Huh? Another year has rolled around? Where did all those 525, 600 minutes go? How many of them did I WASTE? Too many, I am afraid. It has been a crazy year, but isn't our life always crazy in one way, shape or form? That's a rhetorical question because those of you who know us know that we have never known any other kind of lifestyle!
I am starting a list here of resolutions. You know the regular ones: lose weight, exercise more, eat healthier. Yada, yada, yada....Aren't those all a given? My daughter, Jenny, started hers early and has been smoke free for 4 days! Wow! So, I already told her my first one tonight. I didn't know what it was until I made it:
1) All of my children and grandchildren will be passport holders yet this year so they are able to visit us anywhere in the world. If we can't get them here, maybe we can meet in Paris, or Jamaica (yeah, yeah, Jamaica, mon!) or something!
2) I will complete a 50 mile (80 km) endurance ride here in Qatar or in the U.S. No guarantees about surviving it, just finishing it. Personally, I'd love to do the Shore to Shore 250 again......I'm not that crazy.....it will take me more than 7 months to be ready for THAT!
3) Visit another country we have not yet been in (layovers during flights home do not count!), preferably Egypt, Oman, UAE, someplace Middle Eastern or European. Hey, we went to Paris last summer and actually spent a little time there. :)
4) Research and present my research at more professional conferences, especially in reading. The more I teach, the more I see the NEED for more reading in this country. I want to find out how I can make that happen!
5) Continue improving myself as a teacher....I learn more and more with each passing semester from my colleagues and especially my students. It's an amazing process.
6) Have more fun with FRIENDS. Slow down and make those stops to say HI and chat. Have more BBQ potlucks.
7) Have more fun with NELSON. My status reports that the top ten words on my list includes Nelson as the #1 word. So, why aren't we having fun yet? Well, we are, but not enough. Here's my resolution for that: A hug a day, every day, no excuses!
8) Learn the names of all the people in our lives who try to be shadows due to race or culture or perceived status, and thank them for whatever it is they do in our lives: it's the right thing to do.
9) Count at least one thing each day that I am thankful for....doing that at Thanksgiving on Facebook was fun and enlightening. I should do it everyday, on or off Facebook!
10) Learn more about the ugly things in the world, so I can be more politically active and make informed decisions and have informed opinions. I may live "abroad," but I don't feel I have a broad sense of the world and what is happening in it. It's too easy to let myself become encapsulated in the little world of Qatar University, my job, my students, my own aches, pains, and complaints. I need to look outside my window and see what's beyond, learn what's out there, and if nothing else, seek truth and recognize injustice when I see it.
OK, that's a good start. Maybe I'll add more later. Officially, it is 2010 here now although it won't be for another 8 hours back home. Time for bed and another new year's resolution: Get more sleep!
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Friday, December 25, 2009
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
December has flown by like I was standing still and in another week, we'll ring in a New Year! It's Christmas Day already here in Qatar. I teased my granddaughter that Santa comes here before he gets to her house! She did not like THAT one bit!
Being away from family at the holidays is difficult at best. It's hard not to feel a little sorry for yourself at times, but then common sense takes over, Skype kicks in, your granddaughter "reads" to you from the Christmas gift (kindergarten workbook/activities) you sent to her, and then it's not so bad. It doesn't exactly "feel" like Christmas....we were followed home tonight by thunder and lightning and rain. No Christmas lights on trees or houses or down the main street of town. No calling of Merry Christmas or Happy New Year everywhere around you as you shop or go out to eat or stop to buy gas. However, there were a few who wished us those things, and it was appreciated. I found myself having to ask people, "Do you celebrate Christmas?" because you don't want to wish Christmas blessings on someone who does not appreciate it. That kind of bothers me because I wished Eid Mubarak to everyone I met and saw during those holidays, but what can we do? Be merry and enjoy ourselves anyway! The Lulu Hypermarket had a nice selection of Christmas candy and played carols this evening. Giant Store gave us a 15% discount for shopping with them today. I appreciate those things a lot. It was a long day for us. I worked this morning, Nelson shoed a horse and picked me up for lunch about 1 p.m. We ate fast and did our Christmas shopping quickly...we agreed with Nettie that due to the money crunch in our bank account, we would have a "Daiso" Christmas this year (Daiso is the equivalent of a dollar store where everything costs 7 riyal, or roughly $1.90), and we've had trouble getting there. There's only one, unlike dollar stores which are everywhere in the U.S.
After that, we shoed the front feet of a horse at the Federation, ran over to the racetrack to see the second race in which a horse Nelson has shod was running, only to discover it started early today and we missed it. The horse placed 7th, but it's his first race back after a long layup, so wait til next time, Doha! We finally met Jeremy and Ellen! Michael and Crystal met us at the track for a short while. We schmoozed a little with a couple clients and then ran back over to the Federation to shoe the hind feet of that horse. THEN! We headed for Lulu, stopped and got a few things for a Christmas breakfast, some desserts for dinner and more baking stuff. Don't ask! Then, finally, at 8 p.m. we headed home to eat dinner at Imelda and Martin's at 9 p.m. Soooo tired already by then, but enjoyed delicious turkey and mashed potatoes and a lot of other Filipino Christmas foods and treats made by Imelda and her aunt, Medina. It was so good and we ate so much, we will have to wait for dessert until tomorrow! Then, hurry home to Skype with the kids. Mykayla opened her gift from us, a kindergarten workbook, which she proceeded to read to us and work puzzles like there was no tomorrow. We love Skype! Poor Kenzie is sick in bed and everybody else at Carrie's has a nasty cold except Kayla. Then more phone calls home, wrapping gifts, filling Nelson's stocking with mini Payday bars (he was just lamenting over not being able to find any here this week so they were a find!), fighting heartburn (what was in those spring rolls, Imelda?), and blogging before I run a hot bath with mineral salts (rose scented...gift to myself from Daiso) and go to bed. My brain is actually wide awake and my book will probably keep me awake for awhile (Infidel by Ayaan Hirsi Ali), but I can sleep in as late as I want! :)
Hohoho! Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!
Being away from family at the holidays is difficult at best. It's hard not to feel a little sorry for yourself at times, but then common sense takes over, Skype kicks in, your granddaughter "reads" to you from the Christmas gift (kindergarten workbook/activities) you sent to her, and then it's not so bad. It doesn't exactly "feel" like Christmas....we were followed home tonight by thunder and lightning and rain. No Christmas lights on trees or houses or down the main street of town. No calling of Merry Christmas or Happy New Year everywhere around you as you shop or go out to eat or stop to buy gas. However, there were a few who wished us those things, and it was appreciated. I found myself having to ask people, "Do you celebrate Christmas?" because you don't want to wish Christmas blessings on someone who does not appreciate it. That kind of bothers me because I wished Eid Mubarak to everyone I met and saw during those holidays, but what can we do? Be merry and enjoy ourselves anyway! The Lulu Hypermarket had a nice selection of Christmas candy and played carols this evening. Giant Store gave us a 15% discount for shopping with them today. I appreciate those things a lot. It was a long day for us. I worked this morning, Nelson shoed a horse and picked me up for lunch about 1 p.m. We ate fast and did our Christmas shopping quickly...we agreed with Nettie that due to the money crunch in our bank account, we would have a "Daiso" Christmas this year (Daiso is the equivalent of a dollar store where everything costs 7 riyal, or roughly $1.90), and we've had trouble getting there. There's only one, unlike dollar stores which are everywhere in the U.S.
After that, we shoed the front feet of a horse at the Federation, ran over to the racetrack to see the second race in which a horse Nelson has shod was running, only to discover it started early today and we missed it. The horse placed 7th, but it's his first race back after a long layup, so wait til next time, Doha! We finally met Jeremy and Ellen! Michael and Crystal met us at the track for a short while. We schmoozed a little with a couple clients and then ran back over to the Federation to shoe the hind feet of that horse. THEN! We headed for Lulu, stopped and got a few things for a Christmas breakfast, some desserts for dinner and more baking stuff. Don't ask! Then, finally, at 8 p.m. we headed home to eat dinner at Imelda and Martin's at 9 p.m. Soooo tired already by then, but enjoyed delicious turkey and mashed potatoes and a lot of other Filipino Christmas foods and treats made by Imelda and her aunt, Medina. It was so good and we ate so much, we will have to wait for dessert until tomorrow! Then, hurry home to Skype with the kids. Mykayla opened her gift from us, a kindergarten workbook, which she proceeded to read to us and work puzzles like there was no tomorrow. We love Skype! Poor Kenzie is sick in bed and everybody else at Carrie's has a nasty cold except Kayla. Then more phone calls home, wrapping gifts, filling Nelson's stocking with mini Payday bars (he was just lamenting over not being able to find any here this week so they were a find!), fighting heartburn (what was in those spring rolls, Imelda?), and blogging before I run a hot bath with mineral salts (rose scented...gift to myself from Daiso) and go to bed. My brain is actually wide awake and my book will probably keep me awake for awhile (Infidel by Ayaan Hirsi Ali), but I can sleep in as late as I want! :)
Hohoho! Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!
Saturday, December 5, 2009
Eid holiday 2009
Nelson says I have to post my blog before I go back to work and get busy....this morning he sent me photos from our holiday EXPECTING that I would, so here I am.
Our holiday went by too fast as holidays are wont to do! We did so much that I'm not sure I can cover it all here. We rode horses, we shoed horses, we washed, groomed, walked, fed and photographed horses. We watched as Ranu, Salam, Suel and Saifel made cement and laid a pad for Nelson to shoe horses on. It was after hours for them and dark, so we parked so they could see what they were doing. It is certainly a different method here and would make my brothers and my son cringe if they ever saw how they do it! I spent a lot of time trying to remember the name of every worker at the farm and I am pleased to say that I think I have. In addition to the 4 I mentioned above there is also Saga, Raja and Shakeel. There is one more whose name I can't recall right now and it's going to drive me crazy....I thought I had remembered them ALL. I'll remember after I post this, of course.
We camped at the farm in a little tent we picked up at the Carrefour...it wasn't bad, easy to put up and take down, although folding a tent properly is always exasperating for me! We had a little campfire every night except the night we forgot the matches. The moon was out full this past week so it was beautiful to sit under the stars and ponder our human existence. Donkey took good care of us although his greeting is a bit jarring to the ears. The weather was quite pleasant and even though the wind blew and howled in the wee hours of the morning on our second night, it was fun....felt like we were home in Michigan during a snowstorm, only it was WARM outside. :) Everyone else is complaining how cold it is and Nelson and I think it's perfect sleeping weather. All of the folk who come to the farm were amazed and curious by our camping endeavor. We loved it and Nelson normally hates tents. We are exhausted now but we had a wonderful time.
No news yet on any business dealings, but it takes a little time for things to start rolling after a holiday here. Remember what they say: time is elastic here.
I also spent some time riding Hamam (Kirrong Mahahn, but the workers always call him Hamam and so it sticks as such) and teaching him to drop his head, tuck his chin and round his back. He is a dear horse, learns quickly and has bonded with me already. I wish I didn't do that with horses. In any case, he is looking great since he's been on some oil and other supplements. I started him on a new feeding regimen this week, too. We've been doing stretching exercises, too and he enjoys figuring out how to reach the carrot with his head between his front legs....I think he might need a chiropractor, but I think the stretching is helping him. I need to show Shakeel how to do these things (ride him in the draw reins and stretching exercises) as I start back to work tomorrow and won't be able to be there every day. I also did a little training exercise with Esteem on the track. No matter how hard or fast I ride him, he comes in with a super low pulse...my competitive riding friends back home would love him! He's also a smart little guy who figured out where I had set up our "stash" for checks every 5 km (it's on the track so it wasn't hard!) and was a bit put out that he didn't get to stop EVERY km. :) I think he is perfectly prepared for a 60 km, but I don't know about myself. I stressed the knee a bit yesterday and it bothered me although it's better today. So.....I'll have to decide if I can do it or not. I only did 10 km yesterday so next week, I'll try 15. He really doesn't go as well on the track as he does on the trails...he bores quickly. Of course, we were alone and riding with other horses might change his attitude! Inshallah!
My dear Nelson just brought me some eggs for a late breakfast so it's time to quit and eat and get ready for the day, our evening and work tomorrow. I have laundry to do and tonight we are going to the Christmas tree lighting at the Ritz like we did last year. This year there will be many more of our friends! Stay tuned for photos!
Our holiday went by too fast as holidays are wont to do! We did so much that I'm not sure I can cover it all here. We rode horses, we shoed horses, we washed, groomed, walked, fed and photographed horses. We watched as Ranu, Salam, Suel and Saifel made cement and laid a pad for Nelson to shoe horses on. It was after hours for them and dark, so we parked so they could see what they were doing. It is certainly a different method here and would make my brothers and my son cringe if they ever saw how they do it! I spent a lot of time trying to remember the name of every worker at the farm and I am pleased to say that I think I have. In addition to the 4 I mentioned above there is also Saga, Raja and Shakeel. There is one more whose name I can't recall right now and it's going to drive me crazy....I thought I had remembered them ALL. I'll remember after I post this, of course.
We camped at the farm in a little tent we picked up at the Carrefour...it wasn't bad, easy to put up and take down, although folding a tent properly is always exasperating for me! We had a little campfire every night except the night we forgot the matches. The moon was out full this past week so it was beautiful to sit under the stars and ponder our human existence. Donkey took good care of us although his greeting is a bit jarring to the ears. The weather was quite pleasant and even though the wind blew and howled in the wee hours of the morning on our second night, it was fun....felt like we were home in Michigan during a snowstorm, only it was WARM outside. :) Everyone else is complaining how cold it is and Nelson and I think it's perfect sleeping weather. All of the folk who come to the farm were amazed and curious by our camping endeavor. We loved it and Nelson normally hates tents. We are exhausted now but we had a wonderful time.
No news yet on any business dealings, but it takes a little time for things to start rolling after a holiday here. Remember what they say: time is elastic here.
I also spent some time riding Hamam (Kirrong Mahahn, but the workers always call him Hamam and so it sticks as such) and teaching him to drop his head, tuck his chin and round his back. He is a dear horse, learns quickly and has bonded with me already. I wish I didn't do that with horses. In any case, he is looking great since he's been on some oil and other supplements. I started him on a new feeding regimen this week, too. We've been doing stretching exercises, too and he enjoys figuring out how to reach the carrot with his head between his front legs....I think he might need a chiropractor, but I think the stretching is helping him. I need to show Shakeel how to do these things (ride him in the draw reins and stretching exercises) as I start back to work tomorrow and won't be able to be there every day. I also did a little training exercise with Esteem on the track. No matter how hard or fast I ride him, he comes in with a super low pulse...my competitive riding friends back home would love him! He's also a smart little guy who figured out where I had set up our "stash" for checks every 5 km (it's on the track so it wasn't hard!) and was a bit put out that he didn't get to stop EVERY km. :) I think he is perfectly prepared for a 60 km, but I don't know about myself. I stressed the knee a bit yesterday and it bothered me although it's better today. So.....I'll have to decide if I can do it or not. I only did 10 km yesterday so next week, I'll try 15. He really doesn't go as well on the track as he does on the trails...he bores quickly. Of course, we were alone and riding with other horses might change his attitude! Inshallah!
My dear Nelson just brought me some eggs for a late breakfast so it's time to quit and eat and get ready for the day, our evening and work tomorrow. I have laundry to do and tonight we are going to the Christmas tree lighting at the Ritz like we did last year. This year there will be many more of our friends! Stay tuned for photos!
Monday, November 30, 2009
Holiday update
Thanksgiving was wonderful, spent with our friends and neighbors. Unfortunately, our special guest was unable to make it. Jeremy was summoned by the sheikh for dinner at the last minute, so we made do without him. We're hoping eventually that we'll meet him, but it sounds like he is settling in fine and enjoying himself immensely. Sadly, our friends' mother and grandmother passed away on Thanksgiving and we were all sad to hear about it. Imelda's aunt, Medina, just left the Phillipines to come stay with Imelda's family and her mother died within days. Medina is a lively, sweet lady who is only one year older than I am. I am trying to figure out a way to rub some of her energy onto me, but she has the secret all wrapped up, it seems. But we did have a terrific time with turkey and cranberry sauce and all the fixings except pumpkin pie. We were sad about the pumpkin pie, but I was afraid it would stress me out too much to try to make one from scratch. The only nutmeg I found was the NUT itself. :) I did manage to find allspice so I plan to try my Christmas cookies if my kids get the stuff to me on time.
We've been out to the farm every day but Thanksgiving, shoeing or working with horses. Nelson got hurt shoeing a horse yesterday, so today may end up being a rest day for him. I rode yesterday for the first time in a week....I let my knee rest up, saw the doctor and got some good drugs, and it's improved nearly 100%! I am so thankful for that. I am a little sore today, but had such a grand ride on Esteem yesterday that I can't complain and I can't wait to do it again. He has quite the personality and is just plain FUN to ride. Yesterday we rode around the date groves and he didn't spook at a single thing! Not the sprinklers, nor the peacocks, nor the quail, (peacocks and quail like to suddenly fly up out of the grass or the middle of the trail), nor the big noisy water pumps, dogs, traffic....nothing seems to phase him. We did a couple of laps on the track and then walked a short distance with Shakeel and Raj who were out exercising a couple of horses. Esteem was a little annoyed each time he thought he was going back to the stable and we went elsewhere. I had gone back once to deliver the husky to Sian because she had followed me home and to take Esteem's pulse (38-40 depending on if you do or don't count the last beat on the 15th second), and then went back out to the track. He is used to being FINISHED when he comes in and had a bit of an attitude, but I adjusted it and then he was fine, no shenanigans. He is just so much fun. I am beginning to think I might really be able to do that 60 km later this month! Inshallah!
