It was too dark to possibly be 6:30 am...but after raising the blinds to look out on the palms I realized we were socked in by fog! This, usually, would bring we down. But, BIG RED IS BACK!
OK, I didn't blog the accident because I have been embarrassed and in shock and maybe even denial. My driving record is, well....BAD! Combine that with the crazy traffic in Abu Dhabi at 7:35am and 4 kids anxious to get to school and eventually....and accident happens.
I rear-ended someone 3 weeks, and 3 days ago. It was a terrible day. It started at 2:30am when I couldn't sleep any longer and decided to just get up and clean the house...So I was already tired by breakfast and without fail..it was the day that 3 out of 4 kids didn't want to go to school...Then breakfast spilled everywhere and before we knew it we were running late! NOT GOOD on a day that began so early..I should be organized, right? OK, enough bad talk....The great news is, after 3 weeks and 3 days of patchworking our scheduling together (because I average 4 hours a day in the car transporting kids!) WE HAVE BIG RED BACK! The Explorer was delivered yesterday afternoon and just like one of the family we hugged her and welcomed her home even though she was dirty and smelly and dusty.
This morning was great! Nobody fought over who had to sit in the back seat because they were just happy to have their own seatbelts! If ever we need to appreciate what we have we just need to crash it up, send it away for three weeks and cram ourselves into a really sweet Mercedes for a while! (Brad, of course is thrilled to have his tricked out ride back!)
After dropping the kids at school I took Big Red to have some spa treatments...She got washed and scrubbed...pedi, mani, the whole nine yards..We were both walking on air..Then off to Spinneys to get a few groceries and, of course, a Diet Coke for a toast and a christening of our new beginning together. We are committed to safety. We will not be distracted. We will leave the house early, before traffic gets thick..All the things I vowed to do on my own I went over them with Big Red.
Then..at Spinneys, as I'm smiling and wishing everyone a good morning, I see the baggers unwrapping new grocery carts!!
GET OUT! New carts at Spinneys...This could very well be the best day of my life...Am I being punk'd? What could happen next? The only way to top this would be to get invited to Oprah's Favorite Things Show!! I had to get a photo. So, below you will see that, in spite of the fog...I am having a fabulous day in the UAE..I'm going to go with Shari and get some henna to celebrate and then watch Cairo in her last swim meet for the season...Life is GREAT!
Fog is kind of fun for a change...
We love our Big Red, just like family. We don't care how dirty or smelly she is...we love her!
OK..Honestly these guys have seen the best and the worst of me and they greet me everytime with big smiles and happy hearts...A few months ago I melted down at Spinneys because the ATM machine ate my card and didn't even give me cash first...They were offering to loan me money as I stood outside in 120 degree heat throwing a tantrum..Now they see me smiling because, even they missed Big Red! They pose for my photos with the new carts and wish me a "Good-day, Madam." They could probably put more honest stuff about me on this blog than I can..I'm sure they think I'm crazy but they seem to be entertained anyway..
'NUFF SAID!!!
Our garden looked magical for our Thanksgiving dinner party. It is fun to be able to have the sliding doors open and eat outside under the lights in November. That's something we cannot do at home in Utah. The weather was ideal! After dinner we moved the round table back into the kitchen and danced under the lights to some of our favorite music. It was really a fun evening. Definitely the best time we could have away from family back home. 
Jacqui and Marilyn. It was such a great evening to have so many different people we love here with us to join in our american tradition of giving thanks. 
Jack and Charlie were playing peek-a-boo from behind the carpet we have hanging on the kitchen wall.
