DubaiDaisy

What would you do if you had more time to yourself?

2009-07-22T14:04:00.000-07:00

I'm thinking if every day was, say, 36 hours long & you didn't have to work any more hours - what would you do with those extra hours?

Have been musing this for a while and so far, have come up with:

Sew more

Read more

Write more

Probably sleep more

Blog more

School my horse more

Work with parrot more

Meditate more (actually, have been so monumentally crap in recent times re this that even 10 mins a day would be amazing)

Ditto reiki

Get back into yoga

Cook more

Listen to podcasts more (could combine this with above)

Study more (feeling the need to start up my Buddhist Philosophy course again) - there's just so much out there that I'd like to know more about

"be in the present" more - this is not so much about lack of time but when one is rushing around it is so hard (which is ironic because, of course, that is precisely when one really needs to get a grip & 'be in the now')

Hhhhhmmmmm.......... that's all I can think of so far ......... it is 1:16am & it has been a long day.

Night-night to you all out there in the blog-iverse

xxx

Remember me?

2009-04-08T21:34:00.000-07:00

Head is hung in shame - 'call yourself a Blogger!?' I hear you cry

Your derision & censure is well deserved I've been rubbish.

However, in my feeble defence it has been tough to blog about nothing in particular.

Obviously we still have no news from Nepal despite hearing about 6 weeks ago that our paperwork has been officially accepted by someone official to look at - gee, thanks, its only been 14 months+.

Then, we hear that a Minister has been finally appointed to our Ministry so of course now the creaky, rusty, intermittant wheels that HAD been turning now have to stop whilst Minister is brought up to speed.

Meanwhile, Little Chap is approaching his 2nd birthday - we met him at 4 months. This is hard to deal with - but we remain philosophical (in our more sunshiney moments) and er, let's say 'less' sunshiney* in our bad moments (*feel free to insert whatever adjective you feel appropriate to summarise our feelings at those times).

In a positive note, life in Dubai continues in a largely happy way.

Myself & Mr Trousers have just celebrated our 7th (yes, SEVENTH!!!) wedding anniversary & work remains interesting.
It is easy to get bogged down with sadness but I try hard to reflect on all that is good in our lives and, it has to be said we have MANY blessings:

= The love & unwavering support of our parents & their continuing good health *touches wood as cannot help being bit superstitious!!*
= Interesting & largely rewarding work
= Good friends all over the world - who we hold close in our hearts & help us more than they will ever know
= Our continuing good health *again, she does the wood thing* - a few extra pounds gained, whilst aggravating does not constitute anything to have a meltdown over
= I'm proud of the fact that we do make a great team & so, I'm glad we are navigating this nightmare together
= We have a nice place to live and our menagerie of creatures are nothing but a positive influence in our lives
= In this time when so many are struggling with uncertainties we are, so far, (you see, I just can't help but worry about jinxing things) still lucky to have work.

And so, just before I sign off, the current thing that is bringing us a real lift and much excitement is our impending trip home to Hong Kong to:
* eat ourselves into a potential guest on the Jerry Springer show,
* shop like the most shallow Paris Hilton wannabes (but only if it is a bargain!!),
* hang out with our very special HK buddies
* Spend some time & laughs with the Folks and
* Simply, just wallow in the bosom of a place that is home like no place else on the planet.

HONG KONG HERE WE COME!!!!!!!!!

2009-02-18T09:59:00.000-08:00

I can only apologise AGAIN for shocking blogging frequency.

No excuse other than simple not enough hours in the day for work, horses, dogs, books & computer time.

I've said it before but I will endeavour to raise my game somewhat in the coming weeks/months.

Drop me some 'comments' and then this might encourage me ... ?

And still ........ we wait.

2008-09-19T07:27:00.000-07:00

Still no news.

Still the sadness and frustration. We are in a suffocating purjatory with approx 12 other families in a similar Holding Pattern.

It appears that in the recent reshuffle (after the previous Minister for Women, Children and Social affairs had resigned - not entirely sure why) no-one was rushing for the post and so .......

...... it remains 'unfilled' (you can put my poor grammer & bizarre use of imagery down to a good old fashioned ratty-ness).

Thus it seems that without a Minister in place (pro-international adoption or otherwise) - nothing can/will happen.

The Prime Minister has taken the post as an interim measure but, I'm guessing, will be looking to appoint someone as he has enough on his plate.

The good news is that Sagarmatha Childrens Home http://www.childrennepal.org.np// has been given the governmental 'thumbs up' - this means that whenever the international adoption process starts again (ie for new applications), the government has inspected the practices of the Children's Home and has found it to be ethically sound.

There is much written about in the press about the problems of trafficking of children so those of us who are so closely connected to it wholly support anything that ensures the children are legitimately (though of course tragically) available for adoption.

No one who has or is adopting a child would / could argue that it is not better for a child to be with his or her biological family and within he or her own culture.

We could not sleep at night if we thought there was any chance that any child we adopted had been coerced away from a family that wanted & was able to keep him or her.

Bottom line:
our Arms,
our Hearts,
our Home,
our Families,
our Friends are all open and ready to welcome in any soul who's journey is supposed to bring him or her to us - we will not / must not judge the circumstances in which we will find each other.

Just as we do not judge others journeys to create their family.

We are not saints. We just feel this is meant for us.

HOWEVER, this is a darn hard road. Would we have started it had we had a Google Map for the WHOLE trip complete with a full breakdown of the hazards we would have come across on the way?

I don't know. I guess the key to it all is what happens in the end. If we end up at the destination we wanted, it will have been worth every tear shed, blister acquired.

When we set out we were armed only with a mini-A-Z and we only got one page at a time!!!

And so ......... on we plod..... one foot in front of the other......

Heeeeeeerrrrrreeee's ............ MING!!!!

2008-08-17T05:30:00.000-07:00

He's our new cat.

He's Devon Rex - which means he has a curly coat.

He's the cuddliest snuggliest thing in the world.

As we have a cat named after Alan Shearer the footballer (as he came to live with me during Euro '96), we have decided to name him 'Ming' in honour of Yau Ming the Chinese Basketball player who carried the flag for China in the Olympic Opening Ceremony in Beijing.

I am a HUGE Olympics junkie and have been watching any and every sport/event that has been shown (am now something of an officiando on HandBall, fyi).

Got so carried away after watching the Chinese team gymnastics I felt I needed to demonstrate some of their moves at work ...................... and hurt myself.

Apparently 39 is not the optimum age for starting olympic level gymnastics - huh, who knew?

HongKong has been the venue for the equestrian part of The Games which, of course, is the sport I'm most superly interested in.

The coverage here in Dubai of that aspect esp the dressage has been quite good and I'm now determined to ride for my country, HongKong, in the dressage team.......um, shall we say, one day when I'm grown up and leave it at that??

Some more!

2008-08-10T03:35:00.000-07:00

At the top of Glastonbury Tor with Becky, Jim & dogs (who aren't looking at the camera) Sam Lloyd

Artistic wall?

Is it so VERY wrong that I quite liked that!

This was the hotel we stayed in during our time in Chedder Gorge - was actually IN THE GORGE & our room was the one with the balcony. You can see the 2 columns.

View from our room up The Gorge.

What a great few days that was with our wonderful friends, Becky & Jim plus dogs.

REALLY REALLY great time we had. A real chance to spend some time together rather than a quick few hours etc.

Loved it and love them.

*sigh* such a happy few weeks.

Hey-ho - please stay tuned for next blog when we introduce you to the newest member of the Lloyd-Green 4-legged menagerie.

I shan't post any details till I know anyone is out there reading this sooooooo ....... you better let me know if you're there and paying attention!!!!!!

A sorry excuse for a Blogger!

2008-08-06T11:41:00.000-07:00

Just quickly I thought I stick some photos of our recent trip to the UK.

