thehardyheyday.blogspot.com
Thanksgiving turned out to be a wonderful day for us - even so far away from family - more on that later (including pics of the yummy food and fab folks)! I hope it was the same for you.
Right now, Jacob and I are frantically scurrying around to get packed and get out...of here for a little while - on our last great adventure: Egypt.
Oh, you can be sure there will be lots more pics to come!
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
الحمدلله (Thanks to God)
Halal Turkey
AED 367.33
Cans of pumpkin puree from expat specialty store for traditional pie
AED 182.78
Sweet potatoes for hubby's favorite casserole
AED 0 (they don't exist here)
Fresh cranberries for traditional sauce
AED 0 (they don't exist here)
Having expat friends who now all the tricks of holidays abroad - and who graciously host us in their homes
Priceless
Here's to a Happy Thanksgiving for you, wherever you are, whatever you eat!
AED 367.33
Cans of pumpkin puree from expat specialty store for traditional pie
AED 182.78
Sweet potatoes for hubby's favorite casserole
AED 0 (they don't exist here)
Fresh cranberries for traditional sauce
AED 0 (they don't exist here)
Having expat friends who now all the tricks of holidays abroad - and who graciously host us in their homes
Priceless
Here's to a Happy Thanksgiving for you, wherever you are, whatever you eat!
Monday, November 23, 2009
Clinically Insane, perhaps...
thehardyheyday.blogspot.com
Talking with my mother-in-law last night, she said something that many of our closest family and friends have (probably) always thought, but never really said, "You guys did a crazy thing, running off with someone you barely even knew." Yeah, we all laughed about it and made offhand comments about running away and making insane choices and all, but none of those ever matched the feeling I percieved last night that spoke to me and said, "No, really. What you did...that whole getting married in six months to a relative stranger (I think you realize that after being married for a little while - how little you know at first) moving abroad for a year...that. Was. C-r-a-z-y. Like, clinically insane."
Maybe someone did look us dead in the eyes and say that, but I don't think we ever heard it. What we did hear were comments like those from a dear friend of Jacob's in respose to Jacob's statement, "I can't just marry her and take her overseas after six months!" Phillip's answer: "Why not?" (Do you know how many times I've silently thanked God for Phillip?!)
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Talking with my mother-in-law last night, she said something that many of our closest family and friends have (probably) always thought, but never really said, "You guys did a crazy thing, running off with someone you barely even knew." Yeah, we all laughed about it and made offhand comments about running away and making insane choices and all, but none of those ever matched the feeling I percieved last night that spoke to me and said, "No, really. What you did...that whole getting married in six months to a relative stranger (I think you realize that after being married for a little while - how little you know at first) moving abroad for a year...that. Was. C-r-a-z-y. Like, clinically insane."
Maybe if we had heard it, we might have chickened out or something. But probably not. I guess it's safe now to hear it, since we made it. Our young marriage still has a lot of room to grow and, insh'allah, many years in which to grow, but we have bonded through the fun times and through what we call "marriage boot camp times."
A Buraimi Sunset, surprisingly beautiful this time of year. It's like the sunset of our time here...I'm so deep.
Even though I treasure our adventure-seeking and sojourning around this area of the world, I think my favorite things from this experience include having some humdinger miscommunications and disagreements and getting through them - maybe not always well, but getting through them and learning from them. Knowing that no matter who's fault it was, I still love him and he still loves me. Another thing I treasure is our time together. I know I've said this before, but we have been spending more time the last few days just hanging out with each other and holding hands or reading next to each other. Proximity, man, it's key. That way, when something comes to our minds we can just talk about it. I hope we're able to always cut out some time to just be together. And our collaboration on something so huge - our mutual investment and commitment to a big decision, then seeing it through.
When we left the states, we'd just had a weddding, but I feel like we're coming back with a marriage.
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Look how happy - and how clueless! Ha! Jokes on you, selves of 11 months ago! But it all turns out well...
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Sous much more...
Thehardyheyday.blogspot.com
I am the luckiest girl in the world.
I have a husband who loves me well and enthusiastically and creatively and thoughtfully.
When he wakes up before me, he always puts away the clean dishes and starts the coffee.
While I'm just down the aisle at the grocery store, he buys me flowers.
Every time I see him whether it's because I was in the other room or out of the apartment all day, he comes up and wraps his arms around me and kisses me.
He works with me through our miscommunications and disagreements so patiently.
