Flying to the States - no matter how you do it - and back - is a long trip. For all but the last year we have flown from Bahrain to Amsterdam to Detroit to Raleigh and back the same way. We probably add some travel time by leaving Saudi to drive to Bahrain instead of flying out of Saudi, but I cannot stand flying in or out of our local airport. First of all, I must be covered in black in order to do so. Secondly, and more the reason I refuse to do so, is that the "chaos" at our airport is too much for me. There are no "queues" or lines that resemble any sort of order. Sure, there are signs that say there are, but they are NOT adhered to in any way, shape or form. Saudis, for the most part, do not "queue." That is something that other people do. Saudis go first. All of them. At the same time. You may be in what you think is a queue, but if you are not aggressive, you will be left standing and waiting and go end up going nowhere as everyone cuts in front of you. This aggravates me to no end and I want to push and shove people and say things that would get me in trouble. Best if I do not fly in and out of our local airport. Amazingly, for the most part, in other countries, Bahrain included, Saudis are able to queue just like everyone else, but not here. Truly this is something that either has to be seen or experienced - it is not describable - I cannot, in words, give this "scene" any justice. Others will disagree with me about this and tell me that it is so much easier to fly in and out from here. I avoid doing so at all possible cost. I've been there and done that; I have the proverbial t-shirt. No thanks. We'll spend the extra - money and time - to go to Bahrain - where there it is "civil" and where people do what they are supposed to insofar as following queues and such.
Returning through Saudi is just as bad. Only once or twice in the half dozen or so times I've flown into our airport - where I must cover myself in black - have my bags not been gone through with a fine tooth comb. If you are looking for contraband, you have x-ray machines - try using them - instead of reaching into my suitcases and pulling out item after item - and article of clothing after article of clothing - questioning my every belonging. Some man in the Custom's line opens my bags and starts pulling items out one by one and asking, "What is this?" "It is a book." [You can't be serious, right? As you open it and flip through it - upside down... I'll tell you the title of the book, and what it is about if you'd like - you've made it quite obvious that you can't read English. Seriously, do you actually think I'm going to try to bring some book into this Country that will raise eye-brows?] "What is this?" "It is a dog toy." [Okay. It is a given that you have probably never seen an IQube with squeaky balls in it, but it does look like a toy that even a child could play with.] "What is this?" "It is a curling iron." [What did you think it was, dumb ass? Never mind. I don't want to know what you think it was!] The feeling of personal violation is beyond anything I can articulate - nicely. No thanks. I'll go in and out of Bahrain which adds an hour or an hour and a half, one-way, in travel time, by car - provided you are crossing the Causeway in the wee hours of the morning and not during the afternoon or evening - in which case, add a couple or three hours, one-way, to the travel time.
Up until this past February, DH and I had been fairly loyal to KLM and Northwest, flying back and forth. I have no idea how many gazillion points we've accumulated. Sometimes, I could book our seats without a problem and other times, it was a major pain trying to get either Business Class seats or exit row seats, and upgrading with points was close to impossible. So I determined that there was no reason to be "loyal" to one airline if it was not going to be in some way advantageous [with our gazillion "points"], and decided to try flying a different airline, Qatar Airways. The price for a round-trip Business Class ticket on Qatar was not all that much more than what we had been paying, and Qatar offers a flight that goes non-stop from Doha, Qatar, to Washington, D.C. So, in February, I had a driver take me from my house to Bahrain at 3:30 in the morning, for a 5:30A flight from Bahrain to Doha - a forty-five minute flight [airtime, twenty minutes or so]. Once in Doha, as a Business or First Class passenger, you are transported directly to their Premium Terminal to wait for your connecting flight where there are two separate lounges, one for First Class passengers and the other for Business Class passengers. Both are very nice, but nothing to "write home about." [The KLM lounge in Amsterdam is still my favorite. Amsterdam's airport, by the way, if you must wait for a connecting flight - is the place to be, and if not there, then wait in Dubai's airport - probably one of THE nicest airports in the world, in my opinion!] In Doha I boarded the plane to fly, non-stop, to Washington, D.C. The flight - specifically, the service on the flight - was beyond anything I have ever experienced.
On that flight, to the States, I was seated next to a man - he had the aisle seat, I had the window - where we made the perfunctory "small talk," and then kept to ourselves. It was once he had reclined his seat - and me, mine - and he started "sleeping" that I realized I had to move. A plane is not a quiet place to sleep. I had, before we even took off - knowing that I would sleep on the flight - apologized to him that I snore and hoped I would not wake him. I do snore. It is not quiet and it is not pretty. Little did I know that this man was going to be able to out-snore me by tens of decibels - and along with snoring, this man made other bodily noises that I don't want to get into - along with apparently not being aware of his surroundings - that he was on an aircraft and not at home in his own bed - and was doing things in his "sleep" that I am going to leave to any readers imaginations - although where his hands were will forever remain a "fresh" picture in my mind. I quietly got up and went to the galley and asked if there was another seat I could take. The flight attendants happily obliged me and helped me move my belongings back to another row of empty seats. Thank you! Here, one of the flight attendants, Julius, realized that as I was eating nuts and drinking wine [one of the best red wines I have ever tasted, by the way!], that I was not eating the almonds. When Julius brought me another warmed finger-bowl of nuts he had picked out the almonds for me - I didn't even have to pick around the nuts myself for the "good ones!" Talk about service!!! The manner in which ALL of the flight attendants on this flight - especially this flight - and on my return trip from the States home - was impeccable. I was impressed. I sent in my comment card to Qatar praising the flight attendants and the service of all aspects of my flight - queuing, transport to and from planes, lounges, etc. Qatar touts itself as being an airline that offers five-star service and they did NOT disappoint.
My mind was made-up from that flight that when DH and I flew to the States for vacation we would not be flying KLM or Northwest or Emirates... We would be flying Qatar from here on out. I booked our flights. Our flight to the States was completely pleasant and uneventful - as a flight should be. Service was excellent. Food is great. Movie selection is good... All of those things. DH agreed with me that this would be the way to do the long trip home and back.
Our return trip from the States was the complete opposite. As I said, I'd flown Qatar to the States and back in February. DH had had only the one trip - to the States - and he, along with me, anticipated that we would have just as pleasant trip home to Saudi as we had had to the States. Wrong. It wasn't quite the trip from Hell - we've had those in the past - we have done a lot - I mean a lot - of flying. It does not help that DH is a pilot and that the very last thing he wants to do when he is not working is get on a plane. We got on one of Qatar's code-share partners in Raleigh, N.C. and flew to Washington D.C. In Washington, where we waited at Virgin Atlantic's lounge - Qatar does not have their own lounge at IAD - for our flight to Doha. We were called to board the plane and got in line with the rest of the masses as there was no one trying to differentiate between who was flying Business Class and who was flying in Economy. [Yes, at this point in my life, I can say I've become a snob this way. I've flown back and forth too many times and am willing to pay the costlier fair for the "extra" service that flying Business Class typically provides.] As we boarded the airplane, DH and I both looked at each other and shook our heads... "No. This cannot be happening." We were surrounded by children. Little children. A six-year or so old girl, directly behind DH, her two or three-year old toddler brother directly behind her - and across the aisle from my seat - a woman with an infant AND three-year old or so toddler! The horror!!! I immediately went to the galley to see if there were other seats available we could switch to - knowing that sitting with so many children/toddlers/babies was going to be a big mistake. ALL of them surrounding US! I realize that airlines cannot discriminate against families with little ones traveling. But how can it possibly be OUR luck that we are the ones that are ALWAYS seated next to them? Both Business Class cabins were completely full so there were no seats that we could switch to. Damn!
The two children behind us - the little girl and her toddler brother - used the aircraft as their own personal playground - doing gymnastics off of their seats and into ours. It took several of my "cold hard glares" for the father, who was seated directly behind me, to realize that I meant business and that if he was not going to get his unruly brats to behave, then I would do it for him. The gymnastics did, finally, come to a halt. However, the toddler boy - seated two seats behind us - the father and daughter were in the row separating us - with his mother - could not be consoled and screamed bloody murder for half of the flight - keeping everyone in the cabin from getting any sleep. It was when we were deplaning that the father asked the flight crew if their nanny - who was seated in Economy - could join them on the bus to the terminal. WTF?!? You had a nanny with you this entire time - back in cattle class - who could have perhaps consoled the toddler who screamed for much of the flight - and you didn't either try to put the kid back there with her - or have your wife - who was quite useless insofar as attending to her son and his screaming - switch seats with the nanny? [A perfect example for a case for forced sterilization, in my humble opinion!] Whatever. Many years ago, when DH and I first started traveling, we used to jokingly say to one another that we had had an unsuccessful trip if there were no crying or screaming babies/toddlers/children. Now? We avoid being seated next to passengers with babies/toddlers/children if at all possible. Yes, I realize I should feel sorry for the parents - that I should be a little more sympathetic and/or tolerant. And I can be, for some. And, yes, I know that you cannot have a baby that is not going to cry at some point. But a toddler - and this child was old enough to be reasoned with - in my opinion - needs to know that some behaviors are just NOT acceptable. Using a plane as a jungle-gym - for a toddler and his older sister - is NOT acceptable. Using my seat as a bumper pad for your gymnastics is totally out of the realm of what is and what is not acceptable behavior. This is the parents' fault. Here's a novel idea: Just say no.
So, along with having unruly toddlers next to and behind us - the poor woman with the baby had a toddler with her as well - and that toddler had more energy than any child I have ever witnessed have. She had her hands full. Between baby and toddler! Her husband, who was seated in the row behind her, directly behind his son, did his best with the infant while the mother did all she could to contain the toddler. I at least give her credit for trying. The two parents with the older child and toddler? They did NOTHING to contain their two brats. NOTHING!!! The crying / screaming continued off and on throughout the entire night's trip. It was not pleasant for any of us in the cabin - I am sure that I will not be the only one to complain. If it wasn't the two/three-year old boy screaming at the top of his lungs, then the baby was crying... Oh, yeah. Just a fantastic trip. Not!
Worse, though, was the service on this flight. The service on Qatar's flights, up until this one, was exactly what one would expect for "five star" service. I am not going to go into a whole lot more detail about this as I want to give the airline a chance to respond to my six-page, single spaced, letter that I have sent. Depending on whether or not I am satisfied with any response - or if I get one at all - then I might just decide to publish the entire letter on my blog, and give anyone out there who considers flying the "heads up." If on the other hand, the airline assures me that our flight home was a fluke and will not ever happen again, then I will keep the rest of my complaints to myself and give them another try. In the meantime, I'm going to see what my options are with another airline: Etihad is one that I will check into. Or Lufthansa. And we still have KLM / Northwest - with a gazillion miles, for whatever they are worth - to fall back on...
I am so not looking forward to the trip "home" to the States again in a few months. It is, at a minimum, a twenty-four hour trip, that really, really does take its toll on your body. This year, with our trip home planned for over the holidays, I will have done the trek three times in one year. And that IS just too much!
Tuesday, September 09, 2008
Monday, September 08, 2008
Locally...
Nothing has changed. Life in the Sandbox remains status quo... [Was I expecting differently after being absent for just short of a month? No. I guess not.]
Expatriate labor workers continue to commit suicide. People commit suicide around the world. There is no reason why I should be shocked by a suicide taking place on this side of the globe - saddened, yes - shocked, no. What, though, was happening in the life of this Indian man that was so terrible that he could see no solution other than flailing himself off of a fourteen-story building? That it is Ramadan and he was suffering while toiling in the humidity, heat and sun going with no water to quench his thirst or food to give his body strength? Did he miss his family? Was it that he decided that his coming, here, to earn a living, from a country where he was unable to do so, was just beyond what he was capable of doing? Rest in peace, Sir; life can no longer treat you cruelly.
Road carnage continues, unabated. And, by all means, do not hold the driver of the SUV in this accident responsible for his actions: "The accident may have been caused due to poor visibility as a dust storm was sweeping the area." There is no chance, I suppose, that the driver was speeding whilst distracted - smoking a cigarette held in one hand - his cell phone glued to his ear by his other hand - and children in the front seat performing gymnastic routines. Nah. Not here. Why no mention of the driver of the fuel tanker that the man in the SUV drove head-on into? Because he was an imported worker and not worthy? Or, after further investigation, regardless of the fact that the accident was in no way caused by him, will he be found at fault due to merely being on the road at the same time as the SUV was? [And yes, the driver of the SUV was a man, as was the driver of the fuel tanker: women are not allowed to drive here!]
Rain is always welcome in this part of the world. We got very, very little rain last year. The year before, though, it rained every single weekend in November and part of December - and by raining, I do not mean a gentle shower - but a downpour - enough to flood our garage! Whether there is any scientific method of determining that it will rain - two months from now - or whether this is merely a guess - any rain will be welcomed. We enjoyed the rain storms we experienced in the States last month - the rain washed away the dirt and the grime - leaving everything lush and green and new. No. That won't happen here, and the "rain smell" will never be the same as it is at "home" in the States, but it would be good to get some rain to force the humidity out of the air and make life outside bearable for all living things.
Every year at this time we read this story - each version might be worded just a little differently - but its gist remains the same. Tailors are gouging people for their new Eid clothing. I can't say whether the prices go up or not; there is no way I'm going to a tailor right, for anything. I've got some things to take to our tailor for alterations - but they can wait until October 3rd or 4th or 10th. This is, after all, their busiest time. But, why must the blame be put on the tailors? How about assuming a bit of responsibility for this by planning ahead and ordering your new clothes in August? Nah. Never mind...
Expatriate labor workers continue to commit suicide. People commit suicide around the world. There is no reason why I should be shocked by a suicide taking place on this side of the globe - saddened, yes - shocked, no. What, though, was happening in the life of this Indian man that was so terrible that he could see no solution other than flailing himself off of a fourteen-story building? That it is Ramadan and he was suffering while toiling in the humidity, heat and sun going with no water to quench his thirst or food to give his body strength? Did he miss his family? Was it that he decided that his coming, here, to earn a living, from a country where he was unable to do so, was just beyond what he was capable of doing? Rest in peace, Sir; life can no longer treat you cruelly.
Road carnage continues, unabated. And, by all means, do not hold the driver of the SUV in this accident responsible for his actions: "The accident may have been caused due to poor visibility as a dust storm was sweeping the area." There is no chance, I suppose, that the driver was speeding whilst distracted - smoking a cigarette held in one hand - his cell phone glued to his ear by his other hand - and children in the front seat performing gymnastic routines. Nah. Not here. Why no mention of the driver of the fuel tanker that the man in the SUV drove head-on into? Because he was an imported worker and not worthy? Or, after further investigation, regardless of the fact that the accident was in no way caused by him, will he be found at fault due to merely being on the road at the same time as the SUV was? [And yes, the driver of the SUV was a man, as was the driver of the fuel tanker: women are not allowed to drive here!]
Rain is always welcome in this part of the world. We got very, very little rain last year. The year before, though, it rained every single weekend in November and part of December - and by raining, I do not mean a gentle shower - but a downpour - enough to flood our garage! Whether there is any scientific method of determining that it will rain - two months from now - or whether this is merely a guess - any rain will be welcomed. We enjoyed the rain storms we experienced in the States last month - the rain washed away the dirt and the grime - leaving everything lush and green and new. No. That won't happen here, and the "rain smell" will never be the same as it is at "home" in the States, but it would be good to get some rain to force the humidity out of the air and make life outside bearable for all living things.
Every year at this time we read this story - each version might be worded just a little differently - but its gist remains the same. Tailors are gouging people for their new Eid clothing. I can't say whether the prices go up or not; there is no way I'm going to a tailor right, for anything. I've got some things to take to our tailor for alterations - but they can wait until October 3rd or 4th or 10th. This is, after all, their busiest time. But, why must the blame be put on the tailors? How about assuming a bit of responsibility for this by planning ahead and ordering your new clothes in August? Nah. Never mind...
