i don't even know where to start!
the family went downtown yesterday and also, out to tybee beach! as far as they're concerned my little town is HUGE and the beach an absolute miracle of nature. you have to remember they're from a landlocked country and this trip was the first time not only outside of their country, but outside of the capital! anyway, i've asked the MITM to do a post about the field trip because i wasn't there! (i had wait for the luggage duty!)
the MITM and i really appreciate all of your kind words. doing this for mr&mrs cta is one of those things we had to do! i like to think of this as part of our american dna, we help, we try to do the right thing, we are at our core, as a nation, good people. mr&mrs cta have said this over and over again, americans have been kind, generous and good them since the moment they touched down in d.c. just the story of going through customs was an experience beyond anything they expected. they have lived in a police state and not matter what, we have elections and wake up the next day, to the same society, the same rules, the same EVERYTHING, just a different guy or gal at the helm. no military coups, no militia standing guard, no secret police coming to the door because you voted the wrong way! sometimes, we need to be reminded that no matter what, we are damned lucky kids!
ok, yes, you can remind me about all of this when i start complaining about the renewal of the patriot act! but no matter what, it still nothing like living in deepestdarkestafrica!
Monday, May 30, 2011
Saturday, May 28, 2011
just a quickie
1. you haven't lived until you've watched Raiders of the Lost Ark with 2 little boys (7 and 9) in FRENCH!
2. although watching a grown man aka the MITM introduce said little boys to Raiders of the Lost Ark comes a close second!
3. giving 2 little boys a football makes you a STAR! (that's a soccer ball for everyone on this side of the pond)
4. daughters seem to be spoiled everywhere!
i'll try and answer all the comments tomorrow while the family is at church. have a great weekend, my darlings! xoxoxxo
2. although watching a grown man aka the MITM introduce said little boys to Raiders of the Lost Ark comes a close second!
3. giving 2 little boys a football makes you a STAR! (that's a soccer ball for everyone on this side of the pond)
4. daughters seem to be spoiled everywhere!
i'll try and answer all the comments tomorrow while the family is at church. have a great weekend, my darlings! xoxoxxo
Friday, May 27, 2011
how come nobody told me...
that i needed to remember what little children liked?
that children ask for milk?
that these children drink powdered milk because fresh milk (outside of a hotel) is unavailable BECAUSE refrigeration isn't available on a regular basis in middle class homes?
little details we forgot
BUT, it's all good for now. fresh strawberries, some juice, an omelet, little beef sausages and biscuits while the MITM and mr. cta make a quick run to the market seem to have calmed the children and made mrs. cta feel a bit more comfortable.
and LOTS of coffee for the grownups!
i'll be adding to this today...
you guys are going on this ride with me!
Afternoon Update:
the MITM is taking the family clothes shopping. why you might ask since they just arrived and almost all of their luggage arrived. (i'm standing duty waiting for its arrival) here's what happens in most third countries: family members helped themselves to mr&mrs cta's belongings BECAUSE "hey, you're going to America what do you need this for?" as mr. cta told the MITM, they looted us! now, even with this, he and his missus brought gifts for us and the coconut krewe! (FYI: coconut krewe, if you're reading this, a package will be sent to super nana & j-man's home) another exciting thing has happened. i'll spare you the details about howi asked a former colleague to send out a press release, but on monday, mr&mrs cta are going to be interviewed by one of the local stations about their experience and why they wanted to come to america.
but seriously, we hear so many stories about illegal immigration, it will be a great chance to hear a positive story about a program the state department and immigration services handle that really works! and for me, it just seems so damn appropriate that on memorial day weekend a family that wants so much to be part of what our country stands for and what so many men and women have fought and died for, will have a chance to tell their story and to become part of the story of us.
