Like most of you, we had a four day weekend in Muscat. Unlike most of you, this was due to Oman's national day holiday -- not Thanksgiving. But no matter the reason, we had Thanksgiving as a holiday for the first time in four years. Our kids of course have no idea what Thanksgiving actually is, but I am hoping this is something they pick up over the next few years.
The overall tone of the weekend was one of expending great effort for not great returns. I shall explain what I mean.
We had Wednesday off and that day was pretty nice and normal, to be honest. I met a friend (!) for a coffee in the mall and then tried to do all our Thanksgiving grocery shopping. It didn't go very well as the grocery store was super crowded and also didn't carry most of the things I needed to buy. So after I went home to drop off what I had bought, we all piled into the car to go to two more grocery stores, together. We later went for a BBQ with friends, so the day ended well.
BUT, after we got home at eight, I made the pie crusts for four (yep, one-two-three-four) pies while Eli put the kids to bed. Two pumpkin, two apple. I woke up early in the morning on Thursday to start churning them out. My apples were labor intensive but I think they were pretty decent. The pumpkin pies were a mess. First, I knocked one chilling pie plate-and-crust out of the fridge and shattered it. Then, about an hour after I took the second pie out of the oven, I realized that I had not put sugar in it. I was so confident that I had forgotten the sugar that I rejected Eli's suggestion that we take the pie and see how it tasted after we cut it.
We had a lovely Thanksgiving hosted by friends, but MY GOD it was a frustrating day. I had a lot of wine.
On Friday, Eli and I got the kids up and dressed into clothes of my choosing and then hiked out to the beach to take a photo for the Christmas card. And after carrying and dragging Lulu up to the top of a dune, we got kicked off by security (our little complex has its own security guys who are likely very bored on Friday mornings at 8:30) and got only a half-way decent photo. It was frustrating to say the least. (But watch your mailboxes.)
Also on Friday, Eli and I were given tickets to the Marriage of Figaro in the Opera House (by the Vienna Opera) and it was AMAZING. The bright spot of the weekend, or would have been if I could have stayed awake. I am so horrible in theatres. I think I subconsciously think I'm in bed?
Saturday, I had my first concert with my new choir. It was a concert for children specifically, so Eli took three hours off work to watch the kids while I was there and then to bring them for the concert (it was only an hour). First of all, my choir did not sound amazing. Second of all, there was a little moment during which a Santa was chucking candy at various people in the choir. But not like throwing it gently, like really hurling it at them. And so twice I totally and completely lost my composure and just like the olden days, I stand in the front row. I think I am quitting choir but stay tuned for a report after our big concert in two weeks.
Happy December everybody! Our Christmas tree is decorated and is actually quite cute for a fake tree, and we've started the advent calendar. It's all very exciting, especially for the younger members of the family.
The overall tone of the weekend was one of expending great effort for not great returns. I shall explain what I mean.
We had Wednesday off and that day was pretty nice and normal, to be honest. I met a friend (!) for a coffee in the mall and then tried to do all our Thanksgiving grocery shopping. It didn't go very well as the grocery store was super crowded and also didn't carry most of the things I needed to buy. So after I went home to drop off what I had bought, we all piled into the car to go to two more grocery stores, together. We later went for a BBQ with friends, so the day ended well.
BUT, after we got home at eight, I made the pie crusts for four (yep, one-two-three-four) pies while Eli put the kids to bed. Two pumpkin, two apple. I woke up early in the morning on Thursday to start churning them out. My apples were labor intensive but I think they were pretty decent. The pumpkin pies were a mess. First, I knocked one chilling pie plate-and-crust out of the fridge and shattered it. Then, about an hour after I took the second pie out of the oven, I realized that I had not put sugar in it. I was so confident that I had forgotten the sugar that I rejected Eli's suggestion that we take the pie and see how it tasted after we cut it.
We had a lovely Thanksgiving hosted by friends, but MY GOD it was a frustrating day. I had a lot of wine.
On Friday, Eli and I got the kids up and dressed into clothes of my choosing and then hiked out to the beach to take a photo for the Christmas card. And after carrying and dragging Lulu up to the top of a dune, we got kicked off by security (our little complex has its own security guys who are likely very bored on Friday mornings at 8:30) and got only a half-way decent photo. It was frustrating to say the least. (But watch your mailboxes.)
Also on Friday, Eli and I were given tickets to the Marriage of Figaro in the Opera House (by the Vienna Opera) and it was AMAZING. The bright spot of the weekend, or would have been if I could have stayed awake. I am so horrible in theatres. I think I subconsciously think I'm in bed?
Saturday, I had my first concert with my new choir. It was a concert for children specifically, so Eli took three hours off work to watch the kids while I was there and then to bring them for the concert (it was only an hour). First of all, my choir did not sound amazing. Second of all, there was a little moment during which a Santa was chucking candy at various people in the choir. But not like throwing it gently, like really hurling it at them. And so twice I totally and completely lost my composure and just like the olden days, I stand in the front row. I think I am quitting choir but stay tuned for a report after our big concert in two weeks.
Happy December everybody! Our Christmas tree is decorated and is actually quite cute for a fake tree, and we've started the advent calendar. It's all very exciting, especially for the younger members of the family.
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