Dear Diary: Sorry I haven't written for so long. According to the list of entries, I only managed two entries in September and NONE in October - yet.
That's mostly because I was on vacation for most of October, just returned last night. I went back to America for three weeks. I had the BEST. VACATION. EVER! Truly, it was a wonderful trip and I can't wait to do it again.
Here's the link to the pics I posted on facebook from my vacation.
The worst part was that there were no announcements or news coming from anywhere, and the board showed some flights delayed or cancelled, then seconds later the same flights just delayed, then again cancelled, then "on time". Clearly it was not a viable source of info. I saw a strikingly tall and lovely lady trying to get info. I asked her what was going on and she could not really help me, but because she spoke Arabic she kept asking different people in the crowd, and relaying to me what they were saying (in perfect English). Finally she said "yes, the flight to London is going" and she somehow magically opened a little path in the crowd, so we were able to go into the check-in area. We talked a bit, she is a pharmacist in Dublin but wants to return to Egypt which is her home country. She makes handmade soaps as a side-line, and would like to come back and start a business doing that and making other creams and soaps. I thanked her again and again for helping me get through that crowd, and we exchanged e-mail addresses. She was a lovely person, and I plan to pursue the acquaintance even though she lives in Ieland.
Well if I go into this level of detail for the whole trip, this will be the longest (and most boring) blog ever, so I'll skip to the good stuff. Mom is wonderful, of course. We went to see Connie's new apartment at the Watermark. It is really, really lovely. We are all thrilled that she is there, and will now be able to get the care she has been putting off getting all these years. She is anxious about her house selling, but I am keeping good thoughts on that. Linda and I had dinner, and that was of course loads of fun, as always. Linda looks great, I don't know why she has no gray hair (we are the same age!) but to me she looks like she always did, youthful and slim and red-headed. Its disgusting, really.
On the 12th, Mom and I rented a car and started out to Charlottesville for an overnight at my big bro John's house. The ride from Philly to C'ville should take about 5 hours. In our case, it took almost 10!!! It was the Ride from Hell. 1) We had a flat; 2) we had to switch rental cars; 3) we had to drive about 1/2 hour in thunderous rain, with zero visibility; 4) we got stuck in a two (2) hour back-up on I-95, right past Wilmington. I actually have more, but suffice it to say we arrived in C'ville very late and exhausted. Next morning we had breakfast with almost all of my fab nieces and nephews and great nephews and all significant others, and even one great nephew still in utero (Christina and Ben are 5-1/2 months pregnant!).
Christina, Ben, and baby
From C'ville we drove 4 hours in absolutely gorgeous weather to Chapel Hill, NC. Gabe and Amanda and their three kids are there, as is Matthew. Emily joined us that night, and we all had such a marvelous time with the family. I'm not even sure exactly what we did, but I love just hanging out with my grandkids and kids and Mom. This was a rare reunion of all 3 of my kids in the same place as me at the same time. I was so happy, and the time went too quickly.
Drove back to C'ville for an overnight with John and Maria where we were inducted into the mysteries of Milles Bournes, a French traffic game. That's not a very good description for a very fun game, but that's what it is, a card game which uses French traffic signs and signals. Wierd I know, but lots of fun. I plan to get it and and introduce it in Cairo. I will start a new trend of Milles Bournes parties! We had a great time of course, and left the next morning back to Philly. On the way back we stopped and had lunch with Emily at my 2nd favorite Indian restaurant in Silver Spring, the Bombay. Yummy.
Midway through our time in Chapel Hill, we got a call that my beloved Aunt Dora had somehow collapsed and ended up in the hospital and now she is in a sort of rehabilitation center/senior citizens facility because she has to re-learn to walk. Poor Aunt Dora! I went to see her and she seems fine and comfortable (she is at Dunwoody in Newtown Square) and is in no pain. She has not lost her sense of humor, so important! When asked what she was learning in the occupational therapy class, she thought a moment, then said, "I'm learning to do my job." She is a hoot, even at the worst of times, and can always make me and everyone else around her laugh.
Aunt Dora and Mom
Well that is all my news about the trip, it was SUPERB. I arrived back to Cairo last night after an uneventful trip. Back to work tomorrow, I don't even like to think about it. The good news is that the "long" EID (Muslim Holiday) starts November 7th so I'll be able to get some time off then.
That's mostly because I was on vacation for most of October, just returned last night. I went back to America for three weeks. I had the BEST. VACATION. EVER! Truly, it was a wonderful trip and I can't wait to do it again.
Here's the link to the pics I posted on facebook from my vacation.
