The Preparation of ET's arrival has begun...

I am in Oman, counting the days to go back.  Soon, I will be on my way back to Netherlands.  The 15^th is the EDA. Yes, the expected day of arrival.  Not like I have to look up some schedule in the airport.  But, we have a date.  Apparently, these dates are not on the mark.  I really don’t care.  Just don’t want ET coming to NL, before I do.  Want to be there for the whole welcome thing. You know, red carpet, beating of drums, town criers,  Elephants and dancers!  Oh, since it is the Netherlands, maybe we can arrange the Cheese and mashed potatoes throwing event.  Just like the rice throwing in India!!!

The whole experience of getting things in place has been amazing.   While I sit in Oman  making sure everything will be fine when we get back after months, Ingrid is busy doing  the same in NL.   Which is not that easy for her right now. Considering that she is just around the corner for the delivery.  On this side (in Oman), the house is baby-compatible.   Cot, changing table, accessories, safety stuff…Physics and Math books.  The whole works.  And the same process is going on in the Netherlands.   The cot that we have in NL, has an amazing history.  It was used by her cousins, and the draping of it  are from her favourite aunts wedding dress.  Can it get better than that?  No!  

Just the day before, Ingrid got the car carrier for ET from her friend.   A very useful item, and a must, if you thinking of having a baby.  Maxi Cosi they call it in The Netherlands.   It is one of those brands that the Dutch take an oath on when they are born.  So it seems. 

Soon as the baby pops out, even before it is given to the mother, an officer from the municipality stands there saying,

‘Repeat after me!   I here-by swear, to use the Maxi Cosi, nothing but the Maxi Cosi and only the Maxi Cosi’ 

Never leave home without your Maxi Cosi, they say.  If only they knew it is a Bristish owned brand.

In the meantime, we are all set with the design for the Birth Card for ET.  Yes, we know the  name ET will have, and the rationale behind the name.  I even penned a little prose for ET.  The suspense is fantastic.  I know you all would like to know ET’s gender and proposed name and all that.  Well! Sorry I get a narcissistic thrill telling people, 

‘We know, but we decided not to tell!’  

I am joking here.  What I like is the fact that every one we have said it to, has respected that.  Expect form one friend.  Who actually, asked me in different ways. 

‘Oh come on yaar!   We will not tell anyone!’ he says.

'I am sorry, we have both decided that it will not be disclosed until birth’ I say.

'ReallyPromise, we will not tell anyone..so please tell us..’

‘What is the movie we are going to be watching?’  I ask, trying to divert the topic.

‘Ah…he is slowly changing the topic…give us a clue. Shall we guess?’  Giggling like a bunch of Hyana's on Mars.

I nearly want to say go away, using the choicest words in the English language.  But, I don’t!  I just give them a look; an expression of an embalmer. 

Oh..a part of my preparation was  painting the apartment.  And I did manage to do it in a day. I think a decent job has been done.   The only problem now, is that the entire house smells like cat piss!!!  Just hoping the smell will be gone in 2 months.  

 Besides, that I did a bit of art at home with a pot.  It is entirely black. The idea is to, fill it with water and float candles and  flower petals.  It certainly will  give that fashionable Zen look.  And then, ET and us can float around the house looking like The Buddha on crack!  

It never ceases to amaze me at the way things work in this country. Since the day I came back, I have been basically breaking my back to convince an investor of a project that I am trying to initiate.   All I needed to do was a presentation.  Which was always being put off.  This morning, suddenly they are all in a hurry.  They even asked me if I can postpone my trip back to Holland. Isn’t that like asking, can you postpone the delivery.  I flatly refused!  Well, the good thing is the presentation is in a few hours with the investor. He apparently is interested in investing 10 Million Omani Riyals. That is approximately 24 Million Euros.  Some people have money coming out of all their orifices!

I have just about 36 hours to leave….soon I will be home!