Ma Vie...Ma Joie: September 2009

Wednesday, September 9, 2009

My Ramadan Cooking!

My Famous Risotto!

My Risotto filled with Chicken & Mushrooms

Topped with Parmesan and Basil

My Lasagna, My Kids favorites

Baking in the Oven

Harira Soup From Tunis

The Harira soup pack from Tunis

Chicken Shawarma

Very Yummy!

Spaghetti For my Cousin Mohammed...

Kibba Bel Laban with steamed vegetable rice

Chicken legs Marinated in Sticky BBQ Marinade

and Steamed Vegetables

My mother sends me delicious fotur everyday, and so does my mother in law. Mashallah the

food is a lot. However I enjoy cooking, now and then I prepare a dish.

Wednesday, September 2, 2009

رثاء ابونا عبدالرزاق الخالد الله يرحمك برحمته الواسعه

رحلتَ.. ولكنك باقٍ - بقلم: رنا الخالد الأربعاء 2 سبتمبر 2009 - الأنباء جدي العزيز عبدالرزاق رحلت وبقيت لنا ذكراك، وهي ليست كأي ذكرى تختزل المواقف والجمل وإنما ذكرى العبر، سيرة عطرة نهتدي بها ودرس لا ينتهي نظل نستقي منه العبر ونكتشفها أكثر وأكثر مع مر الزمن. كنت مثالا لأمور جمة، للحنان، للكرم وعلى الجميع دون حساب، حتى أبكيت من عملوا لديك، الباقي منهم والذاهب، الحاضر منهم والغائب، وكأنهم أبناؤك لأنك كنت تعاملهم حقا كأبنائك، ولم يأت ذلك بعدما بدأ الوهن ينال من جسدك، وإنما كان هذا نهجك في أوج صحتك وعنفوانها، أي طيلة حياتك الغنية بالرحمة والقيم الإنسانية. كنت طائي الكرم يا جدي يضرب فيك المثل بكرمك، لا تتردد في مد يدك وفي العطايا قبل ان يطلبها منك أحد، وكرمك نال القاصي والداني، فلم تخص أحدا وتمتنع عن أحد، لن أنسى هداياك لنا ونحن أطفال وعطاياك السخية التي كنت تحرص عليها عندما كبرنا حتى وانت على فراش المرض. خصالك والله لا تحتملها هذه السطور ولكني أكتبها لأنني لا أقوى على الاحتفاظ بها في داخلي، أحاول أن أختزلها في بعض من السطور علني أجد في ذلك الراحة لنفسي المتخمة بالاعتزاز بالقيم التي آمنت بها وعشتها وبالحرقة على فراقك وفراقها معك. كنت قارئا مثقفا شغوفا بالمعرفة حتى عندما بدأ يضعف بصرتك، لم يمنعك ذلك من الاستمرار فاستمررت في القراءة وفي الاطلاع على الثقافات وبعد فقدانك البصر استمررت في محاولة إشباع هذا الشغف من خلال السماع إلى البرامج الثقافية تارة، وقراءات أبنائك لك تارة اخرى. وما أجمل خلقك يا جدي، لم تكن تتعرف على سائر الثقافات لتسطرها في الأحاديث وتتباهى بالمعرفة وإنما تجسدت هذه الثقافة في منظومة قيمك بالشكل الصحيح فأصبحت الإنسان المنفتح المتسامح الذي يحترم ويقدر الثقافات المختلفة ولا أنسى كيف كنت تنبذ التعصب والتحيز لثقافة ما أو توجه معين، التعصب الذي يقصي الآخر، كم كنت تحترم التعددية وتؤمن بها وكم كنت في الوقت ذاته تذكرنا بأوجه الشبه بين الثقافات المتعددة. كان الاحترام ديدنك في كل شيء وانسانيتك في كل شيء، في رقة احساسك وسعة مداركك وتسامح فكرك، يا لك من إنسان يا جدي، ليتنا نتعظ. لم يكن احترامك وتسامحك مشروطا أو محصورا في فئة او طبقة معينة، بل العكس، كنت تنبذ وبقوة مثل هذا السلوك وهذا النوع من التمييز، ليس بالقول فقط، وإنما بالسلوك الذي كنت تمارسه كل يوم، امام نفسك وفي محيطك الصغير والكبير على حد سواء، تنبذ التهكم والتمييز في حديثك بشتى أشكاله وتحرص على انتقاء كلماتك، لقد كنت ترفض الحديث في أعراض الناس، لقد كانت جملتك المعهودة «الله أعلم» عندما كنت تسأل عن أمور لا تعرفها حق المعرفة، كم كنت حي الضمير في كل ما تعمله، في حديثك وفي فعلك، ومع هذا كنت مرحا مزوحا تحب الفكاهة وتروي الحكايات الجميلة التي لطالما أمتعتنا بها وجلبت لنا الأنس، وجلبت لنا ابتسامتك الجميلة يا جدي. تعبت يا جدي وأتعبك الوهن وأفقدك البصر ثم السمع ثم القدرة على الحراك، زحف عليك ببطء موجع وآلمك ولكنني والله لم أسمعك قط تشتكي أو تتذمر ولو لبرهة، وهو ما كان يزيد من وجعي عليك عندما كنت أرى صحتك تتدهور، لم ينل الوهن من صبرك ولا من إيجابيتك شيئا، وفي خضم ذلك كله، كنت دائم الترديد لسؤالك المعتاد «ناقصكم شي؟» وعلى مائدة طعامك «ان شاء الله الأكل زين؟». الحديث عنك لا ينتهي يا جدي، كل حركة، كل إيماءة، كل جملة من جملك كانت تنم عن خلقك، ما أرق وأعذب كلماتك عندما كنت تطلب المساعدة حين فقدت بصرك من أي منا، صغيرا كان أو كبيرا، لم تضجر من حالك قط ولم تنهر، أيعقل هذا؟ أيعقل الا يزل لسانك ولو مرة وما أنت بملوم؟ لست ممن يستهويه التفاخر بالانتماء العائلي ولكني أفخر بك أنت، أفخر بخلقك، أفخر بمنظومة القيم التي عشت بها وعاشت بك، ومن حق الجميع ان يفخر بك وكيف لا وقد كنت على حد قول الكثير «أب الجميع». لا أرثيك يا جدي، لأن سيرتك لن تموت ما حيينا، نستذكر ونسترجع صفاتك لأن لنا بها الكثير والكثير من العبر، أعدك يا جدي، وسأربي أبنائي على خلقك، اعدك، هذا أجمل وأسمى ما يمكن أن أورثه لهم. أن نقتدي بك يا جدي هو المطلوب، ولكن أن نصل الى ما وصلت اليه من مكارم الأخلاق، ذلك هو الصعب، احترامك لنا صغيرا وكبيرا دون ان نسمع منك ولو مرة كلمة تجرحنا بها او تجرح بها إحساسك المرهف بالآخرين دوما وانتقاؤك للكلمات العطرة حتى ان اي احد منا لا يذكر انك مسسته بكلمة جارحة، وذلك ايضا صعب التحقيق. دامت لنا سيرتك نستنير بها علنا نستطيع ان نجسد ولو الشيء القليل من خصالك. مثلك في البشر قليل، ونادر ان تجتمع الخصال كما اجتمعت فيك، عمق ثقافة مع تواضع، إحساس مرهف، صبر جميل، كرم واسع، تسامح واحترام، وروح اجتماعية مرحة، خصال قلما اجتمعت في إنسان واحد، ولكنها اجتمعت فيك يا جدي الحبيب الأحب عبدالرزاق، رحمك الله ورحمنا من بعدك يا جدي. سنظل على ذكراك باقين وبنهجك مسترشدين.

