Wish I had been brave enough to get the camera out!

We were driving home from school today and got as far as the roundabout at the end of the Janabiya Highway. We saw a police car at the roundabout with about another six or seven behind and beside it. I thought oh oh .. whats happened here then? I noticed that the first three police cars were all damaged and I thought maybe some protesters had attacked them. Then I thought, no, wait a minute they look like they have crashed .... into each other!!! At least four police patrol cars had crashed into each other and all were damaged. I wasn't brave enough to get the camera out to take a snap because they all carry some fierce looking weaponry and I don't think they could see the funny side. Woops!

It's International day at school tomorrow and staff and students are invited to attend in their respective national dress and take some traditional cuisine. Better get the kilt dusted down. Sheila is making the highlander biscuits .... yummy.
David

Weekend Update

Sunday morning again and back to work. For me at least its a short week. The Easter break starts after school on Tuesday. I need the rest.

On Friday I played in the Captain's team in the golf match and played my best round of golf at Awali. I played the entire round in three over par and those all came at one hole. Apart from thet triple bogey I made 15 pars, one bogey and one birdie. The rest of the team played great too and we had a fantastic combined score of 121 points a combined 10 shots better than handicap. In the prizes? Eh ... no! We were only third. The second team scored 126 and amazing 15 shots better than handicap. And the winning score? Wait for it ......140! One hundred and forty! I am not a sore loser as you know ... well maybe just a little but 140. That's almost 10 strokes better than handicap PER PERSON! Can you see my point?

Anyway on Saturday we went back for 9 holes and played the back 9. On the 16th hole Sheila tee'd the ball up and smashed her drive a record-breaking 209 yards down the fairway. She is really improving. She made six on that hole and six on the next which is pretty good. Especially considering women play off the same tees as men here (their handicap is adjusted because there are no ladies tees).

Work beckons.
David

Friday again

Another weekend has arrived and it's a good one because there's less than a week to go until the Easter holiday. We work only Sun Mon and Tue this week then its two weeks off. Sheila has a few days in the middle so we have toyed with the idea of jetting off to nearby Dubai or maybe Oman for a long weekend. No firm plans though, it will depend on cost and availability of flights and accommodation. The lack of blog entries suggests that there has been nothing to report this week and I suppose that has to be good news. You could easily believe that everything was completely back to normal. Last night we popped into town to Geants the big supermarket for a few essentials and apart form one police stop point everything was absolutely normal.

I had no golf planned for this weekend because it is sponsors day where all of the companies who have sponsored an event throughout the season get a day to bring along their guests for a game but then out of the blue an email arrived inviting me to play in the Captain's team so I am playing after all. Its a later start for me than normal. 1.30pm shotgun start. For you non golfers that means that the whole field starts at the same time but on different holes so you could be starting (and consequently finishing) at a bit of the course miles away form the clubhouse.

The last few days have been warm but sunless. There has been cloud cover and even some April showers. Very unusual here apparently. It seems that the whole world is experiencing unusual weather patterns. Mind you although there are showers there's still no need for a jumper or a coat.


Well enough for now, kettle is boiling and the coffee jar is beckoning me to come and have a look.
Take care,
David & Sheila

NEVER check your email when you are watching the golf!

Spent most of our spare time on the weekend watching the golf. Since it happens late at night here we have been taping each days events and watching it a day later. Just settled down to watch the final round and it's getting pretty exciting. Check on my emails and find one from my dear mother-in-law saying how disappointing the golf result was for Rory McIlroy. I suppose, I still don't know who won except to say my favourite didn't!

Cheers
David

Air of normality

Well hello again. What a week. We have been so busy you wouldn't believe it. This is a very hectic time in schools and when this is coupled with the missed time we had it is especially busy. Trying to get the kids ready for exams that come only about a week after the Easter holiday is all go.