Had a really fabulous time catching up with our wonderful friends and of course, celebrating the wedding of Brother Trousers and his lovely new Pants.

Enjoy!

Got to go to bed now but I'll continue soon, I promise!

2008-06-16T01:16:00.000-07:00

Reading this awesome (if somewhat alarming book) at the moment.

The 'blurb' describes "surviving the End of Oil, Climate Change and Other Converging Catasophes of the 21st Century"

Life feels fairly 'half empty' at the moment (would like to think I'm more of a Half FULL kind of person but you can't be sunny all the time can you?).

Things in Nepal continue to be ludicrously complicated, promised deadlines come and go, mixed messages reach you regarding what kind of priority politicians are giving the completion of the final few (I mean VERY few, I mean we are 1 of 13 cases left of the old files).

Maoists do not appear to give a toss about anything other than scoring political points and flexing their muscles.

Bitter? Frustrated? Wondering how much longer we can keep on this crazy, cruel rollercoaster? Yep.

And then, you meet some people from a different country.

People you've never clapped eyes on but with whom you share a place on that hideous rollercoaster.

People who truely truely understand the highs and gut-wrenching lows. Some have made it to the end and are cheering and encouraging us to "hold on", assuring us that we will make it to the end.

Some are with us. Right there with us. We cling on to each other, encouraging and supporting - Helping us re-establish our death-grip handhold when we feel like we are slipping.

Thank you, Universe, Mother Earth, cosmic forces, Fate, whoever, for sending these peole our way - right when we need them most.

Hey-ho, onwards and upwards, eh?

Things I Learnt on My Recent Trip Home to Hong Kong

2008-05-27T09:09:00.000-07:00

(At long last ......... we appear to have our internet connection back and I can actually post something.)

So much has occurred since and during my trip. Whilst I was without the WWW at my fingertips I kept thinking of things to blog about and now.... now that the time has come I find myself with a new syndrome, Bloggers Block.

I decided on the flight from HK to name my next post 'What I learnt on my last Trip' so that seems like a good place to start (please note this list is neither chronological or exhaustive!).

The Truth about Airline Seat choice

That there is much debate on which is the better airplane seat - some (me) say the window seat, others prefer the aisle.

I can confirm where it is NOT.

It is NOT the window seat when the man with the BIGGEST belly I've ever seen is sitting in the aisle seat. This gentleman was a very nice man but he did have the most gigantic belly - I'm sure he caught me staring at it on a number of occasions. Poor chap, he barely had room to lower his food tray ..... when the seat in front was "in the upright position".

I confess, however, that I had less charitable thoughts when the switched off the cabin lights and it was time for the collective and largely enforced nap-time.

This brings me nicely to my next point.

Snoring

Snoring knows no racial, geographical, social divide, those that snore can be of either sex, of ANY creed, sexual persuasion or race. It is unifying act in which joins together those who snore into a ........ um..... let's call it a Tribe.

Snoring also joins & unites those of us who do not (as a rule) and therefore HATE those who do!!!

Simply put, I was trapped between the two loudest snorers EVER. Not only that but the gentleman behind me had such a variety of noises and had such velocity it was hard to believe it could be real. It managed to wake me up though headphones and that awful constant airplane drone-y noise.

I summoned up my sternest Paddington Bear stare and turned around to discover he was fast asleep with blanket over his head!!

The poor chap next to him was distraught, we caught each other's eye, we bonded, we understood each other. I gave him a bracing, supportive kind of look and thanked the Lord I was next to the lesser of two evils.

Walking

I am not by any stretch of the imagination a Walker - just ask anyone who knows me. The number of bracing walks I've been on that everyone seems to be loving and I'm just hating. I especially do not do hills and definately not hills and cold wind that makes my ears ache HOWEVER.......

I cannot express that joy and profundity that I discovered whilst walking around HK. In Dubai, you don't really walk anywhere. You might walk in the desert abit or when you walk the dogs but walking around town like you might in London or Hong Kong ? You just don't. You can't.

a) for about 6 months of the year you might die and b) Dubai just isn't set up for it generally (please note: there are of course places you can walk about and soak up atmosphere but again, approx 6 months of the year you can't do it for long and also the traffic is so hideous to get to them you just wouldn't bother)

So the sum total of walking is on shiny surfaces in malls or supermarkets. That's it.

In Hong Kong I walked as much as I could. There is something really grounding about getting your feet on the ground of the city, country, place that you are in. You feel actually connected to the place. Walking around (I never listen to my Ipod) and listening to the sounds of the place you are in, you experience the place fully. You become part of it or I guess to be more accurate, it becomes part of you.

In my case I just try to absorb as much of the HK vibe up through every pore and every sense I have. I re-charge my soul, refil my resevoirs again fully - I keep these reserves deep inside me. I guess it is part of the Buddhist philosophy of being 'present' in everything you do so you can fully experience it. I bet everyone who lives away from their Home does this to some extent when they return from whence they came.

Natural Disasters

I learnt that I do not ever want to become so jaded, self-absorbed or detached from feeling like a World Citizen that I become blase about suffering.

I also learnt that it is only human to identify with some things more deeply that others or places that you might not have experienced.

In past times, the Bali Bombings (although not 'natural') touched our lives in what felt like a very personal way - although, thank goodness, it didn't ....... directly.

It has been hard to comprehend the scale of the issues and the scale of the problems caused by the recent Burmese cyclone - but we can all understand the tragedy of loss. Mind-boggling.

The Sichuan earthquake, I guess for obvious reasons has touched myself, my family and actually all of Hong Kong in a profound way. The Chinese Government declared 3 days of mourning which included a 3 minute silence every day for 3 days at 2.28pm (the moment the earthquake struck). If you saw the footage or photos of people all over HongKong and China observing this silence, it would give you goosebumps and I challenge anyone not the be wiping at one tear away.

Someone said to me 'How could God let something like this happen? Where was God when this occured?' .

I believe that God (substitute 'Mother Earth', 'cosmic forces' etc according to your beliefs) is in what happens afterwards.

The awesome, breath-taking miracles of survivors, the tales of school-teachers and parents protecting children with their own bodies whilst losing their lives, the school-teachers that ran back inside to rescue their students and then tragically not coming back out again, the soldiers & other rescuers working tirelessly to find people, the joining together of an entire nation and indeed, a world community, the discovery that humankind is not always as selfish and self-seeking as we could be forgiven for thinking it is.

That is where God is.

There is so much more to be included on this list, I shall have to continue at a later date. I have 2 dogs that are demanding to be fed and as I've just written about how my faith in humanity has been restored by acts of selflessness - it is kind of hard for me to justify delaying the feeding of the animals!!!

2008-05-18T06:30:00.000-07:00

Will blog properly when I return to Dubai as currently am in the bosom of my Special Administrative Region aka Hong Kong aka HOME!!!!!

I have been keen to try and get hold of one of these Mee things but I believe the site is blocked in the UAE or at least Dubai - I hope this works!!

Back in Dubai in a few days so will 'see' you all again then - currently too busy catching up with my folks and the most wonderful friends any one could wish for in the world, shopping, EATING (I'm quite the Fei Mui now and just loving being at home in a real town (warts n'all!)!!

I never sleep any where in the world like I sleep in the room that I grew up in with the sounds of mini-buses, taxis, buses, the movements of people upstairs (or my Mum still on the computer or watching TV into the wee hours), and the loud conversations of the downstairs watchmen with each other or various tenants in the block as they return home.

Silence to sleep? NO WAY!! Give me the sounds of my bedroom in HK and I'll sleep like a baby ANY day!!!! :)

Squid - Watch

2008-04-30T03:08:00.000-07:00

This is one of the most amzing thigns I have seen on the ol' www for a long time!!

Totally hooked and nearly cried when we found it was a girl.

