Trying to nail it - testing out Gelish

I really don't know why I bother with manicures, usually within ten minutes of leaving the salon I've smudged and chipped the polish all over the place, plus I have a hard time finding someone to make my nails the shape I want them - I hate the squared off look, I like mine more rounded.

I have no problem with pedicures, they seem to last for ages, which is a good thing.

The last time I had my nails done, I was a guinea-pig for a girl practising her gels, tips and overlays, which was fine and the end results were lovely. However, having had gels and acrylics in the past, I knew full well that when the gel came off my nails would be a complete disaster underneath and sure enough when it did come off, they were so thin, weak, flaky and bendy they were a complete disaster. I vowed there and then, never ever again! My nails are usually very very strong and to have them like that was awful.

I'd been hearing about these other types of stronger, longer lasting UV cured polishes for sometime, Shellac, Gelish and Bio-sculpture. Many of my friends use them and I'd heard differing opinions on which one was best. I'm a firm believer however in that application is everything,if you have a good manicurist who applies the product properly, even if you're just using ordinary polish you should get decent wear out of it.

I discovered that the little salon - Tips & Toes, in the Meadows, just round the corner from me did Gelish, so I opted for that as a first try of these gel/polish hybrid brands. I was pleasantly surprised at the number of colours available, but as my nails are super short thanks to their current weakened state, I chose just light pinky colour and I decided to also have the product applied t my toes as well - in for a penny, in for a pound as they say.

It was the standard procedure for the mani/pedi combo, then the Gelish is applied. One base coat, two coast of colour, followed by the top coat. After each coating of the nail, you are required to put your finger tips under the UV light to cure the product and twice at the end. (I always worry about UV curing - skin cancer alert!). The beauty of this, is that there's no waiting for ages with your hands in dryers, no smudging or anything like that, because as soon as your hands come out the product is dry and hard, but still quite flexible.

I was extremely happy with the end result, the question now is, how long will it last? I've been told anywhere from two to four weeks, before it needs removing and replacing - the other thing that appealed to me about Gelish is that it's removed using acetone, so no filing, scraping or picking it off. Well so far, so good, I'm on day four and it looks as good as the day went on and my boyfriend kindly ran over my toes with a shopping trolley and there's not even a scratch!

So far Gelish gets the thumbs up from me :-)

No passion for shopping

I've come to conclusion that I must be completely abnormal when it comes to shopping. Unlike my girlfriends who get over excited and coo and fawn over the latest lovely shoes, or dresses, or anything shiny, shopping in fact leaves me cold.

This morning I spent two hours wandering round Dubai Mall, but only because I needed to buy presents for my family for when I head out on vacation at the end of the week. So I had my little list of some Molton Brown products for my sister-in-law, clothes for my elder niece, something cute for the new baby, perfume for mum, a book and cd for my dad and some cut offs for my brother. I knew exactly what I wanted and where to get it and was done pretty quickly. I am definitely my father's daughter, I know what I want, I go in get it and walk straight back out again.

I've never been one for window shopping. My mother can wander around shopping malls for hours on end, whereas I get a glazed look in my eyes after about ten minutes and the boredom sets in. Even my boyfriend likes to shop and he always asks why I don't buy anything for myself and just buy things for other people - I don't have an answer to that one, maybe I just never see anything that really catches my attention. So when we go shopping he always insists on making me go and try some things on and ends up buying things for me - hey I'm not complaining about that part :-)

Maybe I need a girlie shopping spree, where you all go and have a laugh trying on different clothes and making a nice time of it, but I seriously doubt I'm ever going to have a passion for shopping, unless it's for a wakeboard, motorbike or swim wear.

A pain in the back

Pain of any sort in the back can be an extremely uncomfortable and debilitating experience, which can affect the whole body. Sadly for me I've suffered my entire life, having been born with a dislocated hip, which wasn't discovered until I was thirteen months old. The doctors tried all the old tricks of triple nappying, hooking me up to a massive semi-circle metal frame and rotating my leg, sadly in the end it took three surgeries and months of being in plaster from ankles to armpits to put it right.

But that wasn't the end of it, as due to the defect my pelvis had rotated and shot all my vertebrae out to compensate and this really wasn't checked as I was growing up. In my teen growth spurt stages I'd have days where I couldn't get out of bed due to back problems, but you just learn to deal with it. These days it's the compression in my lower spine that causes the most issues, today is a bad day and I don't want to move from my bed and have succumbed to the heavy duty pain-killers. I've always been an active person, so learning to support and make sure I'm not putting too much strain on my back has always been very important. I have good days and bad days with it. A couple of years ago I managed to smash the S3 in my Coccyx whilst snowboarding, which really hasn't helped at all and I'm constantly told to stop doing all these crazy extreme sports that I love.

A few of my friends have had to give up wakeboarding and snowboarding due to major back issues. One really good friend has recently undergone spinal fusion, otherwise he was told he would end up in a wheel chair - but there was no way he was going to stop jumping out of planes or hitting the slopes or water.

