Lettie | ExpatWoman.com
 

Lettie

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Latest post on 16 July 2012 - 15:42
When I went last year for passport photos for my new passport it took ages for them to finish my photos. When I eventually got it I discovered the reason, they Photoshopped it! I look much younger on my new passport than on my residence permit/license/ID photos! I don't complain....
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Latest post on 12 July 2012 - 21:20
I have a question, some of you mentioned not to leave kids in the car while putting the groceries..I usually put my kids in their car seats first, turn the car on then load off the stroller and the groceries, is that wrong then?? I cannot load the stroller first since my child is obviously in it, and also not the groceries, as we are usually in the parking area, and other cars are passing by and also with this heat, I need to put AC as fast as possible, so what's the right way then??? edited by Proudmama012 on 12/07/2012 The problem is when you unload the groceries at home. When you load the shopping into the car you are there all the time. The problem is when you get home. You are not 100% of the time at the car when you are unloading which leaves time for distractions and the possibility that you forget the child or something unexpected happens such as the car go up in flames. In the second instance one minute can be too long to save the child.
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Latest post on 12 July 2012 - 11:17
It is dangerous to leave a child for even a minute alone in the car. I know of an incident a few years back when the parents unpacked the car and left the child sleeping until they finished. There was an electrical problem with the car window/door and the car caught fire. They couldn't save the little girl. It was only a minute or so. It was very sad, especially as the shopping was for the little girl's 2nd birthday party.
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Latest post on 12 July 2012 - 10:47
Thank you for posting, I was on my way to Battuta. Have to think of alternatives now...
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Latest post on 11 July 2012 - 16:20
The most comfortable shoes for me are Soft Spot shoes. I also have wide feet and find it extremely difficult to find shoes, so I was very happy to discover Soft Spots. The shop with the biggest variety of Soft Spots that I know of is K Corner in Outlet Mall. I am also a Green Cross and Froggie girl which I can only find in SA. :( Clarks are also very comfortable and long lasting, well worth the money.
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Latest post on 08 July 2012 - 22:19
Although I supported Federer I feel desperately sorry for Murray. It can't be easy for him when the expectations were so high.
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Latest post on 07 July 2012 - 22:42
If you do a search on Nioxin you will find a few threads. It seems all the people buy theirs on-line. I have not seen it in Dubai up to now. Sorry, I am not really of any help.
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Latest post on 28 June 2012 - 07:10
I hope you feel better this morning. I just want to give you a hug.
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Latest post on 26 June 2012 - 17:29
Wimbledon is only showing live at the mo on the Abu Dhabi sports channels; Du HD sports has commentary in English but is showing football.. I am watching Wimbledon in English on Du at the moment. It is AD Sports HD 8 and on my decoder it is channel 510. HTH
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Latest post on 26 June 2012 - 10:26
Which channel on Du? I think it's 543. I am trying to get English commentary only for the boxing (in preparation for Wimbledon!) but at the moment am hearing Arabic and English commentaries together. Lettie, could you tell the technologically-challenged how to set it to just English, please? :) On the Du remote at the bottom there are coloured buttons. Just above the coloured buttons you will find the 'options' button. When you press it you will get a menu with the different options. If there is English you will find it under languages, if not you will have the option of Arabic. :)
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Latest post on 25 June 2012 - 17:08
smiling at your topic...probably spell check working over time :) or Freudian slip perhaps I had to sit on my hands not to say something when I saw the title of the thread. Something like 'contradiction of terms?' ;)
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Latest post on 25 June 2012 - 17:02
I watch it on AD Sport, the HD Channel (Du). On the HD channel you have the option of English commentary.
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Latest post on 25 June 2012 - 11:11
You shouldn't use antibiotics for flu!!! That is true, but there are circumstances where it may be necessary. I always need to take antibiotics at some stage because I am a high risk person. Maybe the OP's husband is also at risk of bronchitis/pneumonia. I spent 5 days in ICU last year with pneumonia, I can assure you, it is not fun! This http://www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/features/antibiotics-for-flu may explain the use of antibiotics for flu better than what I can.