We were pretty late in finishing tonight and we had been planning to get up to one of the main shopping malls and back before it got dark. It was clear that was not going to happen so we thought, in for a penny in for a Dinar. We went anyway. It's the first time we have been into the town centre since we returned and we have to say it was just like any Thursday night in the past. The security men on the carpark were stopping and searching some car boots on the way in but that was it. Inside the mall was just like it was before. We went for our usual "Sizziling Chicken" at TGI Friday's and then got some provisions from Carrefour the big supermarket. I will spare you the actual purchases except to say we got a bit of a bargain on some cheddar cheese!

The journey back in the dark was completely uneventful. The only thing we saw that was not normal was a line of police cars at the entrance to one of the villages. If it stayed like this then the travel restrictions would soon be lifted.

Well that's the news really. Nothing spectacular. I said I wouldnt put entries on like this but I thought I needed to write something and I am sure you are all bored to death with the golf stuff. Oh, the golf, yes tomorrow is the .....
David and Sheila

Happy Mother's Day

If you are a mother then happy mother's day to you with a special mention to our mum Barbara. A special mention for a special person. On days like today I think of my own mum and I miss her. I couldn't hope for a better surrogate though so enjoy your day. We will see you e're too long.

If you are not a mother then you can say happy mother's day to someone who IS a mother. It doesn't matter who she is just say it. Sheila has just opened a lovely gift from Nicola, Ashley and Michael although I dare say it would be just as much of a surprise to Michael as it is to Sheila. Probably more so!

Its another fine morning here and a new week begins. we have two weeks till our easter holidays I think. Time is just flying in. before we know it we will be back on the plane heading for our summer holiday. I am beginning to look forward to it already. It will be really nice having the three amigos (John, David and Andrew) together again to say nothing of the possibility of a reunion concert for Kinrick. Anybody fancy organising that? Alex was to organise one for the charity he supports. Come on Alex, this could be a great opporchancity.

That's all for now, have a great day.
David

Spittal gets the call up!

Last night I got a phone call to see if I would play for the Caledonian Society against Awali Golf Club today. I agreed and was partnered with Emma Boyd a 10 handicap lady. She is really an 8 handicap but because women play from the same tees as men here they get two extra strokes. We were of course drawn to play against Dick Turpin and Juan Chancer, two of the local bandits with handicaps 16 and 19. You know what's coming don't you. You all know I am a poor loser but in golf its somehow different ... except in matchplay like this. The 19 (yes 19) handicapper played that last 10 holes in three over par. If he had played to his handicap he would have been 11 over for those 10 holes. We got beaten on the last. We were 1 down with two to play and I made par on the tricky 17th. Only good enough for a half! The last is a par 5. I played a magic drive, superb three wood onto the brown in two. Meanwhile Juan Chancer pulls his tee shot into the left hand rough. plays a three wood to a few yards short of the brown, plays a pitch shot to 4 feet, misses the putt but a 5 nett 4 is good enough to match my birdie. Are you detecting any sour grapes here? Maybe just the merest hint? Emma reminds me that she warned me at the start. I am hardly consoled. Still a bad day at the golf is still better than a good day at work. Weather was beautiful again.

Back to work tomorrow. We popped up to the local shops when I got back and everything appears to be quite normal. There were three tanks flanked by three police cars rolled up the Budaiya Highway and back down. Each tank has about four masked soldiers at the controls of machine guns watching in all directions. I think its just a show of strength inviting people to protest if they want to!

OK I feel much better for having let off steam about the golf. By the way, the Caledonian Society lost in all matches but one! Ever the gallant runners up. We was robbed!
TTFN
David

Weekend again

Well here we are on another Friday. The sun is shining and very hot. It is a beautiful day. We have already been to the golf and played nine holes before the competition got under way. Entries are restricted because they have cancelled the afternoon sessions due to ongoing protests. They are hopeful to return to normal next week.

We travelled down to the golf course and only encountered one police checkpoint where we were waved through in both directions. A driver in a car coming the other way who looked "different" from us shall we say was stopped and his boot checked before he was allowed to go through.

We saw a few armoured vehicles moving from one spot to another but nothing different from what you might see on any ordinary day. Let us hope that this calm continues and lives can get back to some normality.

Going up to the roof terrace now to enjoy a wee relax in the sunshine before lunch.
David