Here There and Everywhere

Expat wanderer

Soft Sunrise 4 Nov 08

It’s a soft sunrise this morning, still cloudy but not so intensely so as yesterday. It looks like we could still get some rain. At the same time, it is lighter, the atmosphere not so heavy . . . it may turn out to be a gorgeous day.

00sunrise4nov08

Have a good day, Kuwait.

November 4, 2008 Posted by | ExPat Life, Kuwait, Living Conditions, sunrise series, Weather | 3 Comments

Rosy Rainfall in Kuwait

It’s been a long day, a productive day, and at last I can take a deep breath. My friend tells me it is cold out, but I have had the oven on much of the day, and our place is warm and cozy. I would love some fresh air, so I quietly close the door to the kitchen and step out on the balcony.

It is beyond fresh. It is fresh, and raining, and off in the distance, the sun is setting and the muezzin is calling everyone to prayer and it is purely a beautiful moment.

We didn’t have rain like this last year, or the year before. We had some rain two years ago, in December mostly, but still – not like this. This has been a wonderful, continuous, soaking rain, blessing Kuwait and preparing us for an amazing winter growing season. I would love to be able to see the flowers people tell me are blooming in the desert when it rains.

In Saudi Arabia, we spent a whole day travelling to see the tiny irises that would bloom in Tumayr. Here, there are still places you can’t go, because there are explosives left over from the Gulf War, and now and then a shepherd loses a leg by stepping in the wrong place.

November 3, 2008 Posted by | Community, Cross Cultural, ExPat Life, Kuwait, Living Conditions, Saudi Arabia, Weather | 7 Comments

No Sunrise in Kuwait

You will not find me complaining about the rain. I am imagining what a difference this steady downpour is going to make in very short time. People who think of “desert” have no idea of the life in the desert waiting to spring forth at the slightest sign of moisture. It doesn’t take much – and I believe we are going to see some amazing things soon in Kuwait.

I was up for the sunrise this morning . . . no sunrise appeared. This is about the best I could do:

I thought the heavy downpour last week had washed my windows clean, but I think some dust must have come and stuck to the wet windows. Or else the rain is not so clean . . . 😦 Please pardon my streaked windows!

Life interrupts blogging. We had an emergency that had us out on highway 40 to help out a friend in Eqaila. We was a terrible accident on 40; truck jacknifed and hit two cars. Traffic was totally gridlocked waiting for the ambulances and police to arrive. Folks, please be careful out there.

And please, mothers, fathers, protect your children. Anyone who doesn’t need to be on the roads should be at home. These kids, riding on the slick highways, barely visible, are taking a huge risk:

November 3, 2008 Posted by | Community, ExPat Life, Family Issues, Health Issues, Kuwait, Living Conditions, Social Issues, sunrise series, Weather | | 8 Comments

November 2, 2008 Sunrise

Finally – a day at home. I crave these days, I need these days. Introverts need quiet, reflective time to recharge, to find their inner balance. I plan a day of work, but work I love. I’ve cleaned and organized my workroom, and I yearn to get busy with my day’s goals.

Sunset was weird this morning – it had to get beyond the thick bands of cloud on the horizon before it could show – more like 6:20 than 6’ish.

Are those November colors, or what?

Here is the weather at 0800:

And here is the five day forecast (For those of you not living here, this is heaven in Kuwait):

Have a great day, Kuwait! 🙂

November 2, 2008 Posted by | ExPat Life, Kuwait, Living Conditions, sunrise series, Weather | 4 Comments

All Saints Sunrise

Good Morning, Kuwait, and a gorgeous day it is out there. It is a mere 59°F / 15°C out there early this morning, and the high today is only expected to get to:

Truly, sweater weather on this the first day of November. 😉

I had those anxiety dreams this morning, that got me out of bed early on a day when I have a lot to do, and need to be places at certain times. One dream kept recurring – I was supposed to be flying somewhere, and I kept packing my suitcase – leisurely – when I should have been leaving for the drive to the airport. The phone rings and it is the airport asking if I am planning on making the flight, and I say “yes!” even though the flight is supposed to leave in 35 minutes and the drive to the airport is about 30 minutes and I am not packed!

Think I am feeling unprepared about something? Think I am maybe worried about my relaxed attitude when I have obligations to meet?

