Friday, January 15, 2010

There aint no cure for the summertime blues (The Who - live at Leeds)

Highlights of the week have been Jade's success in her NCEA exams, a terrific home cooked meal in Lynn and Dene's apartment for the 'bachelors', an amazing book and some long walks in the glorious Doha sunshine.

Jade rang on Thursday morning with some great news - she'd passed NCEA level three, gained her University Entrance and even picked up some merit and excellent passes. I confess a mixture of emotions - mainly huge pride but also sadness in that I missed being with her to celebrate in person. She can now look forward to those wonderfully self-indulgent university years! Magic!

I maybe haven't made too clear that the building we live in is also home to the large contingent of fellow nutters who work for Cognition in the Leadership team. On the fifth floor - Di (Aussie) and Karin (South African); seventh floor - Jacky and Wozza and Maureen (NZ); and the eighth floor has the rest - Colin (NZ), John (NZ), Dorothy and her husband Russell (Aussies), Lawrence (NZ), Dene and Lynn (Aussies).

Lynn and Dene decided to host the temporary bachelors of the building (our collective she-who-must-be obeyeds are elsewhere at the moment). Great minds think alike and we all wore football tops for the occasion to socialise and eat our 'licious roast chicken or lamb (with mint sauce!). Mmmmm - real food. Here's the crew - Dene (shirt: Tigers - some obscure AFL team I believe), Colin (Aka Big D in his high school regalia), John (ABs of course), and the group shot with me and Mitch celebrating the greatest football time the world has ever seen!




I've been reading like crazy lately. The last was The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho (bought last weekend from Al Jarir Bookshop - the only really decent bookshop in Doha - the one that stocks Mojo). Not sure how I haven't come across him before. The Alchemist is very special - a fable about following your dreams. It's deceptively simple but very inspiring!

And finally - the walks. Yesterday I wandered down to the corniche and then took my time to get to the City Centre mall. In total it's about an hour walk but I stopped often to read (currently it's Haruki Murakami's After Dark) and watch the people passing by. I also snapped a few views along the walk.

All the exercise in the gym and the walking has made me feel a lot fitter. The old knees are a little creaky but the achilles are feeling good and the calf muscles are getting back some actual muscle after laying dormant for a decade. I have weird calves huh.


Yesterday ended with a lovely sunset over Doha.


Love and peace - Wozza

1 comment:

Didi-beadwork said...

very weird calves and I know who the tigers are. I supported the Saints because that's who my boss supported but I am not supporting Arsenal even for old times sake.
Didi