How many pairs of sandals is too many?

Darling Husband (DH) has just returned from a meeting in London (he sleeps more often on a Boeing 747 than he does at home!) and he kindly collected my mail from our London office and was appalled that I had a package as well as mail.

The conversation went something like this....

"Hey Sweetie, I've picked up the mail, there's a largish package for you can I leave it til next time as I don't want to check my case into the hold?"

"Hi Darling, don't be mad - leave some of your shirts in London I NEED the package, I paid extra for next day delivery"

"Hmmm I'll open it and see what's in it" rumble, scruffle, tearing open of package....

" Do you really NEED another 2 pairs of sandals?"

So reader I did win this one ( only just) and I agreed that he didn't need to transport the boxes ( kind of me I think as I like to have all my shoes in their own boxes with a photo on the side for easy viewing, but I'm not unreasonable....) so that he wouldn't have to have any checked luggage ....or that was what he thought UNTIL he had to bring the new PRINTER!!!!!!!

I'm digressing, I want to show you my new sandals..... Riyadh is usually very warm to boiling with very little rain so I plan on wearing open toed shoes for the major part of the year ( the last few days is has poured with rain and I was wearing boots yesterday!) and sandals are one of my fave types of shoes....

Lovely patent nude leather with tan and they are so deliciously comfortable ( been wearing them all day walking around town!) £30 from Aldo - BARGAIN and they look great with tanned feet!!

Another day, another pair?

Also from Aldo these ones are called Talulah and I could have bought them in in all 4 colourways but loved the metallics most and ordered them in the silver which is just LUSH...

                                                       Super comfy too!!

                              Seen any other sandals I should have in my wardrobe???

Gold Souks Muscat & Riyadh...

Since moving to the Middle East I do spend a fair amount of time looking at jewellery and stones and gold but when we went to Oman I saw more gold bangles than I had seen in Riyadh and they come in so many different styles...

Gold in Arabia is sold by weight so although the design is important the value is how many grams of gold per piece.  We tried on so many and my son was the photographer whilst we (daughter and I) layered more and more bangles on our arms.  It has to be said though, these bracelets and bangles are not cheap!!!

Love these cone shaped studs - very now and very similar style to a a gold plated cuff we have for sale on Violet and Rose London ( a little different on price!!)

I got very excited by this bracelet with the pretty fret work and the deep red stones ( rubies?) surrounded by diamonds.... this bracelet was approx £500 ( without haggling!) I was so disappointed when I asked the carat weight of the rubies to be told that all the stones were CZ's (Cubic zirconium!) I think to pay £500 for such a pretty bangle I would want REAL gems!!!

We also saw necklaces so heavy it would give me a crick in my neck - the gold is all 22 karat and very orange in colour and the creations above were HEAVY so would have been hugely expensive!

Funny Charms with Cubic Zirconium AGAIN!

We loved these necklaces with the layers of filigree handiwork

Ah but we did find some diamonds eventually! It seems that Oman is still very popular for the yellow 22 Karat gold whereas Saudi is big on diamonds  (gold)!!

Great image of my darling boy ( dressed in Omani headgear) taking a photo from the shop window.... I'm hoping we have a photographer in the family!!

Now if you want diamonds from Riyadh this is the place to go.......

You can choose the diamonds you want - colour/clarity and carat weight - some look more yellow but you can't really see this unless you have them next to good quality white diamonds.... always go for the best clarity and most pure colour you can afford as otherwise the colour will start to annoy you as I think it looks dull and almost dirty over time.....

                           This bag is worth over 1.5 million Saudi Riyals .... (divide it by 6 for 
                                                 rough conversion to UK £ stirling!)

                               These are our very good friends - Nasser who owns the shop

                                         and Adam who has helped design some pieces for us!

                    So the shop is NO 27 at Deira Souk Tell them I sent you and I am sure they will 

give you a good discount!

Since chatting to my driver, Pokar I now know where to go to find gold bangles in Riyadh - The 'Kuwaiti Souk' or Al Owais as it is correct name - this is the oldest souk in Riyadh and has lots of bangles ...guess where my next visit will be!

Seriously, what has happened to the weather!

Ok so I was warned that I may need a cardie for December and January in Riyadh as it can get a little chilly and always good to have for the air con inside... So we are now in the middle of April ( actually almost end of April!) and today it is FREEZING - obviously not literally but it feels like it! The temperature has not risen above 61 degrees all day - it has poured with rain on and off all day - it is just like a British Summer ( without the strawberries & cream and Wimbeldon!)

I'm wearing a jumper, JBrand jeans and SHOES! I haven't worn shoes for months - only sandals and flip flops! I do, however, LOVE these silver glitter slippers (Zara sale at Christmas time - £9.99!) that I haven't had a chance to wear until now so there is always an upside!!