Everyone, check this out!!!

http://wordpress.com/tag/colossal-squid/

K9 Friends Puppy Ball (its for charity, mate)

2008-04-27T07:23:00.000-07:00

Well, we survived another Puppy Ball - which is up there on our social calender as one of the best laughs of the year (along with the Sevens). And it's all in a good cause too

http://www.k9friends.com/

There are many similarities between the Puppy Ball and The Sevens for us primarily there is a bit of singing, a bit of dancin' and a bit of boozin'.

Main difference would have to be the wardrobe:

Brother Trousers

Sister Pants

Posh Trousers & Pants

Anyway, we had a lovely time with our lovely friends and have taken a few days to recover - always a sign of a good night - think I'll be just about ready for the Sevens in December.

It's Official - I have stepped over the line ...

2008-04-09T10:26:00.000-07:00

..... and can know legitimately be called 'That Wierdo Animal Lady'!

In recent days, a number of baby birds have been brought to the hospital and have as a result been hand-reared. Our Italian vet is very skilled with them and was the proud temporary Papa to 3 swallows, now named the Russo Three:

They have now been released and we assume doing well.

Head Nurse Hives has a really cute little thing that is utterly gorgeous and really teeny that trills and sings to you but is, worringly, showing no interest in fending for itself. It prefers to spend its days sitting on a towel in the office, looking out the window and awaiting someone to deliver its next meal worm or sugary water meal. It is professionally cute (photo to follow).

I watched all this successful nurturing taking place and thought, yep, the next one I'll take it on. love it and care for it. It'll be gorgeous and I shall help it get strong and then ...... one day, it will be able to fly away to become a pillar in the Nad Al Shiba bird society.

So I waited. I waited for the next phone call from a kindly Member of Public....... and sure enough, she called yesterday. I gave directions and told everyone 'We've got another one!'. I reassured them proudly 'this one will be mine' 'I'll take care of this one'.

And this is what arrived:

Oh.

Errr ......... ok

But in short, Chuckles (for now 'tis his official name) survived his first night, ate 2 worms today which I think may have given him tummy-ache and feeds on special baby-bird gruel about every 30 minutes!!

He came to the supermarket with me and started squeaking and making those baby-bird noises from the trolley. Caught myself in Park n'Shop leaning over into the trolley and whispering 'shh' - hello crazy Lady!!!!!

But honestly, now, who could resist a face like this????

Gotta go - The baby needs feeding!!!!!!

Fingers crossed we get through tonight, eh?

Assuming he does, we are off to the hairdressers together tomorrow.

UPDATE:

He lives, He lives and now, is eating a worm about every 30 mins!!

Flee, flee, flee from the shopping mall, Scruffy Girl!!

2008-04-02T10:16:00.000-07:00

So for the 2nd night running I've had to pop to one of Dubai's legendary shopping malls (it was the one with the ski slope in it) - quite why they are so legendary is a cause of some debate - and was the scruffiest female of the species there!

I dress appropriately for my average day which often involves a variety of animal hair, dribble or worse (yesterday it was baby lion wee-wee, tomorrow it could be an overly bouncy Labrador) and the freedom to be able to get from A to B as quickly and comfortably as possible.

Am pretty proud of my life, who I am, what I do and pleased to not be so self-obsessed as to spend hours and 1,000's on over-priced clothes and make-up.

However, there are occasions when I am struck by the chasm between myself and your typical Dubai glamour-puss trawling the Mall who having stepped out of the nearest nail bar and finished their skinny-decaf-mocha-bocca-cino, are carefully 'clip-clip-clipping' their way to the next designer shop.

These visions are perfectly and hugely coiff-ed - I am badly in need of a coiffing session but have to wait another week till my friend the hairdresser has a minute to fit me in. (Here was Carolyn's last fab job she did on me, just seconds after, 5 mins later it looked very different - a worryingly long time ago now!!!)

They have perfect eyebrows (often drawn on most dramatically & at alarmingly impossible angles) and skin (or certainly appear so) - actually they are usually made up to within an inch of my life and do not have a look I could bear. It is all thick foundation, mega-dramatic eyes, HUGE botox lips, big hair.

However, I'm sure the ladies in the cosmetic counters do not recoil in horror as they approach. And for this I kind of envy them. A WHOLE lot of time, money and effort has gone into these visions. Would be nice I guess but I simply haven't the inclination. I could always think of better things to do with my time & cash.

And so, this is how it went for me this evening:

Take deep breath and enter cosmetic place where there are about 50 assistants waiting just waiting ....... but not for the likes of me who buys ONE bit of posh make-up once in a blue moon.

I was approached (god how I hate the way they lurk and pounce, must be in the training manual) by a creature with THE MOST amount of black kohl round her eyes I have ever seen. It was everywhere. Top, bottom, inside, winging almost out to her ears - thick, thick, thick, inches high above and below her eye, black black kohl. Sharply outlined lips, 2 or 3 shades darker than her thick thick thick jammy lipstick - god how they love that look here. Foundation you could probably find the remains of Shergar in etc etc.

'Can I help you?' she said, looking me up & down, taking in my scruffy Crocs and looking thoroughly convinced that I was well beyond ANY help at all. (please note: mine are not pink!)

- as this point I usually say a stern 'no thank you, I'm just looking' and go about my business. But tonight I said....

'Yes, please, I'm looking for ..... My friend recommended it.'

They don't have the thing I'm looking for but helpful lady points me in the direction of something similar.

She puts a dab on my finger - I crack a joke (a thing I do when I'm a bit nervous). I thought it was funny, she didn't.

I look up into mirror so I am able to apply said cosmetic in the appropriate area of face and am met by a pale, tired-looking, SHOCKING-HAIR'D, freckly, make-up that went-on-this-morning-all-gone-now face.

I recall the phase that draws some comparison between purses and sow's ears and ......

....... I flee. I flee as fast as feet in Crocs can flee.

I flee to McDs and get chips.

I start counting the days till the facial that I have booked on our wedding anniversary. My 2nd EVER facial.

I shall be a vision and then....... then, I shall return to cosmetic place, with my good hair and glowy face.

But I'll still be wearing my Crocs cos you never know when a baby lion might wee on you.

2008-03-25T08:56:00.000-07:00

Inspired by another blog that I read I decided to attempt a tally of occurances that have taken place in the last 6 day or so.

Number of times I was late for work because 5 camels blocked the road from the house.

Number of minutes of quality phone chat with a great pal in Malaysia.

27 mins 52 secs

# of guinea pig castrations witnessed

# of bowls of noodles consumed

Nights spent in desert

1 - another happy camping experience in Schwaib

Number of silly lurchers who tried to get in sleeping bag with me

2. NB zero were successful

# of times I hugged my lovely horse this morning

innumerable! It is almost daily that I am so thankful I was able to buy her - such a lucky girl!! She has really been a lifeline of normality through some pretty dark says

# of times I've cried

Potions of fries consumed (McDs or New York Fries)

4 (pretty easy for me to achieve, this will of no suprise to anyone who knows me)

Books read for more than 15 mins

3 ('Persuasion', 'The Other End of the Leash' & Shantaram)

# of tabby feral cats that yelled at me to feed them

2 (one outside hospital and one outside shop)

BabyBel consumed

6! But all to accompany a crisp green apple - does that make it better?

Episodes of The Archers listened to

4 (via podcast)

Trips to Red Lion pub

Just the one so far!

# of Marble Slab ice-creams

2 - always cheesecake with fresh raspberries

Number of great pals who live in different countries who I've wanted to hug this week

Old lady falls on wet floor after someone smashed my full mug

thankfully just the ONE but that was embarrassing enough!

Whilst driving the fabulous LandRover LR3 lent to us by some lovely pals whilst our other car in the shop, what proportion of the time do I grin from ear to ear?

Pretty much 95% of the time!!!!!

