Well it’s been so long since I added to these pages ! and so much has happened in the last months.
The highlight, at least for me, was the second visit to Abu Dhabi at the end of March to see the gang.
They have a good – no – a great, family lifestyle. I have had to eat my words about them going in the first place. I was probably the only member of the family that thought it a bad move. Boy! was I wrong and I have changed my mind.
It was a brave thing to do with such young babes but they all seem content. Ava is now the cutist little madam, Hattie the coolest, laid back eating machine ever.
Mum and Dad seem to have it cracked. Mind you, it must have been tough work to get where they are now and it’s always hard to have two little ‘uns, but especially so in a new country. But they are getting there, hard as it still is. I am proud of them.
Now that they have joined the facilities over the road in the newly built hotel – jacuzzi, Sauna, Gym and a fantastic pool, it seems that we will have two water babes soon. No, three when you include Kirsty! James does not fall into a babe category!! It was tear jerking to see Ava swimming in her little flotation top, and now she’s not using that apparently.
I found the funniest thing was Hattie in her mobile carrier. You know, one of those carriers with wheels that you suspend baby in and then she pushes herself around. Regular calls of “incoming” had me laughing and dodging out of the way as this Hatmobile hurtled around the apartment crashing into everything in it’s path – including shins and feet if you didn’t heed the warnings! She had absolutey no fear in that buggy. I can’t wait to see her grow and start driving. She’ll be a match for any of those lunatic Emiratees. And believe me they are mad. I did have a go at driving to and from the Ex Pat Rugby club one evening. So that Mum and Dad could have a break and a drink. I’m not sure if J & K would have preferred a loony Emirati taxi driver but – at least we all survived my driving !
I love ’em all to bits and can’t wait to see them again, unfortunately it may well be a while before I can. Thank God for Skype eh? and now we can actually read Ava a bedtime story over Skype it’s fantastic. Plus, Kirsty is always posting new photos on Facebook. Daily. It is brilliant to see them and it makes you feel in touch that much more.
I flew Etihad this time. On the way out they lost part of the luggage. No big deal really – except if you were James waiting outside for over an hour while they located it. And on the way back I turned up exactly twenty four hours late for my flight. I was furious as it was a printing error on the flight confirmation that caused the problem. I had a frantic couple of hours getting on a plane and had to pay again. In fact , furious isn’t the word. I fired off a nasty letter to Etihad and they had the good grace to apologise and promise to refund my expenses. It’s so annoying when people admit they are wrong, say sorry and make restitiution. It gives you nothing to rant over. I could have kept that going for ages!
My trip was fantastic. So enjoyable. But it’s full on for sure. Those babes are a constant handfull from early morning till they collapse. Fortunately they collapse just a short while before James and Kirsty!!