HALLELUJAH!

i really think yesterday (tuesday) was the best day ever. it will forever be remembered as the day the keys to all the answers of questions i had were found. i made a new friend...

...who knows EVERYTHING.

her name is raz and she is from england, although she's malaysian. her husband is british and they have 2 kids. i've seen the kids before and they were always very nice and polite. as it turns out, they have been living here for 8 years (in the complex for 6). not only do we seem to have a similar parenting style (her kids go to bed at 7/7:30, they aren't allowed to play with the mangy cats, etc.), BUT she goes to pilates, yoga, dance/aerobics AND mom-tot groups (even though her kids aren't tots anymore).

so we're going over to her house today at 4. then next tuesday, i'm going with her to pilates. i think monday we're going to a mom-tot group so she can introduce me to everyone. next thursday we may go to lunch with another group where there are a lot of 18 month - 2 year old kids. 

i also learned where to take arabic classes, where you can become members of a gym or a pool/spa club or beach club, where julian can take swimming lessons, where the good public beaches are. HOORAY! i do really like zobia, but as she doesn't really go out, she wasn't able to provide me with this information.

they also have a pet cat who is clean. he came outside last night as we were saying goodbye, and julian went ballistic. at first he was afraid to pet him, then he was patting him and laughing and squatting down to get a closer look. he even tried to ride the cat. (not good, but funny.) so he's VERY MUCH looking forward to seeing the cat again this afternoon. and i'm psyched for my new friend!

moral of this story - raz RULES.