Out and About: Sport Max

Veilkini Swimwear...Now You Can

* 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...now I can. What did you discover out and about today?

Savory Sunday: Mujadarah

Give-Away Reminder

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

 

* 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 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

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

Around the World

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

Is this where my XL eggs come from?

* 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 apparently eat eggs from fleshy hens. What did you discover out and about today?

Savory Sunday: Grandmas Rolls

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

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

The day I became a vegetarian

* 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 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

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

Bread: The Start of Revolutions?

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.