# of blogs that I read or check on a daily basis

approx 22

# of dogs (and their owners') lives that I hope to have made a little bit easier
3

# of times woken by explosions

that would be just the once, today! And, I can confirm that this, is, a fairly unpleasant way to wake up

http://www.gulfnews.com/nation/General/10200462.html

Hodge-podge of things that travel through....

2008-03-19T09:39:00.000-07:00

.......my brain in a day.

Books - I juggle several at a time. Currently, I am alternately reading Jane Austen's Persuasion and the Eckhart Tolle book ' A New Earth'. This is a fabulous book and I can highly recommend it - it discusses how you can be a spiritual person without having to identify solely with one dogmatic religion.

My interest in Tibetan Buddhism has given me some deeply inspiring perspectives on Life and this book can potentially do the same for me.

I love how he talks about modern man's obsession with things and stuff and yet he doesn't suggest that the solution is for us to renounce it all but instead to investigate and really understand our relationship with these 'things' - jobs, relationships, cash, cars etc.

The crux of it is that many people use 'things' to define who they are and so are desperately fearful of losing them for fear of 'losing themselves'.

Interestingly he discusses that 'there are people who have renounced all possessions but have a bigger ego than some millionaires'. They have used their 'renouncement' to define themselves again and consider themselves better spiritually than those who haven't.

I cannot bear to think about things in TIBET at the moment. The fear has been that another Tiananmen might happen again but I have just read the 'protesters have surrendered' - it doesn't bear thinking about what the future holds for them.

I am deeply proud of my Chinese heritage but on this topic I am also deeply ashamed. Guess the blessing and the curse of being mixed race is that you get to be proud of 2 heritages but also frustrated and angry with them as well. I',m not exactly proud of the British government's stance of certain issues in recent times either.

However, my thoughts are with those in Tibet and the Dalai Lama - honestly the nonsense that is being written about him and his 'agenda' in the propaganda is embarrassing!! Anyone who has ever bothered to read 15 mins worth of the teachings of Tibetan Buddhism would see how laughable the 'allegations' the Chinese make about him!!!

Long time no see - I guess!

2008-03-17T09:37:00.000-07:00

It has been a hard few months.

I tried to continue blogging but it seemed strange to follow the news of the loss of Umesh with flippant posts on our latest camping trip or photos of the last BBQ we went to.

We have been back to Nepal to say our goodbyes personally which was very cathartic and to set some further wheels in motion. I'm sure you can understand that Chris and I feel we need to be a bit more circumspect with our emotions this time so , for now, we ask anyone who might be interested to just sit tight and watch this space on that particular subject.

So, since we last 'met' - we've done Halloween, Christmas and New Year. Today is st Patricks Day and a few days ago Wales won the Grand Slam in the Six Nations Rugby. As I say we've been back to Nepal (which just in itself was superb) and this coming weekend we are off camping again.

Not the most scintilatting (sp?) post I've ever done but its been a while so bear with me.

Would love to hear if anyone out there is still reading this - so do drop me a line to let me know.

xx

Camping in Oman and Snorkelling on the Mussandam

2007-10-28T00:47:00.000-07:00

Wii Nonsense

2007-09-26T23:07:00.000-07:00

In recent times, several friends of ours have acquired the latest phenomenon of computer gaming (please excuse what is probably all the wrong terminology but you know what I mean).

It involves a set-up of you holding an infra-red controller that reads your body moevements and translates it into action on the screen.

Thus, to 'box' you simply BOX and the corresponding little man on the TV in front of you hits the OTHER little man on the TV in front of you.

For example:

and.....

The most recent evening we spent Wii-ing had us in stitches and with serious aches & pains for days after. This is now known as Wii-Arm, Wii-Back or, more un-couthly, Wii-Arse!!

A new post

2007-09-05T00:32:00.000-07:00

This blog has been so silent (apart from the lovely messages left) for so long it seems - it feels right now to place a new entry.

Obviously, times are hard but the intense pain has mostly passed - apart from the odd, out-of-the-blue crushing waves that crash over.

So many people have offered to make a donation to the orphanage in Umesh's memory and we that is so SO lovely. Have been in touch with the lawyer and orphanage - they have made some suggestions as to how we might go about this.

So if anyone would like to make a donation (a one-off or a regular donation) please let us know.

It is so true (how ever cliched - sorry don't know how to get the little accent over the 'e') that one can find so much love in the face of adversity - perhaps this is Umesh's greatest gift to us?

We have found so much love and support from those we always knew would be there, those who we knew cared about us but have gone and astounded us with their thoughtfulness and kind words AND also from complete and utter strangers.......... who are complete and utter strangers no longer.

We thank you for letting us cry, talk and laugh when we needed to and not expecting us to when we couldn't anymore.

So, for now, with Umesh always in our hearts, we move forward. We will spend some time continuing to heal and then......... who knows?

Baby steps........ just taking teeny tiny baby steps, one at a time.

:)

The Most Terrible of News

2007-08-06T18:32:00.000-07:00

On 5th Aug we heard news that we could never prepared ourselves for.

Chris sent an email round to some of our friends (afraid we had to do it in batches, we had to share it out between us) which I thought was beautifully written.

I copy it below:

"Dear All,

We have recieved very upsetting news that our little boy, Umesh, died yesterday in his orphanage in Nepal. It was very sudden and unexpected. As you can imagine we are desperately upset.

We appreciate how supportive and helpful you have all been in our attempt to adopt baby Umesh.. be it from writing reference letters to complete our dossier (which seems like an eternity ago now) to being genuinely excited for us when we cornered you with photos of our son !

So we just wanted to send out this circular e-mail as it really helps not having to constantly break the news to individuals or tell the painful story again in 6 months when we next see some of you.

We only spent 5 days with Umesh in Kathmandu but he was one of the happiest and "chuckliest" little babies we have ever had the privilege to meet. Leaving him behind was very hard. We genuinely felt he was already part of our family and that the day was drawing closer when we would be able to bring him home to his loving family.

As it happens the anticipated date for completion of his adoption in June was continually delayed by governmental infighting and political wranglings. Obviously he was not destined to be with us but at least, even in his short life he managed to find parents and people to mourn him.
Maybe he was too good for this world and now his soul can find some peace.

Much love to you all"

The orphanage and the lawyer who was helping us are equally stunned and in 12 years of operation this is the first death they have ever had.

Manoj told us that the orphanage is in deep shock and the nannies who cared for him and, in fact, the entire orphange is observing 10 days of mourning.

I asked him what this entailed as we would like to observe their customs if at all possible to acknowledge the culture he was born into and to feel a bit closer to them.

This was his email yesterday:

"Dear Chris and Caroline
we all pray for little umeshs soul.
Here at home we dont take salt and non veg for 13 days, the nannies are observing the ritual without salt and nonveg, and the orphange is not cooking any non veg .
traditionally the father has to shave his head.
every morning we offer water to surya (sun) meant for umesh .
On the thirteenth day we will feed a brahmin in a temple and he does puja in umesh name for the release of his soul.
umesh was cremeated at Pashupati temple , so the puja will also be done there at pashupati."

Given Chris's particular 'hair' style - head shaving is not really an option *rather weak watery smile*

Anyway, like Chris said earlier, we thank everyone who has been so supportive of our journey to Umesh - we are utterly heart-broken and currently can hardly figure out which way is up.

The shock will pass and we will continue to hold each other and our family & friends close while we mourn the loss a little boy born in Bhaktapur, Nepal who became our Son the minute we saw his photo.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

If you have a minute:

2007-07-28T12:18:00.000-07:00

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/Waiting_Parents_Nepal/index.html

It would be great if you could sign this for us.

Who knows if it will help but ...... what have we got to lose?

Us 440-ers (the 440+ families and kids that have been stuck in hellish limbo) need all the help we can - we're fighting for our kids.

Thanks all.

Chris & Caroline x

I hope her daughter NEVER has to see this...