Here is the drama of the sky just before dawn this morning – no, it wasn’t all that early, dawn is coming earlier and earlier every day:

Those lights are one of the big freighters heading south.

Here is the sunrise:

Just look at those autumn colors! WOW. Not a cloud in the sky, barely a wisp of haze on the horizon – this is going to be another of those gorgeous days in Kuwait that we have all been dreaming of during the hot, steamy days of summer. Gooood Morning, Kuwait!

November 1, 2008 Posted by | ExPat Life, Kuwait, Living Conditions, sunrise series, Weather | 2 Comments

Halloween Sunrise

Boooooooooooooooooo! Good Morning, Kuwait, and a chilly autumn Halloween morning it is:

How COOOOOOOOOL is that? Sweater weather?

The sun rose all golden and smokey looking this morning, there are strings of fishing dhows on the horizon and life is sweet:

Have a great day, Kuwait.

October 31, 2008 Posted by | ExPat Life, Halloween, Kuwait, Living Conditions, sunrise series, Weather | 9 Comments

Heading for the Desert

Every now and then I wish I were a man. When I was a little kid, our dads would all head out on a big boat, going hunting. Mostly, women stayed home. Some women hunted, but it is hard work, and, I think, maybe men don’t always want women along when they go out hunting, they want to (in Alaska) drink and party and play cards and talk crude and don’t want anyone around reminding them to mind their manners.

The truth is I don’t know what they do. I can only imagine, based on things I’ve heard, movies, my imagination.

Today, my neighbors are headed out to hunt. How do I know? They have their falcon with them. It is perfect weather – clear, relatively cool, the heat has definitely broken, it is wonderful to be able to drive without any air conditioning. . . .

I know, I know, there is still this kid in my heart that thinks that going hunting with a FALCON is very very cool.

October 30, 2008 Posted by | Community, Cross Cultural, ExPat Life, Family Issues, Kuwait, Living Conditions, Weather | | 8 Comments

Sunrise After Rain, 30 October 2008

It’s a glorious morning. The sky is clear all the way to the horizon, there was huge surf last night, so if you comb the beaches – today is YOUR day. 🙂

Weather Underground: Kuwait says we have a more serious chance of rain in just five days:

Meanwhile – today is a glorious day. I thought I had posted this first thing this morning, LOL, guess not. Have a gr8 day, Q8!

October 30, 2008 Posted by | ExPat Life, Kuwait, Living Conditions, sunrise series, Weather | 2 Comments

Rain in Kuwait

Lots of rain, peals of thunder, lightning strikes and lots of rain! The Qatteri Cat is totally freaked out, running from the leaking window with it’s new drip drip drip to the windows – he thinks the rain drops are bugs or something, and makes that eh-eh-eh-eh-eh sound cats make when they see birds. Rain!

I am laughing; who would think this PacificNorthwest gal would be celebrating rain – we get so much rain out there in the PNW. But even when there was a huge rainstorm here in Kuwait last year, we didn’t see any where we live, or only a drop or two, not even enough to smear a window or create a puddle. Now Rain! Real rain!

When it started, I was driving. We got home as soon as we could; the first rains turn the highways into grease slicks.

Remember – this is not California, where people might stop and dance for joy at the parking lights. (California has droughts, too.) Dancing for joy only allowed in the privacy of your own home!

Update – an hour later it is still raining, and I have towels under several of my windows to collect the intrusion!

October 29, 2008 Posted by | Community, Cross Cultural, ExPat Life, Kuwait, Living Conditions, Social Issues, Weather | 15 Comments

Not-Stormy Sunrise

When I got up this morning, the sky was thick with clouds, and I thought to myself “I will call it Stormy Sunrise,” but by the time the sun came over the horizon, the clouds had dissipated, and it was an entirely different sunset.

Did anyone else hear a loud clap of thunder last night? I heard it, but it was when I was too much asleep to care enough to get up and watch. If there was an electrical storm, I missed it. I can see that we have had some slight sprinkles, though, recently, because I have drop marks on our windows.

Here is what the today and tomorrow are supposed to look like:

October 29, 2008 Posted by | ExPat Life, Kuwait, Living Conditions, sunrise series, Weather | 2 Comments