Apricots Today

Trashy Cats...We Can't Get Enough!

2011-10-21T17:30:00.000+02:00

My daughter has spent 5 of her 7 years living in the Middle East.

She has done her schooling in the Middle East up to this point.

She always responds to us with a smile on her face if we talk to her in Arabic.

She will eat seconds and thirds at dinner ONLY on the nights I cook Middle Eastern food.

So, she had some adjusting to do when we moved back to the States.

Her comments after her first day of school here were just so funny.

Mom, everything is organized. You have to raise your hand. Kids stay in their seats at lunch! There is a police man {playground safety person} on the playground. When he blows his whistle...everyone stops and listens to what he says!

Well, after a few weeks I would say she is adjusting just fine. I am so proud of her. Last week she was so excited to take her first trip to the school library. She got to pick any book out of the thousands of books our well stocked school library has. And I just could not contain my laughter when she came running off the bus last week and showed me her prized library book:

Yup. An entire children's book about a trashy cat {eats felafel scraps, sleeps on a torn off piece of Persian rug, lives in the veggie market...this trashy cat is legit!} living in Cairo who tries to sneak into the museum to see the famous Egyptian cats. {Here is a look at our visit to the cats at the British Museum}

I was frankly appalled that someone would write an entire children's book about a trashy cat, but I may have to put this one on her Christmas list.

And...We're Back...Again

2011-10-14T03:16:00.001+02:00

Well Apricots Today followers...
I have some news.

I just love packing. Sometimes on boring days I just fill suitcases with clothes. {NOT!}

We are back in the boring ole USA for a while. We transferred back to the States just a few weeks ago and since then I have been mulling many options over in my head about what to do with this very fun blog. At this point, I have decided to end it on a high note. I will do a few more posts that will wrap up my thoughts on our recent life in Jordan...but stay tuned. We may have many adventures ahead that will spark another blog.

We have enjoyed settling back in the States and seeing family and friends. Culture re-adjustment has not been too bad this time around {so far!}, however...

I am continually shocked at how much food is available EVERYWHERE and have had to ramp up my yoga efforts a bit because I won't fit into any of my clothes if I don't do something drastic! {because I, of course, can't NOT partake in the food available EVERYWHERE!}
We have done a ton of driving and I find the driving very mundane and non-exhausting. I always know where we are. I always know where we are going. I always know what side of the road to be on. I can always count on everyone around me to know what side of the road to be on. I stop at stop signs. I use blinkers. And people around me do the same. It really is a nice system {but boring}!
I was forced to taste test all the new flavors of M&M's {see point one}. So far I have tried coconut, peanut butter, dark chocolate and pretzel. I also found that if you consume a large amount of the different flavors {all at the same time}...you will get a stomach ache. You should try it.

Our Neighbors

2011-09-24T18:09:00.000+02:00

There is an old Arab proverb that has given us some food for thought...

We have some 'interesting' neighbors in our building.

I'll just list the highlights:

It started at 5:32 am one morning.

Gunshots.

Outside our bedroom window.

Upon further investigation {after I was revived from my heart attack}, we discovered that the city came by and shot the neighbors dog.

At 5:32 in the morning. With a high powered rifle.

In front of our bedroom window. Left a blood trail on the front walk.
Here are the facts we collected:

their dog got pregnant
their dog had a puppy
the puppy ran loose and started snapping at people
the puppy got shot {in front of our bedroom window}
the mom dog got pregnant again
the mom dog had puppies
the mom dog got poisoned
the mom dog died
the new puppy tried to eat our daughter on our front porch
I was tempted to report the puppy to the city {but was worried about the gunshots}
meanwhile, during all the puppy drama, the guy next door got married again {a second wife who interestingly, his son who was at university in Russia, brought his father a second wife as a gift upon returning for a visit}
the guy got divorced {from the second wife, she couldn't learn Arabic fast enough}
they crashed a taxi from their taxi company
they made the crashed taxi into a yard ornament
his poor first wife walks everywhere, even though they own a taxi company
and his son travels via roller blades everywhere
they own 15 cars

And this was all in a three month time period. We should have interviewed the neighbor prior to renting our apartment.

Note to self: memorize more Arab proverbs

Out and About: Road Signs

2011-09-13T09:56:00.000+02:00

* These fine photos are brought to you from the Apricot Lady Collection of Random Funniness. These photos were not selected for their composition and/or artistic quality. They was selected purely because of its bizarre content.

I am the Apricot Lady and street signs in foreign countries make me laugh. What did you see crossing the road out and about today?

9/11: A Repost

2011-09-10T16:42:00.000+02:00

The memories I have of 9/11/2001 reside in the same place as the memories I have of 9/11/2005. The following post I wrote a few years back in memory of 9/11/2005 and am re-posting on this 10th anniversary of 9/11/2001. Terrorism is a world-wide tragedy!

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Original post date: November 12, 2009

A day full of emotions and memories recently went by:

9/11 means something to most Americans.

9/11 also means something to most Jordanians.

November 9th, 2005

{In most of the world dates are recorded day/month/year}

We were living in Jordan four years ago.

We heard the noises, the screams, and the sirens as simultaneous terrorist attacks bombed three local hotels. The three hotels formed a triangle around the neighborhood we lived in. Many of our local friends called to see if we were OK. One bomb killed much of the bride and groom's family where a wedding reception party was just underway... almost all Jordanian.

There were many 'firsts' with this attack.

This was the first of its kind in Jordan

The master-mind behind the attacks was a Jordanian.

One of the suicide bombers was a woman.

A sad day. A sad memory.

I took a drive around the city the next day. I had to see. I felt so sad for the people of Jordan. Thousands were out driving and walking despite the warnings to stay home. The streets were full. Flags were everywhere. National colors and pictures of the King were displayed proudly.

The human experience I was a part of that day was the same one I had years before on 9/11/01.

The losses were mourned.

The act was denounced.

The nation was declared strong.

The flag was honored.

The leader was respected.

There was strength and unity in the suffering.

*photos from inside the hotels were from the Jordan Times

Hamburger or Cheeseburger?

2011-09-07T10:16:00.001+02:00

This is an actual conversation we had at Burger King. {I could not make this stuff up!}

BK ~~man~~ boy: Welcome to Burger King. Can I take your order?

Hubby: Yes, I'd like two kids meals.

BK ~~man~~ boy: Do you want hamburgers or cheeseburgers?

Hubby: Hamburgers, please.

BK ~~man~~ boy: We don't have hamburgers.

Hubby: Oh, can I have cheeseburgers then?

BK ~~man~~ boy: No, we have no hamburgers. At all.

Hubby: Oh, then why did you ask if I want hamburgers or cheeseburgers?

BK ~~man~~ boy: {annoyed look}

Hubby: Ok. Do you have chicken?

BK ~~man~~ boy: {annoyed look} Yes, we have chicken. {duh, we are Burger King, of course we have chicken}

Hubby: Then I will have two chicken kids meals.

BK ~~man~~ boy: {annoyed look} Fine.

I guess the next time we want burgers, we'll have to go to KFC.

We're Ba-ack

2011-09-04T12:35:00.001+02:00

These were my observations traveling back to Jordan this week:

Walking through the Detroit airport, my roll-y suitcase and I stopped in our tracks when I saw some bright lights flickering down a small hallway. This is what I saw:

iPod vending machine? Yes. It is.

14 hours later, I was enjoying the cool desert air in our early morning drive from the airport to the city. And this is what I saw:

Making adjustments on the satellite to get the Disney Channel?

{So, I had to borrow this photo from the internet because my camera was packed away}

But, along the airport road next to some of the wealthiest houses in Jordan are Bedouin tents interspersed through the desert. And outside most the tents were propped up satellite dishes.

Conclusion: Each society has its own way of dealing with technology addictions!

Blog-A-Versary & Give Away

2011-08-17T17:54:00.001+02:00

Congrats to the three winners!

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Still on family vacation! Still on a blogging vacation too!

BUT...I can't let Apricots Today TWO YEAR anniversary go by without a GIVE-A-WAY!

Thanks for reading Apricots Today! There will be three winners and each will receive one of these items.

A beautiful hand carved olive wood bowl from Holy Land Designs.

A unique hand made necklace from Green Creations. Rolled from recycled magazine paper.

100% all natural olive oil soap. Made in Jordan.

Here is how to enter...

You must leave a comment on either the blog or the Apricots Today Facebook page.
In the comment, tell me an observation you've made about the culture you live in that has made you giggle recently.
I will pick the three winners that made me laugh the most-est.
I will send to anywhere in USA or Europe and will hand-deliver to any Jordan readers when I am back in September.

Contest Rules:

Enter once, so pick your funniest story.
Any derogatory, mean, or racist comments will be deleted and will not be eligible for the contest! And if you dare do that, I may box up a wild trashy cat and send it to you.
Contest ends August 31st.

Here is my recent culture giggle to get it started:
We were driving through a small town in Northern Michigan and a small convenience store had this sign posted out front: "NOW SELLING ALCOHOL STARTING 8AM ON SUNDAY" {Wow, am I the only one that finds this mildly disturbing?}

My Favorite Cross-Culture Movies

2011-07-08T18:49:00.000+03:00

Because I love crossing cultures and I make fun of myself for all the messes I find myself in doing so...it is nice to laugh at someone else from time to time.

Here are my top 5 movies that will give you the giggles about crossing cultures:

5. New In Town (2009)

A high-powered consultant in love with her upscale Miami lifestyle is sent to a middle of nowhere town in Minnesota to oversee the restructuring of a blue collar manufacturing plant. After enduring a frosty reception from the locals, icy roads and freezing weather, she warms up to the small town's charm, and eventually finds herself being accepted by the community.

4. Dances with Wolves (1990)

Lt. John Dunbar is dubbed a hero after he accidentally leads Union troops to a victory during the Civil War. He requests a position on the western frontier, but finds it deserted. He soon finds out he is not alone, but meets a wolf he dubs "Two-socks" and a curious Indian tribe. Dunbar quickly makes friends with the tribe, and discovers a white woman who was raised by the Indians. He gradually earns the respect of these native people, and sheds his white-man's ways.

3. My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002)

Toula Portokalos is 30, Greek, and works in her family's restaurant, Dancing Zorba's, in Chicago. All her father Gus wants is for her to get married to a nice Greek boy. But Toula is looking for more in life. She meets Ian Miller, a high school English teacher, they date secretly for a while before her family finds out. Her father is livid over her dating a non-Greek. He has to learn to accept Ian; Ian has to learn to accept Toula's huge family, and Toula has to learn to accept herself.

2. Outsourced (2006)

When the call center he manages in Seattle is outsourced to India, Todd travels there to train his replacement. Housed in a new building that looks like an above-ground bunker, the call center is staffed by willing novices whom Todd trains to sound American. One star on the staff is Asha, who teaches Todd that he should learn about India, and proceeds to do just that.

1. West Bank Story (2005)

A musical comedy set in the fast-paced, fast-food world of competing falafel stands on the West Bank. David, an Israeli soldier, falls in love with Fatima, a beautiful Palestinian cashier, despite the animosity between their families' dueling restaurants. Can the couple's love withstand a 58-year-old conflict and their families' desire to control the future of the chick pea in the Middle East?

Check them out.

Independance Day East and West

2011-07-05T23:12:00.000+03:00

We happened to celebrate two Independence Days this year. We were in Jordan on May 25th and in the States on July 4th. You know what I noticed? They were pretty much the same. I guess patriotism is a universal value and a good excuse to blow up things and watch very fast airplanes. Our pictures are proof that even 6000 miles apart...the world really is a small place.

