Several months ago, Bea drew this cover for my novel. She was clearly more optimistic than I was. The top figure is me and the other three the children in the book who are called Emily, Charlotte and Edward. Loosely based on three children you know well.

She is such a special little girl. Yesterday she did two drawings in her Arab class because her teacher was ill and they had no replacement. One of Olivia and the other of me; both so imaginative and well drawn.

Obviously they are all very special and they have been lovely over the past few days. Our tenant downstairs has moved out so we now have a big kitchen to cook, eat and chat in. For some reason this has made a huge difference to family life. The children seem miraculously calmer and I am certainly happier. It is so lovely to have a proper kitchen. I have even started cooking again. Monday lunch was like a ‘scene you seldom see’ cartoon from Private Eye. The children came home to find me cooking lunch in a pinafore.

This evening I inaugurate the kitchen with three of my lovely friends here. White wine and asparagus risotto and lots of chatting; what more can a girl ask for? I am starting to feel at home.

Even the children are getting used to life in Abu Dhabi. When Rupert asked Olivia if she preferred living here or in France yesterday she replied: “Here, it is closer to IKEA.” Now there’s a girl with her priorities sorted out. I prefer living here because of yoga, my friends, Nisar our driver, my Volvo, my job, all the activities the children can do 10 minutes from the house, the people in the office, Schamanee our maid, sunshine and our kitchen……but not in that order. Right now, the kitchen comes first.

Copyright: Helena Frith Powell 2010