As'salamu Alaykum,
Here is an update of events that has happened since I last wrote.
I was turned down for the Hungary job that I had applied for. I do not know if I am saddened or happy about that.
The current contract I am on has been given a 3 month extension, so I am definitely happy about that. Now all that is needed is for the remainder of the year contract to be signed and the follow-on for the 2 years beyond that and I will be really happy.
Kim is almost fully recovered from her surgery, she has just one more appointment with the surgeon and then she is done.
I bought a flight for Kim to come over to Kuwait so she will be arriving here New Years eve. That will be great to have someone to ring in the New Year with. I still need to get her visa stuff done, but that will take a side trip to the airport to set it up.
The weather here in Kuwait has been very nice. We have had several rain days and the temps are sometimes bordering on cold, but the daytime temps are always very nice in the upper 60's and 70's. Just great for walks outside, so when Kim arrives that's what we intend to do, take some walks on the gulf and just hang out together.
That's all I can think of for now so I will say - Ma'assalama
TTYL , Mike
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Sunday - 29 Nov 2009
As-salamu Alaykum,
I have today off due to the EID holiday. The ministries are all closed, and therefore the KAF is also off for standard operations. Spoke to Kim early and then went back to bed for about an hour but could not sleep so I go up and fixed some scrambled eggs for breakfast.
Decided I needed to go to The Sultan Center and pay on my Internet account before they discontinue service. So I took care of that, looked around to see if there was anything I should pick up, but really did not see anything I need except bread.
Drove back home and saw my old Harris (Ramadan) from my old apartment walking, so I stopped and spoke to him for a few, he invited me into his place for a cup of tea, so I joined him and we had a chat. It seems he is very lonely and homesick for his family, and in general I get the feeling he does not like being in Kuwait any longer. I asked how much longer he was planning to stay in Kuwait and he said after one (this?) year he would leave and not return. He is an educated man, a social worker in his home country of Egypt, but he has to work in Kuwait to support his family. He was planning to get married last summer, but I do not know if he did or not, but said he would not bring a wife to this country anyway, (he mentioned all the crime toward TCN's ) so he , like so many other ex-pats here, work and put up with all the stuff that goes on, looking forward to the day he can return home and be with his family.
So now I am sitting home drinking a cup of coffee, looking at CNN, and deciding what I may want for lunch or maybe dinner.
So, while I decide, I will say Ma-assalama, (go in peace).
TTYL, Mike
I have today off due to the EID holiday. The ministries are all closed, and therefore the KAF is also off for standard operations. Spoke to Kim early and then went back to bed for about an hour but could not sleep so I go up and fixed some scrambled eggs for breakfast.
Decided I needed to go to The Sultan Center and pay on my Internet account before they discontinue service. So I took care of that, looked around to see if there was anything I should pick up, but really did not see anything I need except bread.
Drove back home and saw my old Harris (Ramadan) from my old apartment walking, so I stopped and spoke to him for a few, he invited me into his place for a cup of tea, so I joined him and we had a chat. It seems he is very lonely and homesick for his family, and in general I get the feeling he does not like being in Kuwait any longer. I asked how much longer he was planning to stay in Kuwait and he said after one (this?) year he would leave and not return. He is an educated man, a social worker in his home country of Egypt, but he has to work in Kuwait to support his family. He was planning to get married last summer, but I do not know if he did or not, but said he would not bring a wife to this country anyway, (he mentioned all the crime toward TCN's ) so he , like so many other ex-pats here, work and put up with all the stuff that goes on, looking forward to the day he can return home and be with his family.
So now I am sitting home drinking a cup of coffee, looking at CNN, and deciding what I may want for lunch or maybe dinner.
So, while I decide, I will say Ma-assalama, (go in peace).
TTYL, Mike
Friday, November 27, 2009
Black Friday..
I went into town today and of course I beat the crowd. Shopping was quick and easy and the best part is I did not spend too much money. I got home just before noon and fixed lunch, a few slices of Arabic extra bran bread with some Hummus. I really love that stuff.
Got a phone call from my manager saying we got a 3 month extension on the contract so that means I am good here til the end of April, and the home office is re-doing the bid for the remainder of the year. That was the best news I have heard so far. Kim will be so excited as well. The follow on contract is "In the works" for the years 2011 and 2012. Hope we get that as well.
Aside from that, everything is going along as usual. Still quite chilly outside, been hazy and foggy all day. I even have a space heater running to take the chill off.
TTYL, Mike
Got a phone call from my manager saying we got a 3 month extension on the contract so that means I am good here til the end of April, and the home office is re-doing the bid for the remainder of the year. That was the best news I have heard so far. Kim will be so excited as well. The follow on contract is "In the works" for the years 2011 and 2012. Hope we get that as well.
Aside from that, everything is going along as usual. Still quite chilly outside, been hazy and foggy all day. I even have a space heater running to take the chill off.
TTYL, Mike
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Happy Thanksgiving
Today is Thanksgiving Day. I decided to go into KWC to pick up some groceries for my "Feast" I was preparing for myself. Well, long story short, I could not get close to the mall and I don't think you could have bought a parking place, so activate plan "B". I exit and head back toward Fahaheel, and will do my shopping at Sultan center. It was nice driving on the highways, the traffic was very light and so the drive was uneventful until I started getting close to my destination. Then it started to get crowded, and then more crowded and finally with Sultan Center in sight I said "heck with this" (censored). The traffic there was just as bad as at the Avenues and of course the parking lot was beyond full. Plan "C", head back home and do my shopping some other time. Maybe early in the morning when all the Kuwaiti's are still sleeping.
I was planning to bake a chicken today , but at the last moment I changed my mind, since today is overcast and dreary looking, I felt a chicken stew was in order, so chicken stew it is. And I must say, it was good. For dessert, I had a piece of pumpkin bread to finish off my meal and a cup of coffee. So now I am looking at a pot full of leftover stew and several more days off. Umm yummy!!
It is late afternoon here and it is getting dark. Still quiet overcast, maybe it will rain again.
Well I want to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving.
Don't overeat.
TTYL , Mike
I was planning to bake a chicken today , but at the last moment I changed my mind, since today is overcast and dreary looking, I felt a chicken stew was in order, so chicken stew it is. And I must say, it was good. For dessert, I had a piece of pumpkin bread to finish off my meal and a cup of coffee. So now I am looking at a pot full of leftover stew and several more days off. Umm yummy!!
It is late afternoon here and it is getting dark. Still quiet overcast, maybe it will rain again.
Well I want to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving.
Don't overeat.
TTYL , Mike
Sunday, November 22, 2009
22 November 2009
Well, today I applied for the job in Hungary. It does not mean I will get it or I will even accept it if offered, but once the requisition closes, I can't apply for it. Besides, I need to have all my options open if this contract fizzles. I sure hope it doesn't.
I took my car in for service today after work. I got there a bit early but they must have been running late because I did not get finished there until after 3pm. Then I had to go to the "Other" new car showroom to find a cashier. The cashier's computer at the lease showroom was broken so I could not pay the monthly lease there. Got to the new car place and they were closed until 4 pm for the afternoon meal, prayer, nap or whatever, so I made the best of the time and went to do my grocery shopping. Returned to the car place after 4 and paid the lease. Glad that ordeal is over with until next month.
Spoke to Kim upon returning to my apartment and she is doing better. She has been left all alone so that the girls can go see some movie at the matinee'. I hope she uses her alone time to just relax and maybe sleep.
This week is going to be a short one with the Thanksgiving(US)/Eid(Kuwait) holidays coming. I am planning a baked chicken for thanksgiving. I need to get some other things as well, so I will end up back at the market before Thursday. Maybe I will bake a loaf of bread or have an East meets West meal, mixing in some eastern cuisine with the western. Need to research that idea.
It is starting to get cold here in Kuwait. This mornings temp was 43F and I even added a quilt to the bed last night. I guess it will soon be time to get out the heaters.
TTYL - Ma'assalama
Mike
I took my car in for service today after work. I got there a bit early but they must have been running late because I did not get finished there until after 3pm. Then I had to go to the "Other" new car showroom to find a cashier. The cashier's computer at the lease showroom was broken so I could not pay the monthly lease there. Got to the new car place and they were closed until 4 pm for the afternoon meal, prayer, nap or whatever, so I made the best of the time and went to do my grocery shopping. Returned to the car place after 4 and paid the lease. Glad that ordeal is over with until next month.
Spoke to Kim upon returning to my apartment and she is doing better. She has been left all alone so that the girls can go see some movie at the matinee'. I hope she uses her alone time to just relax and maybe sleep.
This week is going to be a short one with the Thanksgiving(US)/Eid(Kuwait) holidays coming. I am planning a baked chicken for thanksgiving. I need to get some other things as well, so I will end up back at the market before Thursday. Maybe I will bake a loaf of bread or have an East meets West meal, mixing in some eastern cuisine with the western. Need to research that idea.
It is starting to get cold here in Kuwait. This mornings temp was 43F and I even added a quilt to the bed last night. I guess it will soon be time to get out the heaters.
TTYL - Ma'assalama
Mike
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Update from 11/13/09 to 11/21/09
Where did I leave off?...Oh yeah, it was still raining on Friday. It cleared up enough on Saturday that I was able to take a small ride on the bike. Kim has her up and down moments with the pain and I still think she is trying to do to much. We are planning to go out to dinner as a family tonight, most likely the "Texas Steak House" restaurant.
Sunday evening I will be leaving to head back to Kuwait. It is times like these that I hate being so far away. I wish I could find a job in Virginia, with Boeing, so I would not lose benefits.
The flight to DC was as quick as always, and the layover there was only about an hour and 10 minutes. Just enough time to get a Pretzel and cup of coffee and too find the departing gate. The flight to Kuwait was long, and to make matters worse, the in-flight movies sucked. I did watch the movie "Julie / Julia" between periods of sleep. I would like to see it again from start to finish.
