Is it hot or what?!!

What are the temps today??? What were they yesterday? It was 42 in Dubai yesterday (I believe), and, to me, it feels about that high here... but I have no idea really, but I know it's hot. Feels like a big hot sauna.... minus the atmosphere.

This type of weather gives me a headache... and they say that humidity is good for ya.... or at least good for the skin. I have yet to see the results of living in such humid weather... maybe one day.

What's been going on? One friend, Jane, from Lost in America, asked me a week or so ago about the voices in our house and what happened w/ that. Thankfully, since that time, I haven't heard another voice. We've decided to change the locks on our house, just in case... and since we heard that our last housemaid (the one who ran away) is living some place w/ her husband who, as we were told, is beating her and keeping her tied to the bed... we can't be sure that they wouldn't try breaking in or something. Altho, Hashim says that he doubts if they'll ever come over in this area again... and I agree.

I didn't mention that they caught the girl who worked for my BIL... the one who ran away w/ them... and then her sister turned herself in after her sister didn't come home. They were the ones to tell the family about Bali and the way he's treating his wife - before being deported. Who knows if it's true... I have no idea. I hope not though.

We've been house sitting for the in-laws who have been away traveling for the summer. My FIL, SIL and her son are coming back tomorrow. Thank goodness because it's really hot in this house. They have large rooms and it seems like it takes hours to cool them... and for me and the baby, well... it's horrible. Naief loves cool air and we always keep our house pretty chilly (he gets this from his momma), so his naps have been far and few between at present... and it makes both he and his momma cranky.... so it'll be a good day when we go back!!

I saw on the tube the other day where some footballer in the States was charged on dog fighting. They showed a pic of he and his dog... which is a Pit bull... and they were talking about how much he "loved" his dog. Yeah... ok. When you fight your dog w/ other dogs.... when does love for that animal come into the picture? This same guy has also been charged w/ what happens to the dogs that lose. They hang the animals, drown them or electrocute them... can you believe this?!! I can... and it makes me sick.

Honestly, I hope ppl like this go straight to hell and live the rest of their lives, before death, in absolute agony. I hope they get cancer or the worst things possible come into their lives, and are plagued w/ pain that no pain reliever will get rid of. You know, when I think about this kind of stuff... I truly want these ppl to suffer the same pain as their animals. Why not put them in a sport where they're torn apart by some large animals... maybe a mountain lion, real hungry lion or, better yet.. a hungry polar bear! Something that will cause serious, long, steady pain for a long amount of time. I know my cats like to torture their victims (birds and such) before killing them... they deserve the same. Seriously, I really hate ppl like this.

Which makes me think of the ppl who do this in Bahrain. It's a huge sport here. All underground of course... but I question how penalties aren't handed down to these ppl when they're caught. I've been at the vet's office countless times when ppl have been there w/ dogs that have obviously been in dog fights. I've questioned my husband on why the vet doesn't turn these ppl in... I think I've even ranted on here about it... but what good does it do when you have a society that doesn't give a crap about dogs... ok, not all, but a large majority see them as devils that need to be killed out in the open.

The other day, when we came to my in-laws for the house sitting, there was a dog out in a pen in the backyard. After close inspection and after letting him out because of his desperate need for attention, we discovered that it was a Pit bull. He was soooo sweet. I couldn't help but wonder if he would be fought at some time in his life.

Come to find out, my BIL was keeping the dog for one of his friends who was traveling. The dog, being a Pit bull, was so friendly... so I know they haven't been preparing the dog to fight as of yet. Maybe they wont... but I'll tell ya, I did ask my hubby, several times, to call his brother and inquire about the dog... as to whether his friend was planning to fight the animal and such. Hubby didn't... but if he had and if he found out that they did intend to fight the dog, I did tell him that I would steal away the dog and take him to the BSPCA w/out telling anyone... for I would not allow a dog to go thru such cruelty... never.

Yeah.. you guys may think me a bit crazy/strange... but I would do it. I even planned it out. But... the dog is gone now.. the owners came home and the dog was returned. Now.. I'll never know. God help him and maybe the ppl who own him truly love animals and would never allow such to happen to their dog.

At least I can hope.

Smiles everyone....

what a voice

We went to Geant tonight to pick up a few things.... and as always wound up w/ much more than we expected to get. One unexpected thing is the CD called Amore by Andrea Bocelli.

Wow.... I have no idea if this is new or what... but he has such an amazing voice. I've really liked him for a long time, but strangely never bought one of his CDs until tonight. We're playing it now and Naief seems to really enjoy it. He was crying, but is now dancing w/ daddy :) .... and quite possibly will be going to sleepies shortly :).... here's to hoping. He's a stubborn one when it comes to going to sleep. He was out in the car... but I swear as soon as I get upstairs, while walking as slowly as possible, and put him down... he wakes up like it's morning!

