SueB | ExpatWoman.com
 

SueB

SueB
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Latest post on 17 October 2012 - 19:17
thanks ladies, forgot about the toilet paper rolls. All sorted now and basket looks like an organized person lives there lol...
SueB
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Latest post on 17 October 2012 - 19:14
she will get there sugarbeach, slow and steady is the day :)...once she gets her perfect O, it is uphill lol....just remember, relaxed arm and fingers and take it from the shoulder :)
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Latest post on 17 October 2012 - 17:26
Oh Sam!!! yes, Tiffany! :)....that is one cat that was destined for death that you opened your heart to and decided to keep her despite her problems :)....and yes, you do not have children that she will harm, the little madam has fallen on good times :)....Someone dumped that girl and her babies, she was a domesticated cat with a problem so they just dumped her....all her kittens found homes but Tiffany was having a rough time so Sam took her in as a foster cat....well, 2 years down the road Tiff is still there...thanks Sam!!! keep us posted on how she and the new kid manage :)
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Latest post on 17 October 2012 - 17:22
to dump a domesticated animal on the street because you do not believe in euthanasia is turning your back on the cat. You are saying go and fend and I hope you do not starve or another cat beats you to death, or that you get injured and die a very slow, painful death, but go ahead and put the cat out with food and water and hope for the best. I do not agree and will never agree with this kind of thinking. Why do you think there are so many rescue organizations trying to rehome, take care of all the animals that people have dumped because they do not fit in with their family rather than trying to home them aggressively first or taking the responsibility of the cats life. We must stop thinking that animals are expendable and we can just leave them :(....the feral cats on the street live there, used to living there, can take care of themselves for the most part. Domesticated cats or dogs cannot live because they are not street smart. If people do not believe in euthanasia I respect that completely! you have your beliefs. I do not believe in putting an animal out on the street to fend for themselves when they have been loved and taken care of, fed......there are many on this board who feel this way and we are on the front lines, picking up the dead, or abused or starving animals who have been let out to fend for themselves, people who move and leave their animal sitting on the porch waiting for their family to come and get them :(......so not for one minute think that this is alright. You take responsibility for an animal for life not in the hoped it will be alright when you abandon it :( I have reread what I have written a few times before I posted. I would not change a thing I have written, and yes, It angers me so this was partially written with the knowledge of what happens that those that dump animals rarely see, because....they do not look :( <em>edited by SueB on 17/10/2012</em>
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Latest post on 17 October 2012 - 15:50
I can't really offer any solutions, but I think you may have hit the nail on the head in your post below when you say you've had him since he was 4 weeks old. It's way too young for a kitten to be separated from his mum (and, no, I'm NOT casting any aspersions anywhere because I know it happens for all sorts of reasons) and they miss out on all sorts of socialising skills and basically learning how to be a cat and get on with others. Aggression is then a common outcome when these kittens are a bit older. We also have a cat who came to us with aggression problems (thanks SueB ;) ) and she goes from purring gorgeous bundle of fluff to scratching demon in .0005 of a second! We've recently adopted a younger well-socialised cat in the hope that he can teach her how to play nicely, which could be a long arduous road, lol. I always put her aggression down to a rough upbringing but we've had her for two years now and I just recently I began to suspect that she may have vision problems, which would account for a lot of her aggression, i.e. lashing out when someone comes up from behind or beside her. Fortunately we just have hubby to contend with, who's clearly big enough to take what she dishes out, and don't have to figure a toddler into the equation, so I can see your dilemma. I also strongly agree that you can't just "set him free" - it's the cruelest punishment for a domestic pet! Euthanasia, though of course far from ideal, is at least a peaceful and humane way out. I hope you can find a home for him though. Sam!! what cat is that???