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Latest post on 23 June 2012 - 16:01
If you mean hotfix crystals, you can find a big variety at the Haberdashery Souk near the Gold Souk. They also have various hotfix decorations. As I am not very good with directions I suggest you look at this link for directions. I found it very helpful: http://sonenskadu.blogspot.com/2011/04/haberdashery-souk-2.html HTH
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Latest post on 18 June 2012 - 11:17
Have you tried to put the SIM in a different phone to make sure it is the phone that is the problem? I had a problem before where my Nokia just didn't work so I put the SIM in an old phone and the problem wasn't fixed. It turned out my SIM got damaged somehow and when I replaced the SIM the phone worked perfectly. It may not work but it is worth a try.
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Latest post on 13 June 2012 - 16:00
Update: My husband decided to go to American Hospital this morning. He said they were very friendly, professional and worked fast. He said that they asked for either your passport or UAE Identification card for ID and if you do not have a file already with them, then you have to take time to fill one out. The price was 180.00aed only as stated and they called his phone as well as sent an email 1 hour later with his PT INR results. We are pleased with American Hospital. :) That is very good news for your husband! I only wish my insurance didn't exclude American Hospital in our policy. I am on my 3rd medical insurance since arriving in Dubai and not a single one included American Hospital. The first two also didn't include City Hospital. I had to pay first and was not very successful in claiming a portion of the amount back. Maybe I should try American Hospital and see how successful I am with my current insurance in claiming back. Thank you for reporting your experience.
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Latest post on 11 June 2012 - 07:10
I only had Siemens cordless phones so I cannot comment on others. I am very happy with the Siemens. The problem here is probably more to do with the building structures than the phones itself. The Wi-Fi also does not work as well here as back home and I was told it could be the building itself that causes the problems.
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Latest post on 10 June 2012 - 17:01
Thank you Tydiet, I will discuss it with my doctor at the next opportunity. Maybe just the threat to go somewhere else will help. I already get my Warfarin from Emirates Hospital as not all clinics and hospitals can supply it. I will appreciate it if you can share your husband's experience at Emirates.
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Latest post on 10 June 2012 - 15:11
I would also like to know. The importance of speedy results is not known to the labs here. I had my INR tested on Wednesday and I am still waiting for the results. It is so frustrating, especially if the INR is out of range and the dose has to be adjusted. The price can be anything between Aed 125 and Aed 175. Sorry I am not of any help here.
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Latest post on 10 June 2012 - 15:06
Witnessed this earlier this morning. People who park in the disabled parking, who (don't appear to be) aren't disabled (or have a sticker for same) :( I always think it's a bit unlucky - like - be careful what you wish for :( My favourite (loud) remark when I observe someone parking in a disabled parking is: 'Mentally disabled I see'. It is usually not appreciated.
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Latest post on 10 June 2012 - 15:01
getting followed around in shops. The worst is actually the bigger pharmacy's. There is a big one in MOE near C4 and I feel as though the sales staff are descending on me in a group, and I cant browse or move without bumping into someone. They also tend to try and sell me stuff by coming up to say "You have bad pimples/ freckles/ wrinkles (pick one) and you need to try this product. You dont look good now" Not sure who trains them but they dont understand their customers at all. They don't understand that they make sure I will never, never, ever buy anything cosmetic from them. My husband advised me to say something negative about their weight suggesting a gym whenever they tell me how badly in need my skin is for some of their products. I am unfortunately not a nasty person by nature so couldn't get myself to do it. So I just started to laugh. When they wanted to know why I am laughing I just told them they definitely don't want to know. In the end they just turned around and walk away!
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Latest post on 09 June 2012 - 13:50
What a lovely surprise, a gift for the car's first birthday! No, I don't want sweets for change, I want money... I only want to buy vitamins, not a wonder cream for my 'very old' skin.
