We are basting to be baked!

May 20, 2024 jacquelineobyikocha7 Comments

I know that in so many places the arrival of Summer is welcomed with pomp and pageantry whilst the opposite is the case over here. Having lived in the Middle East for over 6 years, we prefer the Winter months when we get to indulge in so many outdoor activities and the electric/power bill is at its lowest.

During Summer in the UAE, the heat can literally get so oppressive that you feel like your brain has melted. You can practically fry an egg on the tarmac, you sweat buckets once you are outside the comfort of an AC, bills triple, people get irritable and tempers fly at the drop of a hat, spike in people falling sick, vehicles overheat and breakdown, outdoorsy events die down to nil, a certain fatigue and malaise sets in, and the list goes on.

Like is commonly said, too much of everything is not the best. I love mild wintry weather and not the deep freeze bitter Winter experienced in some parts of the World. I equally do not fancy this blazing heat that leaves me parched, tired and wistfully wondering at how long we are away from the breezy cool days of UAE Winter.

Some like it hot, some like it cold, some like it in-between. We do complain about the weather, don’t we? 😉

Stream of Consciousness Saturday.

No Grill…Stream of Consciousness Saturday

May 26, 2018 jacquelineobyikocha10 Comments

We are not allowed to use an open grill in our apartment for safety reasons and this is one thing that I miss sorely. I recall Summer days of cook-out back in Houston, the camaraderie of family visits and it almost seems like aeons ago. Time flies.

Some parks allow the use of charcoal grill but the UAE is getting a tad too hot for such indulgence so, yours truly has to rely on my kitchens’ oven grill which is not quite the same.

Maybe it’s all in my mind right now – that flavour of sizzling barbecue wafting in from somewhere and causing saliva to pool in my mouth. Let me take a peek out of the window, maybe I’ll go begging for a bite 😉

Written for SoCS – Grill

appreciation · Personal · This Is My Life

I did nothing!…personal

May 20, 2016February 9, 2017 jacquelineobyikocha27 Comments

It’s a Friday morning this way and it’s the weekend already in the Middle Eastern World.

I write this with a lot of appreciation. It doesn’t take much to make me happy or to make me cry *tears of joy and maybe sadness too*

I scrolled through my comments and saw Tanya, Post Prodigal and Beth’s – Nutsrok’s comments:

Just got your book from Amazon. Will be starting it tonight! From Beth

Thank you, Jackie. I’m still reading and loving your book of poems, btw. I’ll post a review on Amazon when I am done. It just blesses me! From Tanya

and the tears pooled in my eyes. Yes! I can be emotional, but that’s who I am.

I did nothing to deserve the show of kindness that I’ve received in this place.

I did nothing to receive the amount of care that I receive in this place.

I did nothing… Not one thing…

You did it all…and I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

You may not understand…

when someone is walking out of the valley of fear,

of deeply incinerated scars and doubts, reaching for the light…

a little shine of light is so much hope.

I wrote my poetry book from my heart and I’ve never thought that it would interest anyone. I couldn’t even afford professional editing.

I wrote it for me. To help me deal with some experiences and pain that life brought my way yet, several friends have reached out to me to express how the words have touched them that I have to go and read them again myself…

Publishing it was just a step up, to tell myself that “yes I can!
…and I said to myself, Jacqueline, if even 5 people buy this book, then consider yourself blessed…

It sold 5, then 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12…..19 and counting

Thank you, my dear friends. Thank God.

I have friends in high places and it’s YOU!

Below is my first just published Poetry Book “Out of the silent breath” which is available on Amazon and Smashwords.

When you buy my book, you support me in an invaluable manner.

Out of the silent breath

Expose my heart

that I may understand your words

through every conscious,

awakened pore of each moment.

*an excerpt from my poem*

Dubai · Family · Gratitude · Humor - Bellyful of laughter · Parenting

Exhaling Loudly…This is my life.

March 23, 2016 jacquelineobyikocha18 Comments

I know it’s not weekend yet, but I am thankful that we are halfway there, or as in my case, almost a day to weekend and the school Spring breaks commences on Friday. YAYYYYY!!!

Our weekend’s over here in the Middle East starts on Thursday evenings and sometimes, it makes my mind go wonky, when the work week starts on Sunday’s and other parts of the World are still on a weekend.

It’s been one of those weeks that’s just bleh; waking up at past 4 am and making the children’s breakfast and food for school with one eye open.

I know that being a mother, weekend does not necessarily spell idling, but some things are taken out of the hectic equation.

My mouth will probably get twisted seven ways from talking, settling squabbles and I will probably pull my hair out now and again, for these days that squad will be fully at home, adrenaline filled and looking up to Mama the squad entertainer extraordinaire to keep them focused and entertained.

I shall however, thoroughly enjoy not having the infernal red alarm clock go off, just when I am getting into the zen part of the sleep; at least for the next two weeks. It even rings in my head when I am awake