First Day of School!

2009 is senat al '7asbega! I don't know why? From the beginning of this year, everything I do or intend to do goes wrong! Yesterday I had everything ready and set so this morning will go smoothly and stress free! I had only 4 hours of sleep, maybe less. My alarm clock goes off and I force myself out of bed. Azoz was already awake and excited. I ask him to get ready while I too get ready, and to be quiet about it so he wouldn't wake up his brother. Yeah!!! If I wished for the moon I would've got my wish! Few minutes later a disgruntled Ahmedi walks into my dressing room wanting his bottle. Since the maid isn't any help at all, and I don't trust her with my kid's things, I had to do it myself. Ahmedi gets back to his bed with his bottle and I went back to my dressing room. I hear Azoz calling him "Ahmaaaad! I'm going to school and you are not!!!" and he is repeating it over and over. Few minutes later Ahmed walks in the room crying. I dress him up so he can come with us. Finally!! We were ready to leave. I look around and check everything and what I discover… the pencil case and the lunch box are missing!! "Where are they Ya Azoz? Did you open your bag and took your stuff out?" I can feel my spine straining as the stress began to creep into me. "No!! I didn't not touch it! Maybe its Lakshmi." Azoz protests. I turn around to Lakshmi. (She used to be Fahad and Fawaz's old nanny. she's been in Kuwait for the past 34 years, and you can't understand one word from her) "Lakshmi did you see Azoz's school things which I left here?" I ask her. She shakes her head. "Yes…yes… I take to his room." "Ok… can you please bring it here?" I said not really trusting she understood what I was asking her for. She rush to the kids bed room, which is a war zone of toys and I follow her. She fumbles around and I feel she is beginning to panic. "Ah! Here it is!" She gives me the old pencil case which is used for the house now. "No, this is not it. It is a pencil case and a lunch bag which is similar to the school bag. Where did you put it?" I ask again calling on every ounce of patience I have. She shakes her head at me. "This is the only thing I took from the living room. Ok? I go wash dishes now, I arrange room later." We are going to school! We are late for school! And she misplaced these crucial items, and she wants to wash dishes!!! To make matters worse, Azoz and Ahmed are fighting and I could hear them screaming! I was losing it! losing my patience and my temper. "No! you look for them now!" I go to the boys and yell at them, then I went looking in my bedroom. I began to question myself whether I really had them in the first place or I was imaging them. But I do remember last night I filled the pencil case with pencils and pens! And then placing it next to the bag so I can show Azoz in the morning what I have put for him and remind him to take care of his things and not lose them on the first day. Twenty minutes pass and no sign of either the pencil case or the lunch bag. I made up my mind while searching to go buy him a new set on the way to school. I stuff new pens and pencils and whatnot in the bag with his school snack. We get in the car and we head to Sultan. I was debating whether to replace the same items, or buy him a whole new different set. What if we find the missing items, and I get stuck with two of each? I told the kids to wait for me in the car and I head inside Sultan. I browse through the bags and I find a whole new set, with G-Force character. I buy him the whole thing, and as I was passing I find a mini bag with Kong Fu Panda and I get it for Ahmedi. While paying I find the sanitizers and wet napkins and remember I forgot to put these in the bag, so I added them with the stuff I got. I get in the car and I ask the driver to rush to school. I fill the pencil case and the lunch bag, and change school bags and we were good to go by the time we arrived. Since we are late, classes already began and we had to look for his class. We went around several times before we found his class. He goes in and I wish him a good day, and I pray to God ye3adi hal sena 3ala '7air!