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Latest post on 09 June 2012 - 00:02
I would always go for a Bernina before anything else. It is not cheap though, but worth the investment in my opinion. It is not necessary to buy a top of the range machine. I would rather recommend a good quality basic machine than a top of the range machine of lesser quality. If you are not used to a good machine something cheaper may satisfy you. A lot of people will disagree with me, but I am sewing for close to 40 years now and know that a bad machine can put you off from sewing. I can't give you an idea on the prices.You can go to Bernina in Jumeira Plaza or Craftland in Town Centre and test a few machines to see what you like and to compare the prices. Craftland stocks more than one brand and I guess you can get cheaper models there if price is important to you.
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Latest post on 08 June 2012 - 23:39
The only mascara that doesn't end on my cheeks by the end of the day is Diorshow Black Out ([b'>not[/b'> the waterproof one). For some reason waterproof mascara is even worse for me than the non-waterproof ones.
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Latest post on 06 June 2012 - 11:58
It is not always the scanned signature that is the problem. Sometimes someone will staple the cheque through the signature which causes the problem. We eventually found an old ATM which takes envelopes at MOE (to the ski slopes side.)
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Latest post on 05 June 2012 - 21:47
You may want to try Essa Beauty salon in JLT. You can find them on facebook (phone number, location, etc.). The owner (Lydia)recently received Dermalogica Best Skin Therapist award at the Middle East Congress for 2012. Thank you for this recommendation. After two years in Dubai I finally had a good facial again. Lydia is a lovely lady and I felt confident in her knowledge and experience. So different from my other experiences in Dubai. A visit to Essa Beauty Salon will definitely be on my monthly to-do list.
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Latest post on 28 May 2012 - 22:26
What about the Nuran, although it is on the expensive side? The location is very good though.
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Latest post on 28 May 2012 - 22:21
I agree with pish posh about the Deutsches Museum, you can spend days there. My favourite place in Munich will always be the English Garden. The castles around are also good places to visit.
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Latest post on 27 May 2012 - 15:05
I don't know Johannesburg too well, so I can't give advice about suburbs and schools, but I have to warn you that you may not want to leave SA again. I befriended quite a few expats in SA over the years and they didn't want to leave. Lots of tears were shed when it was time for them to leave SA. Some even went back to live in SA permanently. South Africa has wonderful and friendly people and you will have to go far to get a better climate than SA, although the winters can be cold, especially if you are used to Dubai. Just go there with an open mind enjoy the country.
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Latest post on 27 May 2012 - 14:54
Are you flying to Oman or are you going by car? As far as I know the rules are enforced by the airlines and not the country itself. I went to Oman last year with 4 months left on my passport without any problems.
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Latest post on 16 April 2012 - 22:30
It was a Friday afternoon at work and I was already in a weekend frame of mind. I saw two guys looking lost and in need of help. I decided to be a good girl and to ask what they need and refer them to the appropriate person. In the end I couldn't refer them because I was the one who was suppose to help them. The one guy came back on the Monday for more help and the rest is history. Together for 23 years and married for 20 in a month's time.
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Latest post on 16 April 2012 - 22:11
Our container also arrived during Ramadan. It took about a week to get our stuff delivered.
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Latest post on 11 April 2012 - 20:08
It is usually the family that suffers more than the sufferer. My mother is in a clinic for patients with dementia. I feel like crying when I visit her and see the 'young' sufferers. I can accept my 89 year old mother with dementia, but it is heartbreaking to see people in their 40's there. My mother is just the shell of her former self. She doesn't talk much and when she talks you can not really understand her. It really makes me sad to see her like that. It is really not a joke.
