Coffee, Ducks, Patio furniture, Lights, etc

Mom did something crazy. There is a Jumeirah Village Triangle community group on facebook and Mom decided to post on it and see if any other 'housewives' wanted to get coffee at a place that she can walk to in the community since she doesn't have a car when Dad is at work. She got a decent number of responses so she started her own group and set up a coffee meeting. 10 people came. She was nervous but it was successful. No other Americans and everyone was older than her but it was fun for her anyway.  Here is a picture of their first meeting.

  Coffee meeting at the local coffee and french pastry shop. 

 

She did it again last week and had a few new people and some from the first week could not come so she had 9. She felt pretty successful. One lady's husband works in aviation for aircraft airworthiness so she is going to invite them over sometime for wine. The 4 UK ladies are the ones Mom can tell like to have fun.

There was a car show last weekend that Mom and Dad went to. There were lots of cars, from Chevys and Fords to old Bentleys and MGs. Even a few Triumphs, which Dad has one of. It had to stay in the US though, it costs a lot to ship a car. Mom and Dad walked 4 miles that day because the cars were all along a road. By the end they were speed walking ready to go home. 

A few more things have been hung around the house. 

 Photo booth picture uncle David made for our wedding.

 

 Something Marcus's coworker got for him before he left from the Air Force One pilots.

The other day one of the cats that comes to the garden came back. This time Mom decided to let me out there. It is a housecat you can tell because it wears a GPS collar. I was walking all around and didn't see it, so Dad was trying to get me closer to it, apparently I got about 1.5 feet away and still did not see it. Dad told me I am not a good yard protector. Then I came back in and Mom picked me up and showed me the cat out the window, I started flailing and knocked over one of their airplanes and the stabilizer broke off, then I ran out and over to the cat, got pretty close before he took off. Now Mom and Dad have to figure out how to fix the airplane.  

We have had an infestation of some bugs, so we called the bug guys and they came Tuesday, but they said when they sprayed we'd have to leave for 5 hours, so we went and sat in the car and tried to figure out what we would do. We had ordered patio furniture the day before but it wasn't going to be delivered until Wednesday, plus it was still pretty hot. We waited for the bug guys to leave before we left, but as we were thinking about going to the park by the Burj a truck pulled up that seemed as though it could deliver things of the furniture kind...and it was. So, we got our patio furniture! We waited while the delivery guys assembled it and by then had killed one of the 5 hours. Then we decided to go to this place called the Irish Village because it would take 40 or so minutes to get there and we had read there was an outdoor area that dogs were welcome on, and it serves alcohol...so we went and hung out there. Stray cats hang around but I wasn't bothered by them, BUT BUT BUT, there were these other creatures that kids were chasing around and trying to pet, apparently called ducks. I WAS VERY INTRIGUED.

Me staring down the ducks.

 

There were a few times where they were coming pretty close to me and Mom and Dad had to break my concentration. I was a pretty good boy and only barked a few times, but not too loud or scary. Still, they wanted me to settle. One time 4 of them came out of the water and started walking directly toward me, Dad told Mom to get up and shoo them away, they didn't know what would happen if they got right up in my face. It was really good food, and drink and other than sporadic screaming kids chasing and trying to pet terrified ducks it was enjoyable.

So today Mom and Dad rearranged the furniture and took the plastic of the cushions late this afternoon. 

 
And then we went out there this evening so I could beg Mom and Dad for some wine and cheese from my perch on the stool.
 

It was a pretty pleasant temperature and they brought out the bluetooth speaker and turned on the light Dad finally hung out on the back porch.  

 

 The next purchase will be an umbrella! 

Dog Out,
Woof 

Catching up

Well it's been a while since I blogged. 

Mom finally got her Emirates ID on March 3. Getting that was easy, she just picked it up at the indicated post office. But then she went to get her driver's license...that was a doozy. She thought she had all the paperwork she needed, copy of her Emirates ID, copy of her US drivers license, copy of her passport and residence visa, and letter of no objection from Dad saying she could drive. Well she got her number and went up, the guy said she also needed copies of Dad's Emirates ID and Residence visa, so they went to a copy place (luckily in same building, and then came back, well then that still was not enough she also needed Dad's passport copy, so they got that, then she finally had all the papers and get her license, it took forever and she was annoyed. But now she has it all and is done-done.

Lots of birds come to our yard and eat stuff out of the grass, we don't know what thought. Some look really cool.

I get excited when I see all the birds so Mom let's me out to chase them (she says she knows I can't catch them). They also like to 'bathe' in the sand/dirt between the plants, it is weird. Mom filled up a bird bath to try to watch more birds but sometimes I try to drink from it while outside playing so she may have to empty it. 

Let's see, what else, what else. Dad bought this fleece blanket and mini pillow once on a Virgin Atlantic flight and Mom brought it downstairs recently, and I am pretty sure that the pillow was intended for me, Mom frequently tries to tell me that it is not for me, but I lay on it nonetheless. 

I also went to the vet last week because I was due for a shot, and now I am registered with the municipality, and I have Arabic on my tag! I am such an international dog!

Mom and Dad have decided to take up tennis. There are a number of basketball and tennis courts in the neighborhood, but to get to a gym you have to drive, so Mom works out in the house and asked Dad to but he wasn't too interested, so she said we could play tennis. He agreed, they both kind of played when younger so they went and bought some rackets and balls and are playing. Sounds like they are not keeping score for now, just kind of trying to volley. 

Dog out,
Woof