Sunday, September 07, 2008
Weather Report
Well, okay, so not a real weather report, but my version. Right now - at 7:30 in the morning - outside it is already 98 degrees - going on 100 - and today, like most days in the Sandbox, is going to be hot and sunny. And humid. Very, very humid. It was humid yesterday. The kind of humid that means your hair is going to be wildly uncontrollable. Today's MSN weather report says it will be 114 degrees outside. I have no clue what the humidity percentage "technically" is, but suffice it to say that it is a lot. A lot!
The Kids and I didn't go for our morning jaunt today. For a couple of reasons - the first because DH and I were up until one o'clock in the morning watching the first six episodes from the very first series of Lost. I know. I am way late to that party. People have been watching this show and talking about it for years. I'd seen an episode or two here and there but couldn't get into it. I'm hooked. I finally went to bed - after six shows. DH was still up but I made him promise he wouldn't watch any more of it without me - and when he first put it in and asked me if I wanted to watch it, I said, "Nah." Go ahead. I remained on the couch however, and by episode two wasn't moving my butt off the couch. We'll watch more tonight. Needless to say, I didn't get up at 4:30 or 5 to get The Kids out there before it started to get nasty outside - and now it is quite unpleasant - and as much as The Kids think they want to be out there - they don't. Looks like we will spend much of our day - after I get back - playing with our new toys... That'll work, too, but a walk is definitely better. Sorry, Kids. Promise I'll go to bed early enough tonight to get out to walk tomorrow.
I am going to the clinic this morning. Seeing Dr. M. about my knee again... It is just a follow up appointment which I wanted to cancel, but after the fuss I caused about seeing him, no way I'm canceling! He won't have anything to say to me, different than what he said to me the last time I saw him, because I haven't done what I was told to do when I saw him the first time - i.e., get a knee brace and do five weeks of physical therapy. Not because I didn't want to follow his advice, but because it was only a couple of days after I saw him that I headed for the States - and he knew I was headed for the States and wasn't going to be able to get in for the physical therapy - although I did try to get fitted for the brace - and that didn't work out like I thought it would. I can go this morning and get that taken care of, before I see Dr. M. And, I can schedule my five weeks of PT appointments. Oh joy.
What I do not want to do today is get dressed. Really get dressed. On the days I don't leave the house - but for walking with The Kids - my "uniform" does not change. I get up in the morning and put walking clothes on - bike shorts and a tank top - and walking shoes. Then I come home and shower. My at home "uniform" is the same as my walking "uniform," but I wear colored bike shorts instead of black and I wear sandals instead of walking shoes. Yep. The "uniform" doesn't change. I live in bike shorts and tank tops, here. Unless I have to leave the house and go to the Commissary or the clinic. So, today, I have to put real clothes on. I am in quite a dilemma about what to wear. But, as it isn't a choice - about whether I get dressed or not - I'll suck it up and do it and wear my black garbage bag, too. Have to.
It is Ramadan here. A holy month for Muslims. This means I need to be respectful - thus, fully covered. I'm going to wear bike shorts with my tank top to the clinic. Since Dr. M. is going to want to see my knee - no sense wearing jeans - and it is far too hot and sticky outside to have jeans on. No way. If I wear shorts, will only have to rip off my black covering for Dr. M. to examine my knee. Problem solved. Sort of. I also need to go to the Passport office - there was a big problem with my Visa when we left here to go to the States and I almost did not get to leave the Sandbox. If I was wearing jeans to the clinic, then I could go without it - the black bag - and not have to worry about what I am wearing if I go to the Passport office - but frankly, it is more comfortable to wear almost nothing and cover up in black than it is to wear jeans and a "modest" shirt. There is something to be said about wearing an abeya, as much as I hate wearing it - you can wear virtually nothing underneath and no one knows it! Nothing says comfort, though, more than wearing black in the heat and humidity! Yeah. Right. And, yes, there is going to be some outside walking involved, for me, today - although with it being Ramadan I suspect the clinic will be empty - everyone is home sleeping - but I still will have to park some distance from the Passport office and "hike" in black... [Note to self: buy another pair of walking shoes to use for "dress up."]
This concerns me. I get concerned every year about this. Muslims fast the entire month of Ramadan. They do not eat or drink [not even water!] from sun-up to sun-down. This is fine if you are not outside working. But what about the gazillion workers outside, toiling in the sun, the heat and the humidity? The majority of them are Muslims. The majority - if not ALL - of them are the imported workers - the laborers, the street cleaners, the gardeners... It is just downright dangerous, as far as I am concerned, to have these men out there working without allowing them to drink water. What are the statistics that show how many of them die during this time each year because they are not allowed to drink water when it is a necessity? I don't know what the rest of the Muslim world does, insofar as working hours, during Ramadan, but I know that here, where I am, Saudis work decreased hours during that time. They are not expected to be at their offices at regular opening hours - and many leave early. The imported workers are not given the same opportunity. They work their expected, normal, usual hours. If Ramadan fell in December or January, this wouldn't be a big deal. It is much cooler here then. But now? Nope. No relief from the weather for those poor men.
UPDATED PRIOR TO POSTING: Well, I botched that one up. Big time. I was determined NOT to wear my abeya. I wear it only when required; just not going to get so that I wear it because I am too lazy to get dressed. Will. Not. Do. It. So, decided instead to wear a white long-sleeved "oversized" button up shirt - like a man's shirt - but made for a woman and blue, long length capri pants. Get to the Orthopedic clinic and what am I sent to do, first thing? Go get x-rays taken. Why?!? "Doctor has ordered, Madam." Okay. Fine. And I decided NOT to wear bike shorts and a tank top and cover it with a black garbage bag, why? Whatever. Off to x-ray where they made me take off both my pants AND shirt because Dr. M. wanted an x-ray that included my right hip - along with a half dozen other x-rays. Fine. Strip to my "knickers" and bra, and put a HUGE green "over the head" hospital gown on - wanted to bring it home with me - very comfortable - of course you may as well just wear a sheet that you poke a hole to stick your head through, but... Anyway...
The poor x-ray technician. She was Saudi. She was very sweet. But we had a very, very, very difficult time communicating. Apparently since it is Ramadan, the more proficient English-speaking technicians must have somehow gotten the day off - or something - and this woman got the short end of the stick. I have to include, here, that she was quite, oh... how to put this delicately, screw it - she was overweight. Large. I had no problem with the standing x-ray, or the on my right side with my knee bent x-ray. I had difficulty with the knee in a bent position because she tried to bend my knee with a foam triangle under it and flatten my foot. Sorry. My leg DOES NOT GO THAT WAY at this point. I can do that with my left leg and foot, but NOT the right! That is not happening. The biggest problem we had though was when she tried to tell me to get on my hands and knees. She did not know how to just outright say, "Get on your hands and knees with your butt in the air." She kept trying to position the front half of me - which was really more of a yoga position - but couldn't actually tell me what she wanted me to do with my "back half," so she tried to show me. And, yes, she was dressed head to toe in white - with a full-length "lab coat" over her skirt and blouse. Head covered in white; face covered in white. She tried. She really did. And she was trying to show me without actually getting down on the floor on her hands and knees to get me to do what she was doing. To say it was comical is an understatement. I told her how to tell us Western women from now on, "Get on your hands and knees with your butt in the air." There. If she would have just said this to me at the start, I could have saved her a lot of frustration - and could have saved her from having to get down on the floor [our clinic and all of the floors of the various departments are immaculate! thank goodness].
Anyway, got all the new half-dozen or so x-rays done, have my brace fitting scheduled for September 29th, and have my first PT scheduled for next Saturday - and I'll get to go three times a week for five weeks! Yeah!!! Finally saw Dr. M. I like this man. I am not at all thrilled at the possibility of needing a new knee in the next five years or so - but I am quite confident in Dr. M's abilities and am thankful that I have him as an orthopedist. The orthopedic clinic I went to in the States can't hold a candle to Dr. M. I did get lucky, in this regard. I have some apprehensions about having surgery done, here, but I can probably get past that if and when the time comes. So I finished at the clinic - two hours and fifteen minutes after I got there and went to the Passport office.
The Visa in my passport is good - but in the computer system - it has expired. The Passport office is taking care of this for me and I can get my passport back in two days, In Shallah. Okay, whatever, fine, just fix it. Not like I am going to need it right away. We just got back from the States, and thankfully it was "fixed" by DH's boss so that I could get into the country, but as of right this moment, I cannot leave. I don't have anywhere to go, and we won't be getting on the bridge and crossing the Causeway any time soon because there is no alcohol being served in Bahrain for the next month due to Ramadan. More on that later... And on the trip home - which I will have to post about - because it was not a pleasant trip - and of course, unload photos to the computer and post the deer... Lots to do. Lots to do. And just what I don't need is to have to go to PT three times a week for five weeks, but, if that is what Dr. M. wants me to - I'll do it.
The Kids and I didn't go for our morning jaunt today. For a couple of reasons - the first because DH and I were up until one o'clock in the morning watching the first six episodes from the very first series of Lost. I know. I am way late to that party. People have been watching this show and talking about it for years. I'd seen an episode or two here and there but couldn't get into it. I'm hooked. I finally went to bed - after six shows. DH was still up but I made him promise he wouldn't watch any more of it without me - and when he first put it in and asked me if I wanted to watch it, I said, "Nah." Go ahead. I remained on the couch however, and by episode two wasn't moving my butt off the couch. We'll watch more tonight. Needless to say, I didn't get up at 4:30 or 5 to get The Kids out there before it started to get nasty outside - and now it is quite unpleasant - and as much as The Kids think they want to be out there - they don't. Looks like we will spend much of our day - after I get back - playing with our new toys... That'll work, too, but a walk is definitely better. Sorry, Kids. Promise I'll go to bed early enough tonight to get out to walk tomorrow.
I am going to the clinic this morning. Seeing Dr. M. about my knee again... It is just a follow up appointment which I wanted to cancel, but after the fuss I caused about seeing him, no way I'm canceling! He won't have anything to say to me, different than what he said to me the last time I saw him, because I haven't done what I was told to do when I saw him the first time - i.e., get a knee brace and do five weeks of physical therapy. Not because I didn't want to follow his advice, but because it was only a couple of days after I saw him that I headed for the States - and he knew I was headed for the States and wasn't going to be able to get in for the physical therapy - although I did try to get fitted for the brace - and that didn't work out like I thought it would. I can go this morning and get that taken care of, before I see Dr. M. And, I can schedule my five weeks of PT appointments. Oh joy.
What I do not want to do today is get dressed. Really get dressed. On the days I don't leave the house - but for walking with The Kids - my "uniform" does not change. I get up in the morning and put walking clothes on - bike shorts and a tank top - and walking shoes. Then I come home and shower. My at home "uniform" is the same as my walking "uniform," but I wear colored bike shorts instead of black and I wear sandals instead of walking shoes. Yep. The "uniform" doesn't change. I live in bike shorts and tank tops, here. Unless I have to leave the house and go to the Commissary or the clinic. So, today, I have to put real clothes on. I am in quite a dilemma about what to wear. But, as it isn't a choice - about whether I get dressed or not - I'll suck it up and do it and wear my black garbage bag, too. Have to.
It is Ramadan here. A holy month for Muslims. This means I need to be respectful - thus, fully covered. I'm going to wear bike shorts with my tank top to the clinic. Since Dr. M. is going to want to see my knee - no sense wearing jeans - and it is far too hot and sticky outside to have jeans on. No way. If I wear shorts, will only have to rip off my black covering for Dr. M. to examine my knee. Problem solved. Sort of. I also need to go to the Passport office - there was a big problem with my Visa when we left here to go to the States and I almost did not get to leave the Sandbox. If I was wearing jeans to the clinic, then I could go without it - the black bag - and not have to worry about what I am wearing if I go to the Passport office - but frankly, it is more comfortable to wear almost nothing and cover up in black than it is to wear jeans and a "modest" shirt. There is something to be said about wearing an abeya, as much as I hate wearing it - you can wear virtually nothing underneath and no one knows it! Nothing says comfort, though, more than wearing black in the heat and humidity! Yeah. Right. And, yes, there is going to be some outside walking involved, for me, today - although with it being Ramadan I suspect the clinic will be empty - everyone is home sleeping - but I still will have to park some distance from the Passport office and "hike" in black... [Note to self: buy another pair of walking shoes to use for "dress up."]
This concerns me. I get concerned every year about this. Muslims fast the entire month of Ramadan. They do not eat or drink [not even water!] from sun-up to sun-down. This is fine if you are not outside working. But what about the gazillion workers outside, toiling in the sun, the heat and the humidity? The majority of them are Muslims. The majority - if not ALL - of them are the imported workers - the laborers, the street cleaners, the gardeners... It is just downright dangerous, as far as I am concerned, to have these men out there working without allowing them to drink water. What are the statistics that show how many of them die during this time each year because they are not allowed to drink water when it is a necessity? I don't know what the rest of the Muslim world does, insofar as working hours, during Ramadan, but I know that here, where I am, Saudis work decreased hours during that time. They are not expected to be at their offices at regular opening hours - and many leave early. The imported workers are not given the same opportunity. They work their expected, normal, usual hours. If Ramadan fell in December or January, this wouldn't be a big deal. It is much cooler here then. But now? Nope. No relief from the weather for those poor men.
UPDATED PRIOR TO POSTING: Well, I botched that one up. Big time. I was determined NOT to wear my abeya. I wear it only when required; just not going to get so that I wear it because I am too lazy to get dressed. Will. Not. Do. It. So, decided instead to wear a white long-sleeved "oversized" button up shirt - like a man's shirt - but made for a woman and blue, long length capri pants. Get to the Orthopedic clinic and what am I sent to do, first thing? Go get x-rays taken. Why?!? "Doctor has ordered, Madam." Okay. Fine. And I decided NOT to wear bike shorts and a tank top and cover it with a black garbage bag, why? Whatever. Off to x-ray where they made me take off both my pants AND shirt because Dr. M. wanted an x-ray that included my right hip - along with a half dozen other x-rays. Fine. Strip to my "knickers" and bra, and put a HUGE green "over the head" hospital gown on - wanted to bring it home with me - very comfortable - of course you may as well just wear a sheet that you poke a hole to stick your head through, but... Anyway...
The poor x-ray technician. She was Saudi. She was very sweet. But we had a very, very, very difficult time communicating. Apparently since it is Ramadan, the more proficient English-speaking technicians must have somehow gotten the day off - or something - and this woman got the short end of the stick. I have to include, here, that she was quite, oh... how to put this delicately, screw it - she was overweight. Large. I had no problem with the standing x-ray, or the on my right side with my knee bent x-ray. I had difficulty with the knee in a bent position because she tried to bend my knee with a foam triangle under it and flatten my foot. Sorry. My leg DOES NOT GO THAT WAY at this point. I can do that with my left leg and foot, but NOT the right! That is not happening. The biggest problem we had though was when she tried to tell me to get on my hands and knees. She did not know how to just outright say, "Get on your hands and knees with your butt in the air." She kept trying to position the front half of me - which was really more of a yoga position - but couldn't actually tell me what she wanted me to do with my "back half," so she tried to show me. And, yes, she was dressed head to toe in white - with a full-length "lab coat" over her skirt and blouse. Head covered in white; face covered in white. She tried. She really did. And she was trying to show me without actually getting down on the floor on her hands and knees to get me to do what she was doing. To say it was comical is an understatement. I told her how to tell us Western women from now on, "Get on your hands and knees with your butt in the air." There. If she would have just said this to me at the start, I could have saved her a lot of frustration - and could have saved her from having to get down on the floor [our clinic and all of the floors of the various departments are immaculate! thank goodness].
Anyway, got all the new half-dozen or so x-rays done, have my brace fitting scheduled for September 29th, and have my first PT scheduled for next Saturday - and I'll get to go three times a week for five weeks! Yeah!!! Finally saw Dr. M. I like this man. I am not at all thrilled at the possibility of needing a new knee in the next five years or so - but I am quite confident in Dr. M's abilities and am thankful that I have him as an orthopedist. The orthopedic clinic I went to in the States can't hold a candle to Dr. M. I did get lucky, in this regard. I have some apprehensions about having surgery done, here, but I can probably get past that if and when the time comes. So I finished at the clinic - two hours and fifteen minutes after I got there and went to the Passport office.