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Latest post on 10 April 2012 - 22:32
Hi Scruffles, I can fully understand how you are feeling at the moment. I had a similar experience 9 years ago. The difference was that I was worried, but the radiologist not. To put me at ease about the lump he did a fine needle aspiration to prove to me that it was not cancer. As he was not worried, I was more relaxed than what you are now. Unfortunately it was cancer, but because I had it checked out, it was caught in time. Do not worry too much about the biopsy causing the cancer to spread, because the alternative may be worse - if you don't do the biopsy you may leave it too late. In the worst case scenario, please remember that it is not the end of the world. It was not even remotely as bad as what I expected it to be. Breast cancer is not a death sentence, it can be beaten. Although I was not treated by dr. Kazim, I saw her when I moved here and was really impressed by her and heard many positive stories about her. Try not to be too worried, difficult, I know. I will be thinking of you and hope the doctor was just too cautious. Please keep us up to date. Big hugs from me and all of us here. A useful website to consult on diagnostic procedures and general information on breast cancer: http://www.breastcare.co.za/Topics.htm
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Latest post on 05 April 2012 - 17:39
Apparently, you can thank Apple for the high prices of Kindle books. They are accused of price fixing with the publishers which stop Amazon from selling e-books at a discount. It infuriates me that I have to pay sometimes more for an e-book than for a hard copy. Recent articles about it: http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-31747_7-57407363-243/apple-publishers-to-settle-e-books-price-fixing-suit-report/ and http://news.cnet.com/8301-13506_3-57394121-17/apple-kindle-is-no-threat-in-e-book-market/
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Latest post on 28 March 2012 - 23:56
I would also like to know. After 2 years in Dubai I still have not find any Gatineau products or a salon using it. :(
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Latest post on 14 March 2012 - 09:01
Here is the link for the take-away menu: http://www.atninfo.com/menu.php?groupno=167290 I am to lazy to look further, but maybe the take-away menu will be of help.
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Latest post on 27 February 2012 - 12:35
As I am going home tomorrow I thought I can maybe look for you back home, but unfortunately I couldn't track a supplier close to me. In my search on the web for a supplier I found the following link which may be of help to you: www.sewingpartsonline.com/brother-sewing-machine-parts-model-list.aspx Hope it helps Sorry, I sometimes struggle to do the proper link. For me it is a hit or miss. <em>edited by Lettie on 27/02/2012</em>
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Latest post on 26 February 2012 - 08:47
I can't help you to find a invisible zipper foot, but you can do it with an ordinary zipper foot. It is just much more difficult in my opinion. Maybe someone at Craftland can show you how if you can't find it anywhere. Does it exist for a Brother machine? For me it is one of the most important attachments because it is far easier for me to insert an invisible zip than an ordinary one. I hope someone else can be of more help.
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Latest post on 25 February 2012 - 20:56
Hi Lettie, I am so sorry for your loss, we are still here in Dubai trying to get through the legalities to be able to bring my mum home to the uk. The reason I put the message on here was to thank those fantastic people who really, really risked their lives to help my mum. I had absolutely no idea about how bad the rip or current was at jbr and if I had I would never ever have put my family in such danger. My mum was able to swim and was only in water waist deep when the current took her. My children, 12 & 9 watched as things unfolded & my concern at the moment is to ensure their emotional well being The support & comfort that I feel when I read these messages is unbelievable and I hope that Lettie you will feel the same. It is such a hard time for us but I know that when we return to Dubai I will definitely be looking at who to approach re lifeguards on our beaches. I cannot believe so many people die on our beaches unnecessarily. I did notice someone on a previous thread was talking about starting a petition for lifeguards, please everyone let's try and have something positive come from a devastating situation. Hi Zara, I hope all the legalities will be sorted out soon so that the recovering process can begin. I really feel so much sympathy for you because of all that goes with the loss, the process to get your mum back and the well being of you and your children. From the moment I read your post I couldn't stop thinking about you. Thank you for also thinking of me in spite of your difficult time. Regarding the beach at JBR, I think the problem lies in the fact that the sea actually looks deceptively calm. I don't swim in the sea, I just use the sea as resistance for exercise. I walk in the shallow part of the sea with only my calves in the water, but avoid it during winter time because of the strong under currents which you can't see on the surface. It takes you by surprise even in the shallow water, so I can completely understand how it could have happened to your mother. That was the reason I was totally paranoid when my sisters were here, although they thought I were crazy. I live in JBR and can see how many people are at the beach during winter everyday and also find it totally unbelievable that there are no lifesavers on duty during the day. After so many people drowned last winter I thought it would change, but maybe a petition would get the necessary reaction. Let us hope that things will change and that your mother will be the last person to be lost this way. <em>edited by Lettie on 25/02/2012</em>
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Latest post on 25 February 2012 - 17:56
Same here, for some reason Alisons post has really stayed with me and I feel so much sorrow for her and her family. How vunerable we all are. Lettie, best wishes and travel safe. I do hope both you and Alison find some small comfort in knowing that so many people are sending prayers, light and love out into the Universe for you all at this time. x Thank you for your good wishes. I need to go home for the funeral to get some closure. It won't be easy, but all your prayers and thoughts of me and my family will travel with me. I think one reason I can't stop thinking about Alison is the fact that I am very weary of the sea at JBR. Two of my sisters visited me in January and they thought I was mental when I warned them time and time again about the strong undercurrents at JBR. When they stayed away for too long at the beach, I went and look for them and they were a bit irritated that I treated them like children. I was just so worried that something will happen to them while they were here. I keep on thinking it could have been one of them.
