her own salad roll, and taking 'mouse bites' out of mine. That was our Christmas eve dinner. I went the extra mile and pulled a recipe for peanut sauce to dip our rolls in.

Thanks again to Santa Kathy, we had so many presents to open on Christmas day. A's aunties and grandparents were very generous with her. We bought her one gift: an echo microphone, as she seems to have inherited my love of singing and karaoke. We spent Christmas dinner with at the Cowell's place, along with the Macleod family. Despite the fact that there was no snow, Brenda's beautiful tree, along with her decorations and the fancy Christmas table spread...made us feel very much in the spirit.

Now...for those of you who read my blog..you'll obviously notice that I'm writing this much, much later than the actual event. As there have been 'new developments', I'm going to post this entry and start up a new (more recent) one.

Almost Christmas...Seriously???

Well...I'm listening to ezrock (edmonton) on-line...to try and get some feeling of 'Christmas' going on over here. We attended the Canadian Club's Christmas dinner at the Hilton on Friday night, and took a few pictures with their beautiful Christmas tree. We were visited there by possibly the worst Santa Claus we have ever seen in our lives...a Santa who doesn't realize that little ones have bed-times and perhaps he should have come at 8 pm, like he was scheduled to, instead of waltzing in at 9 pm. Good thing A has no clue about this aspect of the Christmas tradition. For me, I feel that this will possibly be my last seasonal 'Canadian Club' dinner...as I left hungrier than I started. My meal of lettuce pieces, mashed potatoes and 'buttered' vegetables (and I couldn't taste any butter friends) was sorely lacking any flavour. I figured I would make up for it with dessert, but was not alone in my disappointment of the two dessert selections (one of which was mincemeat tarts...which my friend Christine described as 'Halls in a tart shell'). I did enjoy the time with our friends though, and that would be the only thing that could lure me out to another one of these 'dinners' (I am using that word loosely). Apparently, the turkey was 'fabulous' (and I'm so glad that everyone else could enjoy it). Also...the smoking...blech! This event (unlike Thanksgiving) was smoker-friendly.

That was Friday. On Saturday, we got up and head off to Dubai, for our car to get serviced. We also had to drop off the Visa for Rosemarie, our housekeeper, to pick-up at the airport. We are flying her into Dubai, rather than Abu Dhabi, solely for the savings. For any of our friends considering visiting, make sure you use Dubai airport, rather than Abu Dhabi. You'll save yourself almost $1000 (I think it was $700-something). Then hop into a cab, and for 300 AED (about $100 Cdn) and an hour of your time, you can be at our doorstep, safe and sound...with more $$ in your pocket. The drive is actually quite scenic, as you can check out all of the developments in Dubai, and then all of the growth and development in between the two big cities. It is nowhere as boring as the drive from say...Edmonton...to anywhere an hour away (Red Deer was always the drive that got us).

Back to Dubai: we had grand plans. While the car was being serviced, we would get dropped off at the mall and shop. A would have lunch, and then we would head back around 2 pm, and she would sleep the whole way back. Seems the dealership, in their effort to help us out, decided to make our oil change service a 'priority', and get it done within an hour, so we could head back home with our baby. So, we didn't actually get to the mall, but A and I did check out the Dubai Garden Centre...a lot like the Ellerslie Garden Centre..but with elephant and peacock topiaries, and running fountains everywhere. I had a latte at "Raw" the coffee bar inside, and we wandered and checked out the plants...some familiar (they are really liking the petunias over here) and so many unfamiliar.

P had taken a cab to the airport, and we ended up heading back to the dealership around the same time. Minutes after we got into our car and were heading back towards Jebel Ali Road, A had fallen asleep, so we just kept on going back home. She woke up just as we entered our garage, and then proceeded to stuff her face with fistfuls of--what else?--pasta...today's special was macaroni with tomatoe sauce.

P got our speakers set up and we spent the evening catching up with Bond...James Bond in Casino Royale. We needed to be refreshed for when we watch Quantum of Solace (sometime soon...).
There are no holidays for Christmas here. P will be taking Christmas eve and Christmas day off. We are very excited to welcome our friend Peter M's family back to Abu Dhabi (as they fly over from various parts of North America). It will be so nice to see Kathy (Peter's wife) and to meet their children (who are young adults). We have been invited over for Christmas dinner with our friends Stefan and Brenda, who are having the event catered by the Abu Dhabi Golf Club. It will be so nice to be spending the holiday with friends.

Taking a little break...

I've had a little tiff with my blog...you see, I got tired of waiting hours for pics to upload, and then having them be the cause of reformatting my blog-spacing. Whenever I tried to correct the spacing, pictures would 'delete' themselves and have to be uploaded again. Thus...it was time for a well needed break. I'm not really an explosive person...just take some time off...and then try again (leaving the angry confrontations for others who are more comfortable with that sort of thing).

Anyways, I've taken my time to cool down, and now I'm back.

The weather continues to cool down here. P is back at work, so I'm able to get back to my own 'routines', which will now be changing, as it seems A and I finally have our own car to drive around in. This will really change up our days (at least I'm hoping it might). I was delighted to have the Al Raha workmen remark on my return...'I think missus has been on holiday...you have not been walking'...at least someone missed me.

Seems Phinn has a 'cough'...he has been hacking ALL DAY LONG. Nothing more soothing and peaceful than a coughing dog. I'm assuming that A has given him something to eat (maybe her baby mum-mum bar?) that he shouldn't have had, and now he's got a little 'tickle' in his throat. If it doesn't clear up in a few days, I will trek him over to the German Vet Clinic, which is conveniently 5 minutes from my house!! I had never heard of this clinic before moving here, and P and I discovered it by accident when we were driving home one day from the strip mall (also near to our home).

The cough will be a bit annoying though, when we have our 'company' over this evening. I am so excited that my friends, the Dehiris, from England (that A and I made during our stay at the Millennium Hotel) have returned. They contacted me the other day, and are taking a taxi out here around 5 o'clock. I loved entertaining people back home in Edmonton...but am so out of practice (not to mention, we don't really have all the same groceries here at our disposal). P is picking up a few things on his way home. A is also preparing by having a good and long nap.

A is a regular little darling. Still not much for the sleeping, her appetite for new words continues to grow. To date, the words she signs are: eat, all done (usually once Baby Einstein is over), hi, bye, fish, pig, elephant, more and milk. The words she speaks are: mamma (also means 'want that'), babba (often yelled really loud to help conduct the sound to her dad's small ears), buh-buh (bye), moo (cow sound), moon (in the sky), hee-hee-hee (for monkey), snorting noise (for pig), panting noise (for dog), roar (for lion), bird, up and down (which she does with a hand gesture when she wants Phinn to lie down) and the latest addition is 'shzz' (for shoes). She acquired the sign for fish pretty quickly (I used it once at the Aquarium and again when we were watching Baby Einstein, and now she shows me whenever she sees a fish).

Although she does not have a huge vocabulary, her comprehension is pretty good. She is able to retrieve things like her laptop, her fish and other items upon request. She will also pass things to her babba (like usb keys) when asked to do so. She likes to take Phinn for walks, daily, and ensures that he gets brushed and fed a cookie after every walk. To Phinn's chagrin, she also likes him to wear his harness and leash even while he is at home (not really sure why though, as she only walks him for a few seconds and then forgets about it...until I try to take the leash off that is).

She does love her room and her 'library'. I can now empathize with my friend Lynn, our school librarian, having to pick up book after book after book...I only do it every few days. She will often race out of our bedroom over to her own room, pull down a book and then sit down on the blanket that Ellie Grandma gave her to 'read'. I'm so proud of her as she babbles away with her stories. I'm also happy that her library is so full...I don't think I will have to buy her any new books until she's seven or eight years old!! Her favourite book, hands down, is "Where is Baby's Mommy?" (thank-you to the Simpson's who got this for her birthday). We have had to glue back a few of the pages...and the shower curtain is MIA...but it is delightful to listen to her read along with this book: I read 'is mommy in the closet?'...and she continues 'nooooooooooo ba bab baba BA' (the only time she really says 'no' so far). I often think of so many of our friends when we read, especially when we find your books in A's library.

Better go and get ready for our guests!

Abu Dhabi Celebrates 37 Years

We started to notice all of the lights on the boulevards and streets about three weeks ago. However, they only started lighting them up last week...anyone can see the city has spared no expense to light it up for their 37th anniversary. It's starting to look more like Vegas around here (the guy on the street handing out 'flyers' has been replaced by the guy on the street selling etisalat cards) everyday.

We spent our National Day by joining all of the other immigrants on the Corniche for a 45 minute fireworks show. It was nice to be back on the Corniche (it's been over a month now since we've been in the villa), and there was a cool breeze, that I've never felt before. A wore a sweater, and I brought along my New York pashmina (only the finest), which I eventually ended up giving away to keep A's legs warm (she was wearing a dress).

