Our Travels

Wishing Mom a very Happy Birthday and many more to come. Missing my Mom on her birthday but wish her a long life with us on this earth. Am thankful for such an amazing mother who taught me so much about life and for being the most peaceful person I know. Chaos can surround her but from her one will only find peace and harmony. Thanks to Mom for teaching me to appreciate everything I'm given in life and not to take anything for granted. For teaching me to always look at the good side of anything and not to focus on the negative. For being there for us and many others who come to Mom to find peace. I'm just blessed to have been borne of such an amazing person.

Christmas is gone already and now awaiting the new year. Hmmm now everyone is talking about new year's resolutions and frankly I really don't see the point. It's all to do with making decisions and making a plan of attack before implementing any changes. Seriously I can't think of any one time that I made a decision and followed through instantaneously. Especially when one is inebriated and blurts out a New Year's resolution. My favourites "This is my last cigarette" while buying another pack... and then there's "I will never drink again" meanwhile one is smashed and in the middle of throwing back a few more shots. And then "I will lose more weight this year" and yet head straight for the fast food place to buy some grease to line the tummy. So I've decided not to even think of any resolutions but just try to amend my ways to have a better life... eat better, be less critical, save more... Whatever, I am quite content with my li...

We had a lovely Christmas dinner with some of our friends here in Muscat. Most of the friends that came did not even get a day off for Xmas so we made the most of the evening with carol singing and dancing and of course it involved alot of of eating and sipping. Hubby and I having a good laugh - enjoying the Christmas spirit. Millie and Gina showing the lil' ones how to do it right... uh huh uh huh Our enthusiastic guitarist George. The United Nations 'special choir' lol. self, Linus(Nigeria), Gina(Samoa), Lulua and her Mom Millie(Kenya) Self with Kofi and Beatrix from Hungary & Ghana. Our younger carol singers. Ijoema, Hanan and Okara. Ali eating the fourth leg of the turkey(private joke, malo Gina) who joined us straight from work and Alex who cooked the turkey...yep yep we know babe, lol.

Wishing all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Two more days to go. I hope everyone finds peace this Christmas season and look forward to a good year. I'm looking forward to the new year as a working woman now but also counting down the months to our trip home. And most of all greeting two new additions to our family in April as my two sisters are both carrying. My older sister is having their fourth baby(she reckons the last) and my younger sister is having their first. All so exciting. It would be nice too to see how the other kids have grown in the past year. Most of all this Christmas is our first without our beloved grandmother, may she rest in peace. Anyway on a brighter note, we're having Christmas Eve with friends here at home and am looking to a good feed... yum yum...and yes I'm only Samoan hahaha! We're doing the pot-luck style where everyone brings a dish for the dinner. Mine dearest is doing the turkey and I'm doing the pisupo hahaha! Ok gotta...

"And so this is Christmas..." to quote from a Christmas song... Here we go again. We're celebrating Christmas in Oman and missing home of course. Good though that we're working right up to Christmas to keep us busy from thinking of dear ones. Anyway we've already put up our tree and so we feel the Christmas spirit in our home now. It being a Muslim country, there's not too much Christmas spirit around, if I can say such a thing but we're getting together with friends to make our own Christmas fun and full of carol singing!!! Hubby has been sneaking around once more so I'm left trying to figure out what he's getting me for Christmas. Keep at this rate and we'll have no life savings hahaha But bless him for his thoughtfulness and romantic spirit. We have just celebrated our second wedding anniversary. I came home from work to find a hot bath with candles burning ready for me to plunge into. Enjoyed that for a bit while my blessed hubby went to ma...

While the boys go hard on the field the supporters are busy too. L-R, Alex & Heineken, English supporter, Lutz the Samoan copper from Sudan and Mark. Our young supporters. Tim leading the supporters with the Heinekens heh heh! Self with Agnes.

Lotu with the Samoan team and the Samoan community in Dubai. The team looking smart in their formal wear. Mikaele jogs to the try line. The parade.

Now back in Muscat after an exhilirating week in Dubai with Clara and her lovely family and watching the sevens tournament when we could due to heavy rains and cold weather. The first day was great; nice weather and the company of everyone we were on the stands with was just awesome. Sipping Heinekens in the early afternoon was what everyone seemed to be doing and enjoying the games. Samoa did really well on the first day. We beat Kenya 54 to 14 and then unfortunately lost to Wales. Then we came back to beat New Zealand by two points. The atmosphere was festive and sheer excitement in the grand-stands. In the midst of all this Clara who has been the liaison officer for the Samoan team for the past 10 years was of course working to make sure things were running smoothly and assisting the manager and coach with anything they needed. Also we, Alex and I were hosted by Clara and Tim along with Samoan policeman Lesa Lutz who is a peacekeeper in Sudan who also came to support the team. On th...