All the Deckers and one Pugh

Everyone is here! I wish my family was here as well but we are having a great time. Everyone arrived Friday night on Chris's birthday. Chris and I had planned on going to the mountains during the day near Ra's al Khaimah (North of Dubai) to celebrate but we drove the wrong way and ended up in Abu Dhabi! We had not been there yet either so it was fine. It was nice to be out on the clear roads (Friday's are like old school Sundays in the US) in our new car exploring out of the city. Things are especially quiet with the Christmas holiday looming along with the Muslim holiday Eid al Adha which remembers Ibrahim's willingness to sacrifice his son Ishmael and this holiday also coincides with the end of Hajj (the annual pilgrimage of Muslims to Mecca). In honor of this holiday Muslims who are able sacrifice a domestic animal of which a portion will be given to less fortunate Muslims and the rest will be eaten with friends and family. I saw lots of sheep awaiting their unfortunate fate in the backs of trucks last week! After checking out Abu Dhabi (older, more organized but smaller) we headed back to Dubai to make the airport run. Since the arrival of our family we have been out for a traditional dinner of Arabic mezze and shiha (the pictures are coming) and a more formal dinner cruising down the Dubai creek (in Old Dubai) in a glass boat last night (see picture). Yesterday we hit the beach and enjoyed the sun, the waves and strolling in the sand. Today we went to the mall for a quick sight see and arrived home 5 hours later, somehow a quick trip in Dubai is never a quick trip! Now Pattie is sitting with me, everyone else is playing euchre and we are contemplating a local Indian meal. I just wanted to throw y'all a few words so that I don't lose my fan base. Faithful readership really keeps me going. We are all thinking of all our loved friends and family right now and wishing everyone a holiday filled with joy, peace and lots of love.

The Christmas corner

Chris and I got a car this weekend and were able to do lots of errands and get tons accomplished. We were able to find a decent Christmas tree and it has helped to get us both in the mood a bit more. It is just hard to feel Christmasy when you are in hot weather with a predominately Muslim population. This is our living area in our apartment, it is coming along. I drove for the first time today. Nothing groundbreaking since I have been driving for a lot of years but a different experience. It is strange to live somewhere, to feel familiar with it, for it to feel like home and then to have it feel totally different again. It is a whole new Dubai when you are driving in it. This morning it was just me and all the taxis. I felt like I was in an arcade game and they were my obstacles. Within two minutes I was passed on the right by a bus so you really have to pay attention. It is just hard to gauge how fast to go over all the stop signs here. Tonight after I safely parked our car and breathed a huge sigh of relief at passing my first day of driving I started to walk towards our elevator. A taxi driver started following me and honking his horn. I honestly didn't think anything of it and tuned it out. Finally he pulled up next to me and shoved his cell phone in my ear. I found a very flustered woman on the phone trying to explain to the taxi driver where she was. Having been this woman MANY times I graciously helped both parties and walked away feeling satisfied thinking about how much language barriers really mess up communication. The driver was mad because the woman said she was outside, she was mad because she was outside but they were on two different levels of the parking garage and that was the most important part...lost in translation. Tonight I went to a Christmas party at my friend Bea's and tomorrow I am going to Satwa to pick up curtains from the tailor and to hopefully find material for a few more things. I am also on the prowl for a tension rod so I can hang up a curtain in front of an open closet but it has been an elusive item to find. I am hoping to also finish Christmas shopping...

The camel ride

Chris's company had a work Christmas party on the beach at the Madinat Jumeriah. You can see the Burj Al Arab behind us. I went for my first camel ride there (Chris got to go on a much longer one in Egypt) and it was a bit bumpy and rough when they stand up and sit down but fun overall. Hanne and Roque are in front of us. The party was a lot of fun although it did not beat the PSM dance-a-thon Christmas party, no one cut loose that much but then again it was a 11-4 kind of a party.

Camels are so cute when they are sitting!

In the spirit of Christmas from my soapbox

Yes, it is that time of year again. I wish the holidays were a little bit later in a way because I just don't feel ready. One can't help but feel guilty when seeing the masses of privileged people out and about spending when so many have so little so here is my two cents for money spending ideas since I know people are reading.
http://www.amazon.com/World-Food-Programme-Feed-Bag/dp/B000M3OP6A
This reversible carryall bag sells for 59.99 and gives more than half to the UN World Food program. The donated portion gives one hungry child in Africa a lunch at school everyday for one year. Pretty cool.
Last night we watched a program on corruption in Africa that showed how corruption trickles down from the highest levels to even children in schools who have to pay to have their papers graded. This organization is trying to fight it and is worth a look: http://transparency.org/
Back to life in Dubai where today I went to the bank, waited in several lines to get an application for an additional credit card for the bank account Chris and I have only to be told that he needs to sign the application and then waited in another line for the car loan process. The woman in front of me was dressed head to toe in black-black velvet jacket, gold sweater, black pants and black suede boots. Sure, it has cooled down a bit but come on...it is still about 80 degrees. Anyway, she was paying cash for a Bentley. Crazy Dubai. The one cool thing about the bank is I did get ushered in front of one line for being a woman and the women at the bank have the bank logo emblazoned on their Shayla (head scarf) in crystal like beads. So pretty.

Beet Salad for lonely housewifes

I just finished dinner and thought I would include my favorite recipe for nights alone: beet and feta salad. Chris is not a big fan of beets or Thai food so I used to eat these things in Chicago if he was gone which was really seldom. Now that I dine alone four days a week beet and feta salad is like an old friend that I see often. It is not for everyone but the combination of flavors is quite nice so try it!
Serves One Lonely Housewife:
A handful of Baby spinach leaves (which I don't have here unless I want to pay a lot)
Diced or sliced red onion
Chopped beets from a can (1/3 of a can)
Crumbled or cut feta- the best kind is French feta which is creamier and softer than Greek feta
Sliced tomato
Cucumber and grated carrot are also nice
Dressing made with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, teaspoon of Dijon mustard, salt and pepper

Eat with a glass of red wine, alone, in front of the TV or while reading Yummy!

The proud painters

I tried to get them to be a bit more casual but my battery died so this is the painter mug shot. They were two young men from Bangladesh and I sort of miss them this week!

The after pictures are a ways away

This is what the whole apartment looked like on Thursday. It is coming along but will be a while before I have impressive before and after photos. Sorry no blogging, I have been busy! Chris is still away and I really miss him. He finally comes home on Wednesday so I am hoping to have the place in order and have a tree ready to decorate. We will also be assembling the nativity set Grampy made for our wedding present. I got a job for after the holidays. I will be teaching one three year old girl for a couple hours a day, five days a week for 3 months. It will be great because I will still have plenty of time for the other ideas/projects I have. I am really lucky because part time is an oxymoron in Dubai. I have to say positive thinking has done wonders for helping everything to fall in place. Last night I went to Hanne's for traditional Scandinavian glogg (red wine with other stuff). I remember the grown ups drinking it at Grampy and Jane's when I was little. It is great! Today I just unpacked some more and organized. I am about to head over to Becky and Mark's for spaghetti. I am so lucky, everyone feels bad for me being alone and they invite me for dinner. I haven't cooked much but I am scouting for something fancy to cook for Chris on Wednesday. I have all my cookbooks here so it will be easy. Well, nothing else to report here. I have to get busy on finding a taxi. Between 5 and 8 is this weird every man or woman for themselves around here when it comes to taxis, it gets ugly!