The Corniche was very crowded with all the brown people living here. I'm not sure where all the European ex-pats were...but they definitely were NOT down there with us. The fireworks started at 8:30 pm. It was very exciting (A's first fireworks)...but after the first 5 minutes...well...let's just say, I was ready to hop in a cab to get myself back home. I was still dragging from the GM concert the previous night, combined with the limited amount of sleep that A gave me once I got home (I believe ALL of the rest of her teeth might be trying to come in at once).

In addition to all of the street decorations, Emiratis have contributed to the festivities by dressing up their cars. From small touches like flags and stickers to the extreme painting of the shaikhs past and present, into their window tinting, we saw it all as they paraded on Corniche Road. Children were sitting out of sunroofs and waving flags. Firecrackers and string confetti were in the air. Altogether, a very colourful, happy and safe celebration.

Fortunately, traffic home was light (thank-you again to our friend Peter M. who drove us home), and we were home by 10. Everyone was exhausted, and so our party ended fairly early.

Our household was all asleep within the hour.

On Wednesday morning we visited the Shaikh Zayed Mosque. This is a beautiful mosque, where the Shaikh's body has been entombed. We all had the opportunity to dress up in local garb and tour through the mosque. We have decided this will be OUR West Edmonton Mall, because this is one place we will take EVERYBODY who comes to visit us in Abu Dhabi.

George Michael: "I think YOU'RE amazing..."

When I was a little girl, growing up in the backwoods of Alberta, I had a dream…well actually two dreams. Unlike Martin Luther King’s beautiful dream for the world, my dreams were the selfish dreams of a 10 year old. You see, my cat Tramp (yes…that WAS his name), had been missing for a few weeks. I was beside myself with stress and worry. In my dream, I remember looking out the back window, and seeing him crouched down beside our garage, licking water from the lightly frozen little pond in the yard. Imagine my amazement, when I woke up, and sure enough, there he was. It was so long ago…I can’t remember if he was actually trying to lap up the water, but believe me: he was there. I was convinced that I had found my hidden power: I had the gift of vision.
Imagine my delight when the next night I dreamt that George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley showed up in the very same backyard. They were wearing white cotton shirts, and what I now know to be Birkenstock sandals. They had come to get me, because (wasn’t it obvious?) our futures were intertwined—we were meant to BE together (remember these were the WHAM! days…prior to some personal revelations that GM was to experience in the future).
Sadly, that dream did not come true (although I waited…and I can remember being SURE that it would happen…b/c come ON!! The cat came back!!). It seems that fate had decided many, many years later, in a far off land, I would have my opportunity to share a few magical hours with GM. Who would ever have predicted that I would end up in Zayed Sports City, in Abu Dhabi, watching GM and his Wham! Dance moves through a pair of binoculars.
It was an amazing night for me.
Before I get into details, let me just mention:
1. Alicia Keys was also there. We actually ended up with two complete concerts for the price of one. She is absolutely gorgeous, and has a strong voice. Had I been familiar with more than 3 or 4 of her songs, I probably would’ve loved her show. As it was, I found myself getting a bit antsy…and waiting for her to be done.
2. I need to clarify my ‘love’ of George Michael. When Wham! came onto the scene in the 80s, I was just a little girl. I don’t remember ever thinking “I’m in love with George Michael and want to marry him” (I believe I already had another childhood crush going at the time). I just remember thinking that despite the feathered highlighted hair, the tan, the earrings (two hoops for the price of one), and the ‘wake me up before you go-go’ 80s beats, this man had some serious depth. You could hear it in the anguish of ‘Everything She Wants” (‘if my best isn’t good enough, then how can it be good enough for TWO?’), the ‘guilty feet aint got no rhythm’ in “Careless Whisper’, and “if you are the desert, I’ll be the sea…if you ever hunger, hunger for me…whatever you ask for THAT’s what I’ll be”…sigh…! That’s WOW! This guy had good-looks (lucky him), but more importantly (even to childhood me) he had brains and heart. He had felt pain and heartache, and could express and communicate those emotions through prose. He also has the most beautiful voice I have ever heard…not many men have his vocal cords and sound. When GM ‘came out’ publicly, regarding his sexual preferences, I wasn’t distressed or saddened by the revelation in any way (I know some fans turned away). “I Want Your Sex” was never ever the way I felt about him. The parts of him that I loved and admired were still all there, unchanged, for all time.

That’s enough with the clarification. Now let’s talk about the concert.

Zayed Sports City was a zoo. P dropped my friend Janice and I off on the road and we walked to the entrance. Traffic (as usual) was crazy and backed up, so it was much faster for us to walk there. We had already gotten instructions (from Brenda and Christine…waiting for us inside) that we should find Entrance 6, and come in ONLY through that entrance. The line-up was huge, and in true AD style, chaotic, inefficient and without any order. But we eventually got to the front of it. I was wanded, while Janice got patted down (she’s cuter than I am). I got my purse checked for “may-tal objects”…I had some, but nothing that could be considered dangerous I guess, as they let me through. We met up with our companions, and began the wait. The show started pretty soon after we got there, with Alicia Keys (please see blurb on her above).

I chose this time to go to the toilet. Let me mention that Zayed Sports City is a brand new facility; in fact, I believe this was the first event (in honour of National Day-37 years). The toilets, however, did not look like ones you would expect to find in a new facility. Let’s do a one-word summary: revolting. I used the men’s washroom, and discovered that I have fairly strong quads. It’s not an experience I ever need to have again.

Between AK and George Michael, there was a 30 minute intermission for changing the stage. More screens, and a second floor for musicians. Christine and Brenda decided that due to sore butts, they were moving down the grass. Janice and I felt more comfortable on the seats, so we stayed there. We were exposed to WAY TOO MUCH second-hand smoke. Coming from Edmonton, with the no-smoking laws (that are enforced), you forget just how absolutely disgusting smoke is. Having the open-air stadium helped a little bit…but I’m really waiting for the day that AD lays down the complete no-smoking ban (and actively enforces it).

And then it began. The lights went down, and the voice came pouring out like honey all around me: “There aint no point in moving on, til you’ve got somewhere to go…”, one of my absolute favorites. Lights came up, and he appeared on the big screen. I was mesmerized: I couldn’t take my eyes (aided by binoculars: thank-you Tikka!) off of him the entire time. He went from slow ballads, to fast songs (which got everyone up and dancing); old music and new(er). Half-way through the set, he took a twenty minute break (and was considerate enough to provide us with a countdown clock) and returned in jeans and a sports coat, and continued singing through his hits. After saying goodnight, he returned for two encores (Careless Whisper and Freedom). We walked away with his voice filling the air with an ode to his ‘freedom’.

Due to smart parking and driving, Brenda avoided all the horrible traffic. We were home by 2 a.m. A had a great evening with her dad (which I only worried about a few times through the evening), and that was so nice to hear. I had one of the most enjoyable and memorable nights of my life.

When I was young and carefree, I was bouncing around to ‘wake me up before you go-go’. When I started to move into the teenage years, he taught me about sticking with someone in “Faith”, and how to pick the right guy (when you remember the ones who have lied…who said that they cared and then laughed as you cried—who wants THAT guy?), and obviously he pushed the envelope on sexuality (but in a positive way—explore monogamy) with “I Want Your Sex” (which he didn’t sing…maybe too risqué for the AD audience?). When I was a young adult, he made me think outside myself: What was my contribution to society? Was ‘charity a coat I wore twice a year'? He also made me feel loved at times when as a young adult, I felt all alone, unloved and lost—“take care, my love, he said, you have been loved”. He was the music in my ears on my wedding day (literally in the limousine) and mentally, when we walked into our reception and I thought of my new groom “I think you’re amazing…celebrate the love of the one you’re with”. He was the lament that I sang to my dearest friend, Oliver-- ‘and every single memory, has become a part of me’, to help me deal with the pain of his passing. When my daughter A was born the music that echoed in my heart and head sang “the first time ever I saw your face, I thought the sun rose in your eyes…” as I spent hours on end simply watching her breathe, and taking in every part of her.

In essence, George’s music has been the music of my life.

One day, I hope to be able to meet him in person, and tell him how much his music has meant to me. I would thank him, for being able to pull himself up out of his dark and sad places, and put something positive into the world.

And with that, I conclude my ‘novella’ on the George Michael concert. If you meet George, please pass along my details, so he can get in touch with me.

Friday in Dubai

I wasn't sure if we were going to go. Up until the 11th hour, I had told P that I thought A and I would stay at home. He gets frustrated when A gets 'fussy' at the Co-op...and I could only imagine the horrors of an hour long car-ride (each way) plus lunch on the go, and several ins and outs of the car-seat. "Patience" is only the name of an album by George Michael to P (did I mention I'm going to the concert on Dec 1?). However, P seemed so sad that we weren't going, that I acquiesced, and we boiled up some pasta (now A's favorite food...the only thing she will eat this week) and headed out to Dubai.