SueB
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Latest post on 17 October 2012 - 15:44
I wish you can find new home for him. Maybe its not my right to comment on that, but why to put him down?? If you can't handle the situation anymore set him free. I'm sure he will survive out there. Sorry but i can't understand killing animals for any reason, special healthy ones. edited by cafelate on 17/10/2012 I strongly disagree cafelate! You do not set a domesticated animal "free"as you suggest!!! it would be a terrible thing to do. They do not survive well on the street, rarely know how to fight well and bin dive...so no....you never dump an animal on the street. Better to rehome! (or humanely Euthanize) <em>edited by SueB on 17/10/2012</em>
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Latest post on 17 October 2012 - 15:30
I am not sure if this will help your childs position but..put her arm on the desk with the elbow off and nothing under to stop her arm moving smoothly. She holds the pen in her hand in the usual way, between thumb and index with it resting on the 2nd finger. hand slightly tilted naturally to the left, pen on the paper. Her arm must be relaxed and no death grip on her pen :). Start with a circle going to her left, use the arm so the movement comes from the shoulder really and hand relaxed, sort of like a piston :). It will not take long for her to feel comfortable with this but does take practise. You can draw big circles on a page for her to trace until she can do it on her own, then make them smaller between 2 lines. Move on from there to the C letter and so on, :)...anyway, the movements will naturally get smaller over time until she does not realize her arm is moving and the letters are forming. I know this is the computer age where everyone types but...writing is like learning arithmetic...you must know the basics so when it gets harder, you have the basics. In dance you must have strong basics in order to preform the harder movements. We always fall back on the basics and if we miss those then we miss alot more later on. I hope our grandchildren will still be learning how to write and use the writing, and hopefully they will learn how to do math in their heads instead of relying on the computer, I hope they still learn how to form a sentence instead of having an app do it for them. It is up to us to make sure these things are still around. How sad it would be if all the computers and calculaters stopped working and no one knew how to write or do math in their heads , or tell time on a wind up clock when the electricity went out :(.....something to think about.
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Latest post on 17 October 2012 - 13:28
it seems I did this in school, it was just called penmanship though :). Our penmanship teacher was the Principle and she was tough on us. Our round letters had to be round and perfect, tails in the right spot, straight lines straight. We learned to write with our arms rather than just our fingers.. All her students ended up writing beautifully and above all, it was readable!!! Sounds to me that is what is now called cursive writing :) it is not a bad thing, it is a good thing and does no harm in the least. It teaches the children to form proper letters that they will always remember. so, I hope all children have a Miss Iveson to teach them how to write and link properly so it is readable :) now reading below responses it seems cursive is more detailed than plain penmanship. Could someone put a cursive sentence up here? A learning morning for me. Cursive is penmanship. I learned English cursive at school. Apparently though, now a good majority of teachers do no know how to teach cursive properly. I would imagine that would be a problem. What I find amazing is that there seems to be so much discussion of this. There is printing in block letter when a child first starts, then they learn to link the letters to make it writing. The letters in writing are a bit different though than block printing. Both forms take practise. Being an old person, I learned to write with an ink nib pen and an inkwell lol...and let me tell you, Miss Iveson was a stickler that no messes were made. Anyway, just my input. edited by SueB on 17/10/2012 <em>edited by SueB on 17/10/2012</em>
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Latest post on 17 October 2012 - 13:19
Oh for heavens sakes!!! Tell your husband to get out of the dark ages. Also tell him to stop speaking to you like that, it is rude and made to make you feel bad. What husband does that?? or just ignore him totally and dont feel bad one bit about how you are doing. No teacher likes sucky parents, let me tell you. Sounds like your husband is in need of a reality check. Sheesh. You are not a doormat!!! sorry, much calmer now.
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Latest post on 17 October 2012 - 13:02
Bit of a problem I see :(. You could be right and a new home with more room and quieter household might be the answer. Possibly someone will come forward on a trial basis of a month to see if his behaviour changes. Have you contact the rescue organizations? FF, Bin Kitty etc? there might be someone can pop him in with their other cats to see if that helps&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt; Good luck Hendy, you might just have to be more aggressive in rehoming him. If you can, try and hold off on this weekend....contact Bin Kitty to see if anyone there might have a solution (facebook.com) or Feline Friends Dubai, Friends of animals . Most of these sites have links to other organizations here that might be able to help :).....