Yesterday was windy and cool, blowing a lot of dust. I still have dust in my ears, I think! I got to talk to all of my kids on the phone yesterday, including Mykayla, who informed me that she is drawing a picture for me and Papa. I asked her if it was just for me and was politely informed that it's also for PAPA! Don't be silly, Nana! Gee, I miss that kid! Anyway, we took the back way to the stables yesterday and saw all kinds of fun stuff: lots of camels and goats and sheep, some oryx at a nearby zoo, the camels exercising on the race track in Al Shahaniya....fun time! I took a lot of photos which we'll post on Facebook later this week.
More to come so stay tuned!
We've been out to the farm every day but Thanksgiving, shoeing or working with horses. Nelson got hurt shoeing a horse yesterday, so today may end up being a rest day for him. I rode yesterday for the first time in a week....I let my knee rest up, saw the doctor and got some good drugs, and it's improved nearly 100%! I am so thankful for that. I am a little sore today, but had such a grand ride on Esteem yesterday that I can't complain and I can't wait to do it again. He has quite the personality and is just plain FUN to ride. Yesterday we rode around the date groves and he didn't spook at a single thing! Not the sprinklers, nor the peacocks, nor the quail, (peacocks and quail like to suddenly fly up out of the grass or the middle of the trail), nor the big noisy water pumps, dogs, traffic....nothing seems to phase him. We did a couple of laps on the track and then walked a short distance with Shakeel and Raj who were out exercising a couple of horses. Esteem was a little annoyed each time he thought he was going back to the stable and we went elsewhere. I had gone back once to deliver the husky to Sian because she had followed me home and to take Esteem's pulse (38-40 depending on if you do or don't count the last beat on the 15th second), and then went back out to the track. He is used to being FINISHED when he comes in and had a bit of an attitude, but I adjusted it and then he was fine, no shenanigans. He is just so much fun. I am beginning to think I might really be able to do that 60 km later this month! Inshallah!
Yesterday was windy and cool, blowing a lot of dust. I still have dust in my ears, I think! I got to talk to all of my kids on the phone yesterday, including Mykayla, who informed me that she is drawing a picture for me and Papa. I asked her if it was just for me and was politely informed that it's also for PAPA! Don't be silly, Nana! Gee, I miss that kid! Anyway, we took the back way to the stables yesterday and saw all kinds of fun stuff: lots of camels and goats and sheep, some oryx at a nearby zoo, the camels exercising on the race track in Al Shahaniya....fun time! I took a lot of photos which we'll post on Facebook later this week.
More to come so stay tuned!
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Happy Thanksgiving!
Another Thanksgiving has arrived with us in Qatar. This year we do have a turkey although we aren't cooking it until tomorrow. I am hoping to figure out how to make a home made pumpkin pie although I may have to substitute squash or maybe I'll try a sweet potato pie....I've never had one, let alone made one, but sweet potatoes are easy to come by here. Wish me luck!
Life has been hectic and crazy. My classes are going well. I have fabulous students this semester. All of my reading and writing students (my core group) passed their mid-terms and only a couple of my listening and speaking students did not. I am very pleased. I have been much more strict this semester and very demanding, and my students seem to be thriving and learning. Maybe they are simply more mature (some of them are anyway) than the level 2 students I have taught for so long. I was teaching Level 2 before I came here, so it was getting old.
The plants are growing like gangbusters at our villa! Betty Boog (as we have named the bouganvillea that we were afraid might die) is blooming with leaves (although boogies don't actually bloom....the leaves turn pink, there are no real blossoms). I will post a photo tonight or tomorrow.
My knee, which simply couldn't take the stress of the stairs and then horseback riding, is coming around and feeling much better. Of course, I went to the clinic and got a nice shot and some pills for it the other day. I don't know why I waited to do it.....it helped so much when I came off Hattan in January. I won't wait next time! Now that I'm feeling better, I'm eager to get out there and ride Esteem...REALLY RIDE! We have decided that one horse is enough for us right now, although we will continue to work with Hamahm and try to bring him back to the endurance rides eventually. He needs some nutrition, some shoeing, some retraining to get him to round his back and move more comfortably for himself and for his rider. He is a sweet boy though.
Though we can't give details, we have some irons in the fire, so to speak, in the form of a business proposal with an important personage. Who knows what may happen as a result? A better life, for sure! I am afraid we might end up having to move if it does work out as we currently live an hour away from the farm where our base of operation for this business would be. I just KNEW if we moved to Al Khor, things would take off for Nelson. Oh, well, we'll cross that bridge when we come to it. We really love Al Khor and I'd hate to leave, but this driving so much every day is killing us! Maybe we can keep the villa as our "weekend" place. :) LOL In any case, any positive vibes you can send our way are appreciated. This business proposal could mean a comfortable retirement for us someday.
Today is the first day of Eid Al Adha, when Muslims make the trip to Mecca. My students explained a lot to me, and from what I understand, this also celebrates Abraham's obedience to God when he went to the altar to kill his son, Isaac (?) at God's command. I find it fascinating how much history and scripture we share. It is always a comfort to find that we are not so different after all!
It's time for me to get moving as we have a lot to do today. I want to ride and Nelson has some horses' feet to work on. I will need to go shopping and find ingredients for this pie I want to make for tomorrow. I hope everyone has a fabulous Thanksgiving. We are thinking of you today and will make some phone calls tonight to see who we can surprise! :) On the other hand, you can give US a call and surprise us. This would have to be after 2 or 3 p.m. Michigan time! We certainly won't be home before then. :)
Living forward,
Maggie
Life has been hectic and crazy. My classes are going well. I have fabulous students this semester. All of my reading and writing students (my core group) passed their mid-terms and only a couple of my listening and speaking students did not. I am very pleased. I have been much more strict this semester and very demanding, and my students seem to be thriving and learning. Maybe they are simply more mature (some of them are anyway) than the level 2 students I have taught for so long. I was teaching Level 2 before I came here, so it was getting old.
The plants are growing like gangbusters at our villa! Betty Boog (as we have named the bouganvillea that we were afraid might die) is blooming with leaves (although boogies don't actually bloom....the leaves turn pink, there are no real blossoms). I will post a photo tonight or tomorrow.
My knee, which simply couldn't take the stress of the stairs and then horseback riding, is coming around and feeling much better. Of course, I went to the clinic and got a nice shot and some pills for it the other day. I don't know why I waited to do it.....it helped so much when I came off Hattan in January. I won't wait next time! Now that I'm feeling better, I'm eager to get out there and ride Esteem...REALLY RIDE! We have decided that one horse is enough for us right now, although we will continue to work with Hamahm and try to bring him back to the endurance rides eventually. He needs some nutrition, some shoeing, some retraining to get him to round his back and move more comfortably for himself and for his rider. He is a sweet boy though.
Though we can't give details, we have some irons in the fire, so to speak, in the form of a business proposal with an important personage. Who knows what may happen as a result? A better life, for sure! I am afraid we might end up having to move if it does work out as we currently live an hour away from the farm where our base of operation for this business would be. I just KNEW if we moved to Al Khor, things would take off for Nelson. Oh, well, we'll cross that bridge when we come to it. We really love Al Khor and I'd hate to leave, but this driving so much every day is killing us! Maybe we can keep the villa as our "weekend" place. :) LOL In any case, any positive vibes you can send our way are appreciated. This business proposal could mean a comfortable retirement for us someday.
Today is the first day of Eid Al Adha, when Muslims make the trip to Mecca. My students explained a lot to me, and from what I understand, this also celebrates Abraham's obedience to God when he went to the altar to kill his son, Isaac (?) at God's command. I find it fascinating how much history and scripture we share. It is always a comfort to find that we are not so different after all!
It's time for me to get moving as we have a lot to do today. I want to ride and Nelson has some horses' feet to work on. I will need to go shopping and find ingredients for this pie I want to make for tomorrow. I hope everyone has a fabulous Thanksgiving. We are thinking of you today and will make some phone calls tonight to see who we can surprise! :) On the other hand, you can give US a call and surprise us. This would have to be after 2 or 3 p.m. Michigan time! We certainly won't be home before then. :)
Living forward,
Maggie
Friday, November 20, 2009
No clever title
Hello all,
It's been a bit busy lately. I know it's been a couple of weeks since I've blogged, but here I am now. Where to begin? I don't honestly know.
I'm sitting here with my leg up and my knee wrapped, sipping a little rum and hoping for some relief. I have done nothing specific except grow old. I think the 3 flights of stairs in the new villa and my recent horseback riding has simply caused it to retaliate. I don't have time to be laid up....I have teaching and riding to do! But, fortunately, there is a 10 day Eid holiday coming up that will hopefully allow me some rest AND some fun!
To fill you in, we have been looking at a couple of affordable horses (at least in terms of easy terms!). I posted a few photos on Facebook of both of them and will put one here on my blog. It's hard to decide between the two and there is still the possibility that we may end up with both in the long run, but for the meantime, I am claiming ownership of a sweet little grey gelding named Esteem. I don't have the particulars of his breeding as of yet, but I realized yesterday that it doesn't matter. He is a very fun horse to ride, very much like my daughter's horse, Max, the one Mykayla started riding last summer. He is sure footed and a little lazy, but he can hit a road trot at about 25 km/hour and never miss a beat. We had the best ride last night. I came home and posted this on my Facebook wall last night:
Maggie Mieske is thankful for rusty clouds and lusty insects singing at sunset, doves cooing and flapping madly in the trees above her horse's head, peacocks flying to roost, the desert breeze rustling the fronds of the date palms on either side....for the horse who never flinches, never shies, and the dusty view of the trail ahead between his ears.
He inspires the most awesome emotions in me. If I can sort out this trouble with my knee, I would very much like to ride him in the 60 km endurance ride on December 18th (assuming they don't push back the date again...it was the 4th, then the 11th, now the 18th). It's all good though because it gives me more time to heal. The funny thing is that my knee doesn't really hurt when I'm riding, nor when I am walking, especially after I'm warmed up a bit. But it stiffens and gets hard to use if I have to sit in the car, or anywhere else, very long (it's 40-60 minutes to the farm depending on traffic so that's a problem). I'm using a cold spray on it, ice packs, and today I'm trying some peppermint. I am afraid I am going to have to go to the clinic on Saturday or Sunday and see if they can help me. I do recall last year when I came off Hattan that they gave me an injection that really helped.
Another physically and mentally exhausting element of our life lately is negotiating this horseshoeing business. We have a couple of people who are serious about going into business with Nelson. One would like something exclusive (meaning Nelson couldn't shoe elsewhere) and one is just slow in coming through. We've worked up a business proposal and there is a lot of potential for Nelson to do a lot of good for the horses in this country and perhaps make some money on which we could someday retire. It's just hard waiting and thinking so much about the whole thing. Only Peggy and her daughters seem to be the ones looking out for Nelson's health, and they have been instrumental in getting Nelson started and his work seen, and in talking him up. As Peggy says, he's the "specialist." :) Sounds like a TV series! I still call him The Miracle Worker! So, please pray for him that he finds the right situation, where he can do the most good, and will be happy with what he does. I am really lucky that I love my job so much, and it's getting better and better every semester for me as I gain experience and know my students better. Nelson has not had the benefit of that satisfaction and happiness since we left and he needs it again. Our proposal involves apprentices and helpers (maybe bringing Joey over to be his right hand man if they can get along), and lots of other kinds of activities and ideas that might not only be fun, but bring in money to the business. Wish us luck!
What else? My flowers are doing fantastic! Betty Boog (as we call the bouganvillea that almost died) is growing like crazy! I'll try to get photos of her this weekend to put on Facebook. I'm currently trying to get my morning glories to climb the column by the porch. We can't wait to be able to afford more trees and shrubs.
We did find turkey for Thanksgiving and have a special guest coming, we hope, but whose identity I am not at liberty to divulge right now. We haven't had the time or money to have our "villa cooling" party (as opposed to house warming....Nelson's idea, hahaha!) yet, but hope to have a combination Thanksgiving/Christmas/villa cooling party in December. I hope we will still be able to have turkey. We also found a product that tastes like Miracle Whip at Lulu Market and they are supposed to carry Miracle Whip, too, but are currently out. I am sooo happy!
All in all, things are going well. They would go better if we could catch up on some rest, I think. Please keep in touch and we hope to hear from you soon!
It's been a bit busy lately. I know it's been a couple of weeks since I've blogged, but here I am now. Where to begin? I don't honestly know.
I'm sitting here with my leg up and my knee wrapped, sipping a little rum and hoping for some relief. I have done nothing specific except grow old. I think the 3 flights of stairs in the new villa and my recent horseback riding has simply caused it to retaliate. I don't have time to be laid up....I have teaching and riding to do! But, fortunately, there is a 10 day Eid holiday coming up that will hopefully allow me some rest AND some fun!
To fill you in, we have been looking at a couple of affordable horses (at least in terms of easy terms!). I posted a few photos on Facebook of both of them and will put one here on my blog. It's hard to decide between the two and there is still the possibility that we may end up with both in the long run, but for the meantime, I am claiming ownership of a sweet little grey gelding named Esteem. I don't have the particulars of his breeding as of yet, but I realized yesterday that it doesn't matter. He is a very fun horse to ride, very much like my daughter's horse, Max, the one Mykayla started riding last summer. He is sure footed and a little lazy, but he can hit a road trot at about 25 km/hour and never miss a beat. We had the best ride last night. I came home and posted this on my Facebook wall last night:
Maggie Mieske is thankful for rusty clouds and lusty insects singing at sunset, doves cooing and flapping madly in the trees above her horse's head, peacocks flying to roost, the desert breeze rustling the fronds of the date palms on either side....for the horse who never flinches, never shies, and the dusty view of the trail ahead between his ears.
He inspires the most awesome emotions in me. If I can sort out this trouble with my knee, I would very much like to ride him in the 60 km endurance ride on December 18th (assuming they don't push back the date again...it was the 4th, then the 11th, now the 18th). It's all good though because it gives me more time to heal. The funny thing is that my knee doesn't really hurt when I'm riding, nor when I am walking, especially after I'm warmed up a bit. But it stiffens and gets hard to use if I have to sit in the car, or anywhere else, very long (it's 40-60 minutes to the farm depending on traffic so that's a problem). I'm using a cold spray on it, ice packs, and today I'm trying some peppermint. I am afraid I am going to have to go to the clinic on Saturday or Sunday and see if they can help me. I do recall last year when I came off Hattan that they gave me an injection that really helped.
Another physically and mentally exhausting element of our life lately is negotiating this horseshoeing business. We have a couple of people who are serious about going into business with Nelson. One would like something exclusive (meaning Nelson couldn't shoe elsewhere) and one is just slow in coming through. We've worked up a business proposal and there is a lot of potential for Nelson to do a lot of good for the horses in this country and perhaps make some money on which we could someday retire. It's just hard waiting and thinking so much about the whole thing. Only Peggy and her daughters seem to be the ones looking out for Nelson's health, and they have been instrumental in getting Nelson started and his work seen, and in talking him up. As Peggy says, he's the "specialist." :) Sounds like a TV series! I still call him The Miracle Worker! So, please pray for him that he finds the right situation, where he can do the most good, and will be happy with what he does. I am really lucky that I love my job so much, and it's getting better and better every semester for me as I gain experience and know my students better. Nelson has not had the benefit of that satisfaction and happiness since we left and he needs it again. Our proposal involves apprentices and helpers (maybe bringing Joey over to be his right hand man if they can get along), and lots of other kinds of activities and ideas that might not only be fun, but bring in money to the business. Wish us luck!
What else? My flowers are doing fantastic! Betty Boog (as we call the bouganvillea that almost died) is growing like crazy! I'll try to get photos of her this weekend to put on Facebook. I'm currently trying to get my morning glories to climb the column by the porch. We can't wait to be able to afford more trees and shrubs.
We did find turkey for Thanksgiving and have a special guest coming, we hope, but whose identity I am not at liberty to divulge right now. We haven't had the time or money to have our "villa cooling" party (as opposed to house warming....Nelson's idea, hahaha!) yet, but hope to have a combination Thanksgiving/Christmas/villa cooling party in December. I hope we will still be able to have turkey. We also found a product that tastes like Miracle Whip at Lulu Market and they are supposed to carry Miracle Whip, too, but are currently out. I am sooo happy!
All in all, things are going well. They would go better if we could catch up on some rest, I think. Please keep in touch and we hope to hear from you soon!
Saturday, November 7, 2009
Ride 'em like you stole 'em!
Well, at least that seems to be how many of the riders at yesterday's ride seemed to ride. The winner of the ride from Al Shahaniya Stud averaged around 25 km an hour. There were others who went faster that were pulled. I have to admit that these horses all looked strong and I don't know their histories, but I am sure many of them are veteran endurance horses. I liked what I saw for horseflesh (and this time saw very few underweight or skinny horses). Al Shahaniya and Al Shaqab teams dominated the top 15 spots that pay money (I don't have final results for the entire ride as we were exhausted, called it a night and went home early, which was about 10:30 p.m.). I can say that of the first 15, Al Shahaniya won 3 placings (1st, 5th and 6th) and Al Shaqab won 6 (3rd, 4th, 7th, 8th, 11th and 12th). It looked almost as if Al Shaqab were pairing their horses and perhaps they were, but they did not all arrive at the same time, though they were within 1-3 minutes of each other. They also had 15 horses entered! :) Al Shahaniya had only 4 in the 80 that I could count. None of this is official, of course, just placings as of the time Nelson and I gave it up and went home. It's about an hour and 15 minutes from Al Khor.