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Latest post on 25 February 2012 - 17:27
We went to an ODI in 2010 (I think) and it was chaos. We bought tickets online and had to collect the tickets at the stadium. It was a big mistake. After it took us more than an hour to go around the round about to get in to the stadium, it took us another hour or so to collect our tickets. We were just in time for the last 5 overs of the first innings. We went to a test at a later stage and it was fine then. Enjoy the cricket if you decide to go.
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Latest post on 25 February 2012 - 17:15
How sad Lettie, I hope ou can get home to b with your family xxx Thank you, I am flying home on Tuesday. It is difficult for us, but I still can't stop thinking about Alison and her family and all the more problems and heartbreak they are facing at the moment. I just can't imagine being in her shoes.
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Latest post on 24 February 2012 - 15:18
Thank you all, your thoughts and prayers mean a lot to me. I feel cut off from my family at the moment. My mind is still racing and I can't stop thinking about the fact that I will never see her or talk to her again. Just a week ago she e-mailed me asking when am I coming home again because she wants to come and visit. She always tried to visit me if possible when I was home, driving 350km to do so. I will miss the early morning and late night conversations on the patio when I was home. She was just so young... I don't have children and we were always joking that she was my child, because we were so close. Thank you for listening.
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Latest post on 24 February 2012 - 13:41
I am so sorry for you and your family. Since I read your post yesterday I couldn't stop thinking about you and your family. Condolences...
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Latest post on 24 February 2012 - 13:38
Me too. Since reading her post yesterday morning I really felt very sad and disturbed, although I didn't post anything. It really affected me more than what I expected and this morning when I woke up with a blinding headache, the first thing I did was to look at the post again and again, finding Mariane's words very comforting. Two hours later I received a phone call from my sister. My 29 year old niece to whom I was very close, died in her sleep last night. I still can't believe it and I feel utterly helpless being so far away, not that I can change anything by being there. I will think about Alison and her family even more, hoping that they will find comfort in all the people thinking about and praying for them. (I hope I make any sense, as I can't think clearly at the moment.)
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Latest post on 04 February 2012 - 09:45
I loved Magrydy's. Used to stock up on books while visiting Dubai from our previous location. Apart from the one on beach road, which looks rather small from the outside, but I have never been in , are there any other decent bookstores here? The best bookshop in Dubai in my opinion is Kinokuniya in Dubai Mall. I just love that bookshop. I can spend hours and a lot of money there.
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Latest post on 04 January 2012 - 21:30
I think you can also do classes at Classic Quilts in Jumeirah Plaza. They have different quilting services. You can have a look at their website to see what services they offer: http://www.classicquiltsdubai.com
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Latest post on 02 January 2012 - 19:05
I have taken batteries and old/broken electrical items to Emirates Environmental Group on Beach Road in the past. On their website they claim to have disposed of 5,175kg of batteries since 2006 :-) They also take cans, paper, toner cartridges, plastic, glass, mobile phone and tetrapak(!!) apparently www.eeg-uae.org Thank you for the valuable information! Now I don't have to take my used batteries back home for disposal. :)
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Latest post on 18 December 2011 - 19:48
I saw some Ravensburger puzzles at Geant today, but I didn't look at it, so i don't know whether there are 1000pc puzzles between them.