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Latest post on 16 October 2012 - 19:38
I don't know why either, but I wouldn't argue with it. DH gets so wound up as a true born-and-bred Canadian when he meets people who originally held ME passports (not GCC) who grin at him and tell him they're Canadian too. They usually spend the minimum amount of time in Canada then come back here with a passport that allows them to travel far more freely than their original one. I understand that this does not apply to every Canadian passport holder born in the ME, but there are a fair few of only a few nationalities who this does apply to. and the true 2nd language in Canada is actually not french,but......mandarin chinese!!!! surprise lol
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Latest post on 16 October 2012 - 18:54
It's easy to settle in Canada if you hold a Middle Eastern passport ... not so sure about you Europeans, though! I would really really like to know why I would also love to have an answer to this comment....took my very educated SIL over 2 years to get into Canada :)
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Latest post on 16 October 2012 - 14:19
please contact Bin Kitty on Facebook to see if they might have him *they have one fella called Rainbow, have no idea what his past is)as well as Feline Friends :) also put his picture and details up at all the vets offices as well as on here :)
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Latest post on 16 October 2012 - 10:02
glad he came home :)...you are lucky. It is best to keep them inside their new home up to a month if you can so they become totally familiar with their new home. Then only let them out when you are there to make sure they have scented and marked their yard. Be aware of other cats that might not like the interloper and try and get him out of the neighbourhood, hence his rough patches of fur. This time of year is a great time to do this as you can let him sit in an open window and smell the air and be safe :)
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Latest post on 16 October 2012 - 09:59
No. I honestly would wait awhile so the new kid knows the old kid lives there. If you let new kid out when other kid is outside then new kid might see old kid as an interloper. So, follow the method and see what happens. Better to be over cautious rather than having to mutter rehoming rehoming under your breath lol. It could take a short time or long time so be patient. A week in a bit of isolation will hurt neither cat :)
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Latest post on 15 October 2012 - 22:25
I must be dim. Surely Apple is not so insensitive to put out an ad like this. this must be someones sick idea of a joke.
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Latest post on 15 October 2012 - 19:40
They will need more than just a garden in the beginning :(. They need a family who will take them inside or in a large enclosure for awhile so they get used to their new surroundings. There could be other cats in the neighbourhood who do not want them there and chase them off..then they would have to fend for themselves :(...They will want to go back to the home they were born in so might run....I do hope you find the right family, but they need to know that these cats must be made to feel safe in their new surroundings and that would be keeping them inside until this happens. Not difficult but necessary, especially if they get real tuna lol... for the 15 year old, please put out a special poster for him. All posters of all the cats must be put at the vets offices, grocers, posts, trees, neighbours and do it again every 2 weeks to make sure they are still up. post on Dubizzle as well. You will have to find the right family and make sure all the family is on board with the adoptions. Make sure the family knows how to take care of cats...they are getting on but could be alive for another 8 - 10 years so it is a committment. Is there no way your parents can take them home with them?????
