Month: May 2018

Goodness, I’ve spent all week catching up after our trip to Jordan. We landed in Abu Dhabi at 5am and Josh was back on a plane to the US by midnight that night. I don’t know how he keeps going and going. Still no update on his job. It’s probably about time for him to reach out to HR again and see where they are in the paperwork process. We figured nothing would happen around the Memorial Day holiday, but we’re a few days past that now and I’m getting twitchy again.

More evidence that Camille’s night time chocolates are miracle workers. Since we were flying at night and the kids needed to go to school in the morning I gave them each one before we got on the plane. They were all out cold before we even boarded. Just stretched out on the grubby airport floor, sweetly sleeping.

We woke them up, steered them to their seats, and they all were back asleep before we’d barely taken off. They never even turned on their screens. Carter complained the next day that he missed dinner, but missing an airplane meal is no great loss, is it? In case you want to get these babies for yourself, here’s the link to sweet sleep. The kid version is the same as the adult, except it comes in a bottle with a childproof cap.

6 years ago, on our first trip to Jordan, I wrote about The Mother of all Dinners, when we were invited to share an Eid dinner with the family of one of Josh’s Jordanian friends. Josh meets up with him every time he comes to Jordan so he messaged Mohammed last week saying we’d be in town and we know it’s Ramadan, but we’d love to see him if he has time. He responded with an invitation for the 7 of us (the 5 of us plus Josh’s parents) to join their family for Iftar (fast breaking) dinner one evening.

The previous time was so memorable that Caleb, who was only 7 then, and barely remembers anything about our early days in the Middle East, asked, “Is this the place where we ate until we were stuffed and they still tried to feed us more?” Yes, that was it, baby. We briefed Josh’s parents on pacing and eating slowly and making sure to leave food on your plate or risk getting served another full portion, and we set off.

We reunited with the family — the last time we visited, the 6 year old boy was an infant and the youngest sister spent the evening entertaining baby Camille and playing with the boys. Other than the kids getting older and bigger, not much has changed. They spent the entire night playing cards, playing football (soccer) together, and chasing and cuddling the 5 kittens.

So the food: I didn’t take any photos, because I’m not a food photographer, but I probably should have. We went to a very expensive hotel buffet the night before and while that food was good (and fancy), this was a feast that I would have eaten over and over. Since it was BBQ night, there were grilled lamb chops, skewers full of lamb and chicken cubes, kebab (seasoned ground beef and lamb patties that look like mini burgers), grilled onions, tomatoes, and chilis, both whole and chopped into a salsa-type side dish and then a bunch of salads like arugula with balsamic vinegar, chopped cucumbers and tomatoes, corn, bell peppers and olives (I think — I can’t remember exactly what was in it, but I ate a bunch of that one), and my favorite mutabel, along with homemade olives, pickles, flatbread and a few other things that were at the other end of the table.

Carter ate everything they threw at him and asked for more. I was happy to have him as a buffer/distraction so I could eat some of mine, eat some extra from Camille’s plate and get full without feeling like I was wasting food. As the honored guest mom (Barbara) was served enough meat for 3 people, but she gave it a valiant effort and got through most of it.

After the main dinner we had chocolates and coffee (and sodas or juice). Then the first dessert was served, Nights of Lebanon, which was an unsweetened custard/pudding covered with pistachios and sugar syrup poured over the top. Since I am now wise to their ways, I knew that there was still more to come and I didn’t over consume. About 20 minutes later came the fruit course: a platter filled with watermelon slices and rock melon cubes, both of which were perfectly ripe and exactly what I was craving after the sweets. Finally came the last dessert (and by now it’s 11:30 at night) which might have been my favorite thing of the night — these half moon shaped sweets look like a pancake that has been stuffed and folded in half, then baked/fried and soaked in sugar syrup. Inside is either a walnut, coconut, and spice mix or (my favorite) a salty cheese that gives the perfect salty, sweet, creamy balance that contrasts with the crispy edges of the pancake. And now I’m hungry again.

We had a wonderful evening of eating, talking, laughing and catching up until we finally headed home at midnight, since we still had an hour drive back to the Dead Sea. It was a perfect evening with people who treat us like family every time we see them.

