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Red Pen
http://20six.co.uk/red_pen
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Moved!
Hello readers (all 5 of you)!
I have moved my blog to a new site: http://redpenjournal.blogspot.com/. Please visit me there from now on.
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Back to the Blog
I found out that I actually have more than three readers, so I decided maybe I should post. (Leave some comments already!) Ever since 20six revamped the blog design, I haven't been motivated to post. I don't like it nearly as well now.
It has been an eventful yet relaxing summer. Rather than make the loooooong journey back to the US to suffer through almost the same summer heat that we have here in good old Sharjah (plus at least 10 days of jet lag upon return), we opted for a shorter vacation in Bali and Singapore. It was, in a word, amazing.
Best things about Bali:
-gorgeous weather--80s with bright blue skies and some puffy clouds
-warm, friendly people
-cheap spa treatments!
-healthy, fresh and tasty food
-the opportunity to see real life even though you are a tourist
-the chance to see temple festival processions almost daily, with people beautifully dressed and making music (gamelans, gongs, etc.)
-it is incredibly laid back
-mountains, trees, flowers and azure waters
-really good coffee
Best things about Singapore:
-order: lines are respected, no litter, no crazy drivers
-fantastic public transportation
-amazing Chinese food, especially dim sum at Yum Cha in Chinatown
-great service
-an incredible zoo that feels more like a wildlife park
The past week has been spent mostly getting the house back in order. The amount of sand that accumulates in this house in four weeks is astounding. I was dusting the top of the bookshelf and sand came off like a pile of baby powder. I even went out and bought a new vacuum cleaner (2200 watts of Black and Decker power).
It's back to work on August 19. Just a few more days of freedom...
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Sheikh and Bake! It's 104 F (40 C) outside right now at noon, but supposedly feels like 111F. Time to head for cooler shores...
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A big chunk of yesterday was spent at the beach, where we saw two very interesting things: - Two flocks of flamingos, each with about 30 members, flying about
- A Bollywood (AKA Indian) film under production in the adjacent park
Even though it was over 100 F (38 C), the water was still nice, and it was pleasant to have a picnic under the palm-fronded pavillion on the beach. -------- Little W is convinced that "Rock a Bye Baby" is actually "Rocket Bye Baby." He kept requesting last night that I sing him the song about the rocket.
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As a recent guest at the American Hospital in Dubai, I was surprised to learn that the patient-room TVs had a music channel that only played country music (not a common sound here). Even more to my surprise was a certain song, which has possibly the most poignant country lyrics EVER:
"It's hard to kiss the lips at night that chew your ass out all day long."
http://www.minibite.com/thesexes/itshardtokiss.htm
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Feelin' Gritty
The shamal winds have blown in about half the desert to my front porch over the past few days. The weather conditions have been so bad that some flights out of Dubai were grounded due to poor visibility. They are not the hurricane-force walls of sand as depicted in Hollywood, but instead we have dust devils, grey-brown skies and heavy sand-thick gusts. Giant buildings just seem to disappear in the haze.
Due to the nasty air, yesterday's planned play date at a Dubai park was instead moved to W's friend's house, which had a more protected garden. Still, after a short time outside, my hair felt like straw and my water glass had collected a nice pile of sand in the bottom. It's best just to stay inside.
Our house was just dusted on Thursday morning, and already a fine grit has settled over everything, even though we've had the doors and windows closed the whole time. After this passes I will have to wash down the plants in the garden, as well as the porch and outdoor furniture. Meanwhile, life goes on as normal for some unfortunate people; the gardener is mowing our small patch of grass with his head covered up. I guess sometimes we have to be reminded that we do, in fact, live in a desert.
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Red Pen