Feeding the 'roos.

It has been school holiday here for the past week and the girls and I have done a few things together.  Yesterday, my girlfriend and I thought we'd meet up at the Cairns Tropical Zoo with our children for an hour or so.  (The zoo isn't that big, but entertaining enough for little children who think it is 'the pants'.)

Now Miss Lily has decided that feeding the kangaroos IS the GREATEST thing ever.  I'm pretty sure Monet (now supporting a shorter 'do') thinks the same, and I can see why.  It is a pretty special thing...

There are other (mainly) native animals in the zoo, but I have to admit, the kangaroos are the favourite animals with us.

It is always nice to see joy in your children's faces.  Even if they are posing with their head in a billboard.

Lily has turned into a little terror the last couple of weeks and has really found her feet.  By saying that I mean if she sees a space to run, she runs!  Oh my.  Not long after this photo was taken with her and little A (both born in the same week), she was off!  *sigh*

As I said before, the zoo isn't that big and is easily done in an hour.  I am planning on taking the girls again next week to see the Crocodile Show which runs in the afternoon (we went in the morning yesterday.)  The zoo is home to loads of them so it'll be a change to see them active than the usual lazing about.

A BBQ worth cooking on...

We bit the bullet a couple of weeks back and parted cash for a new BBQ, which we had been eyeing off for about two years! A Weber Q.  And she is awesome.  I only wish we bought one sooner.  We already have the normal kind of Weber (coal-lighting-type) and we had another gas BBQ, which we sold to a neighbour friend.  But this BBQ, well, she's a bewdy.

Even though BBQs are pretty much known across the world as the 'mans domain', well, not here.  Eight times out of ten, it is I who cooks on the 'gas-type' barbie, but I don't mind - it makes a change for me.  Our New Zealand Rb-Eye steaks had never tasted so good.

With the weather cooling down around these parts, especially now in the early evenings, it is now pleasant enough to sit outside and if we feel the need, eat outside.  The girls thought it was fabulous the other night.  Monet was swimming and playing in the pool, Lily was being the obedient little sister by throwing swim rings and the like to her big sister and I cooked homemade simple burgers on the BBQ.  (MrL was yet not home.)

They thought it was especially exciting when I suggested I pull out the 'picnic table' and they eat their dinner outside. Gee, didn't they think that was the best thing?

BBQ season - I love it.  (Funny as in Australia we think of Summer being BBQ season, but here in the Middle East we see Winter as being BBQ season.)

ACD

Arnott's Compulsive Disorder.

Can't help myself when I see a product or brand from home.  If you lived where we do, you'd understand.

The Final Countdown...

The countdown has been on since we got here, but now it is only two more sleeps till we spy Lyndon on Aussie soil once more! In the mean while I have to tell you that Little Miss Monet has been very good. So good in fact, I am wondering if my memories of a not-very-good Monet was something I made up in my head!

She has had a delightful time lately, keeping busy at both sets of Grandparent's homes. At Nanna and Poppy's she's busy riding bikes in their backyard and at Grandma and Grandad's she's been busy doing 'art stuff', including the ever popular bubble blowing...

(As you might notice from the photos, Miss Monet really has her own style of dressing - she loves colours that girl!)

Yesterday I was fortunate (again) to be in the company of H&B in her home in suburban Melbourne. Lee used her photographic skills (and I took the opportunity) to take photographs of Little Miss Lily, my talkative little doll. I'm looking forward to seeing the images in the future! Whilst Lily was being photographed, Monet, with great pleasure, cuddled and coo-ed over the pet Guinea Pigs which are pets of Lee's MC and Danger Boy.

(You may have noticed the 'plaster' on Monet's knee - she fell over whilst playing with the boys - she did exactly the same thing last year when we visited! Children. Huh!)

I'm sure Monet dreamt of Guinea Pigs last night and I am also sure that if we too, lived in suburban Australia, in a house, Monet would be getting a couple of those pets! We had a sweet time at H&B's and look forward to another meeting down the track sometime in the future.

I can't wait to tell Lyndon just how very good his eldest daughter has been. And I am pretty sure Lyndon can't wait to be reunited with all of us. He won't believe how good Monet has been and he certainly won't recognise Lily - she's changed so much in the past two weeks, it isn't funny!

Here I Am...

...in Victoria, Australia. It is a long way from Abu Dhabi but my girls have handled it very well. Our plane flight over was rather uneventful, bar the fact that after one sleep Monet had, she woke up feeling ill and consequently had a little vomit. Noice.

