August 28

It was a bright, sunny, warm day. Not cold, rainy and dismal as one might imagine, and even expect, when first hearing the news of your mother's death. The most feared day. I was immediately amazed at God's promised presence "I will never leave you, nor forsake you". I still remember the friends who seemingly instantaneously responded with palpable help and prayers. I also remember the grace and emotional generosity that came from unexpected sources. To this day, Terri's words of assurance still comfort me. My sisters were remarkable. I was, and still am, very proud of how Tracy, Guana, Sharron and Justice presented the best of their mother's essence within each of them during that time.

I am the age at which my mother passed away seventeen years ago. As I have said to a few friends, I marvel at how young she was. You think of your mother as old as soon as you understand that life is counted in years. Of course, once the years advance upon you, you get a better understanding of time. It makes me sad sometimes to think of how short, and full of trouble her life had been. Don't misunderstand, she was not a pitiful woman. Quite the contrary, Marion Stamps lived her life out loud. Yet, like so many of her time and ilk, she definitely struggled ("Aluta continua"). 

Still, my memory of her is rich with her strength in raising her five daughters while living out her passion for Black people. My mother always gave me courage; she would be surprised that she still does. 

Chocolate

I like fine chocolates in fancy packaging. Strangely, some people photograph their fabulous meals (Uncle Richard! Menyett!). 
But, beautifully wrapped fine chocolates are the work of artisans and should be memorialized.

Purchased at Dubai Mall.
My favorite is a mild chocolate with raisins.

Patchi is a chocolate brand that 

originates in Lebanon. 

 There are no U.S. stores, but Patchi chocolates can be purchased online.

Ok, not exactly beautifully wrapped, but still a fine chocolate!

View from the Pool

Fujairah from the 20th and 21st floors of the Noor Arjaan by Rotana Hotel - 21/08/2013.

I have a video of a night view of Fujairah from the pool on the 20th floor, but I could not upload it. I will try again later. In the meantime, here are some photos. The emirate appears large, but I believe one can traverse it from east-west or north-south in 15 minutes (no traffic). There is a very large mosque behind the hotel. However, the mosque in Abu Dhabi is really magnificent and far more grand (gold everywhere); I will try to get a photo when I am there for training in two weeks.

First, there is me on the elevator heading up to the pool. I'm wearing my "Running Man" t-shirt!

Fujairah is extremely mountainous. Sometimes, the views of the mountains are captivating. 

The great blessing in Fujairah is that the mountains (along with the Indian Ocean to the east) 

make the emirate a tad bit cooler than the other emirates. 

I don't like selcas, but there was no one to take a location shot of me. So, I had to improvise. 
Again, it's cool to get the mountains in the background with a couple of spires from the mosque.

Cool effects happen by mistake (above and below). 

Home Away From Home, Rotana Hotel, Fujairah, UAE

I moved into my new digs in Fujairah this evening (22/08/2013). I chose to live in a hotel. Many of the apartments in Fuj are newish, most are 2 BD with 2.5 baths. They are also stripped - meaning you must purchase your own refrigerator, stove, and clothes washer (lots of people hang their clothes out to dry - the heat makes a clothes dryer redundant). I'd have to buy these appliances in addition to furnishing two bedrooms and a salon (living room). Moreover, I'd have to pay for utilities, Internet, and cable television. And, and, theoretically, I would have to clean the place, including before moving in!!

The hotel option offered a very familiar environment with familiar faces (hotel staff know me already), security (though I feel very, very safe in Fujairah), and all the amenities. I also get a dining and a laundry discount. The room is furnished, and daily housekeeping service, fitness center, utilities, and Internet are included. Though cable is also included, it is a very stripped cable (mostly Arabic programming, and quite a lot of German and soccer programs). I am grateful for Internet.

The best thing about living in a hotel is that when it is time to go home, all I have to do is pack my bags and get on a plane. No ties and nothing to wrap up, disconnect, sell, etc.

Honestly, I have always wanted to live in a hotel, just like Harry Caray.

I am not sure if it is clear here, but the center unit swivels so that one can see the television in the salon or the bedroom. 

The bathroom is just to the right of the luggage rack. 

To the left and right of the television unit, there are sliding doors that help create a "wall" to separate the bedroom and salon.