blimey

I'm 40 this year and have a 5 yr old and a 2 yr old...... Think I shall now go in the garden and eat worms No need for that....just think of all the fun we have had when we were their ages! The only think I wish for is probably their energy ;)

Who else think they sound or beginning to sound like this? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9SARUZEBT0&feature=related <em>edited by blimey on 04/05/2011</em>

Thanks I will try to get to D International Art centre on Saturday Are they open all day or closed in the afternoon? They have classes in the afternoon. So I am pretty sure they would be open....just not sure until what time....at least until 4pm, I would think. Their students got their art supplies from their shop. Better quality than the ones I get for DD from Carrefour or Geant. I am however not an artist, so I am not sure their quality compare to DUCTAC. I was just aware that my eyes didnt seem to pop out whenever I look at the prices :)

You can also get them from Dubai International Art Centre located on the street between Jumeirah Town Centre and Mercato. The prices are definitely much more reasonable than the one at DUCTAC ;)

I wasnt pointing at one particular person, just the way the thread turned a couple of pages ago. It went from "wasn\t that lovely"to dogs,hats,nipp les, awful dresses blah blah..not necessary :( really, it was a lovely wedding and anything that might have passed my mind while watching continued on it's merry way, never to be talked about because it was not necessary :) Like every wedding, some people will only see and remember things that make them smile and feel the love in the air and some people would only notice and remember the "flaws" from the bride, groom, bridesmaid, ceremony, food etc. That's what make the world go round, I guess ;) <em>edited by blimey on 03/05/2011</em>

Are all retired airline staff this wealthy?? edited by Irooni on 01/05/2011 http://www.familybusinessplace.com/kate-middletons-family-business-_665

i didnt want to make it sound like ''comparing his wife to his dead mother" and all that but yes i dont find her prettier .... yes they have had a long courtship and yes hopefully its going to be a perfect fairytale ending .... but i was just talking about the looks .... i read about this poll where apparently she came third alongwith grace kelly as first and princess rania of jordan as 2nd and Diana was forth .... and hence my comment .... i really liked princess Diana and that's all I really like the late Princess Diana too. Everytime I look at Camilla and think of Princess Diana, all I could say is that love is indeed blind. I really like Kate Middleton. She seems like a very simple and yet regal woman. I think Princess Diana would approve of her. I hope she would not change now that she is finally married to her Prince.

Love the royal wedding....I am sure I would be sick of it all in a few days. Whether we love, hate or feeling indifference to UK, we have to admit that UK royal wedding is the ONLY wedding that the WHOLE world would want to watch and would fly across the world to be part of it even though you are not British or commonwealth citizens ;)

http://www.expatwoman.com/forum/messages.aspx?TopicID=140070

For Thai massage, I go to Tina at Sister's Beauty Lounge in DM. Tina told me that they are not allowed to perform the authentic massage like in Thailand. I am always happy with Tina but you have to tell her you want to the same pressure as the authentic thai massage as not everyone can handle the strong pressures ;) For therapeutic massage, I go to Anna at Inshape gym on Beach Road.

Drop DD off in the morning, maid picks her up using taxi. You could always ask the school to help you make arrangement with other parents. I receive emails from receptionist once in awhile with such request.

So I look forward to my geeky boys being able to look after me in my old age! I'm so happy for them to read a book rather than kick a ball -but somehow their 'sporty' peers look down on them. Well, it's always good fun to watch the likes of Lionel Messi, Tiger Woods, Federer, etc doing what they do best in their sporting arena. However, imagine the world today without people like Bill Gates, Steve Jobs and Mark Zuckerberg ;) I think we should really teach our kids that it is really okay not to be GOOD at everything and not to give much thought about their peers' opinion as long as they are doing what they themselves love and enjoy the most.

DH sees a female physio therapist at Jumeirah Town Centre. I believe she is an Aussie. Very hard to get appointment though ;) I think it's about AED300 per session. http://www.dxbphysio.com/contact_us.html <em>edited by blimey on 25/04/2011</em>

We always leave cash in the kitchen for taxi and check it every other day or so to make sure they are enough. For school pick up, she doesn't ask for receipt anymore but if she takes DD to playdates which are far away from our house, she always ask for receipt just in case we want to check.