My biggest complaint and issue with their methods here, in addition to the speed, is the ICE WATER. They literally pour buckets and buckets of ice water on the horses, not only on their necks and shoulders, but over their back and hindquarters as well. The less organized teams with less experienced grooms (or perhaps it was less well-disciplined because I know those grooms have been doing this a few years) literally rush the horse, 4 or 5 at a time, and start throwing water at it. ICE water. I wanted to throw a groom or two myself right into those barrels of ice water. And then they panic and wonder why the horses are jumping around and their pulses won't come down! One groom was in such a rush that he grabbed his rider's horse as he came up, the rider jumped off, started to loosen the cinch (some of them actually know to do this), and the groom started trotting off with the horse....the poor horse was so discombobulated by the rush of activity, conflicting messages from groom and rider and people rushing at him with buckets, that he literally fell to his knees! He was ok (and he was one we helped crew and so did not get the massive amounts of ice water and not over his hindquarters and also managed to show the grooms how to scrape the water they were pouring off the horse...this lasted for that one horse...they did not repeat what they had learned, although I saw the rider do so when he came in again). Unfortunately, we were busy with other horses when he came in and he got the ice water treatment from the grooms (in spite of reprimands from the rider, too). Pulled for lameness. Gee, ya think? What really bugged us the most was watching the horses come in SOUND and then go lame when the ice water treatment caused them to cramp up. It makes me want to scream!
So, what else can I say? It is soooo hard not having a horse to ride. But, we met more people yesterday, and even better, saw more that we KNOW already. It was nice being there and being recognized and greeted as old friends. Everyone couldn't believe I don't have a horse to ride yet. Well, who knows what the future will bring? I am hopeful, but if I have to ride for someone else, they will have to let me use Nelson as my crew/groom. :) We ought to put on a clinic about crewing (and we did sort of on the spot yesterday, but it went in one ear and out the other, it seems). There is so much they still don't know here, simple, common sense things-things that have been researched and that work. I sure wish we could get Susan Evans Garlinghouse, DVM, here to teach them how to properly use beet pulp before a ride to keep a horse hydrated and out of the vet tent. I didn't even venture over there except to say hello early in the ride. Later, we saw a line up of horses waiting to get in for treatment. I think because it was a night ride and had been a beautiful, warm day (if not hot...probably mid-high 80s), people were not prepared to need blankets or rump rugs. It cooled off to the mid-70s, but there was a good brisk breeze blowing that was already cooling horses off during the ride. They should know better this time of year that it could be quite cool at night! They certainly did NOT need ICE for the water, no way, no how! I also did not see any electrolyting, which seemed odd to me. Doesn't mean it wasn't happening, but I never saw it. And all of the horses I saw are allowed NOTHING to eat or drink before vetting in, not a carrot or slice of apple to get the gut sounds going, nor a swallow of water. I know they believe that allowing a horse to eat and drink will drive up its heartrate. And it can. However, I am not talking about buckets of water or feed....I'm talking about enough of something to get a horse to relax, to get its head down (which lowers HR), to get its guts working, to simply start thinking about the vet check as the place to relax and replenish. Our routine with Malik of an apple, loosen the cinch, walk up to the check, maybe grab a bite of grass and rub his head on Nelson, works successfully for us every time. Most of these horses are not looked at as individuals (perhaps the small stable of 3 or 4 horses maybe) with individual needs and quirks. What works for one may not work for another. But they are quite rigid in their ideologies here and change does not come about easily.
Two more crazy stories about yesterday and then it's back to bed for a nap for me....I can feel a little bit of a sore throat coming on (dust and wind yesterday) and am just so TIRED!
Shortly before we arrived at Endurance Village, a Land Cruiser was tailgating us, flashing his lights to get by and zoomed on ahead.....right into a roundabout where he proceeded to go up on the right side tires into a perfect Dukes of Hazzard wheelie stunt, or whatever you want to call it. He held it for at least 20 seconds, maybe longer, I'm not sure and we were sure he was going to roll it over. Then we realized that this was no ordinary driver....he MUST have done this before. Later when we told our story to others, they told us YEAH, happens all the time. Well, that was my first eyewitness account. Speaking of eyewitness accounts, on the way home, I saw another spectacular sight in the dark. I'm still not entirely sure what I saw: it was a flash, a huge flash and when I looked, at first I thought it was so bright, it must be a flare from Mesaieed, but we were far away from there by then and it was behind us. Then I thought fireworks (in the middle of the desert above the power lines?). Then I noticed it was falling downwards. It seemed to be burning up as it went and then, just as suddenly, was gone. Nelson never saw it, which is a pity. He says he only saw a bright flash out of the corner of his eye. I wondered if it might be a meteor? Nelson said "falling star." But I've never seen a falling star like this one. This was CLOSE. And BRIGHT. I'd welcome any thoughts or ideas on that one!
So, today I must finish grading essays (I did get 3 done on our way to the ride yesterday in the car and only have 10 more to go now) and get some sleep. It's review week and mid-term exams are next Saturday. How exciting! Stay tuned!!
My biggest complaint and issue with their methods here, in addition to the speed, is the ICE WATER. They literally pour buckets and buckets of ice water on the horses, not only on their necks and shoulders, but over their back and hindquarters as well. The less organized teams with less experienced grooms (or perhaps it was less well-disciplined because I know those grooms have been doing this a few years) literally rush the horse, 4 or 5 at a time, and start throwing water at it. ICE water. I wanted to throw a groom or two myself right into those barrels of ice water. And then they panic and wonder why the horses are jumping around and their pulses won't come down! One groom was in such a rush that he grabbed his rider's horse as he came up, the rider jumped off, started to loosen the cinch (some of them actually know to do this), and the groom started trotting off with the horse....the poor horse was so discombobulated by the rush of activity, conflicting messages from groom and rider and people rushing at him with buckets, that he literally fell to his knees! He was ok (and he was one we helped crew and so did not get the massive amounts of ice water and not over his hindquarters and also managed to show the grooms how to scrape the water they were pouring off the horse...this lasted for that one horse...they did not repeat what they had learned, although I saw the rider do so when he came in again). Unfortunately, we were busy with other horses when he came in and he got the ice water treatment from the grooms (in spite of reprimands from the rider, too). Pulled for lameness. Gee, ya think? What really bugged us the most was watching the horses come in SOUND and then go lame when the ice water treatment caused them to cramp up. It makes me want to scream!
So, what else can I say? It is soooo hard not having a horse to ride. But, we met more people yesterday, and even better, saw more that we KNOW already. It was nice being there and being recognized and greeted as old friends. Everyone couldn't believe I don't have a horse to ride yet. Well, who knows what the future will bring? I am hopeful, but if I have to ride for someone else, they will have to let me use Nelson as my crew/groom. :) We ought to put on a clinic about crewing (and we did sort of on the spot yesterday, but it went in one ear and out the other, it seems). There is so much they still don't know here, simple, common sense things-things that have been researched and that work. I sure wish we could get Susan Evans Garlinghouse, DVM, here to teach them how to properly use beet pulp before a ride to keep a horse hydrated and out of the vet tent. I didn't even venture over there except to say hello early in the ride. Later, we saw a line up of horses waiting to get in for treatment. I think because it was a night ride and had been a beautiful, warm day (if not hot...probably mid-high 80s), people were not prepared to need blankets or rump rugs. It cooled off to the mid-70s, but there was a good brisk breeze blowing that was already cooling horses off during the ride. They should know better this time of year that it could be quite cool at night! They certainly did NOT need ICE for the water, no way, no how! I also did not see any electrolyting, which seemed odd to me. Doesn't mean it wasn't happening, but I never saw it. And all of the horses I saw are allowed NOTHING to eat or drink before vetting in, not a carrot or slice of apple to get the gut sounds going, nor a swallow of water. I know they believe that allowing a horse to eat and drink will drive up its heartrate. And it can. However, I am not talking about buckets of water or feed....I'm talking about enough of something to get a horse to relax, to get its head down (which lowers HR), to get its guts working, to simply start thinking about the vet check as the place to relax and replenish. Our routine with Malik of an apple, loosen the cinch, walk up to the check, maybe grab a bite of grass and rub his head on Nelson, works successfully for us every time. Most of these horses are not looked at as individuals (perhaps the small stable of 3 or 4 horses maybe) with individual needs and quirks. What works for one may not work for another. But they are quite rigid in their ideologies here and change does not come about easily.
Two more crazy stories about yesterday and then it's back to bed for a nap for me....I can feel a little bit of a sore throat coming on (dust and wind yesterday) and am just so TIRED!
Shortly before we arrived at Endurance Village, a Land Cruiser was tailgating us, flashing his lights to get by and zoomed on ahead.....right into a roundabout where he proceeded to go up on the right side tires into a perfect Dukes of Hazzard wheelie stunt, or whatever you want to call it. He held it for at least 20 seconds, maybe longer, I'm not sure and we were sure he was going to roll it over. Then we realized that this was no ordinary driver....he MUST have done this before. Later when we told our story to others, they told us YEAH, happens all the time. Well, that was my first eyewitness account. Speaking of eyewitness accounts, on the way home, I saw another spectacular sight in the dark. I'm still not entirely sure what I saw: it was a flash, a huge flash and when I looked, at first I thought it was so bright, it must be a flare from Mesaieed, but we were far away from there by then and it was behind us. Then I thought fireworks (in the middle of the desert above the power lines?). Then I noticed it was falling downwards. It seemed to be burning up as it went and then, just as suddenly, was gone. Nelson never saw it, which is a pity. He says he only saw a bright flash out of the corner of his eye. I wondered if it might be a meteor? Nelson said "falling star." But I've never seen a falling star like this one. This was CLOSE. And BRIGHT. I'd welcome any thoughts or ideas on that one!
So, today I must finish grading essays (I did get 3 done on our way to the ride yesterday in the car and only have 10 more to go now) and get some sleep. It's review week and mid-term exams are next Saturday. How exciting! Stay tuned!!
Friday, November 6, 2009
One week to mid-terms!
The semester has been flying by. I can't believe we managed to move and make it this far without losing our minds! Mid-terms are a week from tomorrow. Where did the time go? I guess moving kept us so busy we never really noticed! And, of course, as soon as we moved, people started calling for Nelson to shoe their horses! Where? In Doha, of course. So, we spent about 6 days in a row going back to Doha every afternoon/evening to shoe horses. It's freelancing, but they are paying Nelson's prices and are happy with his work. It takes an exorbitant amount of time to shoe one horse because they are so badly messed up: rarely do angles and length of toe match and Nelson has to spend quite a bit of time balancing and correcting. So be it. The results are fantastic though. It's easy to look good when the feet are so bad to begin with! There is an endurance ride/race today that we are going to. The plan is to help out our friend, Avril, with pit crewing as she needs us, and to hang out, schmooze, meet people, take some pulses, maybe consult a little bit here and there. Nelson and I are hard to miss. It's getting more and more difficult though being without a horse. I threatened people last week that if someone doesn't find a horse for me to ride, I am going to take Nelson away. :) They are not sure what to think. They have asked me if I am a farrier also, because Nelson and I discuss quite a bit together. He has always asked my opinion and what I see. It's part of being married, I suppose, but we have always made a great team whether it was the shoeing business or endurance riding or traveling the world together! I think we'd win The Amazing Race if we could ever get on it! :) Hahahaha! Anyway, I posted photos on Facebook of some of the villa post moving in, but am going outside to take more this morning. We will go to the endurance ride/race this afternoon (it starts at 4:00 p.m.) and I will write a story and add photos tomorrow. Catch ya all then!
Friday, October 30, 2009
The Amazing Race in Real Life
Well, there isn't a million dollars at stake, but we have felt as if we were competing in a race the last few weeks, jumping through all the hoops to get moved and complete all the steps and paperwork necessary for us to get our housing allowance!
But, for almost a week now, we have been living and breathing Al Khor. Our villa is wonderful. I didn't know how much of a difference it would make in my life to sit at an open window, listen to the birds in the morning, or to sit at an open window with the moon and the stars shining down on me. I can see the lights twinkling in the distance, though not sure if it's Doha or not.
I have two little window planters full of petunias outside my window. My mother is with me always, wherever there are petunias, whenever I pick the dead blossoms and relive the days of my childhood helping her in her flower gardens and "tattling" on Dad when he would pick the dead blooms, too. Today, as a reward for doing the unpacking I plan to work on (doubt I will finish), I will plant some more things....some marigolds and petunias, some herbs (MINT is my favorite) and a couple of little citrus bushes we bought. Imelda, our friend next door who is from the Phillipines says they grow in her country, but I can't remember what she called them. The little green fruits will turn orange and can be eaten. We also want to get some lemon trees that we saw at the plant souk the other day. And more bouganvillea. And some flowering trees and little green leafy trees....I can't remember what they are all called. One was gardenia, I think. They are not terribly expensive, but we need to get that housing allowance check first! :)
So we are slowly settling in. Nelson is doing more and more horses and feeling really good about it. He is bummed he hasn't gotten the "big" job yet, but for now, I think this works out best, so he can start back slowly and build himself up again! It's hard to wait for your dream job when you're already 54 years old. But people are taking notice of his work. Things just happen slowly here sometimes. And then when something breaks, it breaks NOW. I don't have a horse yet. I still want Hattan, but he it out of commission with a snake bite right now. I haven't even SEEN a snake here yet. Apparently, this bite has become infected. God help him...he is a special horse. I am just going to start riding whenever and whatever I can to keep myself sane. I've had enough horsey contact to manage lately, but riding is my real psychotherapy. We will pit crew for Avril (our Irish friend) at the first ride on the 6th (or is it the 4th? Whatever the first Friday of Nov is!). I can't wait. I enjoy her company so much as it is and she is such a smart rider. AND she really appreciates our knowledge and help.
The guys are coming to hang the curtains today. After we get some things unpacked and straightened up, we'll take some photos of the villa and post them on Facebook, and see if we can put some here. I have never figured out how to do the photo album with this site, so there won't be many here.
Keep in touch. Please write. We miss our friends and family and sure wish we could have you here to spend a few nights in our guest bedroom. :) It's always open!
But, for almost a week now, we have been living and breathing Al Khor. Our villa is wonderful. I didn't know how much of a difference it would make in my life to sit at an open window, listen to the birds in the morning, or to sit at an open window with the moon and the stars shining down on me. I can see the lights twinkling in the distance, though not sure if it's Doha or not.
I have two little window planters full of petunias outside my window. My mother is with me always, wherever there are petunias, whenever I pick the dead blossoms and relive the days of my childhood helping her in her flower gardens and "tattling" on Dad when he would pick the dead blooms, too. Today, as a reward for doing the unpacking I plan to work on (doubt I will finish), I will plant some more things....some marigolds and petunias, some herbs (MINT is my favorite) and a couple of little citrus bushes we bought. Imelda, our friend next door who is from the Phillipines says they grow in her country, but I can't remember what she called them. The little green fruits will turn orange and can be eaten. We also want to get some lemon trees that we saw at the plant souk the other day. And more bouganvillea. And some flowering trees and little green leafy trees....I can't remember what they are all called. One was gardenia, I think. They are not terribly expensive, but we need to get that housing allowance check first! :)
So we are slowly settling in. Nelson is doing more and more horses and feeling really good about it. He is bummed he hasn't gotten the "big" job yet, but for now, I think this works out best, so he can start back slowly and build himself up again! It's hard to wait for your dream job when you're already 54 years old. But people are taking notice of his work. Things just happen slowly here sometimes. And then when something breaks, it breaks NOW. I don't have a horse yet. I still want Hattan, but he it out of commission with a snake bite right now. I haven't even SEEN a snake here yet. Apparently, this bite has become infected. God help him...he is a special horse. I am just going to start riding whenever and whatever I can to keep myself sane. I've had enough horsey contact to manage lately, but riding is my real psychotherapy. We will pit crew for Avril (our Irish friend) at the first ride on the 6th (or is it the 4th? Whatever the first Friday of Nov is!). I can't wait. I enjoy her company so much as it is and she is such a smart rider. AND she really appreciates our knowledge and help.
The guys are coming to hang the curtains today. After we get some things unpacked and straightened up, we'll take some photos of the villa and post them on Facebook, and see if we can put some here. I have never figured out how to do the photo album with this site, so there won't be many here.
Keep in touch. Please write. We miss our friends and family and sure wish we could have you here to spend a few nights in our guest bedroom. :) It's always open!
Friday, October 23, 2009
It's raining! It's pouring! The old man is snoring!
OK, OK! I haven't had a lot of sleep lately so old nursery rhymes and songs are easy to recall. Nelson is not an old man, but he IS snoring. I am so jealous that he can sleep in. My brain wakes up at 5 a.m. nowadays no matter how long I could sleep in if I wanted!
We're still in Al Zuhoor as of this morning, but so much of my stuff is in Al Khor that I can't brush my teeth or even have tea or coffee! We only have the odds and ends left to haul up in boxes now.
This morning, we are meeting our truck/furniture moving guys at the villa with the last of the furniture for now. We found a small counter top that will fit between the stove and frig with room underneath for the gas tank. We found a nice little cabinet for our spices and miscellaneous cooking stuff to sit right next to the stove. We were very happy with a nice, slightly used living room set. I can't really describe it, so will post photos on Facebook and this blog as soon as we are internet capable again. They came yesterday, but somebody transposed a number and they can't get things working just right yet. Martin has internet next door so we can go there. Martin has been by two or three times to haul boxes and misc. in his Escalade for us. He claims it is for "the greater good" and refuses to allow us to do something nice for him in return because he hopes it will help him get to heaven (or stay out of hell). :) We WILL have a nice dinner celebration after we get settled in the next few days!
It has been an eventful week for us.....poor Nelson is so stressed from driving us to work and back, running errands, doing some work himself shoeing some endurance horses.....he needs a break! We had our first accident this week when a large cab-over truck decided it wanted our lane. Not a lot of damage, just the passenger door. But the guy didn't stop and kept on going. A local who saw what happened forced him off the road for us with his Landcruiser so we could call the police and make a report. The truck guys didn't want to call the police and just wanted to know how much. They tried to tell us with the limited English they knew that it would take hours for the police to arrive. It only took about 45 minutes. The policeman knew little to no English, so we had no idea what the truck guys told him, but they told him plenty. We were never even asked any questions. We had to go to the Traffic Department the next day. We were a bit nervous because we weren't sure what would happen. Well, the policemen at the Traffic Department were so very nice. We were surprised after some of the horror stories we've heard! And really got nervous when they asked for our debit card! :) One of them is going to Las Vegas next month and we had a fun time working out the English. He wanted to know what to wear....I told him to take a warm jacket for this time of year. While we would consider it perfect weather, he will freeze after the heat of Doha. When we tried to find out from him what he is going there for, it is "to see." :) No casinos or anything. He asked if Las Vegas is safe. I asked him if he ever watches CSI. They had a good laugh about that! Anyway, the debit card was because we needed to pay 20QR (about 5 bucks) for the report, completely in Arabic. We didn't understand at first why he was telling us to go to Doha Insurance. I guess in Qatar you make your claim directly with the other guy's insurance company instead of turning it in to your own. Fine by me! And we even found the place yesterday when we went to the furniture souks.