SueB
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Latest post on 15 October 2012 - 19:29
Put new kid back in room for now. Lots of visits from you and family. Put old kids food on the other side of the door and they will hiss and smell under the door. Bring New kid into family quarters in a cat box, plop on floor and let old kid smell and hiss to hearts content. Do this for a few days and see if anything changes. Open New Kids door a crack with old kid there...let them smell hiss whatever. After a day or so of this and after exchanging smelly blankets, let them meet through crack in door, open door wider to see what happens. You must never leave them alone until you are sure the new kid accepts and the old kid accepts, tolerate is a good work here lol. Now, put food in close proximity to each other...they will talk with their mouths full, maybe, that is quite funny lol..... do not let either one outside until you are sure they might become friends because you want to be sure the new kid does not try and run off the old kid. It could happen fast or slow..all depends on the cats./...when they can be in a room together with a min of noise then you might have the start of a beautiful friendship and the new kid knows you will love him too :)...anyway, that is what I do with all the ones that pass through to other homes and it seems to work quite well :) let me add..if world war 3 breaks out..do not. do not do not try and pick either one up!!!!! i still have scars from forgetting that.....use a water bottle and blankets....throw over and put new kid back in room and console old kid lol...after they calm down. <em>edited by SueB on 15/10/2012</em>
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Latest post on 15 October 2012 - 19:01
Not to be a fly in the ointment here but.......your child could be reacting to many things in your home, not just the cats. You took him to a hotel for a weekend and the symptoms disappeared. The cat lives in your home with all the other possible allergens. I find Dr.s are way too quick to suggest people get rid of the animals when it could possibly and likely be what is actually in the house, ie, mold behind walls, mites in the beds, detergent he sleeps in, fabric softener is a big culprit, cleaners that are used in the house. I would have someone foster the cat for a month to make sure it is the cat and not something else. How sad you would be if you found it had nothing to do with the cat :(. Most children outgrow allergens or intolerances or get them as adults...so...before shipping off your loved pet try the fostering route. The same for your friend. She has a 15 year old cat for heavens sakes, how awful for the cat to have to find a new family :(.
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Latest post on 15 October 2012 - 15:32
it could be 16 people not 4 lol ...sweater will work lol
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Latest post on 15 October 2012 - 13:14
sounds like you need to make a plan :). Since you are not working and have a child at home most of the time you will just have to motivate yourself .....You could start tracking your week on Thursday by looking in Dubai tourist books on what is going on here. Do the tourist thing alone or with your daughter that does not include a mall lol....make a plan, Monday you do Bastykia(spelt that wrong sorry :)) then stop for lunch. Maybe the next day do a few galleries or go to wild wadi or learn to bead or paint or pottery. I dont think you have to be a member at Dubai Ladies Club to join these classes? and they have a creche. Invite people over for lunch with the kids. With your husband away you have no choice to make a life for yourself and have your own strong circle of friends. Have you met any of your husbands friends at work and their wives? Is it possible for you to throw an impromptu gathering to get to know them? Do you and your husband have a date night? I am sorry you are feeling directionless :(...it is normal but dont let it go on too long...force yourself to get moving, pick yourself up by the bum and get out the door to discover a new adventure. Make a plan on the calendar so you can see what your week is like :)....anyway, just suggestions...dont leave Dubai all the time when your husband goes away...get your foot out of your home country, that is not your life anymore...make one here :) You will find your way back but it might take a bit of work and rethinking :).....
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Latest post on 14 October 2012 - 09:11
Buckeye, you don't say how long you have had this cat and how long since he was fixed? Did you separate them from the beginning? Once you bring in a cat from outside into a new home, he will want to exert his dominance as the top cat and try and over ride any other cat in the house. You do not want him to have your cat run away! Normally, when bringing in a new cat, you isolate the new one from the rest of the house until he/she feels confident and safe before going into the rest of the house. It can be a slow process or fast, depending on the cat. You then introduce the new cat to the old cat slowly until they can tolerate each other. It sounds like your new cat had none of the slowly getting to know you and was brought into the house without the 1st step? You could go back and do step 1 and see how that goes. He might not like his own room and not going outside for awhile but it should work. You do not want your cat scared of him so you will have to force the new fella to behave.
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Latest post on 08 October 2012 - 20:05
Stardust, looks like we are safe :)......................................for now.
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Latest post on 02 October 2012 - 21:46
No, that's judt too much. If she makes her child wait with yours, then she must be just lazy! This week she said her car broke down but i would still cab it and pick my son up rather than make him wait*with someone else 's maid for an hour. edited by Penny4Thoughts on 02/10/2012 Why not suggest that she cab it rather than letting her son wait?
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Latest post on 02 October 2012 - 21:36
Just say no, it is not possible as the schedules do not meld ...be truthful though, let her know it can be now and then but not to depend on you as your life is difficult enough juggling your own family :). If that does not work and she continues to ask.....then a blunt no will just have to suffice.
