Author: Cat Russell

  • flat trousers and drive-through ATMs

    Last year, or was it the year before that, I switched to a chemical free cleaning solution for our home called Enjo. Made in Austria these special fibres work with water to pick up and hold dirt, leaving your home clean and free of chemical residue. Yes its a big ask to believe that this works effectively, but it does. And it makes cleaning quick and easy. And I love not having black feet any-more from walking around barefoot on my tiled floor (no more soap residue). Anyway this isn’t really the point of my story. The problem, or shall we say challenge, I am facing is finding (and keeping) a maid to integrate with this new system. Unfortunately the lovely lady we had for several years, and who was “ENJO trained” by then, left us as she was going back to the Philippines. So I have been on a quest to find a maid that cleans well (my thing), irons well (Stu’s thing), keeps our pet cats inside and the friendly stray cats outside (very NB) whilst not demolishing my walls with the vacuum cleaner. After trying several agencies I have basically given up and gone back to cleaning my own house – although my one concession is having someone do the ironing as I hate ironing. Which ultimately brings me to the point – I have noticed a very strange phenomenon here, pretty much every maid I have tried irons trousers in the same bizarre way. Namely flat, instead of with the fold in the front. I can’t understand why. Combine this with trousers that are sometimes a little short to begin with (in my case anyway) and I end up looking like a clown in the circus. All I need are those big floppy shoes to go with it.

    not a flattering look
    not a flattering look

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  • another food festival

    I just received an email from BBC Good Food ME about a foodie thing, their World Food Festival to be precise, happening at the Burjuman Centre from the 14th May. You may not know about it (I didn’t) so I thought I would share it with you just in case you might fancy popping down there.

    Happy Mother’s Day as well to all my lovely lady readers.

    Enjoy the week!

    Burjuman World Food Festival
    Burjuman World Food Festival
  • sounds like home

    When we first moved to Dubai we noticed that a lot of the streets have no names. Its normal here when getting directions to base these on land-marks versus road names. And sometimes the landmarks no longer exist but are so well remembered by those that have lived here for some time that they are still used. Took me ages to figure out where Interchange 1 is for example. Even the location maps that companies send you will show roads and intersections with other businesses as landmarks, but sans road names. And you will be told something like – turn left at the new Spinneys (opened in 2005), second roundabout right, third street left where the big boat is parked outside the house with the green roof. No wonder we all get lost all the time right?

    Horrible weather in Dubai
    [ thanks to The National today]

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  • Dubai emergencies

    Please take note of the following numbers.

    • for General Police Enquiries (labour complaints, traffic fine info and birth, death & burial certificates) dial 901 or email 901@dubaipolice.gov.ae
    • for emergencies dial 999

    Using the correct number means the emergency switchboard does not get clogged up with unnecessary, non-emergency calls. Apparently half of the 2.3 million calls at the moment are trivial.

  • floating and flying

    Since moving to Dubai almost 5 years ago (wow gulp) I have become more and more involved with helping the stray cats of Dubai and the UAE. Unbelievably its a big problem here, I can’t comment on what the root causes are but unchecked breeding of the local Arabian Mau cat population coupled with lost and abandoned pet animals has resulted in a neverending supply of cats needing sterilisation, vet care and eventual re-homing (for those that are tame enough). Its frustrating, upsetting, thankless work but happily it is also extremely rewarding, which makes up for the rest. Seeing that once stray animal reclining like a king (or queen) in its new home is one of the best sights in my opinion. As part of this effort Stu and I support the Feline Friends ball every year. Its a fun evening out combined with good food, dancing and some great prizes (the raffle is our firm favourite). All whilst raising money for a very good cause**.

    Kayaks
    Kayaks in the Abu Dhabi mangroves

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