Arrived back in Kuwait on Monday evening, was met by my co-worker Greg and arrived at my apartment a little after 7pm.
The weather in Kuwait since I have been back is cool and nice. It has actually rained a few times. Although the rain here has a lot of dust mixed in with it so I call it "Mudding" instead of raining. My car, after the last mud storm, looked as if I had been out four wheeling. My silver car was desert brown with only view ports where the window washers had cleaned.
Work has not been any more exciting than before, still no word on the contract except it is not looking good one day then it looks better the next on the renewal. I found a position in Hungary which would be in support of a NATO C17 unit but I am not sure if I want to live in Europe. Is that Europe? Not sure, but it is close to Austria, so day trips would not be out of the question. I have until the 23 to apply for it.
They finally opened the new Bairac Mall across the road from my neighbor hood and I did take a look at it. The best part is the food court, that's the only place in the mall I can afford to shop. The rest of the Mall is all High End Jewelery shops, Clothing stores, a sporting equipment / clothing outlet and mostly stores I have no interest in. They have not fully populated the mall so I am hoping that they may put in a grocery store at a later date. That would be really nice to have in the 'Hood".
I speak to Kim twice a day via "Skype" and she is doing better but still has a lot of pain and is still trying to do too much for her condition. I have told her to quit trying to be super mom and take it easy so she can heal. But who listens to me?
Saturday 21 November 2009: Today in Kuwait is overcast and rain. I had a Pigeon sitting on the window sill in the computer room this morning. It was sleeping and had no idea I was in the room until it woke up and freaked out and took flight.
Stay tuned, more to follow...
Ma'assalama
TTYL , Mike
Sunday evening I will be leaving to head back to Kuwait. It is times like these that I hate being so far away. I wish I could find a job in Virginia, with Boeing, so I would not lose benefits.
The flight to DC was as quick as always, and the layover there was only about an hour and 10 minutes. Just enough time to get a Pretzel and cup of coffee and too find the departing gate. The flight to Kuwait was long, and to make matters worse, the in-flight movies sucked. I did watch the movie "Julie / Julia" between periods of sleep. I would like to see it again from start to finish.
Arrived back in Kuwait on Monday evening, was met by my co-worker Greg and arrived at my apartment a little after 7pm.
The weather in Kuwait since I have been back is cool and nice. It has actually rained a few times. Although the rain here has a lot of dust mixed in with it so I call it "Mudding" instead of raining. My car, after the last mud storm, looked as if I had been out four wheeling. My silver car was desert brown with only view ports where the window washers had cleaned.
Work has not been any more exciting than before, still no word on the contract except it is not looking good one day then it looks better the next on the renewal. I found a position in Hungary which would be in support of a NATO C17 unit but I am not sure if I want to live in Europe. Is that Europe? Not sure, but it is close to Austria, so day trips would not be out of the question. I have until the 23 to apply for it.
They finally opened the new Bairac Mall across the road from my neighbor hood and I did take a look at it. The best part is the food court, that's the only place in the mall I can afford to shop. The rest of the Mall is all High End Jewelery shops, Clothing stores, a sporting equipment / clothing outlet and mostly stores I have no interest in. They have not fully populated the mall so I am hoping that they may put in a grocery store at a later date. That would be really nice to have in the 'Hood".
I speak to Kim twice a day via "Skype" and she is doing better but still has a lot of pain and is still trying to do too much for her condition. I have told her to quit trying to be super mom and take it easy so she can heal. But who listens to me?
Saturday 21 November 2009: Today in Kuwait is overcast and rain. I had a Pigeon sitting on the window sill in the computer room this morning. It was sleeping and had no idea I was in the room until it woke up and freaked out and took flight.
Stay tuned, more to follow...
Ma'assalama
TTYL , Mike
Friday, November 13, 2009
10 November 2009
There's a storm a brewin' . We are supposed to get a Nor'easter, remnants from Tropical storm Ida. Kim is still on bed rest and having her nurse come by daily to redress her wound. She is moving about better but still doing too much, which causes her pain to be high most of the time.
The sky is getting overcast and the wind is picking up. Batten down the hatches. It'll be nice to see an actual rain storm since all I have seen in Kuwait is dust storms.
Wednesday: Rain is here, and wind, and rain, and more rain. Be careful what you wish for.
Kim is the same.
Thursday: Still raining. I heard we had 10 inches of rain in 24 hours. That's more than Kuwait gets in 24 years. My patio is flooded from all the water. My neighbor had water run in from her patio door. Luckily, I have a submersible pump that I have been running to keep the water level down on the patio, pumping it out to the back of the yard.
Friday: Still raining. Kim has a doctor appointment today. Dr. looks at the wound , changes the dressing, gives her a different pain Rx and tells us she will take several more weeks for the wound to heal completely. Kim and I go to Red Lobster for lunch. Really good stuff.
The sky is getting overcast and the wind is picking up. Batten down the hatches. It'll be nice to see an actual rain storm since all I have seen in Kuwait is dust storms.
Wednesday: Rain is here, and wind, and rain, and more rain. Be careful what you wish for.
Kim is the same.
Thursday: Still raining. I heard we had 10 inches of rain in 24 hours. That's more than Kuwait gets in 24 years. My patio is flooded from all the water. My neighbor had water run in from her patio door. Luckily, I have a submersible pump that I have been running to keep the water level down on the patio, pumping it out to the back of the yard.
Friday: Still raining. Kim has a doctor appointment today. Dr. looks at the wound , changes the dressing, gives her a different pain Rx and tells us she will take several more weeks for the wound to heal completely. Kim and I go to Red Lobster for lunch. Really good stuff.
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
4 November 2009 -
Hello everyone from Virginia,
I arrived home yesterday on emergency leave, so I could be home for Kim's surgery. The flight just seemed long this time, maybe because I could not get to sleep for any time longer than 30 minutes at a time. I would wake up and check my watch each time and was just amazed at how little time had gone by. Well finally we arrived at DC and got through customs with no problems and then it was the wait to catch the connecting flight to Norfolk. I had some problems getting my T-Mobile SIM card working in my Kuwaiti cell phone and the battery in my stateside phone was dead. It holds a charge for about a 30 second conversation and then shuts off. I was able to call home from DC with the unit plugged in and on the T-mobile account, but when I got to Norfolk , I could not get any signal on T-mobile. I cannot believe the coverage is so poor at the Norfolk airport. Then the battery went dead, I plugged it in and then lost the coverage again. What a pain in the ass..
Finally got home and installed the new battery I purchased online and discovered that it is not an exact replacement although I was able to make it work. Seems to be doing OK so far.
Slept most of the day but got up for a short time to watch some TV but fell back asleep while watching.
Today, (Wednesday) woke up and had a bite to eat and got ready to take Kim to the hospital. They called and said they were running early, but we were on the way when they called. So now here I sit in the waiting room .... waiting ...
Kim is out of surgery and everything went well. They have placed her in a room have her hooked up to an array of monitors and I.V. hoses. She says she has some pain and is very groggy from all the anesthesia and pain meds, but that is to be expected. She is in and out of consciousness, but she seems to be aware of activity in the room.
Day 2: (Thursday) Pretty much the same as day one. Kim is still very groggy and sleeps most of the time but has been getting up and walking around the room and to the bathroom. The girls have stopped by to visit their Mom, but it is difficult for the younger ones because the hospital has banned all persons under 18 from visiting because of the H1N1 flu.
Day 3: (Friday) Got up and took the motorcycle in for service. I looked at the carburetor myself but decided it was more of a task than I wanted to tackle at this time with all the other things going on. It was due for the 16,000 mile check up anyway that I had been putting off since I have been out of country. It should be ready by the end of the day or tomorrow, then I will be able to drive it. Update: Got bike out of shop and it runs like new. I am so happy!
I was driving to the hospital yesterday and took the time to notice how beautiful the weather was and made the decision that November in Virginia is probably my favorite time. That time is truly the fall season in VA. when the weather has a crisp cool feel to it, it even smells nice, like a walk in the woods, just fresh and clean, not too cold and not too hot. Perfect for motorcycle rides.
Kim is still pretty groggy even today. I brought her a bathrobe so she can walk around the floor and get some exercise, that's what she is supposed to do anyway, but she just seems to want to sleep for now.
Day 4: (Saturday) Still cannot sleep past 4 am. Got up and watched some news on CNN. What a horrible thing that has happened at Ft Hood.
Came to the hospital at 6 am. Kim is still groggy all the time. I spoke with her Dr. and he is going to remove the pain box and let her control the pain via pills instead of the pump. He also prescribed her to a more solid diet instead of the broth and clear liquids. Her vitals are pretty much normal, so I guess I should not worry to much. So today I am sitting here and trying to have a conversation with her, and doing things on the computer.
Day 5:(Sunday) Kim gets released today from hospital. She will require home nursing care daily until her surgical wound heals, should take several weeks. I have been out on several rides and I really miss them. Will hate to go back to Kuwait and not be able to ride.
Day 6:(Monday) Kim is home and in a great deal of pain. Pain meds take care of it for a while, but she tries to do WAY TOO MUCH.
More to follow!
I arrived home yesterday on emergency leave, so I could be home for Kim's surgery. The flight just seemed long this time, maybe because I could not get to sleep for any time longer than 30 minutes at a time. I would wake up and check my watch each time and was just amazed at how little time had gone by. Well finally we arrived at DC and got through customs with no problems and then it was the wait to catch the connecting flight to Norfolk. I had some problems getting my T-Mobile SIM card working in my Kuwaiti cell phone and the battery in my stateside phone was dead. It holds a charge for about a 30 second conversation and then shuts off. I was able to call home from DC with the unit plugged in and on the T-mobile account, but when I got to Norfolk , I could not get any signal on T-mobile. I cannot believe the coverage is so poor at the Norfolk airport. Then the battery went dead, I plugged it in and then lost the coverage again. What a pain in the ass..