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While we were checking out tonight, you know how at Geant all the lines/check out areas are real close to each other, which is a pain in and of itself... but it also gets ya to know your neighbor real quick in some instances. Tonight, I was standing holding Naief while hubby took everything from the cart and as I was standing there, another family was checking out next to us. As the mother was putting everything on the conveyor belt, her son came up asking her for something... one thing was a plastic shovel... I can imagine to maybe dig in the sand while at the beach or some sort... and then two little books. His mother refused and he started crying... not hysterically but he really wanted these things. So, the mother took them, put them on the belt and then smacked him as hard as she could w/ the Geant flyer (that was all rolled up) right in the face. It shocked me and made me feel so desperately sad for the little boy.

How embarrassing for him to have his mother hit him in public... and it wasn't like she wasn't allowing him to get the things his heart desired.... but I guess she did it for the sake of it. These types of things break my heart.... here she's breaking this little boy's spirit.... I can only imagine what happens at home.

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Well... I called my blog friend and we're having lunch tomorrow. :) I'm looking forward to it. She's quite interesting, sassy (which I like), AND smart. I know we'll have lots of things to blab about.... laugh about.... and I hope it's the start of a lasting friendship. oh yeah... if you wanna check out her blog, it's at Bint Battuta in Bahrain.

And.... you know what makes our lunch date all the better??? I went to M&S today and bought myself a few cute things. Gosh... it's been forever since I've been shopping at a mall by myself. I swear... the last time was in Lewisville, Texas. No kidding... I've never once gone to Seef by myself. But... I think this is the start of a lasting love relationship between us! :)


We're all doing better... getting better by the day. Naief is much better... now me and hubby are suffering a little .... but .... hopefully not for much longer.

Happy weekend everyone.

Since I can't sleep, am sick and hubby is really sick, and Naief is still sick w/ his fever spiking again today.... I have found myself running in overdrive... so much so that it's given me one hellova headache. So... just popped some Panadol PM and hopefully it'll help me sleep and take away this pounding on my temple.

I thought w/ this title that I'd post a poem that I wrote long ago when we lived in Denton, Texas.... before coming to Bahrain. It's a simple one.... but it's weird because no matter where you go or where you live, you can find something like this to fit into your life.

Quiet City

Dogs are barking
People are talking
Cars are passing
Sirens keep roaring
Heart is pounding
In this quiet city I call home.
Sleepless dreaming
TV is blaring
Pills a popping
Mind is wondering
Barefoot I'm walking
In this quiet city I call home.
Cats are wailing
Husband is snoring
Sleep not coming
Peace I'm wanting
Faint I'm becoming
In this quiet city I call home.

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Nothing has been happening as of late. The baby has been sick for a week and it's very tiring. My sleep.... well, I sometimes wonder if I'll ever get a good night's sleep again.... maybe when he's a teenager! ;)

I was supposed to meet a girl that I met thru blogging today, but I cancelled. Being exhausted and sick doesn't make good company, I don't think. You know... in thinking about meeting blogging ppl, it's weird. You correspond w/ ppl.... you know all about them or at least what they tell you, but to meet them up close and personal is weird for me. I'm a shy person more or less.... altho if I know you well and have for a long time, you would probably say that I'm not. So... in thinking about meeting someone new.... for some reason, it sorta frightens me. But... how else do you make friends other than to take that first step, right?

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Something else interesting or at least I think so. I received a card just outta the blue from my cousin that lives in Indiana. Gosh, I haven't seen her in I don't know how many years. Actually, it was when my aunt passed away from cancer... some 9 or more years ago. I went there for the funeral and saw all of my cousins. It was weird. I grew up w/ all of them and to see them as adults.... it's just strange... or for me it was.

I haven't kept in touch like I should have... so I felt like I didn't know them. Me and my cousin (that I received the card from) were close and would spend most summers together. I usually went and spent wks upon wks at her house in the country... it was when my grandmother was alive... gosh, do I have some crazy stories about what my grandma used to do to us kids... things to try and scare us. I loved going there and have so many fond memories of those times. Now... she's an adult, like me, has 5 kids and our lives have changed so much.... but outta the blue, I get a card from her and it's like nothing has changed.

I'm a terrible person in that I don't take the time to sit and write by hand. I will type an email faster than you can spit (hmmmm... interesting choice of thought).... but to write by hand, well, it takes a great pressure of the mind.... to push myself into it. I've been meaning to do it for days now, but just haven't done it... I keep telling myself that when the baby starts to feel better, I'll do it.