Why are back issues such a huge problem? I look at the way we go about daily life and we take our backs for granted, we lift things the wrong way (always use your legs, don't bend at the back), ergonomics are terrible - basic things like not having arms on chairs that go under desks, have computer screens at eye level, have keyboards at a mid-level, you know laptops are the worst thing ever? Because the keyboards are so compact, they force us to hunch over, bring our arms in and work in with a terrible posture, the best this is to plug in a full sized keyboard and get a laptop stand. Driving positions can be bad. Constant twisting in work stations. It's no wonder that so many of us are constantly seeking treatment from professionals.

Look after your back, replacing your spine is not an option.

Holiday Happiness

It can be very hard sometimes being an expat. Sure, we might enjoy the lifestyle, but when it comes to holiday time, the majority of people spend it going to visit family. It can seem very lonely at times, when your nearest and dearest are half way round the globe and you only get to see them maybe once a year. Some people don't see their parents, brothers, sisters or even spouses for maybe two or three years - I can't imagine how difficult that must be.

It's not healthy to work yourself into the ground, where you get to that point, where there doesn't seem to be any light at the end of the tunnel and time off is so very important. It gives us time to relax the body and mind, to switch off and concentrate on other things.

I'm so looking forward to heading off to see my parents and brother in a short while. I have a new niece who I haven't met yet and I can't wait! My baggage allowance will be totally taken up with gifts, but who cares, family time is precious and we should make the most of it when we can.

I'm also quite nervous as the boyfriend is meeting my father for the first time. He met my mother in February of this year, but they all have quite a lot in common so I shouldn't imagine they'll be any great issues - apart from 'When are you getting married?' Which I keep getting asked - oh why the pressure? LOL

Time off for me is about resetting things. Bringing your life back into perspective and getting ready for the grind once again, but I don't think we take enough time off or as frequently as we should.

Ah holiday happiness. I hate to wish time away, but it can come soon enough :-)

My first ride on Harley Davidson

This weekend there's a special event - the Harley Davidson Open House event, where the new 2012 models will be launched, plus a chance to purchase merchandise, with proceeds from selected stock going to impoverished women around the world, in association with the United Nations World Food Programme.

One highlight however will be a bike parade, where motorcycle riders from across the UAE will meet to ride around part of Dubai. Now in previous events such as this, literally hundreds of bikers have turned up with rides in all shapes and sizes - which is an amazing sight to see, let alone the thunderous raw of the engines.


Now I was going to take the Honda Shadow, my little purple Ronnie bike, however it's battery is struggling and it feels a bit rickety these days, so I called and asked if I could hire a Harley for the ride - all booked out - GUTTED! However, because I'd RSVP'd to the event as media, I was told that they would be sorting a bike out for me to ride, a DYNA - COOL :-)


I suddenly realise that I haven't actually ridden a Harley, nor a bike that big before, so before the event, what am I going to practice on? Hmmm let me think, the boyfriend has a Harley V-rod. Actually it was his suggestion that I have a go on his bike first and let's face it I really didn't put up much of a fight. So this morning I get all kitted up and get read to take his bike out - he's obviously nervous, he's at work and he's trusting me not to a. crash his bike and b. hurt myself - please has a little faith.


I am a tiny person compared to my boyfriend, he's 6ft 3, I'm 5ft 5, so reaching the foot pedals on his bike meant that I had to scoot right forward in the seat, which meant for a not great riding position, but never mind, suck it up and get on with it. The minute you start one of these bikes, you just have to sit and listen to the engine sound 'bub bub bub bub' - beautiful. I roll back out the driveway and get ready to pull away, giving a nice few revs - sorry neighbours. Easy enough and I decide to go for a gentle ride around the small streets to get used to it. 


The V-rod is quite heavy on the handling and you really have to lean into the corners, because the huge fat rear wheel just wants to go straight, but it means it feels really stable and not likely to fall over at any given opportunity. After pootling about the small roads, I decide it's time to get out on the bigger roads and open her up and see what she can do.


HOLY COW! You lean a little on the throttle and your head gets slammed back and I feel like I'm going to shoot straight off the back - ok, maybe not quite so aggressive on the throttle then. I love it. Easy handling, responsive, power to get you out of trouble when you need it, there's everything to like and enjoy about this bike - apart from me having to be so far forward, which would do my back in if I had to ride it for a long period of time.


But now, I'm super excited about riding the DYNA at the weekend. Getting kitted up and going out for my first en-masse motorcycle experience. Bring it on! :-)


http://www.harley-davidson.ae/

A Toby Update - The Teenage Phase

Toby - my special needs puppy is around seven months old now and he's definitely in that teenage puppy phase, where he wants to try and see who's boss. Thankfully he's now lost all his puppy teeth, which were like being bitten by a mouthful of the sharpest needles you can imagine. There were two or three, that were hanging in there for dear life, but after some wiggling and copious amounts of hide chews, they finally fell out.

Toby's soul aim in life at the moment is to see how much he can wind the cats up. Neo, the cat I've had since he was six weeks old, looks on in amusement as the puppy drops his toys in front of him, backs up then stares at him intently, like he's supposed to do something with them. Chloe, my rescue cat, just hisses and bops him every time he wanders past.

I think secretly Neo enjoys the intention and they have quite a few boxing matches and chase each other round the villa.