So.....it feels as if it's pouring for us right now. There is so much going on. I have to get to work on my action research for the presentation I am doing in Boston next spring with some colleagues about reading. The majority of our students really don't like reading and motivating students to read so they can subsequently improve all of their English skills. We really hope to find some ways to motivate students to read more! I love teaching Level 3, but I have to really work hard to help them achieve our learning outcomes...the leap from Level 2 to Level 3 is a big one and they are taking some time to adjust to the new level of difficulty. However, I am pleased with their progress. One student asked me this week what I eat for breakfast. Apparently, I seem very energetic to them at 8:00 in the morning! It was so funny. I do feel energized when I am teaching and move around the room to keep everyone on task. They don't see how exhausted I am in the middle of the afternoon though! I'm hoping Dr. Cabot's Liver Cleansing Diet will help me improve my health, and give me more energy! We'll start next week. It's really an extension of what we've already been doing. Here's the site if you want to take a look for more info: http://www.liverdoctor.com/.
Anyway, so much to do, so little time. I need to get to work this morning packing a few more things that need to go and sorting and tossing some junk that doesn't need to go! Stay tuned!
We're still in Al Zuhoor as of this morning, but so much of my stuff is in Al Khor that I can't brush my teeth or even have tea or coffee! We only have the odds and ends left to haul up in boxes now.
This morning, we are meeting our truck/furniture moving guys at the villa with the last of the furniture for now. We found a small counter top that will fit between the stove and frig with room underneath for the gas tank. We found a nice little cabinet for our spices and miscellaneous cooking stuff to sit right next to the stove. We were very happy with a nice, slightly used living room set. I can't really describe it, so will post photos on Facebook and this blog as soon as we are internet capable again. They came yesterday, but somebody transposed a number and they can't get things working just right yet. Martin has internet next door so we can go there. Martin has been by two or three times to haul boxes and misc. in his Escalade for us. He claims it is for "the greater good" and refuses to allow us to do something nice for him in return because he hopes it will help him get to heaven (or stay out of hell). :) We WILL have a nice dinner celebration after we get settled in the next few days!
It has been an eventful week for us.....poor Nelson is so stressed from driving us to work and back, running errands, doing some work himself shoeing some endurance horses.....he needs a break! We had our first accident this week when a large cab-over truck decided it wanted our lane. Not a lot of damage, just the passenger door. But the guy didn't stop and kept on going. A local who saw what happened forced him off the road for us with his Landcruiser so we could call the police and make a report. The truck guys didn't want to call the police and just wanted to know how much. They tried to tell us with the limited English they knew that it would take hours for the police to arrive. It only took about 45 minutes. The policeman knew little to no English, so we had no idea what the truck guys told him, but they told him plenty. We were never even asked any questions. We had to go to the Traffic Department the next day. We were a bit nervous because we weren't sure what would happen. Well, the policemen at the Traffic Department were so very nice. We were surprised after some of the horror stories we've heard! And really got nervous when they asked for our debit card! :) One of them is going to Las Vegas next month and we had a fun time working out the English. He wanted to know what to wear....I told him to take a warm jacket for this time of year. While we would consider it perfect weather, he will freeze after the heat of Doha. When we tried to find out from him what he is going there for, it is "to see." :) No casinos or anything. He asked if Las Vegas is safe. I asked him if he ever watches CSI. They had a good laugh about that! Anyway, the debit card was because we needed to pay 20QR (about 5 bucks) for the report, completely in Arabic. We didn't understand at first why he was telling us to go to Doha Insurance. I guess in Qatar you make your claim directly with the other guy's insurance company instead of turning it in to your own. Fine by me! And we even found the place yesterday when we went to the furniture souks.
So.....it feels as if it's pouring for us right now. There is so much going on. I have to get to work on my action research for the presentation I am doing in Boston next spring with some colleagues about reading. The majority of our students really don't like reading and motivating students to read so they can subsequently improve all of their English skills. We really hope to find some ways to motivate students to read more! I love teaching Level 3, but I have to really work hard to help them achieve our learning outcomes...the leap from Level 2 to Level 3 is a big one and they are taking some time to adjust to the new level of difficulty. However, I am pleased with their progress. One student asked me this week what I eat for breakfast. Apparently, I seem very energetic to them at 8:00 in the morning! It was so funny. I do feel energized when I am teaching and move around the room to keep everyone on task. They don't see how exhausted I am in the middle of the afternoon though! I'm hoping Dr. Cabot's Liver Cleansing Diet will help me improve my health, and give me more energy! We'll start next week. It's really an extension of what we've already been doing. Here's the site if you want to take a look for more info: http://www.liverdoctor.com/.
Anyway, so much to do, so little time. I need to get to work this morning packing a few more things that need to go and sorting and tossing some junk that doesn't need to go! Stay tuned!
Monday, October 12, 2009
Sometimes happiness isn't getting what you want, it's wanting what you already have!
The keys are in hand! We will sign the lease today (or Wednesday) depending on how the schedule works out.
For reasons I can't explain right now, Nelson and I ended up in the desert north of Al Khor yesterday. Basically, we were looking for a way to cut across from Al Khor to the stable in Al Samriya. You know, a short cut. HA! You know there is no such thing in Qatar! The first one took us out in to the desert, past camel poop, rock, rocks, more rocks and a lizard and then STOPPED at a deserted villa that was falling down. Very lovely. We then tried again a little farther north. This is when we saw the most beautiful skies! I had wondered earlier in the day if the approaching clouds over QU would actually yield something. They never did. But farther north, the clouds took on this amazing quality--the edges had a ring of bright light from the sun, encased in a darker cloud which then radiated rays from the sun....it's just indescribable. I was so bummed we had no camera, but maybe it's one of those moments that is best kept in a snapshot in your heart. A camera could not have done it justice! Then there was lightning. It never amazes me how excited we get over lightning here! :) And thunder arrived. Finally, big, fat, split splat rain drops started hitting the windshield. At first, they were so few that we counted them....when they were too many to count, we deemed it a real thunderstorm! I rolled down the window and got all wet, breathing in that fresh smell. There is nothing like the smell of fresh rain and you don't know how much you appreciate it until you rarely have it! It was a splendid storm and continued as we attempted another shortcut across the desert. The water pooled on top of all this bedrock and looked like ponds and small lakes. We watched rivulets like miniature rivers run down the small hills (well, if you can call them that....more like inclines!). It was fantastic. We continued on and finally met some guys dressed in thobes in the middle of nowhere, at a roundabout in the middle of nowhere (signs said North Army Camp-this way). They gave us some directions. Apparently they had been in the desert playing with their falcons when it began to rain. One guy's falcon sat on his armrest next to him as he drove. They are such gorgeous creatures...someday I am going to witness them doing their thing! We just missed it yesterday!
We continued on, knowing where we were (basically in the middle of NOWHERE but the road was good....go figure!). We finally made it to a little "town." We knew we were back in civilization when the mosques started popping up here and there. As we finally headed toward Al Shahaniya, we saw herds of camels roaming free in the desert. We had seen plenty of camels in pens at farms. These were roaming free...my favorite way to see them! The lead camel was so dark, he was almost black! I love the huge variety of colors in camels....who know they weren't just "brown?" I also saw one a couple of days ago that was so light, it appeared nearly white.
In any case, we passed by the Camel Track where there was scores of camels and riders exercising, getting ready for race season. We didn't stop at the farm because we had to get home. We didn't really find a SHORT cut, but we had a great time, got to experience a rainstorm, and simply enjoyed something different for a change!
Updates on moving will be forthcoming shortly.
For reasons I can't explain right now, Nelson and I ended up in the desert north of Al Khor yesterday. Basically, we were looking for a way to cut across from Al Khor to the stable in Al Samriya. You know, a short cut. HA! You know there is no such thing in Qatar! The first one took us out in to the desert, past camel poop, rock, rocks, more rocks and a lizard and then STOPPED at a deserted villa that was falling down. Very lovely. We then tried again a little farther north. This is when we saw the most beautiful skies! I had wondered earlier in the day if the approaching clouds over QU would actually yield something. They never did. But farther north, the clouds took on this amazing quality--the edges had a ring of bright light from the sun, encased in a darker cloud which then radiated rays from the sun....it's just indescribable. I was so bummed we had no camera, but maybe it's one of those moments that is best kept in a snapshot in your heart. A camera could not have done it justice! Then there was lightning. It never amazes me how excited we get over lightning here! :) And thunder arrived. Finally, big, fat, split splat rain drops started hitting the windshield. At first, they were so few that we counted them....when they were too many to count, we deemed it a real thunderstorm! I rolled down the window and got all wet, breathing in that fresh smell. There is nothing like the smell of fresh rain and you don't know how much you appreciate it until you rarely have it! It was a splendid storm and continued as we attempted another shortcut across the desert. The water pooled on top of all this bedrock and looked like ponds and small lakes. We watched rivulets like miniature rivers run down the small hills (well, if you can call them that....more like inclines!). It was fantastic. We continued on and finally met some guys dressed in thobes in the middle of nowhere, at a roundabout in the middle of nowhere (signs said North Army Camp-this way). They gave us some directions. Apparently they had been in the desert playing with their falcons when it began to rain. One guy's falcon sat on his armrest next to him as he drove. They are such gorgeous creatures...someday I am going to witness them doing their thing! We just missed it yesterday!
We continued on, knowing where we were (basically in the middle of NOWHERE but the road was good....go figure!). We finally made it to a little "town." We knew we were back in civilization when the mosques started popping up here and there. As we finally headed toward Al Shahaniya, we saw herds of camels roaming free in the desert. We had seen plenty of camels in pens at farms. These were roaming free...my favorite way to see them! The lead camel was so dark, he was almost black! I love the huge variety of colors in camels....who know they weren't just "brown?" I also saw one a couple of days ago that was so light, it appeared nearly white.
In any case, we passed by the Camel Track where there was scores of camels and riders exercising, getting ready for race season. We didn't stop at the farm because we had to get home. We didn't really find a SHORT cut, but we had a great time, got to experience a rainstorm, and simply enjoyed something different for a change!
Updates on moving will be forthcoming shortly.
Friday, October 9, 2009
The Waiting Game
Well, we're still waiting for the phone call to go pick up the keys and sign the lease. Sheesh. This country is so full of contradictions; hurry up and wait being one of the most frustrating! Sometimes I wonder if anything will ever happen. My mom had a sign in our bathroom when I was growing up that was so true: The hurrier I go, the behinder I get. :) How is that possible? I don't know, but it's so true!
So, I've designated today my get caught up on rest day. And guess what? I was awake at 5 a.m. So, I'm up and hoping to get sleepy enough to go back to bed and sleep some more!
Even though we aren't moving this weekend as we had hoped, there has been other positive things happen: 3 of my colleagues and I submitted a proposal for the TESOL conference in Boston for March 2010 and it was accepted. Although we may not be able to get it completely funded, it is an honor (only 25% of all submissions were chosen) and we will find a way for me to make it!
More good stuff: Nelson put shoes on a horse for an endurance owner/rider last night who has had a lot of problems with lameness due to poor shoeing (mostly cutting the heels off!). He put St. Croix shoes on with pads (needed a 2 degree wedge pad on one foot to get the angle to match) and padded them with EquiPak. He was able to buy EquiPak from the track's farrier section. The guy who is acting as head farrier currently (though we don't know if it is official or not) did not know the difference between EquiPak, Superfast, SilPak, etc. These are all hoof products made by Vettec and which Nelson has lots of experience with. And this is the guy running the show. Unfortunately, when Nelson was there, he ran into the woman with whom he had an interview for the job at the Federation. She was showing around a friend of hers, someone who it seems she would like to have the job. We are a bit concerned if she is on the up and up. We are taking another proposal, CV and letter to the chairman and the Federation manager just to make sure they are all aware of his availability and superior qualifications. I guess earlier in the year, they hired a guy from South Africa who left after a month because he hated it here. Gee, why not do the smart thing and hire someone who has been here a year plus and plans on staying? Go figure! In any case, Nelson has decided to freelance until something happens....he's going to do some horses for Peggy at Al Samriyah and she is promoting him to the sheikh who owns the stable next door and to the new manager of Al Shahaniya Stable. Nelson would prefer to do endurance horses anyway. He did a great job on that horse last night as everyone stood around shaking their heads, thinking Megan (the owner/rider) is crazy. This is the opportunity to see exactly what he can do and how well the horses he shoes can do! :) And they will...if they don't, it won't be for lack of good shoeing!
So, that's what's happening up to today. I'm having a hard time adjusting to life without a horse and riding again.....sometimes missing Malik is an ache that is impossible to shake. Waiting for the opportunity to own and ride and compete a horse here is going to make me insane. I guess I just need to go out and go for "hack" at the stable one day soon. Maybe that'll keep the English teacher from losing her mind permanently. :)
So, I've designated today my get caught up on rest day. And guess what? I was awake at 5 a.m. So, I'm up and hoping to get sleepy enough to go back to bed and sleep some more!
Even though we aren't moving this weekend as we had hoped, there has been other positive things happen: 3 of my colleagues and I submitted a proposal for the TESOL conference in Boston for March 2010 and it was accepted. Although we may not be able to get it completely funded, it is an honor (only 25% of all submissions were chosen) and we will find a way for me to make it!
More good stuff: Nelson put shoes on a horse for an endurance owner/rider last night who has had a lot of problems with lameness due to poor shoeing (mostly cutting the heels off!). He put St. Croix shoes on with pads (needed a 2 degree wedge pad on one foot to get the angle to match) and padded them with EquiPak. He was able to buy EquiPak from the track's farrier section. The guy who is acting as head farrier currently (though we don't know if it is official or not) did not know the difference between EquiPak, Superfast, SilPak, etc. These are all hoof products made by Vettec and which Nelson has lots of experience with. And this is the guy running the show. Unfortunately, when Nelson was there, he ran into the woman with whom he had an interview for the job at the Federation. She was showing around a friend of hers, someone who it seems she would like to have the job. We are a bit concerned if she is on the up and up. We are taking another proposal, CV and letter to the chairman and the Federation manager just to make sure they are all aware of his availability and superior qualifications. I guess earlier in the year, they hired a guy from South Africa who left after a month because he hated it here. Gee, why not do the smart thing and hire someone who has been here a year plus and plans on staying? Go figure! In any case, Nelson has decided to freelance until something happens....he's going to do some horses for Peggy at Al Samriyah and she is promoting him to the sheikh who owns the stable next door and to the new manager of Al Shahaniya Stable. Nelson would prefer to do endurance horses anyway. He did a great job on that horse last night as everyone stood around shaking their heads, thinking Megan (the owner/rider) is crazy. This is the opportunity to see exactly what he can do and how well the horses he shoes can do! :) And they will...if they don't, it won't be for lack of good shoeing!
So, that's what's happening up to today. I'm having a hard time adjusting to life without a horse and riding again.....sometimes missing Malik is an ache that is impossible to shake. Waiting for the opportunity to own and ride and compete a horse here is going to make me insane. I guess I just need to go out and go for "hack" at the stable one day soon. Maybe that'll keep the English teacher from losing her mind permanently. :)
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Quick update!
The villa is ready. We have to go sign the lease and get the keys tomorrow (inshallah).
I'm exhausted from the second week of classes. Classes are going well, but adjusting to morning shift, keeping up with my sarcoidosis treatment and trying to keep up with grading and lesson planning are taking their toll. And now we have to get moved!
Nelson is busy hobnobbing at the track and Federation. Things are buzzing. People are unhappy with the quality (or rather lack thereof) of hoof care with jumping competitions coming up, the marathon/endurance season beginning next month, etc. Our friend's young daughter (12 or 13?), Amani, continually picks Nelson's brain about her horses' hoof problems. We have decided we should just have her lobby for him....he'll have the job in a heartbeat if she does! :) And I do believe she is!
Well, it may be early, but I need to start winding down for an early bedtime. I have been trying to go to bed earlier and earlier every night....sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't.
More soon!!!
I'm exhausted from the second week of classes. Classes are going well, but adjusting to morning shift, keeping up with my sarcoidosis treatment and trying to keep up with grading and lesson planning are taking their toll. And now we have to get moved!
Nelson is busy hobnobbing at the track and Federation. Things are buzzing. People are unhappy with the quality (or rather lack thereof) of hoof care with jumping competitions coming up, the marathon/endurance season beginning next month, etc. Our friend's young daughter (12 or 13?), Amani, continually picks Nelson's brain about her horses' hoof problems. We have decided we should just have her lobby for him....he'll have the job in a heartbeat if she does! :) And I do believe she is!
Well, it may be early, but I need to start winding down for an early bedtime. I have been trying to go to bed earlier and earlier every night....sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't.
More soon!!!
Thursday, October 1, 2009
One month home!
Hello all!
I can't believe we have been back in Qatar for a whole month already! So much has happened in such a short time! We visited the villa this week and they are hard at work installing ACs, appliances and literally cleaning and polishing everything. I am very impressed that the workers are actually cleaning the window tracks and screens and buffing the floors with a buffing machine! It was hard to wait but nothing much happens during Ramadan and even less during the Eid holidays that follow!
