This the 1st official downpour of the season . Wish you were here to enjoy it with me . Ok , according to the Werewolf Watch on my blog , the new moon is tonight . Does that mean tomorrow is the Eid ?Hum ? Well , anyway just wanted to tell you the exciting news .
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
I'm So Excited
Do any of you remember that disco song that starts like this ... "I'm so excited ! I just can't hide it"? Or what about this song ...." It's raining . It's pouring .The old witch is snoring !" ? Can you guess why I am asking these stupid questions? It's raining , pouring , thundering, and lighting outside as I type and has been for a good 20 minutes ! This is really, and I mean really so exciting !
It Rained !
It was a red letter night yesterday evening , it rained here in Tripoli ! Not cats and dogs , but it did rain . It smelled so wonderful . The dust was tamed today ,the wind fresh . I hope it rains some more soon .
Saturday, October 6, 2007
I'm Back !
Hi ! I am back on line now after waiting nearly a month for this new ADSL thingy to get connected . That was a major adjustment in my life ... no Internet . Thanks to Khadijateri coming over and connecting me up to the ADSL , showing me how to use the new programs she put on my computer , all kinds of new and exciting things will happen , so stayed tuned .
Ramadan has really kept me in a whorl this year . I have had lots to do , been busy coming and going here , there , and almost everywhere . Moe has kept me pretty busy being his chauffeur . SO ,what with the cooking and all this other stuff going on I didn't miss it too much , yeah right ! LOL ! Once I get caught up with my virtual world I will write more about whats happening in my world .
Friday, October 5, 2007
Friday, September 21, 2007
New Projects For Libya
I have been telling you all about the progress being made here in Libya , slow as it may be , none the less it is happening . Admitedly much more needs to be done , and the many projects started need to be finished ....... BUT things are moving . Read the below link for a update on what is new in the works .
http://www.iht. com/articles/ 2007/09/10/ news/libya. php
http://www.iht. com/articles/ 2007/09/10/ news/libya. php
I Am Invisible
Recently a dear friend sent this e mail to me.I think it comes the closest to expressing the truest meaning of motherhood. I hope you like it as well as I do .
This is awesome. It was written by Nicole Johnson, who used to do this
in the Women of Faith conferences. Enjoy.
I'm invisible.......
It all began to make sense, the blank stares, the lack of response,
the way one of the kids will walk into the room while I'm on the
phone and ask to be taken to the store. Inside I'm thinking, "Can't
you see I'm on the phone?"
Obviously not. No one can see if I'm on the phone, or cooking, or
sweeping the floor, or even standing on my head in the corner,
because no one can see me at all. I'm invisible.
Some days I am only a pair of hands, nothing more: Can you fix this?
Can you tie this? Can you open this? Some days I'm not a pair of
hands; I'm not even a human being. I'm a clock to ask, "What time is
it?" I'm a satellite guide to answer, "What number is the Disney
Channel?" I'm a car to order, "Pick me up right around 5:30, please."
I was certain that these were the hands that once held books and the
eyes that studied history and the mind that graduated summa cum
laude -- but now they had disappeared into the peanut butter, never
to be seen again.
She's going ... she's going ... she's gone!
One night, a group of us were having dinner, celebrating the return
of a friend from England . Janice had just gotten back from a
fabulous trip, and she was going on and on about the hotel she
stayed in. I was sitting there, looking around at the others all put
together so well.
It was hard not to compare and feel sorry for myself as I looked
down at my out-of-style dress; it was the only thing I could find
that was clean. My unwashed hair was pulled up in a banana clip and
I was afraid I could actually smell peanut butter in it. I was
feeling pretty pathetic, when Janice turned to me with a beautifully
wrapped package, and said, "I brought you this."
It was a book on the great cathedrals of Europe . I wasn't exactly
sure why she'd given it to me until I read her inscription: "To
Charlotte , with admiration for the greatness of what you are
building when no one sees."
In the days ahead I would read -- no, devour -- the book. And I
would discover what would become for me, four life-changing truths,
after which I could pattern my work: No one can say who built the
great cathedrals-- we have no record of their names. These builders gave their whole lives for a work they would never see finished. They
made great sacrifices and expected no credit. The passion of their
building was fueled by their faith that the eyes of God saw
everything.
A legendary story in the book told of a rich man who came to visit
the cathedral while it was being built, and he saw a workman carving
a tiny bird on the inside of a beam. He was puzzled and asked the
man, "Why are you spending so much time carving that bird into a
beam that will be covered by the roof? No one will ever see it."
And the workman replied, "Because God sees."
