It's hard work but someone's got to do it

Good Monday everyone!
Shame you cannot see the grin on my face... hi hi

The fact that here Monday means the middle of the week is immaterial, I no longer work. As most of you know my stint of remote working from home for a UK company came to an end in January so now I am free, free like the air.

So how do I spend my days? I hear many of you saying. Don't I get bored? Sometimes, but then that can happen at work too so ain't complaining. For now anyway.

Back to “How do I spend my days??” Good questions because I haven't quite had the time to think about it ;until now that is. With the maid that sorts out the house chores, apart from those that I have stubbornly kept mine for some reason, like feeding the cats, cleaning their litter tray and doing the clothes washing (I have resorted to never leave the laundry to a maid again after the one in the last house we lived in managed to turn my favourite yellow t-shirt into a blue-ish green optical aberration!), with the Arabic course finished and level 3 not starting until after July (I passed level 2 with over 80% marks by the way which makes me really proud even if I still can't understand more than a couple of words here and there when I hear the locals talking..), a break from Yoga since my mum was here recently, I really don't have much to do these days.

Take today: I've just come back from lunch at Caffe' Vergnano with my Italian friend, will now spend a couple of hours compulsively surfing the internet, spin a little bit more of my network web, finish my manicure, read the local free paper, watch a bit of trash on the Italian TV this evening (yes we have two satellite dishes now and all the trash that comes with them!!) and then another day will be done.

OK it is not always like this but this week that's it. I've found that it's not easy to find work over here unless you are in some niche field (construction??). The reality is that you don't look for work, it finds you, through networks and luck. I had an interview with an IT company a little while ago (again through a friend) but when I heard what IT pays here my mind wandered elsewhere; it's the downside of living close to the Asian subcontinent; ain't going to get out of bed for that, let alone spend a minimum of 45 hours a week locked in an office with the key thrown away. ;) although I'd probably do it for something else more fun... like diving for instance. :D

Last week an opportunity came up to accompany some Italian people on a business trip around the Chamber of Commerce to help with the lingo (isn't it great that at this day & age there are businessmen that engage into international business without speaking a word of English? It gives work to everybody!). Unfortunately it was all called off just the afternoon before so I didn't get a chance to go. That's the way here, always factor in the unexpected. Shame I was looking forward to that diversion and an opportunity to expand the network.

Opportunities are out there waiting to be found or to find me so I don't worry too much.
I am moving my little octopus tentacles slowly around the Muscat community so that I can feel the water without stirring the bottom too much. In the meantime I will continue to enjoy my freedom while it lasts, having a go (and fun) at playing a Muscat (not too) desperate housewife (with sunglasses).

PS: On another note it's getting very hot here. Hot means:

• I have to turn my car engine + A/C 10 minutes before getting on so that I don't evaporate as I enter the vehicle. Unfortunately because I have a C*@p rent-a-car it still takes another 10 minutes before the air is cold enough, so I loose two litres of water for the first 10 minutes while I drive off because I can't be asked to wait any longer.
  
• You get 3rd degree burns from the steering wheel of your parked car
  
• You go to the beach and stay in the shade (and soon that won't be bearable either)
  
• You sweat faster than you can drink
  
• You have to have your last dinner at open air restaurants before they all close for the summer by mid May.
  
• The washing on the line is dry by the time you've finish hanging the last item... (almost)
  
• No cold water from the taps but you can choose between hot (blue tap) and very hot (red tap)