update on my Lost Dutchman Trail.....sad news

For those of you who read my blog post a few days ago - tonight I see news that a small plane crashed between Mesa and Apache Junction - in the Superstition Mountains...they are rocks beautiful but lethal...it's a very sad story as 6 people are feared dead, 3 of them children.
I am shocked to read that this is where I hiked just a couple of months ago!!


http://news.yahoo.com/plane-6-aboard-crashes-east-phoenix-050229329.html

Two new Ault family members

My father-in-law calls me a refuge. I suppose that's better than being a refugee!?

I have a big heart, and I cannot stand seeing animals suffer. We recently welcomed Sammie, aka Sam Henry, aka Meever [pron. meeoar or something like that] aka Slinky, a small 7 wk old kitten I found at a gas station on the way to the Ranch. She looks like a slab of marble and is very cheeky! In 4 weeks she has doubled her size and weight and she is taking on Slim without fear! They have a love/hate/tease/chase/snuggle relationship and it makes for great entertainment!

Lola has also gone from adopted to full fledged Ault ownership. The Ranch gifted her to me in September (thank you Mark and Carrie :) and she has gained weight and nearly stopped her cribbing or wind sucking. I was told she was a former endurance race horse, but I can't make that fit, as she is an excellent dressage horse and show jumper. So you may see me in the London Olympics 2012 ;-) Or maybe just hacking around in the sand dunes!

What's next for the Aults? A goldfish?

Can I have the car keys, mom?

Well, I now have someone to run errands for me! I realized it today, when I was cooking and needed more mushrooms. Hunter passed his driving test the second time around....which is pretty standard here! The first driving test was a month ago and he failed within 5 minutes of starting the car! Apparently he didn't swerve enough around a pot-hole so the instructor grabbed the wheel and yelled at him in Arabic...clever!

Everyone fails the first time here, so the Sheikh can make money on the additional training lessons needed, in order to sign up for the test again! It's a conspiracy I'm convinced!

Getting Hunter's license is another hurdle because his father is being difficult. We paid around 4200 dirhams for the classes, incl driving & theory, test, book and an hour in a simulator. Except they never scheduled Hunter for the simulator. He has been practicing around the small roads in our neighborhood so the kid can drive, but he should get what he paid for. Aric asked for the 100 dirhams (simulator cost = $35) as a principle. They have been completely ignorant of this. So Aric said fine, I won't pay for the extra classes (440 dirhams) until you credit the 100. 'Oh but Sir, you have to pay for the simulator, it is part of the whole deal' ! Aric: 'Look-it - if you go to a supermarket and buy groceries, then walk out without them, do you still pay? Or if you drive through a gas station without filling up, do you pay for gas?' I paid for a product and service and didn't get it, so I want my money back for the part I didn't get' ..... the Saga continues and Hunter is without his license!

I cannot believe I have neglected my faithful readers for so long! Let me get this off my chest: not working regularly since February, because some VP figured he didn't need my team; then battling a big corporate entity for another three months, with lawyers slinging legal mud back and forth - sort of took it out of me! Drained is putting it lightly!!

But I prevailed and it is now all behind me! I went to Tempe to see Aidan for 5 days during parents weekend; it was fantastic. We went to the ASU game vs Oregon and ASU won big! Aidan had a lot of homework, he loves school now and truly cherishes his Industrial Design classes, even though it is demanding - but he says it is "his kind of learning" and I think he has come into his own.

So, when he studied, I went to explore. Apache Junction is not far from Tempe and there were mountains and nature which called my name. Hiking alone, under the noon sun, with no water and nobody else on the trail, is not recommended! The temp reached 102 and here I was just diddle daddling along looking at all the tall cactus (or is it cacti?) in any event, I soon realized that I could have ended up having a movie named after me, just like the guy in "127 hours". Imagine seeing a movie called "2.4 miles" about a woman who gets lost on a remote trail called "Lost Dutchman's Trail" - in the Superstitious Mountains? Leave it to the Dutch to get lost a hundred years ago... I mean the trail was signposted pretty well!

When I saw remains and bones from birds and small reptiles, I figured that was it for me....I had stumbled across a giant prehistoric predator who grabs small children on field trips. It was like a scene from "Picnic at Hanging Rock" - the sheer silence broken only by a whistling wind rushing through the rocks....it gave me goosebumps in the hot sun! I managed to drag myself back to the empty parking lot where my rental wreck was baking in the heat. If I had ever earned a cold beer it was now!
Earlier, down the road a ways, I had passed Goldmine City (how original) and they had a genuine saloon, with flapping doors just like a true western flick. How out of place can you be in a tank top, mini skirt and gym shoes? - I was hiking for crying out loud...well every Stetson hat turned and watched me and the bar got real quiet, you could hear a pin drop into a spittoon! Not even a spur jingled! I played it cool and said "howdy, can a thirsty gal get a cold beer?" in my best Arizonian twang. No sooner had I sat down when Madison Taylor introduced herself. And then the rest of the crowd joined in....Sam, Richard, Lonnie....well I be....within 30 minutes I was invited to get on one of Richard's Quarter horses and off we went, with Madison too, on a 2-hour hack in the dry river wash! Try riding western style in a mini skirt!!