The Visa in my passport is good - but in the computer system - it has expired. The Passport office is taking care of this for me and I can get my passport back in two days, In Shallah. Okay, whatever, fine, just fix it. Not like I am going to need it right away. We just got back from the States, and thankfully it was "fixed" by DH's boss so that I could get into the country, but as of right this moment, I cannot leave. I don't have anywhere to go, and we won't be getting on the bridge and crossing the Causeway any time soon because there is no alcohol being served in Bahrain for the next month due to Ramadan. More on that later... And on the trip home - which I will have to post about - because it was not a pleasant trip - and of course, unload photos to the computer and post the deer... Lots to do. Lots to do. And just what I don't need is to have to go to PT three times a week for five weeks, but, if that is what Dr. M. wants me to - I'll do it.
Saturday, September 06, 2008
Pluuuhhezzzze!
Oh my gosh. Honestly. Some stuff you just can't make up. A couple of things - but the first is what really got me. Pluuuhhezzzze! Get a grip.
Apparently there is [was?] a satirical sitcom being shown on MBC [Middle-East Broad Casting - or something like that - they have five channels on local television, here, in the Sandbox] called, "We are all the sons of Kraya." I have not seen the show - of the five channels MBC has, two are broadcast in Arabic and I'd be willing to bet that the show which is causing a bit of a fuss is on one of those. The sitcom has offended "the people of Bahrain after a [Saudi] character in one of the series said that he was going to Bahrain to have a good time in its discos." Yep. That's all it takes to put someone's knickers in a knot.
Bahrain has much to offer, over and above any entertainment here - aside from the fact that in Bahrain men and women are allowed to be in public places together without fear of being arrested, thrown in jail and lashed - it has great shopping and movie theaters and fabulous restaurants and water parks and more - it is not all bars and "discos." [If there is a disco in Bahrain, I don't know where it is. I've never been there.] I have posted before, though, how the Causeway is a nightmare because there are hordes of Saudi men who go to Bahrain for a good time that cannot be had here, in the Sandbox, and sit in bars dressed in their thobes and ghutras clutching their mug of beer or whatever spirit is to their liking in a glass. Yes, that irks me. You want to drink even though it is totally, totally, totally "haram" and against your religion, that's fine by me, but don't be so hypocritical about it. If it is fine for you in Bahrain, it should be fine for you in Saudi Arabia. You are part of the problem - not part of the solution. Do something to change the status quo, here, and work with the powers that be to get restaurants to be allowed to serve alcohol or get bars opened. [Damn! Just now - out my window - I saw a pig fly by!!!]
Really, though, it is worth getting all worked up over just because some sitcom depicted a scene in which a Saudi man tries to talk his brother into going to Bahrain to have fun in a disco? And, that that translates to, "The Arab viewer will conclude that Bahrain is abundant with alcohol, prostitution and sins?" Apparently, it is, and it does. Oh my...
Then, there is this. A debate over birthday parties. Draw your own conclusion, but mine is that because this is something that "Westerner's" do, it must be a bad thing. Is there anything good that comes out of "Western" society in "your" eyes? I just can't even go here... as it will put my knickers in knots!
Apparently there is [was?] a satirical sitcom being shown on MBC [Middle-East Broad Casting - or something like that - they have five channels on local television, here, in the Sandbox] called, "We are all the sons of Kraya." I have not seen the show - of the five channels MBC has, two are broadcast in Arabic and I'd be willing to bet that the show which is causing a bit of a fuss is on one of those. The sitcom has offended "the people of Bahrain after a [Saudi] character in one of the series said that he was going to Bahrain to have a good time in its discos." Yep. That's all it takes to put someone's knickers in a knot.
Bahrain has much to offer, over and above any entertainment here - aside from the fact that in Bahrain men and women are allowed to be in public places together without fear of being arrested, thrown in jail and lashed - it has great shopping and movie theaters and fabulous restaurants and water parks and more - it is not all bars and "discos." [If there is a disco in Bahrain, I don't know where it is. I've never been there.] I have posted before, though, how the Causeway is a nightmare because there are hordes of Saudi men who go to Bahrain for a good time that cannot be had here, in the Sandbox, and sit in bars dressed in their thobes and ghutras clutching their mug of beer or whatever spirit is to their liking in a glass. Yes, that irks me. You want to drink even though it is totally, totally, totally "haram" and against your religion, that's fine by me, but don't be so hypocritical about it. If it is fine for you in Bahrain, it should be fine for you in Saudi Arabia. You are part of the problem - not part of the solution. Do something to change the status quo, here, and work with the powers that be to get restaurants to be allowed to serve alcohol or get bars opened. [Damn! Just now - out my window - I saw a pig fly by!!!]
Really, though, it is worth getting all worked up over just because some sitcom depicted a scene in which a Saudi man tries to talk his brother into going to Bahrain to have fun in a disco? And, that that translates to, "The Arab viewer will conclude that Bahrain is abundant with alcohol, prostitution and sins?" Apparently, it is, and it does. Oh my...
Then, there is this. A debate over birthday parties. Draw your own conclusion, but mine is that because this is something that "Westerner's" do, it must be a bad thing. Is there anything good that comes out of "Western" society in "your" eyes? I just can't even go here... as it will put my knickers in knots!
Friday, September 05, 2008
Daily Piss Off!
Oh, geez, I so don't want to go there - or here - a daily "piss off." Because I CAN DO IT and I may JUST HAVE TO! And, really, I don't want to, but I must...
Yesterday it was the Commissary for not having any U.S. meat, or bags of salad, or low-fat milk. I can live with most of that - we'll eat fish, I'll pay a small fortune for lettuce and I'll just add ice to the milk and dilute it with water. Not my preference, but I can do it.
Today is different, though. It is a REAL "piss off." And I can't blame Ramadan or Muslims for today. Nope. Westerner's! We just got back from our morning jaunt. I'm so pissed off I headed straight from our walk to the computer to vent. I'm gross. My feet are covered with "reclaimed" water [not difficult to figure out what "reclaimed" water is, is it?], and dust. I am sweaty. It is really quite humid out - and a hundred degrees! I'll take my shower when I'm done.
What pissed me off so much this morning? I'll tell you: Dog poop. Lots and lots of dog poop. Assholes! You know who you are!!! No one wants to clean up after your Kids! No one. And it is no one else's responsibility. The workers that are here keeping our compound clean don't want to have to scoop it up. Believe me, they are not in any way prepared to do so with little bags or pooper scoopers. And I'm not going to clean up after YOUR Kids, either. It is one thing to clean up after mine - which I do - and believe it is MY responsibility to do so. [We do not leave the house for our morning jaunts without FOUR bags. We may not need all four bags, but at least I am prepared if I do!] It's like changing someone else's kid's diaper. You don't mind changing the diaper of your own kid, but you are not especially thrilled about changing someone else's, right?
Must we go through this on a yearly basis? If I see you letting your Kid take a crap on someone's yard, I am going to whip out my little phone and take a picture of you and your four-legged Kid. After I snap your "family" photo, I am going to make it clear that YOU NEED TO CLEAN THAT UP, NOW! Then I am going straight to the Kennel Club with the picture to report you. I will haunt you every morning that I am out there walking. If I recognize you from one morning to the next, I am going to follow you for your entire walk to make sure that you are not doing it regularly. [Asian woman with the big hat and white fluff ball, you know that I will hunt you down and make a "stink" about your not taking responsibility for your four-legged Kid! I've been here for over five years and you and I have our share of run-ins!!! I have chased you. I have much longer legs than you and even with a bad knee I can catch you. My two Kids are only more than happy to oblige me when I say, "let's go get her and Toto, too."]
There was so much dog poop out there today it was like walking through mine fields. I had Rockport sandals on instead of my regular "walking shoes." Mistake. Big mistake. But, by the time I finished the last post, the Kids were "antsy" [ha! they weren't "antsy," they were "frantic"], and I just grabbed the sandals. Won't do that tomorrow. Unbelievable how much poop was out there. The yearly Kennel Club meeting is coming up - and once again - it will be my only agenda... Dog poop. I believe that those who are responsible should be warned. Once. Then fined. Take the fines directly out of the paycheck of the family bread-earner - and in almost one hundred percent of the instances, it is going to be the "man of the family." Fine him big. 100 Riyals for the second offense [first offense was a warning], and then double it or triple it each time thereafter. I guarantee you there'd be no more dog shit on people's yards and covering the common areas. It may not be the man of the family walking the four-legged Kid, but when his pay check is reduced, you will see whoever in that family is walking the four-legged Kid start taking responsibility for that Kid's messes!
This irks me to no end. And, again, it is the Westerner's that are being admonished. Why? Simple. Very simple. In this compound-community of some 15,000 or 20,000 or so people there are very, very, very few Saudis or Muslims that own dogs. Very few. Yes, there are some. But not many. The majority of us that have four-legged Kids are Westerner's. I know it, they know it, and the authorities on this compound know it. Once again - as we do every year - we have to go through educating the owners of these Kids that they need to take responsibility for the actions - or piles of crap, in this case - and it just irritates the heck out of me that YOU are NOT cleaning up after your Kid. YOU DO NOT WANT ME TO CATCH YOU!!! And, I will, because I'll be making it my mission to be the self-appointed sheriff of shit...
Yesterday it was the Commissary for not having any U.S. meat, or bags of salad, or low-fat milk. I can live with most of that - we'll eat fish, I'll pay a small fortune for lettuce and I'll just add ice to the milk and dilute it with water. Not my preference, but I can do it.
Today is different, though. It is a REAL "piss off." And I can't blame Ramadan or Muslims for today. Nope. Westerner's! We just got back from our morning jaunt. I'm so pissed off I headed straight from our walk to the computer to vent. I'm gross. My feet are covered with "reclaimed" water [not difficult to figure out what "reclaimed" water is, is it?], and dust. I am sweaty. It is really quite humid out - and a hundred degrees! I'll take my shower when I'm done.
What pissed me off so much this morning? I'll tell you: Dog poop. Lots and lots of dog poop. Assholes! You know who you are!!! No one wants to clean up after your Kids! No one. And it is no one else's responsibility. The workers that are here keeping our compound clean don't want to have to scoop it up. Believe me, they are not in any way prepared to do so with little bags or pooper scoopers. And I'm not going to clean up after YOUR Kids, either. It is one thing to clean up after mine - which I do - and believe it is MY responsibility to do so. [We do not leave the house for our morning jaunts without FOUR bags. We may not need all four bags, but at least I am prepared if I do!] It's like changing someone else's kid's diaper. You don't mind changing the diaper of your own kid, but you are not especially thrilled about changing someone else's, right?
Must we go through this on a yearly basis? If I see you letting your Kid take a crap on someone's yard, I am going to whip out my little phone and take a picture of you and your four-legged Kid. After I snap your "family" photo, I am going to make it clear that YOU NEED TO CLEAN THAT UP, NOW! Then I am going straight to the Kennel Club with the picture to report you. I will haunt you every morning that I am out there walking. If I recognize you from one morning to the next, I am going to follow you for your entire walk to make sure that you are not doing it regularly. [Asian woman with the big hat and white fluff ball, you know that I will hunt you down and make a "stink" about your not taking responsibility for your four-legged Kid! I've been here for over five years and you and I have our share of run-ins!!! I have chased you. I have much longer legs than you and even with a bad knee I can catch you. My two Kids are only more than happy to oblige me when I say, "let's go get her and Toto, too."]
There was so much dog poop out there today it was like walking through mine fields. I had Rockport sandals on instead of my regular "walking shoes." Mistake. Big mistake. But, by the time I finished the last post, the Kids were "antsy" [ha! they weren't "antsy," they were "frantic"], and I just grabbed the sandals. Won't do that tomorrow. Unbelievable how much poop was out there. The yearly Kennel Club meeting is coming up - and once again - it will be my only agenda... Dog poop. I believe that those who are responsible should be warned. Once. Then fined. Take the fines directly out of the paycheck of the family bread-earner - and in almost one hundred percent of the instances, it is going to be the "man of the family." Fine him big. 100 Riyals for the second offense [first offense was a warning], and then double it or triple it each time thereafter. I guarantee you there'd be no more dog shit on people's yards and covering the common areas. It may not be the man of the family walking the four-legged Kid, but when his pay check is reduced, you will see whoever in that family is walking the four-legged Kid start taking responsibility for that Kid's messes!
This irks me to no end. And, again, it is the Westerner's that are being admonished. Why? Simple. Very simple. In this compound-community of some 15,000 or 20,000 or so people there are very, very, very few Saudis or Muslims that own dogs. Very few. Yes, there are some. But not many. The majority of us that have four-legged Kids are Westerner's. I know it, they know it, and the authorities on this compound know it. Once again - as we do every year - we have to go through educating the owners of these Kids that they need to take responsibility for the actions - or piles of crap, in this case - and it just irritates the heck out of me that YOU are NOT cleaning up after your Kid. YOU DO NOT WANT ME TO CATCH YOU!!! And, I will, because I'll be making it my mission to be the self-appointed sheriff of shit...
Sleeping Schedule is Way Off!
As it always is when we return. It is much easier to go the other way - than to return. The seven hour time difference is a major adjustment, this way. But perhaps, since I did go to bed last night at a decent hour and got up this morning at my usual 4:30, I can get back to "normal" in the very short term.
Yesterday was a wash out. We didn't end up going to bed until after three in the morning - probably closer to four - and so getting up at 4:30 or five was out of the question. My Kids were not happy. Mommy is finally home and there was no walk. WTF?!? When I finally did crawl out of bed they were quite confused that our morning routine was so off kilter. When there is no walk, there is no peace in this household. There will be a walk, today, for sure! What a difference a month has made, though, here. When we left it was light outside shortly after four in the morning. It is five in the morning and still dark. We do not and will not walk in the dark. Too difficult to see if there are other furry creatures out there - specifically "C A T S!" But trust me, because I am up, my Kids are too. "Are we going today?" "Are you ready?" They are pacing back and forth and following my every footstep. Don't worry, we ARE going today...
The man who babysat the Kids for the past month and house sat for us did a spectacular job. I am so pleased with the way everything worked out so perfectly. He came highly recommended. He has been here in the Sandbox working for American families for almost thirty years! Thirty years! He has put his two oldest children through college and married off his oldest of those two on the income he has made laboring for us. He is from India. He has two younger children - a twelve or thirteen year old and and eight year old. His two older children are twenty-six and twenty-three. Quite an age spread there, I'd say, but considering the fact that when he first arrived in the Sandbox he only went home for three months every TWO years! Imagine being married and having your husband go off to another country for two years at a time and only coming home to visit you for two or three months. When my husband first came over here without me, as a contractor, he was here for eleven weeks and then home for two weeks. We did this for seven or eight months and it was beyond what I could take. How these workers that come here can do what they do for so long without family is unimaginable. But, I am very thankful and lucky to have found Preet. He did, as I said, a MOST EXCELLENT job!!! [I paid him handsomely, much more than what we had agreed upon, and before I left I asked him if there was anything he would like from the States - he wanted "pocket tee-shirts with a collar." Polo shirts. I brought him back a couple - and when he stays here again when we leave for the Holidays - I will bring him back a suitcase full!] My Kids were well looked after [yes, I had a couple of friends "check in"], my instructions were followed to a "t," and Preet went as far as taking The Boy to the vet last Monday because his eyes were so red [allergies].
In order to understand just how impressive this is... The Boy is a Great Dane. He is on the small side as Great Dane's go, but he still is NOT small. I am 5'7" tall. When The Boy stands next to me, his back is the same height as my hips. Preet is, at best, 4'10" tall [short?]. He is not a big man at all. The Boy absolutely luvs going for car rides - but once he realizes he is at the Vet he will spend the entire time there heading for the door. I laugh at the mere thought of The Boy pulling poor little Preet [who, is not a young man, either] toward the door. We can enter the Vet's office, but immediately upon doing so, The Boy is ready to leave and at 120-something pounds, The Boy has the ability to make his desire to leave quite well known. Preet told me that the women at the office gave him quite a ribbing for "riding his horse" to the vet. I bet they did, Preet. I bet they did. [I've heard them all... "That's not a dog that's a horse." "Who is walking who?" "What do you feed him and how much does it cost?"] Thanks, Preet. I truly appreciate all you did for my Kids. But to come home to an immaculately cleaned home on top of that... Oh, yeah. I'm reserving this man's services far in advance for the rest of our time here. Please do NOT leave the Sandbox before we do!!!
