Hello Tiddly Peeps... nice to see you, to see you - nice! Well I have to say Fond Farewell to Jackie from The Last Resort. She's decided to postpone her blogging for a while and so I have taken her link down. Gone to get more Tizer and peel more spuds for all those chips you have to eat when you view her pages! LOL. I will miss her dry sense of humour; I just love the way she writes. We will all miss you Jackie. *sigh*

Wowsers - what a great weekend I had. Firstly let me explain that Thurs and Fri are like Sat and Sun in the rest of the world and so instead of celebrating Mother's Day today, we did it all on Friday. I was awoken with fresh coffee and a bacon butty (shhh!). Aww look right, it didn't last long enough for any muslim to get a whiff of it. Had it seriously wounded as soon as I set eyes on it! LOL. Then I was presented with a beautiful suede, embroidered and beaded bag and a key ring from Luke and Elissa. They took me out to lunch and then we promenaded along the promenade! Well it's a walkway at the back of all the fast food restaurants that's all been renovated and is really nice to wander along next to the sea. It was warm but the sea breeze cooled us down. It's a pain in the arse having to wear the abaya when it's hot and I do get fed-up with the stupid thing billowing out. As usual, we were the only white faces out there but Luke and Elissa played in the park with all the arab children. I just love watching the two of them play... they don't speak the same language as the others but it doesn't seem to get in the way of anything. We could all learn a lot from our children don't you think? I called my mum and Stephen called his mum - they move into their new house tomorrow. I have dedicated a page on my website to them but it's not uploaded yet. Geez - I am getting behind with stuff. As my parents divorced when I was in the later teenage years, my dad's wife, Bea, although a lovely lady, isn't like a mother to me - more of a friend - so I don't tend to celebrate Mother's Day with her. She has two children older than myself though so she isn't left out. I think if she didn't have children of her own, then I would probably buy her a little something but I have never lived with her so it's not the same.

Our meeting on Thursday with our Company was same old, same old really. I can leave whenever I want and return when it's safe. As I will be outta here in a couple of weeks, I don't care much anyway and although we were the only westerners around on Friday, I can't say I felt any discomfort. So here I am for a while longer. Debating whether or not to take laptop on jollies with us. I'd like to but I don't think it's really necessary... do you?! LOL

I tried to upload some images into my blog again today after some 'cheeky' advice from a friend but it didn't work and I can't seem to find anyone that now allows remote hosting unless you pay. Therefore, I am considering paying for webhosting for my family pages and having my own domain name. The prices are reasonable really. I guess my site started out free and I wanted to prove that you don't have to purchase graphics etc. to make good pages. I have always used linkware but the other day I finally managed to purchase graphics from Olli at CPC. I love her work and wanted to get some ages ago but had problems with PayPal and being an expat. but Olli has managed to offer another option to pay which I was able to use, after a few emails and questions.

And now, I am off to eat crusty white bread smothered in Nutella. The children are in bed and I don't have to share it with anyone. It's mine... AAALLL MIIIIIIINE! Mwah-ha-ha-ha-haaaaaa! (wicked laughter).

That's all folkes! Michelle has left the building!

I am mad. Mad busy I mean. Been to dentists. Comparatively painless from last visit there. Will blog tomorrow and hopefully catch up with everyone then. Thankyou so much to the ladies who mailed me - I promise to get back to you. Enjoy your weekend everyone! x x x

I thought I'd created a link to Jo-Ann's site that I mentioned yesterday but it looks like I didn't and I don't think it's fair to chat about people and not let you know where they are. All seems terribly one-sided that does. Hopefully her name is now linked to her site and my apologies to any one who knows her and noticed. I aired some dirty laundry there and was a tad worried that the lynch mob of army wives would be chasing me. They didn't but I need to go back and post a reply to them. Nice to have a discussion rather than a heated debate. Will post more later. Our Company have called a meeting about our situation here so that should be interesting.