During the last 15 minutes we galloped pretty long and fast and one of my reins dropped, (western style reins aren't connected - they are long leather straps on each side of the horse, connected only to the bit) so I stopped and reached down the horse's neck and head, to pick it back up; only as I leaned down, the horse's head came up and we head butted each other hard -I got a huge gash in my forehead. Unreal! Blood everywhere. Richard took his water bottle and poured the content all over my face and then tied a bandana around my head. That supported me for the rest of the ride back to the saloon, where we butterfly'ed it. I drove off to the emergency room, and got silicone glued up. Aidan laughed and we went out for sushi....it was a cracker of a day and I've made some great new friends!

Meet Asma and Fatma

Asma sleeps until noon every day and is a housewife. Fatma is up early and works 8-5 at a local women's college. Asma has the driver and nanny take her son to daycare. Fatma drops her kids off herself. Asma has tea with girlfriends every night and stays up until 1 or 2am in the morning. Fatma does homework with her children every evening, while her husband cares for his sick father, who lives with them. She complains that she has no time to herself!

Asma's husband works for the Government and his hours are 9-2. After work he spends the afternoon with Asma. Fatma has to go and visit her father (who is a widower) at least once a day and so does every sibling...she has 9 brothers and sisters.

Asma is Pakistani / US and married to an Emirati - she wears regular clothes. Fatma is local Emirati and wears the Abaya.

Both are wonderful women but so different. I met Asma at the American Women's Association general meeting and Fatma at the Coaching Course, I just attended this past weekend. Getting the insight into the lives of local women is rare and wonderful. I'm so curious for knowledge and cultural info and now that I have more time on my hands, I'm taking every opportunity to get to know my surroundings.

Since my last blog, I have taken ownership of Lola, so I ride much more. Such a treat! Look for more updates soon -- I'm off to the US this evening to see Aidan in Arizona and friends in Chicago. I got a 10-year entry visa, so I'm hoping my detainment in immigration will be avoided!

Ciao dear readers...

Mirror mirror on the wall, who's the nerdiest of them all?

The iPad has invaded our lives. I gave Aric one for our anniversary (I got golf clubs) and it was never my intention to touch that Pad at all. Three months and several cool applications later I'm hooked on the damn thing!

My idol Tom Cruise and Katie just told in an interview that their secret to a happy marriage is Scrabble. I'm scrabbling and scrabbling everyday against the CPU and against Aric. In a 150 point game I win 8 out of 10 times....in a classic long game, I don't do as well. But it's amazing how many new words I'm learning (can you tell I'm unemployed at the moment??)

There is also a cross word puzzle app and yoga routines! Who knew that a little flat pad could offer so much in life? Since I fell of Lola last Monday (serious equestrian equipment malfunction and some pilot error) and have been nursing a horrendous bruised Sacroiliac, I've become Scrabble Queen.

Hunter may be our 'uber-nerd' though. He just spent two weeks in Johannesburg at the Maharishi Institute. (Our friend Taddy is the founder of the Free University there and they use Transcendental Meditation as a basis for 'learning in a traumatic environment'). We attended Taddy and Annie's African wedding ceremony and after we left Johannesburg, Hunter wrote me a mail from his iPod:

"Hey mom vicki invited me to do this introduction to the transcendental meditation, the technique they use in the institute, and just told me what it was all about and everything, and basically selling me on her and richards 4 day course... And im sold, you really had to be there to not think im doing some hari krishna thing. Either way it seems like a good opportunity for a cool experience if not life changing thing, so i wanna try it... And the catch of course is that its R1800... Thats about it, and ofcourse i love you no matter what your answer."


Classic Hunter....As it turns out, we forked out the 1800 Rand because how can you not invest in your kids' future - and he is now meditating twice a day while humming a secret mantra! He and the other two interns at the school cooked noodles & noodles together and discussed how much money there is to be made in Charity! It just moves around and gets written off in tax deductions ;-) I think my son is on to something there!

In the spirit of giving, Aric decided to 'donate' our camera (with 125 safari and wedding pics) to some poor South African who has a lowly airport baggage handling job...unfortunately it was not a voluntary donation, but that's life in a country where the have's and have not's are so far apart. At least I can now upgrade to a nerdier Canon camera! Luckily Aric had taken a few shots with his small handy, so we have a few memories!

Hunter got great feedback from the Institute though! Apparently he fixed all their IT issues and also showed them how to download movies (!!) as well as upgraded all their applications. It has resulted in Hunter now looking at a career in IT management (God help him - we've poisoned his system with Cisco juice) - and is looking at a Bachelor's Degree from Copenhagen Business School in IT administration. How nerdy can you get??

