Jim started back to work on Monday. Qatar Petroleum will move everyone out of its "unsafe" building over the next few weeks. That will increase Jim's commute to 45 minutes. He certainly has enjoyed his 20 minute commute while it lasted. Not everyone in the present building will go to the same building. That should make things a bit challenging.
The cat, Jack that had adopted us for his new family did not work out so well. He stayed with us through the holidays, as I nurtured him back to good health. He was obviously someone's pet at one time. We started letting him stay in the maid's quarters at night, to avoid and further damage to his body. He used a litter box all on his own. He looked forward to my attention in the morning and evening. He would purr just at the sight of me. He loved to play. He has bitten me on several occasions, and Jim on one occasion. His biting caused me great concern. There are too many children that live in this compound, and I did not want him to have the chance to bite one of them. Therefore, I rented a trap from the Cat Coalition and trapped him on Monday night. Sadly, I brought him to Qaws on Tuesday morning. I will wait a few weeks before I will visit him. I miss him dearly, but I know in my heart that was the best decision.
Yesterday, I went to the hospital to see a Neurosurgeon to get one of my prescriptions refilled. We waited for 3 hours to see the doctor, and then almost another hour to get the pharmacy to fill the prescription. You can only have the prescription filled at that hospital pharmacy. Another thing that is note worthy is that women and men have different waiting areas. So, I get to wait in a room full of trash bags! LOL!
Now, I have to go back to another hospital to get the other medication that I need. I have already seen the doctor at that hospital, but the last time I was there they did not have all the prescriptions that I needed in stock. At these different hospitals, nobody tells you where to go and what to do next, you have to ask, or try to figure it out on your own. Let's just say it's complicated. The Neurosurgeon wants to see my last set of MRIs. That will be a challenge, as one was done in Germany, and one in San Antonio, Texas.
On a funny note, I was driving along the Corniche and as I was stopping for a traffic light, a man in a Prado motion for me to put my window down. He asked me if I would trade vehicles with him. I said, "No" and smiled. "But, Thank You." I told him that they sell more of them at Manni, the Hummer dealership. He winked and laughed.
I had to pick up my new permanent Qatari license at the Shell building today. I parked across the street at a park, which is on the Corniche. After returning from Shell, I walked over to the water. There was a man and his daughter. As the little girl was proceeding to walk down the stairs getting closer to the water line, I said, "watch out the steps are very slippery". So, the man translated that to his daughter in Arabic. He asked me where I was from, and I told him America, and of course, he asked me where and I told him Louisiana. He said that he visited Florida once, and no one knew where Qatar was located. He introduced him self and his 3-year-old daughter. He is from Palestine. He said that this was one of his 4 daughters. I said, "oh, so you are the only man with 5 women". He said, "no", "I have two wives". Just being curious, I asked, "Why?" He said that we need to be happy in our lives and if one woman can not have sex, that he has another one that will. He told me that the rest of the world did not understand the customs of the Islam world. I told him that if that is what makes him happy and is acceptable in his society, then that is great. I told him to think about what he was saying, that there is a world outside of the Islam world, and that there are many religions outside of his world. There is nothing "wrong" with either one, just that they are different and people think differently in all those walks of life. It's not wrong, it's just different.
I went to the Manni Dealership today to see if I could get Samer (a salesman) to explain to me how I get the registration renewed for my truck. He said that he would be happy to take care of it for me. I gave him my registration and my insurance paperwork and Qatar Riyals (Qr)350 and he said he would call me when I could come back and pick up the new card. Sweet! Jim and I went back this evening to pick up the new registration.
I am almost finished setting up the garden. I had a slight accident and punctured one of the plastic sprinkler system pipes. I have to go get the replacement parts tomorrow at the garden center. Another perfect opportunity to buy more plants!
Craig is flying back to the US from Amsterdam today. I hope he makes all his flights!
Tomorrow is the last day of the work week. The compound has Happy Hour at 7 PM! Whee!
