It's been a while

Hello and long time no blog.

All sorts of things have been happening since my last blogpistle. A blogpistle is a long, rambling and sometimes humorous missive from me (the blogpostle) to anyone who is bored enough to read it. To those of you who religiously read my blog, the popular American phrase "get a life" comes to mind.

I went to the UK on business about 3 weeks ago and extended my trip by 3 days. I stayed with my good friend and fellow muso Clive Case in Harpenden and had 3 really great days. Day 1 was spent in London - no particular plan, just walked around and fully enjoyed myself seeing the sights, visiting music shops etc.

Day 2 I spent driving around little villages and towns out in the countryside. Wound up in a place called Woburn for lunch - great steak & kidney pudding & beer. Yes, during the 3 days I drank plenty of England's fines ales & bitters - magic!

Day 3 involved walking around the open air market in St. Albans, visiting the cathedral and then heading for the airport.

It was a magical time and grateful thanks to Clive & Sandra for their wonderful hospitality and friendship. I was also able to spend time with James shears & his girls. We went for a walk along the Thames at Richmond and stopped at a pub for a pint of Bombardier. I discovered that I like Bombardier, Old Speckeled Hen, Spitfire, IPC and sundry other fine brew by Greene King.

Nobody hooted at me and I didn't feel the need to hoot at anyone else. Although there was traffic, driving was an absolute pleasure. People seem to be patient and considerate. Although it has its problems, the time I spent in the UK reconfirmed in me my desire to live there (or somewhere like it).

Coming back to Dubai was like returning to prison after a weekend pass!

As you may know, I have a motorcycle and I have joined the Christian Motorcyclists Association here in Dubai. We are a really fierce biker gang that goes around drinking alcohol free beer and threatening to burn down bars and beat people up. We wear serious leathers, don't wash (especially our armpits) and don't shave either - especially the ladies.

Actually, we are a ministry dedicated to ministering to other bikers. We do a breakfast run the first Friday of each month - leave at 05h30 when its still cool and go to all sorts of interesting places for breakfast. Its great fun and we usually have a bunch of bikers from other gangs riding with us - guys & gals from the Hell Razors, the Petrolheads and the FOGgers ("Fast Old Gits"). We have breakfast together and generally try to witness and live a Christlike life before them.

2 Fridays ago, I had been admiring the big BMW R 1200 GS's. One of my buddies & I got caught at a traffic light slap bang in the middle of Al Ain (a desert town with the UAE's only mountain just outside it). Dirk flips up his visor, gestures at his bike and asks if I've ever ridden one. I answer no and he hops off. There in the middle of town we swapped bikes and rode off into the traffic. Needless to say I was hooked.

Consequently, I took delivery of my new yellow BMW R 1200 GS 2 days ago. What a magic machine. Now I'm trying to flog my BMW F 650 GS Dakar - any takers?

We have arranged what is our CMA signature ride, the Turtle Run, for the last weekend in November. This involves riding up to Oman to see the turtles come out of the sea and lay eggs on the beach on Oman's coast. We will ride 1 600 km in 3 days, with 800 km on the first day. I will no doubt be a candidate for the Iron Butt association after than. This promises to be an amazing experience and will be great on the new bike.

Work continues to be a problem, with promises not being kept, management problems and serious politics. It remains a nightmare - one from which I hope soon to awake and find myself in either the UK or the USA.

Janene & I would both love to live in the USA. We love the place and have applied for the green card lottery - it would be wonderful if this came up for us, so please stand with us in prayer for a miracle. The quicker we can get out of Dubai the better. This is truly an evil place.

Casey & Gregory are both doing OK at school. Casey has just started scuba lessons and appears to be doing well. She has a head start as my sister, a dive master, taught her a bit in SA so she's already comfortable under water with the gear. They both went on a youth camp to a water park in an adjoining Emirate last weekend and had a good time.

J doesn't have a job here at present and it is difficult to get one. No one hires temps or part timers in the drawing field here, so we are praying that she'll find something part time that will suit her abilities.

Church remains a difficult thing, with long overdrawn services and not too exciting teaching. If it wasn't the only show in town, there would be far fewer members. We're trying but Greg & I in particular are battling. I have a short attention span and hate it when people don't plan, are inconsiderate of other peoples' time, start late and are long winded. They're a nice bunch of guys but need some lessons in church management.

On the music front, I play with the band twice a month or so. Not very rewarding unfortunately - most of the guys leading have little or no experience and love the sound of their own voices and instruments. There are no rehearsals and arrangements and often the guys don't sing any actual songs - they just go into "free worship" and this really bores most of the congregation to distraction. I'm generally on stage with a guitar around my neck that can't be heard - not much point really. I'll probably stick it out until the end of the year and then pull out.

The weather here is cooler now. It gets down to about 22 at night and goes up to 34 - 36-ish during the day. Much better for doing outside stuff and we've resumed our weekly evening outings to eat take aways on the beach. Being winter, it gets dark early (like Durbs).

Both our mothers arrive on the 10th of December and they'll be with us until the new year. It will be good to have family around - especially for the kids.

That's all the news I can think of at the moment, so cheers and have a good one. Once again, our weekend starts now and I can't wait. I love weekends!

Blessings