Slaughter in the Streets

I know this is late, but I’ve been really busy and traveled during Eid.  I used to complain years ago about how difficult it is to slaughter  islamically in America.  Which is one reason most people send money overseas instead.  Every year dh would slaughter a lamb in Egypt.  You can literally buy one in the [...]

The Ugly American?

We took a walk the other day to a new park, one recommended by a sister who lives close-by.  It was just fives minutes away, and we were the only people there, at first.  On our way home, a man watching from the adjoining apartment complex, first stared, then asked, “What, are you guys in [...]

Travel tips

I am not really a seasoned traveler.  But I have picked up some things.  First, don’t worry if your bags are a little over the weight limit.  Most airlines won’t charge you for a pound or two.  And whatever you can’t fit in your checked luggage try to throw it into your carry-on.  I think typical allowance [...]

Taqaballahu Minna wa Minkum! (May Allah accept it from us and you)

My guilty secret…

Few days ago, I decided to get a jumpstart on shopping, and purchase meat before prices are jacked up for Ramadan.  It seems like lots of Egyptian housewives had the same thought, cause there were lots of people at the butcher, buying lots of meat.  And they had raised the prices already.  Oh well.  After getting the [...]

When it rains, it pours..

This is not about rain, there hasn’t been any in Cairo in a few months.  It’s about all of us (except dh) being sick as dogs from some sort of bug or food poisoning.  I lean towards that latter and believe the culprit was a meat pizza.  Try to imagine projectile vomiting by three kids, [...]

Assalaam alaikum, Alhamdulillah, Inshallah

I’ve heard a lot of people speak about how ‘unislamic’ muslim countries are.  Granted, there are many negatives, sometimes worse than what you’d experience in the States.  The positive is there however, for whoever wants to see it.   I remember reading an email of a transcribed lecture in which a shiekh was giving reasons for making hijrah.  One [...]

Dust storms and ATMs from h%$#.

  Last week I braved a dust storm to go get money from an ATM.  Really high winds, low visibility, dust in the eyes, etc.  Put the card in, select amount, out comes card, but no money.  Can this really be happening?  Egypt is notorious for having card-eating ATMs, I have lost my card TWICE.  [...]

In the footsteps of the Sahaba..

We finally got out for some sightseeing last weekend.  This is only the second time in the two plus years we’ve lived in Egypt that we’ve been anywhere.  The first time was the pyramids (in my opinion a waste of money, drive to Giza and look at them from outside the gates!) We visited the [...]

Another Eid (Celebration)

  A few days ago I feed the kids, got them ready for Quran school (3x a week), and sent them downstairs to wait for the driver.  Ten minutes, no driver.  After twenty minutes they troop back upstairs complaining she is not coming.  I call her cell phone, it’s off.  Later I find out she’d [...]