Has anyone else used this agency? Do u know when are they getting in more Indonesians ? I got my previous Indonesian maid using Famous Maid Agency (04-2678867) several years ago. You select the maid from the CVs and they will bring the maid within 2 weeks or so. You have to sponsor the maid yourself though.

I have never been to the ones near new dubai area other than Tip & Toes at Palm J. I however prefer to go to Sisters' beauty lounge in dubai mall for my waxing. The rooms are always very private, clean and pretty sure spacious enough for you and the bump and good atmosphere too. And if you are willing to pay a bit more, you can opt for the wax (can't remember the name) that they would peel it off you instead of stripping the hair off you. http://www.sistersbeautylounge.com/ <em>edited by blimey on 19/04/2011</em>

Thank you Blimey, DH company's office is currently in KLCC but they are moving out of the centre and we don't know where yet. I guess I was thinking there might be expat areas/ housing compounds/ communities.... proximity to parks/schools? Thank you for the link, I'll have a good look through :) I posted here as I was hoping someone could give me some comparisons between UAE and Malaysia. :) Did you live in KL? Did your children attend Alice Smith? Well, expats is a very small community in KL or any part of Malaysia. So, in KL you would see more integration between locals and expats. Some expats may keep to themselves but most expats that I know of including my DH (I am a Malaysian) go out with their local friends a lot. We didnt have DD back when we lived in KL but for many many years, Alice Smith International school has always been at the top. Unlike here, ...well, I don't know whether it still is....you never see any bickering from expat parents on expat forum about the quality of international schools in Malaysia. Among western expats, I would say that Bangsar, Damansara, Ampang (closer to city center area) and Kenny Hill are the favourite. Most new gated residential area would have children playground as well. There are several parks in KL that you could go to but personally, I think KLCC Park is one of the best park in KL for children to play and for you to jog around. Unfortunately, the residential properties around the park are apartment type. KL have many private hospitals as SeaofLove mentioned. The famous ones would be SJMC, Gleneagles Hospital, Ampang Puteri and Pantai Hospital. There are many private clinics as well. They are very cheap.....I used to pay about AED50 for consultation + medicines which you would get from the clinics itself. Depending on your location, you could ask for recommendation for the expat website. Just do not expect the doctors to be an expat as well ;) <em>edited by blimey on 19/04/2011</em>

I agree! Better for your friend to just pack and leave. The maid just not worth the trouble that she might get herself and her DH into if things go wrong.

Once, when I took DD to playground, a woman asked me if I am looking for a new job as she needs a new maid. I just smiled and said, NO and asked her what happened to X's nanny as I do know her son as I have seen him at the playground all the time. DD and her son still play together until now ;) As DD looks more like daddy than me, it is very often for taxi drivers, shopkeepers, other maids or mothers to assume that I am her nanny. When I lived in Shorelines, I used to think that I should dress up in a certain way in order for me to be recognized as the mommy instead of the maid.