I've been staying at my parents whilst waiting for Lyndon to arrive next weekend, when we will then stay at Lyndon's folks. (Our parents don't live too far apart.)

In the meanwhile we've been busy taking it easy. We've been rugged up...

...had some delightful bath times...

...put up Christmas trees....

...had nice time just doin' stuff...

...watched our little Lily growing just a little bit older...

...and missing our Lyndon. (No need to really, we just look at Lily and see her father staring back at us!)

Get Going...

It has been a while hasn't it?

I've been busy organising our impending trip back to Australia, something we find we are needing.  The girls and I leave and arrive two weeks before Lyndon can join us, which people look at me horrified that I am flying alone with a newbie.  Monet is an old hand at flying so she'll (hopefully) won't be a problem and I'm sure Lily will be fine.  We've had 'dramas' with getting Lily an Exit Visa but that is now all sorted and we're now set to go.  My dad emailed to say there is excitement growing at the prospect of us returning for a holiday and I'm very much looking forward to it. 

As much as I do enjoy living here, I feel it is time to have a visit back in Australia.  I'm finding that I need a break from this country as I find I am getting more and more annoyed with certain things, like driving for example and the way certain things are done is honestly shitting me.  Lyndon feels the same, especially now as he has been socondered(?) to a company in Dubai and has been doing stupid hours up there, a 150kms away from us at Abu Dhabi.  

We enjoy being ex-pats but we are now wondering where our next step is leading us.  Monet is a happy kid in school and at home (most of the time) so I'm sure we'll see out the schooling year (till June) and then reevaluate our situation and take it from there.  Who knows, maybe after this UAE-break, we'll see everything in a new light again.  Maybe I just need an Oz-dose.

Lily is now a thriving 11-week old who is a joy to be with.  I'm sure she's not far off her first giggle (yay!) and is happy most of the time lying in her rocker or on her play gym but I think her favourite place to be is to hang in the Baby Bjorn and nap near my chest.  She's not silly!  I'm looking forward to the family to meet her for the first time and I'm sure my dad won't recognise her as the newborn we brought home close to 11 weeks ago.

The lovely and talented (& now famous!) Tracey has made a cute as a button Christmas dress for Miss Lily to wear so I am looking forward to seeing our baby in it (& I will be sure to post a photo of her in it when the time arrives!) 

  

Lyndon and I (even some of the neighbours have commented) have noticed that Monet must have had a growth spurt.  She has such long lovely legs and her face has got bigger and prettier.  She brought home her first school report card last week and we're very proud of her.  For that, we gave her a ticket back to Australia for a holiday.  *heehee*  (gee, I used to get 5 bucks for a good report! How times have changed! *smirk*)

(This photo was taken by a friend who was a parent on a recent school excursion to 'Children's World' in Dubai.)

Not sure when I'll be back posting, hopefully not too far down the track.  And from a place that isn't the UAE.  (Thanks to those of you who have been back checking this blog - hopefully I get my blog-groove back some time in the near future!)

iMe

It feels like I have a brand new computer to upload my photos onto.  

We've had our MacBook now for over two years and on Friday we went out and purchased new upgrading software for it.  It feels like a brand spanker, especially with the introduction of iLife'09.  I am in love with iPhoto even more so now, as I can click on one of four icons, 'iWeb', 'Email', 'Facebook' or 'Flickr'.  As I use both FB and Flickr, my photos can now easily be uploaded to these accounts.  So easy peasy and I am very happy!  Along with new 'cleaning spray and cloth' for the MacBook, not only does our computer feel brand new, it also looks brand new...  

I have decided that my oven is a great baking one.  See what I made on Thursday...

Can I tell you that it taste as good as it looks.  My neighbours can too confirm this statement.  For the recipe, click here...

I do enjoy baking and cooking, but one thing I simply cannot stand is washing those bloody dishes one uses to produce goods.  Well that will be changing tomorrow, with the arrival of this...

I am one lucky ducky.  No more feeling awfully hot, hand washing the dishes.  My kitchen should now look constantly clean (as compared to having dishes lying about all.  the.  time.)  There will be more items being cooked and baked in my kitchen with the introduction of our new dishwasher tomorrow.  Yippee....  

And the best thing?  When we leave this villa, whenever that shall be down the track, and when we leave Abu Dhabi, the oven and the dishwasher come with us.  Now, we just have to keep our eyes open for some property in Melbourne...  (All in due time you realise people, all in due time!)

