Dog walk in Greens

Saturday 23 Jan was a bit of a homework catchup day- but we still got out to have a walk around the lakes at Greens with Pepper. He jumps into the back of the car before I get the hatch fully open. There is a Costa and a Bert's Cafe right opposite the park so we got some take-out Latte and Cappucino for a pitstop halfway. We booked him in for grooming next Saturday, his fur is really long.

Ian and Jeanette's visit part 2

It was an eventful week with Jeanette and Ian- I was able to take a couple of days leave which was good. On Monday night Liz and I went with Ian and Jeanette to see a film in Gold Class at the Mall of the Emirates- big leather lazy boy reclining chairs and waiter service to bring nachos- we saw Bad Lieutenant with Nick Cage. Tuesday night we had a Thai meal at the Mango Tree overlooking the fountains at Burj Khalifa and then had a drink at Bar 63 on the top of the Address hotel. During the days they visited the JBR beach, Jumeirah Beach Hotel's private beach and rode on the Metro to the Marina. When I was off on Wednesday we went up to the Creek Club, Ian and I hit some golf balls on the range and we all spent some time sunbathing and lunching by the pool. Swarms of flies liked Jeanette's Caesar salad, which saw us all wafting them away whilst she finished! Wednesday night was football night, Thursday we did a barbeque in the back garden for when the kids got in early from school and later went to Dubai Mall, did a bit of shopping and sat for drinks near the fountains. On Friday we all went with the girls to the Atlantis Hotel's Aquaventure waterpark. The weather was great, not too hot and we watched the sun go down from the Palm, which was nice. The week all went just too quickly, after a chinese takeaway on Friday evening we watched some films and I dropped I&J at the airport for their night flight.

Weekend 2 Ian and Jeanette arrive!

Ian and Jeanette arrived on Friday night, at about 1 in the morning and we had all waited up. They flew KLM via Schipol. After a lie in to recover, we all spent Saturday at the pool in the Emirates Club. The weather is sunny and warm about 26-27 Celsius, but the pool is at 31 deg so its warmer in the water than out (just). Jeanette only put sun block on her lip so caught the sun for a red face with a white moustache effect. We ordered lunch by the pool and stayed until about 4.30 so we could get back to see Liverpool play Stoke away! The stands being built at the back of the picture are for the Desert Classic which will be in the first week of Feb. Liz cooked her speciality chicken curry with chickpea dahl for tea, then we watched the game. All the premier league games are televised so Saturday afternoon and evening can be continuous footy viewing. Pity about the 1-1 draw though...

Weekend 2 Mackiewicz meal

Our weekend started well on Friday with an invitation to Pete and Maggies for dinner at their villa in Springs. Liz knows Maggie through school, Madeleine is friends with their daughter Georgia. They are from Australia but lived in UK when younger and Pete works on the Metro, for the contractor. We had a lovely roast dinner meal including a Polish dish made with cabbage and sausage called piguet and plenty to drink. The pic is Pete sorting the trampoline out for the kids- their back garden opens out onto the community lake, with paths around and people were walking the dogs and riding bikes around the pathways. We took a taxi back to wait for Jeanette and Ian to arrive, expected at midnight!

2010 Weekend One

The first week of the New Year has had a few events- we arrived back from Thailand on 02 Jan and had the rest of the day to recover before starting back at school and work on Sunday 03 Jan. On 04 Jan the Burj Dubai or Burj Khalifa as it has been called was opened with a big firework display, visible from our villa but better on TV! The first weekend, Friday we went to Safa Park for a picnic with Brian & Elaine Luck and their kids, Cameron and Becky. The weather was nice, around 25 deg C and the girls rode around on a cycle cart. Jack is too cool to go with us to the park now so he stayed at home and did some homework (or X-Box). The park was really busy, everywhere people picnicking and sitting around talking. It was a good people watch, with some locals even putting up a dome tent and sitting inside it?! We played a few games including Priest of the Parish and Wink Murder, plus some rugby practice with the ball Cameron had brought along.