And, even though prior to marraige, I was used to my kitchen being a one-woman show, he has turned out to be the best sous chef I could have ever (not) asked for.
And that's just the start of it...
I am the luckiest girl in the world.
I have a husband who loves me well and enthusiastically and creatively and thoughtfully.
When he wakes up before me, he always puts away the clean dishes and starts the coffee.
While I'm just down the aisle at the grocery store, he buys me flowers.
Every time I see him whether it's because I was in the other room or out of the apartment all day, he comes up and wraps his arms around me and kisses me.
He works with me through our miscommunications and disagreements so patiently.
And, even though prior to marraige, I was used to my kitchen being a one-woman show, he has turned out to be the best sous chef I could have ever (not) asked for.
And that's just the start of it...
You belong in a zoo
We celebrated two birthdays this week for wee ones belonging to my small group girls at the Al Ain Zoo, what a treat! It was our first time at the zoo here and we had a blast!
A few shots from the afternoon - we felt like kids again oohing and ahhing at all the animals and crowding around for feeding time in the "African Safari" section - my favorite. When did I stop going to the zoo? It's such a great place!
A few shots from the afternoon - we felt like kids again oohing and ahhing at all the animals and crowding around for feeding time in the "African Safari" section - my favorite. When did I stop going to the zoo? It's such a great place!
First off, let's all be honest and admit it - part of the fun is watching the animals and part of the fun is watching the people...
Flamingoes!
Feeding time at the 'African Safari'
"How many kids can get on the see-saw at once?"
Oskar!
And our other birthday boy, Nathaniel, with sis Amelia.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
The Taweel and Causeer of it (The Long and Short of it)
The Hardy Heyday
I was followed around and then propositioned at Carrefour (the grocery, essentially) last night.
In the toy section.
By an Arab man who was shopping with his wife and kids who were in the next aisle.
Gross! And I thought these types of come-ons were like urban-gulf-myths!
I called on my Arabic to rebuff him, and then called on some of my friends (mostly girlfriends who have been here longer and experienced this situation before) for a few laughs.
I used to be good at eviscerating crude and inappropriate men, but it's different here, being in this culture - and being a woman, so I've asked a few of my Arab girlfriends, and other girlfriends who have experienced this apparently very common occurance. They unanimously said to loudly proclaim ("so they many hear you") that this was a bad thing (!) and that you were going to go to the police RIGHT NOW and report him ("You say things too loud so you frighten them very much and God shame them")!
I knew I liked these girls for a reason.
I was followed around and then propositioned at Carrefour (the grocery, essentially) last night.
In the toy section.
By an Arab man who was shopping with his wife and kids who were in the next aisle.
Gross! And I thought these types of come-ons were like urban-gulf-myths!
I called on my Arabic to rebuff him, and then called on some of my friends (mostly girlfriends who have been here longer and experienced this situation before) for a few laughs.
I used to be good at eviscerating crude and inappropriate men, but it's different here, being in this culture - and being a woman, so I've asked a few of my Arab girlfriends, and other girlfriends who have experienced this apparently very common occurance. They unanimously said to loudly proclaim ("so they many hear you") that this was a bad thing (!) and that you were going to go to the police RIGHT NOW and report him ("You say things too loud so you frighten them very much and God shame them")!
I knew I liked these girls for a reason.
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Hello there, old friend
It's been a while, hasn't it? Too long, I suppose, but we've been dedicating all our free time to Jacob's internship searching and to doing everything we want to check off the list around here since we have less than a month until we get home!
One of the things that we enjoy here, but don't do often is hit up a spot called Leisure Cafe in Al Ain. It's one of those places that is lazem (necessary) to take friends and family who are visiting. That's why, when Matthew's momma came into town to visit not too long ago, we took the whole crew over there for dinner, sheesha and drinks (ie 'mocktails,' or juice blends, and coffee or tea).
A few pics long overdue:
One of the things that we enjoy here, but don't do often is hit up a spot called Leisure Cafe in Al Ain. It's one of those places that is lazem (necessary) to take friends and family who are visiting. That's why, when Matthew's momma came into town to visit not too long ago, we took the whole crew over there for dinner, sheesha and drinks (ie 'mocktails,' or juice blends, and coffee or tea).
A few pics long overdue:
The Crew
All the girls - before we were one down. Miss you Els!
Jacob pouring some delicious Moroccan Mint Tea - one of the fave things we'll bring back.
Cheers from the Hardys!
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