OH MY GAWD, IS IT REALLY ONLY 20H29?
what a day for mr&mrs cta and family! the MITM took them shopping and mrs. cta was as he said "almost catatonic" by the time they left TARGET! mr. cta found heaven on earth in the camera department and the children were in shock at the sheer immensity of the store! and then they went to the grocery store...
the MITM has been in the marketplace in their hometown and trust me, just one aisle of an american grocery is a dream to an african! mr. cta was astounded that there was an entire aisle devoted to pet food! mrs. cta wanted to buy a HUGE smoked turkey just because it was there! the MITM convinced her that it would still be there tomorrow and another would be there next week...we'd bring her back to the market again. this is gonna be fun!
tomorrow cooking with gas lessons start!
i am going to sleep!!!
good night, gracie
that children ask for milk?
that these children drink powdered milk because fresh milk (outside of a hotel) is unavailable BECAUSE refrigeration isn't available on a regular basis in middle class homes?
little details we forgot
BUT, it's all good for now. fresh strawberries, some juice, an omelet, little beef sausages and biscuits while the MITM and mr. cta make a quick run to the market seem to have calmed the children and made mrs. cta feel a bit more comfortable.
and LOTS of coffee for the grownups!
i'll be adding to this today...
you guys are going on this ride with me!
Afternoon Update:
the MITM is taking the family clothes shopping. why you might ask since they just arrived and almost all of their luggage arrived. (i'm standing duty waiting for its arrival) here's what happens in most third countries: family members helped themselves to mr&mrs cta's belongings BECAUSE "hey, you're going to America what do you need this for?" as mr. cta told the MITM, they looted us! now, even with this, he and his missus brought gifts for us and the coconut krewe! (FYI: coconut krewe, if you're reading this, a package will be sent to super nana & j-man's home) another exciting thing has happened. i'll spare you the details about how
but seriously, we hear so many stories about illegal immigration, it will be a great chance to hear a positive story about a program the state department and immigration services handle that really works! and for me, it just seems so damn appropriate that on memorial day weekend a family that wants so much to be part of what our country stands for and what so many men and women have fought and died for, will have a chance to tell their story and to become part of the story of us.
OH MY GAWD, IS IT REALLY ONLY 20H29?
what a day for mr&mrs cta and family! the MITM took them shopping and mrs. cta was as he said "almost catatonic" by the time they left TARGET! mr. cta found heaven on earth in the camera department and the children were in shock at the sheer immensity of the store! and then they went to the grocery store...
the MITM has been in the marketplace in their hometown and trust me, just one aisle of an american grocery is a dream to an african! mr. cta was astounded that there was an entire aisle devoted to pet food! mrs. cta wanted to buy a HUGE smoked turkey just because it was there! the MITM convinced her that it would still be there tomorrow and another would be there next week...we'd bring her back to the market again. this is gonna be fun!
tomorrow cooking with gas lessons start!
i am going to sleep!!!
good night, gracie
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Today is the day!!!
mr&mrs coming-to-america will be arriving in our little town at 13h52 TODAY! bless their hearts, they have been traveling from deepestdarkestafrica since yesterday, noon london time! their trip has taken them to addis abba, rome, washington, dc and soon here. quite an adventure for a young family that has never been 4 hours from home and never on a plane! i can't even imagine what they must be going through right now. *
mr&mrs coming-to-america are immigrants leaving all they know for the chance at a better life for themselves and their children. they are not coming empty handed skillset-wise either. he trained as a teacher and speaks 3 languages! she is a trained nurse. the 2 boys, 7 and 9, are good students and the little girl is 2! the MITM has known mr. cta for 5 years, so he has watched the children grow up and has always spoken highly of their characters! they'll catch on the fastest, i know, because children always do. i do worry about the missus, she's young and all of this is so far beyond unreal for her. i do wish i'd practiced my french a bit more (ok, a hellva lot more), but the MITM said mr. cta has hopes that she and the children will learn english quickly! we'll see, but i'm going to be studying french via rosetta stone as much as possible. (it just dawned on me, i was younger (22) than her (she's 28, i had to make the correction from my earlier entry) when the MITM and i decided to move to columbus, ohio. we'd been married over 2 years and captain chaos was 1 month old. i knew i'd see my family again, but it still was difficult to say good-bye at the airport. can you imagine how she must be feeling with almost no hope of ever seeing her family again?)
we've been spending these last few hours trying to make sure we're prepared for the arrival. the MITM will drive the family in one car and i'll follow up the rear in the other car with all the luggage. he'll use the time to talk to mr. cta in english about simple things, like american toilets, showers and running water. we can't take anything for granted, but it's also important to give him a face saving way to let the MITM know what they do and do not know. there's no need for him (mr. cta) to feel any embarrassment in front of me about any of the necessities of their new life!
anyway, this will be continued...