I haven't yet got to see the Oscars; probably be another few weeks before it gets aired here, as everything else! LOL. I can't quite understand why people felt it wrong to have some glitz and glamour during a war. War is hard - my grandfather desperately wants me to come home as he says he doesn't want me experiencing anything like he had to in WW2. My grandfather was my first father figure and I'm lucky enough to still have his input in my life, but this is home for me now and I have to keep reminding him that whilst the war in Iraq has tainted our day-to-day living here, I'm not in much more danger than I would be at home. Just have to be vigilant and I am. (My muslim neighbour however, has decided it’s safer to go home and she and her family, husband included have now left the Kingdom. See? It affects us all. Back to the Oscars thing.) However, the tales my Grandma told me of WW2 was that they would do anything to help lift their spirits - hence the bright red lipstick you see them all wearing. Sadly, she was clearing out lockers of American soldiers that had either died in battle or gone awol and found some alcohol which she and a friend proceeded to 'test'. They got incredibly drunk and she has never drank like that since! LOL. I would have thought the Oscars would have been a great way to lift peoples spirits, seeing everyone all glammed up etc. I guess the only downside would be that celebs. would perhaps use it as a soapbox instead, which no, I don't think that is good at all. Use it for the escapism it should be. As I say, we haven't had them here so don't come yelling at me for not knowing some things.

Today I called to Jo-Ann’s site. She has a great layout for her stuff and I loved the part where you can air your dirty laundry. LOL. I do think it’s important to support our troops – all our troops. It’s no good protesting after they’ve gone to war. Waste of time and resourses in my opinion – and don’t forget, this is what this blog is. Even after the sadness of 911, and living in Yanbu with a whole host of Texan expats, I still get the feeling that a lot of America doesn’t understand it’s bearing on the rest of the world. I do think that Saddam should be overthrown but what I don’t want to see, is Iraq being governed in the same way as the UK or the US. In fact, I just checked the link to Jo-Ann’s site and saw something that sums it up. It’s a mark written over copies of the Dixie Chicks album that says ‘Americans Speak. We will not listen’ , relating to the DC’s outburst in London earlier. *sigh* If only people did listen to each other I believe half the rotten things in this world wouldn’t happen. Whilst our religion and beliefs in Jesus are important (I’m C of E for the record… some would argue that’s not a real religion) ;-), likewise are their beliefs in Allah and if there is one thing I really do dislike, it’s people who are intolerant of others and try to press their views on others. I guess that’s what I’m concerned about – that the two countries will try and do that with Iraq. “Hey come and live the way we do. It’s great!”

Please don’t dismiss things that are hard to understand. I now know why some muslim women wear the abaya (black cloak) or cover their bodies and I think it’s a rather sweet idea, even though I don’t think it works most of the time. (I also wear the abaya when out as is preferred here but don’t cover my hair.) I also understand why they don’t allow women to drive here, even in the 21st century nor to they have public transport for us – you get a taxi or the compound shuttle bus. I get fed-up with Prayer Times as the call for prayer wakes my daughter at stupid-o-clock in the morning and all the shops close for it and you’re left standing outside admiring the brickwork for 30 minutes: but that is what they do. They pray lots. I don’t think any of us can criticise muslims devotion to god. I know why they don’t allow pork or alcohol into the country and their ideas aren’t without ground. Their ideas are not wrong. They are just different.

On a lighter note, it’s the beginning of the weekend. We have had terrible rain storms o/night and a sandstorm is whipping up now. It’s awful out there. Luke has just lost another tooth as I type this! My baby is getting older each day. He’s been a cheeky so and so these past few days, but I just got word that his school will re-open on Saturday so I am off to take them to Pizza Inn to celebrate. Well, it is the w/e!

Given up on my graphics for now. Awaiting loads of advice from well meaning net buddies. Missed the bus into town this morning and so whilst Elissa was at school, Luke played out at a friend's, I created a guestbook and guestmap. Bored, bored, bored. *sigh*. Off to eat a warm apple pie with cream now. I made a roast beef dinner tonight. I have been very lax lately; seem to always be on here! LOL. Figured I really should make Hubby a decent meal to come home to after a hard day sitting at his desk. Keeps me in good stead for the rest of the week. ;-). Couldn't do Yorkshire puddings though unlike my new bud Christina ... an American Yorkshirewoman and she can make Yorkshire puddings and I can't. They say it's something to do with the flour here. Well that's my story and I'm sticking to it! Right, I'm off for my Apple Pie date and to watch East Enders. OH! Can anyone tell me, is Laura Beale pregnant in real life too? We're only 2 episodes behind the UK so I consider that to be up-to-date. Night night.