The ride out was easy. Our friend Peter M. drove us (as we were going to pick up our new car) and A fell asleep, waking up only when we were in Dubai, and driving along the Corniche. This is very different from the one in Abu Dhabi. You can definitely see how this particular area is more designed for function and revenue. There was a portion of the Corniche where you could still see old Dubai: the run-down buildings, and all the trading boats. I saw a man lift a huge bag of rice onto his back to carry it off the boat. Then there was the 'tourist' area. Little ferry boats, with captains calling out to you, offering you a ride, and parked barges that had been turned into restaurants on the water, where you could stop and dine on the sparkling Gulf. We stopped at Al Abra, and had some fresh fruit juice. P, A and I shared a mango drink. Next time, I'm having the coconut one though, as it is served in a coconut shell. So much more tropical.

After that, we headed over to the Dubai Mall. During our stay at the Millennium Hotel, I had read a magazine where they advertised the Aquarium, located in Dubai Mall (world's largest indoor aquarium). Personally, I am not a fan of zoos, and I didn't like the dolphins living at West Edmonton Mall. I prefer animals to live free, in their own world, undisturbed by man...but I must say, I was AMAZED. This display was just incredible. I have never seen anything like it.

First off, there is the portion that all mall-goers can enjoy: the large aquarium walls, that are two levels high. Then, you can pay 25 AED to go through the 'tunnel' (basically like scuba diving, but with your clothes on) OR you can pay 50 AED (less than $15 cdn) and go through the Discovery Centre on the upper level (where there are many more water animals) plus get 'express' access to the tunnel (this is the option we chose).

I don't have the words to describe the incredible things we saw (so I'll be adding pics). There were penguins, an otter, king crabs, SEALS...and so many more water creatures. A and I got to stick our head into a bubble inside a fish tank...it was so quiet (with the exception of all the screaming Indian kids also in the bubble). Sting rays, frogs, sea horses...jelly fish (black and white). WOW! We took so many great pictures (that I'm posting). My favourite though, is the video (which I will also try and post) of P and the shark. He's so INTO his new camera!!

After that, we picked up the new car (it's great...lots of power, and I drove it yesterday to the salon!!), had some McDonald's (just not the same without McChicken sauce...I'm banning it until we get back to Canada), and started off back home.

The ride from Dubai to our house (as we live in the 'burbs) is a little over an hour. It is pleasant. On the way home we took Emirates Road, and despite construction, we got home very quickly (just as quick as we arrived on the 'fast track' road). I can't wait to go again (for longer!). We'll wait until our housekeeper Rosemarie arrives, so we can do an overnight trip (and Phinn won't be all alone).

Have dog...need catnip....

...for the cockroach(es).

I have noticed a few tiny silverfish in and around our bathtubs and sink. I guess they like moist areas, and paper. Once we get rid of all of our boxes, we will invest in some silica gel, and hopefully that should get rid of that little problem.

Then there's the much BIGGER (and grotesque) problem. As I was heading into the toilet (that's what they are called on this side of the world) yesterday, my eyes caught this brown blob on the floor. For a millisecond, my brain thought it was a matte, from Phinn's hair. And then it registered--the movement.

It was big, and brown and shiny. The antennae were as long as my pinky finger. A was hovering in the doorway behind me, just seconds away from toddling into the toilet. What could I do??? I had to act, and fast...so, I took the clear plastic lid off the cotton swabs container and I TRAPPED the disgusting mo-fo (pardon the language). Then, I took my heavy tub of Aquaphor (A's moisturizer) and I put it on TOP of the plastic cover (I've heard these things are strong). It wasn't dead, but now, it couldn't move!

I didn't know what to do. I didn't want to touch it. It seemed fairly stocky and heavy...what if it flew at me? What if it was really fast and ran up my arm? I couldn't squish it--I didn't want to clean up the goop left behind. I couldn't flush it...what if it had it's bronze medallion and swam back up and hid under the rim of the bowling...just waiting...(you see where I'm going with this).

So, I quietly shut the toilet door, and got my mobile. I texted P: 'big beetle. trapped, but not dead. you can dispose of it when you come home.' After all...that's why he gets paid the big-bucks, isn't it?

Then A, Phinn and I fled the villa, and went out to the park which is kiddy-corner to our villa. We returned minutes before P arrived. He too, was disgusted by the invader, but he took care of it, and sent it packing down the toilet (I've checked the rim...it isn't there).

Now, I am keeping the toilet door closed at all times. I've been reading on the internet that catnip tea is a good and natural deterrent against cockroaches.

That's the next big purchase on my shopping list: catnip.

That said: today we are getting lighting installed in our villa (as I type actually). We should also be getting our couch and our TV (wow! it's all coming together). Our weekend starts tomorrow (Friday/Saturday over here) and we're heading off to Dubai to pick up our Outback.

Yesterday I saw my second gecko (hiding under the shipper's boxes...I had to take away it's shade)...the first one was in the evening in our park (b/c we're the only ones that use it).

A drove both P and I nuts last night. She woke up at 11 and then didn't go back to sleep until 1 am. I must add that she also drove Phinn nuts, as he wanted to sleep and she wanted to use him as a furry pillow. She literally followed him back and forth around the room, on and off the bed (I think she would've crawled into the kennel with him if the opening was big enough). I finally had to shut the door on his kennel (she can't open it)...and then just pray.

To Market, to market to buy a fat fig...

Is it wrong that we spend the majority of our free time (weekends) shopping? Just so this isn't misconstrued as a sexy and exciting activity, let me add that we are GROCERY shopping.

Today we have gone to 'the co-op' (Abu Dhabi Co-operative Society in Mina Centre), the fruit and vegetable market (the ports area) and LuLu Express (Al Raha Mall). All in the search of food.

And it IS exciting. Every time we find a familiar North American brand, like "Kraft" or "Dole", it's like winning the lottery. Today's big prize: it's a draw. Was it the Newman's brand salad dressing (no Italian sadly) or the Starbuck's Frappucino beverage? Or maybe the Mott's jar of applesauce? I'll let you decide.

Due to circumstances, we decided to purchase the white ash coloured 'floor model' of the Stiby TV storage unit we wanted. Circumstances may be defined as: (a) we did not want to wait 2 months to set-up our tv, b/c IKEA had no idea how long it would take to get the black version (which goes better with our furniture, which is mostly dark) (b) they will deliver it on Sunday, and so we can unpack and get rid of a few more boxes (c) the price was right (almost 50% off). Due to the colour though, this created a challenge in co-ordinating the remainder of our furniture. We did end up FINALLY find the perfect complementary couch for our living room (2XL), and a cabinet to help tie everything altogether. I am very excited to be getting our TV storage unit from IKEA, tomorrow night. One more step closer towards settling in!

The fruit and vegetable market was interesting. If A hadn't been tired (shopping is as much her thing as it is mine) we would've gotten out of the car and walked around a bit more. As it was, we did a 'drive-through' the market. Lots of fresh produce. P brokered a deal that net us not only delightful Turkish grapes (they are tiny, sweet and seedless...like big juicy raisins really) but also a free box of cucumbers, and two golden delicious apples (that were truly delicious...and that's saying a lot from a non-apple fan).

Our prize find was the LuLu Express market. Not only is it 15 minutes away from our home (really MUCH closer, but the 'humps' on the road slow down the drive quite a bit), but it caters to the ex-pat community and so it has a lot more of the products that we are familiar with. I believe this is one store we will be adding to the weekly shopping rotation (heck! it's so close we could go there after P comes home from work in the evening!).

We should be getting a vehicle of our own, very soon. Looks like we will be driving a Subaru Outback (which will be my primary vehicle). P is looking into getting something smaller (perhaps a mini-Cooper) as our garage really doesn't accomodate two vehicles. So, he will be parking down the lane, and wants to minimize the space he takes up.

Our Christmas present to our family will be arriving in early January: our Filipina housekeeper, Rosemarie. Although we would've loved for her to come asap, we also wanted to give her the opportunity to spend the holidays with her children (she has three). Coming from North America, I cannot imagine how she can sacrifice so much--leaving her children behind in order to make the money she needs to provide them with a better life. It's quite a common story though, in the Phillipines. We are really very lucky, growing up in North America...

And they call it 'puppy lo-o-o-ove'...

I have just experienced an amazing day.

It has been so beautiful, seeing just how much a baby can actually love her pet. A has spent the entire day following Phinn around, force-feeding him food, sitting down beside him while he chews his tendon, caressing his fur. We read a book (all three of us sitting in the same chair) and after she turned every page, she leaned over me and roughly (we're still working on 'gentle') scruffed him on the neck. When she heard we were all going for a walk, although she was tired and grumpy (who was up dancing with the dog all night?) she bee-lined for the door and Phinny's leash.

She just fell asleep, after nursing, stopping every few minutes to check and see that Phinn was still lying at the foot of the bed. Right before she rolled over and closed her eyes, she looked one last time, and there he was, giving her the peace of mind and heart she needed, to drift off into dreams.

Donny and Marie: is this what they call 'puppy love'?

The prodigal son returns...

