Socks @ City Center!

I am a little CRAZY about socks! My daughter wears a yukky brown uniform to school and socks are usually the only way I can infuse a little 'funk' into her wardrobe.

But socks in Kuwait are kind of expensive ranging from 1/4 to 1/2 KD for 1 pair! And they are usually thin with dreadful designs.

So I basically FLIPPED when I went to City Center last night. They have Packs of 5 socks for both girls and boys. The designs and colors are outstanding! The price is 990 fils for 1 pack!

I bought 20 pairs for my 6 year old and 10 pairs for my 2 years old and 10 pairs for my son. My whole carriage was FULL of socks...but they are really HIGH quality and I know they will last and last!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Update on My Son's 'Hinney'

Thankfully, the injury on my son's 'derriere' has healed. All that is left now is for us to go and have the stitches removed. I cannot believe that the doctor did not use invisible stitches...the ones that dissolve by themselves. Only in Kuwait are things done 'back' wards! Lol!

First and LAST time ordering from 6alabat!

It has been a hard week. My daughter sprained her ankle at the beginning of it and my son got hurt at the end of it.

I had a few deadlines this morning that I completed and planned to surprise the kids th a full evening of quality time. I am so sick of the fast food restaurants in my area. So, I decided to give www.6alabat.com a whirl. We were already hungry but I took the time to register for an account and uplaod my address, etc. I made the order for Grill Casa because it was not too expensive and the menu looked awesome. They called to confirm my address and order. And then I waited and waited and waited. After 1 hour I called to complain. After another 45 minutes I canceled the order. My kids and I were starving. Every one was cranky. It was awful. I finally ordered from Burger King and the minute the food came, so did one of my neighbors. And she stayed for over 30 minutes. So, by the time we finally ate everything was ICE cold!

So much for a fun evening!

For me, 6alabat gets 2 thumbs DOWN!

Yummy rice and......feet???????

Ugh.........it is totally a cultural thing I am sure...but it is nonetheless very gross. Every time I go to my in-laws for lunch my mother-in-law makes a huge batch of rice in a pan that barely fits on the stove. It's massive. Once the rice is done, the pan is too hot to put on the shelf so it goes right down on the floor.
Anyway, today at lunch one of my sister-in-laws was loading up trays with the rice and setting it down on the FLOOR! And then the hungry kdis were running around right next to the RICE! All I could imagine was the junk from their shoes completely covering the rice...ugh! I was not planning on eating a bite of it but my helpful sister-in-law fixed my plate BEFORE I sat down to eat. Oh my gosh! And not finishing the ENTIRE plate in my husband's family is utterly taboo. So, I had to swallow every dust covered bite! Yum.........blech....

And no it's not the first time. Food is routinely assembled on the floor over at the in-laws. It just boggles my mind. And my husband's family is EXTREMELY clean...but the food thing is just weird. I guess they feel they have no other option besides the floor to serve food??

Now doesn't that make you SO hungry for rice?????????????????

The scent of blood is in the air.........

Literally, I am afraid. We went to my in-laws for lunch today. My son was out playing with his cousins and their ball went over a wall. My son leaped over the wall and lost his footing. He landed straight on his butt and fell on a piece of glass. By the time he made it into the house the whole back of his shorts were covered in blood.

My poor baby. I took him to the bathroom and was trying to see if the glass was still in there or what. Man, my family members (or rather my husband's) were pounding on the door. I was getting more irate by the minute. My son was is the bathroom with his entire rear end exposed. He would have been humiliated if I had opened the door! Ugh!

Finally, my brother-in-law grabbed him and took him to the ER. He just got home. No stictches thankfully and the glass is out. But they gave him antibiotics and meds. We have been planning to go to Entertainment City all week but looks like we are going to have to cancel. Ugh!

My son is 11 years old going on about 6. He is the sweetest boy in the World. However, we often butt heads. We have the same...and I mean exaclty the same...demeanor...Ugh & Lol!

Changing Directions......

I think the biggest mistake I have made with my blog is that I unwittingly followed the format of other bloggers....complain about Kuwait...and share cool things to see & buy online....I think that is why I keep losing interest in blogging. Especially, as I writer I am accustomed to sharing myself and with this blog I have only shared a teeny tiny part of me. So, I am going to chnage direction and start blogging more about my life and how living in Kuwait has both been a blessing and a curse.

Happy Reading!

Smoke....but no fire.

I am starting to think that strange things happen only to me! This morning I was busy typing away on an article that is due tomorrow. And, despite having a horrible cold, I was able to smell smoke at about 10am. I got up from my computer and began frantically checking to see where it was coming from. The concentration was heaviest near the lift (elevator). Something was burning or on fire.

I quickly called my husband and he in turn called the watchman, who was oblivious to the problem. I woke all my kids up and was prepared to go out into the street. Luckily, my husband called back. The watchman discovered that the lift was stuck on the top floor and the motor was smoldering. We are so lucky it did not burst into flames!

So, that was my excitement for the day. I am starting to think I attract SMOKE !!