Preet called yesterday afternoon to inquire about The Boy's eyes to see if they were getting better and to remind me that he has to take his two pills in the morning and two pills at night. "Do not forget to give him his drops, Madam." Okay, Preet. I promise I won't. How sweet is that?!? Believe me, this man deserved to be paid what he was paid. And probably deserved much, much more!
Did I already say what a good job Preet did? Not only did he take most excellent care of my Kids - which is ALL I had required of him - told him NOT to worry about the house - I didn't care what condition it was in when I returned, and I really, really didn't [although I do appreciate that the bathrooms were cleaned, the floors were cleaned, and both refrigerators were clean...], Preet also went to the grocery store to get milk, bread and orange juice so that it would be here for us. Sweet! No eggs, though. Why? Because there were no eggs to be found at all three of our little grocery stores on the compound! It is Ramadan, here. We go through this every single year. The Commissary's run out of eggs and milk and other basic necessities during Ramadan. Who is doing the ordering? Might it not behoove you to look at last year's orders to determine that more eggs and milk are consumed during this time period than at almost any other - the only other time being perhaps Christmas when all the returning students are here with their families - we run out of flour at that time - every single year. I give Preet credit for trying to get us eggs. Not his fault that the person in charge of ordering for the grocery stores can't properly do his job and order a few extra dozen cases of eggs when Ramadan starts. So I went to the Commissary yesterday. Oh, yeah. I'm home.
I miss Food Lion and Kroger and Harris Teeter! And Loews Foods! [Lowes Foods has the best wine selection of all the grocery stores in Raleigh, North Carolina, as far as I am concerned!] The grocery stores are sooo, sooo different in the States. The selection. Oh, the selection! So much to choose from. I think while I was home but for just a couple of days, I went to one of the grocery stores every single day. Yes. I really did. And I enjoyed it! Yes. I really did. I could get ALL the items I needed in one single trip at one store! It is just one of those little joys that you will not be able to realize unless you have lived in other countries where grocery stores are something completely different than what they are in the States. Completely different. The size alone, of the grocery stores in the States is far beyond anything here. Oh, sure Geant is a huge store, but it is so sorely lacking of items that are typical of what Westerner's would consume. Oh yeah. Sorely lacking is an understatement, there. My little trip to our "big" Commissary yesterday made me homesick - and I'd been home for less than twelve hours... Not good. I cannot let myself start getting back to the "funk" I was in prior to leaving with being so discouraged and dissatisfied with absolutely every single aspect of life, here. Less than twelve hours is way too soon. Way, way too soon...
There was not a single package of U.S. meat available. I don't eat it - meat - but I still need it for DH. There was not a single bag of "salad," pre-cleaned and cut lettuce - just heads of lettuce. A head - very, very small head, I might add - of iceberg lettuce - which I hate - was priced at 25.50 Riyals [$7.56!], and a head of Boston Bibb lettuce cost 57.50 Riyals [$17.06!!!]. Not kidding. [I like the bags with the Romaine and red cabbage... None to be found. I am going to starve! Not a bad thing. I brought home an extra eleven pounds...] There was no low-fat milk. Only whole milk. I can't drink it. To me, it is the equivalent of drinking cream. There were only a few small bunches of those little squat bananas and they were green. "Lime green." I didn't buy any. It was not a surprise that we still cannot get canned potatoes or any canned seafood [crab or lobster]. Do I like canned seafood? Not really. My preference would be fresh, or at least frozen. I eat canned because it is all that has ever been available, here. To anyone that has read this blog before, it should not come as a surprise that I have shipped a case of canned potatoes over and two cases of crab meat...
My Mom is a fabulous cook. She doesn't think she is - and will say that she is a "baker" versus "cook," but that is an outright lie. She CAN cook. And she spoiled us while we were home. One night for dinner we had crab newberg on puff pastry, baked stuffed tomatoes, and avocado, orange, grape and sunflower seed salad. It was not only delicious - but had the eye appeal on a plate that I have yet to achieve for meals. That is just one example - there were meals like that served to us on a nightly basis. And for breakfast - every single morning - she "whipped up" something equally tasty and eye-pleasing. She spoiled my DH for breakfast and if he thinks he is getting that from me, he has another thing coming... But, I returned to the Sandbox thinking that I am going to try harder to do what my Mom does insofar as dinner-time meals. It will be impossible. I will never, ever be able to do it because I will never, ever be able to get all of the ingredients! Sorry, DH, but you are back to life in the Sandbox. I got some salmon for dinner last night - but then ended up "taking a nap" and sleeping through dinner. DH ate Hot-Pockets. Talk about let down...
So much more... Have to post my photos of the deer families from Mom's back yard. Amazing how something so small can have such an impact. Every morning I sat outside with my Bailey's in my coffee and my breakfast - Kool cigarettes - and watched the deer come for their morning corn. [I don't eat eggs, either.] It was peaceful and relaxing and one of nature's amazing gifts. I want to post about our trip home. Our trip to the beach [Andrea, my Dear, you outdid yourself on this one!]. And yes, more. But right now it is going on six o'clock. My two Kids are beside themselves that we are not going to get our morning walk if we don't get going NOW and they are right. It is still quite warm, here, and we need to get our "walking uniforms" on and get out to greet the day. Back to my life, here, and a daily routine. Perhaps more later. But there is much to do so not likely. I have all of YOUR blogs to catch up on... There is much unpacking that should have been done yesterday but what really happened what that I opened suitcases and moved the items from the suitcases to the dining room table and on to hangers that are hanging in doorways and not in closets... And, let's not forget that HB16 is gone and I am "house-boy-less!" The horror!!! I have no idea what is in the news, here. The papers from yesterday are piled on the papers that Preet neatly stacked for me for the entire month we were gone. [No, I do not cancel the paper. I will read them all, in time, and post on anything that would have been posted had I have been here and not in the States.] Okay. Enough for today - or at least for now...
Yesterday was a wash out. We didn't end up going to bed until after three in the morning - probably closer to four - and so getting up at 4:30 or five was out of the question. My Kids were not happy. Mommy is finally home and there was no walk. WTF?!? When I finally did crawl out of bed they were quite confused that our morning routine was so off kilter. When there is no walk, there is no peace in this household. There will be a walk, today, for sure! What a difference a month has made, though, here. When we left it was light outside shortly after four in the morning. It is five in the morning and still dark. We do not and will not walk in the dark. Too difficult to see if there are other furry creatures out there - specifically "C A T S!" But trust me, because I am up, my Kids are too. "Are we going today?" "Are you ready?" They are pacing back and forth and following my every footstep. Don't worry, we ARE going today...
The man who babysat the Kids for the past month and house sat for us did a spectacular job. I am so pleased with the way everything worked out so perfectly. He came highly recommended. He has been here in the Sandbox working for American families for almost thirty years! Thirty years! He has put his two oldest children through college and married off his oldest of those two on the income he has made laboring for us. He is from India. He has two younger children - a twelve or thirteen year old and and eight year old. His two older children are twenty-six and twenty-three. Quite an age spread there, I'd say, but considering the fact that when he first arrived in the Sandbox he only went home for three months every TWO years! Imagine being married and having your husband go off to another country for two years at a time and only coming home to visit you for two or three months. When my husband first came over here without me, as a contractor, he was here for eleven weeks and then home for two weeks. We did this for seven or eight months and it was beyond what I could take. How these workers that come here can do what they do for so long without family is unimaginable. But, I am very thankful and lucky to have found Preet. He did, as I said, a MOST EXCELLENT job!!! [I paid him handsomely, much more than what we had agreed upon, and before I left I asked him if there was anything he would like from the States - he wanted "pocket tee-shirts with a collar." Polo shirts. I brought him back a couple - and when he stays here again when we leave for the Holidays - I will bring him back a suitcase full!] My Kids were well looked after [yes, I had a couple of friends "check in"], my instructions were followed to a "t," and Preet went as far as taking The Boy to the vet last Monday because his eyes were so red [allergies].
In order to understand just how impressive this is... The Boy is a Great Dane. He is on the small side as Great Dane's go, but he still is NOT small. I am 5'7" tall. When The Boy stands next to me, his back is the same height as my hips. Preet is, at best, 4'10" tall [short?]. He is not a big man at all. The Boy absolutely luvs going for car rides - but once he realizes he is at the Vet he will spend the entire time there heading for the door. I laugh at the mere thought of The Boy pulling poor little Preet [who, is not a young man, either] toward the door. We can enter the Vet's office, but immediately upon doing so, The Boy is ready to leave and at 120-something pounds, The Boy has the ability to make his desire to leave quite well known. Preet told me that the women at the office gave him quite a ribbing for "riding his horse" to the vet. I bet they did, Preet. I bet they did. [I've heard them all... "That's not a dog that's a horse." "Who is walking who?" "What do you feed him and how much does it cost?"] Thanks, Preet. I truly appreciate all you did for my Kids. But to come home to an immaculately cleaned home on top of that... Oh, yeah. I'm reserving this man's services far in advance for the rest of our time here. Please do NOT leave the Sandbox before we do!!!
Preet called yesterday afternoon to inquire about The Boy's eyes to see if they were getting better and to remind me that he has to take his two pills in the morning and two pills at night. "Do not forget to give him his drops, Madam." Okay, Preet. I promise I won't. How sweet is that?!? Believe me, this man deserved to be paid what he was paid. And probably deserved much, much more!
Did I already say what a good job Preet did? Not only did he take most excellent care of my Kids - which is ALL I had required of him - told him NOT to worry about the house - I didn't care what condition it was in when I returned, and I really, really didn't [although I do appreciate that the bathrooms were cleaned, the floors were cleaned, and both refrigerators were clean...], Preet also went to the grocery store to get milk, bread and orange juice so that it would be here for us. Sweet! No eggs, though. Why? Because there were no eggs to be found at all three of our little grocery stores on the compound! It is Ramadan, here. We go through this every single year. The Commissary's run out of eggs and milk and other basic necessities during Ramadan. Who is doing the ordering? Might it not behoove you to look at last year's orders to determine that more eggs and milk are consumed during this time period than at almost any other - the only other time being perhaps Christmas when all the returning students are here with their families - we run out of flour at that time - every single year. I give Preet credit for trying to get us eggs. Not his fault that the person in charge of ordering for the grocery stores can't properly do his job and order a few extra dozen cases of eggs when Ramadan starts. So I went to the Commissary yesterday. Oh, yeah. I'm home.
I miss Food Lion and Kroger and Harris Teeter! And Loews Foods! [Lowes Foods has the best wine selection of all the grocery stores in Raleigh, North Carolina, as far as I am concerned!] The grocery stores are sooo, sooo different in the States. The selection. Oh, the selection! So much to choose from. I think while I was home but for just a couple of days, I went to one of the grocery stores every single day. Yes. I really did. And I enjoyed it! Yes. I really did. I could get ALL the items I needed in one single trip at one store! It is just one of those little joys that you will not be able to realize unless you have lived in other countries where grocery stores are something completely different than what they are in the States. Completely different. The size alone, of the grocery stores in the States is far beyond anything here. Oh, sure Geant is a huge store, but it is so sorely lacking of items that are typical of what Westerner's would consume. Oh yeah. Sorely lacking is an understatement, there. My little trip to our "big" Commissary yesterday made me homesick - and I'd been home for less than twelve hours... Not good. I cannot let myself start getting back to the "funk" I was in prior to leaving with being so discouraged and dissatisfied with absolutely every single aspect of life, here. Less than twelve hours is way too soon. Way, way too soon...
There was not a single package of U.S. meat available. I don't eat it - meat - but I still need it for DH. There was not a single bag of "salad," pre-cleaned and cut lettuce - just heads of lettuce. A head - very, very small head, I might add - of iceberg lettuce - which I hate - was priced at 25.50 Riyals [$7.56!], and a head of Boston Bibb lettuce cost 57.50 Riyals [$17.06!!!]. Not kidding. [I like the bags with the Romaine and red cabbage... None to be found. I am going to starve! Not a bad thing. I brought home an extra eleven pounds...] There was no low-fat milk. Only whole milk. I can't drink it. To me, it is the equivalent of drinking cream. There were only a few small bunches of those little squat bananas and they were green. "Lime green." I didn't buy any. It was not a surprise that we still cannot get canned potatoes or any canned seafood [crab or lobster]. Do I like canned seafood? Not really. My preference would be fresh, or at least frozen. I eat canned because it is all that has ever been available, here. To anyone that has read this blog before, it should not come as a surprise that I have shipped a case of canned potatoes over and two cases of crab meat...
My Mom is a fabulous cook. She doesn't think she is - and will say that she is a "baker" versus "cook," but that is an outright lie. She CAN cook. And she spoiled us while we were home. One night for dinner we had crab newberg on puff pastry, baked stuffed tomatoes, and avocado, orange, grape and sunflower seed salad. It was not only delicious - but had the eye appeal on a plate that I have yet to achieve for meals. That is just one example - there were meals like that served to us on a nightly basis. And for breakfast - every single morning - she "whipped up" something equally tasty and eye-pleasing. She spoiled my DH for breakfast and if he thinks he is getting that from me, he has another thing coming... But, I returned to the Sandbox thinking that I am going to try harder to do what my Mom does insofar as dinner-time meals. It will be impossible. I will never, ever be able to do it because I will never, ever be able to get all of the ingredients! Sorry, DH, but you are back to life in the Sandbox. I got some salmon for dinner last night - but then ended up "taking a nap" and sleeping through dinner. DH ate Hot-Pockets. Talk about let down...
So much more... Have to post my photos of the deer families from Mom's back yard. Amazing how something so small can have such an impact. Every morning I sat outside with my Bailey's in my coffee and my breakfast - Kool cigarettes - and watched the deer come for their morning corn. [I don't eat eggs, either.] It was peaceful and relaxing and one of nature's amazing gifts. I want to post about our trip home. Our trip to the beach [Andrea, my Dear, you outdid yourself on this one!]. And yes, more. But right now it is going on six o'clock. My two Kids are beside themselves that we are not going to get our morning walk if we don't get going NOW and they are right. It is still quite warm, here, and we need to get our "walking uniforms" on and get out to greet the day. Back to my life, here, and a daily routine. Perhaps more later. But there is much to do so not likely. I have all of YOUR blogs to catch up on... There is much unpacking that should have been done yesterday but what really happened what that I opened suitcases and moved the items from the suitcases to the dining room table and on to hangers that are hanging in doorways and not in closets... And, let's not forget that HB16 is gone and I am "house-boy-less!" The horror!!! I have no idea what is in the news, here. The papers from yesterday are piled on the papers that Preet neatly stacked for me for the entire month we were gone. [No, I do not cancel the paper. I will read them all, in time, and post on anything that would have been posted had I have been here and not in the States.] Okay. Enough for today - or at least for now...
Thursday, September 04, 2008
Home, Again
Traveling is much more work than it is cracked up to be. We are finally home. My Kids were happy, happy, happy to see Mommy and Daddy [but mostly Mommy, of course!]. We left the States yesterday - from my Mom's at 5P to the airport for a flight leaving at 7:25P out of Raleigh-Durham to Washington, D.C., then from there to Doha, Qatar, and from there to Bahrain. We arrived home at 11:48P this evening - or 4:48P East Coast time. Almost 24 long hours. Seems a heck of a lot longer with screaming children behind and next to you on your longest flight - the Washington, D.C. to Doha leg of the trip. Blogging on a regular basis will resume again, tomorrow, and as per my usual I have some things to say. First about the trip home - and how it is that screaming children and babies are allowed in Business Class, anyway?!? And why is it that during Ramadan and there is no alcohol served in the airport lounges in Middle Eastern countries... Tomorrow. That can all wait until tomorrow. Tonight? Have played with The Boy and his new flying squirrel - his old one, a favorite toy, has seen a little too much flying and landing into Great Dane teeth! It was long past due time for a new one. And, The Baby has new squeaky balls - her absolute favorite! [Trust me, there are a lot more toys in the suitcases but I don't bring them all out at once. We need to clean the toy box out. There isn't any room for all the new toys...] Will play a bit more and then get some of the unpacking done - five full suitcases along with a full golf bag [DH's only responsibility as far as the packing and unpacking goes - so that one is up to him] - and a couple of small carry-ons to take care of. Oh joy. But we are home - and for all the negativity I may give this place, the Sandbox, this IS our home for now - and it is a good thing - to be home. Traveling is fine, occasionally - and it IS wonderful to spend time with family and friends - but it is GREAT to be home with our Kids and to get to sleep in our own bed, too!