May 25th - geraniums and flags

July 4th - geraniums and flags

May 25th - bombs bursting in air

July 4th - bombs bursting in air

We shot this video from the 8th floor of our hotel room. We had gone to the capital for the holiday weekend and were a bit surprised by the fabulous air show we found ourselves in the middle of.

July 4th - Blue Angels @ Battle Creek, Mi Air Show (photo credit goes to my cousin Sarah!)

Independence is a wonderful thing!

Similarities

2011-06-30T16:44:00.000+03:00

Last summer, I posted some obvious differences between the two cultures we live in that I observed right away upon arriving to the States. This summer I took note of the many things that just seem to be the same all around the world:

1. After a very long and involved battle with a cockroach invasion in our house in the Middle East, we came 6,000 miles to the West and had a very long and involved battle with horse flies. Life has troubles wherever you may find yourself.

2. From the pick up games of football {soccer} that happen in the street in front of our house in the Middle East to the pick up games of basketball that happen in the driveway in front of our house in the States. No matter the language, age, or family background, if there are kids playing, other kids will join. Don't you wish adults would learn more lessons from kids?

3. Around dusk {cue the creepy music}, anywhere around the world, you must be very careful while driving. Did you know there are 60,000 deer/car crashes in our State every year? Did you know that there are 60,000 trashy cats that live by our dumpster in the Middle East? Watch out. I'm not really sure {and don't want to find out} which would cause more damage on a car - a deer or a trashy cat. I do believe the trashy cat would cause more psychological damage.

4. McDonalds, Burger King, Pizza Hut - Why, oh why have these places invaded the entire known world?

5. Of all the places we have traveled in the world, I have observed that for the majority of the population, life is very much about family. A job that provides. Health. Peace. Love. When looking at these factors, the world really does become a small place.

Here's to enjoying your small slice of life in the world today!

Horse flies and all. {swat}

Diary of a Jet Lagged Family

2011-06-26T22:58:00.000+03:00

Sorry. I was too jet lagged to get this photo in focus.

There is nothing funnier than the strange things that happen while one experiences jet lag. I documented our experience the last time we traveled from the States to the Middle East.

This is a story about a family who traveled ahead of time and lost almost a day and most of our sanity too.

We ate dinner at 4:30 pm
Boarded plane at 9 pm
Ate dinner (again) at 10:30 pm
Slept on and off and watched movies until 6 am
Ate breakfast at 7 am
Had a cup of coffee with my breakfast, which I realized was about 3 pm at our destinations local time {that could cause trouble}.
Arrived at first destination at 10 am body time {BT}, 6 pm local time {LT}.
Drove to guest house, showered, watched a bit of TV, ate candy bars.
Kids requested food, I fed them oatmeal at 8 pm LT, 12 pm BT .
I went to bed and 8:30 pm LT, 12:30 pm BT and slept until 1 am LT, 5 pm BT.
Hubby went to bed at 9 pm LT, 1 pm BT and slept until 1 am LT, 5 pm BT.
Son went to bed at 8:30 pm LT, 12:30 pm BT and slept until mid-night LT, 4 pm BT. Played.
Daughter colored until 10 pm LT 2 pm BT and then slept until 2 am LT, 6 pm BT.
2 am LT, 8 pm BT we all ate Cocoa Pops.
I read. Hubby read. Kids watched another movie.
I went back to sleep at 3 am and slept until 5 am.
Hubby and kids went back to sleep at 4 am and slept until 5 am.
We all got in a taxi and headed back to the airport at 6 am.
Had coffee and breakfast.
Flew home.
Cleaned house {loads of desert dust!} and unpacked.
By 10:30 am, I was starving, so I started making lunch. My hubby told me I was crazy and sent me to bed.
Kids watched another movie {that was probably #10 in the last 24 hours!} and both fell asleep.
I woke up at 1 pm and we all ate lunch. The kids cried multiple times they were so tired.
We perked up a bit and went swimming to help us stay awake.
We all headed to bed at 8 pm and slept 15 hours straight!

Another Year: In List Format

2011-06-21T12:20:00.000+03:00

In 24 hours we will be on a plane headed back to the States for our summer vacation! I took these fun comparison shots from the airplane window on our trip home last summer.

Taking off from the Middle Eastern desert.

Landing 13 hours later in the green Midwest.

All that keeps going through my head is: we survived another year!
{I celebrate that no matter what country we live in.}

Our year in review:

I didn't accidentally say any racial slurs. {At least that I was aware of}
I didn't make any obscene hand gestures that started a riot. {At least that I saw.}
I only walked into one men's restroom {and that was in London...where all the signs were in English!}
I survived all my driving adventures and mis-adventures. If I got paid a dinar for every time someone turned left from the right lane in front of me, I would have made a lot of money this last year.
I traveled thousands of miles without getting patted down in too many uncomfortable places. {and I didn't loose any luggage...or kids}
I had the privilege of experiencing many different cultures.
I kept my blog rolling.
I enjoyed working with all the amazing ladies at Green Creations.
My baby girl learned how to read!
I got to see Queen Rania with my own eyes!
I got rid of all my gray hair.
I learned more Arabic.
I got to live in a house with a sea view!!
I survived a few rocket attacks on my city.
I didn't conquer my fear of scuba diving.
I was not abducted by trashy cats.
I survived a near deadly amoeba.
I made friends with great people from all corners of the earth.
I fell in love with London.
I laughed a lot.

It was a good year.

Now I'm ready to go experience some reverse culture shock for a bit.
{and eat lots of ice cream, go to Target, and speak some English}

Police Here and There

2011-06-19T13:42:00.000+03:00

Police in the States: I don't mess with them.

Police here: I may mess with them a bit. {In a respectful way, of course.}

Why? Because there is a lot of room for negotiation here. I adapt well to this part of Eastern culture.

The other day, I could not find a parking spot. I had to run into a shop to buy two items. So, I decided to park right in front of the police hut on a major intersection in town. Of course, the police guy came out and said I couldn't park there. I smiled and said:

"Ya know what? I just have to run into that grocery store right there and grab two things. Can you be so kind and watch my car for me while I'm in there? Come and get me if you need me to move my car. And, while I'm in there can I get something for you?"

He smiled big and away I went to get my shopping done.

And these friendly military police are always happy to pose with a cute little boy who finds them fascinating.

Car accidents are another 'flexible' area. A friend wrote about our most memorable car accident here. I recently hit another non-moving vehicle. {moving vehicles are too hard to hit!}

Poor Prius

Right after I hit the guy {just so you know, I was driving under the influence of 'I have not had my morning coffee yet', it was just too early} he jumped out and exclaimed:

Praise God, You Arrived Safely

I gave him the same response and said I was so sorry. He replied that it was no big deal because nothing really happened to his car. {it was my car that got junked up}

I asked him if he wanted me to call the police.

He looked at me like I was on drugs and said:

What will they do?

I don't know. I could have asked them to bring me some coffee...and I think they would have!

Out and About: Seven Eleven

2011-06-16T16:52:00.000+03:00

* This fine photo is brought to you from the Apricot Lady Collection of Random Funniness. This photo was not selected for its composition and/or artistic quality. It was selected purely because of its bizarre content.

I am the Apricot Lady and I went in to this Seven Eleven looking for a big Slurpee machine in the back. All I found was a guy praying with a sticker pointing to Mecca on the freezer door. I figured for some, that adds a new level of convenience to this convenience store. What did you do out and about today?

Nobel Peace Prize Candidate?

2011-06-14T20:10:00.000+03:00

I was recently downtown in a tourist shop looking for some gifts. Since this area of the world is full of olive groves, there is a vast assortment of items carved from olive wood. I glanced up on the shelf and saw this display:

Yup, there's:

David with his junk hanging out
Mary {a very man-looking virgin} with Jesus

Salahadin with dagger in tow (or perhaps Lawrence of Arabia, since that film was shot near here)
Some crusader guy with cross in tow
and...
Batman

I think this shop owner should get points for promoting peace in the Middle East. He just goes to show us that there truly is something for everyone!

And really, if there were any problems, Batman would take care of it.

Out and About: Roadkill

2011-06-09T16:32:00.000+03:00

* This fine photo is brought to you from the Apricot Lady Collection of Random Funniness. This photo was not selected for its composition and/or artistic quality. It was selected purely because of its bizarre content. Photo credit goes to my good friend Jason on this one...someone who I admire for making my husband pull the car over in the middle of the night on the desert highway to 'get the shot'. {no, we were not the unfortunate souls who hit this thing}

I am the Apricot Lady and being from Michigan have seen many different kinds of roadkill in my day...but was a bit disturbed by this one. What did you hit out and about today?

Made in China: It Just Might Make You Curse

2011-06-07T13:31:00.000+03:00

I have discussed before the severe lack of shopping in my cute little city. {Which works out great for saving for our kids college funds!} But, at times get a bit frustrating. AND when you do stop into a store, hoping to find what you need, MOST items available are made in China. There are apparently many different grades of made in China quality...and we definitely receive the bottom of the barrel.

Below are the instructions that were printed on the back of a vegetable peeler that one of my friends purchased. This entire essay seems to explain the problem we find with made in China products...including the major F bomb you will find toward the bottom. What in the name of all things to do with vegetable peeling are they trying to explain?

Peeler Usage Manual

With gratitude meaning you use the product of the my firm, very much from the bottom of the heart. Please must take a look first this manual before using, in order to use in the exactitude. Pleasing furthermore must keep this manual.

Attention: Please at the time of dismantling wrappingly, be carful and do not run into the knife blade, because of for mow the wound hand easily.

The attention that use the top orders:

Please at before using have a meal first rinse liquid that having and using cleaning empress use again.
Divided by the vegetable, fruit exluding, cannot used for the other. It is in view of the fact fo fake the thing of the blade, so while using please watch for the safety.
The handle is placed in to slip away the slippery appearance descend (oil, water, wash away dirt etc) to please do not use.
Were sliced the object accumulate the small time, pleasing watch for the finger do not want to touch with blade, because incaution cut the hand easily.
The absolute prehibition against child uses alone. While using must adult together, teach to the right operation method in chile, in well carefully of foundation, send greeting the whole usage.
Descend to please do not use at the appearance that transformed.
Under the heavy circumstance in burthen please avoid usage, for cause like this and easily the product transforms.
Please do not used for the strong and tough material, cause razor blade indentation, mistake an etc. easily.
Please do not put by the side of fiety and near. Because the resin may take place to melt, burn, transform the excrescent circumstance in etc.
Please wash, clearly wipe using to fuck, make it kept to the best dry, whereas, cause easily the rust, germs breeds.
Such as usage the metals brush, grinds the powder, etc. wash away dirt, cause the wear and tear easily.
Please place the place that can not take in the child takes care of.

Out and About: Rough Day in the Desert

2011-06-02T10:08:00.000+03:00

I am the Apricot Lady and I have many theories about what happened to this poor ram. What conspiracy theories did you come up with out and about today?

Out and About: Too Bad if You Want It

2011-05-23T18:34:00.000+03:00

I am the Apricot Lady and I WAS in the market for a 25+ year old poop brown colored Mercedes...but I guess this one was not meant to be. What did you find disappointing out and about today?