2007-07-20T10:06:00.000-07:00

'I love my mixed race baby - but why does she feel so alien?' by LOWRI TURNER -

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/femail/article.html?in_article_id=467787&amp;amp;in_page_id=1879&in_page_id=1879&expand=true

Staggered to have read this recently.

Very very upsetting but am sure she is merely a freak or at best, someone that needs to spend some time on a therapist's couch.

* The day after reading this, a second article appeared announcing her (perhaps non-too-suprising split from her husband.

** Daily Mail, you disgust me for printing such utter crap.

*** Ms Turner, shame, shame, shame on you

To cheer myself up:

Despair

2007-07-14T23:47:00.000-07:00

Below is an email I sent to someone yesterday - they are also one of the 400+ families in limbo (we're abit like The 4400, eh?!!)

Hi *******

well, you've put very succinctly into words how we are feeling too.

You are absolutely right, our kids are hostage. We know who has them but they won't tell us exactly WHAT they want from us (..... or even WHEN they may tell us what they want) .

Our issue is that while a long wait while they (the various Ministries and their own political agendas) sort out the beaucracy is one thing but we need to know HOW the laws are going to change and whether we are still going to be eligible.

It will be bad enough to know that we definately can't have him with us but this undefined wait to find whether we can or can't is truely TRUELY unbearable.

So, do we start trying to come to terms with our loss (this will be a bereavement pure and simple) or do we try to remain optimistic (possibly foolishly) to keep getting the photos etc?

Surely SURELY this cannot go on for too much longer - although they say it is not a priority they cannot possibly allow any law change to linger indefinately?

Reason is going out of the window a little for us now and I'm afraid I did find the posting on nChild rather upsetting from the person (who hasn't even submitted a dossier yet) lecturing us on how positive the current situation is etc etc.

It is good to know that we have others to turn to for support (yourself, ***** etc) as we know that YOU know exactly how this feels.

So for now - let's turn our faces to the sun for a minute (plenty of that here at the moment) and dream of a time when we have all our kids where they should be, looking back at these dark times and realising the wonderful international, extended family that is growing up around these kids and us.

(guess there's nothing more to say on the subject)

The Harvest is here!

2007-07-11T22:55:00.000-07:00

.... er.... check out our 'bumper' crop.

BTW - they are carrots.

Hello!!

2007-07-10T10:23:00.000-07:00

Well hello to:

Warrington, UK
Colorado
Malaysia
Denmark (Mette, is that you?)
South Africa
Qatar
Muira, Japan
New Zealand
Australia

Welcome to DubaiDaisy blog - good to have you hear - would love to hear any comments from anybody - sometimes feels a little lonely in here.

Go on, leave a comment!!!!

Proud to be a Bilingual Brat!!

2007-07-02T05:40:00.000-07:00

*My folks'll kill me but I always thought that my Dad looked like Stuart and my Mum like Lily!!!

What with the Handover memories and all - have been feeling pretty homesick recently.

Also having becoming the latest victim to the obsession of Facebook, have joined a couple of groups that are just for people like me!

One is called the Half Chinese Appreciation group and another Eurasian Nation (or something like that).

Anyway, it is really great to REALLY belong to a group of people all of whom are so proud to be what we are.

We share hilarious thoughts of 'You know you are half Chinese when .......' (here are a few)

"when dinner consists of a boiled bowl of noodles, hamburger meat, rice, vegetables, hot dogs, and leftover onion rings... and it's delcious..."

"...when people say to you "there's something about your eyes but I can't make out what"

"When you're really young you have a chinese accent when speaking english even though english is your first language. "

"you can spot another eurasian at 50 paces."

Happy 10th Anniversary - HongKong Handover

2007-06-30T01:33:00.000-07:00

From.................To

We'll be raising a toast to HongKong later tonight.

Wow! Has 10 years flown or what?

I so remember the uncertainty of how we were supposed to feel, so much worry and scare-mongering about what might happen.

Was China going to start marching over the border at the stroke of midnight? How were things going to change?

Truth is, for HK Everyman things have ticked along pretty much the same, I guess and, in many ways things are looking pretty good in HK. Booming economy the reward for riding out the Bird Flu and SARS storms.

Handover also has another significance for us.

I returned home to be there for Handover (where else could I possibly have been, for goodness sake?) and it was that holiday that saw Chris and Caroline become 'us'.

Altogether now.......................... ahhhhhhhhhhh.

Anyway, actual Handover Night was a blast. We were at a party on the roof of the SPCA building overlooking the harbour where we all drank too much & had a perfect view of the fireworks.

Earlier Mum & I we had watched the televised departure of Chris Patten (the outgoing Governer) and his family leave Government House for the last time - standing in the pouring rain, looking (to his credit) really rather sad.

However you might feel about it, no-one could possibly watch the lowering of the Union Jack, in the driving rain without feeling a lump in the throat and it bringing a tear to the eye.
Wish I could post the pics we took that night.

Catching a cab home was an absolute nightmare and I ended up standing in a queue at Admiralty MTR station (watching the newspaper people sorting out the mornings' papers) for about 2 hrs.

And so, despite all the emotion and politicising that went on ..... the next morning...... the sun still rose and we all just got on with life ......... and it was all alright.

Hooray for HONG KONG!!!!!!

More waiting - just for a change!

2007-06-26T02:18:00.000-07:00

Well, the 'not' news is that - there IS no news.

Few little rumours are drip-feeding out of Kathmandu but we've heard nothing.

The general jist of the rumours are that new draft documents for the proposed changes to the Adoption Law has landed on someone's desk ..... possibly and

................... perhaps.......... maybe ................ there might be some news in a few more weeks.

Yup, sounds about right.

Nothing.

No news.

Just wait.

Try not to lose mind.

Get on with life.......

Still going on about Singapore!

2007-06-26T02:02:00.000-07:00

This is a very special little girl called Amelia (who has a very special little brother but I don't know how to get the pics of him off my phone!!) who lives in Singapore and is the daughter of my oldest friend in the world - the Other Caroline.

We've been friends since we were about 7 yrs or something, our Dads played golf in the same place, our Mums lay by the same pool and WE obsessed about ponies!!! And you have NO IDEA how we obsessed!!!!!

I haven't seen Amy since she was a pretty tiny baby and never had the chance to meet Ollie so it was absolutely fabulous to have the chance to stay with them in Singapore to hang out with my old buddy and get to know the kids.

Shockingly, a photo of the Two Carolines was never taken - shocking!

Just thought I'd stick some other Singapore Zoo pics on here (by no means all of them) - wouldn't want you to think all we did was cry over manatees!!

Quite pleased with these pics actually - would appear that my 'O' Level photography did have some lasting effect, Dad!!

Oh yeah, we didn't just go to the Zoo...

We ate stuff:

We schlepped up and down the famous Orchard Road:

AND.......

We went to the superb Singapore Museum:

FaceBook!

2007-06-24T12:15:00.000-07:00

A horrible way of raking up a past you were happy to leave behind or......

..... fabulous way to hook up with people you've shared stuff with but somehow lost along the way?

Discuss. (*)

Have had lovely day hooking up with an old flatmate, college mate and workmate (yup, we've been all those things to each other) but who haven't seen for almost 10 years - on her way back for hol to UK from NZ.

Despite all the time that has gone by, it is like we saw each other just last week.

Dont'cha just love it when that happens?!

(*) I think it's great!!!

2007-06-23T07:22:00.000-07:00

Today is a rubbish day - look forward to today being done with.

Today was one of those days that reminds you that expat-life has one major negative aspect - those you care about most (or rather MOST of the people you care about most) are seldom in the same country and are USUALLY hours by plane away.

Another friend left Dubai.

You make friends (not always easy thing to do to find like-minded people), if you are lucky they are staying the same amount of time as you but usually....... you end up saying goodbye..... and I can tell you it can really get you down.