There has been another recent development, only this week. We had a phone call from friends that the Qatar Equestrian Federation is in desperate need of a head farrier and had not been able to acquire someone to their satisfaction. They have someone in contention, but he was asking for more money and benefits than the QEF is willing to give. So.....Nelson went to the person in charge, a British vet who was recently hired into a position that is "Horse Welfare" or something like that. I'm not sure. To make a long story short, they talked and we went back with a job proposal and are hoping to hear in a few days. We have heard next week or next month for so long from the track, that it's hard to believe that any kind of decision could truly be forthcoming that quickly. But I have always believed that nothing would happen at all until after Ramadan and the Eid holidays. So, perhaps something WILL happen. This job would be even better, fewer horses and men to manage, thus less stress, with the opportunity for Nelson to pass on his knowledge and expertise and make a decent living at it. It would be a 50 km commute for him, but most of it is highway driving, so not so bad all in all. We probably won't hear anything until next week, but that's not too bad when you consider how long we have waited for the track to give us some kind of answer! Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers or cross your fingers or send positive vibes our way or whatever you do for good luck and fortune!
In addition to all of the above hoopla, I started teaching this week. I have a delightful group of girls in both of my classes, some who are so bright and intelligent! I have had some wonderful conversations with some of them and am so anxious and happy to be their teacher. This semester I feel so much more confident and secure in myself and my teaching abilities. I can't help but wonder if part of that is that I am feeling better physically. I know the sarcoidosis symptoms have improved. I lost a little weight over the summer, became more fit and still feel fresh from that, although I am still battling some jet lag....maybe not jet lag, but trying to catch up. I have been slow to catch up on enough sleep regularly. I now have to teach myself to get to bed earlier so I can get up at 5:00 a.m. and be in the classroom at 8 a.m.
One more awesome thing that happened this week: we found the Al Khor Riding Stable and met its owner/instructor, Emad. He is absolutely awesome. He is Kuwaiti/Californian. No wonder I couldn't place his accent! He is one of the most intelligent and capable horsemen I have met here yet. We have many of the same philosophies about training, feeding, riding, working with horses in general. His board is not cheap, but not much more than others I know of and MUCH, MUCH nicer. His facility is beautifully laid out, with open air stalls with ceiling fans, AC stalls for horses in distress, turn outs, a huge arena with a giant sprinkler to keep the dust down....now, if we can just find a way to get Hattan. Even if Nelson doesn't get the job, the money we will save by sharing expenses with Nettie would cover his board....and if nothing else works out presently, I can still afford to go take jumping or dressage lessons with him. We are soooooo excited!!!
So, that's the update for today. Nelson is chopping up some veggies to make dinner and I have a function for a friend to attend to later. I can't publicly state what it is as it is a surprise. :) PLEASE keep in touch.
I can't believe we have been back in Qatar for a whole month already! So much has happened in such a short time! We visited the villa this week and they are hard at work installing ACs, appliances and literally cleaning and polishing everything. I am very impressed that the workers are actually cleaning the window tracks and screens and buffing the floors with a buffing machine! It was hard to wait but nothing much happens during Ramadan and even less during the Eid holidays that follow!
There has been another recent development, only this week. We had a phone call from friends that the Qatar Equestrian Federation is in desperate need of a head farrier and had not been able to acquire someone to their satisfaction. They have someone in contention, but he was asking for more money and benefits than the QEF is willing to give. So.....Nelson went to the person in charge, a British vet who was recently hired into a position that is "Horse Welfare" or something like that. I'm not sure. To make a long story short, they talked and we went back with a job proposal and are hoping to hear in a few days. We have heard next week or next month for so long from the track, that it's hard to believe that any kind of decision could truly be forthcoming that quickly. But I have always believed that nothing would happen at all until after Ramadan and the Eid holidays. So, perhaps something WILL happen. This job would be even better, fewer horses and men to manage, thus less stress, with the opportunity for Nelson to pass on his knowledge and expertise and make a decent living at it. It would be a 50 km commute for him, but most of it is highway driving, so not so bad all in all. We probably won't hear anything until next week, but that's not too bad when you consider how long we have waited for the track to give us some kind of answer! Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers or cross your fingers or send positive vibes our way or whatever you do for good luck and fortune!
In addition to all of the above hoopla, I started teaching this week. I have a delightful group of girls in both of my classes, some who are so bright and intelligent! I have had some wonderful conversations with some of them and am so anxious and happy to be their teacher. This semester I feel so much more confident and secure in myself and my teaching abilities. I can't help but wonder if part of that is that I am feeling better physically. I know the sarcoidosis symptoms have improved. I lost a little weight over the summer, became more fit and still feel fresh from that, although I am still battling some jet lag....maybe not jet lag, but trying to catch up. I have been slow to catch up on enough sleep regularly. I now have to teach myself to get to bed earlier so I can get up at 5:00 a.m. and be in the classroom at 8 a.m.
One more awesome thing that happened this week: we found the Al Khor Riding Stable and met its owner/instructor, Emad. He is absolutely awesome. He is Kuwaiti/Californian. No wonder I couldn't place his accent! He is one of the most intelligent and capable horsemen I have met here yet. We have many of the same philosophies about training, feeding, riding, working with horses in general. His board is not cheap, but not much more than others I know of and MUCH, MUCH nicer. His facility is beautifully laid out, with open air stalls with ceiling fans, AC stalls for horses in distress, turn outs, a huge arena with a giant sprinkler to keep the dust down....now, if we can just find a way to get Hattan. Even if Nelson doesn't get the job, the money we will save by sharing expenses with Nettie would cover his board....and if nothing else works out presently, I can still afford to go take jumping or dressage lessons with him. We are soooooo excited!!!
So, that's the update for today. Nelson is chopping up some veggies to make dinner and I have a function for a friend to attend to later. I can't publicly state what it is as it is a surprise. :) PLEASE keep in touch.
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Al Khor, here we come!
Hello friends!
Things have been hopping since we got back! We worked for two weeks attending workshops, meetings, prepping for class, etc. and are now on Eid holiday until we start teaching on the 27th of September.
The big news is that we are moving to Al Khor, 40 km north of Qatar University.
Websites with info and photos:
http://www.pbase.com/bmcmorrow/alkhor
This translates to 20-30 minutes driving time as there are only 2 or 3 roundabouts, less traffic, it's straight down to the south....we found a villa that is such a great bargain, I can't believe our luck. We'll be sharing the villa with Nettie and Thai, and have a couple of single friends interested in renting rooms, too. There are 3 stories, 6 bedrooms and 6 bathrooms and an open roof. The majlis (a traditional men's sitting room) is huge, has a separate front entrance plus entry to the house and could be an extra bedroom. There is also a maid's quarters separate from the house which is a room and bath, not that big but not part of the house. There's so much room for sitting outside, downstairs or on the roof, which has the benefit of a wonderful breeze although a good shamal will have you picking dirt out of your teeth. I noticed today the amount of sand that blows up against the outside wall is substantial. We decided we can live with it...I'll think of dust storms as warm snow storms that don't melt. :) Hmmmm....
Anyway, there are lots of beach areas, a small Corniche, play areas for kids, fishing, a pier, a great little fish market, lots and lots of stores to buy what we need (probably cheaper!), all the favorite restaurants (McDonald's, Burger King, Papa John's, KFC, plus lots of ethnic restaurants and cafes), and they're building a small mall...it's great. Perfect. Quiet. On the edge of town. Today we saw a horse not far from where we'll be living...means there is a stable nearby and we are going to hunt it down! There's a nice little resort there which offers memberships to their fitness gym and the most beautiful pool I have ever seen in my life. Maybe I haven't lived much. I don't know. Some people are shocked that we are moving. Some people are excited for us. We are both.....Nelson still has not heard about that stupid job, so we are done waiting and moving on to the next stage of life. Something else apparently is in store for him. We will wait for it. But we are moving on, or rather up, north.
Well, that's enough for now. We'll take photos when we go again and post them here. We'll update as often as we can during moving. We probably will be done by mid-October. They are still have to finish putting in the appliances and A/C and then clean it up before we move in. Stay tuned for NEWS! :)
Things have been hopping since we got back! We worked for two weeks attending workshops, meetings, prepping for class, etc. and are now on Eid holiday until we start teaching on the 27th of September.
The big news is that we are moving to Al Khor, 40 km north of Qatar University.
Websites with info and photos:
http://www.pbase.com/bmcmorrow/alkhor
This translates to 20-30 minutes driving time as there are only 2 or 3 roundabouts, less traffic, it's straight down to the south....we found a villa that is such a great bargain, I can't believe our luck. We'll be sharing the villa with Nettie and Thai, and have a couple of single friends interested in renting rooms, too. There are 3 stories, 6 bedrooms and 6 bathrooms and an open roof. The majlis (a traditional men's sitting room) is huge, has a separate front entrance plus entry to the house and could be an extra bedroom. There is also a maid's quarters separate from the house which is a room and bath, not that big but not part of the house. There's so much room for sitting outside, downstairs or on the roof, which has the benefit of a wonderful breeze although a good shamal will have you picking dirt out of your teeth. I noticed today the amount of sand that blows up against the outside wall is substantial. We decided we can live with it...I'll think of dust storms as warm snow storms that don't melt. :) Hmmmm....
Anyway, there are lots of beach areas, a small Corniche, play areas for kids, fishing, a pier, a great little fish market, lots and lots of stores to buy what we need (probably cheaper!), all the favorite restaurants (McDonald's, Burger King, Papa John's, KFC, plus lots of ethnic restaurants and cafes), and they're building a small mall...it's great. Perfect. Quiet. On the edge of town. Today we saw a horse not far from where we'll be living...means there is a stable nearby and we are going to hunt it down! There's a nice little resort there which offers memberships to their fitness gym and the most beautiful pool I have ever seen in my life. Maybe I haven't lived much. I don't know. Some people are shocked that we are moving. Some people are excited for us. We are both.....Nelson still has not heard about that stupid job, so we are done waiting and moving on to the next stage of life. Something else apparently is in store for him. We will wait for it. But we are moving on, or rather up, north.
Well, that's enough for now. We'll take photos when we go again and post them here. We'll update as often as we can during moving. We probably will be done by mid-October. They are still have to finish putting in the appliances and A/C and then clean it up before we move in. Stay tuned for NEWS! :)
Friday, September 4, 2009
The Best Ride Ever
Every time I think I have had the best ride of my life, I have another. How lucky am I? Although I know I will never, ever forget this ride for the rest of my life, I want to write it down while it’s still fresh in my heart.
This summer, Max, Jenny’s half-Arab gelding when she was a junior, came back to our family. He is 20 now and doesn’t look a day over 12. He has always been special and has introduced other juniors, or given grand rides to new riders in distance riding. He even finished the AERC National Championship 100 Ride in 2003. He is an extraordinary horse! Mykayla turns 5 this month and has been “riding” with Nana for several years now, in front of the saddle when she was small, and then behind the saddle on a special pad when she got bigger. She did NOT like riding behind the saddle, but her 45 pounds plus Nana’s fat butt simply put too much weight on Malik’s forehand. It was time for her to learn to ride on her own.
A week after Max came home, we practiced ponying Max from Malik. Being old ride buddies and having ridden side by side for years, it was a piece of cake (although Max is NOT keen on staying even, behind or having to drop behind on a single track). We fixed up a pony saddle for Max and Mykayla, removing the western fenders and replacing them with English leathers, small aluminum stirrups and rubber stirrup cages we fashioned from a mesh dog toy. You have to see it all to believe it! We added a sheepskin saddle seat to protect her little bottom and a cantle bag, essential for drinks, snacks and carrying apples picked off trees on the trail.
Our first trail ride was short and sweet near the Reedsburg Dam, about 3 miles total. Our next ride was near Moddersville, my old clinic site, and included one of our favorite sites we call Old Baldy, from the top of which we can see for miles. That ride was a bit longer than I intended and we were only walking as she wasn’t ready yet for much trotting. After 2 ½ hours, countless games and songs, we arrived back at the horse trailer hungry and tired. As we dismounted, she said, “Can we eat something and do it again, Nana?”
We also made a trip to Jenny’s for a horse camping trip and went riding on the Shore to Shore trail several times. Single tracks present their own issues, but we solved them readily. For example, the lead was too short, keeping Max on Malik’s butt which resulted in Malik’s tail clamped down on the lead…a little scary at first not knowing how Malik would react. Except for mincing a bit, he stopped and waited for us to fix the problem. I suspect Max knew exactly what he was doing. Mykayla wanted to practice trotting more and more and was practicing posting. She got pretty darn good at it.
So last week, we planned to ride from Houghton Lake to Vogel Center, about 25 miles via the snowmobile trails, seasonal roads and a small portion of dirt and paved roads. We gave Mykayla the option of 2 days of riding by camping overnight halfway. She has an aversion to sleeping in the horse trailer for some reason and decided she wanted to do it all in one day. She also wanted to ride at night, so our late start which caused us to finish the last 2 miles in the dark was a good deal as far as she was concerned.
It’s amazing what you can learn from a 5 year old in 7 hours of riding in the Great Outdoors. I can’t even begin to adequately explain everything we shared. The best thing we shared was FUN. Nelson acted as our pit crew, meeting us where the trails crossed or came out on the road. Mykayla was tickled pink when we called to Nelson and he answered. “Yooooooo hoooooooo,” I would yodel and she would add “Paaaaaapaaaaa.” Adding “Papa” was her own idea as the one Jenny and I used to use was from an old Bonanza episode (Hoss and the Leprechauns) which includes “Where are you?” When Nelson would answer, she would jump up and down so much in the saddle, I was afraid she would fall off!!! She always finds a way to make an experience her own though, usually prefaced by, “I have an idea!” or “Let’s try this!”
We saw turkeys and deer, flowers and birds, snakes and clouds shaped like boats. We played a gazillion games, including counting cattails, colors of flowers, and even “raced” each other, one version of which could be won by arriving in the sunlight out of the shade first (racing=trotting) and the other version of which could be won by “whoever gets ahead of Malik first.” Figure THAT one out! Her games and her rules. We sang the songs about the monkeys jumping on the bed, the interactive version where I sing the main song, she sings what the doctor says (No more monkeys jumping on the bed) and does the countdown from 10 monkeys to 1. As the sun started going down, we picked blackberries on the trail from the backs of our horses….”juicy and tasty” was Mykayla’s judgment on those. We tried to grab leaves above our heads to see who could grab the most in one hand. As it got darker and we couldn’t really see leaves to grab very well, we talked about the dark and fear. We discovered we weren’t afraid because we were together and our horses were so “brave.” We sang John Denver songs, Bon Jovi and anything else I could remember the words to. We sang “He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands” and she named who or what He had in His hands.
Two miles from home, Nelson met us at the pavement as the horizon blazed red and orange and pink and purple and put glow sticks on our breast collars. The horses could hardly stand still. Although they haven’t ridden these trails for many years, they knew exactly where we were going and how to get there. As we started out, she asked Papa if we were almost there and he said, “Yes, why?” She replied, “Because my head is starting to itch!” Nelson followed us with headlights and flashers as we crossed the bridge over the Clam River. The sprinklers at the house near the bridge were a bit of a surprise to all of us, but our horses were brave and listened to us (we know this because their ears turn back, you know). As we approached the Spooky Forest, as Mykayla calls it (otherwise Hoekwater Park), Mykayla wanted to ride through it (it’s about 2 or 3 acres at the corner where we turn for home and the drive goes through one road and comes out on the other). Nelson waited for us at the other side and we rode through with only our glow sticks and our brave horses to get us through. Such delicious fun!!
We finished (and of course the endurance motto is “To finish is to win,” and Mykayla is definitely a winner in my book) in the moonlight and the starlight. She never complained or whined once. We took at least 2 20-30 minute breaks to eat and stretch our legs, horses and people both. We trotted when the trail wasn’t “bumpy,” and she got pretty darn good at it! We picked apples from trees on the trail to put in their grain for a treat. We stopped at Moddersville Store for ice cream and a quick stretch about 7 miles from home. Jerry, the owner, thought we were out a bit late and wouldn’t make it. Ha! Guess what, Jerry? We made it!
The ride was done entirely at Mykayla’s pace and she always had the option of going with Papa if she got tired or didn’t want to ride anymore. This suggestion was always met with a look of contempt and incredulity….WHY would she NOT want to keep riding? Later in the shower, Mykayla showed me a red rub mark on her leg. She never mentioned it during the ride, never complained or admitted that anything hurt, even when asked. When I asked her why she didn’t tell us, she said it was because she didn’t want to stop riding. So, Mommy is shopping ebay for some purple half chaps, kiddie size.
This “best” ride will be followed by many more, I am sure, especially when we start attending official rides and competing. I later gave her a ribbon with Tinkerbell on it (Pixie Power is her favorite!) with the date and miles on it. She is quite anxious to try and win a ribbon at a real ride, though she’s still not sure what the difference is. Riding is riding.
As always, we must thank our pit crew for taking good care of us (Nelson!), but I think it’s important that we give credit to our brave and smart horses, Malik and Max. Except for them, this memory would be nothing but a wish in our hearts. Next summer, look for us on the trail! We’re gonna be there having the best rides and making the best memories!
This summer, Max, Jenny’s half-Arab gelding when she was a junior, came back to our family. He is 20 now and doesn’t look a day over 12. He has always been special and has introduced other juniors, or given grand rides to new riders in distance riding. He even finished the AERC National Championship 100 Ride in 2003. He is an extraordinary horse! Mykayla turns 5 this month and has been “riding” with Nana for several years now, in front of the saddle when she was small, and then behind the saddle on a special pad when she got bigger. She did NOT like riding behind the saddle, but her 45 pounds plus Nana’s fat butt simply put too much weight on Malik’s forehand. It was time for her to learn to ride on her own.
