Well Ramadan started on Saturday. Long days, long evenings, cooking, trying to stay awake after 6pm to cook. All in a days work. We begin this year the fasting of the long summer days. For the next, oh goodness I couldn’t even begin to do the math. Let’s see it moves forward 11 days every year… and there are 4 months of summer and 3 months of day light savings…..so that is lets say 31 x 7 ……oh you get the picture….It will be years before we get to fast short days again. But alhumdullilah we live in a time where fasting is not as hard as it was on the people who came before us…as we have air conditioning. We have the ability to stay cool if we elect to do so.

I think about those who are not as fortunate as myself, the men and women around the world who work in virtual slave labor in horrible conditions, and those who work out in the hot sun doing manual labor. I consider myself fortunate that I have the opportunity to work indoors where it is cool.

I will say that today my daughter and I walked to the grocery store, less than a mile from my home from door to door, but the heat was almost unbearable. I was soaked through by the time I arrived home.

Last weekend we hosted an iftar (pronounced if tar) at our local musalla (moo sal a) Saturday and Sunday night. It was a nice small gathering. Thank goodness. But several people brought bananas, brought bananas B A N A N A S…..sorry…I digress. Well on Sunday I told my husband that what bananas were not eaten we would take home and let them ripen and I would make banana bread. So this afternoon was go time on the bananas and I made 4 loaves of banana bread and a pan of mini muffins. Took one to the neighbor, and I will be taking the other 3 with us on Friday night to the Musalla for iftar. It turned out really good. I found a recipe that I really like on line. HERE It turned out moist and deliciously sweet. I used pecan pieces in it.

Why are walnuts so expensive more expensive than almonds?

I will do a repeat of this process next week if bananas are brought again this weekend.

RAMADAN MUBARAK!!!!! HAPPY RAMADAN!!!!!

Well I am getting braver! Here is my favorite page so far. I have been really enjoying it. I still have a lot to learn about the craft but I find it relaxing and refreshing to do pages like this.

Salaam Ya’ll,

Ok I have been wanting to do this for sometime. I see all the cute ….well that is not the right word….AMAZING art journals that are posted on the internet, and think…..I don’t think I am talented/artistic enough to do that. Well a friend from a knitting list said YES I WAS and of course Katie believes I can do anything (Thanks girl) and so I have started. Not really ready to share it with the world yet, but I have taken a few photos of what I have done…just working up the courage to post one somewhere.

I am now thinking of doing some sort of Peace collage, in my journal. If ya’ll know of some really cool pics let me know. Copyright free of course….

Well my new journey is under way. Thanks again to Katie and Journi, and my other artistic friends who believe I can do whatever I set my mind to.

Ok. I eluded to a surprise in my last post. This is IT!!!! I am thrilled beyond imagination and she is over the moon!!!!!

The official engagement ceremony will be on the 31st of January. (OHHHHH I just remembered something we have all the Valentines stuff out at work you following my train of thought…..just encase decorations at a work discount YIPPEE)
Anyway it will be a small ceremony at home with about 12 people and family.

Since this is my oldest child and it is all new to me,,,,I do not know what to expect. I have not been through one before or even attended one.

None of my Nieces or Nephews on my husbands side have gotten married yet. Sahara who is not the oldest of the grandchildren on that side will be be the first!

I know it will be some sort of religious thing. I will keep you informed as I learn.

I have discovered that you are always learning even when they are 20 years old with the first child…every new step is a new step and new waters to navigate.

I know in Morocco back in the old days and still in some of the villages, the potential groom would bring a bull to the family of the future bride. As a way of showing he was able to support the future bride.

I think it would be hilarious if he came walking down the street with BEVO (UT FANS , which I am not will get this reference…if you are not a UT fan, BEVO is the mascot for UT and a TEXAS LONGHORN BULL)

But can you imagine a longhorn being led by a Moroccan led down a street in a suburb of Dallas. LOL (not to mention it would be coming to the home of true blood Sooners HAHA) Steak for dinner!!!!

Well that is our happy news.

Wow!!!! Another year has come and gone! I know I am a day late, but is just me. One of these days I may get back in the swing of things with blogging.

Plans for 2009???
1. Knit for ME!!!
2. Finish at the community college and get to university
3. Learn more about photography (I am taking a class, for ME)
4. Learn something new in the knitting department
5. Tat more
6. Conquer College Algebra!!!! ( I THINK I CAN I THINK I CAN)

I know my list is not very inspiring but at least I made one. Perhaps I can join my friend in conquering Oragami. I mean seriously girl, it is like you said if a 5 year old can do it….surely two women who are crafty can do it!!!!!

I do have some good news to announce but I can’t just yet!!!!!!! I will write again and tell you the good news.

I had a very interesting thing happen to me on Thursday afternoon. While waiting for a ride home, I was walking through the Student Center and came across 4 of my old students, I had them when they were in the 6th grade. They were sitting there studying together. I sat down and had a chat with them and they asked me about school and my opinion of things.

They had all grown up so much. One of the boys asked me what I was going to do when I was finished. I told him I would teach,,,,,,but that I would be teaching college history, they got very excited about that, thinking that they may take my class one day again, in college. I had to laugh because that was still very child like of them.

We had a nice chat about philosophy and different professors. It was interesting to see them maturing and it seems like it happened just over night.

What an amazing thing to happen to me.

