I almost forgot to mention that whilst I was chief cook, bottle washer and laundry maid I discovered that mum and I have exactly the same bras from good old M&S. I hasten to add they are different sizes and colours and bought 3000 miles apart but never the less an uplifting coincidence.
Nigel recently entered a duathlon in Dukhan which consisted of a run, cycle, run. Of course he didn't train for this event being reasonably fit. I was concerned because the temperatures suddenly soared into the early 40's and I knew he would go for it. After an hour or so as I was sweating it out over the ironing I received a phone call informing me husband had a puncture. I thought, God does work in mysterious ways. I abandoned the ironing and rushed to his aid where he was dripping with sweat and covered in oil, pumping furiously away at the tyre. Determined not to fail he set off again. I tailed him in the fire engine all the way back to the beach club where he had to do the last run, which he did and finished last. Deflated, recovery took a while.
After a good lunch and some rehydration we set off to Doha for some shopping. Travelling from one shop to another the car suddenly started playing up. What kind of endurance test was this day proving to be? We had to stop as the water pressure gauge shot up and as we turned the engine and air conditioning off we instantly plummeted into the depths of Dante's Inferno. As Nige began to panic and overheat himself I remained as cool as a cucumber and put my Born Survivor, Bear Grylls tactics into practise. I assessed how much water to ration out and informed the kids to sit still and not expend any extra energy, all the while feeling like a chicken roasting in a hot oven wrapped in tin foil. Miraculously our friend appeared about five minutes into the basting and hero and Nige went for water to replenish the fire engine's engine. Me and the kids were then whisked away to the shopping mall in the delicious air con cooled rescue mobile to wait for the simmered down husband and less fiery engine to return. Phew! A testing day with all things bearing wheels. By the way Bear can grill me anytime round a cosy campfire under the stars.
We bought VIP tickets to go to the Samsung Diamond League Athletics meet at Qatar Sports Club last weekend. It was awesome. We sat on the second row next to the track ( the first was kept vacant for security reasons). There was so much to see and hear, a real writers paradise. We were with two other families and their kids and they all had the Union Jack painted on one of their cheeks, which became more smudged as the sweat began to drip from their heads. The stadium was super brightly lit and as the sky darkened above I saw the city lights come on and some scaffolding light up like a constellation. There was a hugely colourful Ethiopian crowd, singing and dancing and shouting for their athletes throughout. Some Qatari boys behind began flicking the kids hair and chucking pistachio shells and sunflower seeds at our backs. Nige gave them the teachers glare but it didn't do much to deter as a couple of dish dash wearing dads were sat with them ( a dish dash is a thawb/thobe, the white traditional robe worn here).
The meet got under way, there was long jump, shot put, pole vault, 800m, 400m hurdles, high jump, 200m, javelin, 100m, triple jump,1500m, 100m hurdles, 3000m steeplechase, 400m and 3000m.
It was such a great night and so exciting to see the worlds top athletes preparing for their Olympic dreams this summer in London. The 100m was amazing, blink and it's over. Justin Gatlin returned from his ban in supersonic form, taking first place in 9.87 seconds with Asafa Powell hot on his heels in 9.88 seconds. Will the lightening bolt (Usain) strike him out? I know that wherever we will be in the UK in July/August we will be glued to the TV screens watching with bated breath. We cheered the British and Qatari athletes on especially Stephanie Twell in the 3000m. She broke away from the group and led most of the way until the gazelle like Kenyans glided past on the second to last lap. Eleanor thought she had not paced herself well and exclaimed she wouldn't have done that. She knows, you know.
After each track event an appropriate song was blasted around the stadium. Canned Heat (Jamiroquai) was the excellent choice for the 100m. As Gatlin jogged his victory lap the kids rushed to the front and got his autograph, Nige shook his hand. I remained seated taking it all in, totally unaware then that I would be sporting the front cover of the Gulf Times the next day in a photograph, behind one of the little nut and seed flickers.
I may have been in the Huddersfield Examiner occasionally as a member of the school netball and hockey teams and one time at a fruit and veg fair, displaying my wares as a Saturday girl. But front cover material never before. Tea with the Emir next week then?