*(i know that when we decided to take our family to ksa (aka the kingdom of saudi arabia) where the MITM was working, the coconut krewe had already driven across country, up and down the coast of california and were not strangers to planes, trains and automobiles. we also knew that we were expats and always had the option of trips home and vacations in europe.)
mr&mrs coming-to-america are immigrants leaving all they know for the chance at a better life for themselves and their children. they are not coming empty handed skillset-wise either. he trained as a teacher and speaks 3 languages! she is a trained nurse. the 2 boys, 7 and 9, are good students and the little girl is 2! the MITM has known mr. cta for 5 years, so he has watched the children grow up and has always spoken highly of their characters! they'll catch on the fastest, i know, because children always do. i do worry about the missus, she's young and all of this is so far beyond unreal for her. i do wish i'd practiced my french a bit more (ok, a hellva lot more), but the MITM said mr. cta has hopes that she and the children will learn english quickly! we'll see, but i'm going to be studying french via rosetta stone as much as possible. (it just dawned on me, i was younger (22) than her (she's 28, i had to make the correction from my earlier entry) when the MITM and i decided to move to columbus, ohio. we'd been married over 2 years and captain chaos was 1 month old. i knew i'd see my family again, but it still was difficult to say good-bye at the airport. can you imagine how she must be feeling with almost no hope of ever seeing her family again?)
we've been spending these last few hours trying to make sure we're prepared for the arrival. the MITM will drive the family in one car and i'll follow up the rear in the other car with all the luggage. he'll use the time to talk to mr. cta in english about simple things, like american toilets, showers and running water. we can't take anything for granted, but it's also important to give him a face saving way to let the MITM know what they do and do not know. there's no need for him (mr. cta) to feel any embarrassment in front of me about any of the necessities of their new life!
anyway, this will be continued...
*(i know that when we decided to take our family to ksa (aka the kingdom of saudi arabia) where the MITM was working, the coconut krewe had already driven across country, up and down the coast of california and were not strangers to planes, trains and automobiles. we also knew that we were expats and always had the option of trips home and vacations in europe.)
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
at long last, another meme!
the meme seems to have gone out of fashion for a bit, but our pal, dive posted this and i've nicked it! you know the deal, play along on your own blog, just let me know so i can read your answers!
1) ONE OF YOUR SCARS. HOW DID YOU GET IT?
i have a 5" scar that starts at the bottom of my right ankle and goes up the side of my leg. i slipped on the wet deck outside our dining room (years ago) and broke my tibia. i had considered getting a tattoo of a zipper on it.
2) WHAT IS ON THE WALLS OF YOUR BEDROOM?
a matless glass frame with 3 pictures of the coconut krewe, an indonesian wooden medallion, a round metal mirror with the image of the crescent man in the moon, an original silkscreen made by a friend commemorating a trip we all took to NOLA and a tall faux bamboo dressing mirror.
3) WHAT DOES YOUR MOBILE PHONE LOOK LIKE?
it's a 4 (or 5) year old silver razr with bite marks made by ghost face killer.
4) WHAT MUSIC DO YOU LISTEN TO?
i have very eclectic tastes in music, so it all depends on the mood i'm in or if i'm driving or not. (music is always the driver's choice in our car.)
5) DO YOU KNOW WHAT TIME YOU WERE BORN?
6) WHAT DO YOU WANT MORE THAN ANYTHING RIGHT NOW?
to finish this meme.
7) WHO DO YOU MISS?
dive's answer Nobody. I'm a pretty fucking good shot with a rifle.
who could top that, right? but seriously, i miss the coconut krewe not being in the same town as me!
8) IS ANYONE IN LOVE WITH YOU OR HAS A CRUSH ON YOU?
the MITM is in love with me! i know this because i just asked.
9) WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU KISSED?
the MITM 2 seconds ago.
10) WHAT IS YOUR MIDDLE NAME?
zaynab
11) THE BEST TV SHOW EVER CREATED?
law and order
12) THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO?
the MITM
13) DO YOU GET SCARED IN THE DARK?
no, but crowds are starting to make me wonder about my personal safety.
