So it is after midnight and I am facing a double dose of teenagers in the morning, but just want to say Hallo. I haven't felt this light-hearted for ages, and want to share a little sprinkling of my fairydust before I hit dreamland. Midnight is my absolute favourite time of day. I intensely hate having to go to bed early, as I miss this time when something deep inside relaxes and the world looks so intrinsically good. It is the time of the day that I know at every level that the Universe is my greatest 'tjommie' (friend). Sometimes I think I suffer from some kind of bi-polar disorder, like a kind of SAD, but linked to times of day. Morning, no no no! When sun sets, peace pervades. As another legendary Garfield card I once gave my mother read, "Every dog might have his day, but the nights belong to us cats!"
Hester loved the night too, and I remember so many nights as I was growing up sitting on her bed talking about books, unicorns and other magical things till the morning hours. We used to laugh a lot together, and cry. I think she was the first person who taught me that it was OK to be vulnerable.
Before I could read, she used to read to me. One specific book which is close to my heart is a book by Paul Gallico called Jennie. Do you know it? I am sure that is also part of where my love for cats originates. She used to read and we sob together, and when I could read, I would read passages to her, and we would sob together. I choose my words carefully, as this was no ladylike blinking the tears away. After that there were many things like Mr God this is Anna, The little Prince, passages from Khalil Gibran, T.S Elliot, Hemingway... she taught me from a young age how to be moved by the emotion behind words. And that a master of his craft can evoke complex and undescribable emotion by using the simplest of combinations of syllables.
And that is why I am really excited about a book I received today through amazon! We are very fortunate here in Muscat to be able to order through amazon.uk to a UK address, and the goodies are then shipped from there by a local bookshop for next ot nothing. I have been waiting on a book about teaching poetry writing to children. It is a wonderful book and I am determined to sneak some poetry writing into my academic writing course... yes, the group of students that is so enjoying The Alchemist. I want to start with haiku, and I will let you know how it goes!
You will be happy to hear there is another wonderful addition to my gratitude list, and that is The Chedi. I decided that after all the pain,stress and emotional turmoil of the past months, I definitely deserved a membership. I think I mentioned before, full usage of pools, private beach and gym till end of June. For those of you who know it, I know that you will fully understand. And are turning neongreen with envy as you read.This is a sublime place with an infinity pool like you only see in glossy magazines, advertising places you could never ever afford to go in your life time. As you arrive, a hunky Omani dressed in white, bearing 2 crisp white towels and a glass of iced water with a sprig of fresh mint, helps you to adjust your lounger. I have found the perfect quiet spot under a perfectly manicured palm tree facing the light at dusk. I then proceed to the pool where I expertly doggy paddle up and down at a very leisurely pace. After that I do some extreme 'palacialating' ( verb of 'palace'), to quote my ex-director Norman.
The weather in Muscat has been cloudy and a bit windy, and the atmosphere at the Chedi in this late afternoon was sublime. The whole thing was a bit silver, the sky, the air, the trees, the water were a shimmery glimmery muted silver. Approacing sunset, a very pale pink wash spread across the sky, and the sun was like a perfect flushed apricot behind the palms. I lay there sipping my lightly minted water, reading haiku, wondering if life actually got any better than this.
At that moment, the language school where I sometimes moonlight on a Thursday, called me to ask me if they could give me a double dose of teens tomorrow, as a teacher was sick. Mmmmm, and we move swiftly back to reality! I was really glad that they asked though, as the last time it happened, I arrived in class to see 25 13-18 year olds sitting there (instead of 15) and threw a spontaneous hissy fit. It was not pretty, I had to be escorted out of the class to calm down outside over a cup of tea and a few lavender drops! I do think it is a good learning experience to surprise oneself ocassionally.
From the Chedi onto the dentist in a calm state of mind, and the tooth with curly roots behaved itself very well. I then went to see my Irish friend Ruth (who introduced me to Dr Matt in the first place). She is a haven and a sanity check. We used to teach together, and often when everyone threw their hands in the air and faffed around about some seemingly complcated isssue, Ruth was the one who would cut through the crap, cut to the chase, and sum it all up in 17 syllables. She also makes a damn good tuna salad.
Hester loved the night too, and I remember so many nights as I was growing up sitting on her bed talking about books, unicorns and other magical things till the morning hours. We used to laugh a lot together, and cry. I think she was the first person who taught me that it was OK to be vulnerable.
Before I could read, she used to read to me. One specific book which is close to my heart is a book by Paul Gallico called Jennie. Do you know it? I am sure that is also part of where my love for cats originates. She used to read and we sob together, and when I could read, I would read passages to her, and we would sob together. I choose my words carefully, as this was no ladylike blinking the tears away. After that there were many things like Mr God this is Anna, The little Prince, passages from Khalil Gibran, T.S Elliot, Hemingway... she taught me from a young age how to be moved by the emotion behind words. And that a master of his craft can evoke complex and undescribable emotion by using the simplest of combinations of syllables.
And that is why I am really excited about a book I received today through amazon! We are very fortunate here in Muscat to be able to order through amazon.uk to a UK address, and the goodies are then shipped from there by a local bookshop for next ot nothing. I have been waiting on a book about teaching poetry writing to children. It is a wonderful book and I am determined to sneak some poetry writing into my academic writing course... yes, the group of students that is so enjoying The Alchemist. I want to start with haiku, and I will let you know how it goes!
You will be happy to hear there is another wonderful addition to my gratitude list, and that is The Chedi. I decided that after all the pain,stress and emotional turmoil of the past months, I definitely deserved a membership. I think I mentioned before, full usage of pools, private beach and gym till end of June. For those of you who know it, I know that you will fully understand. And are turning neongreen with envy as you read.This is a sublime place with an infinity pool like you only see in glossy magazines, advertising places you could never ever afford to go in your life time. As you arrive, a hunky Omani dressed in white, bearing 2 crisp white towels and a glass of iced water with a sprig of fresh mint, helps you to adjust your lounger. I have found the perfect quiet spot under a perfectly manicured palm tree facing the light at dusk. I then proceed to the pool where I expertly doggy paddle up and down at a very leisurely pace. After that I do some extreme 'palacialating' ( verb of 'palace'), to quote my ex-director Norman.
The weather in Muscat has been cloudy and a bit windy, and the atmosphere at the Chedi in this late afternoon was sublime. The whole thing was a bit silver, the sky, the air, the trees, the water were a shimmery glimmery muted silver. Approacing sunset, a very pale pink wash spread across the sky, and the sun was like a perfect flushed apricot behind the palms. I lay there sipping my lightly minted water, reading haiku, wondering if life actually got any better than this.
At that moment, the language school where I sometimes moonlight on a Thursday, called me to ask me if they could give me a double dose of teens tomorrow, as a teacher was sick. Mmmmm, and we move swiftly back to reality! I was really glad that they asked though, as the last time it happened, I arrived in class to see 25 13-18 year olds sitting there (instead of 15) and threw a spontaneous hissy fit. It was not pretty, I had to be escorted out of the class to calm down outside over a cup of tea and a few lavender drops! I do think it is a good learning experience to surprise oneself ocassionally.
From the Chedi onto the dentist in a calm state of mind, and the tooth with curly roots behaved itself very well. I then went to see my Irish friend Ruth (who introduced me to Dr Matt in the first place). She is a haven and a sanity check. We used to teach together, and often when everyone threw their hands in the air and faffed around about some seemingly complcated isssue, Ruth was the one who would cut through the crap, cut to the chase, and sum it all up in 17 syllables. She also makes a damn good tuna salad.
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