Our incredible, awesome, terrific, kick ass weekend...and the start of Camp Griffin...

These people are tripping with their cranes and building!!!! Oh and please click on the picture below for the up close message on the fence. Not only is it not a good idea because they are building that building....but IT"S AN EFFING SIDEWALK...so yes, no parking...it's dangerous and IT"S MEANT FOR WALKING ON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! of course it didn't stop the other two.

So, our weekend started Thursday with the news that Clifton got his residency permit which = new insurance cards coming which = not having to pay out-of-pocket for the baby and waiting for a reimbursement. It's not that we don't have the 19,000 it's just that I didn't feel like parting with it for that many months. The residency permit also means that we can sponsor a nanny/maid, buy vehicles (AND we plan on getting the biggest damn vehicles we can get our hands on...for safety, you know...well...whatever...) AND get a 979 number routed to the house here!

Friday morning we went to Ric's Kountry Kitchen which was the bomb!!! Things smothered in greasy sausage gravy and blueberry pancakes, bacon etc...Okay it was all veal, but at least veal is greasy unlike turkey..so we really enjoyed it and will be back a bunch. Only restaraunt we have walked in and it is full of americans.

We then headed to the Corniche and saw them practicing for the speed boat races that were going on later that evening. Jacob kept pointing at them and saying "Row, row boat???" which cracked us up....um, yes honey it's the world's fastest row row boats.

There is so much to see and do here. Last week we had the best in the world in women's tennis come and play and all the matches were free. That Russian Maria chick won, but Venus et al were here all week. Placido Domingo (spelling could be off) performed, the arabian horse show which was free was going on and now the boat races and cultural festival is going on. Sorry, but Doha is kicking MSC OPAS in the ass.

Friday night Clifton and I got the world's greatest sitter...I mean, this girl is a sweetheart. and we went to The Qatar A&M Club 10th annual Boot Scoot. About 500 there and was sold out. Every Texan in the region was there whether they were Aggie or not. The proceeds go to scholarships etc...and it was really cool to meet all these people. I wore boots but refrained from dancing. Maddie-Mae is kind of being mean. (she still hasn't flipped) and now she is pressing down with her feet and kicking me where you don't want to be kicked.

Saturday we bought baby furniture...it should be delivered on Thursday...I am so excited. We also got a few things to hang in the house...we needed it!

We made some new friends that live down the street 4 villas and they are SUPER nice. They are Canadian like everyone else in the compound. They brought over their yellow lab and Reno and their dog Rosie had a play date. That's the happiest I've seen Reno since we have been here. They also have a two year old son and 4 year old son. They burnt a dvd of a kid narrating the history of John Deere tractors..they noticed Jacob loves them and their kids are the same. It's like little boy crack...hell, it's like big boy crack...the first time I popped it in I couldn't get Clifton to move out of Jacob's view of the tv...the two of them just sat there with their mouths hanging open.

So all of you who know Clifton know that he is the only guy that I believe has held the title Assistant Dean, but would refer to himself as a redneck gangster. Many of you can attest to him driving around in his old pickup to the admin building with his fuzzy dice on the mirror blasting The Chronic, thinking that him and Dre were seperated at birth. You can pull them out of the cotton field, give 'em a PhD and even dress them in a suit everyday...but some guys just aren't going to conform. (Which I appreciate) So when my husband found out he was a fishcamp namesake he was floored. He has done so much for the graduate community...starting Student Research Week as a grad student himself, getting the Aggie Ring policy changed so that grad students could walk the stage with theirs, and then countless things as an admin...but he never expected an honor such as this from such an incredible group of undergrad students. This last week Stephanie and Stephen, his fishcamp co chairs revealed his camp to the 24 counselers of Camp Griffin (Session F Blue) These students are hilarious....you can tell by the pictures. Well, one of them named an album from this past weekend, "Nothing but a G thing, baby" Clifton's favorite...he is now completely excited about Fish Camp. I think his goal will be that Dr. B's and Dr. Stackman's hair stands up on the back of their neck when they hear the mere mention of Camp Griffin. SPeaking of Dr. Stackman...I know he is a namesake this year and Camp Griffin will kick Camp Stackman's ass and Camp Musoma ass (love you Henry...but don't forget where you came from and who taught it to ya ;) ), and Camp Marrs...(puhleeeeze Judy, you may be all perky and crap...but Maddie has made me gain 30 pounds and I can take you now!) ( edit to say, I just found out Judy is a T Camp namesake and because Blaien is one of my favorite students to work with...I partially will take back my comment...except FC>>>>>>>>>>>T-Camp), oh and Camp Thomas....well actually can't talk smack to Camp Thomas..we adore Brenda and her family and Clifton's entire reveal was pretty much orchestrated by her and Patti...so it's a good thing you are a different color and session.

Oh well, here is a picture of the hardworking, studious, mature, intellectual counselors known as Camp Griffin.

Love these two...but I think the above pictures assures us that they will have their hands full!

More later...went to the vegetable and fruit souq this morning where people gave me a bunch a free stuff because I was with the blond haired blue eyed kid and they all just want to touch his hair.