COMING TO AMERICA!

In 2 days - can't wait! Doubt I will be posting this summer. Will be back in Doha August 14th - will pick it up then.

If I don't see you - Have a Great Summer!

INDEPENDENCE DAY CELEBRATION

Our own Marine Guards with the Birthday Cake.

What a great party at the Ritz Carlton! A friend of ours was the volunteer event planner, and she did an outstanding job. The theme, as you can see, was "Route 66." There were vintage cars and Harleys scattered throughout the foyer and ballroom (loaned from Sheikh Faisal's museum). Food was representative of the states on Route 66 - tacos, hot dogs, steak sandwiches, corn soup, crab cakes, etc;. We had a great time - and even snuck in a photo on one of the Harleys.

Fortunately we were indoors. We are on day 2 of a wind/dust storm of Biblical proportions. I had a dream last night that I was near a volcanic eruption and my eyes were stinging, nose was stuffed and throat all scratchy from the dust. Woke up with those real symptoms - no volcano just dust blowing everywhere! I made the mistake of leaving our car windows cracked just a bit yesterday because it was so hot (115). Got in the car an hour later and there was a thin layer of dust inside - so nasty!

10 Days to the USA!

115 DEGREES!

But the humidity isn't too bad (yet). When we arrived last August, it was 115 - 120 degrees, with 90% humidity. As soon as you walked outside you were dripping with sweat. The kids and I are leaving for the US on June 15, and will fly back to Doha on August 13 - so we'll get to experience more of that great weather. Anyway, can't wait to see everyone again! We will be constantly marveling over your cool weather, polite drivers, and green landscape. We'll be driving a lot - gas prices will be a shock to us (here it costs about $15 to fill a completely empty SUV) - but we'll survive.

Tomorrow (Wednesday, June 4th) is the American Embassy Independence Day Celebration. It's held a month early because so few people are in Qatar in July (see weather in previous paragraph). Should be quite an event! Will try to post some photos - if I am allowed to take any.