A Night with Her Majesty Queen Rania

2011-05-20T13:24:00.001+03:00

After my major 'royal fever' disappointment last month: Will and Kate went to Figi or something like that for their honeymoon...B.O.R.I.N.G. {I think it had something to do with the 'minor' world event that played out in Afghanistan the day after their wedding. World events never have good timing.}

Anyway, It was all redeemed last night!

We had the privilege of attending the graduation of the Red Sea Institute of Cinematic Arts {RSICA} at a beautiful resort here in town.

AND.

Her Majesty Queen Rania attended to celebrate with the graduates and hand them their diplomas!

Fun Facts about RSICA: In 1989 Steven Spielberg was directing "Indiana Jones 3" in Petra. He became friends with Prince Abdullah {who became King in 1999}. Later His Majesty sought Spielberg's advice on setting up the first MFA program in Cinematic Arts for the MENA region. In 2006 a partnership was established with the University of Southern California of Cinematic Arts and in 2008 the school was started in Aqaba, Jordan.

Here are my observations after reflecting upon this delightful experience:

1. Security was not that tight. I actually had major doubts that she would be attending because of the low security. I mean, there were a few secret police sitting in the audience. {nice looking men sitting in the audience, nicely dressed...alone...with no date...too obvious}. We had to go through the normal hotel security to get in. And she, of course, showed up with her security entourage {which were just more nicely dressed men...who could probably bench press me a few times}. But, hey! She is the Queen of an Arab country. I found it endearing that security was not nuts.

She was sitting in the front row next to the balding guy, in front of the priest with the big hat and long hair.

2. She was not the main speaker. In fact she did not speak publicly at all. She sat in the audience. She walked up on stage at the end to hand the graduates their diplomas. She shook some hands and squeezed the cheeks of some babies and then was off. She did not make herself the main attraction. The ceremony was full of the personality of the film school and the creative, accomplished graduates. She is the Queen of an Arab country! And it was not about her. It was about her honoring the graduates.

The beautiful Queen Rania is standing in the middle in the white dress

3. She spent a few minutes talking to the graduates. Can you imagine what this must have meant to them? After the photo that was snapped above, she turned and quietly talked to many of the graduates. The ceremony was still going on and we all just waited as she personally took time to do this. That was classy to me. She did not just show up to shake hands. She showed up and made an effort to personally congratulate them.

4. She was elegantly simple. This came across to me in the low security and the way she honored the graduates. She just did not make a big deal of herself. She was dressed in a simple summer dress. Her hair was down. She came, she watched, she left. Simple said a lot about her.

Image by Nasser Ayoub from jordantimes.com

5. What a country! Since we moved here years ago, I had a goal of actually meeting the Queen some day. This country in the size of Indiana! And I didn't think my goal was too unreasonable. Last night I got a step closer. I still would love to meet her and speak with her. In fact, during the ceremony I ran through some ideas of what I would say if I had the chance to meet her. I figured I would have time for 7 words max. This is what I came up with:
You are just so cute. {lame}
Will you introduce me to Will and Kate? {too selfish}
I watch you all the time on youtube. {sounds too creepy stalker-ish}
Thank you for what you do for arab women. {too obvious}
God give you and your family strength as you lead this country. {true, but she probably hears that all the time}

So, this is what I settled on:
Queen Rania. You rock. {I figured this may be the perfect opener for a great conversation!}

Would You Run 242 km All Night Long?

2011-05-18T13:57:00.003+03:00

Well, I have neglected my blog these last few weeks. No good excuse...just living life!

Here is something fun to watch.

Dead 2 Red from Joe Thomas on Vimeo.

My husband ran in a race at the beginning of March called the Dead to Red. Yup, that means they run from the Dead Sea to the Red Sea...that is 242 km {150 miles!} ALL. NIGHT. LONG. through the desert. The teams can have up to 10 runners and they are able to choose how the race is divided among the team. The video above documents how his team ran the race.

He did this race in 2005 as well. He says it took him 6 years to recover before attempting it again. INSANE.

Scott running in 2005 Sunset @ the Dead Sea

After the race this year, he submitted an article to a national magazine and they published his story.

2011...still running.

So, would you run 242 km all night long?

Not me.

I'm boring.

I usually just sleep all night long.

Out and About: The Pharmacy

2011-05-10T09:32:00.000+03:00

I am the Apricot Lady and I run down to the corner to get my drugs. What did you do out and about today?

Savory Sunday: Potato Salad

2011-05-08T20:01:00.000+03:00

Back Window Wisdom

2011-05-04T20:59:00.000+03:00

I gather a wealth of wisdom off the back windows of pimped out cars. Most of them are Kias or Lancers {yes, those really fast ones}. There seems to be this trend among young men to put inspiring quotes in their back car windows using big window cling stickers. Usually in flowery writing. Some in Arabic. Some venture out in English. These are the ones that really changed my life this week:

Dream Nice. Hit Your Target.

King of the Rood

Oh Brother, You Are My Heart

Lovely Heart. What Dreams Are From.

But the one that wins it all this week:

Looks like we all have two options...

I Love/Hate This Place

2011-05-02T21:04:00.000+03:00

Well, here we are again...with major world news unfolding before our eyes.

And here I sit again.

Wondering why I decided to write a blog about humorous things I find in the Middle East when the last few months have been a little less than humorous around here.

The other day {it had been one of those days!} I had to force myself to make a list of all the things I love about living here. {Anyone ever have those days?} I'll share some highlights:

school uniforms {never any clothes drama in the morning!!}
fresh squeezed lemon with mint drink
seeing religion play an important role in everyday lives
sea side living - slow pace
sun almost every day of the year
the people I work with whose lives are being changed
friends from around the world {our gatherings look like a session of the U.N.}
the lack of temptation for consumerism {because there is not a whole lot to buy here!}
nutella {it literally tastes good on anything}

okay - so a lot of my list has to do with food

but there are many more things...trust me!

Now unlike the picture my happy happy funny funny blog portrays, I also hate living here in many ways. You wanna hear them? {tell Pollyanna to go in another room for a minute}

we live under constant stress and anxiety because of language, and culture, and raising kids in a foreign land, and driving, and working, and terrorists, and...
recent world events have torn our hearts out, infuriated us, built up compassion, and made us want to puke all at the same time
we will never understand all the nuances of the culture we live in
we always miss our friends and family
cryptic warning messages from the State Department {which all became clear last night}
we have suitcases and stuff and houses all around the world {I must be part sheepdog as I exhaust myself trying to herd everything all the time}
and the biggest one this week: Will and Kate postponed their honeymoon! Is there no end to the bad news on BBC? She was going to be my best friend. Boo.

Well, this has been a long ramble. And if you are still with me, you probably expect me to end this with some great quote about how trials and struggles build character and wisdom {which they do and I know they will}.

But I have no such quote.

My only solution right now is to try to find the best thing in my pantry to spread nutella on and have a little feast. Gotta run!

Savory Sunday: Banana Chip Biscotti

2011-05-01T20:54:00.000+03:00

Out and About: Cats

2011-04-28T14:40:00.000+03:00

I am the Apricot Lady and I laughed an evil laugh when I saw this little kitty stuck in this big palm tree. {I know, I am just wicked.} What did you laugh at out and about today?

Royal Fever

2011-04-25T12:03:00.000+03:00

Okay. Now that the word is out, I can blog about it.
Kate Middleton and I are best friends. {not now, but we are going to be}
This is why she is coming to visit me on her honeymoon. {she just doesn't know it yet}

Why are we {going to be} best friends, you ask?
We have so much in common:
I went to London for Christmas.
She is coming here on her honeymoon.
See?
A lot.
Hey, I even walked through Westminster Abbey. I WAS where SHE is going to get married!

I married my prince.
She gets to marry hers.
{and mine is not in line to be in charge of a country...I prefer it that way}

I am a commoner.
She is a commoner.

Although the list is long, I won't go on with the other things we have in common.
I think I've made my point.

I'll let you know if I spot her!
You guessed it...I will be stalking!!

Out and About: Fresh Produce

2011-04-22T13:29:00.000+03:00

I am the Apricot Lady and this is how my lettuce is delivered to my grocery store. What did you see out and about today?

Savory Sunday: Maqlubeh ("Upside down")

2011-04-17T16:12:00.000+03:00

Out and About: Transportation Options

2011-04-14T11:09:00.000+03:00

I am the Apricot Lady and I have transportation options: a mini-van or a car-a-van. What were your driving options out and about today?

The Evidence of Adventures

2011-04-12T11:34:00.003+03:00

Sometimes the boys of the family feel the need to get away on adventures on the weekends. So they just take off and go hiking or snorkeling or some other grand adventure.

I feel happy that they get time alone together. They get to climb and get dirty. They love that stuff.

Then they come home with evidence of their adventures.

Pictures like these:

There he lays. My only son. On the ancient high place of sacrifice. A mothers heart does not find this comforting.

There he is again. My only son. With his legs going in all manner of different directions.

Am I the only one wondering what will happen when my son {my only son} wants to breathe? Air. Since his snorkel is full. Of water.

Then there is this one...

This time they dragged my little baby girl into it. My only baby girl. Dangling off a cliff. I won't even comment on the dangling position of the photographer {my hubby!}.

But when I see what the camera captured...

The evidence of their adventure makes my heart smile.

Savory Sunday: Double Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies

2011-04-10T13:03:00.000+03:00

How We Turned Out the Way We Did

2011-04-07T10:35:00.000+03:00

Our parents tried their best to provide us with the perfect childhood.

house in the ‘burbs

swing set and playhouse in the back yard

birthday parties with balloons and pink cake

a dog and a cat

hand-sewn Halloween costumes…

the whole package.

Our childhood neighborhood in the burbs.

Fast forward thirty years. Our parents look at the lives that their daughters live, scratch their heads with a mixture of amused puzzlement and mild horror, and say: “How did this happen?”

On the surface, the crazy lives that we two sisters live may not have much in common. To begin with, one of us [the one who normally writes this blog] lives in the Middle East and the other [the guest blogger, yours truly] lives in Detroit. But, if you go back far enough [as all psychologists will tell you that you need to do], the common denominator in much of the craziness of the lives of these two sisters begins with these three words:
Salt Lake City.

Those mountains were the backdrop of our childhood.

Our Midwest family was transplanted to Salt Lake City, Utah in the late 1970’s. It was a very different place than the one from which we had come. We didn’t know anyone there. It was arid. There were mountains. Plagues of grasshoppers. And it was Mormon. Very Mormon. And we weren't.

Let me enumerate just a few of the ramifications and effects that this environment has produced in our adult lives:

Cultural Outsiders

Living as minorities in a majority culture is something that few WASP-y children in the U.S. have the opportunity to do, yet this is what Salt Lake City provided for us. I’m not just talking here about living as non-Mormons among the Mormon majority, although there were plenty of cultural mysteries to be unraveled there. I’m also talking about things like puzzling over what could possibly be fun about trying to cheat death by plunging down a snowy, tree-lined mountain on two waxed pieces of board.

We became used to knowing that there was probably some kind of cultural explanation for what was going on around us but often not knowing at the time what it was; aware of some kind of cultural undercurrent that we couldn’t exactly put our finger on. And thus our “normal” became the position of the cultural outsider and was a medium that we eventually continued to seek in life.