Toby has also discovered the joy of digging. Yup digging as many holes as he possibly can, all over the garden, then seeing how many of his toys he can bury out there. He also loves rolling around in the dirt, coming back into the villa, shaking, so the dirt all goes on the floor, then proceeding to lie down and roll around in it! I'm so glad we don't have carpets!!!

Of course he's now at that age where he is also starting to do those nasty boy dog things. I've never had a male dog before, I always thought females were far less hassle. All I can say is, thank goodness that because of Toby's disability he can't cock his leg! He's also discovered that he has a willy and you know that old saying 'they do it because they can'? Yep, he does it because he can, but at least he's not tried to mate with either of the cats - yet.

So now the question comes about getting him neutered, which will have to be done as it stops all those bad boy habits. But Toby's issue is, because his legs are not the right way round, his little man sacks are effectively being retained, which my vet says means he will have to do an operation to go in through his tummy and get up in there and try to find them - lovely!

Toby in the mean time, continues to do well and is virtually unrecognisable from the tiny pup we first adopted.

Neo - my loveable (rather huge) cat.

Chloe - my rescue cat, who was abandoned by her previous owners.

Diets don't work! Change your lifestyle!

It's pretty much a well known fact that the majority of diets simply do not work. They're a quick fix and people pile the pounds back on again as soon as they stop - why? Because they need to make lifestyle choices and changes for life.

I've lost over 6kgs and it's not been through crash dieting, it's been through changing the way I look at food, making healthy choices (you'd be surprised at how many people think they're making a healthy choice, but actually aren't). It's been simple things like cutting down on portions, eating brown rice and pasta instead of white processed varieties. Virtually cutting out bread, reaching for a piece of fruit instead of the chocolate bar or biscuit. To be honest I eat more these days, but it's more good food.

One of the major things I've done, is virtually give up alcohol, which is probably one of the biggest contributors to peoples inability to shift the bulge. I might have one or two glasses of wine or a beer at the weekend, but that's it.

I've upped my water intake by a substantial amount, as I never drank enough water in the first place. Also getting lots of sleep stops snacking and overeating. Did you know that when you're tired your body stops producing appetite supressing chemicals?

Moving more - instead of vegging out, I've been running here there and everywhere at the moment, plus getting in a bit of exercise, but not much I have to admit, apart from the mammouth wakeboarding sessions at the weekends. But that's all about to change as I've just joined a gym, so it's back to regular workouts to tone up, now the weight is shifting.

But these are changes I'm making for me and they're long-term. I do feel so much better these days as healthy living really does suit me. I've never been a huge person, far from it, but carrying a few extra kilos makes me feel bad. If you're going to shed some weight and get into shape, then the one person you have to do it for is you.

Social networking - is it destroying communication?

Is social networking destroying peoples ability to communicate properly? Very possibly. In a world where communication and clear communication is key, many people see to be dumbing themselves down through the use of social networking sites.

It's been happening with mobile phone text messaging for quite a few years and now it's creeping into the likes of Face Book and most noticeably Twitter. Where users have only limited characters to get their message across, languages are being destroyed and replaced with short-hand sms speak, mad abbreviations - that I honestly don't understand half the time.

Yes, languages naturally evolve and change over time, but to what extent is this going to change today's languages and the way we interact with one another. We already see examples of youngsters filling out exam papers using text abbreviations, adults who can't fill in job applications or other forms correctly - where will it end? Plus people don't 'talk' anymore. It's too easy to send a BBM, text or whatsapp message, or even have a full blown conversation between several people on social networking sites. Has all our interaction gone virtual?

I have thoughts of the world ending up like that of the movie Idiocracy, where instead of Darwinism ruling and the stupid cleansing the gene pool by taking themselves out of it (hence the Darwin awards every year), we're all going to end up as mindless morons who are incapable of any form of intellectual interaction.

Just food for thought :-)

Respect during Ramadan

I have to say that I always enjoy the Holy month of Ramadan. Even though it's pretty much business as usual for me, it's nice to see others getting a bit of a break from the long hard slog and life slowing down just a little.

But what should be a time of reflection, forgiveness, tolerance and kindness towards one another, very often turns people into more selfish human beings.

There's enough information well in advance to the start of Ramadan, so I cannot fathom why you still see people wearing skimpy clothes in shopping malls, sneaking food and drinks in public and other disrespectful behaviour. People crying because they can't go and have a sundowner drink - what you can't give your liver a break for just a month? You know it'll thank you in the end.

Being on the roads, you take your life into your own hands even more than usual, as people drive like maniacs once they've finished work and the 45 or so minutes before Iftar are the most deadly - I can't count how many accidents I've seen so far. Wouldn't it be better to make it home safe and sound, rather than not at all? Plus queuing traffic goes much faster when others don't push in - patience is a virtue, or so I've been told.

Then there's the lavish Iftar buffets all the hotels put on, trying to out-do one another. Sadly people tend to eat with their eyes and even more so when they've been fasting all day, so the sheer amount of food that goes to waste is pretty disgraceful. Aren't we supposed to be feeling solidarity for those less fortunate? Who don't even get one daily meal? Yet I've seen people piling their plates high, then leaving half of what they've taken - it's such a shame.

This is a time for reflection, to be thankful for what you have and to think of those less fortunate. I do hope well all remember that at some point.