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Latest post on 02 October 2012 - 06:37
On the number of pets one house can have? My neighbors have countless animals, dogs, cats, gerbils and other little animals, I've heard ... is that sanitary? Shouldn't people be limited to one to two pets? The trouble is their pets keep coming over into my garden, harassing my dog and drinking the water I've put out for her! Who needs that many animals?! Is there something I can do??? "you heard' your neighbours have countless animals, dogs, cats gerbils and other little animals? How many dogs and cats do these people have exactly, not gossip about how many, but actually how many. What "other" little animals does this include? Maybe these people actually only have 2. Is it possible that they foster animals? Do you know this for sure this is not so? which pets keep coming to your yard? Dogs, cats, gerbils? You asked if there is something you can do. Yes there is if you want to make the effort. #1 find out exactly how many animals we are talking about....in other words, go and meet your neighbours with a cake and find out...other wise you will not know what to do. #2 If you dont want to go to the neighbours then I would just suck it up cupcake because you cannot go on what a gossip has said and unless you find out for yourself and talk to the neighbour about your problem about their 'animals' teasing and drinking your dogs water then...forget it. #3 Yes, it is fairly easy to take care of alot of animals...you clean litter every day, pick up poop every day...vacum a lot. As far as other animals giving them a disease and passing it on to your children, that is remote. Just make sure they wash their hands after handling any animal. Animals are in the world. We cannot tie everyone of them up, nor would we want too but...sometimes we are not aware our animals are being a are being a pain...go meet your neighbour with that cake lol...
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Latest post on 02 October 2012 - 05:53
OP, how are you storing your veg when you bring it home? sounds like your fridge is too cold and the veg are not wrapped?
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Latest post on 01 October 2012 - 16:44
[b'>So the truth is if you've come from somewhere better than Dubai... it never gets easier [/b'>... What on earth does this mean? I know we all have our up days and down days about Dubai but ultimately everyone here has chosen to live here and we can all leave at any time. I don't think you can classify somewhere as "better" or "worse" just different. Dubai just doesn't suit some people. Personally, as much as Dubai frustrates the cr&p out of me at times, I think people get all rose-tinted about how great it is to live in the "West". I just calculated on www.listentotaxman.com how much I would have to earn to keep the same take home pay in the UK and I was shocked. Not to mention the rubbish weather, high crime levels, crippling central heating / council tax bills, the fact you get so much less space for your money to live in, the cost of petrol, the tax they levy on everything they don't want you to do, the dirt, I could go on. I wonder if it should be put another way? "I come from somewhere DIFFERENT than Dubai" :)..... 4 months is not long. You still ache for home but you are here. Can I say it will pass? but only if you give yourself a minute. If you keep wanting to be somewhere other than where you are, you will never enjoy living here. You have to take your leg out of your home country by the end of the 1st year or earlier :).....We have choices, to either learn to mix with the country or forever hate it and want to leave. Personally, when we knew we were coming we made the decision to enjoy it here. Yes, in the beginning a whole lot of things bothered us because it was not that way at home. I could do a list but you have already started that :).....once you have spent time here and decided to jump in, you might find you actually enjoy it :)...there will always be things that bug you though so agree with yourself that this might not change. Wake up in the morning, smile at yourself and tell yourself to find something good about Dubai today. It might just amaze you that your sadness will abate and you might see things differently in time. So, What I have read below is good information....hang in there :)
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Latest post on 01 October 2012 - 00:58
I have searched high and low for my copy...must have deleted. I do believe it is on October 9th. contact the Tax Accountants directly and they will send you the information. The person doing it is Arun (Ernie) Nagratha: [email protected] They are our accounts :)...should be a night filled with all sorts...wish we could be there but will still be in Canada.
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Latest post on 30 September 2012 - 13:47
if there is no other car involved, go back to where the car was scraped, call the police and they will come to you. Dont even bother wasting your time going to the police station as they will tell you to go to the scene of the the accident if no one else is involved. I wasted about 2 hours doing exactly that, then had to go back and call the police...
