A trip to the Friday Market

Another start to a beautiful day here in Egaila. The day was clear and not to much sand and I think the temperature was not more than 110. So it was a nice day.
Ash with the wonderful sunset behind her. We did not do much today and they did not do any construction across the street so it was a rather boring day. Another shot of the sunset.

A view toward the sea on a nice dust free day.
Michael came home from work and told us that Joe was going to Friday Market so we were going to tag along with him. I have heard about Friday Market and I hear it is an experience. So this is Michael just chilling waiting for Joe to come and get us.
Ash played a game while we waited.
Michael and Ash being silly.
Again with the silliness.
Michael standing on the big balcony with me taking picture from the little balcony. Then Ash came out and joined him. Nice pic of the two of them. She is a Opa's girl.
The 3 pictures above are from the Friday Market and an experience it was. It is like a giant outdoor flea market and it has everything you could want. We went looking for rugs for 2 rooms in Michaels Villa. It was cute a guy with a wheelbarrow followed us all over the place and I guess he knew we would find the carpet we needed. We found what we liked and the little guy with the wheelbarrow loaded it up and took it to the car for us. We tipped him 2 KD for all his work. We then went back in and looked at all the stuff and I had turned to Michael after going past row after row of old shoes that I wondered where all those worn out shoes came from. Luckily we went after the sun went down as it was still very hot in there.
Above is the carpet we bought for the TV room/ Ashleigh's bedroom while she is here. I like it and it adds something to that room.
This is the carpet we got for the living room. It is nice and defines the living room area as the dining room table is also in this room. The Quilts on the back of the couches are some that I have finished since I have been here. Adds a little color to the room. Well that is it for our adventure to the Friday Market.
Leila Sa ' eeda (Good Night)

Another day in my Life

Sabah alkhair (Good Morning in Arabic) The above picture is Michael waiting to be picked up for work down at Greg's Villa which is about a block away.
This was sunrise and it was beautiful. They are all so different because of the amount of dust in the air that day. Today it was sort of clear.
Another view of that beautiful sunrise.
Part 2 to the construction of the step. He put rocks inside for what I do not know but he filled the area with big rocks.
This was step one to doing the step for the porch across the street and how he got those tiles to stand up and stay there I do not know as I never saw him put anything down.
Painting the wrought iron things. It really has me wondering where they will go. They are very pretty.
Sunsetting over Egaila. It was very pretty tonight.
The finished project. The steps are complete and they look really good.
This was Step 3 in the construction of the steps. He put dirt in the space all the way to the top and then the tile went on.

Another sunset shot.
Ashleigh playing games on the computer.

All we can ask in our lives is that perhaps we can make a little difference in someone else's."

― Lillian Davis

I have not yet figured out how to download the pictures in the order I want them so that is why a few are numbered. I thought when I was downloading I was doing it right but I guess not. I have enjoyed my visit to Kuwait and all the beautiful sights the city has. We could see so much more if Michael only had a drivers license but I guess he will not get it before I leave. So Ryan will continue to drive us around the city and let me see the sights.
I know that my dads death was Masha ' Allah (God's will) but that does not make it any easier to except. I say Ma ' assalama (Goodbye- Go in peace) to him and someday I will see him again. Until tomorrow stay safe and enjoy the day. Please tell everyone you Love that you love them everyday as you never know when they will be taken away from you.

Leila Sa 'eeda

In Memory of my Dad- My hero

January 01,1937 -- July o8, 2008
My dad and his great granddaughter

My dad, granddaughter Carla & great granddaughter Ash.

Dad and his beloved dog Sandy and I am sure Clyde was there to welcome him home.

Dad in his younger days loved to ride a motorcycle so Michael took him for a spin on his bike. I do know that dad thoroughly loved the ride.

