Some of you know Max, and we're sometimes asked how we manage while we're away ... how MAX manages!

Firstly, he stays home in Lagos and we have a house helper called Valentine who takes care of him. The main problem is when we get home .. He goes burko! Can't begin to imagine what he'll be like when he sees Shiree after 6 months - she comes home at the end of January.

Happy Christmas to you all!
So, as we end 2009, thought it would be a good idea for a 'year in review' ... It's been a year a bit like having a split personality for Shiree and I. From my side, work continues to be exciting and rewarding. Business in Nigeria is full of interesting challenges. These range from high degrees of personal development to day to day problems. On the personal side, I'm learning heaps about working in a matrix. So much so, in fact, that I believe we are truly involved in a world class 'leading edge' development in our region. When I first arrived it felt so alien that I seriously thought I would have to find another job ... however, never one to quit I am really happy I did not ... This is a GREAT opportunity in an experiment that is moving throughout all big organisations. Daily issues range from having no electricity to run the company or the main Satellite link or undersea cables linking Nigeria with the outside world get somehow severed ... thus creating havoc for a company connected to the world.

From Shiree's point of view, it's been a big year. In the first few months she became so sick with Malaria (among other things) which never quite cleared up. So early in the year she left for England to spend time with her sister, then later with my Brother and his family in France. Happily this came to an end when we met in Chamonix for a skiing holiday. After two weeks, she came back with me to Lagos. This was short lived since we returned to Australia in May for a look at progress on our house (only a one week visit for me). The original plan was to have the house finished by July, for Shiree to stay for the finishing touches. However, it was way behind schedule (in fact will only just be finished by the end of this year - see pictures here). I had arranged to return to in August for a visit which was supposed to be for a celebration ... well, Shiree stayed there, I came back to work and finally we'll be back together again for Christmas.

The good news? Shiree has had a fantastic time designing and overseeing the final touches to our house. The house is just about completed, so that means Shiree will indeed come back 'home' (with me) in January.

Wifey is still back in Oz. Our house is still not 100% finished - though getting closer now. In fact, SHiree has moved in but there are still jobs to complete on the outside like the Verandah and then the garden. Grub is bossing the guys on site around which she enjoys a lot ... and so do they :) Of course, it's been a good time to be home to choose colours and finalise things. Come Christmas we'll be back together and then she'll rejoin Max and I in Lagos.

After we left Beirut in April, Martin started working the day after in Lagos and Shiree went on holiday with Max! In truth, it was the start of our deliberate separation so that I could settle down, find us somewhere to live and also allow our furniture to be shipped by sea via Amsterdam. While away, there’s no doubt Shiree had a great time. She spent most of it with my brother Alan and his wife Lucie and our nephew Shannon who live in Macon, Burgundy. Since they live in a fairly rural situation my brother loves hunting and has a Spaniel as a gun dog … let’s just say that little Maxie ‘fell in love’ with Lillie the gun dog! Now that must have been quite a site to see. Max got used to chasing deer in the open woods and running around like a lunatic. Shiree got used to eating French bread, cheese, ham and drinking red wine! After a while advising the French how to eat frogs, she then went swanning off to the UK to visit Sarah and Charles (our friends from Beirut who have a home in Somerset) and then to spend time with her Sister, Keveena, husband Neil and their family in Winchester. Being with Keveena is always ahighlight for Shiree, but these days it’s even better to see Nolan and Amber - our nephew and niece. Finally, it was the home run and a couple of weeks back in France before Shiree flew in to Lagos this Sunday night. While en route, Max decided to try his Harry Houdini act and had actually chewed his way through the top of his plastic cage. Incredible as it may sound he arrived at the baggage counter with his head sticking completely out of the top (and stuck poor chap). It must have been pretty stressful, but as you can imagine whatever his problems they dissolved in a bundle of yelping dog to see his old ‘boss’)

So, it's been two months, with the exception of one weekend with Shiree, since I saw her Grubiness ... Yep, it's been tough but we manage. From my point of view it's a constant challenge of new and exciting adventures. For Shiree it's just one great holiday! Shiree has been in France and England (mainly France). Life with my brother, Alan has been a great relaxer ... dogs, horse, geese, cat, family ... what more could be asked for.

Well, actually it was the frying pan in the kitchen! So, while waiting for Ice Age 2 to get sorted out on the TV I clean forgot about the olive oil in the frying pan. Great ... next thing I know there is thick white smoke throughout the kitchen. No harm done ... I even managed to clean up the thick black oil stuck all over the bottom. Enough ...

Wanna know what fingeru is? It's a Finance Guru! Believe me ... Grub has real talent in this area. We're talking Forex, Real Estate, Equity planning.