Since Friday is the holy day here, Fridays are sort of like Sundays, but on a Saturday. What I mean is, you can lounge around during the day and stay up late the way you might on a Saturday in the States, but the overall feeling of the day is much more Sunday-like: Shops have more limited hours, the roads aren't as busy, families can be found out strolling, and so on. It takes some getting used to, and I have to fight the urge to call home at least a dozen times, reminding myself that my loved ones are indeed at work.
Despite an inability to call my mom (which is a need I'm pretty sure you never outgrow), this was probably my favorite Friday so far. We didn't do anything earth-shattering or exceptional, and that, I think, is exactly the point: It was, finally, a weekend at home.
I spent the morning drinking coffee in bed
and reading Maira Kalman columns
before Andy and I decided to venture out to an excellent cafe.
The cafe is hidden, of all places, in a furniture store (where we ended up buying handmade serving utensils, a gorgeous pillow, and a lamp for our bedroom).
Following was a sunset stroll at the Breakwater, where we browsed Heritage Village (we'd never been) and stared across the water at the twinkling Abu Dhabi skyline.
But we didn't take any pictures.
Because we aren't photographers, and we weren't really tourists. Nope, just your ordinary expats, happy to return to their own apartment, order takeout, and watch some TV. Besides, the most important piece of the puzzle was not what we were doing, it was that we were doing it together. (It reminds me of a line from this song: "As long as I'm with you, I win.")
May your weekend also find you in good spirits and your favorite company. Cheers.