14) THE LAST PERSON TO MAKE YOU CRY?
15) WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE COLOGNE/PERFUME?
i no longer have a favorite because i have allergies and absolutely cannot abide manufactured scent anymore!
16) WHAT KIND OF HAIR/EYE COLOUR DO YOU LIKE IN THE OPPOSITE SEX?
seriously? at my age, unless i have my glasses on, i haven't a clue!
17) WOULD YOU RATHER BE SMART OR FUNNY?
i'm lucky if i'm intelligible!
18) COFFEE OR ENERGY DRINKS?
coffee!!!
19) WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE PIZZA TOPPING?
pepperoni! i like thin crust pizza with simple toppings.
20) IF YOU COULD EAT ANYTHING RIGHT NOW, WHAT WOULD IT BE?
a krispy kreme lemon filled donut or a maybe, a duck comfit.
21) WHO IS THE LAST PERSON WHO MADE YOU MAD?
the MITM (notice the trend? yeah, that's what happens when 2 people live together for a very, very long time.) (he'd probaly say the same thing if he did memes.) (or blogged.)
22) DO YOU SPEAK ANOTHER LANGUAGE?
i barely speak english, so no.
23) WHAT WAS THE FIRST GIFT THAT YOU REMEMBER SOMEONE GIVING YOU?
it was a copy of "bambi" given to me by my 2nd grade teacher, mrs. whiteside.
24) DO YOU LIKE SOMEONE?
i like a lot of people.
25) ARE YOU DOUBLE JOINTED?
no, but i do have opposable thumbs.
26) FAVOURITE CLOTHING BRAND?
what ever i happen to be wearing at the time. ok, i do have 2 favorites, bali and jockey, for underwear.
27) WHAT IS YOUR DREAM CAR?
'53 MG TD
28) WHAT COLOUR IS IT?
british racing green with a camel color leather interior.
29) WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE KIND OF EXERCISE?
changing the channel.
30) WOULD YOU FALL IN LOVE KNOWING THAT THE PERSON IS LEAVING?
absolutely! we all will eventually one way or the other, so why worry about the end and not experience the now?
1) ONE OF YOUR SCARS. HOW DID YOU GET IT?
i have a 5" scar that starts at the bottom of my right ankle and goes up the side of my leg. i slipped on the wet deck outside our dining room (years ago) and broke my tibia. i had considered getting a tattoo of a zipper on it.
2) WHAT IS ON THE WALLS OF YOUR BEDROOM?
a matless glass frame with 3 pictures of the coconut krewe, an indonesian wooden medallion, a round metal mirror with the image of the crescent man in the moon, an original silkscreen made by a friend commemorating a trip we all took to NOLA and a tall faux bamboo dressing mirror.
3) WHAT DOES YOUR MOBILE PHONE LOOK LIKE?
it's a 4 (or 5) year old silver razr with bite marks made by ghost face killer.
4) WHAT MUSIC DO YOU LISTEN TO?
i have very eclectic tastes in music, so it all depends on the mood i'm in or if i'm driving or not. (music is always the driver's choice in our car.)
5) DO YOU KNOW WHAT TIME YOU WERE BORN?
09h00. it was a cesarean section, so ma made an appointment with her doctor. it was new year's eve and everyone wanted to party in the evening!
6) WHAT DO YOU WANT MORE THAN ANYTHING RIGHT NOW?
to finish this meme.
7) WHO DO YOU MISS?
dive's answer Nobody. I'm a pretty fucking good shot with a rifle.
who could top that, right? but seriously, i miss the coconut krewe not being in the same town as me!
8) IS ANYONE IN LOVE WITH YOU OR HAS A CRUSH ON YOU?
the MITM is in love with me! i know this because i just asked.
9) WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU KISSED?
the MITM 2 seconds ago.
10) WHAT IS YOUR MIDDLE NAME?
zaynab
11) THE BEST TV SHOW EVER CREATED?
law and order
12) THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO?
the MITM
13) DO YOU GET SCARED IN THE DARK?
no, but crowds are starting to make me wonder about my personal safety.