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Latest post on 23 September 2012 - 02:08
We have two labs and I have a back problem. To be honest they are mostly good and don't strain on the lead, but there is always the occasional time they see a cat dart across the road, or a neighbour they recognise and give a sudden tug on the lead. As such I cannot walk them alone when DH is away. He wants to get a full time maid, but I still want the quality time with the dogs. So does anyone walk their dogs with their maid, she can take one dog and I can take the other? Ruth of course you can walk with the maid :). It sounds like an excellent idea and will give you lots of opportunity to teach her how to walk your dogs, in the event one day you are unable to take them :) I had a GS and he would do the dart until I figured out when he was about to do it, and I yanked once hard on the lead and released, he landed on his bum hard. That was the last time he did it...but then I now also watched for the signal he was about to go :)...
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Latest post on 23 September 2012 - 00:42
you can only try. if it is a bathroom do her cat cage with a hot water bottle in the bottom and a towel over the top but leave enough space for her to get in. she will use the litter box and eat the food, she might need to hide to feel safe so let her hide. Dont worry about the vet right now if she is that traumatized. go in alot during the day with wonderful food and hand feed her if you can. Let her come to you and keep things around her quiet. in a couple of days, leave the door open a crack and let her decide if she wants to go out into the house or not. You might just have to force her to stay in the bathroom for a few days but you must go in and out and sit with her and hand feed her. She will be fine eventually, once she gets over her terror. In a few days, let the children in to sit with you, one by one and see how she is :)..
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Latest post on 22 September 2012 - 23:57
first off, your cat has not gone feral :).....but she is terrified. Something has happened to her when she was gone for 4 days and traumatised. Take her to the vet for a check up. Put her in her own room for a few days to a week to make her feel safe in your home again. Keep her away from the other cats. Go into her room with tuna just as you would with a new cat. Do not try and pet her or fuss over her. Let her get over the trauma but be around alot for her. Do not force her to do anything. Give her her space, her own food and her own litter. If her health check is good, it might take a bit for her to calm down. but, she is not feral, 4 days will not do that and a feral cat is not one who has contact with humans :)......so, calm, relax, give her space and her own room ....let her recover :) and do not let her out for awhile!!! <em>edited by SueB on 22/09/2012</em>
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Latest post on 21 September 2012 - 15:46
Very unfortunate. I would not hesitate to call the police immediately. You have proof she stole from you. I have no sympathy for someone who steals! She deserves what the police charge her with, hopefully detain her and ban her from entering the UAE again. I would be very ticked off if I hired a maid whom I later found out was a thief and the that the previous employer did not report it :(. It is your duty to report her immediately, not send her home. Keep her salary in abeyance and follow the police instructions.
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Latest post on 10 September 2012 - 04:27
Irooni, go to a wig shop. Try on wigs in the length you want it to grow too...figure out if you want a wash, mouse and get out of the house or a wash, blow dry with a straightener and style and leave the house 1/2 hr later......do you love the care of short hair...do you like the style, does it suit you? or...do you love the look of your long hair and the care you take for it to look that way&gt; no one can decide for you :)..if you are still undecided, have your stylist help you with scarves, styles , gels etc to get you through the inbetween stage :)....go buy appliances to help you lol...
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Latest post on 09 September 2012 - 13:00
seriously, what probably happened within a week is she realized that even with a raise she is not happy there. Certainly not unheard of...you cannot force her to stay as that is illegal and what AmAus82 says!!! I would be a bit scared if I knew my employer was looking at ways to force me to stay in my job!!!! Start looking for someone else and let this lady leave gracefully rather in terror you will lock her in the villa. (because that is what it sounds like from here)
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Latest post on 03 September 2012 - 17:21
if you do buy him something you are not sure about, please put the receipt in a separate sealed envelope in case he would like to return it :).... A gourmet basket could be welcome. Filled with nuts, cheese/crackers/jams etc and a hand written thank you card :) the whole family can enjoy it.
