I will not waste words. I implore you all to look at one word and that is, 'honour'. It conjures up many thoughts and feelings but none the way we should all feel tonight. I am sickened that this word should be used in gender based violence by regimes which violate women's human rights. What sort of world do we live in where women are seen as the family repository of family honour? Read this and Shout Out, if you don't, shame on you (I feel so strongly). I've said enough, I feel sickened by it all.

This has to be the next "Camel Caption Competition". He came over to me and it was almost as though he wanted to talk. What do you think he was about to say before I dashed back into the wagon, cowardy custard!?

We went into town tonight to buy fabric for curtains. Tabuk is full of fabrics!
When I first arrived here some four years ago, there were no clothes shops for women. All clothing had to be made by a tailor. It was quite a novelty at first as these people are able to copy anything, and I mean anything. The ludicrous proceedure however, would try the patience of a Saint. Women are not allowed to work and so men are in every shop that you can think of. The silly part is that you are not allowed in the shop, you have to do your transactions through a hole in the door. I can sense already that you don't believe me; so photographic evidence is what you need. This is one of the better places to get your clothes made.
This is an up-market establishment, it has two holes!!

First question, and back to those traffic islands in Tabuk: What do you think is held in the palm of this hand?



Second question: Which film does this come from- "Did you feed the fish?"
(The clue is in 'It Makes You Think'.)

We've been out towards Duba this morning to take photographs for Connect 8. To say it was a frustrating activity would be to put it mildly! Husband does the driving because, as you will know by now, I am not permitted to drive in Saudi. Photographs have to be taken through the windscreen, an open window or with me crouched behind an open car door! Is it any wonder then that I am disappointed by the quality of my photographs?
"Oh, look Phil there's a terrific shot."
"I can't stop, I've got a line of Toyota flat-backs up m'rear."
"Could you pull up over here?"
"Well you'll have to be quick!"



And then there was the mad dash to Astra supermarket before it closed for prayer; I'm off to have a lie down in a darkened room. No, don't talk to me about stress!

I've just finished watching Pirates of the Caribbean and I can recommend it me 'earties. It was funny in a swashbuckling way and the visual effects were terrific; did I really laugh at the pirate with a knife in his eye? Johnny Depp was very good and did the best ever Tommy Cooper impersonation; however, the black eye-liner and mascara are very scary!

Still trying to sort out my Connect 8 photographs:

Kandinsky, eat your heart out!

My readership is in a slump and I take responsibility! The move to the new villa is over, a new term is now well under-way and the new camera has had a good road testing! However, every weekend has been hectic and I have an assembly to get sorted by October 1st. It is now written but the songs have to be fine-tuned and.....rehearsals!!! If you have not been in education you will have no understanding of the importance of......the assembly or school production. Teachers tend to be judged on these. Mine, this time, is based on David Dickinson's Bargain Hunt. I've written 40 verses that rhyme and three songs. I have calculated that over the years I have written over forty of these productions; now maybe this will earn me money when I retire:
From one of the songs, a few lines:
"Cor I think this is Chippendale,
And it's a bobby dazzler.
Red's it seems are the winning team
Bang, bang bang hear that gavel bang....."
So if any teachers search for an assembly, look no further I've got loads of them and each one is unique! Just email me.

Here is my 'Stress-free Saturday' photograph:

Well what more could a girl ask for, karaoke AND lobster? Fantastic evening! Well done Phil who organised it all and even more terrific when you realise that a lot of money was raised for charity!



Phil said he would NEVER do karaoke; MMMM.

I have just returned from an afternoon function where I snapped happily away with the new camera! Now I am not sure whether it wasn't a Little Lucifer convention that I've been to as every person had the dreaded 'red-eye'! However, the bougainvillea came out well and does co-ordinate with the page!



I will sort out the settings before the evening function. (Lobster tonight!)

There are some things that stain the memory like a tattoo on the arm of an old sailor. These memories never go away and you can dredge them up whenever you so wish.
I can remember many of my "firsts". My first day at school (I haven't left, some 50 years later!), my first and only birthday party, my first puppy called Bengo, my first doll; the list could go on and on.
So you would think that mastering the art of the "clicker" would be child's play. Now most people have one "remolt" control (christened by Ed), we have six! These are necessary, so I believe, to operate the Toshiba dramatic theatre, surround sound, latest bit o' kit!
BUT WHY DO YOU NEED SIX? Please explain.

