Moving Pictures

. Our last few days in Villa 3, Al Fardan Gardens 4 were a whirlwind of comings and goings, energy and exhaustion.  Tuesday the packers cleared out all that we were keeping and Wednesday thru Saturday was filled with people buying everything else and hauling it away.  At least my days were filled with that. Mike's days were filled with all it takes to close down life in the Gulf region.  Clearance letters on no debt. Selling cars and making sure all the paperwork is transferred correctly, OR if not selling ,then getting them put in someone's else's name to sell later.  This requires different paperwork and more trips to various government buildings.  In the midst of this we tried not to forget to pick up Robert from school and also feed him.  Sometimes we were successful.  

As of yesterday we are completely moved out of the villa and into our friends' home for the duration.   We have good friends who will house us for awhile, and then other friends who said if these friends kick us out we can go there. :)  A back up plan in case we are lousy house guests. We are blessed with some very generous friends.  

Now that we can take a breath, I find myself replaying the last few days in my head.  The last morning I woke Robert for school in his room on his bed, that was Sallie's in Abu Dhabi.  My friends giving their time and expertise to sort and organize for the indoor garage sale. All of us laughing as we tried to make sensible piles of this and that.  Finding my dad's company lapel pen from McKee, the company he was with for most of my life.  Then there were the repeat Filipino shoppers , smiling and giggling over every item and loving the low, low,prices!  Going away and coming back with more friends two and three times...for all three days of the sale!!  Then there were the kids from the compound...harrying to find the fun stuff and really loving it when I said I was having a discount. Everything for free. ( It hit me that these 8 or so kids could carry a lot out my door, and I wouldn't need to!!). Another picture in my head was Friday night dinner. Our Kuwaiti /Palestinian/ Canadian neighbors invited us to dinner.  Just to say goodbye.  It was a nice evening and I will miss all the friends we made in the compound.  I promised my next door neighbor I would pop over in warmer weather to catch up while,they enjoyed their evening shisha time.  Lots of pictures. Lots of memories.  

Mike is packed up.  Paperwork  basically finished.  48 hours and he heads out.  We will join him later.  More adventures to come... In Kazakhstan.  Or as our friend Joy calls it...Ka-froze-istan.  

Ruth, Mike, Joy and Curt...oh and Robert resting up for the next round. 

Happy Shoppers!!