What's up with all the blank billboards?

I felt like I was in the Twilight Zone driving around Salmiya Friday night. What happened to all the billboards? They are all BLANK! Did the billboard guy go on vacation or WHAT?

The billboards on Gulf Road are all empyt. I checked last night too and same thing!

Maybe the MOI has banned billboards??

New Flavor at BR - "Cherries Jubilee"

Yum! New flavor at BR that I tried last night. In the lower right corner, 'Cherries Jubilee'. It tastes soooooooooo good!

Unfortunately, the little card was missing from the ice cream case last night. The guy just said it was "cherry". So, I Googled to find the actual name and also learned it is flavored with RUM!!

So, I hope it is artificial Rum and not the real deal considering alcohol is forbidden in Islam. Ugh!

BOOM!

BOOM.............My microwave actually blew up the other day! I was being lazy and did not want to put the tea kettle on the stove. So, I filled a micro-safe mug with water..something I always do...and put it in my microwave. After a few seconds I heard a buzzing sound and then it just blew up. It actually jumped..and hit the top shelf above it. Luckily. the shelf was there or it might of catapulted across the room! Lol. It's funny now, but at the time I was really scared. I thought it would burst into flames.

It was about 9 years old so no wonder it blew up. It served me well. I went to Al-Ghanim Electronics and all the micros were +45KD. They had a couple for about 35 KD but they were small and ugly. Ugh!

A friend of mine is constantly telling me that Al-Ghanim is overpriced. She always recommends City Centre fr buying electronics. So, I took a chance and went. My friend was right. I got a big 25litre, silver microwave for 29 KD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It is awesome!

And hopefully I will have this one for another 9 years! Insha'Allah!

Thursday Three

Answer these:

What is your favourite movie line?

What sound or noise do you love?

What colour dominates your wardrobe?

Me:

Jerry Maguire: "You had me at Hello."
The sound of rain hitting the roof (or in Kuwait the A/C!!)
Green- all shades

My 'Etsy' Addiction

This is NOT even funny! Lol..actually it is! A couple months ago I posted about Gummi Bear soaps being sold online. So, a couple weeks ago I had a chance to explore www.Etsy.com . Oh my gosh...it is the coolest site! Everything is handmade or home crafted. I already placed my first TWO orders. I bought like 4 cool soaps (yes gummi bears too!) and 1 lip gloss from "Naiad's Shop"..sorry I have no idea how to embed links. Here link is here: http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5008693

And I bought some oil-based fruity perfumes and chocolate incense here:

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=61594

This is my ALL time favorite site! Most sellers will ship to Kuwait and for most the shipping rate is not astronomical. BUT keep an eye on the shipping. I saw one seller that was selling wax tarts for $2.50 each but shipping was almost $8!!! And if you see a seller that only ships to the US all you have to do is e-mail them and they will more than likely agree to ship to Kuwait!!

Exploring Etsy is so FUN! I saw some adorable, handmade kids toys. I am planning on buying a toy for each of my 3 kids before Eid. Insha'Allah!

I will post pics and a review once I get my loot! Insha'Allah!

Meow and your DEAD!

This is the strangest and creepiest story I have seen lately! It's about a cat that senses when nursing home patients will die just a few hours before they actually do.

I wonder how?

I use to visit a nursing home when I was in college. A friend and I did it once a week just to cheer up these poor people. Their families literally lock them up and they stay in these 'homes' until they die.

Anyway, the thing I remember most is the scent. It was this sickly sweet scent. And it was not spray or perfume. I always felt it was emanating from the patients. I even remember telling my friend it was the 'scent of death'. So, I wonder if the cat can detect the stronger sweet smell?????

Here's the article:

(from www.cnn.com )

PROVIDENCE, Rhode Island (AP) -- Oscar the cat seems to have an uncanny knack for predicting when nursing home patients are going to die, by curling up next to them during their final hours.

Oscar the cat doesn't like to be put out in the hall when a patient is dying.

