Monday, September 23, 2013

Summer 2013

So… I haven’t had much to say on my blog lately. It happens! I am not going to try and catch up on everything I’ve missed posting about, but as my blog is for photos as well as random thoughts and recipes, I am going to post some older photos.

I love this photo of Ninja helping Honor with her homework – she’s always so involved in whatever the kids are doing.
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…and this is a rare one of all three cats hanging out together doing the same thing. They generally have their own favorite activities, but ‘yelling’ at birds and outside cats on their patio is something that they can all get behind.
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Ninja seemed to know that when the last day of school was this year. Honor and Brian’s class schedules had been on the fridge for the whole school year, but the first week of summer vacation starts and Ninja chose to celebrate by eating Honor’s schedule!
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One of the reasons that, I believe, I have been so remiss in posting lately is that Kuwait feels very much like ‘home’. Why should I post things that are seem so similar to home? I know… to share, and I should do more. And, yes. It is different here and the culture is different, and the people are different, etc. but we feel at home and there really is so much that is NOT different!
Driving down the roads, unless you look closely at the signs, feels like driving in the US (except perhaps, with more folks here who go faster than they ought to) but still, very similar to desert-y and/or coastal, depending on where we are at, city areas of the US.
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There are a number of very lovely malls that are nice to visit. They are designed to be nice to visit and roam about, not just for shopping. We took Honor out for her birthday to the Avenues Mall. There’s a pretty fountain at one entry point.
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Above the fountain, the color of the lights in the ceiling gently cycle through various shades. I had to take several shots to try and catch the ‘best’ ones. We like the peacock effect and colors.
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We wandered about and after a fun visit to Build-a-Bear (haven’t gone there since Honor was 3 years old!) we had dinner at the Cheesecake Factory.
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Avenues is more than a name, it describes the theme of the mall. It is set up like indoor ‘avenues’. Quite lovely.
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We had some lazy summer days… which the cats did not mind.
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And a lot of computer playing… which Ninja found boring…
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We had some really gross sandy days…
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And some very hot days… but Honor and I planted a bunch of plants and made a nice fairy garden.
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Eventually, as the temps went up past 110F and pretty much stayed there day and night(!), the garden dried up (melted?!) despite our best efforts to keep it going. We will plant again soon. Perhaps in October.

Here is a random photo of a cat in a drawer. Just proving the concept that if something is opened, a cat MUST get into it.
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The kids are still taking karate lessons and enjoying them. Their instructors are very good! 
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There was the traditional 4th of July camel ride.
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Brian had been a good ‘big brother’ to a friend’s little boy and rode with him as he was too small to go alone. Brian was relieved that we took his buddy down before the camel sat so he could dismount though. Riding a camel is easy… but that bit where the camel rocks way forward and way back in order to stand up? That’s a little crazy!
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And what next? Well, R&R of course! By July, we were on a plane and heading to the US for vacation, but those pics will come later.
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