GM Diet - Day 5

Today was beef and tomatoes day. Hmmm can't say I was too impressed, had a couple of lean burgers and a lean steak with grilled tomatoes. I'm now throwing in the towl - I'm bored. I'm a total foodie and I need variety, plus I'm tired of this headache that I've had all day.

It's been a good experience and has definitely helped to cleanse the system and kick start a healthy eating habit, but I need other foods now.

It might be something I'll tackle again in the future, but not right now.

GM Diet - Day 4

Ok, I hold my hands in the air and admit that I cheated on my diet last night. I was feeling so horrific and the fruits and veggies just weren't hitting the spot, so I stop and stuffed my face with a burger on the way home - and boy did it taste good! Sadly I've been given hell by my other half and his mates all day for that one, I get the feeling I should have kept it to myself.

Today thought, I was back on the wagon and bananas and milk and soup have been alright actually. It's a good thing that I like bananas and milk as I'm not sure what you could find as a decent substitute.

The one thing I've noticed as this diet has progressed, is the tiredness. I've got very lethargic the last couple of days and felt a definite weakness in my muscles, although the headaches seem to have gone now.

Tomorrow I'm looking forward to finally being ablt to chow down on some meat :-)

GM Diet - Day 3

Today was fruit and veggie day, so for breakfast I had some sweet melon and a couple of Kiwi fruits. Lunch was a bowl of the special soup and I've picked at some fruit for dinner, but to be honest at this point I feel quite sick. I've been drinking lots of water, but I think my sugar levels have just crashed, so I've been forced to make myself a mug of black sweet tea. My muscles also feel pretty weak.

The cravings for normal food are almost getting the better of me at this point and if the tea doesn't do the trick, I'll be forced to eat something away from the plan to get my sugar levels back up again.

I don't think it helps, that I was up all night going to the loo either :-( lack of sleep, lack of sugar and I think my body might give in quite soon.

GM Diet - Day 2

Today was vegetable day. I was allowed a baked potato with a pat of butter for breakfast, then allowed to eat any veggies or salad stuffs I wanted for the rest of the day. I got bored of munching raw carrots, celery and the like and feeling a bit like a rabbit, pretty early on, so I decided to make the GM Wonder Soup. I hasten to add, that I have never made a soup in my life, but it seemed pretty easy.

I had all my ingredients as per the recipe on the plan. I couldn't however, find the Lipton Onion soup mix, so I swapped that for Knorr French Onion soup mix. I also decided to add some chopped leaks as I love them and my favourite seasonings of some mixed herbs, Thyme and Garlic. This was all mixed with the other ingredients of onions, cabbage, red and green peppers, tomatoes and celery. The end result was super yummy, even if I do say so myself. My other half came home and virtually dived into the pot.

I'm not a huge veggie fan, but this, I could happily eat to my hearts content and so I did :-)

About mid afternoon I had the headache again, but that has now been replaced with a bucket load of energy, so I'm feeling pretty good. I just kept forgetting to keep drinking water. The other thing is the cravings for meat and something sweet.

For now this is going pretty well and it's onto fruits and veggies tomorrow.

GM Diet - Day 1

So today was the first day of the GM Diet and Detox. I was allowed to eat as much fruit as I wanted, except bananas, the more melon the better and lots and lots of water - around 10 glasses if possible.

I made a large bowl of fruit salad, strawberries, sweet melon, raspberries, kiwi fruit, red grapes, apples and nectarines - yummy yummy. I've been drinking lots of water and minted green tea, which I love.

Today hasn't been that much of a hardship, although I did have a raging headache by mid afternoon, which I was assured by a close friend is perfectly normal and actually a good sign that your body is starting to detox. I also have to say that my digestive system feels very calm, which is definitely not always normal for me, as I suffer from a few digestive problems. It almost feels like my stomach saying 'thank you' for the goodies :-)

I started to feel a bit hungry in the evening, but just drank a bit more water and had some more tea, which seemed to do the trick, so I think I was more thirsty than actually hungry.

Tomorrow it's on to vegetable day.

The GM diet and detox

So after umming and ahhing for a while, the other half and I decide that we need to loose a few pounds and give our bodies a break from all the rubbish food we've been eating of late. A friend said she was going to do the GM (General Motors) diet and detox, which you do for seven days at a time. Having had a look at it, it seems perfectly do-able and I know of several other people who've had good results.

Now, anyone that knows me will tell you I am normally absolutely against diet fads, because in general they don't really work and are a short term fix, to what should be a long term lifestyle change. However, that's what I intend to use this for. Because it advocates eating healthily, so I figure I can use it as a good starting point.

You can find a few variations of the GM diet online, but they're basically advocating the same thing, lots and lots of fruit, vegetables, water, lean meat, low fat and low carbs.

The boy and I went and shopped for the whole seven days, so we're pretty much sorted, apart from a few fresh things that we'll need to buy on the day we need them.

So day one we're allowed to eat as much fruit (except bananas) as we want, nothing else during the day, just fruit and mostly melons if you can and drink lots and lots of water. I love fruit, so I've stocked up on my favourite of water melon, sweet melon, apples, kiwi fruits, tangerines, grapes and strawberries :-)

http://www.fitnesstipsforlife.com/gm-diet.html

Possibly the best massage in the world - ever!