Finally got home and installed the new battery I purchased online and discovered that it is not an exact replacement although I was able to make it work. Seems to be doing OK so far.
Slept most of the day but got up for a short time to watch some TV but fell back asleep while watching.
Today, (Wednesday) woke up and had a bite to eat and got ready to take Kim to the hospital. They called and said they were running early, but we were on the way when they called. So now here I sit in the waiting room .... waiting ...
Kim is out of surgery and everything went well. They have placed her in a room have her hooked up to an array of monitors and I.V. hoses. She says she has some pain and is very groggy from all the anesthesia and pain meds, but that is to be expected. She is in and out of consciousness, but she seems to be aware of activity in the room.
Day 2: (Thursday) Pretty much the same as day one. Kim is still very groggy and sleeps most of the time but has been getting up and walking around the room and to the bathroom. The girls have stopped by to visit their Mom, but it is difficult for the younger ones because the hospital has banned all persons under 18 from visiting because of the H1N1 flu.
Day 3: (Friday) Got up and took the motorcycle in for service. I looked at the carburetor myself but decided it was more of a task than I wanted to tackle at this time with all the other things going on. It was due for the 16,000 mile check up anyway that I had been putting off since I have been out of country. It should be ready by the end of the day or tomorrow, then I will be able to drive it. Update: Got bike out of shop and it runs like new. I am so happy!
I was driving to the hospital yesterday and took the time to notice how beautiful the weather was and made the decision that November in Virginia is probably my favorite time. That time is truly the fall season in VA. when the weather has a crisp cool feel to it, it even smells nice, like a walk in the woods, just fresh and clean, not too cold and not too hot. Perfect for motorcycle rides.
Kim is still pretty groggy even today. I brought her a bathrobe so she can walk around the floor and get some exercise, that's what she is supposed to do anyway, but she just seems to want to sleep for now.
Day 4: (Saturday) Still cannot sleep past 4 am. Got up and watched some news on CNN. What a horrible thing that has happened at Ft Hood.
Came to the hospital at 6 am. Kim is still groggy all the time. I spoke with her Dr. and he is going to remove the pain box and let her control the pain via pills instead of the pump. He also prescribed her to a more solid diet instead of the broth and clear liquids. Her vitals are pretty much normal, so I guess I should not worry to much. So today I am sitting here and trying to have a conversation with her, and doing things on the computer.
Day 5:(Sunday) Kim gets released today from hospital. She will require home nursing care daily until her surgical wound heals, should take several weeks. I have been out on several rides and I really miss them. Will hate to go back to Kuwait and not be able to ride.
Day 6:(Monday) Kim is home and in a great deal of pain. Pain meds take care of it for a while, but she tries to do WAY TOO MUCH.
More to follow!
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Halloween 2009
Time is flying by..it is Halloween already. Do not know how much longer I will be in Kuwait, as no one knows if or when the contract will be signed. As it stands, this contract is over at the end of January 2010, so that leaves approx 90 days. I really want at least a one year extension, that will get me into a better position for retirement and a few years beyond that would be even better. I am headed back to the states in 3 days, Kim is having a surgery and I need to be there for her. It will also let me get a pulse on the economy and look at some options if the worst happens here. So I have been packing up some things that I want to get back home, i.e. my DVD collection and clothes I do not need and such, I will pack them in my luggage and carry them home this trip.
I will also get a chance at seeing my newest grand-daughter Bryanna . I was not expecting to see her until after March next year, so this is a good thing.
Not a whole lot more to say right now, so..
I will also get a chance at seeing my newest grand-daughter Bryanna . I was not expecting to see her until after March next year, so this is a good thing.
Not a whole lot more to say right now, so..
Have a "HAPPY HALLOWEEN"
TTYL
Mike
Mike
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Breezin' through October
Here it is, the 21st of October, 2009 and the weather is turning cool, finally. Temps are down into the 60's at night but still up in the high 90's during the afternoon. I can't believe how fast time is going by. This contract actually ends at the end of January 2010. I truly want to get an extension on it of at least a few years, but not a word about that so far. Kim wants to move here and get residency if it does happen, which will be nice for us both. She will then be able to come and go in and out of the country more easily, and we could even maybe go to Dubai for a long week end, or even take R&R together and not go to the states. I want to go to Ireland or even Australia if I can, but that all depends on getting the contract extension. I suppose there are other places I would like to visit as well, maybe Germany or France. We will just have to wait and see.
Baby Bryanna is 3 weeks old now and is actually past her original due date and I think she is back above her original birth weight. She was 3 weeks premature, and seems to be doing just fine. Gwyn is 3 months old now and trying to sit up, and is a real chatter box. I can't wait to see them.
Tonight I think I am going to make some shrimp fried rice, but I need to stop by the market and get some onions. When I get bored I cook, and I have been pretty bored lately. I have been dieting and have lost some weight since coming back from home leave, eating a lot of vegetables such as broccoli and cauliflower, cabbage, lettuce and tomatoes and some chicken or tuna on occasion. I have lost over 15 lbs in the last month, most of that weight was from abusive eating while on leave. I have also noted that my blood sugar and blood pressure are back to healthy levels since I have been not eating restaurant and fast foods. It is no wonder Americans are at unhealthy weights and have overall poor health.
I ordered some items on the internet a few weeks ago and both vendors screwed up the orders. The battery in my smart phone is nearly dead, so I ordered a new one. I wanted it sent to me here in Kuwait but it went to my home address stateside. The second item has not arrived here yet, the vendor "forgot" to put my full APO address on the package and then they sent it via FedEx. But wait, FedEx does not deliver to APO address's, so why did they do that?? I will give it another week to get here then I will call them and see whats up with all that..$#!+..
Well, I just do not have a lot more to say today, so I will just say...
Ma'assalama - Goodbye.
Mike
Baby Bryanna is 3 weeks old now and is actually past her original due date and I think she is back above her original birth weight. She was 3 weeks premature, and seems to be doing just fine. Gwyn is 3 months old now and trying to sit up, and is a real chatter box. I can't wait to see them.
Tonight I think I am going to make some shrimp fried rice, but I need to stop by the market and get some onions. When I get bored I cook, and I have been pretty bored lately. I have been dieting and have lost some weight since coming back from home leave, eating a lot of vegetables such as broccoli and cauliflower, cabbage, lettuce and tomatoes and some chicken or tuna on occasion. I have lost over 15 lbs in the last month, most of that weight was from abusive eating while on leave. I have also noted that my blood sugar and blood pressure are back to healthy levels since I have been not eating restaurant and fast foods. It is no wonder Americans are at unhealthy weights and have overall poor health.
I ordered some items on the internet a few weeks ago and both vendors screwed up the orders. The battery in my smart phone is nearly dead, so I ordered a new one. I wanted it sent to me here in Kuwait but it went to my home address stateside. The second item has not arrived here yet, the vendor "forgot" to put my full APO address on the package and then they sent it via FedEx. But wait, FedEx does not deliver to APO address's, so why did they do that?? I will give it another week to get here then I will call them and see whats up with all that..$#!+..
Well, I just do not have a lot more to say today, so I will just say...
Ma'assalama - Goodbye.
Mike
Thursday, October 1, 2009
1 October 2009
Today is my brother David's birthday! Happy Birthday bro..
Yesterday was Bryanna's birthday, She arrived @ about 8:15 in the morning and weighed in at 6 lbs 14 oz and was 19 inches. That's good because she was 3 weeks early.
Mother and baby are healthy and doing well.
That's it for now
Mike
Yesterday was Bryanna's birthday, She arrived @ about 8:15 in the morning and weighed in at 6 lbs 14 oz and was 19 inches. That's good because she was 3 weeks early.
Mother and baby are healthy and doing well.
That's it for now
Mike
Friday, September 25, 2009
Book Review - "The Lost Symbol" by Dan Brown
I picked up a copy of Dan Browns "The Lost Symbol" while on home leave and just this morning finished reading it. I am a fan of "The Da Vinci Code", having read the book and I have seen the movie numerous times having purchased the DVD. I also recently viewed the movie "Angels and Demons" while flying back from the U.S. to Kuwait. Having said all that, I found "TLS" to start out rather exciting for the first part of he book, then it became somewhat predictable, and then toward the end, I really could not wait for the last pages. In fact I skimmed over much of the text in the last 25% of the book because it was just plain boring..it reminded me of the TV show 24, where every turn the good guys make was a blunder in the favor of the bad guy. Like the bad guys are always one step ahead of the people with all the marvelous technology. Now how can that be?
Anyway, for the most part, I did enjoy the read, I am glad I finished the book although the story seemed long and drawn out. I sometimes have a tendency to put a book down forever if it really bores me and this one was border line.
TTYL
Mike
Anyway, for the most part, I did enjoy the read, I am glad I finished the book although the story seemed long and drawn out. I sometimes have a tendency to put a book down forever if it really bores me and this one was border line.
TTYL
Mike
Sunday, September 20, 2009
After the Home leave
I went home for home leave Sept. 3 and spent 2 lovely weeks at home with all my girls and newest member of the family, Gwyn. What a lovely baby she is. She reminds me of her mother Krista, as I remember her as a baby. I also drove to my Mom's for a weekend visit and a mini family reunion. We had a cook out and just had a great time visiting, taking pictures and talking about our families.
We left labor day and headed back to the beach. I had a doctors appointment a few days later and I also wanted to get some riding in on my motorcycle. The weather was not cooperating at first, then the bike had issues with the carburetor. A couple applications of carburetor cleaner improved that , but I believe it will require a rebuild in the end. Maybe next time I'm home.