A week after Max came home, we practiced ponying Max from Malik. Being old ride buddies and having ridden side by side for years, it was a piece of cake (although Max is NOT keen on staying even, behind or having to drop behind on a single track). We fixed up a pony saddle for Max and Mykayla, removing the western fenders and replacing them with English leathers, small aluminum stirrups and rubber stirrup cages we fashioned from a mesh dog toy. You have to see it all to believe it! We added a sheepskin saddle seat to protect her little bottom and a cantle bag, essential for drinks, snacks and carrying apples picked off trees on the trail.
Our first trail ride was short and sweet near the Reedsburg Dam, about 3 miles total. Our next ride was near Moddersville, my old clinic site, and included one of our favorite sites we call Old Baldy, from the top of which we can see for miles. That ride was a bit longer than I intended and we were only walking as she wasn’t ready yet for much trotting. After 2 ½ hours, countless games and songs, we arrived back at the horse trailer hungry and tired. As we dismounted, she said, “Can we eat something and do it again, Nana?”
We also made a trip to Jenny’s for a horse camping trip and went riding on the Shore to Shore trail several times. Single tracks present their own issues, but we solved them readily. For example, the lead was too short, keeping Max on Malik’s butt which resulted in Malik’s tail clamped down on the lead…a little scary at first not knowing how Malik would react. Except for mincing a bit, he stopped and waited for us to fix the problem. I suspect Max knew exactly what he was doing. Mykayla wanted to practice trotting more and more and was practicing posting. She got pretty darn good at it.
So last week, we planned to ride from Houghton Lake to Vogel Center, about 25 miles via the snowmobile trails, seasonal roads and a small portion of dirt and paved roads. We gave Mykayla the option of 2 days of riding by camping overnight halfway. She has an aversion to sleeping in the horse trailer for some reason and decided she wanted to do it all in one day. She also wanted to ride at night, so our late start which caused us to finish the last 2 miles in the dark was a good deal as far as she was concerned.
It’s amazing what you can learn from a 5 year old in 7 hours of riding in the Great Outdoors. I can’t even begin to adequately explain everything we shared. The best thing we shared was FUN. Nelson acted as our pit crew, meeting us where the trails crossed or came out on the road. Mykayla was tickled pink when we called to Nelson and he answered. “Yooooooo hoooooooo,” I would yodel and she would add “Paaaaaapaaaaa.” Adding “Papa” was her own idea as the one Jenny and I used to use was from an old Bonanza episode (Hoss and the Leprechauns) which includes “Where are you?” When Nelson would answer, she would jump up and down so much in the saddle, I was afraid she would fall off!!! She always finds a way to make an experience her own though, usually prefaced by, “I have an idea!” or “Let’s try this!”
We saw turkeys and deer, flowers and birds, snakes and clouds shaped like boats. We played a gazillion games, including counting cattails, colors of flowers, and even “raced” each other, one version of which could be won by arriving in the sunlight out of the shade first (racing=trotting) and the other version of which could be won by “whoever gets ahead of Malik first.” Figure THAT one out! Her games and her rules. We sang the songs about the monkeys jumping on the bed, the interactive version where I sing the main song, she sings what the doctor says (No more monkeys jumping on the bed) and does the countdown from 10 monkeys to 1. As the sun started going down, we picked blackberries on the trail from the backs of our horses….”juicy and tasty” was Mykayla’s judgment on those. We tried to grab leaves above our heads to see who could grab the most in one hand. As it got darker and we couldn’t really see leaves to grab very well, we talked about the dark and fear. We discovered we weren’t afraid because we were together and our horses were so “brave.” We sang John Denver songs, Bon Jovi and anything else I could remember the words to. We sang “He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands” and she named who or what He had in His hands.
Two miles from home, Nelson met us at the pavement as the horizon blazed red and orange and pink and purple and put glow sticks on our breast collars. The horses could hardly stand still. Although they haven’t ridden these trails for many years, they knew exactly where we were going and how to get there. As we started out, she asked Papa if we were almost there and he said, “Yes, why?” She replied, “Because my head is starting to itch!” Nelson followed us with headlights and flashers as we crossed the bridge over the Clam River. The sprinklers at the house near the bridge were a bit of a surprise to all of us, but our horses were brave and listened to us (we know this because their ears turn back, you know). As we approached the Spooky Forest, as Mykayla calls it (otherwise Hoekwater Park), Mykayla wanted to ride through it (it’s about 2 or 3 acres at the corner where we turn for home and the drive goes through one road and comes out on the other). Nelson waited for us at the other side and we rode through with only our glow sticks and our brave horses to get us through. Such delicious fun!!
We finished (and of course the endurance motto is “To finish is to win,” and Mykayla is definitely a winner in my book) in the moonlight and the starlight. She never complained or whined once. We took at least 2 20-30 minute breaks to eat and stretch our legs, horses and people both. We trotted when the trail wasn’t “bumpy,” and she got pretty darn good at it! We picked apples from trees on the trail to put in their grain for a treat. We stopped at Moddersville Store for ice cream and a quick stretch about 7 miles from home. Jerry, the owner, thought we were out a bit late and wouldn’t make it. Ha! Guess what, Jerry? We made it!
The ride was done entirely at Mykayla’s pace and she always had the option of going with Papa if she got tired or didn’t want to ride anymore. This suggestion was always met with a look of contempt and incredulity….WHY would she NOT want to keep riding? Later in the shower, Mykayla showed me a red rub mark on her leg. She never mentioned it during the ride, never complained or admitted that anything hurt, even when asked. When I asked her why she didn’t tell us, she said it was because she didn’t want to stop riding. So, Mommy is shopping ebay for some purple half chaps, kiddie size.
This “best” ride will be followed by many more, I am sure, especially when we start attending official rides and competing. I later gave her a ribbon with Tinkerbell on it (Pixie Power is her favorite!) with the date and miles on it. She is quite anxious to try and win a ribbon at a real ride, though she’s still not sure what the difference is. Riding is riding.
As always, we must thank our pit crew for taking good care of us (Nelson!), but I think it’s important that we give credit to our brave and smart horses, Malik and Max. Except for them, this memory would be nothing but a wish in our hearts. Next summer, look for us on the trail! We’re gonna be there having the best rides and making the best memories!
Home again, home again! Again, again!
My apologies for our long absence from blogging. Access to the internet was limited this summer and I just never got the chance to update anything.
I have posted a ride story and several photos of our summer on Facebook and will try to post some here as well. I will try to touch on the highlights of our summer in this post:
We flew to Paris and spent 2 days there at the beginning of the summer to break up the long flight. Paris was fantastic and 2 days is NOT enough time. We will return when we can spend more time (and more money).
A great deal of our summer was spent working on the trailer house fixing the well pump, water pipes, septic, moving our stuff out of storage...that kind of stuff.
Nelson's mom fell and went into the hospital 2 days after we arrived before we could even get to see her! We spent a fair amount of time going to Midland to visit her in the hospital and then later when she went to the nursing home. She ended up back in the hospital with double pneumonia and MRSA before we left. It was hard to see her so frail, but she was looking/feeling better, getting more feisty and eating well just before we left.
The horses were a big part of our summer....plans for Jenny to take Malik and Murash fell through, but later in the summer we were able to trade Murash and get Max back. That led to the wonderful photos and ride story I posted on Facebook and will also post here separately. It still wasn't enough time...the weather in Michigan was horrible, the coldest on record, or so I have been told. Chilly and wet, rainy. Not very many sunny, hot days. Even the hot days only got into the 80s. We only made Esch Road Beach at Lake Michigan once. That was a bummer. We managed another day in Traverse City at the State Park, but it was cloudy, not too warm and just not the same, although we had a good time!
Basically, most of our time was spent going back and forth to the hospital, Carrie's house, Jenny's house, the storage unit....we just didn't get to every place and everybody we wanted to this summer. Hopefully, next summer will be less busy (except for horseback riding and visiting friends and family!).
Our flight home was uneventful and we made all connections even though we only had an hour or so to catch our plane in London. We arrived home on Wednesday, September 2nd. Nelson promptly came down with a cold and has been miserable, though he seems better today. I met my mentee, Deborah, who arrived a couple of weeks ago. Nettie graciously had us to dinner last night with our friend, John and another new teacher, Tamera. I do love our neighbors and friends. I have missed them. I am looking forward to a new semester, a new year, a new start. We should know soon what is happening with that job for Nelson and if it doesn't happen, it just means God wants us to wait or has something better in store for him. We still haven't finished unpacking and are a bit jetlagged yet. I have to try NOT to take long afternoon naps until I get adjusted to the time again. I hate being awake in the middle of the night. It won't take long. I start back to work Sunday, mostly helping Deb get oriented, showing her around campus, teaching her how to use the technology, get acquainted with everything and everyone. We are already such great friends. And we teach the same level, same shift (if that doesn't change), which will make our lives so much easier!
Please stay in touch. Do call and visit with us! Since returning, we've discovered that the internet signal for the Magic Jack number works best for us in the evenings, after 8:00 or so (1:00 EDST). I will try to keep up more regularly now that we are home. Stay tuned for stories and photos from our summer as separate and independent posts.
I have posted a ride story and several photos of our summer on Facebook and will try to post some here as well. I will try to touch on the highlights of our summer in this post:
We flew to Paris and spent 2 days there at the beginning of the summer to break up the long flight. Paris was fantastic and 2 days is NOT enough time. We will return when we can spend more time (and more money).
A great deal of our summer was spent working on the trailer house fixing the well pump, water pipes, septic, moving our stuff out of storage...that kind of stuff.
Nelson's mom fell and went into the hospital 2 days after we arrived before we could even get to see her! We spent a fair amount of time going to Midland to visit her in the hospital and then later when she went to the nursing home. She ended up back in the hospital with double pneumonia and MRSA before we left. It was hard to see her so frail, but she was looking/feeling better, getting more feisty and eating well just before we left.
The horses were a big part of our summer....plans for Jenny to take Malik and Murash fell through, but later in the summer we were able to trade Murash and get Max back. That led to the wonderful photos and ride story I posted on Facebook and will also post here separately. It still wasn't enough time...the weather in Michigan was horrible, the coldest on record, or so I have been told. Chilly and wet, rainy. Not very many sunny, hot days. Even the hot days only got into the 80s. We only made Esch Road Beach at Lake Michigan once. That was a bummer. We managed another day in Traverse City at the State Park, but it was cloudy, not too warm and just not the same, although we had a good time!
Basically, most of our time was spent going back and forth to the hospital, Carrie's house, Jenny's house, the storage unit....we just didn't get to every place and everybody we wanted to this summer. Hopefully, next summer will be less busy (except for horseback riding and visiting friends and family!).
Our flight home was uneventful and we made all connections even though we only had an hour or so to catch our plane in London. We arrived home on Wednesday, September 2nd. Nelson promptly came down with a cold and has been miserable, though he seems better today. I met my mentee, Deborah, who arrived a couple of weeks ago. Nettie graciously had us to dinner last night with our friend, John and another new teacher, Tamera. I do love our neighbors and friends. I have missed them. I am looking forward to a new semester, a new year, a new start. We should know soon what is happening with that job for Nelson and if it doesn't happen, it just means God wants us to wait or has something better in store for him. We still haven't finished unpacking and are a bit jetlagged yet. I have to try NOT to take long afternoon naps until I get adjusted to the time again. I hate being awake in the middle of the night. It won't take long. I start back to work Sunday, mostly helping Deb get oriented, showing her around campus, teaching her how to use the technology, get acquainted with everything and everyone. We are already such great friends. And we teach the same level, same shift (if that doesn't change), which will make our lives so much easier!
Please stay in touch. Do call and visit with us! Since returning, we've discovered that the internet signal for the Magic Jack number works best for us in the evenings, after 8:00 or so (1:00 EDST). I will try to keep up more regularly now that we are home. Stay tuned for stories and photos from our summer as separate and independent posts.
Monday, June 29, 2009
Hello all! It has been brought to my attention that I have not updated my blog for a few weeks. I was so busy and did most of my updating on Facebook in little snippets and notes.
To make a long story short, we are HOME. Hurray. We had a whirlwind two days in Paris, a marathon of sightseeing that left us with SORE feet and aching bodies, but it was worth every minute. Paris is awesome. I love touching history. I have never seen so many statues in all my life. Notre Dame was truly a religious experience. The Eiffel Tower at night with it's thousands of twinkling lights was breathtaking. I can't wait to go back.
We had a wonderful stay at the Grand Traverse Resort when we returned last Wednesday. Jenny met us at the airport and took us there, where she had reserved a room for us with a jacuzzi! She works there and gets a SIZEABLE discount. I have never experienced such luxury. We stayed two nights and the kids came up the first day and we hung out, going out to eat, playing putt putt golf, swimming in the pool....absolutely wonderful.
On Saturday, we went to Hopkins Creek to visit our distance riding friends there. We had a very, very warm welcome. No one can believe how big Mykayla has gotten. I have missed the riding and I have really missed the people. I sure hope I can handle at least part of the Shore to Shore this summer, even if I can only ride 25s each day. Being there motivated us to get started on some training this summer so we can all ride something!! Too many young horses here without an education!! That's going to change!
Now reality has set in as we start moving in to my sister's trailer where we will be staying for the summer. We have to put up some fence so Malik can come and stay with us, plus one other horse who is going to get educated this summer. Nelson needs to RIDE. The water pump isn't working so we have to get that going first of all. My sister, Mary, has been living in the UP with her daughter for a while, so there is a little work to be done first, but with help from the kids, it won't be a big deal. We are so happy to be home.
I have started the antibiotic treatment and discovered immediately that I am going to have to start out at a very small dose, every other day in order to be able to tolerate it. I am so anxious to get it done. But it's not something that can be hurried. So, I am just hopeful that the Herx reactions taper off quickly so I can get to the business of enjoying my grandchildren and horses. I've had the time and energy to only ride once (for a very short time) with Mykayla down the road and back. (This is what my body has dictated to me....in my mind, we're tearing down the trail at top speed!). We also got out Dusty and started his education. Our hope is that Mykayla will be riding him by the end of the summer and that he will accept (and Malik, too) being ponied from Malik. And, we're still a bit jet-lagged, too, I think.
Yesterday we received the news that Nelson's mom fell and broke several bones in her face. She may have also had a heart attack. We aren't sure yet. We're going down today to visit her in the hospital. We'll also stop and see our friends, Larry and Barbara Ward. Larry broke his ankle recently. I sure hope we can stay healthy and injury free this summer!!
We won't have internet service at the trailer, so I won't be checking e-mail daily or writing in my blog a lot, but I'll do my best to update everyone on what is going on!!
Take care and have a safe and happy summer!
To make a long story short, we are HOME. Hurray. We had a whirlwind two days in Paris, a marathon of sightseeing that left us with SORE feet and aching bodies, but it was worth every minute. Paris is awesome. I love touching history. I have never seen so many statues in all my life. Notre Dame was truly a religious experience. The Eiffel Tower at night with it's thousands of twinkling lights was breathtaking. I can't wait to go back.
We had a wonderful stay at the Grand Traverse Resort when we returned last Wednesday. Jenny met us at the airport and took us there, where she had reserved a room for us with a jacuzzi! She works there and gets a SIZEABLE discount. I have never experienced such luxury. We stayed two nights and the kids came up the first day and we hung out, going out to eat, playing putt putt golf, swimming in the pool....absolutely wonderful.
On Saturday, we went to Hopkins Creek to visit our distance riding friends there. We had a very, very warm welcome. No one can believe how big Mykayla has gotten. I have missed the riding and I have really missed the people. I sure hope I can handle at least part of the Shore to Shore this summer, even if I can only ride 25s each day. Being there motivated us to get started on some training this summer so we can all ride something!! Too many young horses here without an education!! That's going to change!
Now reality has set in as we start moving in to my sister's trailer where we will be staying for the summer. We have to put up some fence so Malik can come and stay with us, plus one other horse who is going to get educated this summer. Nelson needs to RIDE. The water pump isn't working so we have to get that going first of all. My sister, Mary, has been living in the UP with her daughter for a while, so there is a little work to be done first, but with help from the kids, it won't be a big deal. We are so happy to be home.
I have started the antibiotic treatment and discovered immediately that I am going to have to start out at a very small dose, every other day in order to be able to tolerate it. I am so anxious to get it done. But it's not something that can be hurried. So, I am just hopeful that the Herx reactions taper off quickly so I can get to the business of enjoying my grandchildren and horses. I've had the time and energy to only ride once (for a very short time) with Mykayla down the road and back. (This is what my body has dictated to me....in my mind, we're tearing down the trail at top speed!). We also got out Dusty and started his education. Our hope is that Mykayla will be riding him by the end of the summer and that he will accept (and Malik, too) being ponied from Malik. And, we're still a bit jet-lagged, too, I think.
Yesterday we received the news that Nelson's mom fell and broke several bones in her face. She may have also had a heart attack. We aren't sure yet. We're going down today to visit her in the hospital. We'll also stop and see our friends, Larry and Barbara Ward. Larry broke his ankle recently. I sure hope we can stay healthy and injury free this summer!!
We won't have internet service at the trailer, so I won't be checking e-mail daily or writing in my blog a lot, but I'll do my best to update everyone on what is going on!!
Take care and have a safe and happy summer!
Friday, June 12, 2009
Food is medicine; medicine is food.
I'm not sure who said that (Hippocrates maybe?). I have been learning a lot in the past week while researching natural remedies for treating sarcoidosis. First of all, my pulmonary function test was normal. I knew that it would be. I also discovered that, although the doctor had ordered lots of tests for me, I have no way to compare them to past tests because they measure everything differently here. I only had his word on what was normal, high or low. Most things were fine, liver enzymes up a bit, cholesterol high, A1C a little high, Vitamin D normal. However, they only did ONE of the necessary vitamin D tests I needed. I can't get either of the drugs I need for the Marshall Protocol at Hamad Hospital, although I can buy one of them OTC out of pocket. I can't afford to do a summer's worth out of pocket. Ridiculous. They also would only give me two months of drugs even though the doctor wrote it for 3. So, good thing I've been able to cut back on some......what I have should last til I get back, barring any complications. I am going to have to be extremely strict with myself especially with diet to make sure I can keep the diabetes under control. Unless I get riding so much, the exercise counteracts that. :) In the fall, the plan is to get a CT scan to check my lymph nodes, liver and spleen. I may end up having to go to Al Ahli Hospital after all.....but gotta pay for THAT out of pocket, too. I'm just not sure if I'm comfortable with this guy I have....I need ONE good doctor to help me with EVERYTHING. Good thing I am proactive with my health care.