Danger, Smanger

Places where other people generally don’t want to live or vacation [like, for example, the most dangerous city in America] are attractive to us. I don’t have a good explanation of this one. Perhaps it was the fact that we saw mountain lions roaming down the sidewalks of our suburban neighborhood or, more simply, that our parents took a significant plunge in moving to Salt Lake City to begin with. With the exception of skiing, my sister and I take a fairly fearless approach to trying new things in life. While realistic about the possibility of violence or danger […yes, it is in fact a possibility that I could get mauled by a mountain lion while walking to my friend’s house], the threat of it didn’t consume us.

Hair Problems

Maybe we can’t blame this one on Salt Lake City as much as the fact that the ‘70’s and ‘80’s were just a very bad time for hair. So, hair savoir-faire is just a vanity that both of us have had to put aside in our current places of residence. My sister has blogged on this extensively here and here and here. And don’t get me wrong – my dear friend Ms. Brenda of the Designed to Shine Salon has always done right by me. It’s just that I’m the only person who ever comes in asking for a perm to make my hair curly instead of straight.

A Love of Strays

Having been an outsider, one develops a lifetime compassion for outsiders and strays. This includes animals, people, and in my case, buildings. This leads to my last and final point…

Photo from a fascinating project about Detroit you can see here.

A Love of Lost Causes

I have an incredibly deep love of things that are unlovable and for lost causes. A delightful afternoon for me is tramping through an eighty year old abandoned building with a client, stepping over squatter’s trash and the crumbling remains of the collapsed ceiling, and thinking about how beautiful the building was and how beautiful it could be again. This is also why my sister and the group of women that she works with craft recycled trash into works of art. We share a vision for transformation – for the possibilities that transcend what things are and offer a glimpse of what they could become. Because, in our belief [a belief, that I do believe is shared by our parents], there may be lost causes but there is truly no lost person. There is Hope for everyone. Even if they did grow up as an outsider in Salt Lake City.

An Idealistic Childhood

2011-04-04T21:36:00.001+03:00

Sometimes I like to lay around and feel bad that I have totally messed up my kids because of the decisions my husband and I have made about living overseas.

After all, I am forcing them to give up a 'normal' childhood. We brought them both home from the hospital to our typical house in the States. It was nestled on 5 acres out in the country, 1/2 way between two great West Michigan cities. It was an all brick ranch. It had all original oak wood floors. There was a barn on the property. There was a mini-fruit orchard in the backyard. A home-made swing hanging from a big branch. When I would come get my small boy out of bed in the morning, I would often find him laying on his stomach with his head propped up on his hands, looking out the window and watching deer walk through our backyard. It would have been a typical mid-western up bringing. An idealistic childhood.

Then we moved.
And sometimes I start feeling all bad about the 'good' things my kids may be missing out on.

Then I find stuff like this in my kids notebook and I don't feel so bad anymore.

Translation: I skipped school and went to Little Petra. There are lots of caves. And everyone knows that there are lots of mountains. I like goats. I pet a Billy Goat. I saw a donkey. I climbed a mountain. I went to Little Petra, not Big Petra, Little Petra. And a Bedouin that had no teeth that was cross eyed.

{Just so you know, the Bedouin that had no teeth and was cross eyed was from a different trip we took. For some reason, she felt the need to document it on this trip, however.}

Little Petra, not Big Petra, Little Petra

Stuff like that makes me think of all the things my kids are gaining from this wonderful adventure we call our lives.

they have friends from around the world, I can count 10 nationalities off the top of my head!
they eat all kinds of things and don't complain
they have strong immune systems!
they are aware of world news and world history in a way I never was at their ages
they see people everyday that live in poverty and are often suggesting ways to me that we could help them
they are exposed to different religions which allows them to contemplate their own journey of discovering who God is
AND they get to skip school and hang out with toothless, cross-eyed Bedouins

What more could you ask for?

It may not be the idealistic mid-western childhood that I always imagined my kids having. But it is a surprisingly wonderful alternative.

***********************************************************************

{A few days after I posted this, my sister wrote this beautiful piece on our childhood.}

Savory Sunday: Pecan Rice

2011-04-03T14:15:00.000+03:00

Out and About: Sport Max

2011-03-30T12:10:00.000+02:00

Veilkini Swimwear...Now You Can

I am the Apricot Lady and...now I can. What did you discover out and about today?

Savory Sunday: Mujadarah

2011-03-27T14:20:00.000+02:00

Give-Away Reminder

2011-03-26T11:56:00.000+02:00

March 26, 2004

Our first day in the Middle East! What an anniversary!

Look at my little babies!!

Don't forget about the give-away for March! I will randomly select one fabulous Apricots Today follower and will send them a gift: a recycled newspaper basket from the wonderful ladies I work with {who now have their own Facebook page!} ...and the basket will be full of Jordan almonds. What fun!

Want to be part of the action?

Head on over to the sidebar {on your right} and follow Apricots Today via Blogger, Networked Blogs, or Apricots Today Facebook page.

I will be selecting the winner on March 31st!

Out and About: Billboards

2011-03-24T16:49:00.000+02:00

I am the Apricot Lady and I wonder if Adidas is really a con OR if the advertising manager just got fired. What did you do out and about today?

The Truth

2011-03-23T14:42:00.000+02:00

I want you all to know I am committed to blogging the truth.

I simply report what I see. I don't make things up! {and if I do, I'll tell you}

So. Here is the plain, simple truth.

We moved from Michigan. Today in Michigan, schools were closed because of snow and ice.

We moved here. This is what we did after school this week.

We just ate some snacks.

We just enjoyed the view from the couch.

We just played with some toys and friends.

There you have it. The truth.

{please disregard this post come mid-July when I am melting in the 120 degree heat}

Savory Sunday: Irish Soda Bread

2011-03-20T20:22:00.000+02:00

Around the World

2011-03-19T11:33:00.000+02:00

I went to my first virtual party today.

I met people from all around the world just sitting at my computer.

A very cute blogger in the UK hosted the party and I am very glad I went. {Don't tell anyone I was still in my pajamas!} Stop on by to join the fun.

Out and About: The Farmer

2011-03-16T19:56:00.000+02:00

Is this where my XL eggs come from?

I am the Apricot Lady and I apparently eat eggs from fleshy hens. What did you discover out and about today?

Savory Sunday: Grandmas Rolls

2011-03-13T13:18:00.000+02:00

Nuns...Bikinis...Camels...and My Husband

2011-03-12T11:54:00.000+02:00

It can only be described as a once in a lifetime moment.

I stand in those moments and usually laugh and ask:

How is the world did I get here?

Let me start from the beginning.

We live in a 99% Muslim country.

Muslims are very conservative people.

I respect that.

I try to dress in a way that shows I respect their standards of modesty.

For instance: I NEVER wear a swim suit on the public beach. It would just be a mess!

Well, we {hubby and I} were invited to an event in town that I NEVER would have come up with in my wildest dreams living in the conservative town that I live in....

A Brazilian bikini fashion show to promote conserving the beautiful environment {ie: sea life and coral reef} of our community.

I was invited to display the recycled crafts from the ladies I work with. My husband was invited to give a speech on recycling as a representative of the only recycling company in the country that he consults for.

Hubby giving his speech. Why does he look like Jesus, you ask? My nice camera had a horrible accident and I had to use my iphone camera. Iphones don't work well at night with stage lights.

It got really exciting after the speech.

{that was not meant to be a reflection of your speech, honey}.

{He could just not complete with what happened next}

Belly dancing. See what I mean?

Then...

The bikini models arriving on camels.

Don't worry, it gets better...

Yup. A Brazilian bikini fashion show.

You want to know the best part of the evening for me?

I was not sitting in the crowd since I was standing by all my wares on display. Therefore, I had a great view of the crowd. All night long, all I could do was stare and giggle at my husband. He was sitting in the front row. Watching the bikini models bounce down the runway. Sitting in the middle of three nuns.

The nuns run a Rosary School in town and were there to support their students who presented the work of their ecology club. Yup. Nuns. Watching belly dancers. Camels. Models. Bikinis.

Next to my husband.

I was inspired to save the coral.

Out and About: The Butcher

2011-03-09T13:21:00.000+02:00

The day I became a vegetarian

I am the Apricot Lady and I shop at a butcher that has a recently decapitated cow head hung as a decoration. Dangling tongue included. What did you do out and about today?

Mummified Cats

2011-03-07T13:55:00.000+02:00

We had planned a spring break trip to go see the pyramids in Egypt.

We decided to cancel the trip.

{although I bet we could get killer deals at hotels}

{maybe we should reconsider}

{I know, my bargain shopping skills will stop at nothing: Overthrown government? So what!}

I digress.

Thankfully, while we were in London we spent a day at the British Museum. THAT is an amazing museum. {and free!} It seems that England has plundered the world. {but don't tell anyone else, ok?} They had bits and pieces from every civilization.

Our kids loved the tour/treasure hunt through the Nile River display. They really enjoyed the mummies. {Gross. Icky. Kids would dig that!}

Well, as we walked past the display of mummified cats, I giggled.

I told my hubby on the way out that I had decided on a souvenir I wanted from our trip to London...a mummified cat.

He said quietly, under his breath..."Those are the best kind."

{That guy is funny!}

So, as a tribute to not being able to see the pyramids in Egypt this year, but to seeing the mummified cats from Egypt in the British Museum {that is a ridiculous tribute!}

I present to you, my favorite Middle East trashy cat moments:

1. the cat who has a record: breaking and entering

2. the cats that have Internet
3. the suicidal cat

4. the cat with bling

Savory Sunday: Granola

2011-03-06T12:20:00.000+02:00

Bread: The Start of Revolutions?

2011-03-01T15:29:00.000+02:00

I have had a bad case of writers block recently. I think it has to do with all the events happening in the Middle East. We watch the news every day, amazed. Revolutions all around us! This is not the right time to put up some funny blog post about a recent cultural blunder or quirky difference I've noticed.

The protests that are spreading through the Middle East are at their very basic a call for a smaller gap between the rich powerful figures and the poor, struggling, common man. Unemployment is high. Food prices are going up. The common people are ready for some real solutions.

I couldn't help but think of all these issues as I was grocery shopping this week. {I have lots of time to think as grocery shopping here is usually a six-stop adventure!} I found it very interesting how much food buying costs and habits say about culture values. Interesting even more is how much of what is going on in the Middle East can be discussed over bread.

Bread

Arabic Bread. Yu-um!

The Venue

The big bakery downtown.

The Process

I walk in with my change. The bakery man weighs out the bread, puts it in a bag, and off I go. They work fast, so in and out takes about 30 seconds. {Which is good because I am usually triple parked with a police man giving me evil looks!}

The Cost

I buy bread according to how much I want to spend - usually 35 fils {50 cents in USD} worth for the week for our family of four. This is WAY less than the average local who probably goes through that much for their family in one day, as bread is a main staple.

Bread: Cultural Lessons

Bread here is viewed as a very basic provision that God gives each day. This has many cultural implications.

Bread is shared. It is important to serve bread when having guests over for a meal, especially for the first time, to express your desire to connect with them. Arabs say if you share bread, you are linked for life.

Bread is sacred. It doesn't get thrown on the ground. Ever. Half eaten sandwiches can be seen on top of cars, tucked in niches, set on fences or stashed in between bricks, but never on the ground.

Bread is a blessing. So, it is not thrown away. If a bag of bread goes stale, most households hang the bag on the side of the neighborhood trash bin. Everyday, people come through the neighborhoods to collect the stale bread to feed to their livestock. The blessing is passed on, not tossed away.

Bread: The Start of Revolutions?

