St Kilda Esplanade...with a squint

Just returned from our trip to Melbourne where our new baby girl made her debut. Great seeing family and friends and spending an extended period of time at my parents place with the girls. Nothing compares to quality time with loved ones.

It was hard coming back, the first day I was a bit teary, but then I took some inspiration from H. She just picked up where she left off, excited about sleeping in her own room, starting back at kindergarten, playing with her OWN toys in her OWN house... a few weeks of SHARING someone else's toys is like being subjected to extreme torture and punishment for a four year old. I asked her yesterday if she wanted to go back to Melbourne, "No" she replied with more certainty in her voice than I've ever heard..."I don't NEED Melbourne right now" - well I guess that answers that!!

It made me think about what a four year old needs. I always feel bad about depriving H (and now A) of her (their) extended family (especially grandparents and cousins) and depriving her of all that Australia has to offer (all year round) and Bahrain does not - acres of green grass, trees to climb, a million varieties of flowers to plant and pick, the zoo, farms, beaches, picnics and BBQs in Summer/Winter. That's what I want her to be enjoying in her free time, not staying indoors to watch Dora the Explorer because it's too hot to play outside in 50 degrees centigrade.

But when I have all of that in mind for H, all she want for herself is her mum, dad, sister and her home. Bahrain is H's home. This is the only 'real' home she knows, since she was only twenty months old when we moved here. So I remind myself that she is happy and more than satisfied with what she has and that is the MOST important thing (maybe that's because she doesn't know any better - oblivion does play a role in creating happiness and keeping one happy).

So when I went off to the beach with A for a walk this morning (a private one that we pay an exorbitant amount of money to enjoy because there is no decent 'public' beach... ok, not going there...that's not important...especially as the point that this ungrateful wretch is trying to make is that one should count one's blessings) I thought about how lovely it was to be in Bahrain at this time of year, enjoying the superb weather (December to March is perfect - currently a gorgeous 22oC outside) time with family and the company of friends...all in all, life's not so bad.

And, if  I pretend or maybe squint (as V pointed out:)), I can imagine I am in Melbourne... Maybe... is that the St Kilda Esplanade I see?

Thanks for the inspiration V.

Finally, a beach!

Last weekend we were invited by a few friends to the Bahrain Sailing Club at Al-Jazeer beach. I've mentioned the non-existent beaches in Bahrain before, so you can understand why weren't expecting much. We were pleasantly surprised. It's certainly no five star resort, but there's a modest sandy beach and a bit of water...two basic requirements for a beach met. You do still have to pay to use the facilities on offer at the Sailing club, but at least it's affordable. Wish we'd discovered it earlier on. Would have been nice to spend some time there over the long, hot summer we've just been through.

H absolutely loved it and kept singing all the nursery rhymes she could think of about the sea and boats. It was a bit windy and so she didn't get in the water - but she wasn't bothered - at least she had sand to play with (her favourite substance these days - I struggle each day to keep her out of the sandpit my neighbours have in their yard). It makes you realise that kids certainly aren't as critical as adults. I could see the satisfaction in H's eyes as soon as we entered the place. Her brain was doing a quick calculation: sand + water = fun. Aaaah being a kid again...the simplicity... it'd be nice to rewind and go back to that.

I didn't take any photos on the day. I might see if my friend has any I can share in my next post. To get an idea of the beach, take a look at some of the pics at the link below (old link but it still looks about the same).

http://www.pbase.com/bmcmorrow/image/32346353.