What's Going On !

The other day my good friend took pity on me and drove me to the fabric souk ( market ) here in Tripoli so I could buy some material to have clothes made . This was a tricky endeavor as the souk has moved locations several times .Not the actual soul it's self but the location where the fabric is sold has moved from place to place . I don't understand , along with most everyone else here in Tripoli , why things don't stay in one place. We aren't talking about just fabric either . Other things have a tendency to not be in the location where you bought them last .

But anyway ..... the current fabric market is in the poorer , rougher part of town that I am unfamiliar with and a chicken to drive there myself , not knowing the area well. My friend volunteered to drive me . I had asked her not just because she is a excellent driver , fearless and bold , but she could also keep me on track .

I have this problem when faced with buying material . I have had it for many years now and it used to drive my girls crazy when they had to go with me to purchase material in the past . I go into a store to look at the cloth and get caught up in another world . One in which there is sensory overload ! I see colors that dazzle me in rainbows . I feel soft , smooth , rough , bumpy , silky , satiny , hairy textures . My fingers tingle with the touch . My senses reel with the patterns that beg me to wear them . This one shouts flaunt me ! That one says remember the gown you had in these colors long ago ? This cloth promises to keep me warm in the cold winter to come . That piece says I would be so comfy as a robe , what do you think ? A cat print seductively growls , I will make a animal out of you if you take me home with you ! By the time I make it to the back of a store that sells material I am done for ! Completely confused , unable to make any rational decision at all !!! I have been known to walk out of a fabric store with some very strange purchases that never see the light of day again once I get home with them because they are sooo not what I needed or wanted in the end . But I loved them when I bought them , lol !

That's why I had my friend along . She constantly had to remind me what my mission was , what I needed to buy , and keep me moving along even when I weakened . Several times she had to physically remove me from a store with a stern reminder that I still hadn't made my main purchases yet and to keep on looking ! Now that's a good friend indeed !

In the end I did make a couple of buys that were not on any list but , then life is like that isn't it . Not all things can be planned for and a brilliant piece of cloth that begged me for a new home got lucky ! I can't wait to see how the tailor will translate these dreams into reality for me . A new dress to wear to up coming weddings after Ramadan . Haven't had one of those in many years . Then several dress slacks , along with a couple of long slinky skirts to wear when the weather turns cool again . Several blouses to go with all of those things and a house dress or two for comfort . A whole wardrobe !

After I bought all that material I came home to find my daughter had written me to say that my son in law stood in line at the post office there in the States on his day off to FINALLY mail me my packages that were to have been sent one and a half years ago . I had given up on that ever happening , hence all the cloth and plans for long needed clothes ! I am thrilled beyond words ! I appreciate his sacrificed day off to mail these boxes to me .

Way back last September I rented a post office box here in Libya so that my daughter could mail my packages to me . You may recall I mentioned the adventure here on the blog . Now what started all this P.O.Box thing was that Khadijateri was always telling me how she gets her packages from "home " from her family there in the States . I was dubious to say the least since I can remember the days before internet that it took a minimum of six to nine months just to send a letter to the States , let alone a package .But she swore she got all of her packages and I could too . I was a believer and here we are now . The packages are to arrive in Tripoli this coming Monday .Now , we will see how long it will take them to make their way to Tagura to me . And I hope all the contents are still in the boxes since things have a mysterious way of disappearing sometimes .Keep your fingers and toes all crossed for me .Eyes too if you think that will help also ! LOL !

Moe is struggling to learn all the ins and outs of the Mobile Phone world . He gets frustrated with trying to remember all the complicated steps involved to program his phone .He gets embarrassed having to ask other people for advise that he doesn't catch the first time around , or even the third time , but I encourage him to keep on trying to learn . I tell him it isn't a easy thing he is doing but I just know he can if he keeps on trying . So he gives one more try .

The first night he got the phone he left it laying on the coffee table when he went to bed early . I had stayed up to watch a late movie , when his phone rang .I was surprised , after all it was a brand new number that hadn't been used before . Moe hadn't give the number to anyone yet either . So , who could it be now ? I answered the phone because I was curious and I also didn't want the ringing phone to wake him up . I said hello and at one a.m. I heard a woman asking me who I was ! I hung up . LOL ! Then I remembered WHY I hate telephones ! LOL ! So , Moe has a girlfriend now . He thought it was so funny that his first call was a " mystery " caller ! LOL !

I got my hands on Ken Follett new book , " Pillars Of The Earth " at long last ! I have tracked it down from one person to another here . Always when I contact this friend or that friend that I heard has the book , they have already sent it on it's way to some one new . I captured it and I am planning on devouring it as soon as possible ! I think that's what I will spend this week end doing , reading it , living it , lost in that other world .