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150356920684682.360667.619419681&type=1&l=c43b0de6b2
AND HERE:
AND HERE:
My, my - where do I begin? I left October 7th, right at the start of an Egyptian baggage handlers strike at the airport. The rumor was that baggage handlers had been promised a raise, and that promise was broken because other groups so bitterly complained that they had received no raise. But the day I left, I was told all flights to Europe were going, albeit somewhat delayed. My transfer was in London so I hoped against hope that my flight would actually leave. The scene at the airport was a chaos, total and utter. No announcements were being made, and crowds were starting to push and shove up against the entry to the gates. I was horrified - crowds are not my thing. Angry, shoving, yelling crowds are REALLY not my thing. But I wanted to get on the flight, so I waded in.
The worst part was that there were no announcements or news coming from anywhere, and the board showed some flights delayed or cancelled, then seconds later the same flights just delayed, then again cancelled, then "on time". Clearly it was not a viable source of info. I saw a strikingly tall and lovely lady trying to get info. I asked her what was going on and she could not really help me, but because she spoke Arabic she kept asking different people in the crowd, and relaying to me what they were saying (in perfect English). Finally she said "yes, the flight to London is going" and she somehow magically opened a little path in the crowd, so we were able to go into the check-in area. We talked a bit, she is a pharmacist in Dublin but wants to return to Egypt which is her home country. She makes handmade soaps as a side-line, and would like to come back and start a business doing that and making other creams and soaps. I thanked her again and again for helping me get through that crowd, and we exchanged e-mail addresses. She was a lovely person, and I plan to pursue the acquaintance even though she lives in Ieland.
Well if I go into this level of detail for the whole trip, this will be the longest (and most boring) blog ever, so I'll skip to the good stuff. Mom is wonderful, of course. We went to see Connie's new apartment at the Watermark. It is really, really lovely. We are all thrilled that she is there, and will now be able to get the care she has been putting off getting all these years. She is anxious about her house selling, but I am keeping good thoughts on that. Linda and I had dinner, and that was of course loads of fun, as always. Linda looks great, I don't know why she has no gray hair (we are the same age!) but to me she looks like she always did, youthful and slim and red-headed. Its disgusting, really.
On the 12th, Mom and I rented a car and started out to Charlottesville for an overnight at my big bro John's house. The ride from Philly to C'ville should take about 5 hours. In our case, it took almost 10!!! It was the Ride from Hell. 1) We had a flat; 2) we had to switch rental cars; 3) we had to drive about 1/2 hour in thunderous rain, with zero visibility; 4) we got stuck in a two (2) hour back-up on I-95, right past Wilmington. I actually have more, but suffice it to say we arrived in C'ville very late and exhausted. Next morning we had breakfast with almost all of my fab nieces and nephews and great nephews and all significant others, and even one great nephew still in utero (Christina and Ben are 5-1/2 months pregnant!).
From C'ville we drove 4 hours in absolutely gorgeous weather to Chapel Hill, NC. Gabe and Amanda and their three kids are there, as is Matthew. Emily joined us that night, and we all had such a marvelous time with the family. I'm not even sure exactly what we did, but I love just hanging out with my grandkids and kids and Mom. This was a rare reunion of all 3 of my kids in the same place as me at the same time. I was so happy, and the time went too quickly.
Drove back to C'ville for an overnight with John and Maria where we were inducted into the mysteries of Milles Bournes, a French traffic game. That's not a very good description for a very fun game, but that's what it is, a card game which uses French traffic signs and signals. Wierd I know, but lots of fun. I plan to get it and and introduce it in Cairo. I will start a new trend of Milles Bournes parties! We had a great time of course, and left the next morning back to Philly. On the way back we stopped and had lunch with Emily at my 2nd favorite Indian restaurant in Silver Spring, the Bombay. Yummy.
Midway through our time in Chapel Hill, we got a call that my beloved Aunt Dora had somehow collapsed and ended up in the hospital and now she is in a sort of rehabilitation center/senior citizens facility because she has to re-learn to walk. Poor Aunt Dora! I went to see her and she seems fine and comfortable (she is at Dunwoody in Newtown Square) and is in no pain. She has not lost her sense of humor, so important! When asked what she was learning in the occupational therapy class, she thought a moment, then said, "I'm learning to do my job." She is a hoot, even at the worst of times, and can always make me and everyone else around her laugh.
Aunt Dora and MomWell that is all my news about the trip, it was SUPERB. I arrived back to Cairo last night after an uneventful trip. Back to work tomorrow, I don't even like to think about it. The good news is that the "long" EID (Muslim Holiday) starts November 7th so I'll be able to get some time off then.
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