Still knitting .....

Another Yum Yum

ONION juice??

Do you want your card swiped?

I suppose that depends on what you mean by "swiped" .....

The kitty gets a new toy ...

A story with pictures!

Once upon a time there was a Princess ... (aka Brat Cat)

One day the Princess asked her humom to make her a nice knitted toy ...

"Please make me a nice knitted toy, please, please, pleeeez"














"You feel sleepy, you will make me a nice knitted toy ..."















"I WANT A NICE KNITTED TOY!"















"MY TOY!!"














"MY toy!!"














"DESTROY MY TOY!!"














"Oops ..."















"It is so tiring being a Princess ..."














The End !!

Let's eat out ... yumm-o

Some of the interesting menus we have seen lately ....

Prince Charles and his Camil

So, Prince Charles and Camilla came to visit us in Abu Dhabi (just for one day, but what the heck ...) And they drove past OUR house, and WE SAW THEM (from the window of the 14th floor, but what the heck ...) And here are the photos to prove it .....

First, the cops blocked off the intersection ...
That's HIM in the first black car ...














Closely followed by his personal ambulance (right side of photo) and then (presumably) some bodyguards ...

And some more bodyguards ...














And some more bodyguards ... and finally the cops ...

Then the excitement was over
and life returned to "normal" once again.

Fame at last !!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zan8Xnq5-30

Did you spot the whirling South African dervishes swinging pillows ?????
Not sure why they fuzzed our faces - perhaps to protect the innocent involved...!!

Pillow Fighting - and FAME

Recently a group called Foresight (www.foresightpillowfight.org/?page_id=5) organised a Guinness Record breaking attempt to hold the biggest pillow fight. They were hoping for 5000 participants - so DD and I joined in (who can resist a good pillow fight??)

It started out in an orderly(??) fashion, with the handing out of pillows to participants ....

But, BEFORE the start of the actual fight, things quickly deteriorated into a free-for-all, a a certain person (who shall remain nameless on this blog!) couldn't contain the urge to bash the sh*t out of someone smaller ....

until, exhausted from showing the DD who is the boss, he finally collapsed on said pillow ...




THEN, the actual fight began .....















It only lasted for 1 minute, but was the most fun I have had with a pillow since I was a teenager .......!!!

Afterwards, we drove away feeling exhausted, stress-less and knowing that we would be famous one day - so, when you see the biggest pillowfight listed in the Guinness Book of World Records, YOU can say : I know someone who was there ......

... and a baby blanket ...

More Jerseys for Jack

Shhhh .... knit happens .....

This is why I have been TBTB (Too Busy To Blog) for a while ...

Someone asked me to knit some jerseys for her first grandchild. What fun it was - casting on 20 stitches instead of 120! BTW congratulations Janet on baby Jack ... have fun spoiling him.

Souf Effrican sense of humour

I just love our sense of humour - we found these on holiday too .....

I'm confused ......

Watching the news on Iraq, where the Sunni's and the Shia are having a go at each other, I got to thinking .... which sect are the UAE Moslems? I mean, it's like a rugby match - you've gotta support the right team, right?

So I looked it up .... big mistake!! Hours later I was still none the wiser. These guys have more divisions than a Matric maths class. It's no wonder they don't get along too well.

Let me see if I have got it right .... It seems that "the religion of Islam has many divisions, sects, schools, traditions, and related faiths." No kidding!!From http://en.wikipedia.org/Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

1 Major Branches
1.1 Sunni
1.2 Shi`a
1.3 Sufi
2 Sunni schools of thought
2.1 Hanafi
2.2 Hanbali
2.3 Maliki
2.4 Shafi'i
3 Shi'a Sects
3.1 Jafari
3.2 Ismailiyah
3.3 Zaiddiyah
3.4 Alawi
3.5 Alevi
3.6 Bohras
4 Sufi Orders
4.1 Bektashi
4.2 Chishti
4.3 Naqshbandi
4.4 Oveyssi
4.5 Qadiri
4.6 Suhrawardiyya
5 Kharijite Sects
5.1 Ibadi
5.2 Sufri
6 Kalam Schools
6.1 Ash'ari
6.2 Maturidi
6.3 Murjite
6.4 Mu'tazili
7 Movements within sects
7.1 Barelwi
7.2 Deobandi
7.3 Salafism
7.4 Wahhabism
7.5 Liberals
7.6 Islamism
7.7 Tablighi Jama'at
8 Other sects
8.1 Zikri
8.2 Ahmadiyya
8.3 Moorish Science
8.4 Nation of Islam
9 Related Faiths
9.1 Yazidi
9.2 Druze
9.3 Bábism
9.4 Bahá'í
9.5 Sikhism
9.6 Submitters
9.7 Five Percenters

Wikipedia - understanding that most of us are completely befuddled by now, also provide a world map of the types of Islam .....