Relief

My heart sang today.

"Mum," said the little girl holding my hand "I like Abu Dhabi."

Do you know how good it felt for me to hear Monet say that to me?  After weeks of...unrest (?) by our little girl she has settled in nicely.  We've had so many testing moments over the course of leaving Cairns to getting to this point, it now seems as if things are returning back to normal.  

We had our television hooked up yesterday to 'Showtime PayTV' (only a handful of free channels here, all in Arabic) and now it seems as if we have the world at our fingertips.  No joke when I say we have about 100 channels, though a great number of those are in Arabic.  Monet sat and watched Dora The Explorer, fully dubbed in Arabic.  The next thing I know Monet is standing on front of the telly repeating Dora's words in Arabic.  Made me smile.

Today Lyndon started work late (he is not due home until about midnight) and dropped Monet and I off, back at The Marina Mall.  It was nice to wander around without husband in tow (sorry Lyndon).  What astounds me is Monet does not even turn and give a second glance to women in their full Hijab / Burqa (there were a lot of females out shopping today).  Even with their eyes only showing, Monet does not even look at me with wander in her eyes.  She's even been browsing the Barbie-like dolls dressed in Hijab too.  Nice to know she's excepting of everyone and everything, so far anyway.

It was a big step for her and I today to then catch a taxi back to our villa alone.  I knew I had to catch a 'silver' taxi.  (They are owned by the government and are fairly new.  There are lots of privately owned taxis who are  known to be a bit of a rip-off.)  I successfully managed to get in one, with Monet in tow.  She *loves* taxis and was keen to tell the driver our address.  Not sure he fully understood her, but we got here in one piece...

Perhaps Santa will visit our girl after all. (Yes, Monet had been on the 'naughty' list for a while but is making her way back onto Santa's 'nice' list.  *phew*)

Something for Everyone.

We went to Marina Mall yesterday - the place where the snow slope is due to open in the first couple of months of 2009.  It also has an ice rink.  This place is crazy. *smirk*

So we went to the mall yesterday, Monet and I peeled off in one direction and Lyndon in another, (the best way to go shopping really, but in all honesty it would have been better if it was 'I' who was alone!)  It is amazing to visit so many shops from so many countries all under one roof.  *heehee*  Did you know Woolworths in South Africa is a clothing store as compared to Woolworths in Australia being a supermarket chain.  (Did I read that the variety store of Woolworths in Britain is closing down?)

I was happy with a couple of purchases from Next for myself.

Monet was happy with the dress she choose from Pumpkin Patch.

Lyndon was happy with the television he choose from Carrefour.

A rather successful shopping day for all actually... (as one waits for the technician to arrive and put the tv on the wall for us.)

Our First Night Out

Once Lyndon got home yesterday afternoon, we were back in the car and headed for our 'local' luxurious hotel complex, The Shangri-La.  I wanted to sip a beer and watch the sun set over The Grand Mosque.  

Well, the sun had just about set once we got there (it was so red - amazing site but too hard to shoot with my mobile phone camera) but we still got to see The Mosque in the distance in the fading light...

The hotel complex was pretty amazing, lots of nooks and crannies, little shops, vast (posh) restaurants and bars.  I was mighty impressed with 'The Ladies' loos...

We did settle for a drink at the pool bar and decided on a buffet dinner which was the pants.  It was a little pricey but the food was like nothing I had seen before.  Best thing, kids eat free. *phew*  She happily gnawed on an Australian lamb chop (the ones with handles) some freshly bread rolls and rice.  We had so many choices on what to eat, I was amazed.  I feel in love with the dessert buffet. Here is a photo of it smack, bang in the middle of the buffet room...

No pav or cheesecake here my friends, I am talking chocolate fondue fountains (oh my!), fresh fruit kebabs, home made ice cream and freshly made (on the spot) waffle cones, lollies galore, home made chocolates, tiny cakes.  In two words, Dessert Heaven.  (Monet and I thought so anyway!)

And what can I say about the service?  Tops.  Of course.  This is the United Arab of Emirates.

As we left I managed to take a photo of the mosque lit up in the distance.

It is a long way from Australia.

A Long Time Coming

Monet and I have only got a handful of days left in Australia before we head off to our new home in the Untied Arab of Emirates.  Lyndon is there waiting excitedly for us to arrive.  Neither of us can wait to see each other.  It has been a long five weeks apart.  

