Hot Springs in UAE

First, pictures of the dust storm. The wind is blowing hard again today. I think I have Oman sand in my hair and eyes. Sand knows no borders. There is dirt and dust on my shelves, papers and books at school. I worry about all the dust we are breathing. So many of us have had bronchitis so I guess that's the side effect.
The rest of the pictures are from the very top of Jebel Hafeet mountain and a hot springs park at the bottom of the mountain. It was very pretty there and a gorgeous day.

Dust storm

Another view from Jabel Hafeet

Someone's house on the top of the mountain

Same house

I wouldn't live here!

Pretty place for a coffee and a snack

Landscape at the park.

I love this picture.

A wadi.

Proof that there is water at an oasis.

Hot spring, too hot to keep my hand in. Just what they need is more hot stuff around here.

Not much to blog about lately, it's mostly eat, work, sleep, eat, work, sleep. Wesley is pretty happy lately since he joined the golf club. He's been getting in a lot of golf, plus he's been marshalling at some pretty big tournaments and gets some good benefits from that. Other than the absolute backwards way stuff works around here, he's pretty content. I'm feeling better. I had to let God step in and take over because I reached the end of my endurance. He did and now all is well. I'm not as stressed or tired. Thank you God and any of you that are sending up prayers. Don't stop.

Shisha on Jabel Hafeet

We drove up the mountain to show my two friends' daughters the view. We couldn't eat or drink in the tent so we went to the bar first for snacks and drinks. Then out to the tent for shisha. Shisha is flavored tobacco and is smoked with a water pipe. It was fun and I had a great time. Next time though, one margarita, not two.

This is Tandy and daughter Catherine, Jesse, Heidi, and Michelle. It was fun to be around daughters again.

Repeat after me, one margarita, one margarita, but in my defense, going up the mountain made my tooth hurt. Needed pain killer.

Time for Shisha

Heidi and Jesse

Wesley, not feeling the fun.

All the girls

The girls, with our driver looking on.

Mothers and daughters.

Emirates Palace Hotel

We went to Abu Dhabi to pick up a friend from the airport so we decided to check out the Emirates Palace Hotel first. We were hoping to see the richest Christmas tree in the world, but of course they had taken it down the day before. Rats
Anyway, here it is. We went at night so maybe someday I'll have day pictures. Other than that, things here have been slow. Back to work for me and since it's January, Wesley joined the golf club and he's definitely getting his money's worth. No worries, he's home in time to pick me up and cook dinner. :)

I liked the bathroom the best. Cloth towels

We didn't check the price of coffee but I bet it was a lot.

The vest is his only bow to the cooler weather.

The cheapest piece of gold was 300 dh, about $250.

Now remember, I'm wearing lighter colors on top, that's why I look heavy, really, seriously, it's not the pastry from the Sweets Palace.

Very gorgeous lit up at night.

We were going to do a little shopping here but we ran out of time. yeah, right

Christmas 2010

These are pictures from home, because we didn't do Christmas here. It was just too weird. Didn't feel like Christmas and since we didn't have any kids to decorate for, we didn't even put up one thing. I have bought a couple of things for myself and those are my Christmas presents. But here's the girls and families. Nick is missing because he was at work in Va.

Brandi's Anna in her favorite purple color.

Our oldest daughter Nikki with nephew Nolan

Aunt Wessie snuggling with Nolan

The two Chubb/State girls

All four of our gorgeous girls

Hector and Whitney.

Whitney's Lily. She can thank her daddy for her beautiful curls

Whitney's Maya throwing gramma a kiss!

Maya looking adorable as always

Brandi's Nolan and Anna and Whitney's Lily and Maya.

Weslynn's husband Brannon playing with Nolan

My only

The real personalities come out

A line of beautiful girls

Whitney's Skylar. The oldest grand.

You need the biggest mall to fight the biggest depression

I was feeling blue because of missing my family at this time of year so being the wonderful husband that he is, Wesley decided to take me to the biggest mall in Dubai, the UAE?, maybe the mideast?? Anyway, here are the pics, and yes, it worked, a little.

This bookstore is as big or bigger than Books-a Million. I bought two Dr. Seuss and Where the Sidewalk ends.

To the right is a sidewalk cafe area for different restaurants.

Only Glenn in Pennsylvania can beat this store.

Wesley getting ready for the mall walk.

Wesley in front of the tallest building in the world. Inside the mall you can buy tickets to go to the top. We weren't even tempted.

The sign clearly says Gold Souk, that way, but did he go that way??? No.

A waterfall and part of the mall.

Me outside the mall near the cafes and water.

A picture of the water show. I am hoping to download a video, so check at the bottom.

Much bigger ice rink than the Al Ain malls.

You know where I am!

Tallest building, yada, yada, yada

An indoor walkway that feels like it's outside. Very cool.

More waterfall

oh look, more waterfall