Tuesday, September 02, 2008
Glorious Labor Day Weekend
We just spent the most picture-perfect weekend at Ocean Isle Beach in North Carolina with my Mom and a group of friends. The weather could not have been better. It was incredible - bright blue sky with lots and lots and lots of sunshine - which helped my chigger bites tremendously! I do believe I am finally done scratching. Phew. That only took a week or so... DH and his buddies played golf both Saturday and Sunday while everyone else spent time in the sun on the beach. Honestly, I couldn't have asked for anything more all weekend - it was beyond perfect - and the bar has now been set to a height that will be difficult to obtain for furture Labor Day weekend gatherings.
It is clearly Fall, here. This morning, outside, it is 62 degrees! Crisp. Cold! A big difference from last week's weather - and a huge difference in what the weather will be for us when we get home. We leave soon and will be home in time for all but the very beginning of Ramadan. Not a time I particularly enjoy in the Sandbox, but DH likes being there for Ramadan. Perhaps next year I'll work the vacation schedule just a bit differently - and I will remain in the States for the duration of Ramadan. But, that is a long way off and too much to think about right now.
In the meantime, I am going to enjoy my coffee with Bailey's this morning; enjoy drinking Bloody Mary's after lunch; and a bottle of Sterling Cabernet with dinner. But more importantly, enjoy spending time with my Mom before we say goodbye. Leaving is always bitter-sweet. You want to get home - it is difficult to live out of a suitcase for three and a half weeks - you want your own "stuff" like your own bed - and I miss my Kids terribly. Yet, leaving family is not easy, either, and you want to stay just a little longer... Bitter-sweet. But back to real-life. Soon.
It is clearly Fall, here. This morning, outside, it is 62 degrees! Crisp. Cold! A big difference from last week's weather - and a huge difference in what the weather will be for us when we get home. We leave soon and will be home in time for all but the very beginning of Ramadan. Not a time I particularly enjoy in the Sandbox, but DH likes being there for Ramadan. Perhaps next year I'll work the vacation schedule just a bit differently - and I will remain in the States for the duration of Ramadan. But, that is a long way off and too much to think about right now.
In the meantime, I am going to enjoy my coffee with Bailey's this morning; enjoy drinking Bloody Mary's after lunch; and a bottle of Sterling Cabernet with dinner. But more importantly, enjoy spending time with my Mom before we say goodbye. Leaving is always bitter-sweet. You want to get home - it is difficult to live out of a suitcase for three and a half weeks - you want your own "stuff" like your own bed - and I miss my Kids terribly. Yet, leaving family is not easy, either, and you want to stay just a little longer... Bitter-sweet. But back to real-life. Soon.
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Chiggers
I am covered with chigger bites. Covered! DH and I have been out scouting property and trying to find the perfect spot on which to build our next dream house and it was a very, very grave mistake walking a property last Friday with NO bug spray. DH has a few bites on his feet and ankles. [We both had jeans and ankle socks on with sneakers.] I got absolutely attacked. I have bites on my ankles, my legs [53 bites on my right leg alone that I counted in the car yesterday!], my butt, my back, my neck, my chest... There is NOT a portion of me that the chiggers didn't get. I look like I have some sort of disease. It is not pretty.
Today I must finish getting our shipment ready to go to the airport for tomorrow. We will go to the beach for the upcoming long weekend and then we head home. Visiting is always fun. Spending time with family and friends is great. But it will be nice to be home in our own place and not living out of a suitcase, too!
Today I must finish getting our shipment ready to go to the airport for tomorrow. We will go to the beach for the upcoming long weekend and then we head home. Visiting is always fun. Spending time with family and friends is great. But it will be nice to be home in our own place and not living out of a suitcase, too!
Monday, August 18, 2008
I Shot the Deer...
...with my camera, of course! I got shots of the entire family - all five of them - yesterday morning. I swear the babies have grown just in the ten days I've been here. They still have their spots, though, and you can tell they are still babies. I got quite a few pictures of the young male - even his little antlers have grown an inch since I've been here - there were little nubs - and now they are much more pronounced. The Momma deer is mean! She wants all of the food that is put down for herself, and she does not hesitate to clock one of the others - even one of the babies - in the head with her front hoof - if someone else dares to get too close to the food - so now I spread the food out in three different places. I heard her "clock" the young male a few days ago - watched it, as well - but it was the sound that made the impact - BONK! You just know that was a headache. Poor little guy... I am not so sure that feeding the deer is a good thing. Walmart sells big 40 pound bags of "deer corn" for $7.67 - so I bought 120 pounds of it. My Mom's neighbor was feeding them - and she has gone to visit a friend for a week - so I took over.
The deer are NOT tame - but when I walk down the little hill to the feeding spot shaking the corn - they don't go far, either. I want them to be very timid and scared of people. Be very, very afraid of people, little deer - especially men - men that are carrying what look like big long sticks. Those are not sticks! They are guns. And the deer are going to end up in someone's freezer as meat, I just know it. And when I think about that, all I can think of is the scene from "My Cousin Vinny," where Vinny asks Lisa about the pants he is wearing to go hunting and she says, "Imagine you're a deer. You're prancing along. You get thirsty. You spot a little brook. You put your little deer lips down to the cool, clear water - BAM. A fuckin' bullet rips off part of your head. Your brains are lying on the ground in little bloody pieces. Now I ask ya, would you give a fuck what kind of pants the son-of-a-bitch who shot you was wearing?" [What a great movie!]
There is a small gray fox roaming the woods in the back of my Mom's house as well. Mom told us about it - and then I saw it a few days later. Yesterday, I raced inside to get my camera to get pictures when it was out back and by the time I got outside again, it had raced off into the woods. The camera is out in the screen porch, now, at the ready, so I can have it right at my fingertips to "shoot the fox" when it next appears - and I'll post all my "wild life" pictures when I get home in a couple of weeks.
The deer are NOT tame - but when I walk down the little hill to the feeding spot shaking the corn - they don't go far, either. I want them to be very timid and scared of people. Be very, very afraid of people, little deer - especially men - men that are carrying what look like big long sticks. Those are not sticks! They are guns. And the deer are going to end up in someone's freezer as meat, I just know it. And when I think about that, all I can think of is the scene from "My Cousin Vinny," where Vinny asks Lisa about the pants he is wearing to go hunting and she says, "Imagine you're a deer. You're prancing along. You get thirsty. You spot a little brook. You put your little deer lips down to the cool, clear water - BAM. A fuckin' bullet rips off part of your head. Your brains are lying on the ground in little bloody pieces. Now I ask ya, would you give a fuck what kind of pants the son-of-a-bitch who shot you was wearing?" [What a great movie!]
There is a small gray fox roaming the woods in the back of my Mom's house as well. Mom told us about it - and then I saw it a few days later. Yesterday, I raced inside to get my camera to get pictures when it was out back and by the time I got outside again, it had raced off into the woods. The camera is out in the screen porch, now, at the ready, so I can have it right at my fingertips to "shoot the fox" when it next appears - and I'll post all my "wild life" pictures when I get home in a couple of weeks.
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Shopping, Shopping and More Shopping
This is how shopping is supposed to be! All of it!!! Go to any store you want - at almost any time you want - wearing anything you want. And I am shopping until I am dropping. I came with a list of things that we had to have that we will ship back. The list is not as lengthy as it has been some years, but there are numerous items and it will make my return to the Sandbox just that much more pleasant for me to have these items. Crab meat. I have two cases ready to ship back. A new crock pot. I can't get my cigarettes in Saudi so I ship those back. The Honest Kitchen's dog food for my Kids. Bike shorts. Reese's peanut butter. Stacks of books - some of which if I do not put them in my suitcase and hand-carry them, very likely will not make it through customs, "Confessions of an Innocent Man - Torture and Survival in a Saudi Prison," by William Sampson is an example of one of the books I will hand-carry back [provided I am able to make it through Bahrain onto Saudi as there is that little glitch with my passport that says my Visa is no good - minor problem today - major problem when I am ready to return]. I've haunted all of my favorite clothing stores J. Crew, Banana Republic and Gap - the bathing suit stores - and department stores Nordstrom, Dillards... I am not done. There are still several malls that have are begging me to visit. My favorite "toy" stores for my Kids have all been happy to see me - okay, happy to see my credit card. The Kids will be happy to see Mommy when they realize they have a suitcase full of new toys! And, treats, too!
I am enjoying spending time with my Mom - who has her cast off at this point, although her arm is still in pretty bad shape and she is doing physical therapy several times a week to strengthen it and get it back to being usable. I feel terribly guilty about this. My bother and two sisters really are blaming me for the accident... I will never buy my Mom another pair of shoes again in her entire life - I promise, Mom! We are spending time with friends, here. The weather has been - up until yesterday - beyond perfect. Crisp blue sky, dry - no humidity [not at all normal for North Carolina in August!], and warm. Evenings require a sweater - I am acclimated to much, much warmer temperatures. It did rain all day yesterday, but even that - because it so rarely happens in the Sandbox - was a welcome change. My Mom has a family of deer that live behind her and every evening they come for dinner. One of the neighbor's puts out deer corn and I've started putting out cut up carrots and apples. There are five deer - two little babies still with spots. I will try to take pictures. It is peaceful and tranquil watching them from a not too far distance.
There is still quite a bit on my agenda. I will be meeting with a realtor to look at lake-front property and will spend a couple of days traveling around with her to find land. We know that we will return to North Carolina and we would like to think that we could start building - perhaps next year - at least the garage to the home we want so that we can store the boat and have our own place to stay - we will put an apartment over the garage. My grown-up Son is on the other side of the state and I will visit him early next week. A visit would not be complete without me harping on him that it is time to get married to the woman he has lived with for a few years and that it is time to make me a grandmother. I am the only one of my peers who is grandchild-less and I must dish out the guilt in this regard. That is what mother's do.
There is more. It is a very busy time. But for sitting in the evening either on the patio or in the sun-porch sipping Sterling I've had no down time. We will spend time at the beach and that will be down time. In the meantime, I am going to continue at the pace I'm going and make the best of my time in the States and return to the Sandbox with a new attitude and ready to live in a country where I can't do hardly any of what I am doing now...
I am enjoying spending time with my Mom - who has her cast off at this point, although her arm is still in pretty bad shape and she is doing physical therapy several times a week to strengthen it and get it back to being usable. I feel terribly guilty about this. My bother and two sisters really are blaming me for the accident... I will never buy my Mom another pair of shoes again in her entire life - I promise, Mom! We are spending time with friends, here. The weather has been - up until yesterday - beyond perfect. Crisp blue sky, dry - no humidity [not at all normal for North Carolina in August!], and warm. Evenings require a sweater - I am acclimated to much, much warmer temperatures. It did rain all day yesterday, but even that - because it so rarely happens in the Sandbox - was a welcome change. My Mom has a family of deer that live behind her and every evening they come for dinner. One of the neighbor's puts out deer corn and I've started putting out cut up carrots and apples. There are five deer - two little babies still with spots. I will try to take pictures. It is peaceful and tranquil watching them from a not too far distance.
There is still quite a bit on my agenda. I will be meeting with a realtor to look at lake-front property and will spend a couple of days traveling around with her to find land. We know that we will return to North Carolina and we would like to think that we could start building - perhaps next year - at least the garage to the home we want so that we can store the boat and have our own place to stay - we will put an apartment over the garage. My grown-up Son is on the other side of the state and I will visit him early next week. A visit would not be complete without me harping on him that it is time to get married to the woman he has lived with for a few years and that it is time to make me a grandmother. I am the only one of my peers who is grandchild-less and I must dish out the guilt in this regard. That is what mother's do.
There is more. It is a very busy time. But for sitting in the evening either on the patio or in the sun-porch sipping Sterling I've had no down time. We will spend time at the beach and that will be down time. In the meantime, I am going to continue at the pace I'm going and make the best of my time in the States and return to the Sandbox with a new attitude and ready to live in a country where I can't do hardly any of what I am doing now...
Wednesday, August 06, 2008
Home. Sweet Home!
I am leaving The Sandbox. At three o'clock in the morning a driver is picking me up and taking me to Bahrain to the airport. I will then board a flight to Doha, Qatar. There, I will sit in the "lounge" and wait for four hours - sans black garbage bag - for a flight to Washington, D.C. I am NOT going to apologize for being "fussy" and "older" and refusing to fly in economy. Been there. Done that. Got the t-shirt. Nope. Won't do it. Won't apologize, and won't fly in "economy." Did that for several years. Business Class is the ONLY way to travel. Probably First Class is better - but I am not quite there, yet. When we finally leave The Sandbox and return to the States, for good, I will book First Class Tickets. You think economy is expensive? Business Class is double - if not more - than economy - and First Class is out of our price range. A ticket from Bahrain to the States in economy is about $1,300.00; a ticket from Bahrain to the States in Business Class is $2,400.00; First Class is $7,000 or $9,000. It is NOT a "simple" flight. It is several flights from here to Home. Home. Sweet. Home.
I almost didn't make it! My passport has my visa in it that allows me to be in Saudi Arabia. Every year the visa has to be renewed. On June 8th of this year, my visa was renewed and the full-page "sticker" was put into my passport. It very, very, very clearly shows that I have a multiple entry and multiple exit visa - which means that I can come and go from Saudi Arabia at will. The other type of visa is a single entry - single exit. Which means that you can enter the country - Saudi - and you can exit the country. Once. My driver and I were in the car at Saudi customs on the Causeway and the Saudi customs official asked me for my iqama - my work papers - apparently I must look like a maid. However, I do not have an iqama - as I do not work [unless you count my job as a professional sunbather]. I told the customs guy that I didn't have an iqama and he told me that my visa was expired and that I could not leave. WTF?!? No. It is not. It is a brand new visa - it says "multiple" right on it - and customs refused to stamp my passport. The customs guy told me that I had to go in the office. Nope. Not doing it. It is 3:15 in the morning. And I do not have my black garbage bag with me - as I am going to Bahrain where it is not necessary or required - and I've got a short-sleeve t-shirt on with jeans. My arms are bare... Not getting out of the car in Saudi.
The flight is a long one. Very, very, very long. From Bahrain to Doha, Qatar, the flight is about a half an hour. From Qatar to Washington, D.C., the flight is fourteen hours. Fourteen hours on the same plane. Cannot speak highly enough about Qatar Airlines. Will say, though, that the male flight attendants are much more on the ball than the female flight attendants. Why is this, I wonder? I arrived in Washington at 4:30P on Thursday. I tried to get an earlier flight from Washington, D.C. to Raleigh, N.C., and couldn't. Domestic flying is beyond pathetic. I look forward to the day where I never have to fly, again. As long as we continue to live in Saudi Arabia, not flying isn't an option. I need to come home a couple of times a year to see my Mom and my Son.
I have not read one Saudi paper since I arrived and may or may not... There was no computer at my Mom's when I got here - well there was a computer - but apparently one of my nephew's had been on it a week or so ago and opened some sight that infected it with some virus. It was a two day process to get it fixed. I didn't do it - fix it - and my Mom is even more "technically" challenged than I am. Both of us - Mom and me - are being very careful. We were told by the man who got the computer back up and running that until we had a professional do some work on it that he would recommend that neither of us try to access any bank information or order anything on-line with a credit card. WHAT?!? That's how I shop!!! But we are heeding the advice we've been given.
I have a list of things that I must accomplish here - and a shipment to get ready to have sent back to Saudi of all the things that I cannot buy there. The Honest Kitchen dog food, Tide liquid detergent, Secret deodorant, blah, blah, blah...
