A day in my life.

In Dubai I wake up, shower, dress, put on makeup and go out the door. And I get to go to nice places and meet interesting people. Most days at least. Sometimes I even get paid to do this! I resent the time I have to spend cleaning, tidying etc. and keep it to a minimum using cleaners, dry cleaners etc. 

Here my day starts with the puppies mewling at about 0430. I blearily stumble out and take them from their crate to the play pen and sit with them waiting for them to pee/poo. When they've done that we play and cuddle as the darkness starts to become a little less dark. The fishing boats are passing by, either silently in the case of the outriggers or with a gentle putting from the larger out-board engine powered ones. Some are coming home and others are starting their day. Cocks are crowing and, as it gets lighter still, the birds begin to make their presence heard.

Puppies now happy I pop them alone into the play pen and pad around getting organised for them - making milk, cleaning their crate, getting fresh water and preparing clean paper. If we're having a bath I put out water and let it heat in the sun. All done, the puppies go in for a nap and I get their play pen into order. (This happens MANY times a day).

Now it's my turn and I sweep the cabana out. The great outdoorsis always trying to get in. Things are now clean (12 years of cobwebs gone, cleaned and painted) and secure and the garden looked after but the trees produce leaves every day and there is a constant need to keep on top of things. Then I brush my teeth whilst wandering around turning off lights and checking for any progress made or things that need to be added to the list. It's often at this time of the morning I get inspired which likely means a new item for Brayen to have to deal with!

Finally I check my phone, mail and to-do list and deal with anything urgent. Then it's reading the news, blogs and other things that catch my eye. I'll have a shower and then, at about 0830 people turn up. The place now belongs to them as they get to work chopping and cutting and sawing and painting and generally making things better. I do any chores in town (today it's the Bank and Arpico, again, for a pile of cleaning products and lots more stuff for the puppies) before coming home and settling down to do some real work e.g. writing this book or developing a course. 

Everybody stops for a couple of hours between 1130  and 1430 depending, I suppose, on when they got up. I don't because all the workmen don't go at the same time and I can't sleep when there are people around. So I sit and play with the puppies and, if I'm not working, read a book or talk to friends. Something interesting or time-consuming often comes up and the day slips past very quickly until 1900 when people start to go home. My painter, who is the most hardworking man in the renovation business, leaves after 2100 and then I do one last round of puppy wrangling before crawling into bed.

None of this feels like work as it's outside and beautiful and the rest of the world is doing things around me. Of course, if it's a little chilly I'm wearing a light jumper which helps too. Also of course, any truly horrid or difficult stuff is done by someone else. Hey, I said I wanted a simple life.

I wonder how it'll be when it's raining?

PS This post was inspired by Lankalogger