Sunday, July 20, 2008

Damned Yankees...

The kids and I walked to the local store for coffee and groceries at about 11 this morning.
As we went out the front door of our hotel the doorman held the door for me and, looking concerned he said "Taxi, ma'am, taxi?"

"No, thank you." ( I have no desire to take both car seats in a taxi to the store, tote them around somehow and then reinstall them in a second taxi to come home).

"Please ma'am, is very hot. Every day you walk, yesterday you walk, today you walk, yes?"

"Yes, we don't have a car yet."

"No car, ma'am? You go to the grocery store?"

"Yes, just to the grocery store. We're getting a car today. We like to walk."

"Ma'am, the children are small, the sun it is hot. What room are you?'

"Room 517. We'll be OK."

"Ma'am, you know the gym, you can go to the gym?"

"Yes, thank you, I know about the gym."

"Ma'am, what is your country?" (Here I should have answered UAE, but that wasn't what he was asking.)

I told him the US, smiled, and began to go down the stairs. "Wait ma'am," he said and took Bethy's hand to lead her carefully down the stairs.

I assured him that yes, I am crazy and we'd be fine.

He was trying so hard to be polite and get through to this idiot American. Now, while it is 113 F out there right now, we had hats and SPF 70 and water for each of the kids and myself. The grocery store is all of 3-4 blocks up and 1 block over.

While in the air-conditioned store we had several conversations with the folks we're starting to get to know. It was kindly pointed out to me that the children had rosy faces, and that my arms are quite freckled.


I will consider this trip a success if no one here or abroad calls the CPS on me.


Here are the kids from when we got back to the hotel, by the way.


See? They're fine! :)

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