14) THE LAST PERSON TO MAKE YOU CRY?
the MITM
15) WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE COLOGNE/PERFUME?
i no longer have a favorite because i have allergies and absolutely cannot abide manufactured scent anymore!
16) WHAT KIND OF HAIR/EYE COLOUR DO YOU LIKE IN THE OPPOSITE SEX?
seriously? at my age, unless i have my glasses on, i haven't a clue!
17) WOULD YOU RATHER BE SMART OR FUNNY?
i'm lucky if i'm intelligible!
18) COFFEE OR ENERGY DRINKS?
coffee!!!
19) WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE PIZZA TOPPING?
pepperoni! i like thin crust pizza with simple toppings.
20) IF YOU COULD EAT ANYTHING RIGHT NOW, WHAT WOULD IT BE?
a krispy kreme lemon filled donut or a maybe, a duck comfit.
21) WHO IS THE LAST PERSON WHO MADE YOU MAD?
the MITM (notice the trend? yeah, that's what happens when 2 people live together for a very, very long time.) (he'd probaly say the same thing if he did memes.) (or blogged.)
22) DO YOU SPEAK ANOTHER LANGUAGE?
i barely speak english, so no.
23) WHAT WAS THE FIRST GIFT THAT YOU REMEMBER SOMEONE GIVING YOU?
it was a copy of "bambi" given to me by my 2nd grade teacher, mrs. whiteside.
24) DO YOU LIKE SOMEONE?
i like a lot of people.
25) ARE YOU DOUBLE JOINTED?
no, but i do have opposable thumbs.
26) FAVOURITE CLOTHING BRAND?
what ever i happen to be wearing at the time. ok, i do have 2 favorites, bali and jockey, for underwear.
27) WHAT IS YOUR DREAM CAR?
28) WHAT COLOUR IS IT?
british racing green with a camel color leather interior.
29) WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE KIND OF EXERCISE?
changing the channel.
30) WOULD YOU FALL IN LOVE KNOWING THAT THE PERSON IS LEAVING?
absolutely! we all will eventually one way or the other, so why worry about the end and not experience the now?
Friday, May 20, 2011
May 21, 2011
come on, did you really think i wouldn't post this video today? i wonder how many of us did the same thing today?
or did you go for blondie instead?
and then, there's always skeeter davis
my personal favorite is the sufi, nasruddin:
A group of philosophers traveled far and wide to find, and, contemplated for many years, the end of the world but could not state a time for its coming. Finally they turned to Mullah Nasruddin and asked him:
- Do you know when the end of the world will be?
- Of course, said Mullah Nasruddin , when I die, that will be the end of the world.
- When you die? Are you sure?
- It will be for me at least, said Mullah Nasruddin.
if you're reading this, have a BRILLIANT weekend!
or did you go for blondie instead?
and then, there's always skeeter davis
my personal favorite is the sufi, nasruddin:
A group of philosophers traveled far and wide to find, and, contemplated for many years, the end of the world but could not state a time for its coming. Finally they turned to Mullah Nasruddin and asked him:
- Do you know when the end of the world will be?
- Of course, said Mullah Nasruddin , when I die, that will be the end of the world.
- When you die? Are you sure?
- It will be for me at least, said Mullah Nasruddin.
if you're reading this, have a BRILLIANT weekend!
Thursday, May 19, 2011
what's on my desktop today
 |
| moxie, cousin to ghost face killah |
see you again soon.
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
MOVIE CLIP WEDNESDAY!!
the lovely joanna cake has been hosting Movie Clip Wednesday while a. boxer is on MCW hiatus. hugh grant and his fabulous fringe is the object and star today! music and lyrics is my choice and i will admit (in public) that hugh grant is my go-to guy for rom-com movies! drop by joanna's, check out her choice and then in the comments, find out who else is playing today!
Friday, May 13, 2011
Thank You, Metropolitan Diary
Dear Diary:
There is nothing like a Friday commute with the crowds just wanting to get home from work. On a recent Friday, I was waiting for an N train at 23rd Street, where the masses of commuters in some places were four or five deep.
