Dad is home and we are having so much fun together! The first day I came downstairs and he had cereal laid out and a cup of hot tea waiting. No one makes tea quite as wonderful or sweet as he does! It was a relief to not have to carpool to the embassy since dad took me. He even managed to swing by my office and get me out of work early. We drove home and relaxed for a little bit, then dad took me out to eat. He took me to Applebees and it was wonderful to have someone to talk to! I mean, I could talk to my cat Pebuh, I could chat with family on the phone if I could catch them, but my best friends are in the states and most everyone has left by now. It was a little bit of a lonely existence this past week. I’d been okay before because there had been plenty of people around, but as the summer continues the heat rises and Kuwait empties.
We talked over our salads and then went home to start Desperate Housewives. So it may sound a little weird, but yes dad and I watched Desperate Housewives. It became our “thing” for the summer. Every night after work we would watch two episodes together and sometimes share a bottle of wine. Desperate Housewives was fantastic, but I must admit that watching dad watch Desperate Housewives was funnier than the show. We loved the quick wit and banter and talked and laughed through each show.
So even though we could have ordered our dinner online dad and I enjoyed cooking together. Our favorite meal was sautéed vegetables. Dad would chop an onion, I’d slice some peppers, add some tomato, cheese, garlic and whatever else was in our fridge and we had a wonderful dinner. Of course we also enjoyed the range of desserts in the freezer, but a favorite was the peanut butter ice cream sandwich.
Dad and I had about 4 days to ourselves before Venge and Ana, our next door neighbor’s maids came to stay with us. They were cozy in the living room with a selection of dvds and cable and found ways to busy themselves around the house. All I know is that dad and I would leave for work at 7, come home around 5, find the house spotless, and go to the gym. I loved having transportation and not having to rely on a taxi, so going to the gym was fun. And of course it wasn’t just the gym, it was the Raddison SAS. Nothing quite compares to waltzing into a health club on the beach and being handed towels and utterly pampered as you exercise with the fancy equipment and tvs overlooking the ocean. By the time we came home from the gym the house would be smelling fantastic and dinner would be on the table.
Venge is an amazing cook, and knew exactly what we loved. She’d make lentil soup, a creamed fish, perfect rice, chicken curry, fried chicken, salads, a creamy spinach and rice dish, and a thousand other fabulous dishes.
So maybe dad and I were a little pampered, but they were happy to do it. We gave them freedom, took them to church, made them eat at our table as equals, and listened to them. Ana called the neighbors place “a jail,” but our house was their vacation and a little piece of heaven. The sweet women were a delight to have around and it was great to make a little impact on their lives.
As soon as dad and I had a free night we had our driver take us to some of the local tailor’s shops. The driver interpreted and requested scraps of fabric for Operation HOPE so that the women could make rugs. Most of the tailors knew us or mom already, but the others were happy to donate. We went home with huge bundles of fabric to a delighted Ana and Venge. They washed and sorted the fabric and quickly began making rugs. After they each made a brightly colored random color collage of a rug I commissioned them to make one for me and my best friend. We chose colors that would match our bedspreads for college and slowly watched them form over the weeks.
When Venge ran low on complimentary colors dad decided to take us to the Friday Market. As always there were tons of people, it was very hot, and the variety was overwhelming. Ana and Venge bartered for us and refused to let us purchase anything unless it was a bargain. Our bag was soon overflowing with meters of fabric to finish my rug and make several others.
Over the time they stayed with us Ana and Venge made rugs for: my college dorm room, my roommate, Emily’s room, a gift for mom’s friend in Tucson, and my friend Julie’s dorm room. They couldn’t believe their rugs were going to college and were overwhelmed when I paid them. Ana and Venge cried and hugged me, and tried to give them as a gift, but I felt blessed to help them. The women are saving up for when they return to the Philippines. They want to start a business together and buy a truck so that they can transport fish from the local town to the market. I can’t wait to watch their dream grow!