Meanwhile, I've grown tired of all the Cisco Circus acts and have instead filed a labor dispute with the Dubai Free Zone and local labor dept. They notified our general manager who now has three days to respond and resolve the issue, or it gets forwarded to Dubai courts. After months of stalemate, I've concluded that corporate people are crooks, that the more bad and unethical things you do and the more people you mistreat, the higher up in the organization you move...I've also learned that HR must be the most incompetent people.

Unfortunately my situation has bled over into Aric's work and he has missed an opportunity to be rewarded the highest achievement award at Cisco: The Chairman's Club, and a trip to Hawaii. He did get the Sales Champion Award and was ranked no. 1 in region; alas they decided to send number two, which was a bit curious. I can only speculate that they thought it would be bad for business and their execs to be confronted with a 'postal wife' on Maui! I haven't had the urge to visit the 50th state anyways!

Life goes on and this week it will go a little faster and smoother once I sever my ties with the company where I had a good 12-year run.

Slim has lost his manhood and is doing well after he has less testosterone in his system!

I think that just about sums up the Ault sandbox updates.

A date with George !

This one's for Michelle, who needs a date ;-) ...and the date sadly isn't with George Clooney, but with my favorite camel, George, now about 4 months old and standing tall at 135 cm. He is now joining the rest of the herd around our date palm plantation, munching on fallen dates.

Slim and I were at the Ranch a whole morning last weekend; I walked Lola up to the grassy area (a treat when you live in a desert 24/7 ) and Slim was busy chasing goats and ducks.

It is now the 8th day of Ramadan and dates play an important role in the fasting and Iftar events.

Dates are rich in fibre, potassium and amino acids and used to be part of an Arab's diet as this "nature's candy" was easy to process and did not require refrigeration. Dates are also full of other good things: B-complex vitamins, iron and selenium which is a good anti-oxidant, and it is a great low calorie sweet.

Don't judge the boy by the cover

Well it was inevitable! Having Aric escort Aidan to Arizona State University is a receipe for trouble. No sooner did they land in Tempe, shower, hit a bar for a beer and before you know it, Aric has chatted up the bartender for info on where Aidan can get a fake ID, so he can get into the clubs! Somehow our priorities just aren't in sync.

You know if I went with Aidan, the first thing he would have is a bank account with the highest interest on eSavings!!

Like father like son!!

Aidan just got his Suncard. No it's not a card for unlimited tanning sessions...rather it's his card for everything....food, books, supplies....top up and go! My boy is ready!

The last few weeks have been busy with preparation for Aidan leaving...making sure he is pre-checked in; making sure he has a decent doctor so he can get his ADHD meds; making sure he has his 1040 filed for next year's independant resident status; making sure he has his linens; making sure he has a decent bank; making sure he is signed up for orientation....the MOM has been busy while the DAD booked accommodations the morning they were flying out! That's my hubster...flying by the seat of his pants just like when we were newlyweds!

A few weeks ago Aidan was notified online who his roomie was going to be. Likewise for the roomie - who kindly reached out to Aidan on Facebook (is there any other way to introduce yourself in the 21st century?) So it sounds like Dane is a good guy; from Staten Island NY, blond, blue eyes, a dancer....wait...SCREETCH HALT...a dancer?? Oh, perhaps contemporary, hip-hop, street dancer?? Well, who really knows? Aidan didn't ask, to my deep frustration! "Mom!! it's all gonna be part of our get-to-know-eachother-session the first week" !! Dane works at E-Square on Staten Island (a quick google by the MOM tells us they specialize in one stop Party Planning; Dj Services (so far, so harmless) Video & Photography, Pipe & Draping ( huh???), Vip & Cabana (what - as in cabana boy??)) Furniture, Photo Booths etc. (etc??)

OK you can guess where my imagination is headed!

So he could be a pipe cleaner, but how does that fit with dance - unless it's incorporated into a Stomp performance? Perhaps he's a DJ? Singing, dancing telegram? Wedding singer/dancer? Am I reaching for answers here?

When we were out for my birthday dinner, the discussion went on for hours around whether he might be a dancer with a little more jazz-pizzaz...a little more exotic....a little more Chippendale...Hey who wants to end up with thousands in student loans?

Aidan said if Dane could teach him how to dance like they do in the Full Monty, and make $2000 a week, he would go for it. Of course after a few Martinis, Aidan's parents said he might need to beef up the abs a little first! I did notice that AIdan neglected to pack any underwear that might be construed as "edgy" just in case his roomie checks out the details!!

We shall soon know what Dane is majoring in ;-) it's all part of the "mom needs to know" agreement (or maybe mom doesn't want to know) - in the end, who really cares? I'm sure the two boys will become great friends and who are we to judge?