What Is Normal?

Oh, if I could only take you with me on my daily, well, every other day, ok, whenever the hell I feel like it walks through the compound. As I was walking this morning taking in the fresh 71 degree weather, noting how pretty the flowers are, watching the pigeons bathe in the leftover car wash water, greeting the ever smiling workers, and acknowledging other walkers and bicyclers along the way, it hit me. Some of these "normal" daily sights weren't so normal just a little over a year ago. Like, the worker balancing an extension ladder on his shoulders while riding a bycycle. Then there's the gardener in his yellow jumpsuit, red checkered scarf around his neck and head, with his tanned, aging, weathered face wielding a curved knife everywhere he goes or the flat bed truck loaded with villa furniture with just as much hanging off as it has on the bed looking like the Clampetts have arrived in Doha. Who needs lawnmowers when weed eaters will do the job. Or how 'bout sweeping the streets with palm fronds. Don't you do that? Then there's the guard out front with his AK-47 strapped over his shoulder while wearing his flip flops. I dream of getting his picture, but I'm afraid he'd have to shoot me afterwards. I know there are more things that I could mention, but now I'm not sure about what's normal and what's not.
These pics were in my "archives". I didn't actually bring my camera on my walk. I'm not that brave as I do try to be a little discreet, believe it or not. I guess the guy in the pic couldn't handle the ladder and the two propane bottles on a two wheeler.



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