My appointment with the orthopedist, here, for my knee, was on Friday afternoon. It was a disaster - the entire appointment and three hours spent at the North Raleigh Orthopedic Clinic was a TACWOT [total and complete waste of time]! I have a much, much higher opinion and newfound respect for the medical facilities available to me in Saudi, right now, and even though I absolutely detest playing "the Clinic Game," there, Dr. M. - the Saudi orthopedist - has a whole lot more on the ball than the Physician's Assistant I saw, here. I had an appointment with a doctor - but for some reason he took Friday afternoon off - and no one bothered to share with me that I wasn't going to be seeing a doctor. I have much, much more to say about this, but I am still on a "funny" time zone - not sleeping normally - and just want to get this post up that I started right before I left and am finishing at 7:15 on Sunday morning in North Carolina as I sip on coffee and Bailey's! Yes. Bailey's for breakfast!!! Life is good.
Humidity is Dreadful
Oh my gosh. It is so humid outside it is about unbearable. The ground is wet - not damp - wet! Thank goodness we only get a short period of it. If it was this hot and humid outside for the entire summer it would be beyond miserable, here. I really wanted to spend the afternoon outside, "working" but that may not happen because it is just so nasty outside. The pool heats up with the humidity - someone explained the "scientific" reason for this to me, but it just made no sense. And when the pool is as warm as it is, it is not either comfortable or pleasant. They make "chillers" that cool pools. I think next year we need to look into getting one.
Roads Just Keep Getting Worse, Here
Perhaps the fact that accidents are being reported in the newspapers on a regular basis will be a wake up call. I had lunch with a friend, here, yesterday, and we talked about this a bit. How driving, in some ways, is so different from driving anywhere else. It is not at all uncommon to see children sitting in the front completely unrestrained - children - plural. And how, if you stop to offer assistance at an accident, here, you can and will be blamed if anything happens to the people involved in the wreck. Mind boggling.
While authorities are busy talking about road conditions and attending the National Human Rights Society's seminars the bodies continue to "pile up." Talk all you want. Action is what is needed. And, it is not going to happen.
Accidents reported today are here and here. Total dead [reported], four. Total injured? Numerous.
While authorities are busy talking about road conditions and attending the National Human Rights Society's seminars the bodies continue to "pile up." Talk all you want. Action is what is needed. And, it is not going to happen.
Accidents reported today are here and here. Total dead [reported], four. Total injured? Numerous.
Tuesday, August 05, 2008
Locally...
I am not even quite sure what a "rest house" is. A temporary kind of hotel, or something? "Three private rest houses raided in Jeddah." The report says that "The Commission for Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice... confiscated large quantities of liquor, and arrested several men and six African women."
Road carnage. Lots. Here. Here. Here. Here. And, here. The National Human Rights Society [NHRS] is going to "discuss solutions for traffic accidents," though, so the matter will be resolved... Umm. Yeah. Sure it will. Is the NHRS getting paid for their "discussion?" If so, then I want in on it. I've already "discussed" the matter with myself and I have the solution. Fines, arrests, license suspensions, impound vehicles. Six words. And I didn't even have to talk until I was blue in the face and passed out. "Experts have said traffic accidents cost Saudi Arabia SR18 billion [$4,825,737,265.41 in U.S. dollars] every year, which includes damage to public property, compensation to families, and medical treatment. Talal Qasty, member of NHRS will present a study detailing the reasons, suggestions and possible solutions to improve the morality rate on the roads. The Traffic Administration issued statistics stating that one out of three hospital beds is occupied by traffic accident victims. In the last 25 years, 65,000 people were killed in traffic related accidents and 500,000 were injured. Police issued one million traffic violation tickets for speeding as well as crossing red lights."
When? When did police issue one million traffic violation tickets? Over the course of the last 25 years? Exactly what purpose does a "traffic violation ticket" serve? Is it a summons to go to court? Is it a fine? Or, is it nothing more than a useless piece of paper which is issued to a driver who either wads it up and throws it out his car window as the police officer watches or later uses it for toilet paper?
Road carnage. Lots. Here. Here. Here. Here. And, here. The National Human Rights Society [NHRS] is going to "discuss solutions for traffic accidents," though, so the matter will be resolved... Umm. Yeah. Sure it will. Is the NHRS getting paid for their "discussion?" If so, then I want in on it. I've already "discussed" the matter with myself and I have the solution. Fines, arrests, license suspensions, impound vehicles. Six words. And I didn't even have to talk until I was blue in the face and passed out. "Experts have said traffic accidents cost Saudi Arabia SR18 billion [$4,825,737,265.41 in U.S. dollars] every year, which includes damage to public property, compensation to families, and medical treatment. Talal Qasty, member of NHRS will present a study detailing the reasons, suggestions and possible solutions to improve the morality rate on the roads. The Traffic Administration issued statistics stating that one out of three hospital beds is occupied by traffic accident victims. In the last 25 years, 65,000 people were killed in traffic related accidents and 500,000 were injured. Police issued one million traffic violation tickets for speeding as well as crossing red lights."
When? When did police issue one million traffic violation tickets? Over the course of the last 25 years? Exactly what purpose does a "traffic violation ticket" serve? Is it a summons to go to court? Is it a fine? Or, is it nothing more than a useless piece of paper which is issued to a driver who either wads it up and throws it out his car window as the police officer watches or later uses it for toilet paper?
Women Abused
Wow! This is rather incredulous. "Most women in Riyadh abused - study." Short article, though, for such serious subject matter. "According to a survey of women in Riyadh, 95 percent have been subjected for a form of physical or emotional abuse from within their family." How were the 80 women who were interviewed about their family life chosen? Seems like a relatively small handful of women, considering the population... Were the 80 women that were interviewed at a women's shelter or something? 95% of 80 women. Something is not right about this study. Not saying that the women were not abused - they probably were - but wouldn't a much larger number of women be needed to truly give an accurate picture of abuse in this - or any - society?
Keel Big Brown Bugs
For the umpteenth time, pest control has come to spray my jacquemontia, which, for some reason, is being infested with mealy bugs - lots and lots of mealy bugs. I believe the mealy bugs came with the tomatoes I had planted - which I placed, in pots, directly in front of the jacquemontia because tomatoes needs bees to "pollinate" or whatever it is tomatoes do, and the flowers on the jacquemontia attracted bees. Made all the sense in the world to me at the time... The tomatoes ended up dying - but not before we could harvest a small handful to eat - the mealy bugs destroyed the plants. Last week I noticed that the mealy bugs had, yet again, infested the jacquemontia and I called and made an appointment for pest control to come. I was telling Appuk - our fabulous gardener - that the jacquemontia had to be cut back before pest control came because otherwise there was no way they were going to be able to spray it, effectively.
Appuk said, "Oh, yes, Madam, also have blue pellets for big brown bugs in front. Come. I may show you." I went out front with Appuk and he told me that "blue pellets need to keel big brown bugs, here and here and here. Flowers are keeled." Okay, then. When pest control comes to spray the mealy bugs, I will have them put out "blue pellets" to "keel big brown bugs." Pest control came. They sprayed - and by spray, I mean saturated! - the jacquemontia. Pest control will have to come back in ten days to spray again because the eggs will hatch and the nasty little mealy bugs will be back... Pest control knew exactly what I needed when I told them to put "blue pellets" in all of the flower beds out front - and they sprinkled the "blue pellets" for me.
Yesterday, Appuk told me "no water two days, Madam, to keel bugs." Fine. You are the gardener, Appuk. You know better than me what needs to be done. Makes sense. If you are laying down "blue pellets" you don't want them washed away by watering - ditto for the jacquemontia that had been sprayed. "Come. I may show you." So I went out front and Appuk pointed out this huge nasty mutant looking brown thing - good grief - it was big enough for a small child to ride! And it was ugleeeey! But it was not a "big brown bug," it is a "big brown slug!" The blue pellets are doing what they are supposed to do, though, which is to "keel big brown bugs." I learn something new every day, and apparently, in this part of the world slugs are bugs...
Appuk said, "Oh, yes, Madam, also have blue pellets for big brown bugs in front. Come. I may show you." I went out front with Appuk and he told me that "blue pellets need to keel big brown bugs, here and here and here. Flowers are keeled." Okay, then. When pest control comes to spray the mealy bugs, I will have them put out "blue pellets" to "keel big brown bugs." Pest control came. They sprayed - and by spray, I mean saturated! - the jacquemontia. Pest control will have to come back in ten days to spray again because the eggs will hatch and the nasty little mealy bugs will be back... Pest control knew exactly what I needed when I told them to put "blue pellets" in all of the flower beds out front - and they sprinkled the "blue pellets" for me.
Yesterday, Appuk told me "no water two days, Madam, to keel bugs." Fine. You are the gardener, Appuk. You know better than me what needs to be done. Makes sense. If you are laying down "blue pellets" you don't want them washed away by watering - ditto for the jacquemontia that had been sprayed. "Come. I may show you." So I went out front and Appuk pointed out this huge nasty mutant looking brown thing - good grief - it was big enough for a small child to ride! And it was ugleeeey! But it was not a "big brown bug," it is a "big brown slug!" The blue pellets are doing what they are supposed to do, though, which is to "keel big brown bugs." I learn something new every day, and apparently, in this part of the world slugs are bugs...
Monday, August 04, 2008
Saudi Judge Busted
This will be all over the web in no time. I saw it at JammieWearingFool.
"A Saudi judge who served as head of an Islamic court has reportedly been arrested in the Gulf emirate of Dubai on charges of possessing and using drugs."
He "was arrested along with his Moroccan wife after police raided their room in a Dubai hotel on Friday and found four grams of hashish in his possession..."
"The judge confessed that he and his wife take drugs and said he brought the confiscated hashish from Saudi Arabia for their personal use."
"Sharia courts in Saudi Arabia impose tough penalties for drug-related charges, and drug trafficking is punishable by death..."
So what will happen to him and his wife? Will this just get quietly swept under the rug? If he has already confessed - that he uses drugs - and that he transported the drugs to Dubai from Saudi - seems to me he should be found guilty - isn't transporting drugs from one country to another what trafficking is?
"A Saudi judge who served as head of an Islamic court has reportedly been arrested in the Gulf emirate of Dubai on charges of possessing and using drugs."
He "was arrested along with his Moroccan wife after police raided their room in a Dubai hotel on Friday and found four grams of hashish in his possession..."
"The judge confessed that he and his wife take drugs and said he brought the confiscated hashish from Saudi Arabia for their personal use."
"Sharia courts in Saudi Arabia impose tough penalties for drug-related charges, and drug trafficking is punishable by death..."
So what will happen to him and his wife? Will this just get quietly swept under the rug? If he has already confessed - that he uses drugs - and that he transported the drugs to Dubai from Saudi - seems to me he should be found guilty - isn't transporting drugs from one country to another what trafficking is?
A Couple of Letters...
From today's Arab News, worth commenting on...
I must have missed this... Or, perhaps I did see it, and just thought it was so poorly written that it wasn't worth taking the time to blog. In response, Um Faisal Ibrahim of Dammam, writes:
"There is no problem with Saudization. The problem is the Saudi youth who are not qualified to take up the jobs that are available. I have interacted with a lot of Saudis, both young men and women. Most of them don’t even reach the college level, due to low marks in school. How do you expect these young Saudis to be employed in government and private sectors if they are not even qualified to take, let’s say, an engineering or a medical course? Most of these jobs are taken by expats because there are not enough Saudis to fill these positions.
I must have missed this... Or, perhaps I did see it, and just thought it was so poorly written that it wasn't worth taking the time to blog. In response, Um Faisal Ibrahim of Dammam, writes:
"There is no problem with Saudization. The problem is the Saudi youth who are not qualified to take up the jobs that are available. I have interacted with a lot of Saudis, both young men and women. Most of them don’t even reach the college level, due to low marks in school. How do you expect these young Saudis to be employed in government and private sectors if they are not even qualified to take, let’s say, an engineering or a medical course? Most of these jobs are taken by expats because there are not enough Saudis to fill these positions.
It is time for the government to look into the present educational system. The syllabus must be changed where necessary. Considering the increasing importance of the English language in the globalized world, it must be made a compulsory subject from primary classes. Ways must be developed to make every student educated in every sense. Inculcate in them the habit of reading. It is in these ways that the youth are honed to become what they can become."
I did blog on the Indian worker who was beaten by his supervisor - and later died - to which, Salah Al-Qahtani writes:"The report “Indian beaten up by supervisor dies after 11 days in hospital” (July 28) does not say anything new about the condition of foreign labor in the country. Mistreating expatriate workers is not an unusual occurrence. First, our media and society allowed employers and others to discriminate against, humiliate and in many cases assault workers from Bangladesh. Maids have been raped and assaulted on a daily basis for decades.
Now the rage is being directed at Indians. Who gave this Egyptian the right to beat anyone? If an employee is not working, he should be fired. A supervisor has no right to assault anybody physically. How will the Ministry of Labour react if a Saudi cashier at a supermarket is beaten up for being lazy which, most of the time, would be true?
By the way, has any Saudi yet been punished for assaulting foreign maids? Arab News should make a report — detailing facts and figures about the cases in which, in the past 12 months, foreign workers were assaulted, the number of culprits punished, and also what the punishments were."
If any Saudi has been punished - wasn't there a man and his wife who were going to be punished in the matter of Nour Miyati - but then in the end they ended up not being punished? No matter... Saudis have not been punished for assaulting foreign maids or workers that I have read about - and there have been no detailing facts of figures with regard to the number of culprits punished or what the punishments were. If I am wrong on this, someone correct me.This Won't Work - Just a Waste of Time
Go ahead and hold all of the workshops you want. Talk until you are blue in the face and pass out. All this is is a waste of time and resources.
You want to stop traffic accidents? Start stopping the drivers who are breaking the laws by speeding, illegally overtaking - passing - other cars, running red lights and stop signs... Issue fines. Throw drivers in jail. Impound their vehicles. Double their insurance premiums. That is how you are going to stop traffic accidents from happening, here!
You want to stop traffic accidents? Start stopping the drivers who are breaking the laws by speeding, illegally overtaking - passing - other cars, running red lights and stop signs... Issue fines. Throw drivers in jail. Impound their vehicles. Double their insurance premiums. That is how you are going to stop traffic accidents from happening, here!
Locally...
Surely there has got to be a way to determine who was driving this car. Are there no records kept on what cars are assigned to municipality workers? Are the cars just kept in a lot with keys in them making them available to any Tom, Dick or Harry Mohammed, Abdullah or Salah who walks by the municipality's lot?
This just sounds nasty. Sewage water used to distill liquor? Nice.
It will be interesting to see how this works out. There has got to be a reason that the 324 job vacancies were not announced - and there has got to be a reason that Saudization has not been implemented with regard to special education positions.
Seems just a bit extreme - selling all your livestock just to watch a Turkish soap opera... I have "clicked" by the television show Noor and actually tried to watch it on occasion. Unfortunately my Arabic is much too basic and I couldn't understand any of what was being said. When I did the "Before" post while redoing the bedroom Noor was on the television in one of my pictures.
Calling BS on this. An innocent child is being used as a pawn in a custody battle and it is just wrong!
And, speaking of BS that is not local... I happened to catch a blurb on Fox News late yesterday afternoon where the grandfather of Caylee Marie Anthony was being interviewed outside the jail where his daughter Casey is being held. The grandfather says that Casey is convinced that Caylee will be home before her birthday in a few days. The more of this saga that I see, the more I am convinced that the whole damn family should be locked up - not just the mother of the little girl - but the grandparents of the little girl. Something terrible has happened to this little girl and I just do not have a good feeling about how it is going to end. The grandparents know - the whole "do a benefit to find Caylee" is nothing but a complete farce. The only victim, here, is the little two - almost three - year-old girl that was missing for an entire month before it was reported!
This just sounds nasty. Sewage water used to distill liquor? Nice.
It will be interesting to see how this works out. There has got to be a reason that the 324 job vacancies were not announced - and there has got to be a reason that Saudization has not been implemented with regard to special education positions.