...he wasn't partying and wasting his life in cow-town...rather just biding his time...but guess who's back?? back again?? phinny's back--tell a friend (apologies to all the Shady fans...but I feel like singing, I'm so happy to have my whole little family together again!!).

We had arranged for Boomerang Pet Shippers (http://www.boomerangpetcarrier.com/) based in Calgary to take care of all of Phinnaeus's travel arrangements. Apparently it is very challenging on the Abu Dhabi end of things to make arrangements for the import permit, and clearing pets at customs can take 3-4 hours. I figured that with all the stress we already had regarding the move, this was one thing I would happily hand over to someone more experienced.

So, three flights later (Calgary to Vancouver, Vancouver to Amsterdam, Amsterdam to Abu Dhabi) Phinn is finally here, and resting peacefully in his kennel, while I click away at my update.

We were expecting him to arrive sometime between 2 and 3 in the morning today. The BritVet clinic here (http://www.britvet.com/) had arranged for a driver (Fahad) to pick him up from the airport. I have to admit, I was very nervous; everything that I have read makes it clear that Islamic attitudes towards dogs are not positive. I was pretty stressed out that he would be waiting at the airport for 3-4 hours with someone who wouldn't consider the fact that he was a sentient being, and take the time to soothe and calm him. Around midnight, we got our first call from Fahad. From what I understood (and it was difficult to understand b/c (a) we were sleeping, (b) Fahad was not a native English speaker (c) nobody seems to have a land-line anymore and so it's bloody hard to hear people!! (d) I got the message relayed second-hand from P who is not known for his excellent communication skills) he was going to the britvet clinic to get some papers, and then to the post-office (?) and then he would call us again in an hour.

An hour later (very reliable) we got another call. This time, P handed the phone to me. It seems Fahad needed Phinn's vaccination documents--the originals--not copies and did I have them? I told him that the originals should be with Phinn, as the pet shipper had made it clear that all the ORIGINAL documents went with the dog (this was something I had asked about). Then I ran around looking for Phinn's 'passport' (yes...he has one...from our vet-basically it is a listing of all of his shots) as I knew I had brought it with me. This was challenging as we do not have any lights in any of the rooms (just the halls, and a few floorlamps). Suffice it to say, I did not find it.

The whole time I was looking for these documents, Fahad was still on the phone. He was telling me about 'his baby' and how he was going to take his baby, and not let them quarantine him. It took me a few minutes to realize that 'his baby' was actually MY four-legged furry baby, Phinn...and then I began to panic, wondering where this stranger planned on taking my dog. Eventually, he told me that they were releasing Phinn with the 'copies' of his vaccination certificates, and that I should follow up with the BritVet clinic, regarding the originals. He then said he would bring my baby home within an hour.

At this point, with my adrenalin jacked, fearing for the safe-return of my dog, I could not sleep. P was a sweetheart, and despite my protests, slipped on an episode of the Office for us to watch to pass the time. That made me laugh, and helped me to calm down.

Until the phone rang again.

Familiar voice: Fahad. He said: "Go alone outside your home, and take only your phone. There will be a white van parked outside your gate...do you see it..?".

Seriously. Now...that kind of freaked me out again...what was going on?

But, it was Phinn...and so, prepared for any kind of ransom request...I slipped on my sandals and out I went. There was the white van...and two, young Middle Eastern men. They opened up the back doors of the van...were they getting ready to throw me in? Where was P???

Instead, I saw what I had been waiting for since October 1. The cream coloured vari-kennel carrier, with a little brownish bump inside (that's all you could see). They passed him over to me gently, and I greeted him with with a soft 'hello Phinny', and suddenly, there was P, ready to take him inside.

I still had the phone to my ear, and Fahad was saying "Do you have him? Do you have my baby? I wait three hours with him at the airport, and now I am waiting with another dog...a big one. My son is bringing my baby to you. You love him, and you take good care of my baby. You happy now?"

And I was...very happy.

Fahad needed to talk with his son, and so he asked me to pass over the phone. I also received a lovely letter from my nephew, Sahil, with his second grade school photo. I miss that guy!! He's going to be so big the next time I see him!

So, with that done, the young gents left, and I got down to the business of loving my dog. We showed him where his new bathroom was, and he took some time to explore the house. He was parched and almost drank a whole bowl of water. I had also made him a 'welcome home' egg, which he wolfed er..pommed.. down, and then proceeded to eat all of his kibble.

Once he was sufficiently calm, we decided to head upstairs. This entire time, little A was sleeping, with promises of her 'brotha from a different motha's' return in the morning--and we wanted to keep it that way...at least I thought we did.

When we got into bed, A woke slightly. I was going to feed her, and send her back into dreamland, but her pappa had other ideas: "Look who's here....Phinny's here"...it was dark, and all you could see was his tented ears...but that was enough. She was up instantly, and crawling all over him. Then he got up and the two of them danced around the room. About an hour later, he got tired and wanted to sleep, but A still had not had enough. She was rolling all over him, and giving him the mmmmm-aaahs!!(kisses) that he had been missing for over a month. And she was pointing at him, and talking and laughing. It was delightful...but not so much at 3:30 in the morning.

Finally, I had to call it. I think it was almost 4 when I enlisted some help of the pharmaceutical variety, to help her fall asleep. I think we (Phinn included) were all thrilled when it kicked in, and she closed her eyes (and her mouth) and went to sleep.

When P's alarm went off, what felt like seconds later, I cringed, hoping she wouldn't wake back up. She didn't, and frankly, neither did P. He was exhausted (not many of us can survive on that little sleep...how the heck have I been doing it for so one year and five months...and counting...I'm a MACHINE!!).

Tired as he was, that good man still had the energy to peel and slice some mango for us and leave it in the fridge, before he went to work. We had it for breakfast. After we ate, we all went out for a little walk around the 'hood (see pics above). A has decided she is the new boss of Phinn, and therefore, she must hold his leash the whole time. Nevermind that her chubby little legs can't keep up with his pace, or that her 10 kg weight isn't enough to make him stop when she wants him to. Phinny has marked our flowerbed a few times (it's HIS after-all) and also decided that the lovely patch of green grass at the end of the lane, just wouldn't be complete without some phinn-spuds (don't worry...I cleaned them up).

Finally feels like home now.

More pics of the villa to follow (just need to clean it up a little).

How was the first day?

Well, by some miracle (Obama maybe??) there were THREE taxi-drivers who all wanted to take me to our villa, although one of them had no idea where it was. One driver offered me a trip for 50 AED, while the other wanted to take me for 40...one guess who I chose. I had to direct him by misleading him into thinking we were going to the Al Raha Beach Hotel (it's very close and got us going in the right direction). I was amazed at my ability to arrive at the villa with no problems (considering the language barrier...the taxi cab driver kept saying 'mall-oom' which I think means "I understand"...when he really didn't).

P was already there, as were the men delivering our goods from Edmonton. I picked up where he left off, with A always close by. With the exception of our one leather chair that has a rip in it (OUCH!), everything looks okay.

I started with the kitchen. It was challenging unloading things with A running around. Then she discovered my baby doll, who had been sleeping in A's bassinet, and she discovered her own 'maternal' side. This was good for keeping her busy for a while, until she decided that I should carry her AND the baby doll around the villa.

We got a surprise visit from Abu Dhabi Gardeners, which was quite pleasant, as the usual language issues were not a problem; these gents were from Lahore and spoke Punjabi fluently with me. Unfortunately, these were not the guys P had lined up...so...not sure what we'll end up doing.

The kitchen is almost set-up, and after the washer/dryer finally arrived, we decided to call it a night. A fell asleep immediately on the drive home, and took her medicine in her sleep (she is an amazing little baby).

After I have my Millennium Club Brownie, I'll be joining her.

Hallelujah!! So Many Things to Be Thankful For...

I can't believe the day is finally here.

We arrived in AD on October 1. Here we are on November 6, after one month and five days of hotel living, finally getting ready to move into the new villa.

It is a wonderful world we are living in: Obama is set to be president of the 'free-world' (does anyone still call it that anymore, or am I have flashbacks to the days when Hulk Hogan was the living embodiment of a 'real American'?); we are actually moving into our villa today (or at least our stuff is...we'll probably spend one more night here at the hotel); and little A has just settled in for a morning nap (which will probably be cut short for our taxi ride out to the villa).

