Well, it has been an eventful week - culminating in one last trip out to the airport - went out this afternoon and got my last bag - woo hoo - must admit that going to the airport four times in the last week was about three times too often - but it appears that the broken baggage belt at Heathrow has finally been fixed - when I was out there this afternoon there was a pile of about 50 suitcases waiting to be reunited with their owners. Must admit that I am certainly glad that I did not lose my luggage on the way to Canada - this way was inconvenient enough.

I arrived home last Thursday - around 10:30 or so at night - only 3 hours late - after having the privilege of sitting in the plane on the tarmac for 3 hours - I was sure that my luggage would make it - after all they had over four hours to get it from one plane to the other - but alas and alack it was not to be. Aymn and Sharon were at the airport to meet me - must admit that I was certainly not very good company - managed to catch a cold Tuesday night - so was sicker than a dog - and am still working at getting over it. My worst problem is that due to flying my right ear is really bunged up - I cannot hear much out of it - most annoying. I am still coughing - not nearly as much - and it is certainly a lot looser. I got off the airplane at the airport and felt like I had walked into a steam room - it was hot and tres humide - I had conveniently forgotten about the humidity - felt like a slap in the face - YUCK. Has been hot and humid all week - surprise, surprise - since it is summer. And of course Alex is very crowded - population has just about doubled - the holidayers are here in force - the beaches are very crowded as are the streets - and of course the noise is much worse - but it is only for two months or more - so ....

We have a family of 'rats' or whatever - they have nested underneath one of the gardens - they have chewed up the styrofoam and made a nice pile of it on the deck - and of course they love to come in - so I am forced to keep the windows and doors closed - so it is very hot in the flat. Suzanne had made arrangements for a carpenter to come and measure the doors and windows to put in screens and whatever - so that I can leave the windows open and keep the critters out. Aymn and I went to the workshop Tuesday night - and we both agreed that he appears to do good work - so Aymn gave him 600 LE to start the work - said it would be done in 20 days - and the total for the work is 850 LE - not bad - considering there are 3 patio doors and 5 windows that need to be modified. Aymn left for Libya Tuesday night - only to have to come back before he arrived - he had had a fight with Ahmed on the phone - guess the kids were going out to Suzanne's on Wednesday - as was I - and Aymn insisted that the only way they could go was if they promised to treat me properly - and Amal took exception to this and the fight was on - he phoned me Wednesday morning and told me he needed to see me - and of course my mind starts going a mile a minute - then he phoned and said he was leaving for Libya - he needed to get to Edjabya to file a complaint against a truck driver who owes him over 2,000 LE - the border police were waiting for Aymn to file the complaint before they could do anything - so off he went.

Suzanne and her family have moved to a town 80 km west of Alex - I believe it is called Mahmoudia - don't quote me - but Mr. Sadee works there - and he was spending about 5 hours a day commuting - so since there was a flat available for them - they have moved - I am really going to miss them. Yesterday - Wednesday - we went out and saw where they live - the flat is right on the Nile River - they have access to a yard - and it is really a villa not an apartment building - so I think it will be much better for the kids - especially the youngest one. They have a very large balcony - with a grape arbour on it - complete with grapes - they can fish from the balcony - the apartment is very strangely laid out - by western standards - but quite common for country living - it needs a lot of work - does not look as if anyone has lived in it for quite some time - a lot of the glass in the windows is broken - fine for now - but they will need to be fixed before winter. It is quite an old building - with 10 foot ceilings and equally large windows. The older kids are not happy - but such is life. Aymn was sure they would not move because the Mahmoud did not want to - but common sense prevailed - and it is much better for them to live there where there dad works - rather than have him away so much. I just need to be very careful or I will be the taxi from Alex to Mahmoudia for the family. Last night I insisted on leaving by 7 p.m. - did not want to make the drive in the dark - will be leaving early for quite some time until I am really familiar with the road - driving after dark is very dangerous in this country. Trucks, cars, whatever, just stop on the road - no lights - no warning - so if you are not vigilant you will end up crashing into them. Plus because it is in the country - lots of donkey pulled carts, etc. Mr. Mossad insisted on driving back with us - I had dragged Sharon with me for company - and I just about made him get out and walk - he kept giving me driving advice - telling me to watch out for this or that - of which I am quite aware since I drive on a regular basis in this wonderful country.

Yesterday on our way driving to Suzanne's I got a phone call from Aymn - and after thinking about it he feels that the carpenter is overcharging us - so he talked with Mom and she is supposed to go and tell the fellow not to do any work on it until Aymn talks to him - so much for getting anything done. This drives me crazy - he says yes - and then pulls back. He always feels that someone is taking advantage and then of course nothing gets done.

Today Sharon and I drove out to Carrefour and did some shopping and window shopping as well - it is so hot it is wonderful to drive around in my a/c car and spend time in the a/c malls and shops. Then shortly after we got home I got a call from the airport - my last piece of luggage had arrived - so they sent a limousine to pick me up and take me - and I invited Sharon - it is a long boring drive on your own. Aymn and I had gone out Saturday to get the first piece of luggage, the Sunday night I went out with the limousine on my own - then today my last piece was reunited with me - YEAH.

After promising me at least four days when I got home - and being incensed when I said - yeah sure - will believe it when I see it - Aymn ran back to the family when they arrived back in Alex from Marsa Matrouh on Saturday night - after all he had not seen them for 2 whole days - minor detail that he had not seen me for 5.5 weeks - so nothing has changed - why am I not surprised.

I think the family is expecting me to go to Suzanne's tomorrow - but I am going to stay home and get the unpacking done. Must admit that when I came back in January and arrived back home around 3 a.m. - with no Aymn - I got all my packing undone within 12 hours of arriving - but then we have the fun of no luggage, on top of that Aymn is around - I am coming to the conclusion that it is best if he not be around when I arrive home - I think I need a few days of being on my own and getting my Egyptian feet before I jump into dealing with all of his issues. But I somehow have a feeling that this arrangement would not fly - only reason I got away with it in January was because he was still in Saudi Arabia for hajj.

Will endeavour to upload a few pics of the view from Suzanne's place - likely will get on it tomorrow.

Anyway it is good to be home - I guess - no really for the most part I am really glad to be back - it is always wonderful to go to Canada for a visit and see all my family and friends - but it is nice to get back home and have my own place. Even though I arrived home to no hot water, broken water pump, and a thoroughly disorganized place - it is good to be home. The water pump has been repaired - but I am still without hot water. And the kitchen is now reorganized - next on the list is my bedroom - GULP. Wish me luck.

Oh and Aymn does not like my hair colour - he is not really keen on the short hair either - but yesterday when Mom saw it she said it is beautiful and I look 15 years younger - so I think it is here to stay. Tough noogies on Aymn - I feel as if I have made enough changes in my life - and for some strange reason I have reached my limit - lousy attitude I know. When we were discussing his inability to give me my due time - he asked me for more flexibility - told him I was all flexed out - I think it is time for his family to show some flexibility - not going to hold my breath on that one. Time will tell.