Seems just a bit extreme - selling all your livestock just to watch a Turkish soap opera... I have "clicked" by the television show Noor and actually tried to watch it on occasion. Unfortunately my Arabic is much too basic and I couldn't understand any of what was being said. When I did the "Before" post while redoing the bedroom Noor was on the television in one of my pictures.
Calling BS on this. An innocent child is being used as a pawn in a custody battle and it is just wrong!
And, speaking of BS that is not local... I happened to catch a blurb on Fox News late yesterday afternoon where the grandfather of Caylee Marie Anthony was being interviewed outside the jail where his daughter Casey is being held. The grandfather says that Casey is convinced that Caylee will be home before her birthday in a few days. The more of this saga that I see, the more I am convinced that the whole damn family should be locked up - not just the mother of the little girl - but the grandparents of the little girl. Something terrible has happened to this little girl and I just do not have a good feeling about how it is going to end. The grandparents know - the whole "do a benefit to find Caylee" is nothing but a complete farce. The only victim, here, is the little two - almost three - year-old girl that was missing for an entire month before it was reported!
Sunday, August 03, 2008
Houseboy No. 15 Is Done
When I contacted an agency several months ago for a new houseboy and gardener, they assured me that their "employees" were trained. BS! Trained? Not in the very least. Clueless. Totally.
Gardener No. 6 didn't last and has been replaced by Appuk - who does a fabulous job! He is old, he is slow, but he works very hard and anticipates what needs done and just does it - and if he thinks the bushes need trimmed and is not sure whether or not he should trim them - he asks. I am hopeful that he will be here as long as we are here so that I do not have to worry about finding a "real" gardener to replace him. [Although, interestingly enough, twice yesterday during my morning walk with The Kids two workers approached me and asked if I needed a gardener. Do they know something I don't? Is Appuk planning on retiring or leaving?]
I have tolerated HB15 even though he doesn't do a very good job, but he gets along with my Kids and that is extremely important. However, I realized a couple of days ago that no matter what it is that HB15 does or cleans for me it is nothing more than a half-ass job. I am not going to tolerate it any longer. I spend as much time cleaning up after him and re-cleaning that it makes absolutely no sense to have him coming here to work. I contracted him to come and work for me three days a week from eight o'clock in the morning until one o'clock in the afternoon. Last month he started telling me on Monday that he can only work three hours. Three hours doesn't get everything done. So after three weeks, I eliminated Monday from his schedule. There problem solved. You no longer work three days a week - now just two. This coming Wednesday will be his last day. Does he know this yet? No. But I won't have any problem whatsoever telling him when I pay him on Wednesday that his services are no longer needed.
The bathrooms are only being cleaned marginally. I went in to DH's bathroom this morning to put new towels up and realized that the spots on the floor that I noticed last week are still there. HB15 spends about an hour in each of our two bathrooms cleaning them - what exactly he is doing in there is a mystery because he obviously isn't doing the cleaning that I've instructed him to do. We had issues with him being on his "mobile" while he was here working for me - and I had to flat out tell him that he needed to put it away - he is working for me and that work does not include talking on your damn phone! He goes into the bathrooms and I hear water running - and the toilet being flushed - and all of the "sounds" that one would hear and make cleaning a bathroom - but he isn't cleaning - or the spots wouldn't be on the floor, would they? HB15 shuts the bathroom door - I should have known better than to allow him to - I'm guessing he is running water and spending the entire hour texting on his mobile - while at the same time doing the bare minimum as it to make it seem like he is cleaning the bathroom. Obviously, he isn't.
I have stacks and stacks of rags - which I clean and neatly fold. We have had the same conversation now about two dozen times - HB15 and I: Use a new, clean rag, for each job. Am I the only one who understands that if you use the same rag for every single job that all you are doing is pushing dirt around?!? I do not want you dusting furniture with one rag and then using it to clean my counter tops. What do YOU not understand about this? Each time that he is here I have to "correct" him on this. And yet, even after we discuss the issue, he continues to use the same rag. I have literally taken it out of his hand and put it in the cleaning bag next to the washer. I ask him if he understands and he says that he does. Obviously, he doesn't.
It is very, very hot outside. And lately it has been humid, too. About a week ago, I saw what looked like a big bug shoot across the floor in front of me and into our broom closet. I moved the vacuum to "stomp" on it and discovered it wasn't a bug, but a baby gecko. I like the little gecko's and had no intention of ending its little life after I realized that that was all it was. However, I don't really want little baby gecko living in my house with me, either. And The Boy will go absolutely berserk trying to get it if he realizes that there is one. Two days ago little baby gecko was crawling up the wall and hid behind a picture - I told DH and had him catch it and take it outside. Yesterday morning I opened the back door and little baby gecko shot back inside. Apparently it is too hot and humid outside for him or her and he or she wants to live inside. DH tried to catch little baby gecko, again, and couldn't. Baby gecko is now residing underneath the refrigerator, in what DH said is a pile of dirt. My fault. I haven't specifically asked HB15 to pull the refrigerators out and clean underneath them - or vacuum the backs of them. Is is really asking too much to find a houseboy that will take a little bit of incentive and actually do something extra - like pull the refrigerators out and clean under and behind them? Yes. Apparently, it is.
On several occasions I have had to tell HB15 that he needs to move the furniture when vacuuming - no, not all the furniture - I don't expect him to move our bed or the bureaus, but I do expect him to move chairs or at least make an effort to reach underneath furniture with the vacuum. I have seen "dust bunnies" living underneath our furniture that are larger than real rabbits! Why do I have to repeatedly tell HB15 to vacuum underneath the buffet or to move the chairs? I shouldn't have to - he's been told on numerous occasions - and yet he still insists on not doing what he's been told. He refuse to vacuum the air conditioning vents unless I specifically tell him to. No, they don't need vacuumed every time you bring the vacuum out - but once a week would be good. Oh, right, you're working a shorter week now - and don't have time. You - or your agency employer - have decided, contrary to what I requested - that you don't need to work for five hours on Monday - only three hours - and I eliminated Monday's since it doesn't work for "your" schedule. Newsflash: You are going to accommodate me - I am not going to accommodate you.
We are leaving for the States soon. I can do all of the housework until then. We will have a man come stay here and take care of The Kids - he is going to have to clean up after them and himself - as HB15 won't be coming... I don't have the desire or the time to try to train someone new before we leave. It will just have to wait until we return. But I am done paying HB15 to come to my house and do a half-ass job that I have to turn around and either reclean or clean up after him. After HB15 has finished cleaning the kitchen floor this coming Wednesday he will be finished cleaning for me. The only reason he has lasted as long as he has is because it is so frustrating to have to try to train someone new. I may decide that I don't even want a houseboy any more. I do much of my own housework - I do all of the dishes, the laundry, and vacuum regularly anyway. I really only want someone that will do the big stuff - clean the tile floors, the windows, the bathrooms... I can do a better job and it is just NOT worth the frustration!
Gardener No. 6 didn't last and has been replaced by Appuk - who does a fabulous job! He is old, he is slow, but he works very hard and anticipates what needs done and just does it - and if he thinks the bushes need trimmed and is not sure whether or not he should trim them - he asks. I am hopeful that he will be here as long as we are here so that I do not have to worry about finding a "real" gardener to replace him. [Although, interestingly enough, twice yesterday during my morning walk with The Kids two workers approached me and asked if I needed a gardener. Do they know something I don't? Is Appuk planning on retiring or leaving?]
I have tolerated HB15 even though he doesn't do a very good job, but he gets along with my Kids and that is extremely important. However, I realized a couple of days ago that no matter what it is that HB15 does or cleans for me it is nothing more than a half-ass job. I am not going to tolerate it any longer. I spend as much time cleaning up after him and re-cleaning that it makes absolutely no sense to have him coming here to work. I contracted him to come and work for me three days a week from eight o'clock in the morning until one o'clock in the afternoon. Last month he started telling me on Monday that he can only work three hours. Three hours doesn't get everything done. So after three weeks, I eliminated Monday from his schedule. There problem solved. You no longer work three days a week - now just two. This coming Wednesday will be his last day. Does he know this yet? No. But I won't have any problem whatsoever telling him when I pay him on Wednesday that his services are no longer needed.
The bathrooms are only being cleaned marginally. I went in to DH's bathroom this morning to put new towels up and realized that the spots on the floor that I noticed last week are still there. HB15 spends about an hour in each of our two bathrooms cleaning them - what exactly he is doing in there is a mystery because he obviously isn't doing the cleaning that I've instructed him to do. We had issues with him being on his "mobile" while he was here working for me - and I had to flat out tell him that he needed to put it away - he is working for me and that work does not include talking on your damn phone! He goes into the bathrooms and I hear water running - and the toilet being flushed - and all of the "sounds" that one would hear and make cleaning a bathroom - but he isn't cleaning - or the spots wouldn't be on the floor, would they? HB15 shuts the bathroom door - I should have known better than to allow him to - I'm guessing he is running water and spending the entire hour texting on his mobile - while at the same time doing the bare minimum as it to make it seem like he is cleaning the bathroom. Obviously, he isn't.
I have stacks and stacks of rags - which I clean and neatly fold. We have had the same conversation now about two dozen times - HB15 and I: Use a new, clean rag, for each job. Am I the only one who understands that if you use the same rag for every single job that all you are doing is pushing dirt around?!? I do not want you dusting furniture with one rag and then using it to clean my counter tops. What do YOU not understand about this? Each time that he is here I have to "correct" him on this. And yet, even after we discuss the issue, he continues to use the same rag. I have literally taken it out of his hand and put it in the cleaning bag next to the washer. I ask him if he understands and he says that he does. Obviously, he doesn't.
It is very, very hot outside. And lately it has been humid, too. About a week ago, I saw what looked like a big bug shoot across the floor in front of me and into our broom closet. I moved the vacuum to "stomp" on it and discovered it wasn't a bug, but a baby gecko. I like the little gecko's and had no intention of ending its little life after I realized that that was all it was. However, I don't really want little baby gecko living in my house with me, either. And The Boy will go absolutely berserk trying to get it if he realizes that there is one. Two days ago little baby gecko was crawling up the wall and hid behind a picture - I told DH and had him catch it and take it outside. Yesterday morning I opened the back door and little baby gecko shot back inside. Apparently it is too hot and humid outside for him or her and he or she wants to live inside. DH tried to catch little baby gecko, again, and couldn't. Baby gecko is now residing underneath the refrigerator, in what DH said is a pile of dirt. My fault. I haven't specifically asked HB15 to pull the refrigerators out and clean underneath them - or vacuum the backs of them. Is is really asking too much to find a houseboy that will take a little bit of incentive and actually do something extra - like pull the refrigerators out and clean under and behind them? Yes. Apparently, it is.
On several occasions I have had to tell HB15 that he needs to move the furniture when vacuuming - no, not all the furniture - I don't expect him to move our bed or the bureaus, but I do expect him to move chairs or at least make an effort to reach underneath furniture with the vacuum. I have seen "dust bunnies" living underneath our furniture that are larger than real rabbits! Why do I have to repeatedly tell HB15 to vacuum underneath the buffet or to move the chairs? I shouldn't have to - he's been told on numerous occasions - and yet he still insists on not doing what he's been told. He refuse to vacuum the air conditioning vents unless I specifically tell him to. No, they don't need vacuumed every time you bring the vacuum out - but once a week would be good. Oh, right, you're working a shorter week now - and don't have time. You - or your agency employer - have decided, contrary to what I requested - that you don't need to work for five hours on Monday - only three hours - and I eliminated Monday's since it doesn't work for "your" schedule. Newsflash: You are going to accommodate me - I am not going to accommodate you.
We are leaving for the States soon. I can do all of the housework until then. We will have a man come stay here and take care of The Kids - he is going to have to clean up after them and himself - as HB15 won't be coming... I don't have the desire or the time to try to train someone new before we leave. It will just have to wait until we return. But I am done paying HB15 to come to my house and do a half-ass job that I have to turn around and either reclean or clean up after him. After HB15 has finished cleaning the kitchen floor this coming Wednesday he will be finished cleaning for me. The only reason he has lasted as long as he has is because it is so frustrating to have to try to train someone new. I may decide that I don't even want a houseboy any more. I do much of my own housework - I do all of the dishes, the laundry, and vacuum regularly anyway. I really only want someone that will do the big stuff - clean the tile floors, the windows, the bathrooms... I can do a better job and it is just NOT worth the frustration!
Locally...
What news value is there in publishing the nationality and picture of a "pimp," here? The man has been arrested and will be incarcerated, so he poses no further danger or threat to others, at this point. Why are pictures of "locals" not published when they are arrested? And, if, on the rare occasion a picture of a "local" is published, his face will be blurred out. But an ex-pat? Nope. Full, untouched photo. Interesting...
Three young men and four girls have been charged with "illicit companionship." [Note the difference in this article versus the article about the "pimp," above. Absolutely no mention of any nationality in this and no photographs, either.] "Security officials said they found the suspects sitting in indecent positions." Care to elaborate on that? What, were the girls straddling the boys, or something? What is an "indecent" sitting position?!? "The owner and the employees of the coffee shop were charged with spreading corruptions and violating the law of the land." Why stop there? Shouldn't everyone in the shop have been rounded up and arrested for condoning the behavior of the three young men and four girls? [This is one of the reasons why Saudis cross the Causeway to go to Bahrain - they do not have be concerned with "sitting in indecent positions" or worry about being charged with "illicit companionship."]
Another vehicle accident caused by high speed with three young men reported to be in serious condition. And, here, two vans collide. Since no one in any position of authority is taking this seriously... Yawn...
Three young men and four girls have been charged with "illicit companionship." [Note the difference in this article versus the article about the "pimp," above. Absolutely no mention of any nationality in this and no photographs, either.] "Security officials said they found the suspects sitting in indecent positions." Care to elaborate on that? What, were the girls straddling the boys, or something? What is an "indecent" sitting position?!? "The owner and the employees of the coffee shop were charged with spreading corruptions and violating the law of the land." Why stop there? Shouldn't everyone in the shop have been rounded up and arrested for condoning the behavior of the three young men and four girls? [This is one of the reasons why Saudis cross the Causeway to go to Bahrain - they do not have be concerned with "sitting in indecent positions" or worry about being charged with "illicit companionship."]
Another vehicle accident caused by high speed with three young men reported to be in serious condition. And, here, two vans collide. Since no one in any position of authority is taking this seriously... Yawn...
Bahrain Causeway "Madness"
We will not go to Bahrain on the weekend. Bahrain is a teeny, tiny little country right next door to us about a half an hour's drive away on a good day. On a bad day, it will take you hours and hours to get there. You can find some "normalcy" there. There are nice restaurants where you can sit down and order a bottle of wine with dinner - or beer - or whatever your beverage choice may be. There are no separate entrances and separate areas for men and women - unrelated men and women can be in the same place - without worry of being arrested. You can shop at clothing stores and try apparel you may wish to purchase on before buying. Most shops do not close for the entire afternoon and no one locks you in or out at prayer time.
The weekends here are Thursday and Friday - although Saudi Arabia is one of the only countries that has not changed this to Friday and Saturday - the weekend in Bahrain is Friday and Saturday. A Wednesday night trip to Bahrain will mean that you will spend several hours sitting in your car at the Causeway waiting to cross through both Customs check-points - with scores of unruly drivers who do not believe they should have to wait in any semblance of a line all muscling in to cut each other off. The roads for the ENTIRE entire trip to Bahrain and returning desperately need those big huge cement barriers to designate lanes and to keep others from making their own lanes as everyone pushes and shoves using their cars to get to the front of the line. I know I've said before the Saudis do not "que," they believe they are above that.
Sitting at the Causeway - waiting to cross - you would be amazed at the number of carloads of young Saudi men that are headed that direction. Yes, there are many families, and couples, but by far there are more men. Probably there would be as many carloads of young women, as well, if women were allowed to drive here. Women are allowed to drive in Bahrain. Saudi Arabia is the only country in the world that prohibits women from driving. Why are so many Saudis going to Bahrain? Freedom. And alcohol. That is the only reason we go there.