First off, I have to say that massages are hit and miss for me. Very often on the few occasions I've had them, I either come away feeling like I've been pummeled and needed like dough, or more stressed than when I went in. I have to say that I am a fan of the Thai way of doing things and have always had pretty good experiences, but this was something else entirely.

A friend recommended the Thai Privilege Spa, so I thought I'd go and check it out. Set in a beautiful villa on Al Wasl road in Dubai, you walk in and are greeted by the wonderful aroma of massage oils and aromatherapy candles. Mixtures of lavender, basil, lemongrass, to name just a few, fill your senses. The whole place just screams 'relax' as soon as you walk in.

The staff are extremely friendly and helpful and you're brought a glass of water and cold lemongrass tea to drink whilst you fill out your details. I had originally booked a Sports massage to work out my tense muscles, but on seeing the issues I have with my back, the receptionist said this would be too hard on me and recommended the Aromatherapy option instead. I was brought a choice of oils - Lavender for relaxing or a Basil mixture for rejuvenation, I chose the latter.

I was asked to swap my flip flops for some slippers and taken off to have my feet washed - I have to say there's nothing nicer than someone scrubbing and washing your feet, it's one of those weird little luxuries. I was then taken off to the treatment room and readied for my massage to begin.

The therapist knew exactly the different pressures to use on the various parts of my body and for working the knots out of my tense muscles, the menthol in the oil giving my skin a nice tingling sensation as she went. I very nearly fell asleep and it's the first time, in a very long time, that someone has managed to massage those evil knots around my shoulder blades to loosen them up without me literally crying in pain. It's also one of the very few times, where a therapist has massaged the stomach area - always good for digestion and an often neglected area of the body. The massaging of the head area is always a good test to a good therapist. I went in with a tense, aching, cracking jaw, tight neck and a headache - came out feeling refreshed, loose and relaxed.

After the treatment, I was given a ginger tea (definitely one to clear the digestive system and the sinuses in one go), some lentil soup and water, plus a hot shoulder pack.

I can honestly say I haven't felt so relaxed and unwound in a long time. This is definitely going to a be a once a month treat for me.

The Thai Privilege Spa has outlets in Thailand, USA, China and Dubai. I would highly recommend finding one near you :-) www.thaiprivilegespa.com

Becoming a boat owner :-)

To be honest it was inevitable really that we'd end up getting a boat of our own. We wakeboard pretty much every weekend and when we sat down and worked out how much we were paying other people to tow us around for 15 minutes at a time, it seemed more economical to actually invest in a tow boat of our own.

There is so much to consider when you're thinking about actually purchasing your own boat. Firstly the cost of the boat, maintenance - yes they need servicing just like your car - the cost of parts when things go wrong, where to keep it? On a trailer outside the house? Wet berth? Dry berth?

Of course first you have to find your boat. We found ours on Dubizzle, for sale by a lovely British couple who just didn't have the time to use it. A Centurion T5 Air Warrior, two years old with only 41 hours on the clock. It's a direct drive boat and a good all round water sports boat that will keep skiers, boarders and skaters alike happy.

Then of course you have to do all the ownership transfers, de-registration, re-registration, which now the NTA now insist you pay 7,000 Dhs to have a GPS transponder put on the boat (the fee is refundable if and when you sell the boat on). As is usual in the UAE, it was much easier to just pay someone else to do all the running around and get the job done :-)

We decided to dry berth the boat and just tractor it in and out the water at a local marine club. One obvious factor to consider is, who's going to drive the boat? It's not law in the UAE at this time for boat drivers to hold a license, but this is going to change very shortly and it's something that is well worth doing anyway. So the other-half and I went off and did the RYA powerboat 2 course. It'sa easy enough and only takes two days to complete. We're not doing a bad job of driving so far, although towing people takes alot of getting used to.

You forget when you just rock up for tows, the amount of maintenance that needs to be done, such as flushing the engine through every time the boat comes out the water, washing everything down to get rid of the salt to stop equipment and parts corroding. But so far so good and it's great to be able to just go out whenever we want - although we'll see what happens when something major breaks, as happens with all boats lol

I want my baby back, baby back ribs

Friday night was to be a gathering of the crazy gang, we were all heading to the Music Room in the Majestic hotel for a U2 tribute night and thought it would be nice to meet up for some dinner and drinks beforehand - where to go, where to go? Seeing as we all pretty much had a craving for BBQ pork ribs or steak, there was really only one option - Billy Blues in Rydges Plaza.

Now this is a place I used to go to years ago. Rydges Plaza has a great choice of eateries - The Four Seasons for Chinese, Il Rustico for Italian, Cactus Cantina if you like your Tex-Mex and Aussie Legends bar for good pub grub, to name but a few.

Billy Blues didn't disappoint and was just as I remembered it as an intimate bar and eatery with a pool table and a relaxed atmosphere. That night they had a fantastic 5 drinks for 100 Dhs offer on, which you can't really complain about.

Now let's get down to the food. Their menu is pretty good with things like Creole Shrimps, Pasta and the usual suspects, but the highlight is definitely their burgers, steaks and ribs. I opted for the half portion of BBQ baby back ribs, as did several others on the table, whereas some of the boys went for the steak option and a couple of others choosing the burgers.

