BOOT SCOOT

Here we are at the Texas A&M Boot Scoot. This being an oil town, there are a lot of Texans in Doha. Plus, Texas A&M has an engineering school here. This annual event is put on to raise money for various charities - including the Doha Girl Scouts (hence my involvement). I helped with the silent auction, which raised over 20,000 Riyal (that's over $5,500). We don't do the Texas Two Step, but still had a good time!

Saw "The King and I" this weekend, put on by the Doha Players. The Players are the local expat theatre group - mostly Brits, Americans and Canadians. They have been "playing" in Doha since 1954. Play was held at the campus of North Atlantic University in Doha. This is not at Education City (where Texas A&M, Cornell and Virginia Commonwealth Universities have campuses, and where Erin takes ballet lessons) so I had never been there. It is very new, and very nice. Erin and I really enjoyed the show. It's a musical, with a live orchestra, and great costumes. Grant was pretty bored by the end - with intermission it was a 3 hour production! Two little girls from our compound, friends of Erin, were in the show playing children of the King. They were so cute in the costumes!

Also went to the Friendship Festival at the American School this weekend (busy weekend). That was a very fun event with games, food, music, vendors and a silent auction (I helped again - word has gotten out that I am a fundraiser). Kids had a GREAT time!

Weather very nice here - 82 and sunny yesterday. I spent yesterday (Sunday) trying to buy pork. This being a Muslim country you can't buy it in the local grocery stores. Every once in a while, a pork shipment comes into the PX out at Camp As Aliyah (our military base here). Got the word that yesterday was one of those days, so ventured out there. Realized my pork ration card had expired, so went to get a new one. (Yes, they ration pork!) Sign outside the office stated it opened at 1 pm on Sunday. Ok, fine, I got my hair cut, did some other shopping, mailed some stuff at the APO, and ate lunch at the dining hall (BBQ pork ribs - very tasty). Checked out the pork at the PX - tenderloin and chops - looked yummy! Went back at 1 pm - office still locked up. Office next door had opened, and told me that the office I needed no longer opened on Sunday! I don't have the time to go back out today or Tuesday. Maybe Wednesday - by which time the pork will probably be gone. Oh well. (You people in the US don't know how lucky you are! Oh sure, you may have a foot of snow, but you can buy as much pork as you want anytime you want. Ditto on the cottage cheese, chocolate chips, lactaid milk, sour cream, lettuce, etc;)