There are a few characters from the Millennium Hotel we will miss: Faizel, the lobbeyman (dubbed 'the African' by P, for the costume he is always wearing, he is actually Sri Lankan). He was (like many) captivated by our little A, and worked very hard in the time we were here to get her to release a smile from her cool, ice-princess like exterior. I wish I could say there was a thaw, but in all this time, he still gets the 'serious' look, accompanied by a shove. The Club Lounge ladies, who allowed A to wander all over, drink the freshly squeezed oj, and to make a toy out of the packages of sugar which she dumped out and trumpeted like a horn. I don't know many lounges where a baby is allowed to work the room, but this one was her home away from...well...let's just say an ever-shrinking hotel room (good ol' 617). The housekeeping fellow, who sometimes gave us two waters and sometimes four (those were the good days). He will probably be VERY HAPPY to see us go...A's diapers are becoming more and more rank as the days go by...this morning I actually dumped the bin MYSELF (the amoxycillin seems to be giving her some diarrhea...which is very FRAGRANT) as the odour was beginning to seep into the room. All of the room service gents, who I believe are responsible for reinforcing A's 'hi' and 'buh-bye' vocabulary. And, how can we forget the pool crew, headed up by Tilak, who gave A the little pink nylon PollyOtter shoes (which will fit her one day) which are her very own well-loved ruby slippers. Due to the questionable chlorination at the pool (and the bump on my baby's bottom), we have not seen the pool crew for over a week...they probably think we have checked out! Last, but not least, are the gentlemen who are not in the hotel, but very much a part of our hotel lifestyle: the Laundrymen. These guys are the MAVERICKS (thank-you John McCain for re-popularizing that word) of the laundry-world!! Never before in my life have I had my laundry washed, ironed, folded (with paper to help keep its shape), hung (pants and dress shirts) and then wrapped in a pretty little package (of plain newsprint paper). I shudder to think of the number of trees that are chopped down so I can have my classy laundry service (but...of course zay are using zee re-cycled paper...non??). I just discovered yesterday, that they managed to get the BANANA stains out of A's little Gap shirt with the ties on the sleeves (that was heading toward rag-town) yesterday! I'll say it again: Mavericks!!

On to the villa: we were greeted at our front door by little yellow desert flowers...they were planted by the developer outside my front gate. Very welcoming (and definitely not there a month ago when I first laid eyes on it). And...did I mention that the villa is HUGE??? The rooms are huge!! All of them (okay...not the servant's room and not the 'two car' garage) the kitchen, the dining room, the living room...there is nothing but space. Add to that the extremely high ceilings, and I feel like a hobbit wandering around the villa. The light is amazing, and we are lucky that the main floor does not have any rooms that get direct sunlight, which will help it stay cool. We have been advised not to bother getting curtains for our main floor, as it is likely we will never open or close them. We will heed this advice and save ourselves some $$ (wishing we'd done that in Edmonton too). We also have TWO fountains (seriously...) and a rooftop patio (which we might use for a garden...we will see). The yard looks like a huge sandbox right now, and we have hired landscapers who are coming out on Saturday. It's amazing to think they will be able to make things grow in the sand (most likely they'll be mixing in another kind of soil).

The lady we hired to help us clean, Narissa, only managed to finish the main floor in 8 hours (and I don't think it's because she is slow). The place was filthy, drywall dust and sand all over the place. I cannot say much for the quality of the workmanship either--P and I both agreed that had we paid for this place to be built, there is no way we would have taken possession of it: cupboards are dinged, wood is scratched, and the caulking looks like what P did on our shower over 4 years ago (he's a pro now). I guess we're just supposed to make notes and pass them onto our landlord (who we will probably never ever see).

I can say, honestly, there is only one thing about staying downtown that I will miss: the Corniche. The aquamarine colour is so soothing on the eyes first thing in the morning, and it's so easy to strap A into the stroller and walk over. I will also miss my "Goodmorning" friend, the customs agent, who was always so nice and friendly and ALWAYS greeted us when we walked. He was so very sad when he heard we were moving, and no longer would be walking. Maybe we will be able to squeeze in one more walk tomorrow. P says the Corniche extends over by our new place, so we'll have to check that out.

A and I will be taking a taxi out there again, shortly before lunch. We are supposed to meet the shipping container, and ensure that all of our boxes are accounted for. This will be interesting, with A running around...but we'll see how it goes. First things we'll be setting up are the kitchen and the baby gates, b/c A LOVES the stairs!!

Obviously one VIP member of our family is still MIA. Phinn is still doing well in Calgary. He is scheduled to leave there on Saturday November 15. He will fly to Vancouver (and overnight in a pet hotel). The next day he flies out to Amsterdam (and spends another night). Finally, the last leg of his trip brings him home to us, in Abu Dhabi (right to our doorstep). I can't wait!! I am so grateful to my family in Calgary, who have been loving him and taking care of him for us this entire time. I've been asking A if she remembers Phinn, and she sticks out her tongue and pants (for those of you who are unfamiliar with baby signs...this means 'dog'), so I'm very happy to report that she still knows her 'brotha from a different motha'.

Driving home from the villa yesterday I felt so wonderful. Obama had won the election. We were finally on our way to getting settled in Abu Dhabi. A was napping. Like America, I am hopeful again...for new things...for what happens next. It's a very exciting time in our lives.

Boil Bum...Boil Bum...Bum!Bum!Bum!Bum!Bum!

I have been practicing the art of 'if you don't have anything nice to say...' and so I've had to take a bit of a break from blogging. I am dealing with my frustration of still being in the hotel, and eating hotel food...which is maybe great and fun and delicious for a week...and then it becomes over-salty, cold and tasteless. Perhaps we will be moving into our villa this week...perhaps not. Supposedly we have a delivery of a bedroom set and dining table on Wednesday (purchased at the lovely Home Centre)...but we'll wait and see until Wednesday comes. P has scheduled the delivery of the shipping container for Thursday, and we hope to be sleeping there on Friday, giving us the entire weekend to settle in...but again...I'm waiting to see.

Poor little A has missed her second Halloween. Last year, she was sick from her 3 month shots...and this year her costume was stuck in the shipping container, and we were in the hotel. There is not really any indication that Halloween is happening here. No costumes, nobody dressed up, no mass trick or treating in the malls. I heard that out in our future neighbourhood, A's little twin friends (they are twins...not friends of A who look like her) did some trick or treating door-to-door...but, nothing for us. I plan to take a day after we are settled, pull out her costume and take many pictures to send out to family and friends. At A's age, dressing her up is really more for our enjoyment anyways.

We have had our first experience with the health care system in AD. And we are giving it two thumbs up (so far so good, anyways). On Wednesday last week, I noticed that A wouldn't let me carry her in the usual straddling position. When I changed her diaper, I found what looked like a small blemish on her rear end. What made me nervous was the swollen mass that you could feel (loonie-sized) around it. So, I treated it with baby Polysporin (every mom needs some of that) and we soaked her in an epsom salt bath. The next day, there was little or no change, and that evening I made P look at it. Although A's personality remained quite chipper and happy, she had difficulty sitting and lying down, which made diaper changes and feeding nearly impossible. We continued our treatments, and then finally, on Saturday, the 'boil' (which is what we started calling it after some internet research) burst, and the blood must've freaked P out, as he insisted we pack A up and take her to the hospital.

This, in turn, freaked me out. We had read so much about the modern facilities here, but at this point in time, we (A and I) still don't have our health cards, and didn't know whether we should trust the medicine over here...what if they made things worse? P had looked up Al Noor Hospital, which had a very positive write up and was less than a block away from us. This surprised me, because I have walked the perimeter around our hotel, and I have never noticed a hospital. So, we were surprised when we walked toward the Abu Dhabi National Bank and looked up...way up...and saw that huge towering building beside it was the Al Noor Hospital, and not another office tower or apartment building. Cut us a break though. When we asked the worker from the Co-op (which I believe is in the same building?) where the hospital was, even he got confused. Luckily, someone overhead us on the street looking for the hospital, and sent us in the right direction (which was towards the BACK of the building...thank goodness this wasn't an emergency). So, we entered a very small and crowded room, with two elevators and a very helpful Filipino fellow who was directing traffic. As we were looking for Paediatrics, he sent us to the 2nd floor, where we encountered another reception area. After taking our 2nd right and then a left, we found our destination. We were lucky number 49, and our turn to speak to the receptionist in Peds came very quickly. As we had no health card for A, we provided her name, date of birth, a mobile number and her country of origin. That was all we needed. The secretary asked us which doctor we wanted to see, and as we didn't know who was good, we were happy to take anyone. Our primary concern, which we shared, was that the doctor be able to converse with us in English. We were assigned to Dr. Rim Al Choughri (one of about six doctors working) and sent off to wait some more.

The waiting room was very simple: chairs and more chairs. At some point in time, someone took it upon themselves to paint two murals (one with a very rudimentary Winnie the Pooh and friends) on two different walls. There were no toys, and no little 'play areas' for children (although there was a room set aside for nursing).

P and I didn't know what to expect. We knew we were 4th in the queue...but I had only seen one family go in and out of the Dr's office. Our biggest fear, as we heard the chest-rattling coughing echoing around us, was that A would come out of this room sicker than she was when we brought her in. Time was our enemy.

We were amazed then, when we heard the doctor herself call out for us. For two reasons really. The first: she pronounced A's name correctly...a feat that rarely happens in Canada. The second was how quickly we got in to see her. We showed her the 'boil' which she termed 'abscess'. Our heart rates both acclerated a little when she mumbled a little something about sending us up to surgery to have it drained. She must've noticed the paling of both our tanned complexions as she decided instead that she would attempt to drain it herself first, and advised us that if we needed to come back for further drainage, then we should go to surgery.

