Goodbye Dubai...

As most of you know...I'm not good with goodbyes! I have enjoyed this journey with my family & will hold it near and dear to my heart forever! I want to THANK YOU for coming along with us over the past two years...whether you've read this blog once, a few times, or each & every day...you've inspired me to continue writing & sharing our life experiences, with you, from 7,000 miles away!! It is now time to close this chapter of our lives and come HOME!! We can't wait to be back by our families & friends and look forward to living our "new life" in Crystal Lake, Illinois! So, for now it's goodbye and you can find me on Facebook! I PROMISE to post ONE final post when I hear about the show date for HGTV. I suspect it will be sometime early next year!! I am leaving with a few quotes I feel express my feelings right now!! Goodbye Dubai!! :-)

Why can't we get all the people together in the world that we really like and then just stay together? I guess that wouldn't work. Someone would leave. Someone always leaves. Then we would have to say good-bye. I hate good-byes. I know what I need. I need more hellos. ~Charles M. Schulz

Nothing makes the earth seem so spacious as to have friends at a distance; they make the latitudes and longitudes. ~Henry David Thoreau

How lucky I am to have "had" (I added the word had) something that makes saying goodbye so hard. ~Carol Sobieski and Thomas Meehan, Annie

Where is the good in goodbye? ~Meredith Willson, The Music Man (Thanks, Thomas)

Goodbyes are not forever.Goodbyes are not the end.They simply mean I'll miss you until we meet again!~Author Unknown

Iftar Buffet at Fazaris

Last night, Jon's boss Shamim, planned an evening Iftar dinner to "break the fast" and honor Jon for his 2 years in Dubai! She even spoke how Dubai wouldn't be an office if it wasn't for Jon and his million dollar project with downtown Burj Dubai. Everyone from the office was invited and attended. It was a perfectly wonderful evening. Our table had so much laughing, eating, joking, and talking going on we just didn't want to stop!! We literally got kicked out of the restaurant as they wanted to clean-up for the night and we weren't moving!! The food was yummy and plentiful and it was very relaxing as an Arabic duo played soothing traditional tunes.

Now...here's just a few funny sidebars from the night...

1. Irshad, Shamim's husband, talked about how women are stronger than men...and that men are more visual and women are emotional. This also included conversation about Muslim men being able to marry more than one woman...funny thing though...Shamim pipes up and says..."Irshad...go ahead...you'll get your Dubai visa taken away"...see holds their visa & she is the only one in their family working right now as he is studying for his bar exam!! He then says, "No problem...I'll just find someone else to sponsor me!!" Of course...he was totally joking!! At least his visa doesn't read housewife or houseman like mine!!

2. Irshad also said...that men can ONLY be away from the home for a few days before they are "tempted" to cheat...let me tell you...this didn't go over very well!! (sidebar...he is a phyciatrist...and very smart...but sure isn't lacking on the sense of humor...we LOVED him!)

3. Bassel, another employee, (a handsome YOUNG man) told us his life story and how he has dated two girls seriously and is now happily married to one of them...the girls have the same "exotic" name (can't remember it today) and they happen to be cousins!! Mind you...they really aren't on speaking terms!! And girl #1 didn't attend the wedding...wonder why??!!

4. Jon, my lovely hubby, swore he had NEVER EVER HEARD of RICE PUDDING BEFORE and that I was "high" when I said I've eaten it at his mom's house & it's a Swedish tradition & his mom has made it on Christmas Eve for the family more than ONCE in our 16 years together!! (In the meantime...Gammy has concluded she indeed has made it, it is a Swedish tradition, she likes how the house smells when she makes it, but is usually the only one who eats it!) Jill his sister has stuck up for Jon and assures me that she and Jon don't like it. However; if they don't like it...it means lovely Jon has indeed tried it and should have heard of it before...I think I am still peeing my pants over all of this!! I think you had to be there!! (reason this came up...an Arabic dessert much like rice pudding with a rose after taste...it got us all started on "what it's called in America?"

5. Back to Irshad talking about "men being visual" and "women wanting safety and security...and being provided for"...this conversation provoked Aaron to say outloud and proud..."This makes total sense and explains why these two beautiful women are with these two ugly guys"...Jon's face dropped and he responded, "ARE YOU CALLING me ugly?" "You can call me FAT but you can't call me ugly!" You should have seen Jon's face!!

