kiwi kit from Alosra – love that spoon!

I woke and went back to sleep while Caleb took a shower. I didn’t think that would take 30 minutes but he said I looked so peaceful laying there that he let me sleep. We took the dogs out and I saw a grocery bag floating in the wind. It landed in the sand where I picked it up and then walked the length of the grass picking up poo, beer bottles, cigarette packs, and anything else that caught my eye. We have to keep the dogs off the sand – part trash can part parking lot – because of all the broken glass. I don’t want to have to worry about the grass too.

Caleb was concerned about being early yesterday to get pictures of the real condition of the boat before others had a chance to clean it before chief would see it. This morning is more relaxed and I pull into the dirt lot to drop Caleb off. On the way home a lane is blocked off. A second of panic sets in as I think I will have to turn left to lost-ville or park and wait for the road to clear. Traffic begins to merge nicely until three cars roll up beside me. The large truck I’m following lets one in front of him and then I notice that we can go straight from the turn lane.

The other side of traffic is blocked because a dump truck somehow managed to get its trailer to hit the driver’s compartment. Yesterday we passed a car with no trunk. I thought they were putting it on the tow truck, but Caleb says that they only tow the ones that are getting repaired. They will send the wrecking truck to pick up the totalled ones to be driven out to their scrap yard that is a distance out of town.

At the hotel I have a kiwi before going to the buffet to try the muesli with raisins and nut shavings, etc. I grab a boiled egg and piece of chicken sausage for the dogs to share. They were getting used to me being gone and depending on whether I get a job or go to school that might not change. Looking into jobs, I can be an office clerk typing in data. I can type 80 words a minute (on a good day). My other two options are helping with MWR or youth programs which requires me to get a flu shot. All these jobs require a résumé, a spouse form, my passport, Caleb’s orders, a form saying I will work for the government, etc.

the way to breakfast at Yamin Jana

I get to see the houseboy clean my room. He changes the sheets on the bed, exchanges the towels in the bathroom, cleans the toilets, and gives me more mini-soaps when we have our own. I’m starting a collection that I will leave here. The furniture gets sprayed with lemon cleaner and wiped down, the floor swept and mopped, and the dishes washed. Maybe I do want housekeeping when we find a villa. They can come by 2-3 times a week, and they could do laundry too.

I have cereal for lunch and am posting pictures of Earth Day to Facebook when Caleb lets me know that he’s off work at noon. The Prince Khalifah Bin Salman Causeway is lined with the national flag to honour the visit of the Arab League here to discuss humanitarian efforts. Caleb goes by housing to pick up his water bottle that he forgot there yesterday and meets me at the NEX with a form to order dog food. They have a small selection and only one senior brand, so we order that in large bags. Caleb tells me we can pick them all up at once and we can store them in a closet in bulk.

I publish Day One Towards Alaska. Now that I have constant internet and all the writing done, editing words and pictures shouldn’t take long and I will be updated and moving on to more adventures. I get hungry early and we make spinach and cheese tortellini with green chillies, sun-dried tomatoes, and a white Ragu sauce. I notice that we don’t have a can opener and call room service. They tell me there is one beside the fridge – that’s a bottle opener. Caleb stabs open the chillies, I dump them on dinner, and we are eating when the doorbell rings. They are here to tell us that they would have to take it to the kitchen and bring it back.

Tonight will be a double feature. Caleb is feeling sleepy and I give him the options to walk, swim, read, shop, etc. He chooses the TV. We watch War Horse – a story about a boy and his equestrian friend. Laundry is done and we hang our semi-dry clothes among the furniture in the den and second bedroom so they can dry over night. Then we watch Maid in Manhattan – a match between a maid and a guy running for senator. I know there are better ways to spend our time, but we blame our television indiscretions on being in a new country, not having our stuff yet, jet lag, poor lighting in the hotel, and an overall sense to not accomplish too much in this heat.