In a very simplified way, the current revolutions may not be as much about power as they are about life and living. People can't afford to buy bread because a few are taking the resources, power and freedom from the masses. The unemployment and dire economics caused by corruption and lack of free commerce is choking entire civilizations. What we may see as trivial {it's just a slight increase in the cost of bread, just pennies after all!}, they see as obstacles to receiving the blessings God gives for life and living. Perhaps this is what makes them willing to die for this. A blessing from God should not be tossed away.

Savory Sunday: Guacamole

2011-02-27T20:03:00.000+02:00

Driving Rant: Brace Yourself

2011-02-21T19:38:00.000+02:00

I realize I live in a country that has a different value system than the one I was born and bred in.

That is just fine with me.

I also realize that because there is a different value system, law and order is interpreted differently.

That is okay with me too.

I realize I come from a society that is very rigid in our interpretation of law and order and I live in a country that is more flexible in their interpretation of law and order.

I can live with that too.

But I realized I have some anger issues when this is all applied to driving. I need to work through these feelings. So, I am going to deal with them right here on my blog, using a formula that I learned to help resolve conflict: When you ______ it makes me feel _______.

So. Here it goes.

When you...

turn left from the right lane, cutting off everyone turning left IN the left lane...
drift to the the middle of the road because you are on your phone, blocking all cars from getting by on either side...
triple park on the busiest street in town...
think putting your flashers on excuses you from doing any number of idiotic maneuvers...
think hanging your hand out the window doing any number of hand motions excuses you from doing any number of idiotic maneuvers...
speed up to get around me and then slow down to a snails pace once you are in front of me {because you don't want to mess up your pimped out Kia on a speed bump}...
honk from behind me the instance the light turns green...
trail my bumper so close I can read your car's VIN number...
park in the middle of the road 'just for a minute'...
let your kids crawl around the car and hang out the window while your speeding down the road...
use your large size SUV and government plates to try to intimidate me to let you have the right-of-way...

it makes me so very, very ANGRY I could just spit!

Moments after I snapped this photo, the light turned green and the taxi on the right...turned left.

Would it shock you if I mentioned that each one of these things happened to me today?

I drove from my house to work and back.

That is about five miles round trip.

I'm just gong to walk tomorrow.

{then I can do a post about how scary it is to be a pedestrian with all those crazy drivers out on the loose}

Savory Sunday: White Chicken Chili

2011-02-20T15:53:00.000+02:00

Fun News AND a Give-Away

2011-02-16T17:42:00.004+02:00

Apricots Today was just selected as one of the Top 10 Jordan Expat Blogs. Pretty cool, eh?

Stop on by to see here. Also, if you are planning a trip or a move overseas...this website is a great place for resources and the inside scoop {you can select just about any country!}.

On this happy occasion, I feel a give-away is in order! I will randomly select one fabulous Apricots Today follower and will send them a gift: a recycled newspaper basket from the wonderful ladies I work with...and the basket will be full of Jordan almonds. What fun!

Want to be part of the action?

Head on over to the sidebar {on your right} and follow Apricots Today via Blogger, Networked Blogs, or Apricots Today Facebook page.

I will be selecting the winner on March 31st.
{mainly because I don't trust the postal system here and my hubby's family will be visiting...so I can send your gift safely home with them!}

***********************************************************************

Congratulations to Alicia M. from Michigan! She was the give-away winner!

Savory Sunday: Chocolate Fondue for Valentine's Day

2011-02-13T20:30:00.000+02:00

What's Going on In Egypt?

2011-02-11T15:30:00.000+02:00

Mubarak made quite a speech last night! Made the issues as clear as the mud from the Dead Sea.

This has nothing to do with Egypt. Just my cute kids playing in the Dead Sea mud.

We have received a rush of emails and phone calls regarding our safety and general well being. Thanks for being concerned! For the record {as of today} we are just fine. Our small country just keeps on ticking. No major uproar.

Yes, there have been protests. They here have been peaceful {there were photos of the police handing water bottles to the protesters} and the King has been responding. Most commentators have said that people are not asking for government reform, just calling for continued evolution in the direction the country is already heading.

By the way. I am not a political commentator. To be honest, I don't always know/understand even half of what is going on politically in this region. I just know that the city I live in has been quiet. There is food on the grocery shelves. And the American Embassy has not emailed or called with any messages of impending doom.

BUT! There are a lot of fabulous Bloggers in this region that do know what is going on. I enjoy reading their opinions because they are not the media and don't try to sensationalize the story. I have been quite disheartened to watch CNN and BBC. They often report 'Live Feed' when I know it is not. It was long after sunset where I live and broad daylight in Cairo on the Live Feed. Not possible. One day, the Live Feed from our very rainy capital city showed protesters on a bright sunny day. Not true. Frustrating.

So, I turn to these great Bloggers of the region to get a 'street level' view of what is really going on right now in the Middle East. Enjoy!

Black Iris

Very popular {in English} Jordanian blogger.

This post was his response to Tunisia.

And this one posted after King appointed new Prime Minister in Jordan.
And this recent post answering the question: Is Jordan the Next Egypt?

MommaBean
American married to Jordanian.

This rant cracked me up.

Kinzi
An American who has lived here for ages. I love the passion with which she addresses social justice issues in this region. And she did recently have a bit to say about recent political events. Short and sweet.

Hope this helps clear up the mud a bit.

Two Pictures

2011-02-08T20:38:00.000+02:00

These two photographs were taken about the same time.

They explain something important:

I live in paradise.

{ignoring all the protests and general mayhem, of course}

where we used to live

where we live

The Camel Races

2011-02-06T14:10:00.000+02:00

One of Apricots Today most popular post of all time is this one about camels.

They are really strange looking animals. Kind of fascinating and gross all at the same time.

A new camel racing track was built in the desert about 45 minutes from our house. We decided it was about time to check it out because...what time is a better time to check out a camel race?

Here is a play by play of what happens at camel races:

{please remember, I have no idea what I am talking about, I just make things up based on what I observe} {thanks for keeping that in mind}

The old men sitting around placing bets.

The grandpa camel shows up to cheer on his 315 kids.

The camels are herded to the starting gate.

The boys who were naughty that week get to try to line up the crazy beasts behind the starting gate and then run for their lives when the gate goes up. We only saw one get run over. He was okay. After a few minutes.

The camel legs go in directions that legs should not go.

The remote controlled jockeys whip the camels because a few years ago child labor laws outlawed having small boys do the job. It was probably a good decision, ya think?

Everyone waits.

Other boys who were probably naughty get to 'catch' the camels as they cross the finish line. It seems kind of scary.

This boy took notes from the camel and went barefoot.

Oh, the foaming, bubbling spit. Yuck!

The old men stand by to watch their prized camels.

Others pray for good fortune.

While the teenagers are out in the parking lot with their dads trucks playing in the mud.

"Wow, these are really amazing pictures", you must be saying. You want to know why? I didn't take them. My gifted husband was down there mixed in with the scads of men taking these pictures. I was up in the stands. Sitting in a white plastic chair. Watching the VIP guests eat their chocolate covered strawberries whilst sitting in their leather couches whilst watching the race on big screen TV's. Telling my daughter, who kept telling me she was bored, that we were at a camel race for Pete's sake and that is not a normal thing any ole' American 7 year old gets to see. So enjoy it! So, that is why the pictures are so good.

Savory Sunday: Oozie

2011-02-06T11:58:00.000+02:00

Attention! Read This! Good News from the Middle East!

2011-02-01T21:50:00.000+02:00

This week has been an interesting one to live through.
First Tunisia.
Now Egypt.
And tonight the King sacked the government in our little neck of the woods. This is actually quite a normal thing. It has happened many times before and it was his response to the protesters calling for reform. He responded! A step ahead of Egypt!

Most apartment buildings have building guards who are Egyptians. Our sweet little building guard keeps knocking on our door to find out if his country still exists. If it still has a President. He asked my husband what America was saying about it. And he also wanted to know how many White Houses there were in America. And how many States have them.
I took him down a pizza for dinner.

Well, with all the gunky news swirling around...you want to take a few minutes to see what good is happening in the Middle East?

Head on over to YouTube.
The Queen has her own channel.

A recent clip you could watch is her Today Show interview. {It's 6 minutes.}

And, the Queen has a sense of humor! Check her out making fun of herself. I'd have to do that if I were the Queen. {It's 2 minutes.}

And here she answers some tough questions on Arab women. {It's 2 1/2 minutes.}

Things may just be heading in the right direction...

Please Don't Judge Me!

2011-01-30T16:35:00.001+02:00

I turned 35 today.

And.

I have the same hairstyle as I did when I graduated from high school.

Before you judge me.

{I know you are!}

Let me explain why this has happened.

There are two simple reasons:

1. I live 200 miles away from the only man in this country that I trust with my hair. So, by default, I had to grow my hair out so I don't have to go as often.

2. While we were in London and I was bored sitting on the subway, I people watched. I noticed that all the cute, classy London ladies had bangs. So, what did I do? I woke up one morning and cut my own bangs. My husband was standing by the whole time watching, saying "You're going to regret this. You're going to regret this."

I never regreted it.

Until today.

When I turned 35.

If I went to my high school reunion, I would win the "Hasn't changed a bit" award.

And I don't think that is really a compliment.

Savory Sunday: Wacky Cake

2011-01-30T15:57:00.000+02:00

A Middle East Guide to Aircraft Overhead

2011-01-28T14:54:00.000+02:00

I woke up the other morning and sent a text message to a bunch of friends that read:

Good morning great friends! Are we the only ones that heard explosions this morning at 6 am?

I find it kind of disturbing that I send text messages like that.
No one else heard the explosions...
It happened again the next morning, but I was too lazy to send a message out again.
I blamed it on the road construction going on behind our neighborhood.

A local friend recently stated when we worried out loud about our safety:

Oh, your city is so safe... you only get bombs or rockets 4-5 times a year, it's not like you live in Baghdad!

{as if terrorist threats are like thunderstorms}

Needless to say, we see a lot of aircraft flying overhead in our little city. My dear hubby created a viewing guide for reference when I hear the chug-chug-chug or whiiiishhhhh and look out the window...then I will know exactly what to do.

I wondered if this may help someone else out there. So, I decided to be nice and share.

A Middle East Guide to Aircraft Overhead

F-16's flying in formation

GOOD: graduation or event nearby

F-16's flying in two-plane attack formation close to the speed of sound

GOOD/BAD: military trying to scare the hummus out of some stupid terrorists

F-16

Desert Camo Huey's in formation

GOOD: someone important is being flown into town

Desert Camo Huey

GOOD: daily coast border patrol

Desert Camo Huey flying 1m from water

GOOD & BAD- Suspicious my husband SCUBA'd in from a neighboring country... one day the border patrol decided to inspect/scare him by flying so close to the water that when my husband surfaced he could tell the pilots rank and eye color {this really happened}

Huey

Osprey VTOL crazy space age flying things

GOOD - troops doing joint exercises with friends

Osprey

Small Regional Jet

GOOD - local scheduled airline flight

Embraer

Boeing 727

GOOD - local airline flight, when regular plane (see above) is broken

Boeing 727

Old Russian-looking propeller plane
GOOD {Scary}: Charter flights from strange locations that haven't yet seemed to catch on to the whole 'jet propulsion' phenomenon.

Old propeller aircraft

Drone, slow flying almost model airplane looking thing

GOOD {and, um, not so good) - Either our neighbors are spying on us, or someone is doing joint training with friends again and watching our son and his classmates at school while they draw pictures of the circling sci-fi looking drone surveillance aircraft {yes, this really happened}.