OK so coffee cup missing. I couldn't figure out why I could see it every now and then but no-one else could. Apparently this is because when I first uploaded it the image was cached and so I could see it on my computer but no-one else could. Am now looking for somewhere offering remote hosting or my blog will be pretty bland indeed! Unless anyone out there can help with an alternative solution. Mail me if you can, please.

D'you like the coffee mug? Thanks Christina - it took me a while to get it up on here as I'm still learning but hopefully it's there now. Mmm - love coffee!

This morning our houseboy, Isaac, arrived. Sounds posh I know but seeing as I have to do all the housework myself when I'm back home I thought, hell, why not take advantage of the bit of spare cash we have and get some help around the house. He irons for an hour on Sundays and Mondays he comes to clean for a couple of hours. Only, I don't like being in when he's here. Elissa's school has reopened so she went there and Luke and I decided to brave the big, wide world and go out. Of the compound.

There's a bus that leaves the compound at 10 o'clock so we caught that down into Khobar. Stopped at Baskin Robbins for an ice-cream and walked over the footbridge onto the corniche. This is an area full of fast food restaurants all lined up side by side, set back just off the road. Behind them is the sea so that's where we aimed for. We just wandered about, chatting together licking ice-creams like two doddering old folk at an English sea-side resort! It was peaceful down there. No westerners and only two arab men. Usually, the arab men will acknowledge a western woman on her own, but today when I smiled at them they just looked back. No smile. Then looked away. Felt a bit uncomfortable and like saying, "Listen mate, the war isn't my fault. I live here with you guys." We came across a Filipino fisherman but all he caught was a bunch of seaweed so Luke wasn't impressed. I still feel safer here than at home in Bolton, even though when we went to the supermarket last night, we were the only westerners there, other than one older man. Still quiet though... even the Saudis seem to be staying home.

Tell you what, it was good to have Luke to myself for a few hours and he said although he loves his sister there's never much time just for him. As Stephen only gets one day off a week, the equivalent of a Sunday, we spend it all together and I would love it so much if we could each spend time with each child separately, if you know what I mean. Luke needs a bit of male bonding now, alone with his dad, but it's just not possible and it's a shame. *sigh* Still, a walk by the sea and an ice-cream with his mum was better than nothing. I still don't know if he will be back in school next Saturday or not. Turning into a funny old week this is.

OMG - spent nearly all day on here - lol. The children have fought amongst themselves and eaten nothing but rubbish all day long. Well - what's one day I say. I have managed to stop blog from scrolling but still having problems publishing the bloody daft thing. I can when I revert to the normal page but when I add different links I seem to mess the bloody thing up. 8 out of 10 - must try. Must try harder, I mean.
Well here's a bit more news. Stephen called to tell me that his boss had been on the phone asking if I still wanted to stay here or go home back to Manchester. Stephen told him that myself and the children were doing just fine and dandy, despite schools being closed. Rory (his boss) told him that we are booked on a flight back to England every four days and we have exit and re-entry visas in our passports if things do change for the worse, so it's nice to know that at least the children and I can leave easily if we wish. Of course, non of this applies to Stephen. He will remain here until the embassy advise him to leave, which is what me and the kids will also do. Luke and Elissa's schools are closed tomorrow also and the embassy have said they'd rather we didn't leave the compound. What's a girl to do, I ask? If anyone knows of any good games, the sort that are played in caravans when it comes down like stair rods on your two weeks jollies in Cornwall, then I'd be happy to hear of them. See you soon bloggers. x

OK I just tried to change the template to add others and whaddya know? Hasn't done it. Maybe I will call back later and give it a bit more time to refresh. *sigh*

