Random Things

Some more piccies of Annalise in her Alien costume, that I took the morning I got her ready before school. She was so excited. I think I made the skirt a little too short, but it looked pretty great anyway!


A boozy night last Friday - our friend, Kelly's birthday (the blonde gal in the blue). We went to 'Beijing' the karaoke Chinese restaurant where we had a massive private room, free flow booze and plate upon plate of various Chinese cuisine to share. As always, lots of drinking and not enough eating meant that I spent the morning with my best friend, the toilet bowl. This happened last time I went there - I'm sure the MSG has something to do with it....(I know that sounds like a pathetic excuse, but honestly, this place gives everyone the WORST hangovers!) It's all worth it though as it's always such a good night.


The next day (yes, only a few hours after the toilet bowl) we had to go to another friend, Rachel's 40th birthday party at the Sofitel Hotel for lunch. This is a new hotel here in Bahrain. It is absolutely beautiful, set on a landscaped beach, but the food and service was pretty bloody (literally) awfully crap. Plus, Oh my goodness, the price was extortionate. It cost about 60 pounds each for the set lunch, without drinks. (I was driving so it made our bill relatively cheaper than other couples and families, but still....a very expensive lunch.)
I also had to send my chicken dish back as it was slimy and raw and bleeding....enough to put you off meat altogether! Although they cooked me something else, the experience of the chicken had put me off eating altogether so I paid 60 pounds for a bit of salad starter.
The kids were given pizza and ice cream, but the only flavour ice cream they had was rum and raisin with nuts.....one kid was allergic to nuts and both of mine won't eat raisins and nuts and didn't like the taste of the rum so we paid 20 pounds each for them to have a little bit of pizza each.
Needless to say, although it was lovely to spend a day with close friends and celebrate Rachel turning 40, we all came away feeling broke and hungry!

Busy weekend this weekend. Tomorrow night is the end of term staff social....will be a huge night, I think, and I'm singing in the band so had a little rehearsal tonight with them all .... will be great, I think, but feeling a little nervous!
The next night, we are at the 6th form ball.
My poor girls are having to be babysat two nights in a row. Feeling very guilty. I hate it that they look so forward to the weekends with us and then we go out and leave them behind at night! Don't think I'll ever be able to rid myself of the guilt.

This week has been majorly busy with report writing - of which I had to write 14 form classes (about 300 odd reports, each about a third of an A4 page plus tick boxes and grades....have sooooooooooooooo had enough of them now. Fingers crossed I have done them all now and there will only be minor corrections to make. Kids at school are off the planet - we and them both want to be on holiday. It's been a funny old year. Think the political situation and how it has caused everyone to feel unsettled and on edge has been pretty stressful on everyone and we're all feeling a little more tired than normal. I suppose having to have gone through gunshots and teargas and frightening protests and army and uncertainty etc for a prolonged period must have an affect on everyone after a while.
We have survived our first year in Bahrain though, and still love, love, love it. Would have been much better without the troubles, but lets hope things will be peaceful soon.
On the count down for holidays now!