This is a postcard I made for Father's Day. It shows 3 phases of my life with my dad. The first pic was taken in Paris when I was 1, the second was taken at Carla's wedding & the third was my wedding when my daddy walked me down the aisle.
My Dad

50 years my dad
20 years service in the Navy
20 years with the Virginia Beach Police Department
14 years retirement to enjoy his grandkids who he always said he was way to young to have

I as a child got to see the world with my dad and my girls got to travel the USA in a Bluebird bus with him. They spent summers with him traveling to Florida and all the way up to Maine. They always liked the fact people thought they were someone important and loved to wave to the people out the windows. But the drawback was listening to Barbara Streisand the whole trip. LOL But deep down I think they really just enjoyed the time with their Pop-pop.
My last visit with my dad was on June 8th and at that time he did not look good and I saw in his eyes he did not want me to go but he would have never told me that. He knew how much this trip meant to Michael & I. He had not been eating so he had lost 12 lbs. and I did not take any pictures and I am sure he would not have wanted me to. We had BBQ sandwiches and he ate a 1/4 of a sandwich and when he was done he looked at me and wanted what was left of my sandwich. I gave it to him and he ate it all up. Did he do it for me so that I thought he would get better. I will never know. It finally came time to leave and I bent over him and gave him a big kiss and told him I would be home before he knew I was gone and when I got back I would tell him all about Kuwait. I told him he would be the first person I would see when I got back. I told him I loved him and gave him a million kisses. I did not want to leave him as I knew in the core of my body he would not be there when I got home.
My dad was a wonderful father and yes he had his flaws but I know he loved me. I can say that in my life I never did anything to embarrass my dad

Another Day of watching the artisians work

Ash & Michael goofing off in the stairway up to the laundry/maids room.
Michaels apartment door. He lives in Villa 3.
The night scape from up on the roof deck of the Villa. Beautiful views.
Another Villa down the street all lit up. It actually has Christmas lights around the palm trees.
The night view down 111 toward Fintas. The Arabian Sea is on the other side of the tallest building you see.
Michael lounging after a hard day at work.
Sunset over Egaila. It is a beautiful sight.
Michael again. Is he not cute.
The finished wrought iron thing that the guys across the street have been building from scratch.
The guy finishing up the tile work on the front stoop of the house. It is so fun to watch him do it as it so different from the way we do it back home.
Putting in the part that will become a step. I will show the finished steps when he is done.
Evening out the step before he started to lay the tiles. He did this all by hand no leveling tool except for a piece of wood.
finishing up work on the wrought iron thingy. I really do not know where they are going or what they are. But all the houses have this as there gates to the houses.
Leveling still
The person sitting in the chair is the person who oversees this house. He takes care of any problems. I believe he is called the Harish and his name is Ramadam. He is really nice. All the guys from all the houses get together and talk all thru the day as most days there is really nothing for them to do except water the plants and make sure the grounds are clean.
Because of the time difference this was my day yesterday and I did not find out about my dad until after Michael and I had gone to bed for the evening. It was about 10:30 pm here. So that is why all the happy pics. The time difference is a blessing and a curse. Well to my girls be strong for me and help do whatever you can and please keep me informed. To Barbara, I love you and you will be a part of my life as long as you wish to be. Take care of yourself.

Our Parents

My Parents wedding picture which was taken October 19th, 1957. They looked so happy but alas this union would not last my parents divorced in 1980 I believe not really sure. On the outside we were such a wonderful family. My dad always had everything a child would need and I never wanted for anything.
This is the last 5 generations picture taken in July "06" before my mom got sick. I knew that Friday night when I kissed her good-bye something was wrong. The girls even asked her if she was feeling alright and of course she said she was fine. We said our good-byes and I told her I would see her in a little over a month. Well I never did see my mom again. She got sick and died 3 months later on October 18th,2006 and we had her service ironically 49 years to the day after she married my dad in the same town. She died among her siblings and she was home. Her service was wonderful as all her siblings but one were there and all her friends from High school who meant so much to my mom. I never in a million years thought I would lose my mom before my dad but that is the hand I was dealt. I know my mom is free of pain and in a better place. But it still hurts so much. I keep her in my heart and talk to her often. I love you and miss you so much.
This is one of my favorite pictures of my dad taken in April when I went to visit him. Carla drove me down as I do not like to drive by myself.
This is a picture of my dad and Sandy who loves to her picture taken with dad.
This is a cute picture I took of my dad with his great-granddaughter Ashleigh Nicole. I love the look on his face. It is just a really cute picture of the two of them.

