Training .... in Dubai

Things are looking up for me at work. I have the opportunity to train clients in Dubai in the next few weeks. My ticket is booked and I am flying Emirates. So, anyone tell me what I can expect?
What will I fly in? Airbus 330 or 340 or Boeing 777? It all looks incredible on the Emirates website. Does it match up to the expectations? I've heard only good about Emirates so if anyone wants to comment on how they have found things then that would be much appreciated.

It is only a 3 day, 2 night trip. I probably won't have time to view much if I am training all day. Still, I will have the evenings. Anyone got any ideas on what to do in the short time that I am there?

New.........

2007. The opportunity to start again. So what will be new for me in 2007. Only God really knows that but here is what I am aware of.

A new era - without my mother. Christmas and New Year was good but different. Christmas Day would have been the day when Mum would have been doing the dinner, organising the presents etc, but that fell to me instead. It was good to toast the day, and remember. My mum loved jigsaws, and she nearly always received one at Christmas from some family member. It was my turn this year - with a jigsaw birthday pressie from my brother!!! Traditions sometimes take a long time to die.

A new energy - I love my job. This year, it could expand, with more visits overseas. Great, 'cos as you already are aware, I love flying!!! I love the team that I work with. We are a bunch of ladies who enjoy each others company. We have a wonderful boss who is a great people person. He is the only male in the team, so I suppose you could consider us his little harem!!

A new objective - my allotment. Having taken on another half a plot, the objective for me to be more organised. Point to self: Must label all seedlings. Last year, my friend and I sowed courgettes, squashes, pumpkins and cucumbers. When they are small they all look the same. When we planted them out and they started growing, we suddenly realised that we had a space problem. Pumkins just take over and spread for miles!!!

A new challenge - I haven't got one yet. I haven't made any new year resolutions. I know better than that. It only sets me up for failure.

So, what is new for you?

45 years of marriage.......not quite

Yesterday, 2nd December, would have been my parents 45th wedding anniversary, a sapphire anniversary. Sadly, mum didn't make it. I was worried for my dad. He got through her birthday OK, just treating the day as another normal day, but this one was a little different. He came over for evening meal and spent a couple of hours with us. We didn't do much, but I didn't want him to be on his own all day.

I suspect that Christmas will be more difficult for us. Mum usually organised quite a bit of the celebrations but she won't be here. That will be something we will have to get used to. Dad can't think about Christmas. He doesn't know whether to get a tree or get himself organised to buy presents. I am not going to push him to do anything, but will have some standby pressies, just in case.

How do you start to live again after nearly 45 years of marriage?

A week off

I have been a bit of a workaholic this year. I have a holiday entitlement of up to 30 days and next year I can have the same, 'cos I am entitled to take up to 5 days over. But even with those 5 days taken next year, I still have not taken enough time off so this week I took the rest of my entitlement to ensure that I didn't lose any days.

I haven't done a lot.
Monday - Nicki's Birthday. Got up early to see her open her presents. Unfortunately, our present had not arrived. (See below) Then, Christmas Shopping. Got most of the presents and did it within my budget so far. I feel great about that but I still need to get Christmas Cards organised, wrapping presents, ensuring that I have the Christmas Dinner organised, and ordered!!!!
Tuesday - didn't do a lot at all. Rested for most of the morning to be honest.
Wednesday - Dug a bit on the allotment. Lunchtime - went to Costco with my father. Nice to do something together, just the two of us, even if it was forcing ourselves around a crowded store.
Thursday - Visited a friend from work who is on longterm sick. Came home and cleaned the kitchen and the oven. Hated doing it but pleased with the results.
Friday - today - going to see a friend who has just had a new baby.
OK - it sounds like I have been busy - but I have, intentionally, not rushed. This has been a good week for me. Still a little fragile around the edges though.

Tomorrow - back to the grind of a normal weekend. Nicki will need taking to her keyboard lessons early tomorrow. She is doing so well at it. Next year she will be taking her Grade 6 Keyboard. As a birthday present, we bought her an 88 key keyboard to enable her to play more piano pieces. Unfortunately, the warehouse didn't get it to us in time, hence my comments above. The company didn't immediately apologise for their mess up and it took about 3 emails before they even ventured to offer us an apology. Still waiting for the keyboard to arrive, but I am assured that it has been despatched from the warehouse. We wait, in anticipation.

The ship has sailed

My father counted up his sympathy cards today - over 250 of them. They are full of wonderful expressions of how much my mother touched lives. Memories of her as a child, as a nurse, as a confidant and friend.
One of the sympathy cards that was received contained the following:

I am standing at the seashore and watching a ship. It is large and bright and glinting in the sun. Myself, and many others, wish it's passenger good sailing, and to say "goodbye" - but going where?

Just out of sight - that is all.
I want that ship not to sail. I want it to stay, but it is sailing away with it's passenger - never to return.

I stand here, with others, waving, saying "farewell", "goodbye", "God Bless", and what I need to remember is that there are other voices, other hands excitedly waving on the other side of the horizon and joyfully singing out.....

"Here she comes!"