12:09 p.m. - 2007-12-04
A LONG Drive To See A Turtle
So we went to Oman by way of the coastal road making it into Muscat after dark.
The road was washed out in many places along wadi's (dry riverbeds / Arroyo) due to storms. It took forever and I had four backseat drivers and one navigator doing fine jobs.
We stayed at a place where I offered my services at to how to improve it. I mean, come on, if you're going to have a pool table, get more than one stick AND if you must have just one stick, put a tip on it. I must say though, a mushroomed wooden tip on a cue is almost as good as chalkin' it up.
The mosquitoes were hellacious. I had no idea that these fast flying devils could live in such a dry environment. Lyra looks as if she has the measles, indeed I dropped her off at school today and made sure that they knew she wasn't all poxie.
We did see a turtle laying eggs. She was over a meter in length and nearly as wide. I believe she was a green turtle. Lyra was able to hold a baby turtle. Where they got it I do not know. Perhaps they brought it along.
Omani are very friendly people though those that own Shell petrol stations need lessons in upkeep. They say that there was no water????
We drove near to the top of the tallest peak on the Arabian Peninsula and looked down into the Grand Canyon of said peninsula. We were in the clouds and Lyra was especially zany perhaps due to her lifetime altitude record.
Guests wanted to go to the beach and I was hoping that we'd go to Jumeirah Beach Park but it was Monday, Ladies only day. They said I should have worn an abeya. There were only three other users on the beach which was pleasantly and surprisingly (from what I'd been reading) clean; a woman and two guys walking back and forth probably to admire her admirable ass. I made a sand castle and looked for fishing spots.
Shells aplenty, I'll try to get Lyra to make some jewelery for friends, but she's a little hoarding beast lately. Where did she get that from?
So, Julie is in Brussels to yell at people until Thursday. I plan on playing loads of guitar.
We're looking forward to our holiday trip to that wintry wonderland, Egypt. Happy Chakakhan!
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8:48 a.m. - 2007-11-26
Dress Like an American?
Lyra's school is celebrating National Day on Thursday but she won't be able to attend as we're taking a weekend sojourn to Oman to look at Sea Turtles nesting and whatever else (a lot!) there is to do in Oman.
The school asked that we dress our children in there National Dress. What does one dress a U.S. child as? Here are some of Julie's and my ideas:
A Native American
An Inuit (hmm, where do we get mukluks and Wolf and Seal skin parkas?)
Annie Oakley with a .410 shotgun (she didn't use a rifle y'know ...)
Army Fatigues and toy M-16
Red White and Blue nylon jumpsuit (added padding to the bum?)
Uncle Sam
DAR Pilgrim-ey thingy
Flip Flops, ratty t-shirt and cut-offs
Rock Concert T-shirt
Stretch Pants and sweat shirt?
Jeans ...
Speak loudly no matter what she wears.
Any other ideas?
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11:48 a.m. - 2007-11-20
Mimi
Today is Mimi's birtday! Yes!
Here's some birtday Haiku:
I remember her
From old black and white photos
Cat glasses and smiles
A finer teacher
Has not existed for me
From birth until now
Haiku are real fun
But sometimes they don't make sense
The big white snowman
Cheesecloth method works
Make sure you baste it often
Turkey recipe
My Sister Mimi
She has done good deeds for all
I forgot the card
HAPPY BIRTDAY SIS
XX
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11:58 a.m. - 2007-11-14
Wai Dubai?
Mundane happenings.
Fnally have the ball rolling to get the A/C fixed in the 'boys room' which would be where all my guitars, drums, amps clothes and other junk is. Also, it's where Amy will be sleeping when she and Mary come for their visits. It's bidet equipped! Not that that has anything to do with Amy staying there, just a perc.
Lyra's mad about horses at the moment and though we were planning a campout for one night, we must try to get to the horse show which will have show jumping, dressage, pony rides which she'll love.
She and I were at the dry cleaners (I for the third time) to pick up stuff. They still don't have a pair of pants. They said they needed to send them back for re-cleaning. At least my kurtha was done.
I need to get some others as this one is shear so if I wear black under it it would show through. I only have kurtha for white ( I forgot what the pants are called.
Speaking of pants (trousers) I was wearing some that Julie said looked very 80's. I let her know that it's ok to tell me that before I wear them. I was just wearing them because they were on top, not too wrinkled and black. I hate them anyway as they are too long so I step on them which is annoying as fuck when wearing sandals. I think I got them when working as a waiter which was the 90's so that tells you how far behind Milwaukee is for fashion.
We walked around the shops and came across a bakery. It looks like they only make flatbread and the guy whose job must be "final stretcher and oven plopper" said: "Come in, come in!" So I picked up the little 'un and went in.
They used a blast furnace of an oven with a noisy flame about a foot and a half in diameter and the FSAOP has this domed floured cloth on wood paddle which he uses to apply the dough onto the sides of this oven. 10 seconds later the bread is done. No samples but it was fun to watch the operation: Big mixer. a guy who rolls out the balls, then the FSAOP, and one more guy who tongs the bread out ... tong boy?
Then we went for ice cream and 'chewing gum' which is what Lyra calls gum for the time being. I love it because it reminds me of when she called milk 'cow's milk' and I miss that.
Dubai motor show opens. All the papers have the same press release and it looks like there will be cool cars and the 10 fastest too.
We were disappointed that Lyra could not go to the Air Show due to her age. Perhaps the fact that one could buy missiles there had something to do with it ? Damn parenting responsibilities! Now I don't have a missile! Shit!
5:58 p.m. - 2007-11-14
- Julie received an e-mail from Emirates Airlines shilling holiday getaways. One said something like "a restful break in Tehran" and we`re in the middle of planning our Xmas vacation.
We`d love to go but not sure the US government allows it. Couple that with every day brainwashing from the media and, well, sing along...
SILENT NIGHT HOLY SHITE
ALL IS NOT ALL THAT BRIGHT
ROUND UP VIRGINS COVER THEIR SMILES
HOLY INTA- FADAH IS WILD
well maybe I`ll think up some more later.
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