I also did a little bit of work around the house, mostly plumbing issues and did a little work in the back yard. All in all I had a great time at home, but it ended to quickly for everyone, as I had to leave on the 17th to go back to Kuwait..
The weather here in Kuwait is HOT and HUMID! The combination of heat and humidity together make it almost unbearable to be outside and breathe, so I stay inside. Today I went shopping for some groceries but other than that I do not plan to go out for anything except work.
Well , that's all folks!!
Mike
We left labor day and headed back to the beach. I had a doctors appointment a few days later and I also wanted to get some riding in on my motorcycle. The weather was not cooperating at first, then the bike had issues with the carburetor. A couple applications of carburetor cleaner improved that , but I believe it will require a rebuild in the end. Maybe next time I'm home.
I also did a little bit of work around the house, mostly plumbing issues and did a little work in the back yard. All in all I had a great time at home, but it ended to quickly for everyone, as I had to leave on the 17th to go back to Kuwait..
<- FLIGHT BACK TO KUWAIT ->
The weather here in Kuwait is HOT and HUMID! The combination of heat and humidity together make it almost unbearable to be outside and breathe, so I stay inside. Today I went shopping for some groceries but other than that I do not plan to go out for anything except work.
Well , that's all folks!!
Mike
Monday, August 17, 2009
Free Larry!
Hello,
Well I think I am going to set Larry free. He does not seem to be doing well in captivity, so I will let him go when I get home from work today. I have yet to see him attempt to eat anything and I am afraid he will just starve himself to death. Maybe if he were a bit larger it would be different.
Just a few weeks left and I will be heading home for home leave. Can't wait, but I can't leave any sooner either. I have already planned to take the last week before I leave off anyway, so I can get packed and get the girls packed and ready to fly home. It will be the second week of Ramadan then, but we will probably just sit at home during the day time. Maybe we will be able to experience the night time, when every one is festive after "Iftar" or breakfast.
So, all that being said I will close for now and say TTYL
Mike
Well I think I am going to set Larry free. He does not seem to be doing well in captivity, so I will let him go when I get home from work today. I have yet to see him attempt to eat anything and I am afraid he will just starve himself to death. Maybe if he were a bit larger it would be different.
Just a few weeks left and I will be heading home for home leave. Can't wait, but I can't leave any sooner either. I have already planned to take the last week before I leave off anyway, so I can get packed and get the girls packed and ready to fly home. It will be the second week of Ramadan then, but we will probably just sit at home during the day time. Maybe we will be able to experience the night time, when every one is festive after "Iftar" or breakfast.
So, all that being said I will close for now and say TTYL
Mike
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Larry
Hello everyone,
Will keep you posted on Larry's progress.
TTYL
Mike
I was greeted today at work by tiny "Desert Monitor Lizard" maybe an inch long. I opened the computer room and there it was, trying its best to run from me, but the floor is slick and he was not getting away very fast. I found a large empty water bottle and captured it. Using the bottle I created a small terrarium by adding some sand and a few pieces of vegetation. Along with the sand I scooped up were about a half dozen ants, so I included them into the habitat and just before I left work the ant count was down to zero so I located a few more and put them in the bottle. I was concerned at first that the ants might eat it, but I guess he was hungrier than they were. I brought him home to show Ashleigh, and we have decided to call it Larry D' Lizard.
Will keep you posted on Larry's progress.
TTYL
Mike
Thursday, July 30, 2009
The End of July 2009
Hello again,
My how time flies. Here it is the end of July, Kim and Ashleigh have been here 2 weeks and Gwyn is 2 weeks old today. We have been having a dusty few days of late, it just blew in from up north. Temps are still way up there, so mostly people stay at home or go to malls. Next month (Sept) I will be home for home leave and hope to see everyone I can, my mom especially and of course my new granddaughter Gwyn. Ramadan starts this year in August, around the 20th so I will only have to be here for 2 weeks of that. I really don't mind Ramadan for myself, but with the family here it will be extremely boring for them since all the shops are closed from sunup to sunset, and I mean "ALL" the shops. You can buy groceries, but that is about it, so we will be doing a lot of mall stuff before then.
Home leave should be fun. I spoke with my mom and she says that all my sisters will be there and maybe even my brother, so it should be a "mini" family reunion. I am hoping the weather will be nice so we can have a decent cook out. It will be a quick weekend trip though because Ashleigh has to return back to school, Carla has to work I think, mom has a doctor appointment and I have a doctor appointment. Hoping the weather is good for a few motorcycle rides and just a bunch of time for relaxing.
Well I guess that's it for now...TTYL
Mike
My how time flies. Here it is the end of July, Kim and Ashleigh have been here 2 weeks and Gwyn is 2 weeks old today. We have been having a dusty few days of late, it just blew in from up north. Temps are still way up there, so mostly people stay at home or go to malls. Next month (Sept) I will be home for home leave and hope to see everyone I can, my mom especially and of course my new granddaughter Gwyn. Ramadan starts this year in August, around the 20th so I will only have to be here for 2 weeks of that. I really don't mind Ramadan for myself, but with the family here it will be extremely boring for them since all the shops are closed from sunup to sunset, and I mean "ALL" the shops. You can buy groceries, but that is about it, so we will be doing a lot of mall stuff before then.
Home leave should be fun. I spoke with my mom and she says that all my sisters will be there and maybe even my brother, so it should be a "mini" family reunion. I am hoping the weather will be nice so we can have a decent cook out. It will be a quick weekend trip though because Ashleigh has to return back to school, Carla has to work I think, mom has a doctor appointment and I have a doctor appointment. Hoping the weather is good for a few motorcycle rides and just a bunch of time for relaxing.
Well I guess that's it for now...TTYL
Mike
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
There's a new "Sheriff" in Town!
Gwyn Elizabeth was born July 16, 2009 at 1:22 pm. She weighed 7 lbs. 2 oz. and was 19 inches long...Why do they measure the length? It's not a fish. Now if that was a trout or a bass I could see measuring the length. Anyway , baby and Krista are doing fine, and first indications are she looks just like Krista, as I remember her when she (Krista) was a baby. Reddish hair and blue eyes. I will have to find some baby pix of Krista for comparison. So this makes 3 granddaughters and Carla will have hers in Oct. and I will have 4. I guess I will change my tag on the motorcycle to OPA 4X to stay current.
Kim and Ashleigh have been here a few days now and are getting settled in. We have been a little busy checking out the malls, doing some shopping and stocking up on things that they like to eat. We also shopped and got Ashleigh a bed to sleep in. Its a metal framed daybed with a mattress and she seems to like it.
Ash has found a friend in a young kitten that the houseboy has befriended. It may be a few months old and is very people friendly even though I am sure it is feral. We have been feeding it some scraps and making sure it has water. I think it gets into the storm drain during the really hot parts of the day. Since it rarely rains here I am sure it's a cool and dry place to hide from the heat. Ashleigh has named it "FREAK". I suggested just calling her Desert Cat or "DC" for short. The landlord has a NO PETS policy and as much as I like cats I would not want to get attached to an animal here at all, so it all works out for the best.
Well that's it for now. TTYL
Mike
Kim and Ashleigh have been here a few days now and are getting settled in. We have been a little busy checking out the malls, doing some shopping and stocking up on things that they like to eat. We also shopped and got Ashleigh a bed to sleep in. Its a metal framed daybed with a mattress and she seems to like it.
Ash has found a friend in a young kitten that the houseboy has befriended. It may be a few months old and is very people friendly even though I am sure it is feral. We have been feeding it some scraps and making sure it has water. I think it gets into the storm drain during the really hot parts of the day. Since it rarely rains here I am sure it's a cool and dry place to hide from the heat. Ashleigh has named it "FREAK". I suggested just calling her Desert Cat or "DC" for short. The landlord has a NO PETS policy and as much as I like cats I would not want to get attached to an animal here at all, so it all works out for the best.
Well that's it for now. TTYL
Mike
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
We have "LIFT" off
Hello again!
I got home from work about 2 pm, no lift at that time . I fixed lunch, bowled a few games on the WII, vacuumed the bedroom and heard some voices in the hallway. Checked it out and pushed the call button on the lift and the darn thing worked. Yeaaaa!! About time.
TTYL
Mike
I got home from work about 2 pm, no lift at that time . I fixed lunch, bowled a few games on the WII, vacuumed the bedroom and heard some voices in the hallway. Checked it out and pushed the call button on the lift and the darn thing worked. Yeaaaa!! About time.
TTYL
Mike
So much to do , So Little time..
Hello again,
Well Kim and Ashleigh will be here in 2 days and I need to clean the apartment up a little. I still have not gotten a bed for Ash to sleep in. Last year I moved the big couch into the bedroom and made it the entertainment room. I may do the same this time as well, it just depends on what she prefers. I really like the way the LR is arranged now but I can change it. I have priced beds here new and they are not cheaply priced, $350 to $500 with mattress, and those are the budget models. I have looked on some of the classified ad websites for beds and they are certainly reasonable, but I have a problem with a "USED" bed.
It has been a bit dusty lately but not as bad yet as they have forecast. The afternoons are a bit windy and that's when the dust kicks up. Temps are really warm but not any warmer or hotter than expected for this time of year. The Girls may have a time adjusting to it. but I don't mind it at all.
Still no elevator. I have no clue what the hold up is unless it is inspections. I am pretty sure the work has all been finished. So again we wait for it to work.
Still trying to bake the perfect loaf of whole wheat bread. Seems to always come out dry and crumbly so I have to modify the recipe some more. More liquid or less flour or both. I guess since the relative humidity is so low here, I may need more liquid, so on the next loaf I will try that. The bread does taste great though, but I will also add more honey to the dough, and maybe some OATS, both will help retain moisture in the bread when it bakes ( so I have read). Also want to get a bread slicing jig. Maybe Ikea has one that will not break my bank.