As the train pulled into the station and we poured in, a young boy was sitting on his mother’s lap, babbling loudly. Passengers got frustrated as it continued, and the mother did little to quiet her son.
A few stops later, as we pulled into the 42nd Street station and the mother stood, the little boy took this opportunity to say “Goodbye and have a good weekend” to every single person he could. As they got off the train, the goodbyes continued with the passengers waiting to board.
As I looked around because I couldn’t help laughing, I realized that those around me were laughing, too. It was a great start to my weekend!
Devan Hibbard
sometimes, everything i need is in the new york times! have a great weekend, sugarpies! xoxoxox
There is nothing like a Friday commute with the crowds just wanting to get home from work. On a recent Friday, I was waiting for an N train at 23rd Street, where the masses of commuters in some places were four or five deep.
As the train pulled into the station and we poured in, a young boy was sitting on his mother’s lap, babbling loudly. Passengers got frustrated as it continued, and the mother did little to quiet her son.
A few stops later, as we pulled into the 42nd Street station and the mother stood, the little boy took this opportunity to say “Goodbye and have a good weekend” to every single person he could. As they got off the train, the goodbyes continued with the passengers waiting to board.
As I looked around because I couldn’t help laughing, I realized that those around me were laughing, too. It was a great start to my weekend!
Devan Hibbard
sometimes, everything i need is in the new york times! have a great weekend, sugarpies! xoxoxox
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
how i feel
i'm not sure what's going on here at the plantation.
in fact, as soon as i saw this cartoon, i KNEW it was perfect for today. things have been absolutelyfuckingcrazy since february and since then nothing has been moving in a normal direction whatever normal is. we seem to live in some sort of wait mode when we aren't operating at hurry up and wait speed. we have been cooking up a storm, i have to admit, so there aren't any missed meal cramps around here! in fact, i'm nibbling on a slice of lemon polenta cake right now. yesterday was my personal salute to all things new orleans with red beans and rice. the MITM has made his famous roast chicken and veggies (leftover chicken turned into my own favorite chicken salad), but i digress. back to the strange ennui that has overtaken us. it seems some sort of civilian version of PSTD. i know that given the things that have occurred recently, the coconut krewe is ok, people are on the mend and dealing with their lives as they are now, not how they were in the past. the MITM is home safe, as are the people he was responsible for, but it seems as if we're still in the trenches, just fighting a different battle.
on may 26th, we have a family coming to stay with us while they wait for their immigrant status to be confirmed. yes, a young couple from deepestdarkestafrica* with 3 children under the age of 9 will probably be with us for 2 or 3 weeks. the MITM may or may not be here. this is a massive move for them. (and crazy mad for me!) in fact, it's such a monumental move that if the wife balked at the last minute i would not be surprised. she's never been further than a 4 hour ride from her family. english is not one of the languages she speaks. he is tri-lingual. the 2 oldest children may or may not speak english. the language barrier is just one of the difficulties ahead for all of us. every single thing we take for granted will be a new experience. something as simple as flicking the lightswitch and knowing that the lights will come on EVER SINGLE TIME YOU DO IT will be an experience. running water at all hours of the day and night 24/7/365 will be the new new thing! the abundance in the grocery store, hell, just the store itself will probably cause massive culture shock! air conditioning inside every place you go to? impossible! politeness and courtesy in public spaces? never! what about the vegetation/trees/wildlife that exists in my little town? spanish moss freaked me out the first time i saw it! (ok, it was late at night and after a dinner party, but you get my point) and don't even talk about rules of the road! case in point, there was a woman who after a year in the states when back to deepestdarkestafrica because america wasn't free! yep, in her mind, she couldn't drive like a bat out of hell or make up her own rules, so screw it, she was homeward bound (after she paid all her moving violation tickets) where she was free. i know that isn't the case for mr. and mrs. coming to america, but their lives are about to change in ways a year ago, they couldn't possibly have imagined!
so, there it is. i'm a wreck. and until i wrote it all out, i didn't want to admit it!
*yes, the same place the MITM works which shall remain a secret.
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Monday, May 2, 2011
monday, may 2, 2011
"I've never wished a man dead, but I have read some obituaries with great pleasure." -Mark Twain
just off the presses:
just off the presses:
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