His accuracy, observed in 25 cases, has led the staff to call family members once he has chosen someone. It usually means the patient has less than four hours to live.
"He doesn't make too many mistakes. He seems to understand when patients are about to die," Dr. David Dosa said in an interview. He describes the phenomenon in a poignant essay in Thursday's issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
"Many family members take some solace from it. They appreciate the companionship that the cat provides for their dying loved one," said Dosa, a geriatrician and assistant professor of medicine at Brown University.
The 2-year-old feline was adopted as a kitten and grew up in a third-floor dementia unit at the Steere House Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. The facility treats people with Alzheimer's, Parkinson's disease and other illnesses.
After about six months, the staff noticed Oscar would make his own rounds, just like the doctors and nurses. He'd sniff and observe patients, then sit beside people who would wind up dying in a few hours.
Dosa said Oscar seems to take his work seriously and is generally aloof. "This is not a cat that's friendly to people," he said.
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Oscar is better at predicting death than the people who work there, said Dr. Joan Teno of Brown University, who treats patients at the nursing home and is an expert on care for the terminally ill
She was convinced of Oscar's talent when he made his 13th correct call. While observing one patient, Teno said she noticed the woman wasn't eating, was breathing with difficulty and that her legs had a bluish tinge, signs that often mean death is near.
Oscar wouldn't stay inside the room, though, so Teno thought his streak was broken. Instead, it turned out the doctor's prediction was roughly 10 hours too early. Sure enough, during the patient's final two hours, nurses told Teno that Oscar joined the woman at her bedside.
Doctors say most of the people who get a visit from the sweet-faced, gray-and-white cat are so ill they probably don't know he's there, so patients aren't aware he's a harbinger of death. Most families are grateful for the advance warning, although one wanted Oscar out of the room while a family member died. When Oscar is put outside, he paces and meows his displeasure.
No one's certain if Oscar's behavior is scientifically significant or points to a cause. Teno wonders if the cat notices telltale scents or reads something into the behavior of the nurses who raised him.
Nicholas Dodman, who directs an animal behavioral clinic at the Tufts University Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine and has read Dosa's article, said the only way to know is to carefully document how Oscar divides his time between the living and dying.
If Oscar really is a furry grim reaper, it's also possible his behavior could be driven by self-centered pleasures like a heated blanket placed on a dying person, Dodman said.
Nursing home staffers aren't concerned with explaining Oscar, so long as he gives families a better chance at saying goodbye to the dying.
Oscar recently received a wall plaque publicly commending his "compassionate hospice care."

Anyone bought the last Harry Potter book??

Has anyone read the last Harry Potter book? I am curious to find out how it ends and am thinking about buying it. I just learned that Star Books is selling it online for about 11KD and they deliver it right to your door! Is that the same price they are charging if you go into the store?

I think the cover is UGLY...wonder why they changed it for Int'l sales?

www.onlinestarbooks.com

My New Monitor!

I bought a new HP monitor last night at Al-Ghanim. And it is SO much better than my old , tiny monitor. I actually can SEE what I am typing a lot clearer than my old monitor. Although, I have had to adjust the brightness like 10 times already. I am so pysched!

Long time no POST!

I cannot believe it has been so long since I blogged. I have been busy with several deadlines. I finally finished the last article I had pending this morning. I get a whopping 2 days off before I have to start my next article. But no complaining. I love my work and am very thankful to have it!!

Thursday Three !

Answer These:

1. Where do you buy groceries from in Kuwait?
2. What is the LAST movie you saw?
3. What's your favorite 'Search Engine' ?


Me:
1. City Centre
2. Shrek: The Third
3. www.DogPile.com

Say You Care With..........SOLAR PANELS !!

The 'Tarsheed' plight goes on in the local newspapers and via SMS. There is even a hotline where you can report violaters of overconsumption. Yesterday I received an SMS that the power supply was overburdened and there was only 4% of electricity left. Of course, it's scary given the exceptionally hot weather and I have small kids at home. But how come the government isn't taking additional measures to ensure the power supply in Kuwait?

All you have to do is look into the sky to see the biggest source of power that we could possibly utilize...the SUN! We have loads and loads of sunlight in Kuwait for at least 7 months of the year. Solar panels would be so beneficial to Kuwait and take the burden of overconsumption away.

I wonder if the government is exploring solar technology as a viable energy source or are they too busy warning us to switch the AC off before we leave home???????

Why aren't there lifeguards in Kuwait?

(This is actually a pic of Jennings Beach in Fairfield, CT - USA - I use to swim here every weekend with my family! Ahhh...the good ol' days!)

With all the beaches In Kuwait, you would think the government would employ lifeguards. Every other week there is a new case of someone drowning. I mean, it's common sense right?

We went to the beach near Ray's One last night and the beach there was full of swimmers...at night! There were little kids jumping into the water while their parents smoked the hubbly bubbly and chatted. Any one of those kids could have drowned in an instant.

In the US, the beaches are closed at night. And violaters are fined. I doubt Kuwait has the manpower to enforce its' beaches but they should at least have lifeguards on them. Ugh!

Hmmmmmmmm...........maybe they could get some poor expatriates and train them how to swim for like 2 KD a month! Ugh!

The Lazy Days of Summer!

I can't believe it has been so long since I blogged! Time really does fly. I cannot believe that summer vacation is HALF over. That is just so wrong. There are even "Back to School" signs in some of the shops on Salem Mubarak Street. Oh the horror!!!!!!
I have gotten nothing accomplished this summer in terms of creating fun stuff with my kids or even starting on their summer homework. Just being in the AC all day takes away every ounce of energy I have. But starting today, I really am going to be proactive in getting some things done with my kiddies.

I really want to take them shelling for oysters. But I have no idea if the pearl season has even started in Kuwait yet. And when is the best time of day to go? I have often seen people with flashlights coming the beaches when the tide is low at night. I can't imagine doing that with little kids. But I think it would be a really great hands-on learning opportunity. And they would FREAK if they found a pearl! I am going to have to explore this idea further!