Pain Again

Some time ago when I was permanently in pain, before the last operation in Singapore improved matters so dramatically, my blog was entitled (if I recall correctly) "Moaning Mike's Miseries". How nice it was to be able to change the name. Somehow I cannot bring myself to be a very nice person when in pain.

So when I went completely "a over t" when going up the steps to work last week I was not a happy man. All sorts of bit of me hurt, but I refused to see the first aid people; the last time I did that I got a tetanus injection so I figured that we could stay away from such risks. But later in the day I found Alice and I making our way to the American Hospital, here in Doha. My mind was hoping for charming nurses without hypodermics, and I was spared this; although there was one who wanted to test my blood sugar level but who retreated at a snarl.
So after being questioned, poked and prodded at last they decided that some gels, tablets and an immobiliser would have me sorted fairly quickly. And to some extent this is true but there are disadvantages to these wrist thingies, in spite of the clear improvements over plaster of paris. They can be pulled pretty tight, this naturally reduces blood flow to the fingers, and makes the wrist rather sweaty in temperatures in the high 50's centigrade.
And as a result the digits get angry and I am just a shade concerned about my safety, not just for walking without falling but for living at all.

Old Pals

Last Friday, and it shows I have done some work this week that is only now I come to record it, we were walking into the Villagio. Not unusual as we often drop into the supermarket before lunch. What was odd, was seeing an old friend that we had not seen for about seven years and we did not even know was in Doha!

Some years ago I was the Godfather to a couple getting married in Kuala Lumpur, a very nice couple both Philippine, one of whom worked with me. But it was not Catherine we saw but her husband Joseph. But to our amazement Cathy would be coming here to work perhaps next month, initially leaving the three children with family. We have not seen them all, as the last time we were together, seen here in our place in Malaysia, Cathy was still pregnant.
Well as you can imagine such a pleasant surprise could not be ignored so we dragged Joseph off with us to share the brunch we often indulge in on the Friday off.
Mind you, there was a certain amount of confusion as Joseph had overindulged in the seafood starters not realising that the other side of the buffet had a selection of main courses!
But never mind, we enjoyed ourselves and are looking forward to seeing Cathy when she gets here. Although I trust I will not have to forcibly remove any bottles from her; but overindulgence at a wedding is compulsory, is it not?

Problems

Getting "caught short" has always been a fear, particularly as I age and the prostrate enlarges, and when the sign implies a major trek to find the loo it is somewhat worrisome.
Alice is even more concerned as she does suffer from a fairly regular need to go, as indeed do many ladies, I understand. Mind you, this lady will not get relief by lying down, rushing (even with legs wound around themselves) would surely be preferable?
Or perhaps she is resting near to this type of loo until she is wholly convinced that no intruding male is likely to be around.

After all if you are heavily engaged upon some action then interruptions are not at all welcome. However personally I would be far more likely to be clutching a book than a shoe, but each to their own as I so often say. And what a sweetheart Millie was, why can I not find my old albums of hers?

Respect?

Everybody deserves respect if they carry out their duties well, however surely it must be earned rather than just demanded? And surely these women should equally be due respect for plying their profession ?It is a difficult subject but I am not an advocate of violence and am convinced that the spanker below could have found another way of encouraging his staff to their best efforts? Oh well, man (or woman) management is not my forte so I guess I must accept that this is the proper way to obtain the best performance from the working girls.

Here we are

As we get used to being in the Gulf again we start to notice more about the place, which I have to say is quite a pleasant country.

As we are not great linguists we are very pleased to have the opportunity to speak Inglish rather than Arabic and head for spots like this usually. Having said that Alice was on the Corniche buying "just landed" fish yesterday morning. And she has noted that these very fresh items are considerably cheaper than those found in the supermarkets.
Other things of interest are the fauna of the area, and how they are moved around. Working in construction I see all sorts of things being lifted into the sky but not all animals are as patient as this. Of course, I tend to view camels in a new light since reading Pyramids (Terry Pratchett) which I heartily recommend, as it will give you the odd chuckle.
Another thing of interest is the low cost of electronics and I am so pleased to see that in what seems to be an increasingly difficult world the guarantee that whether you want to watch "the Ten Commandments" or something less epic the ability is built in to the machinery to allow you to see it without being turned into a fundamentalist.
Of course amongst all these interesting things we are still left with a hankering after a few things we have to forgo, hard for some-one who happens to be a pig farmer at home. But although I have searched I cannot find the right drink: -