Car service and the dentist

It´s only around noon and the day has been quite eventfull. I had to take the car to service this morning. The 19000 km service. Read that again. 19000. It means I have driven 19000 km in one year. Pretty amazing! Then you realise that I do spend my days driving quite a bit....Anyway I had a map and it should be easy to find, I thought. Still, I ended up driving up and down in a very horrible industrial area, with no signs anywhere. I followed a road and ended up in a deadend street where a lot of Indian workers live. What a messy place. Poor people to have to live like that. I started to sweat and thought come on, put your problems in perspective, woman. No crying, no crying. Anyway, I hadn't had any coffee yet, so that explains my stressfull mind...I turned around, obviously they were all staring at me cause they realised I was in the wrong place. I parked the car somewhere else, called the poor receptionist and gave her an ear full of how crappy their map was, etc. She told me how to get there and I was there in 10 minutes. The man who greated me, gave me a new map with 2 or 3 new street names on it...think he could tell I was not in a good mood. He called me a taxi and asked me to have some coffee, which I gladly accepted. I tried not to spit it in his face cause it was full of suger and utterly disgusting. Anyway, I eventually got a taxi home and had an hour to spend with James before my first Dubai dentist appointment. I also hade 2 BIG cups of coffee.

The dentist told me we could only do a consultation today because they had to check everyting with my insurance company first. I had to come back another day to do cleaning etc. I told her I already checked and I have to pay 35%, I had arranged babysitting for my child and would REALLY not like to come again. So, the assistant quickly checked my papers and said ok. I don't know, but maybe I look scary today...Jon actually told me this morning, that i must not get so stressed about things because I will have a heartattack. So send me to Italy on a weeks, no, a months spa treatment, I said!....no I didn't...a week in Sweden will probably do.

Now, my teeth are actually glowing from the clean and polish. Didn't know teeth could look that good. This afternnoon it´s time for Swedish school again, after spring holidays. So, pick up the girls, quick snack in the car (probably McDonald's) and then off to Swedish lessons. Let´s just hope the car is ready on time...or I will probably be a monster mum for the rest of the day.

Our second year in Dubai has begun...

And where did my motivation to study go?...Did I suddenly realise it was nicer to relax by the pool? No, or maybe... I just feel so overwhelmed by this next module I have to do, 20th century history, 2 exams on THE WHOLE 20th century, sounds completely irrational and impossible at this moment. 1st WW, 2nd WW, Cold war, Russian Revolution, China´s political dvelopment, democracy in Scandinavia, etc...oh my God, where to start...?! I´d rather focus on my blog at the moment. I´m trying to make a book out of the first year in Dubai, to give the girls as a present for easter. We´ll see if I finish it.

Last week the girls were off school for the whole week and Jon was in England on holiday, sorry... on a course. For work. So I had planned the whole week down to the smallest detail. Keep the girls from eachother as much as possible to avoid arguments and meltdowns. Emma was at an art camp every day for 4 hours and she loved it. I had some time with Isabelle on my own which was nice. Most of the week I spent driving the girls to different friends and then picking them up. Up and down the highway and up and down again, and again and again. But it was ok, I know they had a good week and James was excited to see so much of his sisters. Two nights Emma slept at friends' houses, which was good. She is very brave, my little girl. I really want her to get to know her classmates better, so I tried to encourage every opportunity to play and party.

Here are some pictures of last week; Isabelle at the Lakes club with school friend Feli, Elsa´s Birthday Beach party and Liam's 6th birthday party. It´s a hard life....!

James and his best friend Noah from Lidingö, Liam´s little brother. Same age and just as sweet. They sure enjoyed the cakes...

Elsa turns 3 and we all enjoyed a messy wet party on the beach!

Isabelle and Feli in the Lakes club pool. What a great time they had. We all danced to Backstreet boys in the pool (yes I made a complete fool of myself, but we were almost alone, so it was ok)and drank milkshake.