Okay, okay - I will update.

Has been a busy couple of weeks. After all my travelling I had to get busy and get my house ready for company. My parents arrived 8 days ago - so had to dung out my house - with all the travelling things were pretty upside down - home just long enough to mess it up but not clean it up - so spent a few days dunging. DH just about bought it - commented that he wished my folks would come more often so I would put stuff away - like he counts - he is so rarely around - PUNT.

Folks arrived a week ago yesterday - and of course one of their suitcases did not make it - trust British Airways. Friday and Saturday were quiet days - just hanging around the house and letting them get over the jet lag. That is not quite accurate - Friday we ended up with no water - DH had gotten bright and burned out 'my' water pump - so he and Dad spent the day getting it repaired - and of course hit me up for the money - I was some chuffed - since it was his fault it was out of commission - I also told him to get lunch since I had no water - no way was I trying to cook a meal - and I ended up paying for that as well. And then he had agreed to drive a friend's niece around to get her hair done - and instead of doing that he let the guy have my car without even consulting me - needless to say I flipped and of course he sulked about it. He finally got the water going and managed to incapacitate the toilet - you could not use the button to flush - he had to go out to something or other and five minutes after he left my dad and I had the thing fixed - danged engineers.

Sunday we headed to the airport to get the lost suitcase. When I had to go it was really easy - but because of all the people returning from Saudi - it was a royal pain in the butt - my dad had to get permission to enter the terminal to get his suitcase. When I went I just went in the departure hall and walked over to the arrival hall and got my luggage - but they took his passport and had to pass it with security - and of course security was on a break when we arrived - no one had the forethought to tell us this when we ordered the limo to take us out to the airport - so we cooled our heels for about an hour while the tried to track someone down who could make sure my dad was not a terrorist- LOL. Needless to say he was less than thrilled - but in good Egyptian time they ushered him to the terminal to get his piece of luggage and they were reunited. That took most of Sunday- had planned on getting a few groceries - but by the time we got home it was too late to go out.

Monday I dragged Mom to Club (AWA) along with Sharon (we regularly go together) and after club was over we came home and picked up Dad and headed to Carrefour - I needed a few things and we had lunch in the food court. Aymn called just before I was leaving for club and wanted to know if I wanted him to come see me before I left - he was in the dog house - up to his usual tricks of shortchanging my time - told him I was on my way out - so there was no time for me to see him - then he asked if Dad was going with us - I told him no - asked me if Dad wanted company - told him that Dad was quite content to be on his own - but he came over anyhow. Just about drove dad bonkers - I had asked dad to hang up a few things for me - and of course Aymn was all for getting in on the action and doing it the Egyptian way - and my dad is a perfectionist and insisted on doing it properly. Aymn sent me a message - telling me that he was missing me - had hoped to spend time with me - that he was sitting by himself - tough on him - he was the one who HAD to go home and spend time with his family - he had spent 6 days with them and only 1.5 with me - so I figured he owed me - but after 3 days he HAD to leave - so piss on him - I will do what I want and he can just punt. Aymn came up with this hare brained idea that he would spend from 9-6 with me every day and from 7 - 11 p.m. with his family and then on alternate nights he would come back and spend the night with me - told him no way - I want two days and two days - makes it easier for me to plan things and also gives him time to do things. He was persistent - finally said - fine but you will see very little of me - because my days are busy and they will stay that way - I need him here in the evenings and at night - I have no problem keeping busy during the day - but the evenings and nights are a different story. So he relented - not very willingly - but we will see. Then he took off at 7 that night to go and spend time with his kids - ARGH - and he wonders why I get pissed off.

Wednesday we headed to Marsa Matrouh - Aymn had business he wanted to deal with - he has had a falling out with his partners - and there has been some violence - Aymn got cracked across the head with a tire iron - got it stitched up and then when he text messaged me that he could not come over because he could not walk - I phoned him and insisted he get to a hospital - so his two boys went with him and he had a CT scan and lo and behold his skull had been fractured and there was a hematoma - I figured he had a severe concussion - he had lost consciousness for about 2 minutes - so I was quite concerned. And I cannot figure out why the boys went with instead of his wife - let me tell you if he were with me I would have gone with and the kids would have been in bed sleeping. I just do not get it. Anyway - since he wanted to go to Marsa Matrouh and did not want to pay - we took Mom and Dad and spent the night - I am now a lumpy itchy mess - the apartment Aymn rented was infested with mosquitoes - ARGH. On the way we stopped at Al Alamein and went through the museum and stopped in at the Commonwealth cemetery - were very surprised when we were informed that there were 36 Canadians buried there - had not realized that the Canadians were involved - they were all RCAF fly boys. The museum is like most museums here - kind of piece meal and the English is a hoot - but the cemetery was very nice. Thursday we made our way to a beach and Mom and I got dunked. Dad got his feet wet - and that was it. The beach was deserted - and the water was beautiful.