[b'>Succession planning and safeguarding your assets [/b'>[u'>[/u'> The UAE law of inheritance is based on the principles of Sharia Law. which differs greatly to the laws that many of us expatriates are used to and to the way in which our total assets are normally distributed upon death away from the UAE. In a Muslim country like the UAE, all courts adhere to Sharia - the primary source of Islamic law. Legal systems in the Gulf are usually quite complicated and those unfamiliar with their workings can find this difficult to understand & accept. So what happens when a non-Muslim expatriate dies out here in the UAE? According to the UAE Civil Code, Federal Law No.2 of 1987 (Article 17/1) stipulates that inheritance shall be subject to the law of the deceased at the time of death. This law was promulgated to stem confusion surrounding inheritance issues for expatriates. Therefore the law of the domicile country of the deceased would apply. Your “Last Will & Testament” is a document that details exactly what you would like to happen to your estate in the event of your death. The professionally drafted document can cover all aspects of your life, from physical assets such as property, investments or cash, to who you would like to look after your children until they are of an age that they can look after themselves. It is worth noting that if you marry, you will have to start again, as marriage automatically revokes a will; however, possibly just as important, a divorce does not. Your Dubai freehold property is still governed by the inheritance laws of sharia and would not be distributed as per your wishes or your Will. The UAE treats movable assets (such as cash, investments, cars, etc) differently to immovable assets (property) for inheritance purposes. Only moveable assets as safeguarded when making a Will. The laws relating to foreign owners of property in the UAE and inheritance still need to be examined closely and the process is ongoing. But as the situation stands, UAE law (sharia) shall apply to immoveable property (real estate) in the UAE held by foreigners. When purchasing real estate in the UAE, it is always advisable to try to do so through a foreign company that may be jointly owned by you, your spouse and/or your children. When an expatriate dies in the UAE, their visas are cancelled and banks are instructed by the courts to freeze all transactions on the accounts of the deceased, including joint accounts. The bank is obliged to freeze the account from such notification until the successors of the deceased are nominated as per Article 379 (4) of the Commercial Transactions Law, UAE Federal Law No. 18 of 1993. Unfreezing of the account can only be carried out by order of the Sharia Courts. This process aims to safeguard any payments that need to be made after an expatriate has died, such as outstanding loans and any debt payments and can take as much as 6-9 months to clear up. With Visas cancelled (and 30 days grace to make visa re-arrangements), and bank accounts frozen, does one even have time to grieve over the loss of their loved one? Many of us do not understand the possible implications of death in the UAE and the financial implications that entail. Simple financial planning can help overcome such obstacles and help create a safety net. It’s not just about safeguarding your assets by making a Will but also the welfare of your family & young children who are dependent on you even when you are not around. It is essentially important therefore to keep separate bank accounts in addition to any joint accounts you may have if you are married, as well as a primary offshore bank accounts as Bank accounts that are maintained outside the UAE are not be governed by the UAE's legal jurisdictions and laws. International Life Insurance is one of the most important steps to succession planning. Beneficiary payouts are paid out of trust held offshore & paid directly to the beneficiary thereby not falling as part of your estate for the purposes of distribution under sharia. Although preparing a will is not something many people relish it is essential in the UAE and in the long term. Succession planning is something that we all should be prepared with. Parents of minors should consider the possibility for temporary and permanent guardianship of their children resident in the UAE. Instructions in relation to this should be made before, and lodged at the embassy of which the parents are nationals. The procedure upon death of an expatriate who has made a Will is to obtain an application for a grant of representation in the deceased’s country of domicile. Once probate is obtained, it must be notarised, and attested at the notary public or the ministry of foreign affairs here before it may be recognised by the UAE courts as authentic and valid. Upon recognition by the government authorities of the deceased’s representatives the trustees or executors would have full power to administer the deceased’s estate in accordance with his wishes. In the case of intestacy, a letter of administration would also have to be obtained from the country of domicile and duly notorised & attested. People are often misinformed that when they die their estate will be passed to their next of kin even without a will. This is certainly not the case as the laws relating to inheritance of an estate are often complicated when there is no will in place. Without a Last Will and Testament (“Will”), these very important decisions will be made by the government. The opinions expressed by the author are his own http://www.arabianbusiness.com/succession-planning-safeguarding-your-assets-392987.html?page=0 [b'>Btw, I am not working for the author of this article. Maybe something that the newbies need to be aware of.[/b'>[i'>[/i'>

Well honestly, I am not surprised that she absconded from the company. From the 2200 that you pay the company monthly, she only get between 750 - 900. Anyway, shouldn't the company provide you with her replacement? My neighbour got someone new from the agency after sending back the previous one who cause her problems.

Last night my maid cooked a very nice chicken meal...not boiled though. She wrapped the chicken breast in aluminium foil with soy sauce + honey + ginger + a bit of crushed chillies and cooked the chicken in the oven. DH and I thought that's pretty healthy and yummy ;) <em>edited by blimey on 11/04/2011</em>

I am not sure about the length but my DH trains for his triathlon event at Metropolitan Hotel on SZR. It's not far from Jumeirah/Umm Suqeim :) HTH.

A few years back, I used Monster.com service. Worth every penny I paid as I got call for several interviews after that and was offered two jobs within the same period of time. Good luck! <em>edited by blimey on 10/04/2011</em>