Sand, sand, sand!!!!

Don't leave your shoes out during  a dust storm!!

Due to the shamals (North winds) the curriculum of events has been shuffled around a bit. I thought the breeze was lovely last night so I shut off the air conditioning in my room and woke up with a sand dune on my arse the next morning. Well...ok....not that bad, but I had crunchy teeth and when I blew my nose, dirt came out. The furniture outside was covered in white dust. On our way out to the garden centre this morning, my mother and Erik kept pointing things out to me, but I don't have my desert vision yet. The wind was crazy and the dust was like Maritime fog. I never saw anything until we were right on top of it and then we'd fly by in the vehicle anyway. I guess there is a huge royal compound that we drove by, but all I could see was one or two turrets on an outlying gate and a small grove of trees. "Look at the palace!!!" 0_o Yes, it's lovely. Hahahaha. Another day, perhaps. I did see the main walls of a military base. It looked like a medieval city wall. Everything is walled up here, otherwise it would become buried under the sand.

Don't know what they are, but they're pretty!!

Desert Rose

We went to the "Agricultural Ministry" this morning, which turned out to be a lot of greenhouses guarded by a man who looked like Yoda. People need to pretend I'm an idiot and start explaining things accordingly. Much like the other day, "Let's go grab a bite to eat at the mall", telling me that we're going to an agricultural department or a government ministry of any sort puts an entirely different mental picture in my head because I. Don't. Live. Here. I came downstairs in my black and gold abaya because I wanted to actually be dressed appropriately for a change. My mother looks at me and says, "What are you wearing THAT for? We're going to a garden centre, it looks like Kent. Erik will be here any minute." I would wear jeans to a nursery because it's hot, humid, muddy, and full of wet plants. I would not wear jeans to go to a government building unless it was the Ministry of Casual Day. People need to start explaining themselves.

Night blooming Jasmine is on the left. I love Jasmine!!!

Tomorrow we are going to do shopping, so at least I know to dress appropriately for that. I have figured out my mother's old Nokia, but I haven't been taking a lot of pictures because up until ten minutes ago I wasn't sure what I could take pictures of. That, and I've spent most of my time either in a moving vehicle or trying not to get separated when I get taken out anywhere, so I don't waste time trying to line up a good shot.

The flowers on this tree smell beautiful. 

I spend most of my time in the courtyard of my parents' villa. I am mostly a homebody anyway, so I don't mind this. I like the high walls that are around everything. I know they're there to keep the place from being buried under sand, but I like the privacy, too. The feral kitties come in to keep me company, lounging on the furniture or perching along the privacy walls. People are very social here and they like to visit, so I am also guaranteed at least one person sticking their head through the gate to see if anyone is home. I've finished the pair of socks that I started on my flight over last week. I need to find more yarn. From the flowers to the wooden screens, to the window openings, to the fabrics on display in the Indian stores and souqs, I find design inspiration everwhere....and I certainly have the time to create, but not the yarn. Damn. I would love some nice silk sari yarn right now and some nice shiny green fingering weight yarn. And some gold yarn. And some blue yarn. And something purple in a fingering weight to make myself a lace sheath.

:)