Ok so John pointed out this morning that it has been too long since I blogged and apparently he was right since my last blog was over 3 weeks ago. Yikes, where does the time go? So what has happened in the last 3 weeks? Well, here is a short summary of events:
- We went on a Dhow cruise.
- We visited the rugman.
- Our first semester is pretty much over.
- I played my second tennis tournament and had a very humbling first round match - AGAIN!
- We have made some home improvements.
- We've had rain - quite a bit for being in the dessert!
- And as for my food update - John made another brisket and I made the best black-eyed peas ever! My mom would be proud!
Dhow Cruise
So what's a dhow? It's basically a small open air boat with a lower deck and a top deck. These boats can be rented for a day cruise where you can swim, fish, BBQ and just hang on the water or they can be rented in the evening where you can do the same things minus the fishing and swimming. We did the evening trip where we enjoyed time with good friends, good BBQ and wonderful views of the Doha skyline. Once the music started to play, it got real interesting - even without a drop of alcohol!
Visit to the Rugman
Yes, we have met the Rugman! He is fantastic! He gave us a wonderful history of the tribes from which he gets his rugs. He was patient with us as we asked questions and he must have rolled out over 30 rugs for us to view. After spending several hours with the rugman, we did not leave without taking a hit to the wallet! With that said however, the rugs we purchased are beautiful and we will cherish them the rest of our lives. When people say they become hierlooms, I truly believe them now. Despite being made of wool which is generally a bit course to the touch, these rugs are soft and very comforting to walk on. We are waiting to recieve the history of the rugs that we purchased. When you purchase a tribal rug from the rugman, you get a document that in some ways certifies its authenticity and provides the history. These are the two rugs we acquired.
We also bought a horse blanket! Yes, I know what you are thinking - why in the world would someone purchase an expensive horse blanket? Well, it's gorgeous (the picture doesn't do it justice)! Apparently in tribal custom, the mother-in-law makes this elaborate horse blanket for her future son-in-law and on their wedding day, the son-in-law uses the blanket on his horse when he comes to gather his bride! This is no ordinary horse blanket!End of Spring Semester 2013 Well there's not much to report except that the semester went smoothly and we had a nice time getting to know our students. Several students have asked whether we can bring back archery so we continue to work on that possibility. I've also decided to introduce 2 new classes in the fall for the women: Beginning Basketball and Badminton! Several of my girls have stopped by and said they are excited about having the opportunity to learn these two sports. John is also doing men's volleyball and will continue with soccer and strength training. We have to teach a 5-week summer session and then we will be coming back to the states for the month of July! We hope to see everyone then!
SMASH Tennis Tournament
Well, not much good to report here. I played my first round singles match last night and played a young girl who plays for the Qatar National team. I didn't give her much competition but it was a good match despite the score (which I'm not going to post)! I also learned quite a bit - most significantly the fact that I'm not as young as I used to be! I have a doubles match on Saturday so maybe that one will go better!
Home Improvements
We finally got the inside of our villa painted and it looks wonderful. It definitely feels more like home. There was also a compound-wide garage sale this past weekend and I was able to purchase quite a few plants from families that were moving. Having some indoor and outdoor plants really helps make it feel homey as well. Now if I can just keep them alive! Despite the lack of a green thumb I have been able to successfully root and plant basil and mint. I'm now working on coriander (i.e. cilantro) and if I can find some fresh dill, that will be my next project!
Doha Rain
Despite being in the dessert, it does occasionally rain. It rained (good enough to leave puddles) for several days last week and then again this morning. Several of us went for an 8 mile run last Saturday and it rained on us the whole run. It was a welcome break to the usual dry and hot runs that we do! We meant to take a picture when we were done but forgot to!
Finally - Food Update!
It's amazing how much more cooking we do here than we did in the states. I think it is because we have more time to enjoy the process and we don't feel like we have to rush into cooking something quick so we can make it to our next commitment. Even though our schedules are full, we don't feel rushed like we did in the states! So what's been on the menu? Well, John made another brisket and brought it to campus. As we walked to our offices, the smell permeated the building and quite a few friends made their way to John's office for a taste test! I must admit, it was again delicious and I'm glad we left some at home for chopped beef sandwiches. (I'm getting hungry just thinking about it!) I've been branching out too! I've gotten hooked on recipes posted on Pinterest and have already tried a few. I made oven backed cauliflower the other evening along with black eyed peas (that were wonderful) and I'm hoping to try a hummus recipe over the next day or two! Pinterest is now my cookbook!!
Well, that's all I have to report now! I will try to do better at posting more frequently! I hope everyone is doing well back home. Please keep Harley in your thoughts and prayers! Miss you all!
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