Airing Out My Dirty Laundry

I have now been in Abu Dhabi for a month now....hard to believe! I have experienced and seen so much, in so little time, I almost don't know what to do with myself.

Peering out of my 15th floor hotel window (STILL!), straight shot to the Arabian Gulf, you wouldn't dream of hearing a complaint from me....or would you?

Thinking back to my arrival, I couldn't wait to live the "high" life, and boy have we ever! FIVE star hotel, service, food, bedding, etc. and being water front, you couldn't think of a better vacation, (clear throat) I mean, job location. I can't remember the last time I carried anything (laundry, groceries, anything heavy) to my own room...that is right, it is done for me. My car, it is parked for me. Oh, did I mention, my breakfast is a gourmet BUFFET, with more food than even the starving children in Ethiopia could eat, but nonetheless- absolutely WONDERFUL! Who wouldn't want this life!?!?

Well, it is trips to the local grocery stores (Spinneys) or a drive around town in hunt of a laundry place. Isn't it funny, sad really, how much we take the small things in life for granted. Something as simple as a washing machine. I <3 my washing machine, and have never missed something so MUCH! Especially when it comes down to really, literally, "airing out your dirty laundry." So, you walk into the laundry place, where you hand them your bags. Atop the counter, your goods are dumped out, and counted. Not secretly counted, but underwear is thrown in different directions, tops, bottoms, etc....nothing secret about your laundry...in fact, "Victoria's secret" is out of the bag!

Oh, don't let me forget, those small washings we do in the bathtub, with liquid detergent. You walk in to everyone's hotel bathroom, clothes are hung from top to bottom...drying.

Need I not forget, good ol' home cooking! You might think all those delicious dishes I keep posting look good, well, try eating them for a month! The value I would put on my own kitchen, stove, refrigerator, etc. = PRICELESS!! The night we get those keys to this new apartment we have been "approved" for, I vouch to sleep on top of the kitchen counters- granite and all.

Life, abode a five star hotel in the one and only Abu Dhabi, doesn't carry many complaints....I mean, look at my pictures! Life here is good, great actually. But, lesson learned here, remember all those things we take for granted. You never know when you aren't going to have them, and REALLY REALLY want them.

So, farewell to my last night of vacation...for school starts tomorrow (Tuesday Sept. 14- staff development) and the kiddos come on Wed. Sept. 15th. My list of things to do gets longer, and guess what is on top:

LAUNDRY