Anyway, I am completely finished now with grades, turned in my committee work, and am ready to fly home. Last week, we got together with our Kurdish friends, Shamal and Suzan, who showed us how to make yaprakh (also called dolma). It's one of our favorite dishes and not terribly difficult to make. We made our own today and it turned out great! I can't wait to make it for our friends and family in the U.S. :) We're planning to take home some spices so we can make some other dishes, too. Now, to get to my blog title....
The more I research the health benefits of different foods and spices, the more I find that all I need to do is EAT fresh foods with nature's seasonings. I ended up buying a whole box of lemons since the yaprakh requires fresh lemon and after looking it up, it has LOADS of health benefits besides having vitamin C. So, I squeezed one fresh and added some Splenda for some fresh lemonade. I added another one to a glass of karkade....mmmm, mmmmm, good! Dill is another ingredient in yaprakh, delicious and has lots of health benefits as well. I can't bring myself to eat fresh garlic cloves, or fresh spring onions raw, but so many of the foods I love are so healthy. It will be hard making do in Michigan this summer without the variety and amount of fresh fruits and vegetables that we have gotten used to having here. I'll be haunting all the farm markets and natural food stores! :) I'm hoping we can continue eating as well as we have been. I'm going to go book shopping for a book on natural remedies as soon as I get home, too! The time is fast approaching. We'll see you all soon!
Anyway, I am completely finished now with grades, turned in my committee work, and am ready to fly home. Last week, we got together with our Kurdish friends, Shamal and Suzan, who showed us how to make yaprakh (also called dolma). It's one of our favorite dishes and not terribly difficult to make. We made our own today and it turned out great! I can't wait to make it for our friends and family in the U.S. :) We're planning to take home some spices so we can make some other dishes, too. Now, to get to my blog title....
The more I research the health benefits of different foods and spices, the more I find that all I need to do is EAT fresh foods with nature's seasonings. I ended up buying a whole box of lemons since the yaprakh requires fresh lemon and after looking it up, it has LOADS of health benefits besides having vitamin C. So, I squeezed one fresh and added some Splenda for some fresh lemonade. I added another one to a glass of karkade....mmmm, mmmmm, good! Dill is another ingredient in yaprakh, delicious and has lots of health benefits as well. I can't bring myself to eat fresh garlic cloves, or fresh spring onions raw, but so many of the foods I love are so healthy. It will be hard making do in Michigan this summer without the variety and amount of fresh fruits and vegetables that we have gotten used to having here. I'll be haunting all the farm markets and natural food stores! :) I'm hoping we can continue eating as well as we have been. I'm going to go book shopping for a book on natural remedies as soon as I get home, too! The time is fast approaching. We'll see you all soon!
Saturday, June 6, 2009
Wild, wacky and wonderful world!
We have had a great weekend so far, starting with Michael McKenzie's arrival Wednesday evening with his friend, Ali. The weekend in Saudi Arabia begins on Wednesday night, so Michael (who works in Dammam in the KSA) has Thursdays and Fridays off. Fortunately, classes finished last week, I had no doctor appointments or tests and we were able to enjoy company for a couple of days. We didn't do anything spectacular really. We showed them various areas of Doha, and, of course, took them to Souq Waqif and the Corniche. We had a fun little jaunt on a dhow at the Corniche. Nelson or I will post photos on Facebook later. We finished off the visit at a small restaurant on the Corniche which serves a variety of Middle Eastern foods and we ordered a lot of appetizers for a light meal. It was so much fun. Ali was quiet but delightful and he and Nelson both enjoyed talking photography. They both have a Canon camera and Ali wasn't sure what all the settings were for, so Nelson enjoyed showing him some of the different features.
Michael and Ali left for KSA about 6:30 last night and Nelson and I headed over to Veronica and Colin's for pottage (South African stew) and karaoke. Veronica and Colin are the friends we made through their African Grey parrot, Habib. Habib has come a long way and is now quite a sweet bird. He stayed with us for a week or so last fall while Veronica went back to South Africa. He was not a very nice bird, but he needed some time to adjust. After a second trip away, he seemed to realize how much he loved her and how lucky he was to have the home he had and did an about take....you know what they say: absence makes the heart grow fonder. He still hates Colin, but Veronica can handle him and do all sorts of things with him that she couldn't do before. I think Habib thinks she is his bird wife. :)
In any case, the group of people there LOVE karaoke and really get into it. The more wine, beer and alcohol that is consumed increases the fun. I had ONE glass of wine. Nelson had none. He sang Willie Nelson's "Always on My Mind," (so sweet!) and I sang (with everyone joining in), "It's My Life" by Bon Jovi. It was quite fun!
So, it's still Saturday, and we plan to take Thai to see "Night at the Museum 2" today. We have been wanting to see it and his mom has to invigilate today (HA! I finally have a reprieve!), so it's off to City Center and the movies today!
I am working on a formula for my treatment this summer that includes some natural/herbal remedies. I have my pulmonary function test tomorrow, Nelson has his CT scan on Monday, I see my doctor on Thursday and he sees his doctor on the following Sunday. We then have a week before heading off toward home. However, we will be stopping over in Paris for a couple of days to break up the trip (it's 17 hours actual flying time, not including layovers). Our bodies just can't take it. The plan is to get a medical certificate from my doctor so I can go home and try an antibiotic course of treatment for my sarcoidosis. It may make me very sick, so I don't want to travel when I'm sick. And I'd like to get a full three months of the therapy going before I start teaching again (September 27). So, wish me luck. And if I get this thing kicked for good, I'll certainly let everyone know. I am still keeping my blog (http://4wardclimb.blogspot.com/) about my experience with this journey I am embarking upon. I am going to kick this thing and feel like a new person. I am already experiencing an improvement with the few simple steps I have already taken in preparation for the treatment.
See you all soon or somewhere soon, Inshallah! Keep in touch!!
Michael and Ali left for KSA about 6:30 last night and Nelson and I headed over to Veronica and Colin's for pottage (South African stew) and karaoke. Veronica and Colin are the friends we made through their African Grey parrot, Habib. Habib has come a long way and is now quite a sweet bird. He stayed with us for a week or so last fall while Veronica went back to South Africa. He was not a very nice bird, but he needed some time to adjust. After a second trip away, he seemed to realize how much he loved her and how lucky he was to have the home he had and did an about take....you know what they say: absence makes the heart grow fonder. He still hates Colin, but Veronica can handle him and do all sorts of things with him that she couldn't do before. I think Habib thinks she is his bird wife. :)
In any case, the group of people there LOVE karaoke and really get into it. The more wine, beer and alcohol that is consumed increases the fun. I had ONE glass of wine. Nelson had none. He sang Willie Nelson's "Always on My Mind," (so sweet!) and I sang (with everyone joining in), "It's My Life" by Bon Jovi. It was quite fun!
So, it's still Saturday, and we plan to take Thai to see "Night at the Museum 2" today. We have been wanting to see it and his mom has to invigilate today (HA! I finally have a reprieve!), so it's off to City Center and the movies today!
I am working on a formula for my treatment this summer that includes some natural/herbal remedies. I have my pulmonary function test tomorrow, Nelson has his CT scan on Monday, I see my doctor on Thursday and he sees his doctor on the following Sunday. We then have a week before heading off toward home. However, we will be stopping over in Paris for a couple of days to break up the trip (it's 17 hours actual flying time, not including layovers). Our bodies just can't take it. The plan is to get a medical certificate from my doctor so I can go home and try an antibiotic course of treatment for my sarcoidosis. It may make me very sick, so I don't want to travel when I'm sick. And I'd like to get a full three months of the therapy going before I start teaching again (September 27). So, wish me luck. And if I get this thing kicked for good, I'll certainly let everyone know. I am still keeping my blog (http://4wardclimb.blogspot.com/) about my experience with this journey I am embarking upon. I am going to kick this thing and feel like a new person. I am already experiencing an improvement with the few simple steps I have already taken in preparation for the treatment.
See you all soon or somewhere soon, Inshallah! Keep in touch!!
Monday, June 1, 2009
The news is: NO NEWS!
We may not know until September if Nelson gets the head farrier position at the racetrack! For Heaven's Sake! I have never known wheels that turned so slowly! I wish to never hear the term "Inshallah!" again! :) LOL Oh, well.......but that's what it's all about: if God wills it, it will be. And if not, then there's something better waiting and too bad for the fools at the racetrack! At this point, that's all we want to say about it. We were so excited that we are afraid we jinxed it. I guess you have to believe in that sort of thing and I'm not sure if we do really. Maybe a little bit. But there's plenty of time for good vibrations or prayers or whatever people do when they want to help. :) Whatever it is, we will welcome it!
Classes and exams are done. This week will be submitting grades, finishing up any last minute grading (I'm done except for one ISP research paper that was turned in late), working on a TESOL proposal for the 2010 conference in Boston, etc. We plan to break up our trip by staying over in Paris a couple of days when we come home. That will be so exciting. We are really looking forward to it! We should be home by July 4th! Woohoo. I'll see my grandson turn one!
Nelson and I are collaborating on our first book: Where the Hum Comes From. I will surely let you know when it's done and where you can buy a copy. It's our summer project. He also is planning on a book about how to trim and shoe your own horse...we suspect in this economy that there are a lot of folks out there who can't afford a farrier right now and while it's not ideal, a how to book with some common sense for horse owners might be a hot seller! :) I will also be putting together a poetry book I have been working on for several years called Verisimilitude. I am hoping that Nelson will contribute photos for it. It's almost complete and all I have to do is use the software necessary to create it and then get it published. Self-publishing is easier than ever now and we should even be able to make our work available on Amazon.com. We'll see.
So, until my next update, stay tuned and we'll see you all soon!
Maggie
Classes and exams are done. This week will be submitting grades, finishing up any last minute grading (I'm done except for one ISP research paper that was turned in late), working on a TESOL proposal for the 2010 conference in Boston, etc. We plan to break up our trip by staying over in Paris a couple of days when we come home. That will be so exciting. We are really looking forward to it! We should be home by July 4th! Woohoo. I'll see my grandson turn one!
Nelson and I are collaborating on our first book: Where the Hum Comes From. I will surely let you know when it's done and where you can buy a copy. It's our summer project. He also is planning on a book about how to trim and shoe your own horse...we suspect in this economy that there are a lot of folks out there who can't afford a farrier right now and while it's not ideal, a how to book with some common sense for horse owners might be a hot seller! :) I will also be putting together a poetry book I have been working on for several years called Verisimilitude. I am hoping that Nelson will contribute photos for it. It's almost complete and all I have to do is use the software necessary to create it and then get it published. Self-publishing is easier than ever now and we should even be able to make our work available on Amazon.com. We'll see.
So, until my next update, stay tuned and we'll see you all soon!
Maggie
Friday, May 29, 2009
Go forward!--Christopher Reeve
When life gives you lemons, make lemonade. Hahaha! It's not that bad. I had my appointment with the new doctor yesterday. First of all, I like him. He's Libyan, speaks very good English, and NICE. He listened, and took his time with this crazy American woman who has her own ideas about how to treat her sarcoidosis. I wanted to try the Marshall Protocol and stay away from prednisone. He agreed to read the materials I gave him and do some research. He even wrote me the prescription for Olmetec. Unfortunately, they don't carry it at Hamad Hospital and I can't get the quanitity I need OTC in Doha (at least not today). And it would cost me about $500 for a summer's worth. So, that's on hold for now. I go back in two weeks and perhaps I can still do the antibiotic portion of the protocol. If not, I am looking into natural antibiotics like colloidal silver and olive leaf extract. The olive leaf extract sounds really promising and isn't very expensive either. I think I can buy olive leaves at the souqs here and make tea (God, I hate olives...I wonder what the leaves taste like!). We'll see what happens. I do believe Dr. Marshall has something in his theories about inflammatory diseases being caused by bacteria. It makes a lot of sense to me, especially when you consider the overprescriptions of antibiotics for years which has resulted in superbugs galore! I am so worried that I may have passed some of these critters to my children and grandchildren. I am going to educate myself and my children. We have all experienced too much illness. Something isn't right. Something has to change!
Now, how is life in Doha? Well, annual leave is coming up fast! I can't wait. I'm hoping that if the doctor agrees to let me start the cycline treatment and, if it's available, that I may be able to get medical leave and go home a week or two early to get started. I do not want to feel crappy while traveling (it's hard enough!) and the antibiotics will cause a die-off of bacteria that may make me very sick. Not infectious sick, but feeling crappy. I don't need to get quarantined for H1N1 at an airport somewhere because I have a fever! :) LOL Yesterday was the last day of classes for the spring semester! Tomorrow is the final exam. Sunday is the gradeathon of exam essays. The following week is finishing up, submitting grades, etc. My IELTS prep course did not go forward (not enough students registered). But that's ok. I need a break!
Today we are hanging out, may head to the souqs later when it's cooler. It's getting hotter and hotter here in Doha. Oddly enough, I'm tolerating it very well. I stood outside waiting for Nelson to pick me up yesterday and realized I could not have done that when I first arrived. We keep our AC set at a much higher temperature than when we first arrived.
Anyway, that's my quick update for now. I'm hoping to do a little bit of touristy stuff that we haven't taken time to do here in Doha, so I'll update more until we leave! Later!
Now, how is life in Doha? Well, annual leave is coming up fast! I can't wait. I'm hoping that if the doctor agrees to let me start the cycline treatment and, if it's available, that I may be able to get medical leave and go home a week or two early to get started. I do not want to feel crappy while traveling (it's hard enough!) and the antibiotics will cause a die-off of bacteria that may make me very sick. Not infectious sick, but feeling crappy. I don't need to get quarantined for H1N1 at an airport somewhere because I have a fever! :) LOL Yesterday was the last day of classes for the spring semester! Tomorrow is the final exam. Sunday is the gradeathon of exam essays. The following week is finishing up, submitting grades, etc. My IELTS prep course did not go forward (not enough students registered). But that's ok. I need a break!
Today we are hanging out, may head to the souqs later when it's cooler. It's getting hotter and hotter here in Doha. Oddly enough, I'm tolerating it very well. I stood outside waiting for Nelson to pick me up yesterday and realized I could not have done that when I first arrived. We keep our AC set at a much higher temperature than when we first arrived.
Anyway, that's my quick update for now. I'm hoping to do a little bit of touristy stuff that we haven't taken time to do here in Doha, so I'll update more until we leave! Later!
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Karkade! Who knew?
In the past week or ten days, we have discovered KARKADE. It is, pure and simply, hibiscus tea. I never thought about blossoms of a plant as something to make tea from. We talk about tea LEAVES, not blossoms. I found some hibiscus tea in tea bags several months ago and have not found any since. Last weekend, I found the dried flower itself in bags at the local market. I took it home and tried it out in Mimi's nifty little cups (which she meant for me to use in making green tea, but I have never cared that much for green tea; sorry, Mimi). The cups have an insert that strains the leaves, er, I mean the flowers. :) It was the best darn thing! Reminded me of cranberries and I love those. I started telling people about it and they told me it's called karkade (kar ka day). It's highly prized for its health benefits and delicious flavor. So I started checking it out. It helps lower blood pressure. Research has proven this. It also has loads of antioxidants, one of which is anthocyanin, the ingredient in Montmorency Tart cherries that is being investigated for its possible use in stabilizing blood glucose in diabetics. I read that it helps cool the body (we all know I could use some cooling off!). If you google the stuff, you will find a ton of information. And, besides all that, it's just GOOD. :) I love it. Tonight, we went to Souq Waqif and I bought it in bulk. One bag came from Iran and is said to be the best. The stuff I bought at the supermarket is from Egypt and not bad, I think. The cheapest comes from Sudan. The main difference I can see is that the Iranian karkade is redder, looks fresher and is finer in nature. The Egyptian and Sudanese karkade is darker and maybe a bit more coarse, but then we are talking about a dried product here. We tried the Iranian karkade tonight and it does taste a bit smoother than the other. I am going to make up a big pot tomorrow (I also put it in the frig and drink it cold....it's better than sun tea at home, no kidding!).
In any case, I will bring some home with me, and if you would like some to try, you have to tell me so I know how much to get. :)
Hurray for KARKADE!
For those of you curious about what's going on with my health in a little more depth, you can check out my new blog at:
http://4wardclimb.blogspot.com/
I am going to cure myself of this damn sarcoidosis and if any of you have any inflammatory type illnesses, or what a doctor has told you is an autoimmune disorder, you might want to research the Marshall Protocol. I have links on my new blog if you are interested and you are welcome to ask me anything about it!
Until next week!
In any case, I will bring some home with me, and if you would like some to try, you have to tell me so I know how much to get. :)
Hurray for KARKADE!
For those of you curious about what's going on with my health in a little more depth, you can check out my new blog at:
http://4wardclimb.blogspot.com/
I am going to cure myself of this damn sarcoidosis and if any of you have any inflammatory type illnesses, or what a doctor has told you is an autoimmune disorder, you might want to research the Marshall Protocol. I have links on my new blog if you are interested and you are welcome to ask me anything about it!
Until next week!
