Yes, Little Girl is MUCH better, thanks for asking. After thinking about it, she really hasn't ever been that sick before. She's had colds and short lived fevers, but 5 days! That was pretty sucky. I'll be sending her to school tomorrow, so I hope she's ready for it. We'll see if they call for an early pick up.
I wasn't feeling better this morning when I found out that the insurance company will NOT be covering the cost of a rental car while the van is in the shop. Oh, and the repair shop is a piece of work too. It was the sort of place where you take a look at the triple parked cars and decide to go straight home, only we couldn't as this really is the only place in town to get it fixed. Not 5 minutes after we parked the rental car did it get blocked in. J went to the office to check in the van and came back about about 10 minutes saying he had better take me home as this was going to take a while. There were about 20 men waiting to be helped an no one was paying any attention to him.
We weren't going anywhere any time soon as the rental car was seriously buried behind an SUV, so I played the woman card (more impact here in a muslim country) and told John to wait outside. I grab a service consultant and asked him to help me get the rental out. Then we commandeered him to check in the van too.
I decided to go downtown to the Marina mall in the rental this afternoon and discovered it is much more full efficient than our van since we got slammed with traffic from the convention in town. I have to say that shopping really is therapeutic. I was really pretty stressed out by the time we got all the way to the far side of the island where the mall is, but I felt pretty good when I got in the car to go home. And for what ever reason the trip home took only the regular 40 minutes instead of the 2 hours it took to get in. Bonus!
I'm looking forward to getting a TV and internet in the apartment so I can know about thing like a huge convention that has streets blocked off ahead of time. It would be nice not to have to sit on a concrete step too!
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Smashed car and a very sick little girl
Yep, didn't take long did it? The good news is that no one was hurt. John was driving and stopped at a red light. The car behind him didn't. So now we have the fortune of dealing with the ONLY Toyota repair shop in Abu Dhabi (and the only one our insurance will cover). They are estimating 4 to 6 weeks, oh and we have to leave the car with them the WHOLE time. It gets better... wait for it... we can't rent a car at the moment because there is a HUGE convention in town and all the rental agencies at the airport are completely book. Yipee!!! We'll see what the insurance guy suggests and maybe find a car to rent downtown. Sigh...
Ok Part II of my bad day. Little Girl is really sick. She had a really nice ice skating birthday (aside from a yucky blister on her ankle) but seemed a little off the next day taking a very long nap and having a bit of the sniffles. Monday morning she woke up with a raging fever and head to toe rash. I took her to the out patient clinic at the hospital and she had a blood test to confirm a bacterial infection. So she's on another antibiotic (we just finished the last dose from before when she fell down in the yucky bathroom), ibuprofen for the fever and an antihistamine for the rash. I'm worried about her, especially since she still has the fever. It goes down with the ibuprofen, but keeps coming back.
Ok Part II of my bad day. Little Girl is really sick. She had a really nice ice skating birthday (aside from a yucky blister on her ankle) but seemed a little off the next day taking a very long nap and having a bit of the sniffles. Monday morning she woke up with a raging fever and head to toe rash. I took her to the out patient clinic at the hospital and she had a blood test to confirm a bacterial infection. So she's on another antibiotic (we just finished the last dose from before when she fell down in the yucky bathroom), ibuprofen for the fever and an antihistamine for the rash. I'm worried about her, especially since she still has the fever. It goes down with the ibuprofen, but keeps coming back.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Birthday
I had the best birthday I've had in years. I got to sleep in, go shopping, have lunch at Fuddrucker's, read my book, and then go out to dinner at a fancy hotel (sans enfants). J took me to the Shangri La Hotel where we sat by the pool and had a cocktail, then to a Japanese restaurant next to the hotel where we had really good sushi and tempura. I don't think I've had a whole day that I got to do what I wanted since... well before kids were born and certain that was the first time here in Abu Dhabi. I can see why people vacation here.
Yesterday I was hesitant to take the kids outside since the sand storm was so bad. It wasn't like you could feel the sand, it just hung in the air like fog. Everything is coated with a fine powdery dirt - except for the wobbly swath cut through it by Little Man's army crawl. I swept yesterday and this morning it looks like I haven't dusted in 15 years (for once that's not an exaggeration). Today I can see some blue if you look straight up, but it is still pretty hazy.
Yesterday I was hesitant to take the kids outside since the sand storm was so bad. It wasn't like you could feel the sand, it just hung in the air like fog. Everything is coated with a fine powdery dirt - except for the wobbly swath cut through it by Little Man's army crawl. I swept yesterday and this morning it looks like I haven't dusted in 15 years (for once that's not an exaggeration). Today I can see some blue if you look straight up, but it is still pretty hazy.