While my beloved home village is revving up for its Spring festival I will be raving at a beach party. As Elkie Brooks is singing about Pearl, I may have to go pearl fishing if I get too hot on the dance floor. I know where I would rather be. Folk rocks!
http://www.shepleyspringfestival.com/
Nigel recently entered a duathlon in Dukhan which consisted of a run, cycle, run. Of course he didn't train for this event being reasonably fit. I was concerned because the temperatures suddenly soared into the early 40's and I knew he would go for it. After an hour or so as I was sweating it out over the ironing I received a phone call informing me husband had a puncture. I thought, God does work in mysterious ways. I abandoned the ironing and rushed to his aid where he was dripping with sweat and covered in oil, pumping furiously away at the tyre. Determined not to fail he set off again. I tailed him in the fire engine all the way back to the beach club where he had to do the last run, which he did and finished last. Deflated, recovery took a while.
After a good lunch and some rehydration we set off to Doha for some shopping. Travelling from one shop to another the car suddenly started playing up. What kind of endurance test was this day proving to be? We had to stop as the water pressure gauge shot up and as we turned the engine and air conditioning off we instantly plummeted into the depths of Dante's Inferno. As Nige began to panic and overheat himself I remained as cool as a cucumber and put my Born Survivor, Bear Grylls tactics into practise. I assessed how much water to ration out and informed the kids to sit still and not expend any extra energy, all the while feeling like a chicken roasting in a hot oven wrapped in tin foil. Miraculously our friend appeared about five minutes into the basting and hero and Nige went for water to replenish the fire engine's engine. Me and the kids were then whisked away to the shopping mall in the delicious air con cooled rescue mobile to wait for the simmered down husband and less fiery engine to return. Phew! A testing day with all things bearing wheels. By the way Bear can grill me anytime round a cosy campfire under the stars.
We bought VIP tickets to go to the Samsung Diamond League Athletics meet at Qatar Sports Club last weekend. It was awesome. We sat on the second row next to the track ( the first was kept vacant for security reasons). There was so much to see and hear, a real writers paradise. We were with two other families and their kids and they all had the Union Jack painted on one of their cheeks, which became more smudged as the sweat began to drip from their heads. The stadium was super brightly lit and as the sky darkened above I saw the city lights come on and some scaffolding light up like a constellation. There was a hugely colourful Ethiopian crowd, singing and dancing and shouting for their athletes throughout. Some Qatari boys behind began flicking the kids hair and chucking pistachio shells and sunflower seeds at our backs. Nige gave them the teachers glare but it didn't do much to deter as a couple of dish dash wearing dads were sat with them ( a dish dash is a thawb/thobe, the white traditional robe worn here).
The meet got under way, there was long jump, shot put, pole vault, 800m, 400m hurdles, high jump, 200m, javelin, 100m, triple jump,1500m, 100m hurdles, 3000m steeplechase, 400m and 3000m.
It was such a great night and so exciting to see the worlds top athletes preparing for their Olympic dreams this summer in London. The 100m was amazing, blink and it's over. Justin Gatlin returned from his ban in supersonic form, taking first place in 9.87 seconds with Asafa Powell hot on his heels in 9.88 seconds. Will the lightening bolt (Usain) strike him out? I know that wherever we will be in the UK in July/August we will be glued to the TV screens watching with bated breath. We cheered the British and Qatari athletes on especially Stephanie Twell in the 3000m. She broke away from the group and led most of the way until the gazelle like Kenyans glided past on the second to last lap. Eleanor thought she had not paced herself well and exclaimed she wouldn't have done that. She knows, you know.
After each track event an appropriate song was blasted around the stadium. Canned Heat (Jamiroquai) was the excellent choice for the 100m. As Gatlin jogged his victory lap the kids rushed to the front and got his autograph, Nige shook his hand. I remained seated taking it all in, totally unaware then that I would be sporting the front cover of the Gulf Times the next day in a photograph, behind one of the little nut and seed flickers.
I may have been in the Huddersfield Examiner occasionally as a member of the school netball and hockey teams and one time at a fruit and veg fair, displaying my wares as a Saturday girl. But front cover material never before. Tea with the Emir next week then?
While my beloved home village is revving up for its Spring festival I will be raving at a beach party. As Elkie Brooks is singing about Pearl, I may have to go pearl fishing if I get too hot on the dance floor. I know where I would rather be. Folk rocks!
http://www.shepleyspringfestival.com/
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