Happy Tax day to you....It is so nice to not be dealing with Uncle Sam's heavy tax burden this year....My tax man back in the USA, says I have small refunds coming from my time at Kuna Foods that ended last July 2nd. It is a good time to think about taxes....It amazes me how much further money seems to go without sales tax, or many visible taxes. The UAE does have a tax on alcohol (30%), but most of its revenue is from government fees on imports (5%), rent (5%) and money they get from businesses they own...(phone companies - local land line calls even cost you)...
I will try not and drone on about work today, I hear from one of my regular readers that work numbers and stories are boring, that you want to know more about my "love life" and my observations about the people here. Well, in a "Readers Digest" version - The meeting with the big cheeses went well last Saturday, Vineet started, and yes he is Vinny the Pooh. He really had a nice first week and I know you will hear more about him. Reem starts next Tuesday. Have two more people that Bob and I have decided to make offers to. Things with work keep rolling along, and when you work 70 plus hours per week, it dominates your life.
We do have a new chain from America that opened at the Mall of Emirates (the second biggest mall -the one with the indoor ski slope) called Shake Shack. I ate there last week - Outstanding hamburgers (use American patties) I may end up there today....
Today is the three month anniversary of my first date with Rodz. It is like a few of my other memorable love life adventures (shared with Fred). Time flies, it just seems like last month that Fred was here visiting. I would like to tell you about my big romantic plans for the day, except she works a twelve hour shift on Fridays (9 to 9) and the highlight will be my picking her up from work so she can go home and go to bed...I will spend the day with Nick.
Rodz and I dropped Bob off at the airport last night. He is home to spend a couple of weeks with his family. I don't think he won the movie reviewer contest, so back to just running food service for him. Nick is busy trying to find furniture for his apartment. I loaned him my inflatable queen sized bed, and that and his TV is all that he has so far. One of the many fun things about dating someone from a different country and culture, is introducing them to foods and customs that I enjoy. Rodz is always reluctant to try new things, but then seems to really enjoy them once we have shared them together. Her favorite restaurant is now PFChangs (she is not a big fan of May, my favorite server there-go figure) and her second favorite is Fuddruckers...lol. PFChangs egg drop soup has become a new favorite soup of several of my fellow expats. Georges, Ceren and Rodz had never heard of it and all loved it. I finally talked Rodz into trying a "hand-made" soft pretzel at Festival City mall. She liked it, so last night after we dropped Bob off at the airport when I asked her what she wanted to do...yes, go to the mall and have a pretzel...yes, she has a very nice figure that I am trying not to destroy with her newly developed American pallet. Nick decided to repay us buying him dinner by making us "sloppy Joes" on American Idol viewing night. Rodz was intrigued with the name - I had a hard time convincing her this was a good food...lol. Well when Nick promised sloppy Joes he had in mind picking up a can of "Manwich" and a pound of ground chuck...not so fast Nicholas. There is no sloppy Joe sauces in the grocery stores here, so Nick consulted with his bride Mimi back in the states, yes Ketchup, onions, peppers, spices, brown sugar and New Zealand ground beef...it was delicious and Rodz had two sandwiches...this weeks menu will be another new one for Rodz...Cheese Omelette's. I will try and remember to share how it goes.
Well spring ended in the UAE with some real rain...We had thunderstorms on Monday night. It was nice, rained like cats and dogs for 20 minutes. I had been in Festival City and had to drive home as it stopped raining. There are no sewers - more accurately no gutters on the streets, so lots of standing water. The road was full of standing water and sand that was washed out of the air. The skyline was beautiful without the sand in the air. We had another good burst of rain a couple of hours later, then some sprinkles the next couple of days. Now the clouds are gone, the dry summer has begun. Just really happy we got that one good rainy night before the long dry season. The chance of rain from May through December is virtually zero (the statistic is nine measurable rainfalls in Dubai during the last 30 years) during those months.
I booked my airline flight back to America for August 5th. It was $300 dollars less to fly into JFK in NY, over flying to Atlanta. my 12 day stay sadly will not include my 30 year high school reunion, as the graduating class of Lebanon High school of 1981 has overwhelmingly decided to go with a fall date instead of the August one that I lobbied for. Someone please send my regards in September...I will plan on seeing Dan Scott and Rodney & Janie in Pennsylvania, of course my parents and hopefully some old school friends in Virginia, Fred and Debbie in Knoxville, and then Chad, Nate, Amy, Rez and other of my Kuna and SYSCO friends in St. Louis. I don't have Atlanta on the schedule....maybe next year. The two of my friends that bought (acquired) all of my furniture before I left St Louis last July, might want to pay for it, may make it a more comfortable reunion with me this August.
Fred did manage to sell my car last month, so one less long term bill, still have to finish up with a few obligations, it is great gaining financial independence.
I think I am headed to the pool for a couple of hours (it's 11am - 90 degrees and bright sunshine!) have yourself a great Friday and even a better weekend, I hope you have already finished your tax forms and that Uncle Sam is returning some of your hard earned wages to you.
John
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