The service is pretty efficient and the staff are all pleasant enough and you don't have to wait too long for your food, although they do say allow 25 minutes for the steaks if you want it well done. My other halves Porter House steak was the biggest thing I've seen in ages. The ribs were exactly as I remember them, with the meat so tender it literally falls off the bone and melts in your mouth - mmmm mmmmm. My only slight objection, was a little too much BBQ sauce and it's pretty sweet and tastes very fruity. A half portion is more than enough for one person and at 65 Dhs with fries and coleslaw on the side, very reasonably priced - in fact everything was really.

They also do 2 for 1 rib and steak nights during the week, so if you want to tickle your taste buds for a good price, in a place with a nice relaxed diner type atmosphere, this is the place for you :-)

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If there's anything in this blog that you've liked, please click on one of the ads. All proceeds go towards Toby's veterinary bills. Thank you :-)

Another consultation for Toby - my special needs puppy

I've been looking at all sorts of ways to help little - or not so little now - Toby. Today Dr Ruben at the Vet Hospital sedated him, just to see how much movement there actually is in his joints and where the problem lies.

When I picked the little fella up, tail wagging and wanting to zoom about as always, Dr Ruben said that he was only able to move the joints about 20% and that there is almost complete atrophy of the muscles in his back legs, basically rendering them useless. However, the joints can be moved and we have been told to carry on with the physiotherapy, hydrotherapy and other ways to help him live as much a normal life as possible.

Dr Ruben advised that so long as he only gets to medium size and not too heavy then he will be quite happy. But, if he gets too big and too heavy, then he's going to have real problems in later life.

I have to say at this point, although he is my little tripod pup and hops about on his legs, he does scoot around pretty well. He does however, get a bit frustrated at not being able to walk up and down stairs, or jump up (that for me is a godsend lol)!


He displays all the normal puppy behaviour and is obviously teething as he's biting and wanting to chew everything in sight! I'm happy that he appears happy and isn't in any disomfort and I'll do my best to make sure he has as normal doggy life as possible :-)

Are we living to work, instead of working to live?

There seem to have been many articles on the stresses and strains of working life recently, where people are literally going bananas because they're working 10,12,14 hour days, 6 days a week, having no life or family time and the pressure is getting too much.

I have no idea why so many employers can't grasp the basic fact that happy employees are productive employees. Yet here, everyone seems to want their pound of flesh and to work people to the point of burn out. It seems many are taking lower salaries and working themselves to the bone - and for what?

Yes we all have our financial commitments, but I'm a firm believer in the philosophy that if you're not happy doing what you're doing, then stop doing it, or find an alternative. What's the point of running yourself into the ground and being miserable? Having your family torn apart because you never see them?

There absolutely has to be a good balance between your working life and your personal life. If you're not getting a good quality of life, well then quite frankly what's the point in the first place? Are we robots? No, we are not.

I see so many people with little to keep them happy in life. We all need to take a little time here and there to chill out, relax, put the stresses and strains behind us and re-evaluate what it is that we want out of life.

Toby's x-rays

So we finally got Toby's x-rays done and the results are pretty shocking to say the least. Nothing is where it should be in his back legs and this is obviously not due to a frontline overdose, it's clearly a birth defect and possible trauma.

So the next question is what do I do now? I'll continue with physiotherapy, hydrotherapy and the other holistic treatments, but I have also emailed his x-rays to every orthopedic surgeon that I can find in the UAE, in the hope that someone might be able to suggest a relevant surgical treatment. Sometimes however, things are better left as they are in case of making them worse.

For now though, Toby is a very happy little pup, who is enjoying life and a sheer pleasure to have around :-)

The start of Toby's treatment

I'm a firm believer in alternative therapies for both humans and animals, as very often you can get results where conventional medicine fails. With little Toby, most vets just look at him and say well that's the way he is and there's not much that can be done about it. They try to 'fix' what is broken, whereas holistic therapies try to get what is broken working to the best of its ability.
 
Toby is currently having treatment with a wonderful German lady called Hilke, who works at Energetic Panacea in Dubai. She specializes in everything from homeopathic remedies, acupuncture, physiotherapy, hydrotherapy and much more.

Today Toby had an hours session on the magnetic blanket, which basically uses and electrical current passed through magnets, which in turn pass their magnetic field through the body. This can help to relax muscles, unblock trapped nerves and alleviate pain - I'm considering getting one of these more me and my terrible back!
 
Hilke also made up some homeopathic treatments for him, one to detox his system and another to improve his joints. We took him home and did 5 minutes of swimming in the pool. He quite likes to sit on my lap, whilst I sit on the steps and have his legs massaged.

Toby always tries to use his legs more after he's been exercising, he hops when he gets lazy as it's faster for him to move about, but we need to break his habit of doing this, otherwise he'll forget how to walk.

Next week we are sending him for x-rays, just to see what the situation is with the bones in his legs. He'll also have some more magnetic therapy and hopefully some acupuncture.

