No Office!

My eyes flew wide open when the alarm rang at 5am but I was awake long before then.....probably due to the early night that I had! I tossed from one side to the other.....curling up spoon-shaped ....trying to snatch a few minutes more.....before another day starts.....and then it hits me! There's no office for 5 days...EID holidays! No office?! I jumped out of my bed wanting to embrace the "No Office" day!

Got my morning cuppa (green with citrus), a slice of bread and a fried egg well done. Logged online to see what the world has been upto while I was sleeping....and generally catch up on my mails, blogs, etc. A friend back in my own country was already in the office pushing his Team to get the 3.5 million dollar deal closed! I am imagining him sitting at the edge of his chair, drumming his fingers on the desk, getting impatient....waiting for the phone to ring...telling him, "Boss, all signatures are there on the dotted line!" We chatted for a while and laughed at some silly jokes.....he was distracted....his mind was elsewhere....the deal needs to be closed. I left him to deal with the deal and decided to get out....

The weather was sunny and not that terribly hot. The pool was inviting and I went for a swim at the back of the villa. I swam & I thought and I thought & swam....how lovely it would be if everyday was just like today! No Office!

Alone I swam.....in the blue blue pool....with the sun beating down making the water just about warm. The swim was really invigorating and I am thinking to myself....I must, I must try to swim every morning....good for my soul & good for my body!

The swim made me hungry. I am not on a diet, I just happen to love salad! A big bowl of green pasta salad - M's Special! On a bed of spirally pasta also called fusilli, some Japanese mushrooms layered with diced carrots, cucumber & corns and topped with scrunchy green lettuce drizzled with olive oil. On the side, deep fried "Red Snapper" with pickled olives! To round off, settled for a couple of pieces of that nutty chocolate from my small stash of candies & chocolates!

PS:- I wouldn't have thought of photographing what I ate.....but the couple of food blogs that I happen to browse this morning inspired me!

#This was my morning! Evening, we'll see!

My Song!

One night

Late into the night

Words flowed smoothly

Like it was all meant to be.

A song that I knew already

Strangely but not so strangely

It was the first time that I heard.

A song that I just can't get out of my head.

A song which has become my mantra, My Song!

My Friend!

To do or not to do
To say or not to say
That is the question
Which weighs heavily
On my mind sometimes.

To do and pay the price or

Not to do and regret not having done.

To say and repent having said or
Not to say and rue why it wasn't said.

Decisions I must take
On a spur-of-the-moment
Which makes it more difficult.

Then again with a friend
I Should never ever
Have to regret or repent
What I do or say
No matter what happens.

Thats My Friend!

Let's talk Business!

London was just not about shopping and sight seeing! We were on a Business Trip and serious business it was. The main purpose of the visit was to shake hands on a very lucrative deal....the contract for an exclusive Franchisee in the whole of the Middle East of their High End Luxury Brand and the rights of their very commercial brand, a High Street Brand for our country for the moment, as for other countries it is already taken.

We are mainly interested in that commercial brand but the Host Company is more worried in getting the right partner for their luxury brand. Understandable. Since we cannot get the exclusivity for the High Street Brand we have to bide our time and play along and try getting it in the long run....by proving we mean business...in handling of their High End Luxury Brand.

Seems our projections wasn't convincing. Need re-look the figures and the time frame. The handshake for now has been postponed. They will be coming here to the Middle East to check our outfit.....sometime soon and to talk business! Let's hope it happens then.

Below the Company Showroom....and the table across which we were having our serious negotiations!

The London Eye

The London Eye, the tallest Ferris Wheel in Europe.....a visit which I could just about squeeze in to our not so hectic Business Trip!

The London Eye....view from the Queen's Park....and then at the western end of Jubilee Gardens where it is located and finally from across the bridge on the River Thames.

To see the view from the top....a day to remember....nay the night....the ticket, a mere £ 15.50!

Meet Harrods from Harrods!

Being in London and not going to Harrods would have been unthinkable! So off we trotted to Harrods, my colleague & myself. It's massive and beautiful and its got all the Designer Brands....very very expensive! I was especially bowled over by those beautiful Designer Shoes so wonderfully displayed!

We indulged ourselves by having quite an expensive lunch at the Lebanese Restaurant upstairs. Then to remember our trip, bought some souvenirs...lil things for friends and family. For myself, I brought Harrods home with me!

Meet Harrods from Harrods!

Latest Edition!

London.....my feet were killing me....walking down the streets of London in my high heeled boots. I just had to get out of those boots into something comfortable. At Clarks, High street Kensington, London, spied this lil red number......very comfortable and tres chic! My latest edition.....on my shoe rack!