I think I've sorted out my blog now. Everyone out there has such beautiful ones - or fun and quirky in Jackie's case! I'm only just learning about HTML let alone how to deal with Blogger tags; plus I'm too tight to pay any money for anything better - lol. Actually, it started out as a free thing and now I'm just trying to keep it that way to show what can be done without shelling out a bean and I think I've done pretty good. There are some great people out there giving graphics away so long as you link back to them. Besides which, when people view your site they do like to know how you put it all together and not being a selfish person, I would put links on my pages whether I was asked to or not. I'm going to publish this now and see how I get on.
OH! No change here by the way. Both babes are home with me today and I'm awaiting a call from the school to say when they can go back. Haven't been off the compound since Wednesday. Cabin fever setting in! It's been made easier somewhat by my sister-in-law all the way over in Devon, UK, sending a parcel for the kids. Elissa has a beautiful beaded bag and bracelet which even I would use - got a classy sis-in-law - Monsoon sweetie, Monsoon. It's wasted on Elissa! lol. I also have to practise some magic and wizardry thanks to the Harry Potter kit Luke got. Ribbit, ribbit!

Stephen wouldn't let us out last night; said it would be best to lie low for a day or two. Running out of food now and having to send out for takeaways by home delivery. Shame. LOL. No more news as yet and as I will have both babes home with me for god only knows how long, then don't expect too much from me, okey-dokey? Bye for now x x x

So that's it then; war has begun. I just got email from Stephen saying that the British School is now closed for 3 days but as it's w/e here, I assume that means there is no school Sat, Sun and Monday. Luke's regular Thursday Activity Club had already been cancelled for today so this news isn't unexpected. It also means that Elissa's school will be closed. *sigh*.
Last night I got a burger craving after all the dental work I'd suffered last week. Found ourselves in Fuddruckers in the Al Rashid shopping centre, the largest in Khobar. 3 tables were taken and this on a Wednesday evening which is the equivalent to a Friday for the non-muslim world. Last week we couldn't get a seat there. It was nice though to have the place almost to ourselves and the children had a bit more freedom than normal. Didn't spot many westerners in the centre at all but then again, this is my home now so I can't say that I take much notice of people's different nationalities when I'm out shopping. However, on the way home we noticed that the supermarket was absolutely chocka!
This was the message we received the other day from a friend who works as the warden in Yanbu on behalf of the British Consulate in Jeddah:- "The only other advice is (just in case of the totally unexpected happening) to stock up on an emergency supply of water, tinned/dried food, toilet paper etc." Blimey - think having a clean bum would be the least of my problems if war was to include Saudi. LOL. Besides which, I'd be cleaning mine all the bloody time!!! ROFL. Well, I mean... if we didn't laugh, we'd cry. The other information was:- British government accepts general opinion that anti Western attitudes may increase in Saudi Arabia once war starts and that there could be an increase in individual attacks on individual Westerners by local fanatics. So far there does not seem to have been an increase (yet) but the Consulate is reiterating its earlier messages of being vigilant and keeping a low profile while also suggesting that it may be prudent for shopping to be carried out in groups and late night shopping to be minimized.
Good job we went and got our tickets for our holiday to Oz already then, isn't it? We are definately flying on the 10th April and have managed to book a town house for the time we are in Melbourne. So let's hope it's a swift and fairly peaceful war... if we can have such a thing.
Right... I'm hungry now so I am off. I spent ages updating this and when I went to post it, blogspot crashed and lost it all so here I go again. Hell I really need to do something about this blog! Hope your week is better than ours! Hugs x x x

Groan! I feel just awful! I had toothache last week and so went to the dentist; ended up with scrape and polish, two fillings and further appointments. Now I am really fed-up because although the fillings I had have cured that particular toothache, a tooth at the far back, which wasn't hurting before I went in, is now causing me agony and I don't know why! I can't eat anything hot or cold because the pain is just too much and I can feel it whenever I close my jaws together. I am also starting with a cold and my head feels all woolly and numb (nowt new there then - lol). So, not a happy bunny at all, have to say.
Luke was fantastic at his assembly the other day where he and his class performed The Lighthouse Keeper's Lunch. He did really well and was praised at the end for settling in good and joining in with everything. He also brought home a Bronze award for the amount of House Points he was been awarded since he started last month. I am so pround of him. I have an appt. with his teacher tomorrow to discuss how he is doing but I don't have any problems. He's far more suited to this school than his previous I have to say.
We have been trying to find camping places in Oz over the internet, without much success either. In the UK we have two major places called Butlins and Havern and they have hoards of camping grounds with static vans. We figured this would be the best way of travelling Oz cheaply and just hiring a car as it's not really a holiday we're going on; more of a recki really and sussing out house rental prices and where the jobs are. We are going to Melbourne for a fourtnight, Sidney for a week and then stopping off in Dubai, seeing as how we only live on it's doorstep, on the way back which will be a bit more of a holiday then. If anyone reads this and can help us with finding cheap holiday parks in Victoria and around the Sidney area, I will be forever indebted. Well, OK, maybe not forever, but for a long while at least.
I am going to grab a bath and a nice cup of tea now. That's how you know I don't feel good as I rarely drink tea unless I feel under the weather... unless it's really good tea, the proper, strong stuff. This'll be a Tetley tea-bag jobbie. lol. Night night everybod. x x x