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Positive thoughts are power
Dear family and friends,
Nelson does not want to leak the possible news that he might have the head farrier position at Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club (QREC) because he is afraid of jinxing it. It's a wonderful opportunity that would change our life now, and especially change our future in terms of retirement and comfortable living. Nelson deserves this recognition and validation of his life's work and talent. We both deserve some breathing room (financially and in terms of physical space which translates to VILLA!). And, as I pointed out to him yesterday, I have a vested interest in his obtaining this position because what is mine is mine, and what is his is mine. :) He is worried about what to do about so many things if he gets the job, doing a good job at managing the department, and teaching the farriers to take pride in doing a professional job, at the track and off the track. He worries too much. :) I have every confidence in him. I don't care if he makes double my salary, gets a villa and a Land Cruiser. :) Well, he gets a vehicle and since everybody at the track (including the former head farrier) drives Land Cruisers, I am assuming. :) As I said, what is his is mine, too. :) I can also appreciate the prospect of a villa, a little yard of our own, bigger accomodations to host a family holiday or visitors for a time! SO! My request is that everyone out there send positive thoughts and vibes our way for successful acquisition of this job....the final decision/offer will be made the end of the month and there is no one else in the running at this point. They have even already sent him to Human Resources to start getting his paperwork together. Something tells me the decision is already made, but I want to see it in writing! Thanks everyone for your support and we'll keep you posted here!!
Nelson does not want to leak the possible news that he might have the head farrier position at Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club (QREC) because he is afraid of jinxing it. It's a wonderful opportunity that would change our life now, and especially change our future in terms of retirement and comfortable living. Nelson deserves this recognition and validation of his life's work and talent. We both deserve some breathing room (financially and in terms of physical space which translates to VILLA!). And, as I pointed out to him yesterday, I have a vested interest in his obtaining this position because what is mine is mine, and what is his is mine. :) He is worried about what to do about so many things if he gets the job, doing a good job at managing the department, and teaching the farriers to take pride in doing a professional job, at the track and off the track. He worries too much. :) I have every confidence in him. I don't care if he makes double my salary, gets a villa and a Land Cruiser. :) Well, he gets a vehicle and since everybody at the track (including the former head farrier) drives Land Cruisers, I am assuming. :) As I said, what is his is mine, too. :) I can also appreciate the prospect of a villa, a little yard of our own, bigger accomodations to host a family holiday or visitors for a time! SO! My request is that everyone out there send positive thoughts and vibes our way for successful acquisition of this job....the final decision/offer will be made the end of the month and there is no one else in the running at this point. They have even already sent him to Human Resources to start getting his paperwork together. Something tells me the decision is already made, but I want to see it in writing! Thanks everyone for your support and we'll keep you posted here!!
Friday, May 15, 2009
Shacking up with shingles
Life has been interesting this past week as I discovered from the clinic doctor that my "spider bites" from about ten days ago were either 1) jelly fish stings or 2) zoster virus better known as shingles. Well, I did go swimming the weekend before and the "bites" or rash didn't show up for 3 days after that! So, after a second visit to the doctor, it was agreed that it's probably shingles, or perhaps a sarcoidosis rash. So, we deal with it. Mixing shingles with sarcoidosis and diabetes has been a trip. Having been on prednisone may have minimized the symptoms and more severe pain. I am monitoring it carefully and while it's been playing havoc with my blood sugars, today is much better. I was headachy and feverish for two days, exhausted beyond reason yesterday and today, after my first full night's sleep without sweats and chills all week, I am feeling like myself again. Thank God! Hopefully, the rash will go away soon (I have two creams that seem to be doing the job) and I will not experience any more (or at least very little) pain and soreness now. For those of you who will ask: yes, I have an appointment with the pulmonologist in two weeks and will keep up on what's going on. Walla!
Nelson had an interview with the track manager last week and we are patiently waiting for some word so we can make our flight reservations ASAP. He waited this long to just TALK to the man, so who knows how long it will be before they make any decision and then, take action! :) It's so frustrating! This job would change our lives for the better in ways that I hesitate to contemplate for fear of jinxing the whole thing. Nuff said!
Our anniversary was this past week....14 years. In ways it feels like yesterday and in other ways, it feels like 40. Not in a bad way, just that it seems we must have always been together. Perhaps we were married in another life. :) LOL We splurged on a HUGE coffee table book as our gift to each other. Title? Horse. What else? It is huge....I will have Nelson take a photo of it and post it here so you can truly appreciate its size and magnitude. It's a series of photos of horses with and without people, in all shapes and sizes, engaged in a multitude of activities....some with celebrities (I love the one of Arnold Schwarzenegger in white breeches and no shirt, sitting on a big warmblood type white horse....marvelous photography) and some with nobodies.....we will never tire of looking at it. Besides, it will inspire us to take the photos and write the poetry for our own coffee table book. One last thing: Although I was home sick on the actual day of our anniversary, it was quiet and uneventful, just the two of us, and that's alright by me.
There are two weeks left to the semester. I can't go home for 49 more days. Depending on what happens with this job (or not), Nelson may be going home in mid-June. I need some horsey and grandkid time, that's for sure! Keep in touch, write or call when you can....Maggie
Nelson had an interview with the track manager last week and we are patiently waiting for some word so we can make our flight reservations ASAP. He waited this long to just TALK to the man, so who knows how long it will be before they make any decision and then, take action! :) It's so frustrating! This job would change our lives for the better in ways that I hesitate to contemplate for fear of jinxing the whole thing. Nuff said!
Our anniversary was this past week....14 years. In ways it feels like yesterday and in other ways, it feels like 40. Not in a bad way, just that it seems we must have always been together. Perhaps we were married in another life. :) LOL We splurged on a HUGE coffee table book as our gift to each other. Title? Horse. What else? It is huge....I will have Nelson take a photo of it and post it here so you can truly appreciate its size and magnitude. It's a series of photos of horses with and without people, in all shapes and sizes, engaged in a multitude of activities....some with celebrities (I love the one of Arnold Schwarzenegger in white breeches and no shirt, sitting on a big warmblood type white horse....marvelous photography) and some with nobodies.....we will never tire of looking at it. Besides, it will inspire us to take the photos and write the poetry for our own coffee table book. One last thing: Although I was home sick on the actual day of our anniversary, it was quiet and uneventful, just the two of us, and that's alright by me.
There are two weeks left to the semester. I can't go home for 49 more days. Depending on what happens with this job (or not), Nelson may be going home in mid-June. I need some horsey and grandkid time, that's for sure! Keep in touch, write or call when you can....Maggie
Sunday, May 10, 2009
A bad day fishing....
Sometimes a bad day fishing is BAD. Yesterday we headed out for the mouth of the Inland Sea with friends, including our computer geek friend, Tarek, of whom we are slightly fond. We all met to have breakfast at Kudu in the Hyatt Plaza mall down the road....steak, eggs, toast, hash browns, OJ and coffee is 15 QR ($4.12 USD). The steak is sliced up in small strips because it is the same steak they use in their subs but it is DE-lish! We love it! Of course, it is better for a diabetic like me to skip the pancakes, but once in a while I think I deserve one or two and they are darn good there. Anyway, Tarek didn't realize our fishing methods....he thought we were going somewhere nearby and taking a boat, no clue that we drive so far south, almost all the way to Saudi Arabia, to go fishing! He waited until we were almost there to ask what time we thought we would be home. He had to read the news at 8:00. Ah ha!! AND he didn't bring swimming trunks, not realizing I guess, that we swim and that the fishing requires a little wading into the surf. He solved that by cutting his pants off at the knees. Very resourceful young man!
In any case, to make a long story short (because I am tired and really don't want to relive the day too much), we did a little fishing (no catching of fish though) and we swam a little, found a few shells, caught a little sunshine....and as we headed back to be closer to the Coast Guard station where we head back through the dunes, the sand was soft and we all struggled to make it through. Suddenly, as Nelson downshifted to make it through a soft patch, the clutch went all the way to the floor and STAYED there. Nelson looked up and said, "Is that smoke?" And it was smoke, coming from under the hood. We jumped out and as we realized the smoke was not from steam but from FIRE, Tarek and I grabbed important things like wallets and purses and my book and started tossing them out, while Nelson scrambled to find the fire extinguisher. By the time our traveling companions came back to help, the fire was out and the Jeep was a goner. Wires melted everywhere, no saving it now. So, now we have to wonder, how the hell do you haul a dead jeep 30 km through the dunes to a main road? Tarek made several phone calls to find out what one does with a dead jeep on the beach, on the other side of the desert. Apparently no one knows and mostly, people just leave such things where they die. I imagine that would be a hefty fine! Tarek discovered that it would cost us around 2000QR ($550 USD) to get it hauled out (assuming no one came along and stripped it of its almost new tires and any other useful items in the meantime). It was our good fortune to once again meet a pair of fellows who had stopped earlier to help us push Phillip (Nettie's boyfriend) out of the sand. They agreed to take the Jeep, haul it and part it out. We exchanged information and the deal was made. Nelson was very sad to leave his old Jeep out there, but I reminded him that it's better than having to shoot a horse with a broken leg. Phillip called colleagues who were spending the day at the Inland Sea, who came and picked us up. There simply was not enough room in Phillips Pajero for 3 adults and our cooler, and various and sundry STUFF, including a box of horseshoes and Nelson's bumper anvil. Phillip's friends led the caravan out through the dunes, up and down the dunes, it was fabulous although a couple of times, I gripped Nelson's arm a bit hard. It was a new experience, for sure. But the dunes themselves (some scalloped as if sculpted, some pointed like pyramids) were gorgeous as was the view of the water from the top of some of them!
We made it home in one piece, a little worn out and a little bummed. But, no one was hurt. That is the important thing. Perhaps next fall we can buy a better SUV, a little newer.....Nelson suspects that a gas line broke and sprayed or leaked on the exhaust. It was a freak thing and could have happened to anyone (not really...it is EXACTLY the kind of thing that happens to US!). :) We are mostly bummed that some of our activities will now be curtailed unless we are able to catch a ride with others. We had planned to pit crew at the last endurance ride of the season next weekend, maybe spend the night and go fishing in the morning (Endurance Village is VERY near where we go fishing, or at least the entrance to the desert).
In any case, I have 3 weeks left of teaching. Thank God. This is the time of year when students and teachers start getting fed up with each other. Exams are coming and then that 3 or 4 week wait after before I can leave for home. Nelson is coming home about 3 weeks early ahead of me. I can't afford to take the time off and I MAY have an IELTS prep course to teach. I really hope so. It might help us towards another SUV. :)
Keep in touch. Write when you can. We miss home and a note from home is always welcome. God bless!!
Maggie
In any case, to make a long story short (because I am tired and really don't want to relive the day too much), we did a little fishing (no catching of fish though) and we swam a little, found a few shells, caught a little sunshine....and as we headed back to be closer to the Coast Guard station where we head back through the dunes, the sand was soft and we all struggled to make it through. Suddenly, as Nelson downshifted to make it through a soft patch, the clutch went all the way to the floor and STAYED there. Nelson looked up and said, "Is that smoke?" And it was smoke, coming from under the hood. We jumped out and as we realized the smoke was not from steam but from FIRE, Tarek and I grabbed important things like wallets and purses and my book and started tossing them out, while Nelson scrambled to find the fire extinguisher. By the time our traveling companions came back to help, the fire was out and the Jeep was a goner. Wires melted everywhere, no saving it now. So, now we have to wonder, how the hell do you haul a dead jeep 30 km through the dunes to a main road? Tarek made several phone calls to find out what one does with a dead jeep on the beach, on the other side of the desert. Apparently no one knows and mostly, people just leave such things where they die. I imagine that would be a hefty fine! Tarek discovered that it would cost us around 2000QR ($550 USD) to get it hauled out (assuming no one came along and stripped it of its almost new tires and any other useful items in the meantime). It was our good fortune to once again meet a pair of fellows who had stopped earlier to help us push Phillip (Nettie's boyfriend) out of the sand. They agreed to take the Jeep, haul it and part it out. We exchanged information and the deal was made. Nelson was very sad to leave his old Jeep out there, but I reminded him that it's better than having to shoot a horse with a broken leg. Phillip called colleagues who were spending the day at the Inland Sea, who came and picked us up. There simply was not enough room in Phillips Pajero for 3 adults and our cooler, and various and sundry STUFF, including a box of horseshoes and Nelson's bumper anvil. Phillip's friends led the caravan out through the dunes, up and down the dunes, it was fabulous although a couple of times, I gripped Nelson's arm a bit hard. It was a new experience, for sure. But the dunes themselves (some scalloped as if sculpted, some pointed like pyramids) were gorgeous as was the view of the water from the top of some of them!
We made it home in one piece, a little worn out and a little bummed. But, no one was hurt. That is the important thing. Perhaps next fall we can buy a better SUV, a little newer.....Nelson suspects that a gas line broke and sprayed or leaked on the exhaust. It was a freak thing and could have happened to anyone (not really...it is EXACTLY the kind of thing that happens to US!). :) We are mostly bummed that some of our activities will now be curtailed unless we are able to catch a ride with others. We had planned to pit crew at the last endurance ride of the season next weekend, maybe spend the night and go fishing in the morning (Endurance Village is VERY near where we go fishing, or at least the entrance to the desert).
In any case, I have 3 weeks left of teaching. Thank God. This is the time of year when students and teachers start getting fed up with each other. Exams are coming and then that 3 or 4 week wait after before I can leave for home. Nelson is coming home about 3 weeks early ahead of me. I can't afford to take the time off and I MAY have an IELTS prep course to teach. I really hope so. It might help us towards another SUV. :)
Keep in touch. Write when you can. We miss home and a note from home is always welcome. God bless!!
Maggie
Sunday, May 3, 2009
The parallel swim gets easier....
Please look at the bottom for the best ever photo of Nelson with his first catch from the Persian Gulf. Yesterday we traveled again with our Irish friend, Richard, in search of surf, sand and FISH. :) In spite of a very brisk wind which meant we had to monitor visibility to make sure we could find out way out of the dunes, it was a very pleasant day. Plenty of sun, plenty of waves and plenty of fish, even though Nelson and Richard went 1-1. Nelson caught a nice queen fish, while Richard caught a nice king fish. That made a nice pair! The awesome part of the fishing was just about dusk when the big fish starting coming in to shore literally riding the waves as they made their charges on the schools of fish which, by the way, make the water look as it's boiling. The big fish lined up in the waves to make their rush and it was a sight to behold. They are absolutely beautiful, especially when the sun glints on them just right. We were almost ready to leave when another group came in and Nelson tossed out his line. They seemed to disappear and then suddenly, there they were again and Nelson reeled as fast as he could. The fish took a good hold, hooking itself deep in the throat and, despite plenty of splashing and flipping and jumping out of the water, Nelson was able to land him. I jumped up and down and cheered him on to success. It was just as exciting watching it (however, I want my own fishing pole now!). :) It was a fabulous day with plenty of reading and relaxation and a brief snooze in my chair. I even got a chance to get in the water, swim, and ride the surf a bit which was awesome. The waves were strong enough to knock me down. The nearby dunes are reminiscent of Lake Michigan, especially around Sleeping Bear Dunes, but the salt water I swallowed quickly reminded me of the difference. However, the waves are nowhere near as magnificent and large as the waves we get on the Big Lakes. Another trip is planned for this weekend. I'll hope to have some more photos to share. I may have to go back to Live Journal as I can't post a series of photos here and can't figure out how to use the Slideshow feature. Keep in touch, write or call! 61 days to home!!
Maggie
Maggie
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Spring has definitely sprung here!
Life has been a bit hectic the last few months and my gardening efforts have fallen by the wayside, as well as my eating habits.
So, we've started walking. A brisk 30 minutes is about all we can manage right now, but that's ok. 30 minutes is better than no minutes and it's a start. I also went out and spent some time in the dirt yesterday and tonight. I was surprised how much trash I picked out of the flower beds...candy and gum wrappers, plastic this and plastic that, among various other small and sundry items. Thanks to those Doha shamals (north winds!). I spent a good deal of time and deposited several handfuls into the garbage. I then transplanted the poinsettia which has gone crazy in its pot on the porch area. You can't even see the old red leaves underneath and I haven't been very diligent watering it, so now I understand why they grow so well in Mexico and Central and South America! It was time for it to have a new home to spread its roots and even today, it looked like it was reaching higher and higher and puffing itself out. I also transplanted what my mom called Dusty Miller because they were so rootbound in their pots. They'll do much better now AND I cut back the petunias to see if I can force a little more new growth. The tomato plants seem to be petering out but I've enjoyed a handful of little, red cherry tomatoes from time to time, so they've done their duty. :)
The temperature is getting warmer and warmer every day almost. It was a little warmer than usual when we walked this evening. It was NOT cooler like it has been lately after the sun goes down. We may have to resort to some swimming to keep ourselves cool while exercising. :) By the time we come home, we'll be able to tolerate Michigan's weather as if it were spring!
Well, this was a short update. I'll try to do more again soon.
Maggie
So, we've started walking. A brisk 30 minutes is about all we can manage right now, but that's ok. 30 minutes is better than no minutes and it's a start. I also went out and spent some time in the dirt yesterday and tonight. I was surprised how much trash I picked out of the flower beds...candy and gum wrappers, plastic this and plastic that, among various other small and sundry items. Thanks to those Doha shamals (north winds!). I spent a good deal of time and deposited several handfuls into the garbage. I then transplanted the poinsettia which has gone crazy in its pot on the porch area. You can't even see the old red leaves underneath and I haven't been very diligent watering it, so now I understand why they grow so well in Mexico and Central and South America! It was time for it to have a new home to spread its roots and even today, it looked like it was reaching higher and higher and puffing itself out. I also transplanted what my mom called Dusty Miller because they were so rootbound in their pots. They'll do much better now AND I cut back the petunias to see if I can force a little more new growth. The tomato plants seem to be petering out but I've enjoyed a handful of little, red cherry tomatoes from time to time, so they've done their duty. :)
The temperature is getting warmer and warmer every day almost. It was a little warmer than usual when we walked this evening. It was NOT cooler like it has been lately after the sun goes down. We may have to resort to some swimming to keep ourselves cool while exercising. :) By the time we come home, we'll be able to tolerate Michigan's weather as if it were spring!
Well, this was a short update. I'll try to do more again soon.
Maggie
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