Fruit Loops
So I was at the grocery store thinking of you, Chris Wade and your morning fruit loops. Although you can get a lot of the sugary cereals here - Fruit Loops included I can't find PLAIN Cheerios. Go figure! (Yes, my sister put me up to mentioning you and the fruit loops. Of course I remember you - can't help it when half the photos I get of my nephews seem to have you Tab and Little miss M in them).
Sunday, February 8, 2009
Threading
For the first time in my life I have had my eyebrows professionally shaped. Mom and I found a salon near LB's school. They have everything from manicures to Moroccan bath's (mud masque and a steam room). I think I might try henna one of these days. But I'm very pleased with the threading processes. It didn't hurt as much as waxing or plucking - a little Indian woman had a real spool of thread that she wrapped around the errant hairs and twisted - yanking those hairs out. Really it wasn't as bad as it sounds, and it HAS to be better than a full body wax...
I'm starting to learn my way around but I did have another frustrating day of driving in circles. Of course it was bad enough that I ran into traffic and was going to be late to pick up Grace, but then it got worse. The fuel indicator light came on, then I missed the exit and got turned around and even more confused. The good news is that I ended up by home. The bad news is that I missed ANOTHER exit trying to get to the school from our neighborhood! We got Grace (she didn't notice that she was the last one picked up) and got fuel before running out, so really it wasn't that bad, but I think I would have bit your head off if you tried to tell me that in the heat of the moment.
I found out that it will cost 3500 dirham to fix my computer ($953). I guess I won't be getting it fixed for a while. Maybe I'll take it to the Apple store in the states on my next visit. It is looking like I'll be in California in May. I might make it to Colorado as well.
I'm starting to learn my way around but I did have another frustrating day of driving in circles. Of course it was bad enough that I ran into traffic and was going to be late to pick up Grace, but then it got worse. The fuel indicator light came on, then I missed the exit and got turned around and even more confused. The good news is that I ended up by home. The bad news is that I missed ANOTHER exit trying to get to the school from our neighborhood! We got Grace (she didn't notice that she was the last one picked up) and got fuel before running out, so really it wasn't that bad, but I think I would have bit your head off if you tried to tell me that in the heat of the moment.
I found out that it will cost 3500 dirham to fix my computer ($953). I guess I won't be getting it fixed for a while. Maybe I'll take it to the Apple store in the states on my next visit. It is looking like I'll be in California in May. I might make it to Colorado as well.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Driving
I'm feeling very liberated since I got my drivers license today. Why should it make any difference if J was willing to drive me pretty much where ever and whenever I wanted? I guess it just relieves the guilt. I have been wanting to get a manicure, but who really wants to ask their husband to not only watch the children, but drive me to the salon (or saloon as some people around here call them) and then pick me up. Who wants to drag their husband through the mall and stop to look at belts (yes I forgot to pack a belt and I don't have any coming in our shipment either).
My first trip behind the wheel was uneventful. It wasn't a big deal as long as J was there to navigate. So I ventured out to Carrefour with just Little Bean. I got there without incident, and had a grand time of browsing the aisle without worrying about anyone else. Coming home, however, I missed the exit. As I was figuring that out, I blew past the next exit. By the time I figured out I really needed to turn around I ended up on a road that didn't turn around, but sent me half way to Dubai (OK more like a quarter of the way) before I could get back to my exit. It's a learning process. It would be nice if things were labeled better, but it is probably easier than driving in Boston. Of course some of the drivers here would terrify any Bostonian. Lanes, rules, speeds all seem to be optional. There are very few left turns and LOTS of roundabouts. So you can see where you want to be, but you just can't get there. J pointed out the Facilities department building he was trying to get to before we arrived and noted that you can only get to it if you are going in the right direction and know where to take the unmarked exit...
I guess I better become an expert on the local landmarks quickly.
My first trip behind the wheel was uneventful. It wasn't a big deal as long as J was there to navigate. So I ventured out to Carrefour with just Little Bean. I got there without incident, and had a grand time of browsing the aisle without worrying about anyone else. Coming home, however, I missed the exit. As I was figuring that out, I blew past the next exit. By the time I figured out I really needed to turn around I ended up on a road that didn't turn around, but sent me half way to Dubai (OK more like a quarter of the way) before I could get back to my exit. It's a learning process. It would be nice if things were labeled better, but it is probably easier than driving in Boston. Of course some of the drivers here would terrify any Bostonian. Lanes, rules, speeds all seem to be optional. There are very few left turns and LOTS of roundabouts. So you can see where you want to be, but you just can't get there. J pointed out the Facilities department building he was trying to get to before we arrived and noted that you can only get to it if you are going in the right direction and know where to take the unmarked exit...
I guess I better become an expert on the local landmarks quickly.
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