On the way out. Notice the bag is Iron Man.

At Sultan, I get him a G Force bag, with pencil cases, and Lunch Box

Ahmedi's Kong Fu Panda bag. He will be starting

Nursery in January inshallah.

Sanitizers & anti bacterial wet napkins.

Allah yaster min hal na'9ra!

Can't wait to go in school. I had to call him twice

so he can stop and I take this shot!

Ahmedi following his brother.

We'll see what he'll do in January

At the enterance of the school

In the Hall looking for his classroom

Finally! Al7amdullah he made it in class!

Tuesday, September 1, 2009

Sidi bou S3ied Ya S3ied!!!

The evening before, we had dinner at a Thai restaurant, delicious food, with Fahad's cousin Khaled and his beautiful wife Noora. We had a great time with them. Later that evening my brother Falah returned from Kuwait very late and the kids and I were already sleeping. So we saw him the next morning at breakfast. He was sooo excited (but that's a long story and needs another post). Falah had errands to do and Fahad went with him. Fawaz, the kids and I headed to Sidi bou S3ied. If you ever go to Tunis, Sidi Bou S3ied is a must to visit. It is a cluster, of white washed traditional houses with light turquoise doors and windows, built on a high hill. I just love that place. By the time we got ready and headed there it was already mid day and the sun high and hot. Fawaz parked the car and we walked a short distance, crossing a mini bazaar and into the main street of Sidi Bou S3ied. We crossed the road and got into one of the houses that is opened for the public. I've been to that house before, and when I built my house few years ago, that house in Sidi bou S3ied was my inspiration for its design. The lady at the door who sells tickets, was astonished Fawaz spoke in Tunisian accent. For a moment she was puzzled and couldn't make out from where we come from. But then he told her we were from Kuwait. We got into the house. Very very beautiful. It's like stepping into a time capsule. The house has been restored to its old glory with mixed and matched colorful tiles, white washed walls, traditional upholstery and furniture, and old paintings. Some rooms had mannequins dressed in traditional bridal gowns. After we went around the house and snapped few pictures, we were back on the main road passing through a market and up the hill. On the way I found a tiny shop which sells "Bambalouni" Tunisian doughnuts. OH!!! They are so delicious!! With the exercise of climbing up, and the heat of the sun, poor Ahmedi turned as red as a turnip. Fawaz carried him for the rest of the way. We reached the top of the hill, which overlooked a seaport and the most beautiful view of the sea. Below there were cafes and restaurants, but the children were getting tired so we headed back down on the same way we came from. We passed a lady who does "Harkous" it is like henna but black and it smells like boukhour. Azoz wanted to have a tattoo so the lady made him a scorpion design which they believe it brings good luck. I had one in a flowery design. We passed through the mini bazaar, Azoz bought some drums for him, Ahemdi and his cousin Fahoodi. Next to it was a small stand which caught my eye. It was homemade candy. Candy of every kind! Candy brittles with different kind of nuts, Nougats, Turkish delights and many more. I became dizzy just by looking at them. I bought few bags of mixed candy. Yum! We headed back home. The boys jumped in the pool with their uncles, Fawaz and Falah. I went to rest and prepare myself for the big night! So stay tuned to know what it was about!

Getting ready to leave. Ya 7alathom 3yal Al Khaled ;)