So, I held A down in the front and P held her legs. She was actually quite cooperative (even the Dr. commented on it) considering how uncomfortable she must've been feeling. She prescribed a 7 day course of oral antibiotics (Augmentin, which is amoxycillin) and an ointment called Fucidin. This was to help ensure that the infection did not spread. We were also given some alcohol wipes, and told that we could also drain the abscess if needed. She did not mention how A could've gotten this infection, but I have my suspicions that the daily visits to the pool had something to do with it.

Next we headed down to the Al Noor pharmacy on the main floor of the building. We were directed by a big sign that said "Prescription drop-off here", which lead to a small box (seriously) sitting on top of the counter. There were about 8 'pharmacists' (maybe...not sure...I hope so) working behind the counter. Minutes after P placed our form 'on top' (as per the written instructions on the box) we heard A's name (pronounced properly again) and we stepped up to receive her medications. There was no special counselling by the pharmacist, just hand-written directions of the box, and then BAM! We were out in the sunshine, heading back to our hotel.

The entire experience (including walking time) was about an hour and a half. Wow!

We paid 250 dirhams for the hospital visit and 40 dirhams for the medication (about $96 Cdn) for the whole adventure, which will hopefully be reimbursed by P's company (since their slow paced action is the reason we don't have our health care cards yet).

So...we get home and check out the meds. Seems that the oral medication comes in powdered form, and P and I have to mix it into a syrup (with water) ourselves. Is this what we pay our pharmacists the big bucks for back home, I wonder? And also...I am allergic to Penicillin (apparently had a very bad reaction as a baby in India), and what if A was too? I made sure that we gave her the first dose early in the afternoon, when P was still home, so that in case anything happened we could head on back to the Al Noor Hospital.

So...here I am with this little blip in A's health behind me (and knowing there's sure to be another one coming). The abscess is shrinking (without any home drainage), and the only negative side-effect of the meds so far is a 'runny' one (and I don't mean that A has become a sprinter).

A few things I've learned:

1. Epsom salts are not really salt (they are magnesium sulfate). Over here they are only sold in small 250 g containers (not big bags like in Canada) and they are used in treating constipation (not for soaking your tired worn muscles).

2. The Health Care system is pretty solid over here. That's always good when you have little ones.

3. No more swimming in the hotel pool.

Family Reunion

Today was probably my favourite day so far in Abu Dhabi. I had the pleasure of reuniting with my first-cousin-once-removed (please see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cousin) Caroline, and meeting her delightful friend Louise (my new Dubai connection). When last Caroline and I met, it was London, 1983, and I was 8 years old. Suffice it to say, we've both grown quite a bit.

It was very easy to feel connected to Caroline. In addition to sharing the Sharma-genes, we are both teachers (although I am semi-retired at present), brunettes, and shorties. I found it so easy spending the afternoon with both Caroline and Louise-it was like we had known each other for ages. It also helped that A was very co-operative, and gave us plenty of time to visit.

After lunch (we went to this place next to the post-office...where there were very big portions of everything...I am SO glad that I locked both of these ladies into a pre-arranged dessert sharing contract) we spent some more time hanging out and catching up back in our room. Time flew by, and before I knew it, I was seeing off two people that I hope to catch up with again very soon.

P and I had plans to go and check out some furniture at Marina Mall (is it possible we are moving on Monday??? I'll believe it when we actually move on Monday), but we had to kibosh these plans when little A started to show signs of sleepiness. We can always go to the mall tomorrow.

Looks like things are getting rosier in my life in AD. Just the other day, as we were celebrating Diwali with a McDonald's meal (ahhh...the golden arches are the diwa of the west...always sharing their light with the masses...24 hours a day...7 days a week...perfect for a diwali celebration really), I discovered something WONDERFUL about the AD McDonald's. Wait for it...the apple pies are STILL deep-fried...mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!!

Anand's Indian Restaurant

On Saturday, sick-to-death of the hotel food, we (or I) decided we needed to venture out and try something new. Unfortunately, my timing for venturing out is never good, as my claustrophobia always peaks a little after lunch, corresponding to the hottest time of the day. P, always the supportive one, gripes a bit about the heat, and then carries on like a trooper, sensing my impending hysterical breakdown. So, growling stomachs and sweating, we head out towards Hamdan Street and Anand's Vegetarian Indian Restaurant (or was it Anand's Indian Vegetarian Restaurant....??).

Earlier on in our explorations, we had passed Anand's (although at the time, we didn't really take notice of the restaurant's name) and peeking inside, we found it was packed with Indians (always a good sign when the locals of a particular cuisine are willing to pay up for the food). It smelled good, and had it not been late and had I not had enough of the heat and Hamdan Street, we probably would have stopped in for a bite. Later, while reading the October issue of Time-Out Abu Dhabi (an excellent magazine for foreigners like ourselves), P discovered a restaurant review section, where they listed Anand's Vegetarian Indian Restaurant, as a good place to visit. As we head out on Saturday, we were hoping the two restaurants were indeed one and the same. We were so happy to see the S-D-N-A-N-A (in that order) on the sign.

The decor at Anand's is very simple: tables, chairs, and what appear to be bathroom stalls (with those wooden doors that they used to have in all the saloons in the Wild West) but are really just sinks with soap (hand-washing...good sign). We were seated immediately in the VIP section (or I like to think of it that way) in the back room. There were no menus on the table, and the white boards just listed 8-10 items. Confused, I got up to try and find someone to help out...but it was very difficult to tell the difference between the wait-staff, and the people who were waiting for staff, so, I head back to our table. Shortly thereafter, the very friendly fellow who seated us, showed up at our table with 3 thalis (pronounced 'tah-lees'), or round steel trays, filled with three little bowls of dahls and soups, puris and the always gourmet Indian salad (of cucumbers, carrots and cabbage). P declined his thali, saying he was not hungry (and seriously...we were already taking a risk in eating there...we had no idea what the food tasted like and had purposely chosen a lunch meal in the case there were some...er...repercussions). We clarified the price of the thali: 12 AED (about $3 Cdn), and were very happy to discover that the meal was 'unlimited portions' (although our server pointedly told P there was 'no sharing' allowed....don't think that stopped P from sampling most of my food). Very quickly, I could see that P was regretting his decision not to buy a thali, as our server and others came around repeatedly with more dahl, more soup, more puris...basically a refill of everything on our plate.

I could tell that our server was slightly disappointed that I didn't eat more. He kept reminding me that I could eat as much as I wanted to, and quite honestly, I did. I do not like ludoos (and so I only tasted it to get a sense of the flavour). I had my papadam (just like the ones my mom makes...and probably comes from the same packaging too), the dahl and 6 puris (they were very small...kind of like loonie pancakes). I gave A some of the salad (I'd like to see the guy that tries to prevent a mom from sharing food with her baby), and she was fairly occupied throughout the lunch experience.

All in all, it was good Indian food (although nothing like my mom's food...I'm telling you mom, 'The Sleeping Indian' restaurant would rake in some major dirhams over here). And, the best part...it all settled nicely, with no 'second acts'.

Hiccups

Well...it's been a few days since I last wrote. I've been avoiding it for two reasons:
1. There hasn't been anything great happening in my life here.
2. There has been a bit of a...what did P call it...'hiccup' in our best laid plans.

The good news (if you look hard enough, there is always something good): we went to the bank and now have more dirhams. We went shopping to Spinney's yesterday, got some more baby food for A, and I discovered organic products which are paraben, sulfate and perfume-free. Additionally, our shipping container has arrived. We have no access to it, or its contents (our stuff!!! woo-hoo!) but the fact that it is now here with us, is very comforting.

The not-so-good news: A and I have been here for almost a month now, and I don't think we are anywhere closer to moving out of the hotel. I keep hearing P say in my head that it should only take a 'couple of weeks' more. Apparently, the villa that we were APPROVED for, is not the villa that P was contracted to receive (according to the HR person...and now I'm starting to understand Michael Scott's attitude towards Toby on The Office). I guess there is this OTHER villa (smaller, condo villa) that they have apparently been waiting to get re-released for us. I knew there was a possibility that we would be getting a condo-villa, but the one they are now showing P is nothing like the ones that I have looked at on-line. So, I guess I've been a wee bit bummed out over here. Especially as we have made what appears to be no progress on our housing in one month. I have heard this is quite common here in AD. I was just hoping those might have been mean rumors spread by the anti-AD coalition. I guess not.

So, that's the update from me. Until otherwise posted, consider me a long-time resident of the Millennium Hotel. A great place to visit...but you wouldn't want to live here (or any hotel for that matter).

The Emirates Palace

I thought that today might be another ho-hum day in the life of Anu Dhabi: walk, eat, nap, eat, swim, eat, sleep....but as I was putting A down for her morning nap (and anticipating joining her), the phone (the one in the bathroom...apparently the only one that takes incoming calls in our room) rang. I picked it up quickly, pleasantly surprised that it was my new friend (from Edmonton, who is currently visiting her husband, also P's co-worker and name-sake) Kathy. I was more pleasantly surprised by her invitation to go to the Emirates Palace, especially as she had already toured it with her husband earlier on.