Krista is still waiting for the arrival of her baby. Kim is pretty disappointed that she has not come yet. She wanted to at least hold the baby once before coming over here, but she still has almost 2 days. She leaves Wednesday afternoon. Alyssa seems so excited that she will have a new "sister". She does not understand the concept of cousin, so this baby will be her sister.
I guess that is about all I can write today, everyone take care.
Ma'assalama -
Mike
Well Kim and Ashleigh will be here in 2 days and I need to clean the apartment up a little. I still have not gotten a bed for Ash to sleep in. Last year I moved the big couch into the bedroom and made it the entertainment room. I may do the same this time as well, it just depends on what she prefers. I really like the way the LR is arranged now but I can change it. I have priced beds here new and they are not cheaply priced, $350 to $500 with mattress, and those are the budget models. I have looked on some of the classified ad websites for beds and they are certainly reasonable, but I have a problem with a "USED" bed.
It has been a bit dusty lately but not as bad yet as they have forecast. The afternoons are a bit windy and that's when the dust kicks up. Temps are really warm but not any warmer or hotter than expected for this time of year. The Girls may have a time adjusting to it. but I don't mind it at all.
Still no elevator. I have no clue what the hold up is unless it is inspections. I am pretty sure the work has all been finished. So again we wait for it to work.
Still trying to bake the perfect loaf of whole wheat bread. Seems to always come out dry and crumbly so I have to modify the recipe some more. More liquid or less flour or both. I guess since the relative humidity is so low here, I may need more liquid, so on the next loaf I will try that. The bread does taste great though, but I will also add more honey to the dough, and maybe some OATS, both will help retain moisture in the bread when it bakes ( so I have read). Also want to get a bread slicing jig. Maybe Ikea has one that will not break my bank.
Krista is still waiting for the arrival of her baby. Kim is pretty disappointed that she has not come yet. She wanted to at least hold the baby once before coming over here, but she still has almost 2 days. She leaves Wednesday afternoon. Alyssa seems so excited that she will have a new "sister". She does not understand the concept of cousin, so this baby will be her sister.
I guess that is about all I can write today, everyone take care.
Ma'assalama -
Mike
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Happy 4th of July!
Hello - Marhaba!
Well there were no fireworks here for the 4th, but I did have 3 days off. So I spent my time wisely, watching TV and eating and cooking. Since I do not have a grill to cook out on I baked a chicken, and fixed some sort of brown rice concoction with all kinds of junk in it. Actually it came out pretty darn good and now I gotta figure out what all I put in it so I can recreate it later. I baked some whole wheat bread the other day, so I finished off that loaf today with dinner. Here are some pictures of the my creations, and I must say they tasted GREAT! BTW, I do have left overs, so I will be eating them tomorrow and beyond for dinner.
On another note, the elevator people have been working on the lift and hopefully it will be done in a few days. I don't know how much more they have to do, so I am only guessing.
Kim and Ashleigh will be here in 2 weeks, and I am looking forward to that. I have plans to teach Ashleigh how to cook more than Ramen Noodles.
Well that's it for today, TTYL
Ma'assalama
Mike
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
June 24, 2009
Marhaba,
Well I have been in the new place a full month now and Guess what? They still do not have the lift working, so I have to trudge up the stairs daily. They have been working on the elevator though, very, very slowly. Actually, the stairs are not all that bad unless I go shopping and have a ton of groceries to get up the stairs, and it is good exercise. This week I was totally bored so I roasted a chicken in my little "easy bake " oven, and I must say it was delicious. Then still being bored, I bought some whole wheat flour while shopping and started baking bread and it turned out "not too bad" for a first attempt at whole wheat bread. I will modify my recipe some to get a better taste.
I really need to get back into using the Wii for exercise, I still play Tiger Woods golf and have been using my dumb bell weights plus the stair climbing, so I don't feel TOO bad about the Wii. I may bowl a few games when I get home today.
The weather here is pretty hot, but I guess I am used to it this year as I don't seem to mind the heat at all now. The main thing is to stay hydrated and not be in the direct sun for too long. Mostly though, I stay in doors at home or at work or at the mall when I go shopping and the car has an excellent A/C unit.
My girls sent me season 5 of Stargate SG-1 on DVD for fathers day, so I have been watching a few episodes daily in the afternoon. Also I have found some Arabic language pod casts and have been listening to them trying to add a few new words to my vocabulary.
Well folks, that's about all I can think of for now so I will say Ma'Assalama.
Mike
Well I have been in the new place a full month now and Guess what? They still do not have the lift working, so I have to trudge up the stairs daily. They have been working on the elevator though, very, very slowly. Actually, the stairs are not all that bad unless I go shopping and have a ton of groceries to get up the stairs, and it is good exercise. This week I was totally bored so I roasted a chicken in my little "easy bake " oven, and I must say it was delicious. Then still being bored, I bought some whole wheat flour while shopping and started baking bread and it turned out "not too bad" for a first attempt at whole wheat bread. I will modify my recipe some to get a better taste.
I really need to get back into using the Wii for exercise, I still play Tiger Woods golf and have been using my dumb bell weights plus the stair climbing, so I don't feel TOO bad about the Wii. I may bowl a few games when I get home today.
The weather here is pretty hot, but I guess I am used to it this year as I don't seem to mind the heat at all now. The main thing is to stay hydrated and not be in the direct sun for too long. Mostly though, I stay in doors at home or at work or at the mall when I go shopping and the car has an excellent A/C unit.
My girls sent me season 5 of Stargate SG-1 on DVD for fathers day, so I have been watching a few episodes daily in the afternoon. Also I have found some Arabic language pod casts and have been listening to them trying to add a few new words to my vocabulary.
Well folks, that's about all I can think of for now so I will say Ma'Assalama.
Mike
Monday, June 1, 2009
1 June 2009
Marhaba!
Today is the first of June and I am officially moved into my new flat (although I actually moved in a week ago). I love this new place. I finally got the Orbit satellite people to come by and install the sat dish I bought and now I have all my channels, even some I was not aware I should be getting. I will need to get a dual LNB for when Ashleigh and Kim get here so I can run another drop to another room. I have another Sat box but it is not smart card compatible so it only gets the FTA signals ( free to air) and those are mostly Arabic language. So, I will most likely buy a new smart card capable box and that way I will be able to swap the smart card if I need too. I will also check to see if I can get another smart card for a "reasonable" price, but that I doubt.
Today is a bit dusty, the wind has been blowing and the dust is in the air though the weather reports call it hazy. Today will be a good test of how well the windows in this flat seal out the dust. The previous flats' windows were not much better than screen doors when it came to blocking the dust out, so this is a test. So far, so good.
I need to shop for some new furniture for one of the bedrooms, and I want to get a sewing table for Kim for when she gets over here. Maybe I will check the Friday souk, but maybe not. That place is a zoo, I think I would rather pay extra not to deal with that.
I am supposed to have an electrician stop by and check the circuit in the spare bedroom, in fact he was supposed to stop back yesterday but he was a no show. So I will wait again for him to show today. A good thing it is in the spare room and I have nothing better to do right now except finishing the laundry I started.
Well, I just finished making (and eating) a tuna salad sandwich on whole wheat with lettuce, tomato and low fat cheese, and am currently watching the Today Show that comes on in the afternoon here from 2 pm until 6 pm. I really enjoy watching the show because it is live and keeps me in touch with stateside news and weather, plus it is very entertaining.
Time to go for now. TTYL
Ma'assalama
Mike
Today is the first of June and I am officially moved into my new flat (although I actually moved in a week ago). I love this new place. I finally got the Orbit satellite people to come by and install the sat dish I bought and now I have all my channels, even some I was not aware I should be getting. I will need to get a dual LNB for when Ashleigh and Kim get here so I can run another drop to another room. I have another Sat box but it is not smart card compatible so it only gets the FTA signals ( free to air) and those are mostly Arabic language. So, I will most likely buy a new smart card capable box and that way I will be able to swap the smart card if I need too. I will also check to see if I can get another smart card for a "reasonable" price, but that I doubt.
Today is a bit dusty, the wind has been blowing and the dust is in the air though the weather reports call it hazy. Today will be a good test of how well the windows in this flat seal out the dust. The previous flats' windows were not much better than screen doors when it came to blocking the dust out, so this is a test. So far, so good.
I need to shop for some new furniture for one of the bedrooms, and I want to get a sewing table for Kim for when she gets over here. Maybe I will check the Friday souk, but maybe not. That place is a zoo, I think I would rather pay extra not to deal with that.
I am supposed to have an electrician stop by and check the circuit in the spare bedroom, in fact he was supposed to stop back yesterday but he was a no show. So I will wait again for him to show today. A good thing it is in the spare room and I have nothing better to do right now except finishing the laundry I started.
Well, I just finished making (and eating) a tuna salad sandwich on whole wheat with lettuce, tomato and low fat cheese, and am currently watching the Today Show that comes on in the afternoon here from 2 pm until 6 pm. I really enjoy watching the show because it is live and keeps me in touch with stateside news and weather, plus it is very entertaining.
Time to go for now. TTYL
Ma'assalama
Mike
Monday, May 25, 2009
DIDN'T I SAY I HATE MOVING?
Marhaba,
Finally, I am moved from the old flat to the new flat. Yesterday I called several movers to come over to give me an estimate. The first one to show up said he would do it for 70KD, but we settled on 55 KD. Odd that the previous mover started at 70 and settled on 55. I decided not to wait for the other mover to show up since this one had his crew with him already. So, I gave him the nod and they started grabbing furniture and maybe 2 hours later they had finished. Actually it was worth it because these guys were BIG! I was amazed, one fellow grabbed the refrigerator and carried it down the stairs on his back and then carried it up three flights of stairs on his back. I am so glad this move is OVER!!!