I closed the book, feeling the missing piece fall into place. It was
almost as if I heard God whispering to me, "I see you, Charlotte.
I see the sacrifices you make every day, even when no one around you
does. No act of kindness you've done, no sequin you've sewn on, no
cupcake you've baked, is too small for me to notice and smile over.
You are building a great cathedral, but you can't see right now what
it will become."
At times, my invisibility feels like an affliction. But it is not a
disease that is erasing my life. It is the cure for the disease of
my own self-centeredness. It is the antidote to my strong, stubborn
pride.
I keep the right perspective when I see myself as a great builder.
As one of the people who show up at a job that they will never see
finished, to work on something that their name will never be on. The
writer of the book went so far as to say that no cathedrals could
ever be built in our lifetime because there are so few people
willing to sacrifice to that degree.
When I really think about it, I don't want my son to tell the friend
he's bringing home from college for Thanksgiving, "My mom gets up at
4 in the morning and bakes homemade pies, and then she hand-bastes a turkey for three hours and presses all the linens for the table."
That would mean I'd built a shrine or a monument to myself. I just
want him to want to come home.
And then, if there is anything more to say to his friend, to add,
"You're gonna love it there."
As mothers, we are building great cathedrals. We cannot be seen if
we're doing it right. And one day, it is very possible that the
world will marvel, not only at what we have built, but at the beauty
This is awesome. It was written by Nicole Johnson, who used to do this
in the Women of Faith conferences. Enjoy.
I'm invisible.......
It all began to make sense, the blank stares, the lack of response,
the way one of the kids will walk into the room while I'm on the
phone and ask to be taken to the store. Inside I'm thinking, "Can't
you see I'm on the phone?"
Obviously not. No one can see if I'm on the phone, or cooking, or
sweeping the floor, or even standing on my head in the corner,
because no one can see me at all. I'm invisible.
Some days I am only a pair of hands, nothing more: Can you fix this?
Can you tie this? Can you open this? Some days I'm not a pair of
hands; I'm not even a human being. I'm a clock to ask, "What time is
it?" I'm a satellite guide to answer, "What number is the Disney
Channel?" I'm a car to order, "Pick me up right around 5:30, please."
I was certain that these were the hands that once held books and the
eyes that studied history and the mind that graduated summa cum
laude -- but now they had disappeared into the peanut butter, never
to be seen again.
She's going ... she's going ... she's gone!
One night, a group of us were having dinner, celebrating the return
of a friend from England . Janice had just gotten back from a
fabulous trip, and she was going on and on about the hotel she
stayed in. I was sitting there, looking around at the others all put
together so well.
It was hard not to compare and feel sorry for myself as I looked
down at my out-of-style dress; it was the only thing I could find
that was clean. My unwashed hair was pulled up in a banana clip and
I was afraid I could actually smell peanut butter in it. I was
feeling pretty pathetic, when Janice turned to me with a beautifully
wrapped package, and said, "I brought you this."
It was a book on the great cathedrals of Europe . I wasn't exactly
sure why she'd given it to me until I read her inscription: "To
Charlotte , with admiration for the greatness of what you are
building when no one sees."
In the days ahead I would read -- no, devour -- the book. And I
would discover what would become for me, four life-changing truths,
after which I could pattern my work: No one can say who built the
great cathedrals-- we have no record of their names. These builders gave their whole lives for a work they would never see finished. They
made great sacrifices and expected no credit. The passion of their
building was fueled by their faith that the eyes of God saw
everything.
A legendary story in the book told of a rich man who came to visit
the cathedral while it was being built, and he saw a workman carving
a tiny bird on the inside of a beam. He was puzzled and asked the
man, "Why are you spending so much time carving that bird into a
beam that will be covered by the roof? No one will ever see it."
And the workman replied, "Because God sees."
I closed the book, feeling the missing piece fall into place. It was
almost as if I heard God whispering to me, "I see you, Charlotte.
I see the sacrifices you make every day, even when no one around you
does. No act of kindness you've done, no sequin you've sewn on, no
cupcake you've baked, is too small for me to notice and smile over.
You are building a great cathedral, but you can't see right now what
it will become."
At times, my invisibility feels like an affliction. But it is not a
disease that is erasing my life. It is the cure for the disease of
my own self-centeredness. It is the antidote to my strong, stubborn
pride.
I keep the right perspective when I see myself as a great builder.
As one of the people who show up at a job that they will never see
finished, to work on something that their name will never be on. The
writer of the book went so far as to say that no cathedrals could
ever be built in our lifetime because there are so few people
willing to sacrifice to that degree.