We made plans to meet in the lobby at 1 pm (and A co-operated with both her napping and eating which was wonderful). Though I have seen the palace many times across from the Corniche, and when we had driven by, I was completely unprepared and amazed at its truly majestic stature. I have never before seen anything like it in my life. Honestly, I don't believe we have anything comparable to it in North America. Not only was I dwarfed by the immense nature of everything (the palace gates and floating ceilings must be made for giants to comfortably walk through) but I was blinded by all the gold, everywhere (even on the cheesecake that Kathy and I shared).

The Emirates Palace is where everything happens: the Middle Eastern International Film Festival (just last week) has brought celebrities like Meg Ryan, Antonio Banderas and his lovely wife, Melanie Griffiths, Adrien Brody and of course, some Bollywood celebs (Priyanka Chopra...she is gorgeous, though I have never heard of her...wonder if I might be able to get the name of her plastic surgeon....). Christina Aguilera will be playing there on October 24 (a concert that P invited me to attend, before we actually arrived on UAE soil...seeing as we have neither a home nor childcare...I'm thinking it's doubtful we'll be getting Dirrty with X-tina)...and apparently my absolute favorite musical artist of all time GEORGE MICHAEL will be playing there next month (P will be the babysitter for this one as I've convinced him it would be er...a little bit strange for him to accompany me to a George Michael concert). Every morning I open the City Times to discover that yet ANOTHER exciting event has transpired at the EP.

I really enjoyed my afternoon and A was so great, even while Kathy (who was kind enough to treat) and I enjoyed our Latte Mochacinno's and shared a Lemon Cheesecake (topped with gold flakes). We passed on the house specialty of cappucino with gold flakes...it was 50 AED...and all I had was 35 AED (we truly are running low on dirhams) which I insisted Kathy take.

We also were able to check out future development plans for Abu Dhabi. We saw the plans for Yas Island, where they are developing an entire community for the Formula One Grand Prix race (the racetrack runs through the development). They will need to have this completed by November 15, 2009, as that's when they are booked to host the race!! Go to www.yasisland.ae/ for a peak. We also checked out Saadiyat Island http://www.saadiyat.ae/, which they are heralding as the cultural district of the UAE. Frank Gehry (the famous architect) is responsible for designing the Museum of Modern Art on this island (our very own Guggenheim) and it is an amazingly environmental design. I particularly enjoyed the building which looked like the Starship Enterprise, which I discovered to be some kind of pedestrian walkway. I think Micheal and Janet Jackson might want to film another music video here together in the near future (when all of the island development is complete).

I did take some pics, but as I cannot post them yet, please use the links I've posted (if you are interested). You can go to http://www.emiratespalace.com/ to have a look at the Palace, and all of the wondrous things that are there. We spent about 2 hours walking about, but I think there are still hours worth of touring to be done there. Maybe GM will be able to arrange a tour for me next month (after the show of course)...when I have more time!

And just to show that I am still connected with the goings on in the rest of the world:

1. I would like to send out a loving 'G'day Mate' to all of my family who are currently down under. I hope you had a relaxing flight and are not experiencing any jet-lag. Enjoy some vegemite and listen to some Men at Work for me.

2. Go-bama: To all of my American friends who have the power to vote: PLEASE...the rest of the world is BEGGING you: Vote for 'that one', Barack Obama. It's definitely time for change...and if you need a little laugh (and your internet connection is faster than mine) check out this PSA - http://mccainfreewhitehouse.org/

CATS...

Last night we discovered that instead of being moved to a 'Club Room' we have been bumped up to 'Club Status'. This means: free internet to our room, free breakfast downstairs and access to the Club Lounge (where I plan to spend a lot of time with A). I feel I should maximize this time, as I'm almost positive somebody in the hotel is going to eventually claim that we were NOT upgraded to Club Status, and therefore must incur all these additional expenses out of pocket....

So, this morning we all got up early (A earlier than everyone else just b/c she's a morning person) and headed down to the breakfast buffet. Note to self: 6:00 a.m. is too early for breakfast for me. This put A and I ahead of schedule for our Corniche walk, but the weather just seems to get more and more lovely in the mornings...there was a refreshingly cool breeze coming in from the North, so that's the direction we headed. And that's where we ran into the 'Cat-Lady'. She was sitting in the grass, along the tall flowers, feeding the stray cats. Apparently she comes from far away and brings food for them, as she feels very sorry for them. These cats she had rescued from an umbrella further down. She said they were scrawny and covered with ants. She cleaned up the cats and started feeding them and feels good in her heart, as the cats have grown. She tells me they wait for her every morning, and she brings them food and water.

On the mornings she cannot come, she leaves extra biscuits for them in the tall grass, and they munch on those.

She has a sister in Toronto who runs a beauty salon. She told me that Canada is a good country, as in the two months she visited with her sister, she did not see a single stray cat. I didn't have to heart to tell her that for all the strays she sees wandering around here, in Canada we 'humanely' euthanize the same number (probably on a daily basis). I know that AD has a spay and neuter system, where they try and fix all of the strays, and then leave them to fend for themselves...a notched ear on a cat, is a sign the cat has been fixed, and is free to walk to streets. I think this is a step in the right direction....but there has got to be more we can do...I just am not sure what it is.

On a lighter note, the two-teethed one is eating again. It seems that every meal, she also has to be given her own bowl and spoon, filled with puff wheat and milk (okay...not filled..just a wee bit to make her THINK it is filled) which she either will feed to me, or herself. This is very tricky to do, b/c she also wants to HOLD the bowl and spoon herself (might I add that we have no high chair here, and A eats on her First Years Travelseat...what a WONDERFUL baby gift we received) strapped to the plush chair that the hotel has set up for our desk (which I have considerately covered with plastic bags). Plus I have also decided to feed her sans clothes...it's just easier that way. I'll admit, it's a bit of a challenge...but I am up for it (and many more challenges of that ilk...this is why I'm a HOUSEWIFE by profession...which is apparently what my AD passport will say).

City Times

In our newspaper here (The Khaleej Times) we get an insert called "City Times" which is an entertainment section. Usually there are updates about all the big celebrities (East and West). I know more now than I EVER wanted to know about Bollywood. Amitabh and Aishwarya are my new best friends (yes...we are on a first name basis).

Imagine my surprise yesterday when I opened the City Times and found a picture from EDMONTON, AB, CANADA!! There were these two men, without shirts, with pumpkins on their heads. There is no Halloween celebration over here, and so I perked up, because this was the first time I had seen anything Halloween-related. Apparently they were Edmonton Eskimo fans, and they were dressed up for a game against some other football team (was it BC??) that must've taken place there on Saturday. Perhaps they were the guys who live in that Eskimo's fan house around the corner from our old house??

Seriously though, how crazy is it that photo made it into the City Times in Abu Dhabi, UAE, and ended up on my coffee table here? I wish I had a scanner, so that I could post the picture here for you.

The second coming...

Congratulations to our little A on the erruption of her second tooth! It finally made it out of her gums! Now she has her two middle bottom teeth!! To think...we've been saying 'she's teething' since January, and all we have is two teeth (one and a 1/4 really) to show for it! Now, if I could only get a picture of the second tooth...

Coincidentally, the teeth that A has grown are the same teeth that my nephew has just lost (see picture).

Spent the whole afternoon at Marina Mall, where I forced P to walk me around the WHOLE mall. I have actually seen the skating rink and the ski hill (neither of which of ready for business as yet) and am impressed by the hugeness of the mall, and its many varied retailers! This mall also has a taxi stop, so it was easy for us to get a taxi back from there.

So long Rahim!

I heard some news that was very welcome to me this morning. It appears that FINALLY, Linda Duncan has removed Rahim Jaffer as the MP for our area in Edmonton. It's about time!! Colin, Caroline and Ellie: the old neighbourhood has just become a better place...congratulations to you all!

Saw a little bit of the McCain vs. Obama (or GO-bama...as I like to call him...because I want him to GO all the way to the White House) debate. There is something very strange about McCain's eyes...very dark and beady...has he already admitted to a little help of the Nip/Tuck variety?

Today's adventure: Marks and Spencers. We had a great deal of trouble getting a taxi (both there and back). Apparently the taxi drivers here are not very hard up for work and are very selective about their clientele...I guess they see a lady with a baby and figure "she can't be more than 4 Dhs away from home...not worth it" as they pass me by. That being said, A is very cute trying to flag down taxi drivers with her little wave. We also managed to make another new friend, Adele, who stood with me to help me get on my way. Being here since July, Adele is an AD pro.

