Shopping, not just a hobby in Saudi

So, today I decided to meet some of the women on the compound by going on one of their "shopping tours." Here they have buses that take the women to various shopping areas. Being that women can't drive the compound provides transportation so that the women can obtain the various household necessities. For example, our sink backed up last night (I will tell the tale later) and we needed a plunger and drano. Thus, I boarded the little bus with all the black garbed women and off we went. They were all excited to meet the new member. They are very nice women of a myriad of cultures. I was the only american there but all of them spoke rather fluent english. Most of them had darker hair and skin, one lady was from India and had beautiful black eyes and hair, but her son had the most beautiful blue eyes I have ever seen. He was about 2 years old. Most of the women had children, but they were in school. They were all so kind to me and were curious about how I was adjusting and eager to help me in any way they could. In fact, our first stop was kind of a mix of a hardware store and a general store, the bus driver said we would be there 30 minutes so I set my alarm to be 10 minutes early. I walked outside and the bus was gone, but two of the ladies who were sitting next to me on the bus realized that I wasn't on the bus and waited for me to walk with me to the mall which was next door, otherwise I would have been completely lost and would have had to call Adam for help. That is how nice they are, they really look out for each other.

We chatted on the bus, about our pasts, our husbands, life here in Saudi. Like me, they all seem to enjoy it. The thing I like the most is that life here is very peaceful, there is no noise, I can hear myself think. I feel calm, I can hear the breeze in the trees. When I walk around the compound I can think about the things in life that are important, things that I haven't had time to think about with all the hustle and bustle of life in the states, like how much I love my husband and how lucky I am to have him. How much I love my family and how blessed I am to have had 36 years with them before I got married, That is so unusual, I am so surrounded, even here, so far away, by so many people who love me. It doesn't matter that they are on the other side of the world, love knows no boundaries. But all in all, like I said, I love the peace.

Hopefully our shipment will clear customs in a few weeks, I would like to read the Bible for the first time since high school (which didn't really count because I only did it as a competition to beat somebody in seminary, oh, gotta love my competitive streak). I think it will mean even more now that I live in the land where it occurred. I am going to find some books and study Islam and the other religions and the history of the region. I want to learn why this area has become the way it is. I don't understand the hate, I am such a pacifist that it bewilders me how one can hate so much. So, I am going to do some studying

Hopefully some legal contracts will start coming in, I am still pounding the pavement looking for work. One good thing about jet lag is that I wake up around 1 or 3 am and can't sleep because I am still on Utah time. But that is perfect, because Utah is up and I can call them! HA HA! I got some things that our bank screwed up fixed this morning and when Adam woke up he was quite surprised, pleasantly so. He heard me leave the bed but thought I had come back, I did, but not until 5am, the first prayer call. Then we had breakfast together.

One thing I really like is that he works close enough that we can have lunch together. He buys lunch at the cafeteria, enough for both of us, and it is great food and very cheap. He buys enough so we can heat it up for dinner. We don't like eating a heavy dinner. It is nice to be able to see him at lunch. Hopefully my shoulder will heal soon so that we can try some racquetball or tennis. I need to do some research and see when I can play tennis. I don't think racquetball will be feasible anytime soon because I like to roll into the wall when the ball is close to the wall on the right side, plus, I am right handed and you have to swing pretty hard. I don't want to take the chance of doing permanent injury. The pool heater is working yet so I have to wait to start physical therapy in the pool. I have started regular physical therapy to get my motion back, once I got over the pain from picking up heavy objects while traveling I was able to move my arm again. Now it feels much better, thank heavens.

OK, back to Saudi, I hope I haven't lost you. I am not trying to make fun of the women here, maybe they are in great financial situations, but we are trying to save for a down payment for a house in Australia. It seems that all the do is shop. I actually asked on of the ladies on the bus what they do to pass the time, and she flat out said, we go shopping. I laughed. On the ladies calendar it states that they play mahjong every week, I asked if I needed my own set, they said no, that they hope they have enough women and they haven't played in a while. I hope we play tomorrow. Their book club sounds interesting. And, they all had on beautiful Abaya's. I need 2, and Adam said we can get me another, I want one that has some decorations on it, that is permitted. I think it is funny, I get excited about seeing a beautiful Abaya! LOL, oh, how things change.

But, I am happy. It is nice to take a break from work, although I expect to start doing some contract legal research and writing soon, but that isn't the same. I just feel like there has been a weight lifted, and it feels good.

Adam and I are doing wonderfully. We are both very happy together and I think our stay here will be good and he will be much happier now that I am here. That is my goal, to make him happy. I know his job is hard and frustrating, but I am going to try and make it as pleasant here at home so that he can relax and enjoy life here and see that life in Saudi is nice.

Oh, I almost forgot to tell you my funny Gunda story. We don't have garbage disposals here, which I didn't find out until the second day. Well, needless to say the sink backed up last night. I got several, "bloody hell Gunda's" and thus, I went to find the remedy, I hope it works. Lol, only me.

I know, this is a long one, but I am trying to stay awake, I want to break the time change cycle. It will take a week or so according to Adam. Church here is on Friday, hopefully by then I will be better so I don't fall asleep in the meetings!