Hallo-hallo-hallo. Here I am again for my Sunday night blog. The TV is bobbins on Sundays here as it's all repeats on BBC Prime of stuff we watched during the week. Well I got a babysitter on Thursday night for the first time ever, EVER, EVER!. Milton he was called, is called, even. The babes had just gone to bed but Luke stayed up to meet him, then was shipped straight off to bed! LOL. We had an early Paddy's Night function with Stephen's company, Kents. Most of them are Irish and from Ireland so this was the real maccoy yeah, not just an excuse. The company always donate to the Irish Soc. in Bahrain but this year only got offered one table so they decided to hold their own for all the rif raff. Yeah, us! lol. Anyway, the food was good, the crack was good and a great time was had by all... including our very own rendition of River Dance. Of course, all of them were sent to Irish dance lessons as kids and some of them could remember what they where doing and so they did a turn for their mates on the night and they were really, really good. Yip. It was nice to have somewhere to go. I think we will get a babysitter again now that Elissa is older - she will be two next month. Time is flying by. Today I noticed Luke's other top tooth is coming through - it makes him seem so grown up. Well I gotta go and check the camcorder is working. He is on stage at school tomorrow and after they recite a poem about sand and water, he has a reading of his own! A solo performance already. He doesn't even seem to get nervous but this is the first time he will have stood up on his own so I have to record it for posterity. We had a real row today over school uniform and PE kit and like all rows, it grew all out of proportion and he got a smack. God I felt so bad and sick afterwards. We have never argued like that - he's six now and I've been able to reason with him over most things and he understands about compromise so today came as a bit of a shock. He has his own views and is able to express his feelings and I don't know him inside out like I used to and he was quite adamant today of how he felt and wouldn't back down at all. He is quite old for a six year old and incredibley good most days. I think he will make up for it when he hits his teens but thankfully I have a few more years grace yet! I certainly don't want anymore rows like the one today. It was like a bad argument with a best friend and I felt physically sick afterwards. I've just updated his page on our website and so now I'm off for a surf. This blog is the next thing I have to work on getting onto my site and getting our own domain name too. Now that is proving more difficult. Take care and I shall see you later. x x x

Whey-hey... added links to my blog for tag and zonk. I like the zonk board best and already had my friend Michelle sign it; we went to high school together and have got in touch again through the Friends Reunited website. By the way, if Karen Taylor from my old class reads this, can she please mail me as I have lost her address and can't be bothered to pay a fiver to contact her through the F.R-U. website. I have two children coming down with a cold and the wee one is just miserable as sin so I should be thankful I got to use the computer at all today! Huggles to you all x x x

Whoo-hoo, I finally updated our website! Stephen's pages are fantastic! I have struggled with it because the auld fella is real poorly sick and so I had to go scrabbling around the net for graphics that I used. Not hard, but iritating when you know you've done it once already. Taking the opportunity to upload the children's pages so although available, they aren't up to day. I previously used a drag and drop editor which is great - don't knock 'em, they let you get a site up in double quick time, but I wasn't learning anything and you know me... I like knowing the ins and outs of everything I'm involved with. Luke drives me mad with his incessant questions but I'm sure I was just like that and probably still am. LOL. He is far more settled in school these days now that he has a few more friends but the school is far more demanding on them than his old one. Elissa's eyes sparkle when she talks about school and now she is beginning to string words together such as shut door, open please, go bus, go school etc. She's grown 3cm in the past two months. She's only there three days a week but I think that is enough for now. Well I am off to visit some kind people who left messages in my guestbook so take care and I will see you again soon. Huggles x x x