Drone

Black, small fast helicopter flying just above satellite dish altitude

BAD- Looking for/trying to scare/intimidate suspicious things/person/people who keep launching rockets our way... or it's the traffic-copter... who knows.

Helicopter

Small sport/stunt propeller planes on weekend mornings

GOOD - practicing or performing for the crowds
AWESOME - smoke tails

Stunt Planes

Culture Through the Eyes of A Child

2011-01-25T16:31:00.000+02:00

My 4 year old niece visited {she brought her family along with her as well} last spring. I recently found a scratch piece of paper in which I had recorded some very funny things that she said during their visit. She was experiencing a different culture and it just delighted my heart to hear her process it all out loud.

My little twin.

While we were walking around downtown, she noticed the different clothes and said:

"Dad, I just love those curtain hats those boys wear."

We left our restaurant one night and it had gotten dark. All the city buildings were lit up, including the mosque close to the restaurant. With such delight, she looked up at the mosque minaret and declared:

"Auntie, we just ate right next to Cinderella's Castle!"

I guess the image in her mind of the desert was pretty close to the real thing. As we were driving down the main highway through the country, she yelled out:

"Wow, this looks just like the desert!"

And her common answer when any new food item was placed before her:

"Is it tortellini?"

I think that was the most exotic food item name she could come up with.

Each time she sampled a new food item, she always had something positive to say. Pretty remarkable for a little girl! My favorite:

"Everything is so delicious. Especially when they put honey all over everything!"

A lesson we all can learn from a little girl:

Different things, different people, different food can be delicious!

The next time you see a covered lady at the grocery store or a man with a curtain hat on television, think of the 'honey' that differences bring to our world.

Savory Sunday: Multi-Grain Pancakes

2011-01-23T16:53:00.000+02:00

Middle East Conflict...and Burritos

2011-01-20T15:55:00.001+02:00

So we were eating burritos the other night. My 9 year old boy left the dinner table to go to the bathroom. When he came back, he asked:

Mom, I really don't understand why there are so many problems in the Middle East. Can you explain it to me one more time?

So, I did what any normal mother would do.

I dumped out the crumbs in the bottom of the corn chips bag.

I made a map of the Middle East out of chip bits.

And I started explaining.

These people think this is their land.
These people think this is their land.
These people don't have a land.
This major religious thing happened here for this religion.
This major religious thing happened here for this religion.
And this major religious thing happened here for this religion.
So, these people want this land.
And, these people want this land.
And, these people want this land.
And it's all the same land.

Then the boy said:

Oh, I think I get in now.

Then he ate Gaza and the West Bank.

I ate Jordan, Lebanon and Iraq.

And the sister ate Israel.

With some salsa on top.

The Middle East Peace process just got even more complicated!

Lovely London

2011-01-18T15:05:00.002+02:00

We had a great time in London over Christmas. What a fun city! We saw all the great sites and museums and spent time with family...we couldn't have asked for more.

Of course, because I love traveling and life and culture and humor, I have to share some highlights...

1. I don't understand British humor {or humour, I should say}. Nevertheless, I laughed at all the commercials on TV and Mr. Bean, but didn't always understand why.

See what I mean? Is this a joke or are they serious? I guess I will never know because I didn't want to try and see what would have happened if I, err, "urinated in this area".

2. The weather forecast is done by the color of the clouds: white, gray, black. I guess if it is cloudy everyday, you have to make it exciting some how. But, that didn't really help me make any decisions about what to wear. So we just wore the same thing everyday. See?

This is the Tower Bridge on a gray day.

Here is Big Ben on a white day.

Look! Kensington Palace on a gray day.

And with black clouds. Just kidding...this is the sky line at midnight on 1-1-11!! Happy New Year!

3. The London Underground is AMAZING. When it works. For example: when the London Underground workers go on strike, NO ONE goes anywhere in London. Another example: when the line that goes out to the airport is closed on the day you need it, you spend $100 getting to the airport in a taxi instead of $10 on the Underground. It really is great... When it works.

Mind the Gap!

4. I don't think I have ever had to do a public apology on my blog. But, the time has come. I found that I have been influenced by the East more than I realized.

I apologize to any person that I stood too close to while engaged in a conversation. I'm just used to a different definition of personal space.
I apologize to ALL the people that I stepped in front of in line. I'm just not used to those.
I apologize for staring at everyone who stepped on escalators coming out of the subway and automatically stepped to the right so people in a hurry could pass on the left. It was just all so organized. I'm just not used to that. (On this note... why do they drive on the left, but go 'American' on the escalators and stay right?)
I'm sorry to all the great restaurants that I passed on by looking for a good falafel stand. I just get these cravings.
I apologize to that taxi man who was so bothered we were crossing the road one meter away from the actual painted crosswalk that he rolled his window down and pointed to the crosswalk for us, yelling. We are just not used to paying attention to such sophisticated infrastructure.
And specifically, I am sorry to this nice lady in the red coat who got really angry when I took a picture in St. Paul's Cathedral. I just forget to follow rules sometimes.

Pretty church though, eh?

5. My daughter can produce the perfect British accent. It made me laugh the entire trip. The Brits have such great English. Americans sound so boring compared to them. I was shopping for Wellingtons {those cute rubber boots} for my son and asked the clerk if there were more sizes available. He kindly said:

"I'm quite sorry, there has been a rush on Wellies according to the inclimate weather."

I found myself stepping in front of the elevator doors just so I could hear the voice on the elevator say:

"Please refrain from obstructing the doors."

And of course, no trip to London is complete without repeating at any chance possible:

"Mind the gap between the train and the platform."

But my favorite came on a cold night when my dear hubby and I were out on a date. He went to order me a hot drink to warm me up. So sweet. It was a special Christmas-y drink that was on the menu. My hubby came back with his head down and no drink. Apparently when he ordered the drink, the man told him they no longer have that drink because:

"VINTER IS VINNALLY VINISHED"

He was German... not really British-speak, but funny.

6. The biggest highlight for me was this. Family. A picture says 1,000 words.

Aww, cousins.

Savory Sunday: Village Salad

2011-01-16T16:21:00.000+02:00

Quick Tip for the Day: Riots

2011-01-14T22:20:00.000+02:00

I've been a little slim on posting this week as I've enjoyed the last week of winter break with my kids. We made a quick trip up to the capital. While we were there a notice came out from the embassy to 'avoid public places' on Friday as there would likely be riots across the country because of recent hikes in food staple prices.
We were planning on driving home on Friday - a 3 1/2 hour drive right down the center of the country. Kind of hard to 'avoid public places' when we're doing that.
We had to make a plan.

There was one town we were most concerned about. It is about two hours south of the city. This town is notorious for its raucous riots. Some friends of ours drove by the same town last week and the highway was barricaded with burning tires. They had to take a creative off-road adventure through the desert for a bit to get home. I didn't know if our Prius was up for that!
So, this was our plan...
We left at 10am. By noon, we were passing through the riotous city right during the call the prayer. The streets were empty and the highway was clear. I'll read tomorrow in the paper what went on after that.

So, here is the quick tip of the day: If you have to plan your trips according to when all the naughty boys are busy to avoid being caught in a riot...you may need to re-define 'normal' when you describe your life as such.

Savory Sunday: Snickerdoodle Cookies

2011-01-09T21:20:00.000+02:00

We really enjoyed our picture of the day project last year!

My photo journey for 2011 will be to create a family cookbook of all our family classics and favorites. {Don't worry, I'll still take pictures of my kids too!} Each Sunday I will post the recipe of the week. Some come from my side of the family (traditional Midwest farm cooking) or from my husbands family (tasty classics modified for healthy eating) or from me (international dishes from the Middle East and beyond). Should be yummy!

Why Sunday? Because one of my most vivid memories from childhood is coming home from church on Sunday afternoon, walking into our house and having a wall of delicious smells hit me from my moms savory Sunday creation that cooked in the oven all morning.

If Apricots Today is to encourage us to enjoy our present moments...what better way to do it than with food?

Enjoy!

I Think I Have Nine Lives...Now I'm on my Third

2011-01-07T22:09:00.000+02:00

I wrote about my first death a few months ago.

On January 3rd, 2011, I lost another life {on account of being scared to death, of course}.

I won't bore you with too many details: the story unfolded like this while we were at Heathrow waiting to board our return flight from our fabulous London vacation.

We were sitting right next to the gate door where you walk down that accordion hallway thingy {I'm sure there is a technical name for that thingy} to get to the plane.

There happened to be windows in the gate door where you could see the crew and all passing along the accordion hallway thingy.

My husband glanced up at the windows and said, "Wow, did you just see that?"

I glanced up at the windows and saw five large men in security vests ushering one man in handcuffs down the accordion hallway thingy toward our plane.

When they were out of sight the handcuffed man started yelling at the top of his lungs the phrase that most suicide bombers yell right before they pull the trigger. "God is Great! Mohammad is his prophet!" AT THE TOP OF HIS LUNGS.

That was my exact moment of death. I knew I was a goner along with the other 300 or so passangers in the gate area with me.

BUT

Nothing happened.

We heard the man continuing to yell as he was put on the airplane.

Some pilot-ish/official looking guys arrived and looked around at the still passengers {who should have all been boarded on the plane by then}. They rapped on the gate door.

My husband leaned toward them and quietly explained what had been going on. He suggested that if the screaming man stayed on the plane, they were going to have a lot of anxious passengers to deal with...including us.

The pilot-ish guys were let in. About five minutes later, the five men with the handcuffed, screaming man {who was still screaming} {AT THE TOP OF HIS LUNGS} was lead off the plane.

The gate attendant showed up all smiles and started boarding the plane.

That was an uneventful way to end life #2.

By the 9th, I am predicting I'm going to look like this:

What I find the most amusing is that although I live in the very volatile Middle East, both my near death experiences in the last 8 years have happened in Europe.

Cheers!

Picture for Today: Dec 27 - 31

2010-12-31T21:08:00.000+02:00

We did it!!

My hubby and I took over 4,500 pictures this year and managed to capture at least one moment of our lives each day. It wasn't always an exciting moment, in fact most of the pictures capture our everyday moments {and we managed to capture a few great moments, big milestones, and beautiful places we were able to visit.} I am so glad we did this project! It taught me so much about photography and how to capture life...mundane or milestone. It will be a treasure for our family to see what our 'everydays' brought us in 2010.

{Click here to see the entire project}

2011?

Yup, I have a new picture adventure I am working on.

Yup, I'll share.

Until then...HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Discovering our Differences

2010-12-28T22:13:00.000+02:00

My kids received a charming book for Christmas this year: The Sandwich Swap. It's a story about a kid who discovered she was different than her friend...and that was okay. Well, the cute little gal in the story eventually became the Queen of Jordan.

Reading the story made me think about my first memories of discovering the differences around me. One defining moment happened when I was in the 2nd grade.

Actually, it was a mortifying moment.

My class was going to perform a square dance during an all-school assembly. It all sounded fine and good to me until (horror of horrors), my dance partner was assigned to me.

Let me back up a bit.

There was this kid in my class. No one liked him. No one ever really played with him. And I always saw people teasing him. That really bothered my 2nd grade mind. I couldn't figure out what was so different about him.

