Beauty and the Beast at the British Club

Posted on December 6, 2019 by TheJessicaness

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Caleb being at work hasn’t slowed me down from going out, but going to the British Club and hoping to get in without a member(ship) could have. I was going to see the matinee of Beauty and the Beast Pantomime — where there is always a girl dressed as a boy (who would get the audience to say oui, oui — louder and longer), a Dame played by a man who is an over-the-top (best costume) dressed woman (Fifi, controller of the bright red handle), a sassy heroine (Belle), and some bad guys that we got to boo!

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I got to the ticket window and was lucky enough to buy one of the last three tickets. It is my first time here and didn’t leave me many minutes to explore the sports fields or heated pool before the show started. I sat near the back, as the front was full of the other 120 people, with parents putting little ones in their laps to make more room. The show was a great mix of local knowledge and being snobbish towards other clubs (Yacht and Rugby). It was British humor with a French touch as that’s where the story is set. There were a few changes to the storyline and a moral that beauty is more than skin deep.

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Belle, Gaston, Beast, and Mrs. Potts

Belle was trying to get the Beast to invite her to dinner politely and when she asked which word came next the voice of a three-year-old girl from the audience answered for him and received ahhs and applause from the crowd for her cute, “please”. There was an intermission for more popcorn on the floor and beers in hand, but I stayed in my seat perched on my ankles so I could get my camera over heads. The costumes were great and the engagement so authentic between actors and involved spectators. Dusk had arrived when I left the small theater two hours later.

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United In the Kingdom

Posted on December 5, 2019 by TheJessicaness
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candy cane tables on base

I start the morning trying out our new blender and realize that the tinier ice cubes will melt faster than the large ones that don’t break, and the blender didn’t go up in smoke so I look forward to doing this more often. I get in some steps as I walk to the phone counter upstairs in the shopping building on base to reload Caleb’s data card, but on the way, I hear a gate guard talking about Montana and his plans to retire after ten years active duty and find a city large enough, but somewhat close to his small-town home that can give him a job in the big country so he can avoid desert islands.

Our retirement will look a little different as we go in search of deserts to drive, islands to dive, and mountains to climb so that we can train for a six-month hike, possibly once or four times on one or three continents before we hit our over-the-hill age (though Caleb’s body is already trying to accomplish this feat). I look forward to Caleb being able to sleep in for a week straight and planning for things more than a month in advance. We will get to build our hobbies together regardless of the size of the city, state, or country that we find ourselves in any given year.

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McGettigan’s backyard

While Caleb is busy patrolling the construction site that is his work (and trying to keep the Captain from coming into work every chance he gets) I’m on foot towards Adliya in search of McGettigan’s where there will be a tree lighting and mulled wine, serving to start at 6:30 and hot from what appears to be a witches cauldron. There are also mince pies, chocolate-covered marshmallows, and Rice Krispie Treats. As if the night couldn’t get better I get to catch up with Hanan and his wife, wear Santa hats that were passed out to everyone, and chat about some upcoming travel to Tbilisi.

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Madhan and me in the middle

 

We parted ways and I was invited to join a group sitting along the side of DePart, a temporary pavilion, with a phone projector watching a cartoon film on the next building. I would’ve loved the camaraderie and conversation that would’ve ensued but I had a friend, Princess, to get to at Jim’s Restaurant — only to find out she didn’t know the guys in the band, but within seven degrees of separation, they somehow knew a guy she was being casual with. We met a bunch of kind and older British guys that kept us entertained until the show stopped and a group of Irish lads took to dancing on chairs (with help from the manager) to songs from their native country on the jukebox.

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Tea, Taxi, Top

Posted on December 4, 2019 by TheJessicaness

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I got to catch my second mini-roach critter and release it outside in hopes that the birds would eat him, but I think the bird parents murdered their eggs by throwing them on the ground and leaving three puddles of unpoached babies on the pavement by the pool. I was taking our recyclables to the base as the station for plastic bottles, cardboard, and aluminum on the corner off base is always overflowing. I see the want is there but the need hasn’t been fully met and since I only have a tiny bit to bring I can collect a hundred other bottles to bring with me, even if most of them are still full of water.

Besides all the death and disregard, I was invited for a tea or coffee at the corner taxi station and I took a cup of Bahraini coffee (one scoop into the pitcher with some saffron) — even if it meant that one of the guys moved to their covered area to escape my calves (they can be intimidating). I talked with Jay and after his 18 years on this corner he has learned a lot about the Navy and the personality of its inhabitants while he cooks and plays games and waits to tote the crew between base and bar, both places allowing the sailors to consume alcohol until they’re out past curfew.

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Caleb and I would spend the night playing Skip-Bo past his bedtime because after years of playing intermittently he has finally hit a winning streak and besides our walks, it’s a nice way to unwind and listen to an annoying radio host that you used to kind of know (enough that she got invited to Caleb’s birthday party) as she seems to get jobs all over the island but that hasn’t rid her of the over-the-top morning personality that oozes from her, which is also a nice thing about her.

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Taco Tuesday Taken Away

Posted on December 3, 2019 by TheJessicaness

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pre-carb workout

I’ve been postponing Taco Tuesday — free tacos and then some trivia sponsored by the base — because other things came up (i.e. Caleb’s job). We finally get to go, even after Caleb gets off work late, and invite someone from the ship only to learn that the base stopped doing it. This only meant I got to eat Al Abraaj bread (delicious fluffy and flat brown bread) baked on the spot and wrapped in foil to-go with falafels and vegetable samboosa at the house.

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Countdown to Cake

Posted on December 1, 2019 by TheJessicaness

Another countdown from the atrocity that has become Black Friday to Cyber Monday weekend, plus extended hours and days to buy things for yourself and family members to open on Christmas to show them how much you care about the items they can later throw away. I always loved the gifts my mom got me, feeling like she knew me the most and then Caleb came along and got to know me on a different level — one more adult and personal, but a change happened to where we stopped collecting panties and cups and other trinkets and experiencing moments that would last in our memories for as long as we could take pictures, write about them, and retell them.

In living with this tradition, we have started off the month with a BBQ of steaks and chicken for the guys, veggie skewers with pineapple for me, and some sausages for Michael’s (renter of the villa where the event was held in Amwaj) British girlfriend when she arrived later after work. Caleb made potato salad and there were two giant bowls of mac-n-cheese (one more al dente than the other) to go along with other food. Some guys watched TV while I got to meet Cheng (Reggie is his civilian name) and who Caleb had made a birthday cake for — to celebrate the oldest guy on their ship at 37 years old.

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