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Latest post on 31 August 2012 - 04:07
after an gyne op they gave me ducolax...did nothing...drank 1/2 the bottle..nothing, it was awful as all I got was major gas but no movement. I had some senecot. took 3, nothing, took 3 more....results!!!! thank goodness, what a relief. it is also very gentle. Drink lots and lots of water......2 litres a day...psyllium in cereal also is good, magnesium can help keep you going..........good luck...move the earth lol
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Latest post on 31 August 2012 - 00:13
I wonder if it would help, if mom and toddler had those wrist thingys on. That way the toddler could only go so far and might hinder someone picking them up? Or a harness :) My mum put me on the clothes line every morning with a harness lol..I have pictures lol
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Latest post on 31 August 2012 - 00:10
lovely, neither the mother nor the father saw their children. That's rich. Now the father, who obviously does not want the children (not seen his children in over 10 months?) is saddled with them. Poor kids, poor maids, stupid parents.
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Latest post on 29 August 2012 - 04:50
Ice and milk being delivered by horse and cart in downtown Ottawa. Bus fare was 6 cents. Learning how to use one of those huge computers the MTST!! Phone #'s that started with letters rather than numbers CE 63611. that was my childhood phone # lol...cant believe I remember that!!!
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Latest post on 20 August 2012 - 00:13
Hi Tara, there are lots of gals here that already have lists of jobs etc so I will leave that to them. There are a few things that you could be prepared for :).....She is your employee, not your friend....she might become your friend if she is with you long enough but in the beginning, nope. Be with her as you mean to go on, in other words, be kind and firm. Let her know what your expectations are, you dont have to have a huge list of things to do right away. Feel your way but always let her know your expectations. Do not lend money and if you choose to, think of it as a gift, never to be seen again, just like you would lend money to a friend lol. She can cook! bonus, so have her cook a simple meal. Right now it is not so much about how good she cooks but what her kitchen cleanliness is :)... make sure they are up to your standards or know you can train her. This week will be a shadow week for you. You see how she does things and tell her how you would like them done, firmly with a smile :)...most new staff need training so it is best if you are around for the week to make sure she is a good fit for you. I am assuming here she has already met your children? then see how she interacts with them and how they respond to her. Most kids will let you know if something is amiss. It is also possible she does not know how to play with children. Now if you have hired a 'nanny' then she will but if you hae hired a 'maid' then she might not. Sounds like you have hired a maid though :). You might have to teach her ways to engage the children..... Anyway, that is my input for what it's worth. Good luck and remember to start as you want to continue...don't be afraid of her, she is your employee, be fair but firm so she knows what to expect from you from here on in :)
SueB
2262
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 18 August 2012 - 08:09
service staff cannot arbitrarily add a service charge to a bill. If you come across one that does, take it to the manager. If a service charge is by the company, it will be in small print at the bottom of the bill as well as on the menu (most of the time) The US is not the only place in the world that has a service charge. You will also find this in Canada, Europe, South America, Asia etc and surprise, here in Dubai there are many places that do the same thing so, check the menu and your bill to see if you have been paying a service charge. If so, you are not expected to tip on top unless the service has been exceptional. And no, you do not tip nurses any more than you tip a Doctor. You can however give them a gift (ie, chocolates/flowers/theater tickets etc) if you feel they went above and beyond their job. <em>edited by SueB on 18/08/2012</em>
SueB
2262
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 12 August 2012 - 18:01
call Feline Friend directly and leave a message.
SueB
2262
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 12 August 2012 - 05:17
Buy new ones here, they are not expensive :) you need a transformer not just an adaptor.
SueB
2262
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 11 August 2012 - 22:19
Babylons, what is the product you are using called (manufacturer) and is it with Niacin? checking to see if I can buy it here in Canada.
SueB
2262
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 11 August 2012 - 07:16
you could try Panadol PM. It will help the pain and help you sleep. Try 1/2 a tab first. It is important you go into surgery rested. Good luck....