I like most kids always thought my parents would live forever. I have a grandma who was 97 this year and although she has dementia she is the sweetest grandma any child could have. So in my mind I just figured my mom and dad could live that long. In the last 6 years so much has happened in this little family group of mine. First my dad went in for open heart surgery of which he survived only to have a left brain stroke a few days after he got home from the hospital. But ya know that was not so bad as I still had my dad. Communication was a problem but who cares as long as he was here. But again in my mind he was still the man I loved so he could still live to be at least 80 I thought.
Then there is my mom who was in good health except for a few little mini strokes but otherwise she was fine. She had started to forget things but it was not that bad. Then in July we all planned a vacation to WI. to see family and for mom to make her yearly visit to her mom. I thought nothing of it as she had made the trip every year. She loved her momma and nothing would stop my mom from going to see her. I think deep down my mom knew she should not fly but she had to get to her momma.
Why am I writing this blog well I found out yesterday that my worst fears about my dad were true. He is worse than he was when I left. Barb got him out of the hospital last week but she told me he now needs to go back in. He is still not eating and he is disappearing in front of her eyes. Before I left he had lost 12 lbs. and did not look good and that is why I did not take any pictures of him. Barb is now trying to get him back into the hospital so he can get 24 hour care. You do not know how hard it was for me to leave and come to Kuwait. But, I knew that Dad would not want me to cancel because of him. So I came and I have prayed he will get better but now I just do not know. I am not going to go home early as I also know dad would not want me to rush home as there is really nothing I can do for him. But, if I know my dad he will be there when I get home if not only for me to snuggle next to him and say my goodbyes and tell him how much I love and will miss him.
Thank you for letting me babble on but I needed to get this all out. My heart is breaking and I have no one to talk to over here except Michael and yes he has been a great help but I want to talk to my Aunt Linda and cry on her shoulder over the phone.
*****To my dad I will be home in 4 Mondays. I will tell you all about my trip and all the interesting things I saw. I love you and miss you more than you will ever know. To Barb please take care of yourself and I know you will do what is right for my dad. I love and miss u 2. To my girls stay strong and say a little prayer for poppop and remember all the fun trips and good times you have had with him thru the years. I love you all and see you in 4 Mondays.

Allah alim - God knows best in Arabic

Sunday & I have almost been here a month

Today was just another day in paradise. The above picture is sunset from Saturday. It was a clear day and you could see the sunset. They say it is suppose to get dusty again but at least it has not been as bad as it was the days following us arriving in Kuwait.
This was sunrise this morning. The dust was not that bad this morning as I could actually see the sun. There have been mornings when I could not even tell if the sun was coming up except for the fact it was getting lighter outside. I love watching the sun come up it is really beautiful. I am less than a mile from the water here so I am closer than at home. Plus I am up to watch it come up over here. I would never get up this early at home.
This is the street sweeper. They come by a couple days a week to get the sand off the streets and whatever else could be on them. But at least they do clean the sand off the streets because if they did not you would not be able to drive on them after a few sandstorms. My hair is taking a beaten with all this sand. It is a very fine sand more like talcum powder and it is everywhere. Can not keep it out of the house.
This is the finished door that they were working on a couple of days ago. It really looks nice. Everything on it was made in the yard across the street. I got to watch the whole process from start to finish and hopefully I will get a picture of it installed on the house.
This is the moon over Egalia. It was the first time I had seen the moon so I had to get a picture.
To my girls I wish a wonderful day and know I love you all and miss you. To my Dad and Barb I love and miss you both so much. I am hoping and praying everything is fine with you Dad. I will be home soon so please take care of yourself.