London Fashion Week

London Fashion Week....and I get to attend one of the shows! How exciting it was! Got an invitation from "Luella".....
You are cordially invited to view Luella Spring/Summer '09....

Just being there with all those beautiful people...the clothes, the shoes.....it was amazing! The venue too was very charming.....down the Hyde Park.....serpentine pathway....I went trotting on my high heeled boots. The walk nearly killed me.....but I would have gladly died in the name of Fashion!

My camera battery died out on me....didn't capture many pictures....had to resort using my phone camera!

Reality bites

The voice drones.....
"Earth to Ms.H.
Ms.H, come in."

Who is calling?
Where am I?
My eyes flew wide open
I am falling and falling fast.
I hit plain dirt.....with a thud!
Ground reality hits me
And it hits me hard.

What was I thinking??!!

For a while, my feet had left ground
I was flying up in the sky.
Building castles in the air
How beautiful life could be....

Alas, no this was not meant to be.
Reality is but heat, dust, humidity & drudge
In a foreign land all alone.....

Ms.H?

Ms.H?
Uh...Yes? That's me.
How are you?
So far so good....
I could be better though!
Ha ha!

I could always be better!
I could for instance be marooned....
On an island...no office, no phone....
No emails, no deadlines....
Lying flat on the beach....
With a floppy hat and dark huge sunglasses.
A glass of those wonderful colored drinks with a lil umbrella on it...
And him as my own Personal Slave.....my beck & call!
Hmmm......that would be just Heaven!

Alone I am

Alone I came to this world, I know.....and alone I would leave this world, I know. All alone I would be.....this I didn’t know.

Growing up I was pretty much left alone reading, writing, painting, cycling, going for walks.... most of the time. Now as I go about earning my living, I continue with my reading, writing..... and shopping seems to have replaced most of the other creative activities I pursued as a young girl....once again all alone.

Pretty brave.....courageous.....is what I am often told, I am. Courage....I heard.... it’s something what we have to learn and we learn every day...it’s not what’s in you....it’s in every choice we make each and every day. I choose to do what I feel is right....I choose to do what my heart & soul believes in....and my choices makes me live all alone.....

Lately I have been wondering is this forever and how long will it be.....’cause one night is all it took.....one day and I was hooked....

More wine....Interested? Yes!

I seem to have made a faux pas.....ooops! that’ s what I thought and was thoroughly embarrassed. What would he think of me? I apologized immediately but he leaned towards me and said, "No "oops" necessary....it's very cool" and put me at ease right there. This was the start.....

The wine was heady......and into the night we chatted like old friends. It was either the wine or the fact that we were all alone drew us closer and closer. We chatted effortlessly. Anybody seeing the banter between us would think we have known each other for years while the reality was that we had just met. He was a Salesman and he totally sold himself to me! I lost count of time.......the wine was good and the company excellent.

We discovered the uncanny similarity not only in our names but in the way we felt about various issues not to mention our likes and dislikes. He sounded so familiar and I told him so. Have we met before, I asked him? He doesn't seem to recall but then how is it possible that he knows all these things about me? How does he know how I feel and how I am? How does he know what I like and don't like? How does he?

He is everything I would wish for in a friend! He is smart, honest and oh so adorable! He is a Dream? My Reality?.....I have yet to discover. Meanwhile, more wine.....Interested? Yes! I sure am!!

Just thinking....

The conversation continues in my mind.....do not understand certain things but then I was never that bright. "Enjoy the ride" someone says......

It is not the ride that I am having second thoughts......it's what happens next. Then again I wonder, how long is the ride going to last? Just the thought of the ride is making me heady....already. I would like that we stop and smell the roses when we tire and then continue together..... exploring new places.......watching people go by as the sun goes down......for ever and ever...

There are billions of people on this planet earth and it is just one person that I ask for.....why is it so difficult? Tell me why can't we be together?

Just thinking.....

Ramadan once again!

First day of Ramadan. No eating or drinking in the office.....at least in open.....a small price to pay for short working hours - 8.00am till 2.00pm!

I went for shopping late in the evening. I had seen it earlier......just needed to pick it up. What better way to start the holy month of Ramadan by splurging on some gorgeous looking Shoes & Bags! Nobody indulges me......I need to indulge myself!

I love the heels that I got for the simple reason of the color and the stylishly creative heel! The best of course are my boots! It fits beautifully and the heels again are simply gorgeous! Check the Blings on it!

I love what I have shopped! Ramadan Kareem!