Came home last night and then today headed to Mohmodea to visit Suzanne and her family. Took Mom and my niece Yasmeen with us - we had a good time - we were home before dark - I HATE driving in the dark in this country - I cannot understand why people drive in the dark with no headlights - and the number of vehicles that do not have any lights on the rear is unbelievable. And the vehicles that stop on the side of the road with no lights - it is just plain scary driving at night in this part of the world.

So that is what I have been doing to keep myself busy. Sorry I have not posted - will endeavour to do better.

I had an uneventful trip home - tried to get back a different route and did not even manage to do a tiny scenic tour. WHEW. In shaa allah next time I go I will be able to remember the way back - the new route is certainly better - although I think a lot of that is because I was traversing Cairo at noon on a Friday - so 80% of the population were still sleeping or at the mosques - the roads were deserted - making it very easy to find my way around. I was not having to dodge to many 'homars' behind wheels. Or even too many homar powered carts.

I had a wonderful time visiting Safa - we were out of the house by 10 a.m. every day and back around 2 at the latest. Lots of shopping. We went to many factory outlet stores - Cadbury, a candy place, Swifax (another chocolate shop) - stocked up for Christmas and Eid. Then we found a place that sells turkey - Safa bought some drumsticks - and asked if they have frozen turkey and they do. We also went to the plastic shop - bought containers to store cookies in for Christmas. We swung by the corn processing plant and picked up some corn syrup - it is not very thick - they have quite selling the thick stuff to the public - it is only sold to other factories that use it - so will try to boil it to get it to thicken up. The second day saw us shopping at the scarf outlet store - a girl could really go crazy - I now need to get more clothes to go with the scarves - LOL. And we swung by the ice cream factory - only to find out that they no longer sell ice cream to the public. On our way home we stopped of at the 'turkey' factory and picked up a frozen turkey - last one they had - it is a small one - only 14 kg - but at least I have it. It is now stored in Sharon's freezer because I do not have room - thankfully she has nothing in her freezer as it pretty much fills the whole thing up. The third day we went to a couple of freezer factories - they do not sell to the public - but I did find out what is available. I need to get on the phone to Carrefour and see if they will order what I want in and then I can just pay them and they can deliver it for me. Would be great to get it before my folks arrive - in 12 days - time flies.

Shopping aside it was great to spend time with someone who 'gets' my humour first crack. Spending time with Safa and her family was terrific. She took me to her villa that is being renovated - I am so envious - in a good way - have already claimed the guest room as my own - in fact told her that she needs to finish one of the extra apartments for me so that when I go and visit I an have my own space - LOL. Her kids were terrific - and of course the baby is to die for - he is soooo good - such a flirt. I am so grateful for the opportunity I had to spend time with this wonderful family.

I now know how to get to Carrefour in Maadi - although I think if I am going to go shopping at Carrefour in Cairo once in awhile I will stick to the one at Dandy Mall which is located on the Alex-Cairo desert road - no need to travel through Cairo at all - but I am slowly learning my way around some parts of the city. Since I survived my first trip - I will certainly continue my adventures.

Wednesday evening we went to visit a friend of Safa's - and we were invited back the following night to view the DVD of her daughter's wedding - and a couple more friends also came over. We had a lot of fun Thursday night - we watched the video - munched on sandwiches and other goodies - then we danced. After that we went to the "Friday" market - after midnight. I bought a few things - some pomegranates, new baby potatoes, dill, and some pears. We did not make it home until after 2:30 a.m. I did not crash until 3:30 and 7:30 came way too early- sure do wish I could sleep later - I dozed a bit - but got up around 9:30 - got dressed, then packed up my treasures. I then packed the car and was on the road by noon. Got home to Alex just about 3:45.

I then relaxed for about an hour then I was off to drop off my turkey to Sharon's and pick her up to take her to iftar that a mutual friend of ours puts on every year. We were a bit late -traffic was really bad - I had figured that by 5 everybody would be home - but no they were driving like maniacs to make it home before iftar and of course this led to accidents which tied up the traffic.

Got home around 8 - and I sat around watching TV until a bit after 11. Should have gone to bed earlier - but I was too tired to get there - LOL.

Got up today around 7 - and had a nice relaxing day. Did up my laundry and cooked my iftar - other than that - not much happened.

Will take pics of some of the purchases and will post them later. TTFN

WOO HOO - let the happy dance begin - with only a couple of false starts I connected with Safa at Carrefour in Maadi - and we made it back to her place - so I am here until Friday - unless I wear out my welcome. Tonight we went shopping - I bought myself a couple of new 'dresses' - will wear them over my work out clothes when I start walking - after Ramadan - also bought a new scarf - need a few more - and a loaf pan.

Of course spent money at Carrefour - always seems to be a lot - but such is life. Anyway just thought I would let you know that I am here at last.