Now to get the boxes open and stuff put away. I still have a few items in the car that need to be moved in, but last night I was just too tired to climb the stairs again. I sure hope the elevator gets finished soon.
I was going to take a day off to get the flat organized, but then decided I would rather not burn a "V" day to do it since I have all the time I need after work. My social calendar here in Kuwait is currently empty, so I have no need to hurry up with anything.
Note to all: "when you move and pack your boxes, be sure to mark the contents on the box."
Granted, I am going to open all the boxes, but it would be easier to stage them in the appropriate area first. I can't believe how much stuff I have accumulated since I have gotten here. I arrived with two suitcase's, now it is the two suitcases and 20 boxes of stuff and I could not believe how much food I had in the fridge and freezer.
My next project will be to get the satellite dish installed and hooked up. The previous building had a central dish system, but this one does not. I bought my own dish and will get it installed eventually, no hurry there since TV is a distraction and currently I have seen everything that is on TV here since they run shows that are several years old. I think they are still playing Stargate SG-1, season one. But, I am glad I can get ALL my channels from one satellite, so setup should be a snap.
well , I guess that's all the news that's fit to print.
TTYL - Ma'assalama
Mike
Finally, I am moved from the old flat to the new flat. Yesterday I called several movers to come over to give me an estimate. The first one to show up said he would do it for 70KD, but we settled on 55 KD. Odd that the previous mover started at 70 and settled on 55. I decided not to wait for the other mover to show up since this one had his crew with him already. So, I gave him the nod and they started grabbing furniture and maybe 2 hours later they had finished. Actually it was worth it because these guys were BIG! I was amazed, one fellow grabbed the refrigerator and carried it down the stairs on his back and then carried it up three flights of stairs on his back. I am so glad this move is OVER!!!
Now to get the boxes open and stuff put away. I still have a few items in the car that need to be moved in, but last night I was just too tired to climb the stairs again. I sure hope the elevator gets finished soon.
I was going to take a day off to get the flat organized, but then decided I would rather not burn a "V" day to do it since I have all the time I need after work. My social calendar here in Kuwait is currently empty, so I have no need to hurry up with anything.
Note to all: "when you move and pack your boxes, be sure to mark the contents on the box."
Granted, I am going to open all the boxes, but it would be easier to stage them in the appropriate area first. I can't believe how much stuff I have accumulated since I have gotten here. I arrived with two suitcase's, now it is the two suitcases and 20 boxes of stuff and I could not believe how much food I had in the fridge and freezer.
My next project will be to get the satellite dish installed and hooked up. The previous building had a central dish system, but this one does not. I bought my own dish and will get it installed eventually, no hurry there since TV is a distraction and currently I have seen everything that is on TV here since they run shows that are several years old. I think they are still playing Stargate SG-1, season one. But, I am glad I can get ALL my channels from one satellite, so setup should be a snap.
well , I guess that's all the news that's fit to print.
TTYL - Ma'assalama
Mike
Saturday, May 23, 2009
Moving...
Marhaba!
My god it is getting hot here. Not even 8 am and the temp is 95, the forecast high for today is 118 and even hotter tomorrow. I have been up and at it since 4 am today , boxing stuff up and then taking the boxes to the car. Yesterday I moved the wooden closet over piece by piece and got it setup and ready for my clothes, swept and mopped the floor and finished after 6 pm. I was planning to take more stuff over but I sat on the couch and could not find the energy to move. Then around 7:30 pm the house boy, Ramadan, started showing the flat to some prospective tenants, two Kuwaiti couples then an American couple, not to mention the two women that viewed the flat earlier in the day. Ramadan told me this morning that three of the four that have looked at the place want it, asking me what he should do. I said basically "money talks". Telling him the first to pay the lease and sign the contract would be the winners. He agreed.
I have a load of stuff to move over in the car, and was ready to go but Ramadan came by with his buckets and stuff and was going to wash the car while it was still cool, so I decide to take a short break while he does his thing. Looking around the flat I see more stuff that I can load in the car, since I still have room, so I will have a pretty full load when I do go over. It would not be so bad but my new flat is on the third floor and the lift is not finished. The building owner has been saying "10 days - Insha'alla (god willing)" since last month, which means maybe by the 12th, (of never).. so I guess I am getting plenty of cardio exercise. I had a mover look over the flats and got a quote for the big stuff, at first he said maybe 50 KD , but since I am on the 3rd flor at the new place and second floor in the old place, and my washer and dryer are on the 3 floor here, he said 70 KD. I haggled him back down to 55 KD but I sill think that is two much. But I have to do something. I will call the Realtor that handled the lease and see if he can find me a better price. Heck, for the commission I paid him he should move it all himself. They have a real scam going on here, as most all Realtors are freelance and the commision is 1/2 months rent, I guess they provide a service.
Well, Timeto get back to it!
Have a GREAT DAY! Ya'LL
TTYL, Ma'assalama
Mike
My god it is getting hot here. Not even 8 am and the temp is 95, the forecast high for today is 118 and even hotter tomorrow. I have been up and at it since 4 am today , boxing stuff up and then taking the boxes to the car. Yesterday I moved the wooden closet over piece by piece and got it setup and ready for my clothes, swept and mopped the floor and finished after 6 pm. I was planning to take more stuff over but I sat on the couch and could not find the energy to move. Then around 7:30 pm the house boy, Ramadan, started showing the flat to some prospective tenants, two Kuwaiti couples then an American couple, not to mention the two women that viewed the flat earlier in the day. Ramadan told me this morning that three of the four that have looked at the place want it, asking me what he should do. I said basically "money talks". Telling him the first to pay the lease and sign the contract would be the winners. He agreed.
I have a load of stuff to move over in the car, and was ready to go but Ramadan came by with his buckets and stuff and was going to wash the car while it was still cool, so I decide to take a short break while he does his thing. Looking around the flat I see more stuff that I can load in the car, since I still have room, so I will have a pretty full load when I do go over. It would not be so bad but my new flat is on the third floor and the lift is not finished. The building owner has been saying "10 days - Insha'alla (god willing)" since last month, which means maybe by the 12th, (of never).. so I guess I am getting plenty of cardio exercise. I had a mover look over the flats and got a quote for the big stuff, at first he said maybe 50 KD , but since I am on the 3rd flor at the new place and second floor in the old place, and my washer and dryer are on the 3 floor here, he said 70 KD. I haggled him back down to 55 KD but I sill think that is two much. But I have to do something. I will call the Realtor that handled the lease and see if he can find me a better price. Heck, for the commission I paid him he should move it all himself. They have a real scam going on here, as most all Realtors are freelance and the commision is 1/2 months rent, I guess they provide a service.
Well, Timeto get back to it!
Have a GREAT DAY! Ya'LL
TTYL, Ma'assalama
Mike
Monday, May 11, 2009
Sometimes "Time Flies"... other times it doesn't
Marhaba!
Today is May 11, 2009. I have been preparing to move to my new flat since signing the lease 2 weeks ago, the landlord has assured me it will be ready by the 15th or maybe the 20th :-( .I just wish I could start moving things over like the boxes of stuff already packed and some of the small furniture items. Since I am doing this move myself I would appreciate all the time I can get. Still have not figured out how I will get the bigger things moved yet. I was reading on a few blogs about moving in Kuwait and I have heard that it does not come cheap if you hire a professional company, but I will ask about and see who can help. The real estate agent said he would help? I wonder if he will help me find a mover or help physically. I will find out when it comes time to actually move. I will need someone with a truck, even though the new place is 1/2 km or less away (about a big city block). I will stop by today again and see what progress has been made. The biggest problem now is the kitchen needs the plumbing installed. Other than that, most of the work has been done. The landlord, last time we spoke, was still not sure if he was going to put the exterior storm shades on.
I have been trying to catch a photo of the native spiny tail lizards but when I have my camera I see no lizards and when I don't, I do. How do they know if I have it or not? I see a lot of dead ones on the road, they don't appear to be too bright, other than the bright yellow color. I have steered to miss several, they run out onto the road then stop and stare you down. But many drivers just plow them over, either for fun or just too lazy to steer clear of them. The weather is warm here but still cool enough that they come out of their burrows. Soon it will be too HOT even for the lizards
.
Update1: I went by the new flat after work and met with the landlord and looked around. things are looking really good and he again assured me that he would have the apartment finished in 5 days or so, storm shades and all, and that I could start moving things end by this coming week end. That is GREAT!!!
Update2: As I was leaving work I saw this character looking at me, and I had my camera so I was finally able to capture one in a picture! This one is not so yellow so it must be an older lizard. I think the young ones are bright yellow.. This one is pretty large, you can see a plastic shopping bag near it for comparison. I am not sure what they eat, but this one does not look like it has missed any meals. I have seen them eating the flower buds on the plants in the foreground.
Well have a Great Day!
Ma'assalama - TTYL
Mike
Today is May 11, 2009. I have been preparing to move to my new flat since signing the lease 2 weeks ago, the landlord has assured me it will be ready by the 15th or maybe the 20th :-( .I just wish I could start moving things over like the boxes of stuff already packed and some of the small furniture items. Since I am doing this move myself I would appreciate all the time I can get. Still have not figured out how I will get the bigger things moved yet. I was reading on a few blogs about moving in Kuwait and I have heard that it does not come cheap if you hire a professional company, but I will ask about and see who can help. The real estate agent said he would help? I wonder if he will help me find a mover or help physically. I will find out when it comes time to actually move. I will need someone with a truck, even though the new place is 1/2 km or less away (about a big city block). I will stop by today again and see what progress has been made. The biggest problem now is the kitchen needs the plumbing installed. Other than that, most of the work has been done. The landlord, last time we spoke, was still not sure if he was going to put the exterior storm shades on.