One random day during class we were supposed to find a partner to work on our assignment. Of course, this kid was off by himself. No one obviously running over to be HIS partner. So, I went. How bad/weird/strange could he really be, I thought? I wanted to figure this whole situation out. I don't have a ton of memories of that assignment, or if I found out why everyone thought he was bad/weird/strange. Where my memories pick up is that the teacher noticed that I didn't seem to mind this bad/weird/strange kid, so she moved our desks together AND assigned me as his square dance partner. Who would have guessed that one gesture of kindness would lead to so much horror?

The days leading up to our performance were agonizing. Each day I had to walk into the gym for practice and HOLD HANDS with the bad/weird/strange kid. I could only imagine what would happen during the performance. I imagined the gasps and whispers as EVERY ONE in the school saw me HOLD HANDS with this bad/weird/strange kid. It really was more than a 2nd grader could handle.

I'm on the right. I was always jealous of my sisters dress. It looked more like Mary's.

Performance day. My mom dressed me in my cutest 1980's dress that mimicked Laura in Little House on the Prairie. My hair was braided. I was all clean and smelling good. My partner was not. But, the show went on. I marched out as proudly as I could. Did my dance. And sat down crossed legged on the gym floor. Do you know what happened after that?

NOTHING!

No one looked at me funny.

No one whispered when I walked by.

It was just so strange.

And you know what else happened?

I didn't mind being that kids friend. He wasn't too bad/weird/strange. He was different than me. But that made my 2nd grade year interesting.

I confess. I have tried to Google this kid to see what he is up to today. I have done Facebook searches. But alas, he evades my online stalking. I imagine he is a brilliant, wealthy scientist or investment banker or doctor who is looking for me {his true friend in the 2nd grade} because he wants to give me some of his wealth.

I'll let you know how much he gives me when he finds me.

So, 2nd Grade Lesson Learned: Being different is not so weird. It is just different. And it adds a little spice to life. And a little fear. And that is good.

{And it may make you rich later if you are nice to the right people.}

Or you may become the Queen of a neat-o country. Just maybe. Or not.

Picture for Today: Dec 21 - 26

2010-12-26T19:52:00.000+02:00

Picture for Today: Dec 15 - 20

2010-12-26T19:32:00.000+02:00

Merry Christmas...not from the Middle East!

2010-12-23T18:23:00.000+02:00

Our Christmas Surprise...

It started with a thick cloud cover...

and a snowy runway...

and low lying fog over the river...

and putting on our wellies...

and riding double decker buses...

and 'minding the gap' when getting off the tube...

Merry Christmas from the Apricot Lady...IN LONDON!

A Christmas Surprise

2010-12-20T15:21:00.000+02:00

I can't tell you what it is {because then it would not be a surprise, duh} but I can tell you that our family has cooked up a big Christmas surprise this year. We can't wait!

My two favorite Christmas gifts every year (the kids, not the chocolate Santa!)

All will be revealed on December 23rd.

Any guesses?

CLUE: If your guess is 'Santa visiting on a camel', that is not the surprise. That already happened. Ha! Ha!

Merry Christmas!

My Christmas Gift to You (Free Download!)

2010-12-19T11:43:00.000+02:00

Today is the last Sunday in Advent. Over the years I have looked and looked for a perfect advent 'recipe' to use for our family and I think I finally settled on one. The kids have really enjoyed each week. The conversation can go deep and wide or short and sweet {like the night that my girl tossed her cookies right during dinner. Yum. Advent celebrations were cut a bit short that particular evening.} Different words can be talked about and discussed. All the scripture or just part of one can be read. It really seems to be the perfect fit for us and I think it can grow with us over the coming years.

I printed ours off on card stock and cut it into four squares. You could also print it and put it in a holiday frame. So many fun possibilities.

I started this blog to 'not forget' the funny adventures and stories and moments that my family has. I had no idea that so many people would become our beloved, faithful readers. I'm actually really glad that I am not just laughing by myself. That would make me feel crazy. {Which would be scary because I already know I am crazy.} So, THANKS!

Merry Christmas from my blog to you!

Picture for Today: Dec 9 - 14

2010-12-17T14:59:00.000+02:00

The Christmas Story: In Real Life

2010-12-17T14:42:00.001+02:00

I will be the first to admit. I don't like the holidays overseas! I know, it is a negative thing to say on my otherwise positive blog, but it is true. I'd much rather be home with family, friends and all things familiar.

But, we live overseas. SO! I tried to reflect on what actually makes Christmas living overseas good. I couldn't come up with a lot until I was reading my kids one of their favorite holiday books. It is actually an advent book where you open a door each day to reveal a little more of the Christmas story with wonderful artwork. I was reading along admiring all those beautiful pictures and my little girl pipes up and says "I think it is cool that all these places this book is talking about...we've been to them and have seen them with our own eyes!"

She was right!

I only had beautiful pictures to admire and give me a picture of the sights and scenery of the Christmas story when I was a kid. But, my kids have BEEN THERE. That is so cool! And this otherwise would not be true had we not embarked on this big overseas living adventure.

So, a little gift from my family to yours.
These are the sights of the Christmas story...in real life.

{The narration is taken from the book mentioned above.}

God sent the angel Gabriel to Mary in the village of Nazareth. The angel said, "Greetings! The Lord has blessed you and is with you. You will give birth to a son, and you are to name him Jesus. He will be called the Son of the Most High and will reign forever; his kingdom will never end. The holy one to be born to you will be God's Son. Even your cousin Elizabeth is going to have a child in her old age. Nothing is impossible with God."

"I am the Lord's servant," Mary answered. "May everything you have said come true." Then the angel left her.

Mary's house in Nazareth which is now the altar in the largest Christian church in the Middle East.

Mary was engaged to a man names Joseph. But before they were married, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. The angel told him that Mary was to have a baby from God. Joseph was to name the baby Jesus because he would save his people from their sins. He would also be called Immanuel, which means "God with us."

Joseph working in his carpentry shop in the re-enactment at Nazareth Village.

At that time, a decree said everyone had to go to his family's town to register. Joseph was from the family of David, so he and Mary went to Bethlehem, which was David's home.

About a 100 mile trip with hills, mountains, and rough terrain.

While Joseph and Mary were in Bethlehem, the time came for the baby to be born, and Mary gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in strips of cloth and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

The place of Jesus' birth, under the altar in the Church of the Nativity.

Shepherds living out in the fields nearby were keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger." When the angels returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing the Lord has told us about." So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger.

Sheep with their shepherd in Shepherd's Field just outside Bethlehem.

Sometime later Wise Men from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, "Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him."

Camels traveling across the eastern desert.

Soon after his birth, Joseph and Mary presented Jesus to the Lord at the temple in Jerusalem, in keeping with the law.

The temple mount in Jerusalem, about 20 miles from Bethlehem.

That day a godly man named Simeon was in the temple. The Holy Spirit had told him he would see the Messiah before he died. Simeon took Jesus in his arms and praised God for keeping his promise. Simeon said, "I have seen the Savior you have given to the world. He is the Light that will show God to the nations. And he will be the glory of your people."

Painting in chapel on Shepherd's Field in Bethlehem.

Potty Mouth

2010-12-10T21:30:00.000+02:00

I try to keep my blog clean.
I have only sworn once. Forgive me.
Confession: I have a few posts in drafts that have a few more swear words. Yikes! Should I post them?
We'll see!

But today {again, forgive me} I must discuss a dirty topic.

Potties {as any mommy would say}

Around here, we enjoy a variety of potty options.

You got your squatty potty - basically a hole in the bathroom floor where you, well, squat.

You got your body potty - otherwise knows as a bidet. We {really, my kids} call it a body potty because when we first moved here, they had never seen anything like it in their short little lives. And like most curious kids, they learned what is was by touching it. Which means, your body gets wet from head to toe when you turn on the faucet and a geyser shoots up to the ceiling. Those things have force! Therefore...a body potty. I guess my girl is still trying to figure out exactly what those things do when she recently asked if I ever gave her a bath in one of those when she was a baby.

You got your wadi potty - wadi {Arabic for valley} is the 'driving down the road and someone has to go' option.

You got your underwater potty - yes, that is my hubby and yes, that is a toilet on the ocean floor. Don't ask.

You have your wash machine potty. Unique, I know. Most houses here are designed to have the wash machine in the kitchen. That did not work for me. Especially since I require a dish washer in my kitchen. So, we removed the 'body potty' from the kids bathroom and used the drain and water to install the wash machine. Brilliant, I know. Now, we don't have a wash machine in the kitchen, we have it in the bathroom. Still strange, I know.

And you got your boring ole regular potty - I am thankful we have these in our house as opposed to the other options available, actually! My only issue is that in all the houses we have lived in here, we have had a rainbow of colors. Pink, green, turquoise, white with gold trim...should I go on? I have already discussed how my decor tastes are a little different from the culture around me.

And one last potty issue to discuss.
The grocery stores here don't always know how to classify American products. I usually find strange things in strange places. But, this one tops the list...

Clorox Wipes in the baby wipes section. Ouch!

Time to go clean the babies...I mean bathrooms!

Picture for Today: Dec 3 - 8

2010-12-10T15:02:00.000+02:00

Picture for Today: Nov 27 - Dec 2

2010-12-10T14:53:00.000+02:00

Christmas Shopping Our Way

2010-12-08T13:29:00.000+02:00

Now that I shared all our tricks for celebrating Thanksgiving...it is time I shared with you how we go Christmas shopping:

I love a good bargain. In the States, I was the queen of eBay and Craigslist. I loved a good garage sale and LOVED my local Goodwill. I can't remember the last time I paid full price for something. Moving overseas kind of cut that addiction out of my life. No eBay, Craigslist or garage sales here.

But, about a year ago, I found someone who can give me a good fix every once in a while when it comes to kids' toys! The shop owner is actually a very sweet man. In fact, he is on my top 5 list of most favorite shop owners in the country {this list is NOT easy to get on, it requires not EVER making me feel a creepy vibe or feel that I am being ripped off}. He is also a sheikh, actually THE sheikh for the mosque downtown. That means he has to close down the store five times a day to run and do the call to prayer. I don't mean just go and pray. I mean he is the little man whose voice rings out from the minaret. {Recently he locked my husband and I in his shop so we could continue shopping while he did the prayer...I told you, he is just a nice guy!} He also has an African Grey parrot that lives outside his shop that says: Marhaba (hello), Salam wa alaykom (peace on you), and will cat call at anyone walking by. The bird also does the perfect imitation of a cat meowing. Poor thing. You know who he gets to hang out with all day in that alley. He was actually a bit camera shy when I shot this video. He would NOT talk for the camera. Silly parrot.

Anyway. Abu Sheikh {as I like to call him 'father of sheikhs'} also has an amazing memory. He remembers all the toys that our family has ever purchased {not to mention the fact that he has the entire Koran memorized}. If he sees me coming he starts pulling out his new wares customized for us...kind of like how Amazon.com has {probably very complicated programming} suggestions of items you may want to buy based on your buying history.

From what I can figure {and all the bizarre questions I've asked him}, he gets big containers full of items that have been returned at places like Target, Toys R Us and Walmart. He gets overstocks from Goodwill and Salvation Army. And one time he got a load of left over garage sale items. I really have no idea how he gets this stuff. But I love him for it. He has three locations: His store. The storage room next to his store. And his storage garage behind his mosque {I call this place his Holy of Holies}. You would NOT believe the stuff he has in there. Recently he got about 40 huge burlap bags full of overstocked Old Navy and Gap clothes. {yippie!!!!}

WARNING: This will just make you jealous if you are a fellow bargain shopper...proceed with caution!