Moon over the dead sea — this photo is a pale comparison to seeing it in real life.

 

We made it to Jordan! It was last minute, but the approval to travel finally came through and Josh quickly purchased plane tickets/rental car and hotel rooms. After a 4:30 am wake up and 5 am trip to the airport, we were on our way.

The last time we were at this same spot in the Jordan airport the kids were 6 1/2 years younger, Calvin was with us, and they sat around playing cards while Josh picked up the rental car.

Jordan is always an experience. The rental car, from Avis, has certainly seen better days. As long as I’m not getting charged for it I don’t care that it has dings, scratches, and a little front end damage, but it’s funny that we are renting a car that would not even be able to be registered in Abu Dhabi. (Pretty looking car bodies are important and almost every car is 5 years old or newer. I’m actually a bit worried that my car will get flagged for repainting the next time we try to register it).

Beside the banged up body, it was missing a seatbelt in the back seat and the guy spent almost 10 minutes removing the seat to find it for us. And then the gas tank was on empty with a flashing warning signal and we were sent off with a “gas station is 5k up the road” instruction. Thankfully we found it as we passed a guy driving at half speed, probably because he had a silver sunshade blocking his entire driver side window.

The drive through the desert toward the Dead Sea. Even though the driving in Jordan is a bit of a free for all, I don’t mind it because the unexpected is expected. Someone might drive on the shoulder the wrong way down your side of the divided highway because it’s the most efficient way to get somewhere. No big deal. We’re always looking out for non-traditional driving maneuvers. It’s more irritating at home when there are specific and strict rules in place and a few special people break them — I’m looking at you, driver with Dubai plates, tailgating and flashing your brights at everyone.

We made it to our hotel at the Dead Sea, met up with Josh’s parents and caught up over dinner.

Happy to be here again and looking forward to a few days of relaxing and knitting by the pool.

A month from now I’m hoping to be sitting in my Mom’s backyard in Santa Cruz, watching the chickens scratch and peck while I read a book and feast on nectarines and raspberries. Calvin will be at camp (working), Josh will still be in Abu Dhabi, and my parents will be out of town, but that sunny, green yard is my paradise.

We don’t have a contract or numbers yet, but after my revelation that I can’t do anything to get settled until August anyway, I’m in no rush. I’m assuming that the money hemorrhage that is about to begin (it happens every time we move) will be stanched come October and until then, I’ll have to hang on and just get through it.

Josh got through the hiring process, but then has had to go back and fill in some blanks with HR that were skipped over, like filling out an application, submitting references, and other basic paperwork that usually comes before a company decides that it wants you. I’m not sure if they are actually doing anything with that information or just creating a personnel file, but we’re happy that things are happening. The biggest news is that he has actually has a start date: the 3rd week of July (with the proviso that nothing goes sideways during the hiring/negotiation process).

That means that he’ll have a week with me in paradise before he heads off to his new job. Mid-July: Santa Cruz, late-July: Texas, mid-August: Abu Dhabi.

As I’ve been planning our move/transition, I’ve been waiting to find out our budget for housing, thinking that we’d be able to locate something now, put a hold on it and then upon landing in August, move in and get settled. I just had a reality check today as I realized we won’t be able to do anything until we return and have residence visas.

As we leave here our diplomatic IDs and passports will be cancelled and when we come back we’ll have to arrive on tourist visas. We won’t be able to rent a house until we have those converted to residence visas, which has been known to take a couple of weeks or longer. That means I won’t come back and go into a house, but rather into a hotel, without a car, since we can’t register a car until we have residence visas and IDs, and wait, I won’t have any of my stuff? What do I do with all of the things that I don’t need this summer (school uniforms, work clothes, sports gear), but will need when we return? I guess it’s time to find a few friends who don’t mind several bags of things taking up space in their houses this summer.

Our property will stay in storage, the pets will have to stay in the kennel for a third month (at least — $$$) and we will once again be living out of suitcases for the foreseeable future. sigh. That’s not how I was imagining it at all . . .