(Monet and my dad walking near their home...)

I am unsure when I will be posting next, I suspect it won't be long.  I know Lyndon has got the Internet all hooked up in our new home and our MacBook is waiting patiently for my fingers to start tapping away on it again.

(Monet and her cousin chatting and eating!)

Lyndon has stacked our new little fridge (our furniture arrives about 12 days after us) with some of my favourite things - glass bottled coke, Red Bull, 500ml Stella cans.  Oh! he does know how he can spoil me.  *smirk*  He has even gone and got some fresh ham for Monet, seeing that is her favourite.  

(The back patio at my parents, Monet and Grandma made the paper decorations)

The new oven has been installed, there are new block-out blinds in all the rooms, a couple of bean bags waiting for our bums to sit on, new cutlery, a big heavy-based frying pan, new beds for us...the list goes on.  Enough stuff to get us by until the day our shipping container arrives, packed with our goods from Trinity Beach.  

(Monet playing at the next door neighbours of my parents.)

I'm 'flirting' with the idea of beginning to pack our suitcases today.  Everything is ready and waiting to be packed in, it is just a matter of seeing if it does all fit back in our cases!  

(Bubble blowing)

My parents and Lyndon's parents, along with Monet and I are going out for tea altogether tonight.  

(Being a Pussy Cat!)

I have requested that only my dad drop Monet and I off at the airport.  They are horrible places aren't they?  At least this time it is not I who is being left behind - I hate that.  

We're off to begin the new chapter in our lives.  It has been a long time coming....

A Cut and A Meeting

Somebody (not me) got a new haircut.

Cute hey? *snort*

That same somebody also got a new nightie and decided that 4pm would be a good time to wear it (pity the bedtime wasn't at that time!)...

That same somebody has a new b/f. He is MB from House&Baby.

'We' met face-to-face on Tuesday in a sunny Melbourne suburb. H&B has written about the event here and I echo her words because she sounded different to the voice I had of her in my head. It was also very surreal to be in H&B's home and to meet her two lovely boys. I knew I had the right house because of reading about the new fence they built yonks ago.

I was also fortunate to meet Stacey from Sheeps Clothing. I didn't realise she was going to be there for a little while so it was lucky that I was wearing one of her clips! *heehee* I know it was the first thing she checked out. *heehee*

In other news, Monet and I have a week left of being in Australia. The count down is definitely on.

I Wish He Wasn't So High Up...

We noticed a koala in a tree outside today.  I wonder if you can spy it? (Double click to enlarge any of the following photos)

My dad has been complaining the last few nights about a koala making an awful racket so we knew there was at least one about.  (Have you ever heard a Koala? If not, you wonder on how such a lovely cuddly marsupial could ever make such a noise.)

Monet was rapt to see one in the wild, rather than at the zoo. (I hope you can spot the koala at the top of the next photo - I was trying to be artistic!)

I am hoping he'll get down that tree some time soon (he is soooo high up!) so I can get some cute shots.

I don't think I will be able to get any photos of the Bandicoots that live in my parents garden however.  Sorry about that.

Winter?

Monet and I are now on the Final Count Down to our date with a silver jet.  Two weeks today we would have been already reunited with our Lyndon.  We are missing him terribly but knowing that it isn't many more sleeps helps a lot.  He feels the same.  Five weeks apart is just too long for all involed.  But we are coping and we are all safe and well, besides being a little cold.  Well, Monet and I are a little cold, not Lyndon.  

It is icy cold outdoors today.  None of us would be at all surprised if it actually snowed (remembering we are eights day away from Summer here in Australia!)  I have friends camping this weekend near Cape Liptrap and I was planning a visit, but I have had second thoughts.  

Monet and I have spent the past week at both sets of (Grand)parent's homes.  We have spent time with Monet's cousins...

and visiting one of my old friends in Inverloch, who has a dog Monet quite adored...  

This week Monet and I are venturing to Melbourne and popping in to visit H&B which I am looking forward to, and having a shop in Chadstone with both of Monet's Grandmothers.  

I am hoping the weather cheers up, these cold grey days are doing my head in.  Tracey in Townsville (about 400-odd kilometers south of Cairns) is sitting beside her air-conditioner today and here I am, sitting snug by the Coonara trying to defrost my frozen toes.  

I know where I'd rather be if given a choice. 

Yep, that's right, with Lyndon.