The Marks and Spencers was a bit of a let-down. I remember it being a whole lot bigger...with a foods section. This was pretty small and only had clothes. We were actually searching for a 'tiny tots' group...but, it just wasn't meant to be. Instead, we checked out "The Playground", an activity centre for moms and little ones (45 Dhs...approximately $10 for admission). I also checked out an "Aldo" store (a lot of Canadian stores over here: Bata, La Senza...I'm really crossing my fingers for a Real Canadian Superstore somewhere here). I need to hold back on the spending though, as we are running out of Dhs (Dirhams) currency, and P is still waiting to get paid (there are a few steps...you can't get paid without a bank account...you cannot get a bank account with being a resident...you can't be a resident without a residency visa....and you get the drift). It seems we'll be heading to the bank on Saturday (Friday being a religious holiday and banks are closed) to set up our account (making us one more step closer to Villa-ville!).

Did the usual walk along the Corniche this morning. The humidity was incredible! We woke up to moisture on our windows, and what looked like fog all over. If I didn't know better, I could've sworn rain was in the forecast. We left for our walk at the usual time (around 7) and by the time we got back to the hotel at 8, the sun was just beginning to burn off the clouds. That was very strange. In all my time in AD (two weeks is it?) I've never experienced anything like it.

Finished reading the book "Sickened" during A's morning nap, and really, that's how I felt. Munchausen's by proxy is a disgusting illness. I've got to go to the author's website for a personal update on her life.

Pictures (at last!)

This morning, as we were walking along the Corniche at 6:45 a.m., I thought of my friend Jaylene (yes you!), and how living here would be perfect for her and Lady (her dog). Jaylene wakes up every morning around 5 a.m. (in Edmonton) to take Lady out for a l-o-n-g walk. Even in the winter!! Living here would be perfect for them, because the weather at that time is beautiful. As we walked so early, we were embraced by the warmth and humidity...I could feel the moisture droplets beading on my skin (about an hour later...they were sweat droplets...not quite so lovely).
A has been teething...but she has been a little trooper. Last night we used the famous 'Simpson' cocktail (Advil, Hylands teething tablets and baby Orajel, topped off with some of momma's homemade milk) because she was in so much agony from the teeth! She wasn't crying...just cranky, not sleeping and pushing her face into her blanket (I think to apply some pressure to her gums). She hasn't really ever taken to any of the teething toys we bought for her...but I noticed the other day, she found the USB key to be quite soothing. The crankiness also manifested itself, as A threw a remote control in my face (yes...it hurt a lot) on Monday night. I had some swelling, but today I only notice the pain when I wash my face. I guess she wanted to share her pain with me...I feel it baby!
We were very adventurous at the Co-operative shopping market last night...I bought peanuts (testing them against the famous Soreya foods recipe) and cashews. The peanuts were lacking...too fresh!! The cashews, however were terrific!
Seems I have a new title here: the girl (tee-hee) from Edmonton. I ran into this gentleman in the hall this morning. I met his wife (Deborah from Cochrane) at the pool the other day (as A was admiring her floral swimsuit). He is here teaching a course (I believe I mentioned them in a previous blog). But he stopped me and said "Excuse me...but aren't you that girl from Edmonton that I met at the pool the other day?". Apparently Deborah has been hoping to run into me again!! Yeah!! My first friend (who will be heading back to Alberta in the next few days!!).
Frustrating morning. Tried to get some pics off my memory card...after waiting 20 minutes for them to download, I gave up. I tried to e-mail them to myself (which I also gave up on after watching g-mail 'still working' 10 minutes later). Surprise! Surprise!! When I opened my inbox three of the pictures are here!! They aren't much...but it's a start!
No big plans for today. We were invited to Abu Dhabi mom's group yesterday by Laura (who..technically might be my first friend...sorry Deborah from Cochrane). But, like my own mom's group meetings, we missed it because...wait for it...A was napping. She has also invited me today to the Hiltonia (some ritzy hotel??) for baby swim classes, but they are at 11..and A is sleeping. Basically, until A's nap pattern changes, we will basically miss out on any event that happens between 9:30 am and 12 noon. We do seem to manage to get out to the pool every afternoon around 2. A loves the water, and more so, she loves the people watching.
I am also finding it more and more challenging to get A to eat. I can't wait for my own table and her high chair (apparently the shipping container has been further delayed til October 19...or so they say). I have to give her so many extra things to keep her occupied, while I shovel food in her mouth. I bought these great bowls in Canada, with suctions cups at the bottom. When we get into our own place, I plan to put her in a chair, give her a spoon and just WALK AWAY...I think she'll enjoy the eating experience so much more that way!
This evening P has a business dinner. It will be his first...let's see how they go here (without the drinking late into the night...perhaps he'll be home early??).
I'm still optimistic that we'll be moving into the villa this weekend (but...tomorrow is our Friday...and...well...let's just stay positive). P has been saying 'a couple of weeks' since we arrived (a couple of weeks ago), and there doesn't seem to be any way of getting clarification, or speeding up this process.
In the meantime, I am missing my little Phinnaeus terribly!!
Enough from me...I'm going to post a few pics now (I will go back and pepper them through the blogs where they are relevant) and then head off to read "Sickened" (loaned to me by my SIL..totally forgot I had it until she e-mailed me and asked how I was enjoying the book!). So far so good C!!

p.s. Here I am 30 minutes later (that's seriously how long the pictures took). I don't think I will be posting anymore pictures until we have our own high-speed internet (please God..don't let this be high speed internet!) in our villa>

Giving Thanks

What I am Thankful for...
Happy Canadian Thanksgiving to all of our friends and family back in Canada! We had dinner last night with 400 or so other Canadians, at the Sheraton on the Corniche. It was an all Canadian gathering, complete with the national anthems (in English and francais), Canadian music (Michael Buble and Shania) topped off with pumpkin pie cheesecake (they tried) and a very yummy carrot cake. A was a darling, and allowed all of us to enjoy our meals. As long as she was allowed to eat 'finger food' (basically, anything on my plate was fair game), she was content. Thankfully, they intercepted the smoking population very early into the evening, and made a 'no smoking' announcement at the start of dinner...this helped us all to breathe a lot easier (literally). Coming from a non-smoking city, as soon as someone lights up around here, I find that we are all very sensitive to it. Fortunately, Abu Dhabi is going to be instituting a smoking ban in the very near future (expected to be in place by the end of October).
We have just passed another weekend in AD. We went to Marina Mall (again) and yet I managed to not view the indoor ski hill (again). I did however buy some clothes (a white top made with moisture wicking fabric...tested it out twice on the Corniche...works pretty good) and some light and breathable capri pants. They were having a 'part sale' at the Sun Sand and Sport store. Nobody we know is really sure what a 'part' sale is...all I figure is the clothes are only 'partly' on sale...not all the way...P seems reasonably content with this explanation.
A and I spent an hour this afternoon in the pool. We managed to make some friends (although they will all be temporary). Deborah and her husband are from Cochrane, AB (leave it to me to seek out another Albertan!). Her husband is teaching a course here for a few days, and surprised her with a ticket to join him. Apparently he comes out several times a year. Rachel's husband John is a pilot for Etihad. Apparently our hotel is a temporary home to many pilots from Etihad. Rachel has been out here for 3 months, but it looks like Friday will be there last day, as they have finally gotten through all the hoops required to secure their flat. She is leaving behind a lovely home in the U.K., but like myself, is withholding all judgements on AD for at least 6 months (after she has her own place).
It felt really nice to spend some time talking to other adults. I have been finding the charms of living in a hotel are waning. I am really looking forward to moving into our villa and having some space (like, at least another room) so that poor P doesn't have to tiptoe around in the mornings, so as not to wake us up (which, sadly, due to my light-sleeping nature, he does anyway).
Anyways, on to the things I am thankful for (and I'm sure I'll miss a few). I am thankful that my parents called me this morning. Despite the fact that I was half-asleep, and that the two phones in the room did not work and I had to run to the third phone in the bathroom to get it, I was very glad to hear their voices. I miss them a lot! I wish they would call me more (even though there isn't really all that much to talk about). I am thankful that they are taking such good care of Phinn. I miss Phinn a great deal. I miss his little nails scratching my hand and demanding a belly-rub, his snuffles at night, and I miss hearing A say 'mmmm-ahhhh' as she gives him a kiss. I can't wait till she can do that again. I am thankful that A is such a wonderful and sweet little baby. I am glad that she is healthy and strong, and that really, she doesn't give me a lot of grief. It is so amazing to see her walking around all over the place, and mimicking all of these new actions (last night she was practising how to hail a taxi cab in AD..neither her nor I had much success). I can tell that she is going to grow up too fast for my liking. Also, she is really helping me to make new friends...her cuteness is a real ice-breaker! I am thankful that her newest tooth (bottom centre left) has finally almost errupted out of the gum-line, without giving her too much pain. I am thankful to P...for many things, but mostly for being a good friend to me. He has brought me to a new life, half a world away from my old one...would I ever have considered this without him? He encourages me to always do what I want to do, when I want to do it. He always has so much confidence in me, in my abilities to handle myself in new and different experiences. I am thankful for all of my old friends, for all the e-mails...you make me feel not so far away. And finally, I'm thankful for everything new...the places, the people, the experiences, that are coming into my life now.