I do not have to wear my abeya in Bahrain. No one has to wear one. There, it is worn by choice. Many women do wear their abeyas. But they do not have to - they choose to. Here - it is not a choice - we - women - have to wear an abeya or risk being confronted by the religious police. You can go to Bahrain and sit in a nice restaurant in a dress or in jeans. Ditto for shopping there - you can wear what you want. Bahrain is a Muslim country but one that is much, much less restrictive than Saudi Arabia.
Today's Arab News has an article on the nightmare of crossing the Causeway "going to Bahrain." Good to know that we should avoid going until after August 9th. Does school start then? What happens on August 9th that the Causeway traffic will slow down? Typically weekends are the worst time to go that direction - because everyone goes - and we just won't and don't. But if you go over on a Saturday evening or a Tuesday evening - you can pretty much avoid the entire clusterfuck of sitting and waiting at the Causeway. When Ramadan starts, the causeway will be empty. Very, very few restaurants serve alcohol during Ramadan - no point going over for dinner - in my view, anyway, since I'm not going to go out to dinner unless I can have a glass of wine. What is the point of going out to dinner and drinking milk or water? I can do that at home. [We don't go out to dinner at all, here. I refuse to go wearing an abeya.]
It is very curious. Why are so many Saudis crossing the Causeway to go to Bahrain? If you are a "family" you can go to amusement parks, here. You can shop, here, and go out to dinner, here. Many Saudi women will remain covered in their head-to-toe black - there - in Bahrain - so what is the point of leaving Saudi? No, the prices are not better for shopping. The prices are better, here. The only thing that Bahrain offers families that Saudi Arabia doesn't would be movie theaters. So all of the Saudi families are crossing to go to the movies? Doubtful. I honestly do not know why so many Saudi families go to Bahrain. Young men, though... I can answer for many of them. They are going over to drink. Simple as that. They are found in all of the restaurants and bars sitting on the stools drinking beer in their white thobes and gutras. Oh, sure, drinking alcohol if you are Muslim is "haram" [not allowed, forbidden], but that certainly doesn't seem to stop them.
The weekends here are Thursday and Friday - although Saudi Arabia is one of the only countries that has not changed this to Friday and Saturday - the weekend in Bahrain is Friday and Saturday. A Wednesday night trip to Bahrain will mean that you will spend several hours sitting in your car at the Causeway waiting to cross through both Customs check-points - with scores of unruly drivers who do not believe they should have to wait in any semblance of a line all muscling in to cut each other off. The roads for the ENTIRE entire trip to Bahrain and returning desperately need those big huge cement barriers to designate lanes and to keep others from making their own lanes as everyone pushes and shoves using their cars to get to the front of the line. I know I've said before the Saudis do not "que," they believe they are above that.
Sitting at the Causeway - waiting to cross - you would be amazed at the number of carloads of young Saudi men that are headed that direction. Yes, there are many families, and couples, but by far there are more men. Probably there would be as many carloads of young women, as well, if women were allowed to drive here. Women are allowed to drive in Bahrain. Saudi Arabia is the only country in the world that prohibits women from driving. Why are so many Saudis going to Bahrain? Freedom. And alcohol. That is the only reason we go there.
I do not have to wear my abeya in Bahrain. No one has to wear one. There, it is worn by choice. Many women do wear their abeyas. But they do not have to - they choose to. Here - it is not a choice - we - women - have to wear an abeya or risk being confronted by the religious police. You can go to Bahrain and sit in a nice restaurant in a dress or in jeans. Ditto for shopping there - you can wear what you want. Bahrain is a Muslim country but one that is much, much less restrictive than Saudi Arabia.
Today's Arab News has an article on the nightmare of crossing the Causeway "going to Bahrain." Good to know that we should avoid going until after August 9th. Does school start then? What happens on August 9th that the Causeway traffic will slow down? Typically weekends are the worst time to go that direction - because everyone goes - and we just won't and don't. But if you go over on a Saturday evening or a Tuesday evening - you can pretty much avoid the entire clusterfuck of sitting and waiting at the Causeway. When Ramadan starts, the causeway will be empty. Very, very few restaurants serve alcohol during Ramadan - no point going over for dinner - in my view, anyway, since I'm not going to go out to dinner unless I can have a glass of wine. What is the point of going out to dinner and drinking milk or water? I can do that at home. [We don't go out to dinner at all, here. I refuse to go wearing an abeya.]
It is very curious. Why are so many Saudis crossing the Causeway to go to Bahrain? If you are a "family" you can go to amusement parks, here. You can shop, here, and go out to dinner, here. Many Saudi women will remain covered in their head-to-toe black - there - in Bahrain - so what is the point of leaving Saudi? No, the prices are not better for shopping. The prices are better, here. The only thing that Bahrain offers families that Saudi Arabia doesn't would be movie theaters. So all of the Saudi families are crossing to go to the movies? Doubtful. I honestly do not know why so many Saudi families go to Bahrain. Young men, though... I can answer for many of them. They are going over to drink. Simple as that. They are found in all of the restaurants and bars sitting on the stools drinking beer in their white thobes and gutras. Oh, sure, drinking alcohol if you are Muslim is "haram" [not allowed, forbidden], but that certainly doesn't seem to stop them.
Saturday, August 02, 2008
Walking the Kids
We went for our walk later this morning than we usually do. I had some things I had to take care of this morning so we didn't get out of the house until almost eight o'clock. We are usually home by 7 or 7:15. It is just too damn HOT outside for the Kids at eight - but we went anyway - because I knew I wanted to give The Baby [also known as The Pretty Princess] a haircut today - and I needed her good and tired out before I plugged the clippers in. It worked. Both Kids came home panting and exhausted and both plopped down to cool off on the tile floor.
As we were walking I was thinking about how insane the new rule is that cats and dogs are not allowed to be walked in public - or sold in Riyadh. An inane group of men that has determined that cats and dogs are being walked to disturb families or worse - flirt with women! We certainly can't have any of THAT here! What would the rest of the world think of a country that is so devoutly religious if young men walking their dogs were to flirt with women. Good grief. Anyway, it occurred to me that there will be more "issues" in the future that many may not have considered because of this ridiculous pronouncement.
We have our own veterinarian's office with two really good doctors on our compound. The veterinarian's office also does boarding and grooming and they import massive amounts of Canin food for cats and dogs. Yes, I make my Kids food, when I can't ship The Honest Kitchen's products in, but I supplement the food I make with the Canin that I get at our vet's office. A few months ago, I went to get a bag of food and there wasn't any. It was ordered - it was here - but for whatever reason it was being held up by customs, here. [Big surprise. It is Customs job to inspect whatever is imported. That requires "work."] The vet's office didn't get the food until a couple of weeks later - it had, by that time, been sitting at Customs for a couple of months.
So what is going to happen now that there are to be no more cats and dogs for sale? Or cats and dogs allowed in public? Getting dog or cat food is going to be even more difficult, because you just know that "they" [the powers that be, here] are going to wrongly reason that if, in their eyes, there are no cats and dogs, no need to have pet food imported. Just wait and see. Much like an ostrich's head in the sand... I live in a country that is totally, totally a LFZ!
Anyway, I just got done clipping The Pretty Princess. Not an easy task. And it takes several hours to do it. I've only been grooming The Baby myself for a year or so. This is the fifth time I've clipped her. I'm getting better and better at it, if I do say so myself! And even though it took me several hours, it gets a little quicker each time, now that I've finally figured out what I'm doing. Let me say that it would go a whole lot faster if I could get the little black fur-ball of energy to sit or lay still! Impossible. Yes, she was tired from her walk this morning, but it doesn't take her long to recharge into full of energy mode, so she laid still for me for about twenty minutes and then she'd had enough - she wiggles, she squirms. It is very much a wrestling match for the two of us when I cut her hair. [Poodles do not have fur, they have hair - it grows - and it grows fast!]
Later this afternoon - once the sun starts to go down - I'm going to give both Kids baths in the back yard. Just so much easier to do it out there than in the tub. The Boy is so easy - he just climbs into the tub and stands still for as long as I need him too - he won't even shake until I tell him he can. The Baby, on the other hand, uses all her might and will power to escape the entire time I am trying to bathe her - it is a struggle for both of us - me to contain her - and her to get out of the tub. I get soaked, the bathroom gets soaked. May as well just plan on getting wet and do it outside with the hose. The water coming out of the hose is warm - there is NO cold water, here, in the summer.
I spend a great deal of time with my Kids. They are great company. We walk. We play. That this country has declared a ban on the sale of cats and dogs and is now forbidding them to be out in public is a mistake on so many levels. Don't the authorities and powers that be, here, realize the health benefits of pets? I know there are studies are out there that show that pets have a positive and calming effect on people; that people heal faster if they are sick in the company of a pet; and that young children learn to read more quickly if they read to a pet, and so on and so forth... People that have pets exercise more. If you exercise you are less likely to be overweight and unhealthy. [So, what's my excuse then? Hmmm...] I just really, really think that the men running this country are doing a big disservice to its residents and am hopeful that someone sees the light and realizes that not allowing people to walk their pets in public and that banning the sale of cats and dogs is just not right. Thankfully I live on a compound where, for the time being, we are allowed to be out walking our dogs - or Kids...
As we were walking I was thinking about how insane the new rule is that cats and dogs are not allowed to be walked in public - or sold in Riyadh. An inane group of men that has determined that cats and dogs are being walked to disturb families or worse - flirt with women! We certainly can't have any of THAT here! What would the rest of the world think of a country that is so devoutly religious if young men walking their dogs were to flirt with women. Good grief. Anyway, it occurred to me that there will be more "issues" in the future that many may not have considered because of this ridiculous pronouncement.
We have our own veterinarian's office with two really good doctors on our compound. The veterinarian's office also does boarding and grooming and they import massive amounts of Canin food for cats and dogs. Yes, I make my Kids food, when I can't ship The Honest Kitchen's products in, but I supplement the food I make with the Canin that I get at our vet's office. A few months ago, I went to get a bag of food and there wasn't any. It was ordered - it was here - but for whatever reason it was being held up by customs, here. [Big surprise. It is Customs job to inspect whatever is imported. That requires "work."] The vet's office didn't get the food until a couple of weeks later - it had, by that time, been sitting at Customs for a couple of months.
So what is going to happen now that there are to be no more cats and dogs for sale? Or cats and dogs allowed in public? Getting dog or cat food is going to be even more difficult, because you just know that "they" [the powers that be, here] are going to wrongly reason that if, in their eyes, there are no cats and dogs, no need to have pet food imported. Just wait and see. Much like an ostrich's head in the sand... I live in a country that is totally, totally a LFZ!
Anyway, I just got done clipping The Pretty Princess. Not an easy task. And it takes several hours to do it. I've only been grooming The Baby myself for a year or so. This is the fifth time I've clipped her. I'm getting better and better at it, if I do say so myself! And even though it took me several hours, it gets a little quicker each time, now that I've finally figured out what I'm doing. Let me say that it would go a whole lot faster if I could get the little black fur-ball of energy to sit or lay still! Impossible. Yes, she was tired from her walk this morning, but it doesn't take her long to recharge into full of energy mode, so she laid still for me for about twenty minutes and then she'd had enough - she wiggles, she squirms. It is very much a wrestling match for the two of us when I cut her hair. [Poodles do not have fur, they have hair - it grows - and it grows fast!]
Later this afternoon - once the sun starts to go down - I'm going to give both Kids baths in the back yard. Just so much easier to do it out there than in the tub. The Boy is so easy - he just climbs into the tub and stands still for as long as I need him too - he won't even shake until I tell him he can. The Baby, on the other hand, uses all her might and will power to escape the entire time I am trying to bathe her - it is a struggle for both of us - me to contain her - and her to get out of the tub. I get soaked, the bathroom gets soaked. May as well just plan on getting wet and do it outside with the hose. The water coming out of the hose is warm - there is NO cold water, here, in the summer.
I spend a great deal of time with my Kids. They are great company. We walk. We play. That this country has declared a ban on the sale of cats and dogs and is now forbidding them to be out in public is a mistake on so many levels. Don't the authorities and powers that be, here, realize the health benefits of pets? I know there are studies are out there that show that pets have a positive and calming effect on people; that people heal faster if they are sick in the company of a pet; and that young children learn to read more quickly if they read to a pet, and so on and so forth... People that have pets exercise more. If you exercise you are less likely to be overweight and unhealthy. [So, what's my excuse then? Hmmm...] I just really, really think that the men running this country are doing a big disservice to its residents and am hopeful that someone sees the light and realizes that not allowing people to walk their pets in public and that banning the sale of cats and dogs is just not right. Thankfully I live on a compound where, for the time being, we are allowed to be out walking our dogs - or Kids...
Friday, August 01, 2008
Two Wives To Many
No you cannot have six wives; that exceeds the maximum limit of four. Oh, the irony!
"A 56-year-old employee of the Commission for Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice in Jizan is on trial at a Shariah court in Al-Masarha for allegedly having six wives. Members of the commission and police caught him with his "sixth" wife..." "It is forbidden for a man to be married to more than four women."
"A 56-year-old employee of the Commission for Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice in Jizan is on trial at a Shariah court in Al-Masarha for allegedly having six wives. Members of the commission and police caught him with his "sixth" wife..." "It is forbidden for a man to be married to more than four women."
Controversry Over 10-Year-Old Bride
This has generated much controversy, the marriage of a 10 year old girl to a 60 year old man. I blogged it. As I was reading the comments that this article generated, I saw one that said, "There is no universal 'appropriate age' for marriage. IN Maliki Muslim Libya its 20 for a girl and in the United States its 13. It varies from one society to another and in the case of the US one state to another." Well, I was ready to pounce on that and defend the US to say WHERE IS IT LEGAL TO MARRY AT 13?!? Damn. It is legal to marry in New Hampshire if you are 13 with parental consent and the approval of a judge. New Hampshire - of all places!!! One of the most conservative states in the U.S. I lived there for seventeen years and never heard of anyone getting married at 13 years old. The requirements do vary from state to state; they can be found here.
Locally...
Truly I just do NOT understand why reports - DAILY - of traffic accidents on the roads here, resulting in deaths and serious injuries, are not being regarded as "wake up calls" to the authorities who have not only the ability but an obligation to enforce traffic laws to put an end to this. Perhaps that is a bit reaching on my part, that by simply enforcing laws this would cease, but surely there would be fewer accidents and deaths.
There are accidents and there is stupidity. Accidents you can prevent. The same cannot be said for stupidity.
Sounds to me that some discrimination is being instituted with this policy and that ex-pats are being targeted. Do not for a nanosecond even try to tell me that there would be screaming and lawsuits filed instantly if the shoe was on the "other foot" and this were to be happening in the U.S. where anyone with dark hair or a head-scarf was being targeted. But then, I am not out and about, here, at night so I will not need to be concerned...
Three thieves and no mention of their nationality or names. Nor any mention of what it is they were stealing.
Nothing to say to this. Child abuse happens world-wide. And should not be tolerated no matter where it happens or whatever the circumstances. I hope these parents are caught, quickly, and severely punished. Child abuse is a crime that justifies forced sterilization - no matter who or where you are. Who beats a helpless, defenseless infant?!? [Someone that should NEVER, EVER be allowed to have children again, that's who!]
There are accidents and there is stupidity. Accidents you can prevent. The same cannot be said for stupidity.
Sounds to me that some discrimination is being instituted with this policy and that ex-pats are being targeted. Do not for a nanosecond even try to tell me that there would be screaming and lawsuits filed instantly if the shoe was on the "other foot" and this were to be happening in the U.S. where anyone with dark hair or a head-scarf was being targeted. But then, I am not out and about, here, at night so I will not need to be concerned...
Three thieves and no mention of their nationality or names. Nor any mention of what it is they were stealing.
Nothing to say to this. Child abuse happens world-wide. And should not be tolerated no matter where it happens or whatever the circumstances. I hope these parents are caught, quickly, and severely punished. Child abuse is a crime that justifies forced sterilization - no matter who or where you are. Who beats a helpless, defenseless infant?!? [Someone that should NEVER, EVER be allowed to have children again, that's who!]
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