Our Neighbors

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

* 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

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?

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

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!