It was a tiring day for a little pup and he also got introduced to four Great Danes! Picture that - tiny pup, huge dogs! But he did stand his ground and want to play :-)

A Toby update

So I took little Toby to see my usual vet last night and the prognosis really isn't great. The nerve and muscle damage to his hind legs is severe and they will never recover any decent mobility. The vet gave me the option of putting Toby to sleep, after telling me all the issues that he's likely to encounter. But you know he's such a happy little pup and his disability doesn't seem to hinder him, right now he's annoying my cat, chewing loo rolls and running (or hopping) amok around the living room!

I call him the tripod puppy, as he's like a child with rickets, he puts his back legs together and hops about.

I've decided that hydrotherapy will be good for him, to try and build up some muscle tone, to at least support his back legs better so we've been swimming this morning, then running about with the usual toys for some playtime. The water will also help with his skin, which is so try and flaky due to the fleas, ticks and mites that he's had.

It's actually quite amazing to see how he has adapted to his situation. He hops out into the garden, can't be bothered to try and walk, hop etc down the step into the grass so he sort of just rolls off and pulls himself into his favourite patch of long grass to watch the birds.

I've decided to try holistic therapy for him as well, as I'm a firm believer that alternative medicine very often can make a difference where conventional medicine can't.

Sometimes animals just choose you and just because there might be something different or wrong with them, doesn't mean they don't deserve the best chance in life too. Poor Toby has had the most horrific start in life, so I am determined to do the best I can for him :-)

Amazing Animals!

Anyone who knows me, will tell you that I'm a sucker for animals in need. My heart breaks at seeing so many abandoned, unwanted pets at this time of year and trying to find new homes for thm can be almost impossible for the pretty able bodied pooches and moggies. So what happens to the very young, elderly or those with a disability?

I recently saw the plight of a poor little puppy, who was rescued from the Dubai Municipality along with two siblings, originally in ok health although under weight and with a tick infestation, the pups apparenetly had a reaction to some medication to rid them of the parasites. From what I'm told, all three animals suffered paralysis and although two managed to make a full recovery, one little pup is still struggling.

I've taken this little puppy, named Toby into my care and I will to everything I can to try and see if I can't make a difference to him. The poor boys back end is pretty much skin and bone where his muscles have wasted away and his back legs are dead straight. Even so he sort of manages to hop about. You can liken him to a wheel-chair user that has a well developed muscular upper body and a week, wasted lower body as that's pretty much what he looks like.

The thing about animals though, i that they don't feel sorry for themselves, they get around their disabilities and just get on with life - because they have to. Toby is happy to run about the garden, annoy the cats, play with his toys and seems a happy little chap.

Today I have a vet appointment for him, so I will find out the prognosis and what if any treatment can be given to him.

Ah summer - the worst time of year for 'pets'.

I hate this time of year, because it's the time when so many expats leave the UAE and many leave behind and abandon their so-called 'beloved' animals. With shelters and foster carers already at breaking point, what happens to these poor once loved fur-babies?

The below 'Letter from a dog' was something that was posted recently on a forum, it's touching and heartbreaking and every animal owner should read it:

Letter from a dog:

When I was a puppy, I entertained you with my antics and made you laugh. You called me your child, and despite a number of chewed shoes and a couple of murdered throw pillows, I became your best friend. ... 

Whenever I was "bad," you'd shake your finger at me and ask "How could you?" -- but then you'd relent and roll me over for a belly rub.

My housebreaking took a little longer than expected, because you were terribly busy, but we worked on that together. I remember those nights of nuzzling you in bed and listening to your confidences and secret dreams, and I believed that life could not be any more perfect.

We went for long walks and runs in the park, car rides, stops for ice cream (I only got the cone because "ice cream is bad for dogs" you said), and I took long naps in the sun waiting for you to come home at the end of the day.

Gradually, you began spending more time at work and on your career, and more time searching for a human mate. I waited for you patiently, comforted you through heartbreaks and disappointments, never chided you about bad decisions, and romped with glee at your homecomings, and when you fell in love.

She, now your wife, is not a "dog person" -- still I welcomed her into our home, tried to show her affection, and obeyed her. I was happy because you were happy.

Then the human babies came along and I shared your excitement. I was fascinated by their pinkness, how they smelled, and I wanted to mother them, too. Only she and you worried that I might hurt them, and I spent most of my time banished to another room, or to a dog crate. Oh, how I wanted to love them, but I became a prisoner of love."

As they began to grow, I became their friend. They clung to my fur and pulled themselves up on wobbly legs, poked fingers in my eyes, investigated my ears, and gave me kisses on my nose. I loved everything about them and their touch -- because your touch was now so infrequent -- and I would've defended them with my life if need be. I would sneak into their beds and listen to their worries and secret dreams, and together we waited for the sound of your car in the driveway.

There had been a time, when others asked you if you had a dog, that you produced a photo of me from your wallet and told them stories about me. These past few years, you just answered "yes" and changed the subject. I had gone from being "your dog" to "just a dog," and you resented every expenditure on my behalf.

Now, you have a new career opportunity in another city, and you and they will be moving to an apartment that does not allow pets. You've made the right decision for your "family," but there was a time when I was your only family.

I was excited about the car ride until we arrived at the animal shelter. It smelled of dogs and cats, of fear, of hopelessness. You filled out the paperwork and said "I know you will find a good home for her." They shrugged and gave you a pained look. They understand the realities facing a middle-aged dog, even one with "papers."