6. I was getting in "trouble" by Jon for talking too loudly ( I have attendancy to do this) and then TWO SECONDS later Zayneb, Shamim's daughter who's 3 1/2, screams out...Mommy...super duper loudly...why you ask...her pants fell down...to the ground!! She is a tiny little thing and obviously didn't eat enough at the Iftar buffet!! She was standing there with pants around her ankles!!

All I know is I could go on and on...it was a hysterical and enjoyable evening...and can you believe this...there was NO ALCOHOL involved. During a Ramadan Iftar...alcohol isn't allowed since Muslim people don't drink in the first place!!

Again, thanks Shamim...it was perfect!!! I will think back and smile everytime I think about this evening!! Sure wish I could come next year...perhaps we'll join the table on Skype...don't want to miss out!!

The Pool...

here is breathtaking and enormous. I've invited some friends to come by with their kids tomorrow afternoon to share the experience!! The infinity part of it is my favorite and all day everyday there are gorgeous people lying everywhere on nooks, crannies, and ledges, that make the pool so unique!! I had Jon take a few photos!!

I also took a few photos in the lobby as we were heading to the pool. The design team for this hotel has really done an awesome job!! The walls are never straight, the furniture is stunning and the chandeliers all over the hotel are outstanding, different shapes and sizes and incredibly unique. Without question...it's my favorite hotel I've ever been in...including the Bellagio which I love!! When we first moved here and I came over for drinks with my girlfriends (this is a place we have brought all our Dubai visitors to for drinks at either The Calabar or Neo's) anyway, I wanted to know where they got the chandeliers in the bathroom because I had fallen in love with them. Ha ha...Jon just laughed...and now that I look back...what was I thinking...(that I was going to put one of these in my house someday!!) Homegoods and TJMAXX are more my style!!!

Chillin' and Sunset...

now that we've moved to an apartment hotel...we have some time for relaxing and chilling!! Without Fayth, it is terribly quiet (and sad...but let's not go there!) and we are finding out we have all this time on our hands. What have we been doing...well...we've ate out about every night, shopped, seen a movie, slept in, gone to the pool numerous times, watched endless TV, and have enjoyed seeing all our our friends one last time. Jon even got in a round of 18 yesterday am at about 6:30 am with his friend Dirk!!

Just a few odds-n-ends of photos...

The Hand Over...

of our keys, key cards, gate lift, and apartment #1403 South Ridge in downtown Burj Dubai!! Looks like it did when we first got it accept a "few holes" are now in the walls and it's brought our family two great years in a foreign country!! Thanks South Ridge...you've been the perfect home away from home!! Our last views out our window...wonder if they will ever build or "clean-up" the front area down below??

More and More

at the MORE CAFE! See...during Ramadan you can not eat or drink in public (or smoke a fag) from sun-up until sun-down; however, the ever popular & a favorite of mine "More Cafe" gets a special permit, darkens the windows with sheets or paper and serves food during Ramadan. So...as we meet up with our friends and say our "good-byes" we continue to find ourselves meeting as the various More Cafe's around Dubai. On Friday we met up with Dana, Alan and Max and had an enjoyable brunch. Max, of course, missed Fayth and asked where she was but we assured him we would be able to Skype with her soon. Dana is having this stinkin' baby about a week after I leave. Originally, we thought we'd still be here...but we're missing it. There's still a part of me that thinks "Cole" will make his arrival a bit early so I can get in a few hugs and kisses before jetting home!! The Sluserinko family is TRULY going to be missed but we will remain lifelong friends no doubt!!

Today, I got to go with Suky and Sophie (another one of Fayth's little friends & mine) to yet another More Cafe for breakfast. It was a wonderful time to chat and catch-up. Their family may not be far behind us in moving back to the states as well. They have a home in San Francisco and may be heading back later this year. Again, a friend and "coffee buddy" I'm going to really miss!!

SO...to all our friends we've been meeting up with and having dinner with...we have enjoyed seeing you one or two last times!! You've ALL been a big part of our adventure here and we are going to cherish our good times and memories forever!!

P.S. Sorry S & S...forgot to take a few photos today!! :-(

Fountain Show...

from our balcony!! Just like being at Bellagio and overlooking the fountains in Las Vegas but without any gambling allowed!! It is a stunning show and definitely something we will truly miss. I heard there's a great version on YouTube...so when we are feeling like we'd like to take a lookie...we'll just hop on the Internet and link in!!