Hanane

One, I love Moleskine notebooks. I have a few of the lined small ones and HINT to all,,,,I want one of the black blank page journals. They are good quality with a nice quality paper and I really want to pick up sketching again.

Two, Why when you bring your camera to campus does it RAIN? I had a plan for a photo session today. Didn’t happen do to rain. There are some terrific stumps that I want to photograph.

Three, Just two words Don Juan.

Four, Anyone want to sign my petition for more hours in a Day? We can submit it via the many different faiths and see if HE/SHE will respond.

Life is busy as always just didn’t want our readers to think we had completely given up on blogging.

Well, Here I am finally at the keyboard after too long of a time away from this blog. But can we all say: “LIFE” Yes that four letter word that gets us all distracted from things we like to do.
School has started back up for me, plus I am working and still trying to homeschool the kidlets.
Busy busy busy. Just call me SUPER WOMAN!!!

The past 29 days we have been in the whirl wind of Ramadan, tomorrow is the last day. Can we now say: “Thank God!” (not being sarcastic…..much). It is just a busy time of year. With all the dinners and the not eating and the late prayers. Next year I am taking Ramadan OFF!!! NO! I don’t mean I am skipping it I mean I am doing nothing else for the entire month!!!!!

I swear, you break your fast you get a burst of energy, you go to the evening prayers and the next time you look at the clock it is 12:30am and you think GESH I should probably go to bed because I gotta get up before dawn tomorrow. Then tomorrow comes and you do it all over again. For 30 days because “WE” never have a 29 day Ramadan EVER!!!!!

Somehow I don’t think that is right I mean at least once in the 20 years I have been Muslim, Ramadan should have landed on a 29 day month right? I mean seriously what are the odds that for 20 years with it moving 11 days earlier each year that it would never land on one of those SHORTER months? HMMMMMM????? I smell a rotten fish in the basket. I guess they think better save than sorry. But maybe with the NEW”high tech”, (astronomy LOL) let nasa decide, we will actually start having a 29 day month. MAYBE!!!!

Well like I said we have ONE MORE DAY….count it ONE!!!! Until Eid on Wednesday. I took the kids shopping for new clothes today, that is always such a beating!!!! The boy was more dramatic than the middle girl this year over what he wanted to wear. Who knew! Then after that ordeal I had to go to work and be on my feet for 5 hours. I am sore and tired. But I am awake because…..well I really don’t know why I am still awake.

Oh yes I do,,,I was going to write an Ethics paper that is due tomorrow and instead I am here typing a blog post instead.

I guess when I wake up before dawn tomorrow and before I go to class at 9am I will write the paper because honestly I am beat!!!! And because it is fast approaching the witching hour of 12:30am when I say, “I guess I should really be in bed to do this all over again tomorrow, God willing”

Good night my dear friends!!!!!

Today as every Tuesday for what about a month now I have gone to the Richardson Senior Center to meet with a very friendly bunch of ladies.

We laughed until we cried today over a silly joke.

We shared our knowledge and love of the craft.

At the end of the day all I had to show for my hours there was a pile of thread.

But I had a blast!!!!!!!

It was a fun time for all I believe. I really enjoy my time with these women. I enjoy my time at the Senior Center. Everyone who works there is nice too.

I thank Mary Jo for starting this group. I really love my knitting groups, but there is something about this group that is so unique and perhaps it is the age difference in the group that makes it unique. Perhaps it is just the thread and the knots.

But I think it is the company!!!!

Ok, I started a thread on one of my tatting groups on Yahoo (Katie i am beginning to think you’re right about groups) about hand-dyed thread. I am by no means a professional, and I don’t claim to be one. Nor do I play one on TV.

I have had success with my Easter egg dye. LOL it is safe, the kids had a great time. We watched it fizz up and make this neat marble texture on the thread. They didn’t have to wear masks and I didn’t have to be worried that I had harmed their lungs in the process. They enjoyed setting them out in the sun. IT WAS FUN! Good old fashion family fun!

So having posted that I had had success with my Easter Egg dye with T-shirts, tights and cotton yarn. I got some responses from the “professionals” saying that I was doing it WRONG that I had to use dye x and process z to create hand-dyed thread. And there was a whole blog post(on blogger) about my Willy Nilly behavior and the consequence that could arise from such. (It’s thread people)

Well let me tell you, I have hand-dyed thread and I didn’t use dye x or process z. My kids had a blast, and if it fades a little or bleeds a little. SO WHAT!!!! It is mine, I did it I am proud of it and who are you to say I was going about it in a “Willy Nilly” fashion. Believe me I do not plan on ever becoming your competition because that is not where my talent is. I know that.

We had a day of fun stirring up dye adding vinegar and watching it fizz. And we got colored string in the process. SO THERE! I even tatted up a bit of trim 4 rings and chains and gave it a little scrub a dub in my hand with laundry soap to see what would happen. Nothing to be too concerned about. (and that was with A LOT of scrubbing)

I don’t know too many people who put their bookmarks or books in a puddle of water. (if they do they should have their heads examined)
I didn’t dye up enough to make a pair of baby booties so no fear of the little angels feet changing color. (Not that I would tat a pair of baby booties with size 10 Cotton) I may go with something a little more elegant than that. After all they would be heirlooms.

So get off your high horses and leave the “Willy Nilly” people to their fun!!!!!