Anyhow, things will be better tomorrow - or later when I'm sitting in front of Coronation Street with a big pile of chips!!!

What a clever clever parrot!

2007-06-14T11:47:00.000-07:00

EINSTEIN THE TALKING PARROT

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lSDFzg8_Wfg

Makes me smile anyway.

:)

PAUL SINGS NESSUN DORMA
Let me tell you - with this one, the tears were flowing within about 25 secs - SUPERB!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1k08yxu57NA&mode=related&search=

Get the tissues ready....

A 20+yr dream realised - Manatee

2007-06-07T02:33:00.000-07:00

That really is no exaggeration, for I don't know how long I have been consumed with the desire to actually see these things up close.

Where can we find them, I hear you ask.

Well, apparently they are fairly nearby to us here in Dubai (as well as Florida and Belize) though never figured out:

a) exactly where and

b) how we manage to find them.

Anyway, whilst browsing the Singapore Zoo map, the word just jumped out at me. "Chris! m-m-m-m......" (seriously, I couldn't get the words out).

Ended up just pointing at the map. He understood. BUT it gets better...............

It turns out you can FEED manatees at Singapore Zoo - YES, FEED MANATEES ....... BY HAND.

I'm not ashamed to admit that the world went a little black and fuzzy round the edges for a min - closest I think I've ever come to fainting!!

So, we hotfoot our way to the relevant area and when we get there ...... I elbow 3 x under 7's out of the way and get told by security (well, the handler in charge) to step back and wait my turn.

Thrust camera at husband and tell him to just keep taking photos (good photos) - he knew the future of our marriage depended on it.

So now you have the background...... enjoy:

Have quite a few more but 'puter is playing up and have tried to put them on about 5 times so have given up for now.

More to follow - brace yourselves!!!!

I DID TRY TO WARN YOU!

And then.........................................

......................................................

I cried..............

like a big ol' baby for about 20 mins

Cyclone UPDATE

2007-06-07T02:31:00.000-07:00

Cyclone Gonu has ............... er ................ well,............... gone.

End of update.

Cyclone Gonu

2007-06-06T05:39:00.000-07:00

Tropical Cyclone Gonu reached the level of a Category Five hurricane, the most powerful kind,

though it weakened before reaching the Gulf state of Oman.

MUCH excitement over this indeed.

Chances of it effecting us majorly fairly remote although today it has been pretty windy and therefore dusty .... therefore unable to see skyline etc.

Last night whilst dog-walking (about 7pm) the light was that funny pinky-orange light that often indicates a storm AND I've had the mother of all headaches for days now.

A bit of rain here always stirs up a bit of excitement so if we get any, will let you know.

For the uninitiated, Dubai is about 2 or 3mm down (on the west-side) from the point of that pointy bit of land in the top left hand corner of the above picture.

A state of emergency has been declared on the direct opposite side of the penisula from us (in Fujairah).

Global Warming? How can anyone deny it?!?!?! Godammit - come on G8, sort your lives out and help us sort out this environmental mess.

Grrrrrrrr

MALAYSIA

2007-06-05T10:17:00.000-07:00

(ever seen a Weeble.... or is it....

...... a BabaPapa in the jungle!!??

look! *shh* There's one now in above pic)

Well, where to begin.

We had the most amazing weekend in KL visiting some lovely Dubai Buddies of ours, The Dawsons, who moved there in January.

It was so fabulous to see them - can highly recommend Chez Dawson for anyone interested. Service pretty good, The Manager will take the men-folk out to a bar to watch rugby and shout at Australians (or was it South Africans?) and the Manageress and the younger staff members will accompany the ladies on any shopping or fast-food eating you require.

ONE of the highlights (and possibly sweatiest activities on offer) was a 30 m high jungle canopy walk that the youngest member of the gang skipped over and some of the older members had a little bit more trouble with.

There IS no greater feeling than knowing that there is a rickety swing-y, sway-y canopy bridge behind you and NOT in front of you.

Hannah and Chris felt exactly the same way about that darn bridge and have identical post-bridge euphoric smiles - hooray for them!!

Tune in again for the continuation of the 'Laysia photos, followed by Singapore photos including the out-of-control maniacal shots of me realising a 20 yr dream (now if that doesn't keep you checking this blog, I don't know what will.)
:)

LOOK! LOOK! he sits and he holds stuff!!!!!

2007-06-03T09:16:00.000-07:00

We are very very proud!!!!

Have just returned from a much needed break in Singapore and Malaysia (more of that wonderful trip later).

Here is The Kid showing off his new found skill of sitting upright and holding stuff. Actually he looks like he's been stapled to the wall and has had that toy thrust in his hand but you get the idea!

Our poor lawyer has been hounded to within an inch of his life for this photo - I specfically (god why can't I spell that?!?!?) mentioned the fact that the latest dr report mentioned the whole sitting up and holding business and how much we'd love to see that......... so ..........

.............. they have stapled our kid to wall and given him a Hitler Youth hairstyle (that seems to be what is bothering Chris the most actually.... and he's hardly in a position to comment on ANYone's hairstyle).

Anyhoo, its indescribable (that appears to be another word I can't spell) as to how amazing it is to see the little fella.

Lawyer and Others-in-the-know have advised we write a personal letter about our journey to track The Nipper down and how much he is part of our family already.

Basically the hope is not to tell the Authorities what to do in their country and with their kids but to help them see us adoptive parents not as baby-buyers, do-gooders, or worse Latest Accessory Seekers (believe me, we've collective been called that by some ill-informed and, in my mind, hateful people) but as real people who love these kids, not as second best options but as OUR kids.

Anyway, will keep y'all informed.

HOLIDAY TO SINGAPORE & 'LAYSIA TO FOLLOW (plus photos)

2007-05-23T09:55:00.000-07:00

Dear The Mama (as from TV show 'The Dinosaurs')

Wishing you a very happy (if a couple of days early...) Birthday.

We will be thinking of you in Singapore

BB xxxxxoooooooooxxxxxxxx

The latest in this most HIDEOUS of roller-coster rides

2007-05-22T19:39:00.000-07:00

"Hi all,
Today we did confirm the very difficult news that the Minister and the Legal Secretary have, without any prior notice to anyone in the adoption community in Kathmandu and virtually no one within the Ministry, asked that all files waiting for review at the Ministry be sent back to the Chief District Offices (CDO) to await the new rules and regulations.

This implies that all files currently at the Ministry, close to 400 in total, could now be subject to any new laws that the Ministry and cabinet pass in the coming weeks.

This turn of events is extremely surprising as the Minister and Ministry have openly stated in the last week (to the State Department, officials at European agencies and embassies, a few US adoption agencies, the adoption community in Kathmandu, Child welfare NGOs in Nepal, and private lawyers working on behalf of adoptive families) that the review process for the waiting families was to begin very soon and only use the current adoption laws for those families already waiting at the Ministry.

We are working with other agencies and NGOs to see what can be done, if at all, and will continue to monitor the situation very closely. At this time, I don't have suggestions of what to do collectively, but it seems that time might be coming..."

So there you have it.

Have just woken up and read this and feel like ...... well, dunno, what I feel like doing? Is it too early for a large gin, a huge bar of chocolate and an obscene amount of junk food...... in bed?

It is currently 6.52am.

Head on desk *sigh*

2007-05-21T07:11:00.000-07:00

Adoption delayed not hold: Minister

Kathmandu:
International adoption has neither been stopped nor is it on hold' in Nepal said Minister Bishwakarma.
Talking to adoptionnepal exclusively Mr. Bishwakarma said there is a "delay" in adoption for a while.
He said that his party wants to ensures that a systematic and tranparent adoption.

Meanwhile, he assured waiting families that the process will start 'as soon as possible' when the new adoption terms and conditions are drafted and comes into effect.