                                               (Jumper from All Saints , Jeans JBrand )

I jumped on my bike this morning to meet a friend for a coffee at our local Costa (on the compound obviously as I wouldn't be able to ride a bike downtown) was so chilled actually had a hot chocolate!  Anyway it was pouring with rain when I went to leave so I need to go back later and pick up my bike as I was kindly given a lift back to my villa!!

When it rains here it really rains and there is very little drainage for the water so they always have major accidents and dramas on the underpasses on the major roads as they fill up with water and there is NOWHERE for it to go ..... and apparently we have rain on and off for the next few days! Watch out on those roads people (well men actually as we ladies can't drive here!) of Riyadh!

(Photo courtesy of Arab News 2010)

Whilst looking for some other footage of the weather here I came across this you tube video ( also from the rains in 2010) - this is where I do most of my grocery shopping ( Granada Mall) and the rains came in about 45 mins!

Happy Birthday....

Today is L's birthday  -already he is 11 - where do the years go?

1 term at boarding school has already made him seem so much older and wiser....I wonder what the next year will bring.

Happy Birthday Darling Boy......

                                                First Day at Primary School with big sis

Is there anything more glorious to a small boy than NORFOLK MUD!

Looking suitably angelic.....

                                                                  Buckingham Palace

                                                       
                                                Mid way through a Karate Kata!

Can't wait to see you next weekend xxx Happy Day

Back to school...

So the babies have returned to UK and back to school - the guilt and sorrow of putting your children on a flight at 1am back to London without you is so hard - I should have been putting them to bed but instead they were settling down in their seats onboard a BA flight to LHR - Brave travellers I have!

Daughter had sent me a photo via Facebook a while ago...

When the children landed in London I asked the boy if he had gone to sleep holding his sister's hand "yes mama , just like the otters" Breaks my heart every time!!!

Luckily I am having a long weekend in UK in 2 weeks so this time it isn't too long

Back in Riyadh...

We arrived back home to Riyadh late evening  to a sandstorm brewing....

Sadly, since then the children have taken it in turns to be sick - too much sand and bad air ?( It really gets into your lungs - not nice...)

Boy has a throat infection causing him to vomit all day and night ( too much info?) and now he's feeling back on form daughter has the same thing ( poor Pokar, our fabulous driver has had to clean out the back of the car....THANK YOU POKAR) so no blogging for me too busy being Mummy/Nurse - no sleep one night whilst tending to boy made me thankfully the children are no longer babies and not too many sleepless nights these days!

BTW have you gathered DH is away whilst everyone sick!!

Happy weekend.

Another sunny day.....

We're still having some R&R in sunny Muscat - some sailing, kajaking and a lot of lolling about re-bonding with our darling children - already I'm dreading them leaving in less than 2 weeks :(

The staff at The Al Bustan really couldn't be more helpful and nothing seems to be a problem ( they assure me even the jelly fish in the ocean don't hurt if they do sting!)

Breakfast is THE best meal of the day ( and I'm not usually much of a breakfaster!) It starts with fresh coconut water - apparently very good for the kidneys the waiter told me this morning - also hugely energising!! (I can't comment on this as I seem to spend most f the day lying down!)

This morning Boy brought a coconut to the table for me which was full to the brim of delicious coconut water - I had a sip then stood up to go and order an omelette and in the process managed to empty the remainder of the coconut water all over the table - not a good look! Just realised I did the same thing this afternoon with a Mohijto! Not that I am clumsy or uncoordinated or anything .....

Anyway breakfast is FAB - eggs and fruit and more fruit and lots of different Gluten Free breads - even GF Apple strudel this morning though my bikinis would only let me taste it rather than eating a WHOLE slice!! Actually thats such a lie - I ate a huge slice! Pilates 5 x's a week when we return to KSA!!!

There's this really cool raft not far from the beach - I hadn't realised until today it is actually a trampoline in the middle - pretty cool especially when diving in to avoid the jellyfish....

Carole, this pic is specially for you - kids sailing in warmer seas!!! Looks just like Burnham Overy!

Dinner outside by the infinity pool lit by blue lights - very pretty....

Happy Holidays and 2 more days left.....

Pinch and a Punch....

for the 1st day of the month - Hello April! And more importantly Hello FREE working WIFI!

So we have moved hotels and are now happily residing at the gorgeous Al Bustan Palace, a Ritz Carlton delight! Surrounded by mountains and sea it really couldn't be more spectacular....

(Photos curtesy of Ritz Carlton website)

There are 4 swimming pools including a fab 50 metre infinity pool which is COLD!! Some friends very sensibly suggested we take Lagoon Pool rooms - a really good piece of advice - the children can open the doors onto their terrace and open the gate and hop into the lagoon pools...what more do they need?

So we spent the day on the beach - DH and I walked and collected shells and had a gentle dip - the children hopped from pool to pool to kayak and then DH and boy took a Pico out for a sail- we drank delicious watermelon cocktails and now are thinking of supper ....ah holidays!

Happy Easter people eat lots of chocolate and keep warm xxx