I have been trying to catch a photo of the native spiny tail lizards but when I have my camera I see no lizards and when I don't, I do. How do they know if I have it or not? I see a lot of dead ones on the road, they don't appear to be too bright, other than the bright yellow color. I have steered to miss several, they run out onto the road then stop and stare you down. But many drivers just plow them over, either for fun or just too lazy to steer clear of them. The weather is warm here but still cool enough that they come out of their burrows. Soon it will be too HOT even for the lizards
.Update1: I went by the new flat after work and met with the landlord and looked around. things are looking really good and he again assured me that he would have the apartment finished in 5 days or so, storm shades and all, and that I could start moving things end by this coming week end. That is GREAT!!!
Update2: As I was leaving work I saw this character looking at me, and I had my camera so I was finally able to capture one in a picture! This one is not so yellow so it must be an older lizard. I think the young ones are bright yellow.. This one is pretty large, you can see a plastic shopping bag near it for comparison. I am not sure what they eat, but this one does not look like it has missed any meals. I have seen them eating the flower buds on the plants in the foreground.
Well have a Great Day!
Ma'assalama - TTYL
Mike
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
End Of April
Marhaba!
Time again to write something. Well, Kim has been gone nearly a month now and I have been back in Kuwait for 2 weeks. Things are changing here. My downstairs neighbors (American) moved out at the end of March, and I now have a Kuwaiti family living in the apartment below me. That in itself is not a bad thing , but they do have two small kids that like to yell and scream and it is very noisy now in my apartment. So, I have looked and found a new flat not far from this one, about a five minute walk away. It is brand new, located on the 3rd floor and has a few amenities this flat does not offer. Mainly a full size kitchen and a laundry room located inside the apartment rather than on the floor above. This will prove handy for doing laundry and the full kitchen will be nice also. It also includes satellite service although I have to supply the sat receiver box.
I had a pretty good time on R&R doing things that needed to be done, celebrating belated birthdays and anniversaries, going to dinner and visiting friends. I had some good days for riding though the temps were a bit chillier that I would have liked, Kim and I still had some enjoyable rides.
I took the entire family out to dinner one night for celebrations, it was Kim and my anniversary dinner, Ashleigh's birthday, Lyssa's birthday, Kim's birthday, Chris' Birthday, Krista's birthday, Chris and Carla's anniversary but mainly it was a family get together. We all had a Great Time!
I also took the grand kids to the Norfolk Zoo. It has certainly changed since the last time I had visited there. It is much nicer now than I remember it being a zillion years ago. We also did a day trip to Busch Gardens and had a good time there with the kids and family. I rode several of the roller coasters, but mostly it was a day for the kids.
Well I guess that's about all for now. TTYL
Ma'assalama
Mike
Time again to write something. Well, Kim has been gone nearly a month now and I have been back in Kuwait for 2 weeks. Things are changing here. My downstairs neighbors (American) moved out at the end of March, and I now have a Kuwaiti family living in the apartment below me. That in itself is not a bad thing , but they do have two small kids that like to yell and scream and it is very noisy now in my apartment. So, I have looked and found a new flat not far from this one, about a five minute walk away. It is brand new, located on the 3rd floor and has a few amenities this flat does not offer. Mainly a full size kitchen and a laundry room located inside the apartment rather than on the floor above. This will prove handy for doing laundry and the full kitchen will be nice also. It also includes satellite service although I have to supply the sat receiver box.
I had a pretty good time on R&R doing things that needed to be done, celebrating belated birthdays and anniversaries, going to dinner and visiting friends. I had some good days for riding though the temps were a bit chillier that I would have liked, Kim and I still had some enjoyable rides.
I took the entire family out to dinner one night for celebrations, it was Kim and my anniversary dinner, Ashleigh's birthday, Lyssa's birthday, Kim's birthday, Chris' Birthday, Krista's birthday, Chris and Carla's anniversary but mainly it was a family get together. We all had a Great Time!
I also took the grand kids to the Norfolk Zoo. It has certainly changed since the last time I had visited there. It is much nicer now than I remember it being a zillion years ago. We also did a day trip to Busch Gardens and had a good time there with the kids and family. I rode several of the roller coasters, but mostly it was a day for the kids.
Well I guess that's about all for now. TTYL
Ma'assalama
Mike
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Time Flies when you are having Fun....
With that being said, Kim and I are leaving Kuwait tonight to fly back to the states, me for a 2 week R&R and Kim to stay a few months until July. She and Ashleigh will return for a few months in the summer. I guess I will be a bachelor again until then. Kim really likes it here as she has met a few women in a quilting club, and of course that is right up her alley. I even bought her a sewing machine for her to use while she is here and she seems to have really done some great quilting projects with it.
My plans for R&R are to spend a lot of time with the grand kids, I have already committed to taking Alyssa and Ashleigh to the Norfolk Zoo, and I am actually looking forward to that. Then I want to make a trip to Busch Gardens, Kim wants to ride to Arlington National, and I want to get some good motorcycle riding done. Depending on the weather, we may take a day trip on the bike to D.C. That may be a stretch for comfort for Kim, so we will think hard about that.
Other that all that I need to get my bags packed, it is so hard to decide what to bring and how much stuff to bring. I want to pack light, so that makes the task even more difficult.
Well, onwards and upwards..
TTYL, hope to see as many people as possible while home.
Ma'assalama
Mike
My plans for R&R are to spend a lot of time with the grand kids, I have already committed to taking Alyssa and Ashleigh to the Norfolk Zoo, and I am actually looking forward to that. Then I want to make a trip to Busch Gardens, Kim wants to ride to Arlington National, and I want to get some good motorcycle riding done. Depending on the weather, we may take a day trip on the bike to D.C. That may be a stretch for comfort for Kim, so we will think hard about that.
Other that all that I need to get my bags packed, it is so hard to decide what to bring and how much stuff to bring. I want to pack light, so that makes the task even more difficult.
Well, onwards and upwards..
TTYL, hope to see as many people as possible while home.
Ma'assalama
Mike
Saturday, March 7, 2009
Driving in Kuwait
This is a post I started a while back, but did not post
Well, I haven't ranted in a while.
I was reading an article on the MOI website (Ministry of Interior) the other day and the topic was the "high number of accidents that happen on the highways..". Always pointing the guilty finger at someone else, the article went on to state that the high volume of truck traffic and the lack of safety standards for trucks was the main cause of many accidents. I agree with that 100%. I have seen trucks on the highway here that look as if they were taken from a scrap yard and put on the highway. But not mentioned was the fact that many drivers drive excessively fast. The typical posted speed on the main roads is 120 kph ( about 75 mph ) but let me tell you that is not the average speed. Trucks do between 60 and 100 kph, then you have the drivers who are too timid to do 120 so they get into the middle lane and do 80 kph. the inside left lane (most roads are 3 lanes) is the free for all. That's where you have to go with the flow of usually 140 - 150 kph or faster since the middle and far right lanes are so much slower.
Occasionally you will get a driver that will get right on your back bumper and flash his lights. You have two options at that point, speed up to find a hole to jump into or slow down and get behind a slow moving car or truck in the middle lane. It's just ridiculous!
I have seen drivers driving in excess of 150 kph go from the inside left lane across all lanes of traffic to make an exit, in less than 50 meters, with no turn signals and an obvious disregard for life or limb. So trucks are not the entire problem. It's the IDIOT car drivers that cause trucks that are in poor mechanical condition with truck drivers that have little experience or common sense, that cause most accidents.
Now you may ask, " Where is any police enforcement?".
HA! Police enforcement here is non existent. I have actually seen a police car stopped at a red light and have seen 2 - to 3 vehicles run the red lights and the policeman does nothing. I think they are afraid to do anything. Possible lack of training is a reason or possibly a fear that they may encounter a relative.
Another thing that gets me is that many locals WILL NOT use head lights even at night, and certainly not during bad weather. During some of the frequent sand storms where visibility is a few meters at best , there are people driving as if it were a clear day, with no headlights on, driving extremely fast and as always, darting in and out of traffic.
The Kuwait Times reports every day, articles about unsafe driving and the accident reports, the numbers of dead and injured and how people need to drive more safely, but it seems that it only falls on deaf ears.
After reading the article from MOI, they concluded that the only way to solve the problem was for motorist to drive more safely. . (and putting the fox in charge of the hen house will make the chickens more safe also.)
END OF RANT..
Ma'assalama - Have a GREAT DAY and remember to drive safely.
Well, I haven't ranted in a while.
I was reading an article on the MOI website (Ministry of Interior) the other day and the topic was the "high number of accidents that happen on the highways..". Always pointing the guilty finger at someone else, the article went on to state that the high volume of truck traffic and the lack of safety standards for trucks was the main cause of many accidents. I agree with that 100%. I have seen trucks on the highway here that look as if they were taken from a scrap yard and put on the highway. But not mentioned was the fact that many drivers drive excessively fast. The typical posted speed on the main roads is 120 kph ( about 75 mph ) but let me tell you that is not the average speed. Trucks do between 60 and 100 kph, then you have the drivers who are too timid to do 120 so they get into the middle lane and do 80 kph. the inside left lane (most roads are 3 lanes) is the free for all. That's where you have to go with the flow of usually 140 - 150 kph or faster since the middle and far right lanes are so much slower.
Occasionally you will get a driver that will get right on your back bumper and flash his lights. You have two options at that point, speed up to find a hole to jump into or slow down and get behind a slow moving car or truck in the middle lane. It's just ridiculous!
I have seen drivers driving in excess of 150 kph go from the inside left lane across all lanes of traffic to make an exit, in less than 50 meters, with no turn signals and an obvious disregard for life or limb. So trucks are not the entire problem. It's the IDIOT car drivers that cause trucks that are in poor mechanical condition with truck drivers that have little experience or common sense, that cause most accidents.
