Happy Birthday to You

 Happy Birthday David Robertson

The look of surprise on Dave's face might well be explained by the fact that we had just walked into his eightieth birthday celebration on a surprise visit from Bahrain. Only one family member knew we were coming and we secretly flew home for the weekend. Well believe it or not today is one year on from that surprise visit. We are sorry to say that we won't be surprising you this time but it won't be long until we are home again for the summer. Have a great day, we send you our best wishes and all our love XXXXX XXXXX XXXXX XXXXX XXXXX XXXXX XXXXX XXXXX XXXXX XXXXX XXXXX XXXXX XXXXX XXXXX XXXXX XXXXX X. (It's a lot of years when you look at it like that!)

Only three more sleeps before our wee boy flies all by himself a quarter of the way around the world to see us. Who would have believed it? I am all excited about taking him to the tower half way across the causeway. Nicola and Ashley will testify - it's a rivetting trip! I am planning to take Michael golfing at Awali but we will have to get up at first light and play 9 holes one time and 9 the next. there's no way you could play 18 holes in this heat. Having said that I am due to play 18 this weekend (if I am selected - can they afford to leave me out?) in a re-schduled match against Riffa. It may be too hot but any chance to play the grass course for free cannot be turned down. At least we have a buggy so we don't have to walk and the buggy has a cool box filled with ice, cold towels and bottled water. There are water taps regularly around the course and two wee shops so we will be fine.

Today is the last day before half term so I am on holiday Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Poor Sheila has to work as normal. That's the price of having the top admin job in the school. Having said that all the admin staff have the same holiday arrangement. Sheila chooses to save her holidays for the long break in the summer. I am planning to get a couple of minor things fixed on the new car before Michael arrives.

It's the Golf Club Presentation on Thursday night so we have that to look forward to. We'll have to leave early to get our boy at the airport so it will be a quick change in the BAPCO Club and then up to the airport. I am having one of those signs made to hold up to arriving passengers so that Michael knows who we are.

Breakfast awaits.
David

Seven days and counting

Hi all, only a week to go now until Michael completes the offspring visits to Bahrain. His visit will be a bit more unusual because he should be here for 3 months. All seems to be in place for his placement and hopefully he will find it a worthwhile experience. He will at least have the chance to make an impression with one of the biggest construction companies in the middle east if not the world! The only thing that is certain is that he will find it HOT!

I was out last night at a music session at the rugby club and on the way home at midnight it was 34 degrees. Phew! My Only a Man song http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nqThMi3QZPQ has gone viral here. I have to sing it every time I am out and I believe that a friend of one of my Bahrain pals, who plays at a jazz club in London, is now singing it.

The new car is going great. I think we have had it long enough to find out all of the things that were wrong with it and I am pleased to say there seems nothing major. A few wee bits and pieces need attention but I'll get to them in time. I love driving it. You lot should all get a 4.7 litre automatic. Its effortless driving. Very relaxing. I recommend it. I think Michael is excited about it, if a little apprehensive. He will love it but it will spoil the rest of his driving life having to drive a 1.0 litre supermini (unless he decides his life lies in a place such as this).

That's Sheila surfaced so the weekend starts here. Not sure what our plans are.
David

As promised a picture of the new wheels

Here is a picture of our new transport. Remember when I say new I mean 10 years old but new to us.

Dig the cool steering wheel cover. It's designed so that it doesn't get so hot as you cant touch it!
We are off in a few minutes to give Sheila her first drive of a really powerful car. I wonder what she'll make of it.
David

Car Update

I am sure that you are all sitting on the edge of your seats wondering how the car deal went. Well I am pleased to report that the whole thing went rather smoothly. Its complex and bewildering but the guy who was selling me the car knew which desks to visit and in which order (which was a jolly good job because bewildering is the word). First you visit the insurance company where you hand the lady a form. She mutters something in arabic and the guy mutters something back. She looks like she is not happy then gives him a form. He looks happy to get the form and we walk to another desk where I hand over BD5. We get a receipt and take it back to the first lady who is much happier looking now. She stamps the form and presses a few buttons on her keyboard and then gives us the form back again. We go back to the desk beside the paydesk and hand over our form. The nice young man behind the desk the produces a certificate of insurance in my name (transferred from previous owner). It looks like a credit card. We then drive to the vehicle licensing centre where, by the way, you don't get in if you are wearing shorts. I just thought I would let you know that. Luckily we were all appropriately dressed and in we went. Its another case of you first get the form checked by one chap who stamps it, then you go to accidents desk where they do something and stamp your form. Then you go to another desk in another room with no indication as to where or why and a chap there checks whether there are any outstanding traffic fines for the car, then a few desks and a few stamps later you find yourself at the pay desk. You then queue up because there are lots of people doing this (every car that changes hands on the island have to be done in this building) and when you get to the front of the queue the chap there gives you a ticket with a number on it. You then take a seat in front of a lot of different desks and wait for your number. It was then I handed over the lolly. When its your turn you go to the desk and pay your BD16 and a few minutes later you have in your grubby little hand a vehicle owner registration card. It again looks like a credit card. That's it. Job done. The previous owner says to me "Mabrook" which apparently means congratulations. I say "Shokran" and he replies "Afwan", thank you and you're welcome for the uninitiated (my arabic is coming on although I have no idea how to spell those words). That's me up to three words. I am the proud owner of a Jeep Grand Cherokee 4.7 litre flying machine.