Here is what I have found over the last years and the prices Abu Sheikh sells them for:

American Girl Josefina Doll: Retail $95 - Abu Sheikh price $7

Playmobil Large Pirate Ship: Retail $110 - Abu Sheikh price $17

Playmobil Fairy Palace: Retail $60 - Abu Sheikh price $14

Lego Star Wars Various sets: Retail $20 - $60 - Abu Sheikh price $10

Lego City Airport: Retail $99 - Abu Sheikh price $15
Mexican Train Dominoes: Retail $20 - Abu Sheikh price $3

Tony Hawk Wii Skateboard and Game: Retail $50 - Abu Sheikh price $12

5 Wii Games: Retail $30 - $60 each - Abu Sheikh price $7 each

Pink ihome alarm clock: Retail $50 - Abu Sheikh price $10

Hannah Montana Monopoly: Retail $20 - Abu Sheikh price $4

Eye Clops Bionic Eye Microscope for TV: Retail $70 - Abu Sheikh price $8
Huge set of Lincoln Logs: Retail $40 - Abu Sheikh price $2
My Little Ponies: Retail $6 - Abu Sheikh price 75 cents each

Back in college, my boyfriend {who later became my husband!} did a summer internship in a small Guatemalan village outside of Antigua that was famous for their unique, colorful handwoven crafts, with patterns only made in that area! Look what we found at Abu Sheikh's a few weeks ago:

From Guatemala in some tourist's bag... to Abu Sheikh's in Podunk, Middle East. If that thing could talk... We found it just hilarious that it was lying next to a Bible cover {not too much of a market for those around here}.

Well, before you get too jealous of my great fortune. I will leave you with this picture. This is his store on an organized day:

Abu Sheikh on the hunt for the perfect toy.

See anything you want?

Happy Christmas Shopping!

Hope You Have Good Directions

2010-12-02T13:59:00.000+02:00

We have some great friends in town who are also Americans. We met them years ago when we were all at the same school to learn Arabic. They are funny people. In fact, they are the same people I wrote about regarding the Mango Tree. They recently took their family on a road trip and were inspired to write a post for Apricots Today...so without further adieu, I present to you my funny friend from the East Coast:

So the season of Parliament campaigns - the fireworks, vinyl banners, tribal clashes, and massive images of candidates - is over. Still, the aftermath can be seen. For some reason, every few years when the elections take place, over zealous tribes in the south of the county (in a sincere effort to promote a family member toward victory and power) plaster street signs with face shot stickers of the candidates. Now one might think, a sticker here or there, no big deal. I myself, having grown up in the amazing state of New Jersey developed an early appreciation of graffiti and bill posts as I walked the streets of Manhattan and Queens. In those formative years, apparently I began believing a lie: What was once thought in my mind to be an innate understanding that the acceptable protocol for the posting of bills was on the sides of, on the backs of, or in close proximity too signs or walls carrying vital information to the average citizen was obvious...has been dis-proven. It is not innate - in any sense.

On a recent family outing to the tourist haven known as Wadi Rum - this was again an issue. A veteran of the road to Rum, I was not phased - but with great compassion I felt the pain of the average tourist in their rental car attempting to navigate to their destination. Sign after sign was covered with the faces of the area’s parliament candidates. Signs like: Wadi Rum This Way, Dangerous Curve Ahead, Speed Bump in 100m, Railroad Tracks Ahead, and of course - STOP. They were all covered up by such propaganda.

On a happier note - the Southern Port City that I continue to somehow manage to declare as my home - known for its gruff, tough residents with their deep thick Arabic and stone faces proudly had a solid dozen candidates post self images in many forms throughout our city for the election. Two men were eventually elected - and with great surprise - the two victors had one thing in common - they were the only two wearing smiles in their glamor shots.

Good times.

What does that teach us?
Smile.
Even if you don't know where your going.
You may get a lot of people to follow you!

A Little Bit of West in the East

2010-11-29T16:20:00.000+02:00

As you know, we live in the Middle EAST.

As you know, Thanksgiving was last week.

As you know, that is a 100% WESTERN holiday.

As you know, we couldn't let a holiday pass like that being un-celebrated.

So, this is how you pull off a WESTERN holiday in the Middle EAST.

{WARNING: it is not easy}

Step 1: You get very nervous that no turkeys are showing up in the local grocery stores leading up to Thanksgiving. You block out a day near Thanksgiving to drive 4 hours up and 4 hours back to the capital to buy a turkey OR you put a friend in the capital on stand-by to buy a cooler, buy a turkey, and send it on the bus down to you. But, you rejoice when you get text messages from every foreigner you know in town the day turkeys arrive to the local grocery store. You run to the store and pay $65 for an 18 lb BUTTERBALL turkey. Then you come home and try to figure out how to squeeze a frozen 18 lb turkey into your tiny freezer.

Step 2: You google a lot of really strange things.

Google Search: can I freeze celery {because celery only shows up every once in a great while at the veggie man and if you don't grab it when he has it, your celery recipes will, well, lack celery}

Google Search: what is cream corn {because your Aunt Dena's cream corn recipe needs cream corn, so if you have to 'fabricate' it you wonder if you just dump regular corn in the blender to make cream corn}

Google Search: how do you cook a pumpkin {because, gasp, there are no cans of Libby's Pumpkin Pie mix to be found this year, so, gasp, you have to get pumpkin from A PUMPKIN to home make all the pumpkin recipes}

Step 3: You have to field funny questions from your neighbors. {In our last apartment, we received a knock on the door as the turkey was cooking. The smell was apparently wafting through the entire building. The knocker was designated by the other neighbors to come and ask if we were cooking pork. No, we said. It was our Thanksgiving turkey. He explained he had never smelled either. Then asked if his family could join us for Thanksgiving. The more the merrier!}

Step 4: You have to look for hidden treasures in the ingredients. {It seems that all the flour here is laced with bugs. Yum. So, not only do you have to MAKE the cornbread {no Jiffy Mix} for the corn casserole, MAKE the spice cake for the pumpkin pie cake {no Betty Crocker}, and MAKE dinner rolls {no Great Harvest Bread Co}, you have to SIFT ALL THE DRY INGREDIENTS in case there are hidden treasures. I only found a few this time around.}

Step 5: You invite people over that have become your family away from family. You eat till you can't eat no more. You all crash in the living room in a food coma. Then you play reruns of Charlie Brown and How the Grinch Stole Christmas. That's what we did. {And since it was 90 degrees out the 'kid table' got to be outside.}

Step 6: You eat tons of leftovers for days and days with no microwave to heat them up in because it was an knock-off Chinese thing that caught on fire a while back and you never bothered to replace it for fear of a second more disastrous fire.

And that, my dear blogging friends is how you bring a Western holiday to the East.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Now I'm off to figure out Christmas!

Picture for Today: Nov 21 - 26

2010-11-28T11:34:00.000+02:00

Barfing in Ramallah

2010-11-24T21:35:00.001+02:00

Last week we took a whirl wind tour of the Holy Land. We visited Masada, Old City of Jerusalem, Mount of Olives, Garden of Gethsemane, Ramallah, Nazareth, Cana, Tiberius, Sea of Galilee, Capurnum, Garden Tomb, Tower of David Museum, Hezekiah's Tunnels, City of David, Bethlehem, Shepherds Field, Church of the Last Supper, Davids Tomb, Qumran (where Dead Sea scrolls were found), and a hike up to a waterfall in Ein Gedi. It was Amazing!

I have debated as to how to 'cover' our trip.
Serious. Funny. Photo Journey. Just the facts. I could take it from so many angles.
Alas, because of the theme of this blog, I must go funny. {Because any trip with our family seems to have its 'moments'.} So, without further ramblings...

Our Top 10 {mis} Adventures in the Holy Land

10. This is a scientific break-down of how we spent our time:
          20% sleeping/listening to the neighbors dog barking
          20% getting lost
          10% at border crossings/checkpoints
          5% arguing about directions while getting lost
          25% at amazing sites of Christendom
          5% eating
          5% in our tiny apartment we rented (we pretended we were living in a box car)
          10% driving around while getting lost
{*none of these calculations are scientific. i just made them up. do they even add up to 100%?}

9. The Temple Mount - a holy site for three religions. Closed again. The last time we visited, tourists were not allowed up on the Temple Mount because there were riots/rock throwing over some excavating being done by one group that the other group was not happy with. This time, closed again because of the eid holiday. Bummer. We'll just have to plan another trip!

8. Apparently there is a brand new, beautiful, fast North/South highway running through the West side of the country. Apparently the Lonely Planet guide we were using was published before that brand new, beautiful, fast highway went through. We saw a lot of back roads. The countryside really was beautiful!

7. If we had not been standing directly on one of the Christian worlds most revered places, I would have had serious words with the rude Spaniard tourist that pushed my dear daughter out of the way at the manger scene. My girl just wanted to see where baby Jesus was born. Mean lady.

6. Because of #8 above, we saw the sunset in Galilee. We didn't get to see the Church of the Loaves and Fishes or the Mountain of the Beatitudes or the Church of St. Peter. Nope. They were closed. But, we saw the sunset. That was nice. Another reason to go back.

5. While approaching the Garden Tomb, my daughter told me she was really glad that Jesus rose again...otherwise we would have to see his bones in the tomb. I agreed with her.

4. We took our own car across the border and covered about 1,000 miles. We love our Hybrid...42 mpg! The border guards however, were not so keen on the hybrid. They kept asking why the only sound our car made was clicking noises. Our battery did its little hum/recharge thing while one of the guards was scanning under our car for bombs. It made for some exciting moments. They repeatedly asked us to start our car...when it was already running. Having out of country plates was also a plus so many times when we were lost and people flagged us down to help us. They all would start the conversation by telling us what relative of theirs lived where we're from and how they just felt compelled to help us. Hospitality is amazing in the Middle East!

3. Signs in English in foreign countries just make me laugh. Here are some of my favs from this trip.

I like people that don't take themselves TOO seriously.

Run out of money? Come get some free change.

What a creative name. What a creative logo. I've never seen anything like it before!

2. The culture-lover in me enjoyed our time in the Old City because you get to watch the three people groups/religions all co-exist together in that small area. Fascinating. Here is my hubby buying falafel sandwiches from an Arab guy whose family had lived in the old city for centuries. Behind them are two Orthodox Jews deep in conversation. Muslim. Christian. Jew. This does not happen many other places in the world.

1. Since we were so close, we wanted to drive through Ramallah just to get a feel for what a West Bank town that is always in the news is like. We enjoyed our little spin around town. When we started seeing soldiers posted on the road every 150 yards, we decided our spin should be over. We wound our way back to the check point at which time I realized I had not given my car sick prone child her daily Dramamine dose. Sure enough, just as we made our way to the soldiers, she barfed. In Ramallah. It was a good way to get the soldiers to hurry us through the check point!

West Bank wall artwork is fascinating!

A Laugh to Tide You Over

2010-11-22T20:49:00.000+02:00

I am having a hard time getting my next post out.

Vacation last week + Thanksgiving this week = no time to sit down

{not to mention we forgot to pay our internet bill this month and it got shut off. whoops! we paid and are now back on the grid.}

So in the mean time, I leave you with this to keep your laughs regular...

You know those tourist shops where you go in and can dress up like saloon girls and wild west cowboys?

They have those here too...

The Bedouins 2006