Now you may ask, " Where is any police enforcement?".
HA! Police enforcement here is non existent. I have actually seen a police car stopped at a red light and have seen 2 - to 3 vehicles run the red lights and the policeman does nothing. I think they are afraid to do anything. Possible lack of training is a reason or possibly a fear that they may encounter a relative.
Another thing that gets me is that many locals WILL NOT use head lights even at night, and certainly not during bad weather. During some of the frequent sand storms where visibility is a few meters at best , there are people driving as if it were a clear day, with no headlights on, driving extremely fast and as always, darting in and out of traffic.
The Kuwait Times reports every day, articles about unsafe driving and the accident reports, the numbers of dead and injured and how people need to drive more safely, but it seems that it only falls on deaf ears.
After reading the article from MOI, they concluded that the only way to solve the problem was for motorist to drive more safely. . (and putting the fox in charge of the hen house will make the chickens more safe also.)
END OF RANT..
Ma'assalama - Have a GREAT DAY and remember to drive safely.
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Kuwait Liberation Day Feb 26, 2009
Marhaba,
Well it's coming up on Liberation Day in Kuwait. The celebrations are much like independence day in the states. The entire state is lit up in the state flag colors of red white green and black, everywhere you look, buildings and apartments will have lights strung up or banners or flags. They also will have a parade route set up although I don't think there is a parade as Americans are accustomed too. The street is closed mainly for pedestrian traffic where people gather and celebrate by spraying silly string and confetti and all sorts of things. A very festive time here in Kuwait.
Today the weather is gloomy. Somewhat overcast and dusty/ foggy. Not sure which it is, but the temperatures are a pleasant 64. Kim and I a planning to take a ride into Kuwait City to get some nighttime photos of the lights, liberation tower and what ever else is lit up. I hope the air is clear this evening. Kim has been having fun video taping the road trips on the highway's. It is amazing the way some of the drivers cut in and out of traffic. I call it the Kuwaiti snake maneuvers. Unfortunately, some don't survive without an accident . I was driving to work just the other day and saw at least five fresh accidents on the highway, and at one the police were cleaning up an obvious fatality. Its a shame, even though there are plenty of laws to determine the way people should drive, I have seen very little (if any) enforcement. There are supposed to be cameras for speed enforcement, but again, I don't know that they are operational. So, until there is any true enforcement on the roads, drivers must take their lives into their own hands, being ever vigilant and driving extremely defensive.
So, enjoy your day where ever you are and check back here again soon.
Ma'assalama
TTYL
Mike
Well it's coming up on Liberation Day in Kuwait. The celebrations are much like independence day in the states. The entire state is lit up in the state flag colors of red white green and black, everywhere you look, buildings and apartments will have lights strung up or banners or flags. They also will have a parade route set up although I don't think there is a parade as Americans are accustomed too. The street is closed mainly for pedestrian traffic where people gather and celebrate by spraying silly string and confetti and all sorts of things. A very festive time here in Kuwait.
Today the weather is gloomy. Somewhat overcast and dusty/ foggy. Not sure which it is, but the temperatures are a pleasant 64. Kim and I a planning to take a ride into Kuwait City to get some nighttime photos of the lights, liberation tower and what ever else is lit up. I hope the air is clear this evening. Kim has been having fun video taping the road trips on the highway's. It is amazing the way some of the drivers cut in and out of traffic. I call it the Kuwaiti snake maneuvers. Unfortunately, some don't survive without an accident . I was driving to work just the other day and saw at least five fresh accidents on the highway, and at one the police were cleaning up an obvious fatality. Its a shame, even though there are plenty of laws to determine the way people should drive, I have seen very little (if any) enforcement. There are supposed to be cameras for speed enforcement, but again, I don't know that they are operational. So, until there is any true enforcement on the roads, drivers must take their lives into their own hands, being ever vigilant and driving extremely defensive.
So, enjoy your day where ever you are and check back here again soon.
Ma'assalama
TTYL
Mike
Saturday, January 31, 2009
January 31, 2009
Marhaba!
My, how time flies when you are busy and having fun. I can't believe it is the end of January already. I've been in country 11 months next week, but it really does not seen like it has been that long. I guess the emergency leave and home leave broke it up just enough.
The weather here this week is fabulous, We have had some rain, but not enough to really say it has rained. Today it will be in the 70's with plenty of bright sunshine. Kim and I are planning to take walks around the neighborhood for exercise, since the weather is so pleasant. We do walk around the malls when we go out shopping, but that isn't really exercise, is it?
Yesterday, we went to see the movie "Revolutionary Road". Good acting, but a strange story to my mind. Totally not what I was expecting. But then, I don't know what I was expecting from it. We went to see "Bride Wars" but the time schedule online was incorrect and we missed the beginning of the movie by 45 minutes, and "Revolutionary Road" was just about to start. so we took a chance. I am still mulling the story over in my head, maybe it will make sense later on.
Kim and I went to the Avenues mall again today and did 2 complete laps of the mall. one upstairs and the other downstairs. Total of about 2 miles. We did stop at Pizza Hut for lunch then did the laps. I have lunch for tomorrow also. I love left over pizza. It started to sprinkle again on the way home, so the air smells really fresh.
Well, I will write more as soon as I have something to say.
Ma'assalama ya'll.
TTYL
Mike
My, how time flies when you are busy and having fun. I can't believe it is the end of January already. I've been in country 11 months next week, but it really does not seen like it has been that long. I guess the emergency leave and home leave broke it up just enough.
The weather here this week is fabulous, We have had some rain, but not enough to really say it has rained. Today it will be in the 70's with plenty of bright sunshine. Kim and I are planning to take walks around the neighborhood for exercise, since the weather is so pleasant. We do walk around the malls when we go out shopping, but that isn't really exercise, is it?
Yesterday, we went to see the movie "Revolutionary Road". Good acting, but a strange story to my mind. Totally not what I was expecting. But then, I don't know what I was expecting from it. We went to see "Bride Wars" but the time schedule online was incorrect and we missed the beginning of the movie by 45 minutes, and "Revolutionary Road" was just about to start. so we took a chance. I am still mulling the story over in my head, maybe it will make sense later on.
Kim and I went to the Avenues mall again today and did 2 complete laps of the mall. one upstairs and the other downstairs. Total of about 2 miles. We did stop at Pizza Hut for lunch then did the laps. I have lunch for tomorrow also. I love left over pizza. It started to sprinkle again on the way home, so the air smells really fresh.
Well, I will write more as soon as I have something to say.
Ma'assalama ya'll.
TTYL
Mike
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Jan 14
Salam!
It's cold here in Kuwait. To hear the gal on the radio speak, you would think hell's going to freeze over at night, but it does warm up to the 50's and 60's or even higher during the day. The temps on the coast are higher than in the desert, sometimes by a significant amount, and the wind chill on the desert will cut right through you. So far I have only seen temps as low as 32 F. at night and that's about as low as it will ever get.
Kim has been here for a week now and she seems to be getting used to the time change and is getting her schedule back on track. I still go to bed early as I have to get up early, but since she is here now, I have been getting up about 30 minutes later than I used to because I do not have to call her now. It's really good to have some company in the same room with me, rather than on the computer.
I have been trying to get my diet back on track since R&R. I gained some weight while home and have been struggling to get rid of it since. My main problem is getting back into an exercise routine which seems to have slipped through the cracks. I try but just cannot get the enthusiasm going to continue, and I have been dealing with several colds since being back. I really need to do something thought because my blood sugar and pressure has crept higher (but not by much).
I have decided to start trying some of the ethnic foods available here. Kuwait has a large and diverse number of peoples and cultures from all over the world and there are restaurants from each that serve their specialties. I do not know how Kim will feel about that, I may have to wait until she leaves to start that adventure. She is such a picky eater sometimes.
Much to my surprise, the company took me out to dinner to celebrate my 20th anniversary with them. That was really nice and totally unexpected. I also get a 20 year service pin and an award gift from the company store. I am thinking of getting an engraved watch. I just have to remember to get online to order it.
Well, I guess that's all the news from Kuwait that's fit to print. So on that note I will close for now and say...
Ma'assalama
TTYL
Mike
It's cold here in Kuwait. To hear the gal on the radio speak, you would think hell's going to freeze over at night, but it does warm up to the 50's and 60's or even higher during the day. The temps on the coast are higher than in the desert, sometimes by a significant amount, and the wind chill on the desert will cut right through you. So far I have only seen temps as low as 32 F. at night and that's about as low as it will ever get.
Kim has been here for a week now and she seems to be getting used to the time change and is getting her schedule back on track. I still go to bed early as I have to get up early, but since she is here now, I have been getting up about 30 minutes later than I used to because I do not have to call her now. It's really good to have some company in the same room with me, rather than on the computer.
I have been trying to get my diet back on track since R&R. I gained some weight while home and have been struggling to get rid of it since. My main problem is getting back into an exercise routine which seems to have slipped through the cracks. I try but just cannot get the enthusiasm going to continue, and I have been dealing with several colds since being back. I really need to do something thought because my blood sugar and pressure has crept higher (but not by much).
I have decided to start trying some of the ethnic foods available here. Kuwait has a large and diverse number of peoples and cultures from all over the world and there are restaurants from each that serve their specialties. I do not know how Kim will feel about that, I may have to wait until she leaves to start that adventure. She is such a picky eater sometimes.
Much to my surprise, the company took me out to dinner to celebrate my 20th anniversary with them. That was really nice and totally unexpected. I also get a 20 year service pin and an award gift from the company store. I am thinking of getting an engraved watch. I just have to remember to get online to order it.
Well, I guess that's all the news from Kuwait that's fit to print. So on that note I will close for now and say...
Ma'assalama
TTYL
Mike
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