I said it has all the boys toys? What about this. It has electric seats - no big deal there you say. It has two presets so we adjust the seat to our desired position and save the settings. If you open the door and press your button the seat goes to your position. OK so that's pretty good but what about this. There are two remote controls which are slightly different colours. If you open the door with remote control 1 the seat goes to the settings for 1 and if you use the other remote the seat goes to position 2. How cool is that? Oh and by the way the door mirrors adjust to the two settings too and the radio goes to the preset stations for that driver. I am still investigating. Pictures to follow. It was dark before I got the car home.

Cheers for now
David

New Car

Well the decision has finally been made and after much to-ing andf fro-ing we have finally plumped for the Jeep Grand Cherokee. Today we have to complete the paperwork for the transfer. It's not like in the UK. Yhe old owner and the new owner have to go together to the insurance company where the insurance is transferred to the new owner. It's the car that is insured here not the driver so anyone can drive anything. I think the insurance excesses are different for different ages driving the car and thats how the compensate for younger drivers. Then you go together to the equivalent of DVLA in Swansea to have the registration transferred from one to the other. It is there that the money changes hands and the new owner takes the old owner home. All very sweet really! A pain in the neck though as the place is only open during school hours. Luckily my students are on study leave so I will be able to squeeze it in. Hopefully they work quickly. Let's hope all goes smoothly with that.

The car is a 4.7 litre (yes I know I said I didn't want to get one that was too big) leather upholstery and all the boys toys. Electric everything, climate control some kind of navigation system (not sat nav) just something that tells you what direction you are going I think. Lots and lots of things to go wrong so fingers crossed it turns out to be reliable. With an engine that size it will probably be open wallet surgery to fill it with petrol - probably about £12 a time - extrotionate! Our lease on the other car doesnt run out until October but we really need transport for Michael when he arrives in a couple of weeks so we decided just to buy now. That way we wouldnt be tempted to spend any more. We just wanted something cheapish so we have gone very much middle of the road. After the summer holiday we'll have a month or so with two cars and then it will be back to one. It will give us a time to make sure the new one is OK and fix anything that might need done. Its a greyish blueish sort of colour, maybe greenish, you know the kind. I'll post a picture if the transfer transaction all goes smoothly.

We are very much looking forward now to Michael's arrival. He arrives the same day as the Golf Club Presentation Dance so we will have to leave that about 11ish to get up to the airport to collect our wee boy. It is getting very hot now with daytime temperatures in the low forties. The pool is up to 31 degrees which makes it very easy to get in. I am not sure how he'll cope but I suppose he'll soon get used to it like we have. We are starting to feel it chilly when it goes below 30.

Sheila and I enjoyed our golf weekend and we managed to come in 21st out of 26 so that was great. We had a good time and can aim for a top 20 finish next time. It was mighty hot though, mid forties. Only mad dogs and Englishmen go out in that!

OK that's about all for now.
David

Kingsbury Final

This weekend saw me playing in the final of the Kingsbury Matchplay. This has been a knockout throughout the season and the final was a 36 hole affair played in baking heat on Friday and today. Unfortunately I was beaten on the 36th and final hole by Diab Sager Al-Naiomi. I was almost always behind and was two down at the end of the first day and after much nip and tuck was again two holes down with two holes left to play. I managed to win the 35th and pressured my opponent all the way forcing him to hole an eight footer on the last to prevent us from going into extra time. It was very difficult to play in the 42 degree heat. Too hot for golf. The matchplay finals should really be organised to finish before now. Not complaining though I gave it my best shot and would not be a true Scot unless I was narrowly beaten and a gallant runner up. That's what we Scots do best.

Still looking for a car before Michael gets here. No closer to making a purchase though. What my eye wants and what the budget will extend to are still some way apart! I am trying to loosen the strings on Sheila's money bag but its hard work.

Next weekend Sheila and I are playing on the grass at Riffa. Its again a two day event - mixed greensomes. It will again be very hot but we will be in a buggy so wont be pushing trolleys and will get some shade and a breeze while I rally us between shots. Greensomes also means that you only play every other shot. We get two rounds of competition and two lunches for BD75 all in. It costs BD60 for one round normally so that's a good deal. We are looking forward to it. Watch out for the report.

The pool is up to 29 degrees now - sound inviting.
David