SueB
2262
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 08 August 2012 - 03:28
We employed a Sri Lankan maid/gardener couple for two years back in 2006. One day I came home to find the gardener outside the front of our house on his mobile seemingly shocked and distressed. His wife came to me, saying that his mother was on the phone to him and that his father had just died. Within 20 minutes I had booked and paid for his return flights to Colombo, been to the ATM and withdrawn him AED 1,000 and had ordered a car to take him to the airport (which I had agreed to pay). The wife then asked if they could delay the flight by 48 hours so that they could grieve together before he flew as he was too shocked. I, rather naively in hindsight, changed the reservations for him. For the following 48 hours we hardly saw either of them (we assumed that they were grieving in private since they didn't live with us)...although they were busy enough apparently! Back in 2006 you didn't need to sponsor your maid or gardener and these people worked for several different families on a part-time basis juggling keys and cleaning and gardening - it was much less structured then. As I later understood from some of my other neighbours (who also employed them), they had systematically gone to every house in this street (and the two neighbouring streets) in those 48 hours with the sob story that his father had dide and he couldn't afford the flight to go home (even though I had already booked and paid for it!), couldn't afford funeral costs etc. In speaking with just the neighbours that I knew we calculated that we alone had given him AED 7,500. Oh yes, a dying father tale is a very lucrative one! The guy then flew back to Colombo with a return date set for two weeks later. After approximately 10 days I received an email from the airline confirming the cancellation of the return leg of the flight. Yes, he had done a runner with all the cash and left his wife working alone in Dubai. Next thing, she is sobbing on the doorstep that she has no money and is trying to 'exchange' her (sorry but tacky) 'gold' jewellery with me for cash. She realised that her hubby had done a runner and their plan had backfired on her. He was off galavanting and having fun back home. She then stopped working for us - just didn't turn up - but still demanded her salary every week. Eventually we changed the locks as she refused to return the key to us even when I said that I would call the police. In 2009 I see this guy again, he's now working (cleaning and gardening) next door. We nod 'hello' but he barely acknowledges me. One day approximately 3 months later I open my front door and overhear him telling the lady of the house that his father has just died and he's desperate to get home for the funeral...! I'm sorry people but it's (almost always) all BS. What a shame! I really get sad every time someone tries to make a fool of me... The thing is: How can u believe when the situation is real?? SAD :( edited by Colombiana on 08/08/2012 trying hard not to be picky here but.....you saw this man again in 2009 working for your neighbour.? What did the poor neighbour say when you told her the story??? I would love to know!!! Surely you would not know this about a person and not let the neighbour know....as for the wife....of course you could not report her to the police...she was working for you illegally. The laws are the same now as they were in 2006!!!! They were not any different. We employed a full time gal and had to sponsor her, it was illegal then to have a part time maid sponsored by another person as it is today :)
SueB
2262
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 07 August 2012 - 16:10
Well SueB, sorry you felt it was harsh. I did say this was not aimed at anyone from EW. And no, it doesn't make me feel "superior" in any way. English is not my first or second language. I do not expect perfect grammar or spelling skills from everyone, but I do however expect that when I do my job right, it isn't refuted with imaginary claims from my native-English speaking client. Didn't realise ranting on EW is not something we do anymore :\:' Then I assume stovetop that you equate 'ranting' with 'ridiculing' because that is the word I used, not harsh. You can rant all you want but there are boundries, just as there are in real life face to face :)...making fun of people whether they are native english speakers or not is just not on. It is rude. So, fill your boots and 'rant' away, just not at other peoples expense. EnolaGay, I totally agree with you on the "heard at MacDonalds" thread :(
SueB
2262
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 07 August 2012 - 08:37
here is k9s lost dog gallery. http://www.k9friends.com/dogs/lost-dogs/ your friend should call K9 and report him found as well. there is a list with emails on the pet forum..do a search for Vet Clinics..... here it is. I have not updated it in quite a while so hopefully someone will come forward and let you know who is missing ;) http://www.expatwoman.com/forum/messages.aspx?TopicID=164843 <em>edited by SueB on 07/08/2012</em>
 
 
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