The pergola is now finished and although I say it myself, it's looking very nice. Tonight the Saudi version of Ground Force moved in to attempt to create a little oasis of calm and tranquility in this big ol' desert we live in. The designers Leo from Manilla, and Ahmed from Goa, are, this very minute, hacking into the ground; well in between drinking copious amounts of water, hunkering on the ground and then disappearing for half an hour to no doubt get rid of all that water!

Friday night is shopping at Astra supermarket; a thrilling experience. I took my new camera in the hopes of getting some of those 'oh, so quirky' Saudi shots. The problem is I have to be very careful, they do not go a bundle on Western women taking photographs (so it's all a bit of a covert operation). I so wanted to take a photograph of the camel meat chops (enormous) and when I saw the label with lambs testicles I knew it was a photographic opportunity not to be missed. However, I have heard of too many horror stories of people who cause offence so I didn't take any photographs!
This I did take, which is just outside the supermarket.



This has only one minaret, for a place to be called "Chop Square" you need four. Please use your imagination.

When we arrived back at the third check point to our compound, this is what I saw! Fabulous!

Just finished 'chatting' to my son! I'm still laughing:
Lynne says: I've got a new camera!
Ed says: Cool, what sort?
Lynne says: Sony Cyber-shot DSC-V1 and it's gorgeous. What have you got?
Ed says: Canon, one of the best.
Lynne says: Yeh, but mine takes videos, I bet yours doesn't. Huh!?
Ed says: That's nothing mine does that and sound and it makes the tea!
Lynne says: But I've got a strap and a cute little black case.
Ed says: I've got a case and TWO straps.
Lynne says: Huh, that's really nothing! I've got four instruction books in four different languages and I'm reading mine in Japanese!
Ed says: I wrote that instruction manual in Japanese for Sony when I had a free minute.
Lynne says: LOL
Ed says: And I take all my photographs in Japanese, don't you? I'm moving on to Swahili next week as there's a great section on reducing blur using dialect!

These little chats really make me happy! I'm off to take some photographs with the new camera; in Chinese I think!

Today Namma Cargo brought the last box, the last plant, the last barbeque, the last patio furniture and the last conch shell from St. Lucia! SO this is my excuse, what's yours? Everyone seems so jaded. My weekend starts tomorrow so watch out, I am determined to get back on form.
By the way, the new pergola is almost completed; funny moment of the day was Alfredo testing the decking by doing the Makareno!!! (Haven't a clue how you spell it or what it means but heck those hips gyrated better than a spin dryer on 400 revs! Go Alfredo!)

26 Things was great fun. I'm inspired by Connect 8 already. Oh, Ed.......

I'm coming up for air! Tonight I intend to do NOTHING! Sorry, talk amongst yourselves! Is today Connect 8 Day? I am desperate to do this.

A combination of things has resulted in sporadic Blogging! In my defence I've been busy unpacking, started a new term, written the words to two songs and also a thirty minute assembly in verse. Promise to get back on track soon. (Just checked this several hours later...I MUST be tired.)

Thursday is like your Saturday; we are still up and down moving stuff! The quality of my Blog entries leaves a lot to be desired. However, Phil is in seventh heaven, the big TV is now here with all of the surround sound paraphernalia, the DVD bits and a surprise DVD karaoke machine for me. The wires are looping the loop through the whole villa and the latest project is the speakers outside on the new decking area! We are having a pergola and decking area built so that we have an entertainment area outside!



The guys will take two weeks to build it. The weather is hot right through to December so we should be able to hold the 'Opening of the New Deck' party.
Here is the colour of the 'accent' wall that I have told you all about. Sorry about the plug; this was taken very late last night.



Have to go and check that Phil hasn't put speakers in the downstairs loo (bathroom for any of our friends over the pond), I know, it's a 'man thing'!

Phew! In work at 7.00 am yesterday and then straight into moving mode until 8.30pm! I am exhausted. There is a certain amount of 'moving' snobbery around the compound, you are judged by the number of boxes you have and how many enforced moves you've been made to do. Well we win on the number of moves but I'm going to have to work on those boxes!