When I really think about it, I don't want my son to tell the friend
he's bringing home from college for Thanksgiving, "My mom gets up at
4 in the morning and bakes homemade pies, and then she hand-bastes a turkey for three hours and presses all the linens for the table."
That would mean I'd built a shrine or a monument to myself. I just
want him to want to come home.
And then, if there is anything more to say to his friend, to add,
"You're gonna love it there."
As mothers, we are building great cathedrals. We cannot be seen if
we're doing it right. And one day, it is very possible that the
world will marvel, not only at what we have built, but at the beauty
that has been added to the world by the sacrifices of invisible women.
Thursday, September 20, 2007
Things In Three's
Ramadan has been good for Moe and I this year . I think this has to be the easiest year for me personally ,but we have a few more days to go , lol. Even the cooking part is ok . I still am not sleeping well because of those too fluffy-puffy pillows .
The next night as I sat trying to find something interesting on TV the lights for our whole area went into black out mode . I was alone , since Moe had gone out to have JOE . I was stumbling around in total darkness , gathering up all my scented candles , see there was a reason for having so many after all ! Then there was the odd stubbed toe or two . I dropped the lighter . That was so fun , feeling around the floor for it . I found it ! Light them all up . Voila ! Light . Then it began to get stuffy , so I thought hum , I should turn on the AC . I know ..... it was then I started to laugh at myself , no Electricity ! I found in the dark a old fashion hand held fan to cool myself off with , that worked out . I am all situated and comfy , as my momma would say , when the lights came back on , yeah !!!! I turn back on the TV only to discover that the picture had been turned into a very multi-color abstract thing . I tried all the normal tuning , yes I am able to do that ! Nada ! So , until Ramadan is over we will be watching people that are multi-colored , sigh ! No way am I taking the TV in to be serviced during Ramadan .
But before all that happened , we had squatters try to move into our building's utility room downstairs . The police were called . The man arrested . Then he came back here after he was released.The woman decided that anything not nailed down belonged to her , like the carpets in the halls . In addition to that , they were stealing the electricity and water , for a room that has no plumbing .Eventually the police came back out to remove them once again , with the help of the Housing Authority. They were relocated somewhere else . So , now peace once again reigns in The Condo On The Seaside .
We have had several disasters this past week . One, my computer died in the middle of making a blog post .It just went completely black , no warning , no sound , no bells or whistles . I took this very personal . After the initial need to totally panic , I got a grip and cried, as one does ! Then the next day I called the expert , Khadijateri ! She has a good computer guy ; remember I once said everyone needs a guy here ? Well hers is one of the best . Small world he knew her blog .Between the two of them , they got me all fixed up with updated and new programs . I am still trying to find stuff. It is sooooo cool to have neato stuff ! Then she insisted I get the FAST computer service called ASDL here in Libya .That hasn't been connected as of yet but am assured it will be soon . When I paid for it the man wanted my cell/moblie number. I told him that I thought all cell/mobile phones were the spawn of Satan . He looked at me as if I was . He wanted to know how he would be able to call me to notify me the service was up and running ( as if I wouldn't be able to notice that all on my own ) if I didn't have a mobile phone ? I told him I did have a phone , only it was a land line . I think he thinks I am some kind of weirdo .
The next night as I sat trying to find something interesting on TV the lights for our whole area went into black out mode . I was alone , since Moe had gone out to have JOE . I was stumbling around in total darkness , gathering up all my scented candles , see there was a reason for having so many after all ! Then there was the odd stubbed toe or two . I dropped the lighter . That was so fun , feeling around the floor for it . I found it ! Light them all up . Voila ! Light . Then it began to get stuffy , so I thought hum , I should turn on the AC . I know ..... it was then I started to laugh at myself , no Electricity ! I found in the dark a old fashion hand held fan to cool myself off with , that worked out . I am all situated and comfy , as my momma would say , when the lights came back on , yeah !!!! I turn back on the TV only to discover that the picture had been turned into a very multi-color abstract thing . I tried all the normal tuning , yes I am able to do that ! Nada ! So , until Ramadan is over we will be watching people that are multi-colored , sigh ! No way am I taking the TV in to be serviced during Ramadan .
But before all that happened , we had squatters try to move into our building's utility room downstairs . The police were called . The man arrested . Then he came back here after he was released.The woman decided that anything not nailed down belonged to her , like the carpets in the halls . In addition to that , they were stealing the electricity and water , for a room that has no plumbing .Eventually the police came back out to remove them once again , with the help of the Housing Authority. They were relocated somewhere else . So , now peace once again reigns in The Condo On The Seaside .
Saturday, September 15, 2007
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