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Found some great book deals days back.... and you know... it's been forever since I've read anything. I go thru these phases of really loving a book and not being able to find another to satisfy me, so I have huge dry spells. And wouldn't ya know it... one that I almost passed up is the first one that I picked up to read, and even though I'm only about 10 pages into it, I LOVE IT!!! I'll write about it later..... oh yeah, a few of my blog friends have inspired me to pick up books again. They both love to read. Check out their blogs... one is Olivia's London Dispatches and the other is a new blog friend and her place is called Lotus Reads. Both are quite fascinating places to spend the day. :)

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and last but not least, I added lots of new links to blogs that I read on a regular basis over here to the right. Some of them are truly great reads and fascinate my mind in a way that I need more often than I'd like to admit. They make me laugh... some even make me cry..... but they all (except the gossip ones) touch my soul almost daily. One girl that I met some time ago thru blogging is the first Arab girl that I allowed myself to become friends w/ (and I have a reason for that that I've never shared here... maybe one day I will).... and I think she's wonderful... she's so full of life and a really interesting person and even if it's just over the net that I know her.... I really like her. Her blog is called Never Let's Go..... and she has just finished an art project for school and has put up three of her paintings on her blog. They are truly incredible. Go there... check it out.

Well.... I'm gonna go. Have a good one. It's actually quiet in our little neighborhood tonight.... which feels odd. But... I should take this time to enjoy it... it could be gone in a matter of seconds!

what is a friend?

This past weekend I was invited by a friend of mine to afternoon tea at her house. She invited me along w/ Naief to come and visit w/ her and her two sons, and two of our other girlfriends. She's also married to a Bahraini guy, as well as one of our other friends... so it's nice because there's a common thread that binds up, so to speak.

Like I said, she has two sons, one aged 5 and the other is 18 mths. They are so adorable on one hand but a handful on the other. Our other friend brought her son whose a bit older, and since he loves to play w/ the other two, the house was filled w/ energy until it was time to go. I got a true sense of what it's like to have little boys.... or maybe just kids that age because the house never stopped. And... I liked it.

Can't say that I would have felt this way years ago when I didn't want to have kids. I could hardly stand to be around kids that age because they usually drove me nuts.... but I don't know... yesterday it was different. You just don't realize how children can change you until you have them.

Anyway... to my original point.

I guess it's been probably a good 8 yrs since I've had a group of girlfriends.... girls I can talk to, gossip with, laugh with, and just enjoy being around. When I worked full-time in Dallas, I had several good girlfriends and we'd go out on the weekends, have dinner together and such, but since moving to Bahrain - and even before then really - I haven't felt that closeness. I didn't realize how much I missed it until yesterday.

I met these women last year at a friend's BBQ. I lucked into meeting one of the girls... actually it was completely by chance that we even spoke. She and her husband were at a book signing for a friend of ours and she asked me when I was due. I didn't even know her... but her husband knew my husband, so I guess we were bound to meet at some point. She was the first person to ever really talk to me about my pregnancy and it was nice to have someone around my age that was friendly and interesting. It was at this book signing that she invited me and the hubby to a BBQ at their house.

And this is what started the friendships.

When I had the baby... they came and visited me at the hospital... and were so loving and caring when I broke down that afternoon after they asked how I was feeling. I still wonder why you get so weepy after having a baby. I know it's the hormones and I understand it... but it's just weird how easily it happens... as if you have no control whatsoever over anything emotional.

Their house was just lovely. So roomy... big enough for her oldest son to ride his bike inside the house, if you can believe it. I loved it. I told hubby that I'd love to move to Sa'ar. I really enjoy that part of Bahrain. It seems different there and it's soooo quiet. Here at our house we have cars passing at every hour of the day. Not to mention the two prostitutes that live in the apts across the way that keep unbelievable hours. And then the families that live in those apts... I've never seen families that stay out so late w/ little bitty children. They come home in the wee hours of the morning - during the week - I guess not thinking or really caring that their children have to get up and go to school the next day.

Anyway... I got a load of things to bring home w/ me after our day was done. My girlfriend that hosted the tea sent me home with a push toy for Naief... he'll just love that when he gets old enough to walk, as well as some hand-me-down clothes, which I love and was raised doing w/ all of my family (so it felt very homey), and many other goodies.

You know... this is how I am and I am so happy that I have new friends that are the same. I've always been this way w/ one of my sisters - we exchange shoes and clothes, perfume, jewelry - a little of everything really - and when she found out I was pregnant, she sent me all of her maternity clothes... which, btw, had been used by a few of her friends. Some of you might frown knowing that or would never think of using hand-me-downs... but I love them. My sister got so tickled when she'd see pics of me wearing the things she had sent... and I enjoyed wearing them because it brought me closer to her because I'm so far away.

So... when my girlfriend gave me some of her son's clothes yesterday... I felt a kinship to her and it felt really nice. I loved opening the bag today to see all the stuff she put inside. Maybe one day I can do the same for someone.

Well.. that was my day yesterday. Oh yeah, Naief was so good. He was so behaved and didn't cry the entire time we were there. He's at the age now that he really enjoys looking at ppl and watching his surroundings, so he got a kick outta the kids and w/ it being so busy there.