You had to pry your son's fingers loose from my collar as he screamed, "No, Daddy! Please don't let them take my dog!" And I worried for him, and what lessons you had just taught him about friendship and loyalty, about love and responsibility, and about respect for all life.

You gave me a good-bye pat on the head, avoided my eyes, and politely refused to take my collar and leash with you. You had a deadline to meet and now I have one, too. After you left, the two nice ladies said you probably knew about your upcoming move months ago and made no attempt to find me another good home. They shook their heads and asked "How could you?"

They are as attentive to us here in the shelter as their busy schedules allow. They feed us, of course, but I lost my appetite days ago.

At first, whenever anyone passed my pen, I rushed to the front, hoping it was you that you had changed your mind -- that this was all a bad dream... or I hoped it would at least be someone who cared, anyone who might save me.

When I realized I could not compete with the frolicking for attention of happy puppies, oblivious to their own fate, I retreated to a far corner and waited. I heard her footsteps as she came for me at the end of the day, and I padded along the aisle after her to a separate room. A blissfully quiet room.

She placed me on the table and rubbed my ears, and told me not to worry. My heart pounded in anticipation of what was to come, but there was also a sense of relief. The prisoner of love had run out of days.

As is my nature, I was more concerned about her. The burden which she bears weighs heavily on her, and I know that, the same way I knew your every mood.

She gently placed a tourniquet around my foreleg as a tear ran down her cheek. I licked her hand in the same way I used to comfort you so many years ago.

She expertly slid the hypodermic needle into my vein. As I felt the sting and the cool liquid coursing through my body, I lay down sleepily, looked into her kind eyes and murmured "How could you?"

Perhaps because she understood my dogspeak, she said "I'm so sorry." She hugged me, and hurriedly explained it was her job to make sure I went to a better place, where I wouldn't be ignored or abused or abandoned, or have to fend for myself --a place of love and light so very different from this earthly place.

And with my last bit of energy, I tried to convey to her with a thump of my tail that my "How could you?" was not directed at her. It was directed at you, My Beloved Master, I was thinking of you. I will think of you and wait for you forever. May everyone in your life continue to show you so much loyalty.

Becoming an 'Easy Rider' - Final part

So today was the big day! I was so nervous, as always turning up this morning. Everyone taking the road test, four of us, turned up before 7am. The examiner turned up at 7 sharp (I can't get used to people actually doing something on time in Dubai!). We all get on our bikes, I am told to go first and the examiner tells me, that if I get the chance to break away and just go for it, then do so.

The examiner and our instructor follow behind in a car, watching us closely for any mistakes. There are four immediate fail categories and each rider is allowed ten minor mistakes.

So we trundle out and hit the road. No major issues, I just ride as I had been doing during my classes and make sure I get my three lane changes in and remember my positioning in the road. Thankfully the traffic is minimal at that time in the morning and I manage to time getting onto the main roads as the flow of traffic is stopped at the lights - phew.

We all make it back in one piece and wait anxiously for the verdict. Three of us have passed and one failed. Luckily I managed to pass the test - yippee! Of course it's extremely frustrating and sad for the guy that didn't and I just think about how many extra classes they're going to make him do, to make a quick buck!

Next I take my file to the transport clearance desk - would I like to pay 300 Dhs to get my license quickly? er no thanks, I'll wait the three days it'll take.

But the relief at finally doing this is immense and I'm so glad I have done it.

Does this make me a good rider? Nope, absolutely not. As a beginner and 'green' rider, you're probably the most dangerous person on the roads. It takes years of experience and practice to become a good rider.

Now, what bike do I want to get? :-)

Happy riding :-)

Becoming an 'Easy Rider' pt7

Part 7 already? Wow what a mission this is turning out to be! So a week later and I'm ready to re-take Level 2, after of course completing my mandatory eight extra classes. I arrive at 7am on the dot and am relieved to see that it's the same examiner as last week. There are only two of us  redoing this test, everyone else is doing their Level 1. So of course we are told to go first and I get to go first out of everyone - oh no! My nerves were getting the better of me - big time. But I managed to do my curves left and right with no issues, far better than the previous attempt.

Then, the dreaded light bank comes out! I cannot tell you how much I hate this thing. It's just something that would never happen in real life and you really have to try and stop your brain from guessing what order your going to get the stops and swerves in. The instructor can see I'm extremely nervous and I told him I'd taken a few falls the previous week, so he's like ok I'm going to give you two stops, then left, then right. My first braking attempt is ok. The second my head is all over the place and it's probably the longest stopping distance I've ever done. The examiner makes it clear, that I cannot afford to pick up any points during the swerving, which thankfully I don't.

I end up with a total penalty point score of 31. You're allowed a maximum of 41. So I passed and I didn't fall Hoorah! I'm still annoyed though, as during my school assessment I only picked up 16 points - oh dear. But it's a pass and that's what I needed.

So, what next? Well the final stage which is the Level 3 road test. Of course you don't get to do it the same week, you can't even book in until the next day, and road tests are only done on Thursdays, so that's over a week to wait. But I'm looking forward to it.

Another step closer.

Happy riding :-)