International adoption meetings has not been taking place since February. Since then there are more than four hundred adoption application lined up waiting approval.

We are one of those 400, I guess.

I HATE that ant!!!

2007-05-21T02:36:00.000-07:00

(direct quote from Mr Jacob Dawson, formerly of Dubai, currently 'Laysia)

I've only gone and got myself bit by one of those ferocious medium sized black ants we get here AGAIN.

(Bite is directly down from big toe)

This photo was taken about 10 mins after it got me - have taken the anti-histamines provided by dr as last time whole darn foot was huge for days!!!

Couldn't get my Crocs on, let alone my riding boot.

Have taken photo of pesky critter (next to foot, for scale)

Are you suitably shcoked at the monster??

Whaddaya mean 'you can't see it'???!!!!

It's THERE, right there - gnashing its teeth, growling AND laughing demonically (it's next to my big toe below the white thing, ok?)!!!!!!!

2007-05-19T22:08:00.000-07:00

The below message is an concise summary of the situation we are currently in.

Clearly, this has a US angle on it but we, as Brits, are in exactly same siuation.

So you see, we really are just waiting - nothing else to be done.

Hi all,
Just in case people get really on edge about any rumors from the US Embassy, here is the post below. Yes, things are suspended until they get the new law going. We all know this, but the word "suspended" is now in place of "waiting" and it seems to be really dramatic to many people. Please keep in mind that nothing has changed- we still wait to have the new draft sent to the cabinet and to be set in to motion. The US Embassy is just now getting on board with this...The Ministry has met several times this week to discuss the changes with a diverse group of folks. We should know much more very soon.Best, x

See the recent message below:_______________________
May 14, 2007
The Nepali Ministry of Women, Children and Social Welfare (MWCS) has informed the U.S. Embassy in Kathmandu that the Government of Nepal has suspended all intercountry adoptions pending approval of reforms of the adoption process by the Nepali cabinet. The Nepali Government has given no indication about when the suspension will be lifted.The U.S. Embassy is working with the Government of Nepal to urge that they continue to process cases of American adoptive parents already matched with orphans to prevent undue delays of adoption cases already in process.

It is a really tough time and has underlined for us the importance for what we have tried to do since January (when we met The Nipper) which is to maintain a level of control and, cold as it may sound, emotional distance.

As it is we have photos of him up around the place, in my handbag, talk about him, have a room that has slowly accumulated items we have been given - all of which, at this time, is all really painful to look at.

Does one stay optimistic or do we start to prepare ourselves for the terrible, incomprehensible possibility that our little boy may never get to us?

The truth is, we continue to try to maintain an even keel. Assumption in either direction is of no-value and no help - we surrender to the 'process'.

A couple of days ago we received a report from the CIWEC (the clinic where Nipper has been going to be monitored - although this has been more sporadic than we would have liked).

Anyhow, apart from the current 'loose stools' (did you need to know that, I dunno, but there you have it), they feel all is well with him. He is now able to 'sit unsupported and transfers objects'.

Hearing this stuff is wonderful, truely wonderful but also makes us feel sad, sad, sad - we are missing so much.

We are very proud of his ability to sit 'unsupported' considering there have been the 'odd' occasion (in the long ago past) when this ability has eluded either of us .......... Chris more than me , you understand obviously!!!!

Anyhow, this has been a rather down-beat posting (no pics and uplifting news) however, it is a chronicle of the latest stage (stage 2890694705, I think it must be by now!) of this journey.

One feels that one should really be contacting one's 'tour guide' (if only we really had one) in order to complain that this voyage appears to be taking us to places off the itinerary, involves considerable baggage loss (and accumulation) and an emotional roller-coaster (did we sign up for the theme-park option? I don't think we did?!?!) . And finally, a destination that from time to time looks like it is just in front of us and then ............. shifts back several 1000 miles!!

Rubbish trip, if you ask me.

However, we did know it wasn't going to be easy and that we would (to paraphrase from the book 'From China with Love') need the tenacity of a terrier to stay the course!

Also, along the way, we have met some wonderful people we also signed up for the same 'trip' and are at various stages along the road (some are right there with us and others farther ahead and OTHERS really did make it to the end).

The ones that have made it and are clutching their fabulous prizes are cheering us on, whooping away to let us know we can do and we focus on these people.

Next to us, we have our fellow marathon-ers, we pass each other drinks of water when we look like we need it, we hold each others hands when someone stumbles - we're all in it together.

For all these people, we thank the universe, cosmic forces, THE Force, whatever it is, for them.

So there you have it, I've mixed about a zillion metaphors and analogies, share some wierdy-beardy outlooks ............ and update y'all for the latest chapter of 'Quest for our Nipper'

x

HAPPY B'DAY, PA & HAPPY MAMA's DAY, MAMA

2007-05-12T11:03:00.000-07:00

Like it says, guys, wishing you a happy day tomorrow (13th May).

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Hole-In-The-Head needs a family!!

2007-05-09T01:40:00.000-07:00

So there he is - a very sweet boy complete with Frankenstein scar down his face.

For more details, check out Expatwoman thread 'Dalmatian Puppy needing home' or contact Lucy at lucy@nadvethosp.com

Hope someone, somewhere out there can give him the home he deserves.

Fires, Tantrums and rafts

2007-05-06T19:35:00.000-07:00

Fire on the Palm Jumeriah yesterday.Fires on constructions sites seem to be happening more and more here in Dubai. Happily, this time, no-one was seriously hurt.

No news still Nepal and to be honest, it is getting harder and harder to deal with the waiting and the unknown time-scale.

We have 'met' a lady who adopted her son (and is now waiting to complete the adoption of her daughter) from the same orphanage (Sagarmatha Childrens Home) and she told me that she tries to 'surrender to what will be'.

I think this is beautiful and it has become my mantra now as well.
Gosh, don't I sound saintly and serene?
Truth is, not VERy far below the surface of both of us is a child that is seriously on the brink of having a major melt-down!!

You know the sort of the thing - shoes and socks off in the department store, screaming, laying on the floor - until someone damn well gives in and gives us what we want!!!!!!!!!

Ashamed to admit ............ I've done this ........ in my early years, you understand ......... to Por Por (my Chinese granny) ........ can't remember if it worked or not actually.

In the meantime we keep going with normal life (whatever that exactly is here) and try not to get too wierd.

Think in our society we are brought up to believe that you can make pretty much anything happen if you want it to if you are prepared to put the hard work in, try hard enough etc etc - so 'surrendering to what will be' is quite a concept to embrace.

Remind me some time to share with you my comparison between the process of international adoption and being on a raft in the middle of the ocean.

Reading blogs of others who have weathered the storms and waves and paddled furiously, felt like giving up - is a real comfort and inspiration - seeing their kids, helps keep you focussed.

Actually the best blog I've ever read (actually I've only been reading blogs in about the last 2 months so it is true that my sample size isn't huge) and I cannot recommend highly enough is:

http://www.conorgrennan.net/

Actually I think it has just stopped being one of the Bootsnall travel website blogs to a full-on website. Anyway, this guy is amazing, doing amazing stuff and HILARIOUS!!

I hope that next time we are in Kathmandu, we can go and see him and meet some of the kids he writes about - feel like I know some of them now.

Anyway, let's see whether this posting will actually work today. Last night I beavered away for hours and then the whole thing disappeared - let me tell you, saintly words did not spring forth from my lips.

ta-ra for now

Our Nad Al Shiba

2007-04-20T21:10:00.000-07:00

So this is where we live!

Although it is going to become Dubai-ized in the not-too-distant future - which is such a shame.

OUr house is the square building with the long thin horizontal windows - find the camel and then go directly up (you can see our Jeep parked outside).

The building with the dome on it is the Hospital: Nad Al Shiba Veterinary hospital (www.nadvethosp.com) - so you can see that Chris's commute in the morning isn't really too arduous!!!

All around us are camel pens - for racing camels. Nad Al Shiba has a gigantic camel race track (actually I think they only come in 'gigantic') and every day twice a day there are long lines of camels making their way to the track for training.

i love that sometimes I am late to work because i've been held up by a bunch of camels (not literally you understand, the camel is not known for its criminal tendancies!!)

It is no place of outstanding natural beauty but it is unique and very special to us and it is hilarious to see people's faces drop after we've collected them at the airport and drive them out here!!!

So what's down the bottom of YOUR garden?

2007-04-06T06:46:00.000-07:00

Sounds like another dodgy Channel 4 reality tv show, doesn't it?
Well, this morning Stanley suddenly flew out of the house into the garden and started shouting at the fence at the bottom.

He's really lost it now ....... or so we thought.

Ollie (the stripy one), having the nervous system of a squid (but without the mental capacity) followed about 45 secs later, just 'cos he thought it looked like fun.

About 15 secs behind him came poor ol' Max (the Rottie, who we are currently fostering and is the most sorry excuse for a Rottweiler with terrible joint problems as was living in fairly dire conditions but the most fabulous temperament) who is, well, a Rottie with terrible joint problems and simply cannot be expected to keep up with 2 wanna-be greyhounds!

Anyway, so there they are. All 3 of them, standing at the bottom of the garden looking at the fence - Stanley still shouting at the fence.

Ahh-ha, we say knowledgeably to ourselves (we are after all one dog expert and one veterinary-type person).... ahh-ha ....... a foolish cat has come into our garden and then excited stage right over the fence.

We were wrong!

The Nipper n' stuff - update

2007-03-28T03:59:00.000-07:00

And STILL we wait but in the meantime we have receive these tantalising photos of him!

Have returned from HK from a fabulous 10 days with my folks - with Andrew & Hilary (Chris's folks) arriving soon after in Dubai for a holiday.

Visitor Season is drawing to a close with a tally of 11 (so far) : Gary, Thea, Ros & Jerry Green (Caroline's folks), CJ, Adrian, Mia, Will & Kate (yet to come), John Miller, Andy Fish, a brief visit with Neil Hayward - is that everyone?

Rich Kelly and Lyndsey are shortly to be visiting Dubai too so we look forward to seeing them in April as well!

Will post more photos soon but computer currently not being too helpful.

Love Cx

New Nipper photos!!

2007-02-17T02:40:00.000-08:00

Just received these - VERY excited!!!

What a happy chap he looks!!!

He is coming up to 5 months now - sigh.

Clouded leopards & Crested cranes

2007-01-30T19:12:00.000-08:00

Last week, went with Chris to visit some Clouded Leopards (very friendly but rather boisterous)

and a Crest Crane that needed an op on its wing.

Our Head Nurse has been poorly so couldn't go with us and suddenly I am presented with a pair of stethoscopes with the casual instructions to 'check its heart rate and let me know if anything changes'!!

Didn't like to admit have never been able to hear a thing through those things so gave it a whirl.
Found the heart alright - couldn't count the damn thing.

The Dr reassuringly says 'It's OK, just count for 15 secs and multiply by 4'.

HAH!!!! YOU try counting to 70-something in 15 secs, whilst watching your second hand, ignoring the crunching, grinding noises around you!

Hope this explains the somewhat anguished body language I am displaying.

Animals Lloyd/Green!

2007-01-20T06:15:00.000-08:00

THought that while we were about it, we'd also post some pics (some recent, some not so recent) of our menegerie.

Firstly, my very special Daisy Green - no longer with us but hugely HUGELY missed. Adopted from Battersea (Feb 1998) just 3 months after I started there

Next, we have Alan Green - who came to live with me during Euro '96 and was subsequently named after a certain Mr Shearer. Alan must be approx 12/14 years old and King of All He Surveys!

Stanley Lloyd joined us (another Battersea Boy) in Dec 1999 - a very special soul indeed!!!!

After we moved to Dubai in June 2002, someone else came to live with us.

It was only supposed to be temporary but 2 feather duvets, 3 tv remote controls, 21 pairs of disposable contact lenses, 2 pillows, numerous books, dvds, cds, magazines, sofa cushions and curtains, visitors' shoes, wallets ................. things are kind of settling down for Ollie-G.

A purer soul could not be found on this earth - just bad things seem to happen when he is around. HOwever he is always happy to see everyone and assumes that all are his new best friend.

He and Stan are pretty good pals esp on walks..........

(that's him on the right)

About a year ago, Schatzi moved in (a former patient of Chris's) - Ollie on the sofa

And finally and VERY excitingly, Diamond's Miss Snippet (Leah) has just joined the gang

Introducing a rather Special Someone!

2007-01-19T08:08:00.000-08:00

Most of you will know by now that for about the last 18 months Chris and I have been trying to adopt a child from Nepal.

After a pretty long journey, though not as long as many we know, on 24 November, we received our Referral. It came in email form and in the subject line it said 'You have a son'!!!!

here is the first image we had of our baby:

(oops sorry, will rotate it next time!!)

Anyway, on the morning of 1st Jan 2007, we flew out on Air Arabia from Sharjah Airport direct to Kathmandu Airport.

Sadly we knew that we would have to make this trip to sign papers etc etc and get the chance to meet him but not be able to bring him home as we need to wait for a court date at the Nepal end to officially complete the adoption.

Won't bore you with the details of the trips to British Embassy, Department of Children/Women and Welfare (or something) and doctors - but we did manage to start to get to know Nepal.

A truely fascinating country so poor and yet so rich! Despite alot of difficulties, we both felt there was such an energy and positivity amongst the people we met that was very inspiring.

Their attitude towards driving is a an awesome example of Buddhist thought - there is a calm belief that all will get where they need to be, everything in Life changes and therefore no need to get too het up about what is happening at this instant - all will get to where they need to be by being patient and 'being in the present'!!

Anyway enough of that.

On to the Sargamatha Childrens Home (www.childrennepal.org.np)

The moment of meeting Baby (sorry still no name although NO shortage of nicknames, poor kid) was not the emotion charged that many adoptive parents have reported. He was actually fast asleep and I think I said something like "So THIS is where you are, we've been looking everywhere for you!"

Chris went to play football with the older boys downstairs.

It wasn't long though until the ladies looking after him woke him up for a feed and I got to give it to him!

His birthday is 24 September and he was just over 3 months when we met him.

He is absolutely adorable and positively squeezable and very cuddly - although he was a bit poorly on this first day with a nasty cough.

Poor little boy had just been woken up and was clearly feeling fairly grotty but then ..............................................

...................................he met Chris and

he thought he was the funniest thing he's ever seen:

We could bang on for hours and hours about him and have rapidly become the dreaded Baby Bores!!

Sadly we did have to leave him behind and we said our goodbyes on 5th Jan. We prepared ourselves for this and the initial parting was not too painful though, oddly, our house feels rather empty now - strange as he's never been here.

HOpefully, we will travel to see him in March/April time and then we hope it won't be too much longer to wait to bring him home.

We'll keep you updated!!

Seems we've had some success!

2006-04-15T11:50:00.000-07:00

It has been ages since I last check this blog having been totally frustrated at the photo posting only to discover all is well!

So it would appear that I need to update regularly now and hope it will work.

We had some lovely visitors for the Dubai Sevens '05 which was all we hoped it would be - general shouting, drinking and Tom Foolery.

A fun Christmas ....... more Tom Foolery!

Here we have the initial stages of the great Christmas European Boules championship - ultimately won by a girl, I believe!!!!!

Still trying to add photos ....

2005-07-15T01:13:00.000-07:00

........ so please, bear with me!

WELCOME!

2005-07-14T12:54:00.000-07:00

Woke up this morning and decided that today was the day I was finally going to get around to setting this Blog thing up.