But, if you look at the colour of the UAE's section, you will see that it is a completely different shade to the rest of the world and/or the key .... wha??

Ok, now I am dazed and confused ... and completely deurmekaar ... can someone please help me?

Back from Beyond

The lovely holiday home is now a distant memory ... but as it has taken me all this time to get out of my "there's nothing to blog about" phase, here are some of the memories we made this time ...

When you fly Business Class,

you get your own "Pod"!! - no neighbours!!

Rolling grass covered hills in Natal

A festive Christmas table

Feeling better now ....

If you don't understand Afrikaans, sorry
If you DO understand Afrikaans, Ag, SO - RRY!

/www.boerseun.com
Die pennevrug van prof. Johan Combrinck, voormalige Voorsitter van die Taalkommissie van die S.A. Akademie vir Wetenskap en Kuns.


DIE UNIEKE AFRIKAANSE “FOK”
Een van die interessantste, kleurvolste woorde in Afrikaans, is die leenwoord fok en sy familie.
Dis ‘n towerwoord wat, bloot deur sy klank, vreugde of pyn, liefde of haat, ontdekking of frustrasie kan weergee.
Fok is een van die min woorde wat die funksie van byna alle woordsoorte kan vervul.
Dit word as oorganklike werkwoord gebruik (Fok die hele spul),
en as onoorganklike werkwoord (Aag fok),
as bevel (Fok dit!),
in die bedrywende vorm (Dit het my gefok),
sowel as die lydende vorm (Nou is jy gefok),
as die hoofelement in ‘n hele reeks skeibare werkwoorde (aanfok, opfok, uitfok, toefok, voortfok, byfok, agteroorfok, agternafok), ens
of as stam van ‘n werkwoord (Nou het jy die hele ding befok).
As abstrakte selfstandige naamwoord (Ek gee nie ‘n fok om nie),
of as persoonsnaam (Het jy gesien wat die fokker probeer doen?),
as nabepaling by ‘n vraagwoord (Hoe de fok, wie de fok, hoekom de fok, wanneer de fok, ens.),
as byvoeglike naamwoord (Waar moet ek die fokken tyd vandaan kry?),
as bywoord (Dis nou ‘n fokken mooi grap),
en as uitroep (O fok!).
Selfs ook as invoegsel (Onge-fokken-looflik).
Dit kan ook in homself ingevoeg word (Nou is jy be-fokken-fok).

Hierdie Afrikaanse woord kan gebruik word om wyd uiteenlopende situasies te beskryf:
Verrassing: Hoe die fok gaan dit met jou?
Bedrog: Die motorhawe het my befok.
Ontsteltenis: Ag fokkit!
Moeilikheid: Nou is ek in my moer in gefok.
Aggressie: Fok jou!
Moedeloosheid: Hoe die fok moet ek dit regkry?
Walging: Fok my!
Wanbegrip: Ek fokken verstaan nie.
Inkompetensie: Hy fok alles op.
Gesag: Wat die fok dink jy doen jy?
Verdwaal: Nou weet ek not ‘n fok waar ek is nie.
Oortuiging: Onge-fokken-twyfeld.

Dit kan horlosietyd beskryf (Presies half-fokken-vyf),
of omstandighede (Hoe het ek in hierdie fokken job beland?),
of persone (Jan Fokken Smuts),
of dinge (Kyk hoe lyk jou fokken skoene!),
of plekke (Tot in fokken Durban),
of dit kan die siel van ‘n uitnodiging wees wat van hartlikheid drup (Fok u!).

Fok is in Afrikaans onge-fokken-ewenaard!

Feeling a bit homesick today ...

I know a place in Africa...
Inspiring poetry written by Wayne Visser, a South African currently based in UK.

I know a place in Africa
Where I can feel the sun on my back
And the sand between my barefoot toes
Where I can hear the gulls on the breeze
And the waves crash on the endless shore

I know a place in Africa
Where the mountains touch the skies of blue
And the valleys shelter vines of green
Where the trees spread out a cloth of mauve
And the bushveld wears a coat of beige

I know a place in Africa
Where I can hear the voice of thunder gods
And watch their lightening spears thrown to earth
Where I can breathe the scent of rain clouds
And taste the sweet dew of dusty drops

This is the place of wildness
Of evolution and dinosaurs
Where life began and mankind first stood
Of living fossils and elephants
Where lions roar and springbok herds leap

This is the place of struggle
Of desert plains and thorn trees
Where pathways end and hunters track game
Of horizons and frontiers
Where journeys start and sunsets bleed red

This is the place of freedom
Of exploration and pioneers
Where darkness loomed and light saw us through
Of living legends and miracles
Where daybreak came and hope now shines bright

My heart is at home in Africa
Where the sound of drums beat in my chest
And the songs of time ring in my ears
Where the rainbow mist glows in my eyes
And the smiles of friends make me welcome

My mind is at ease in Africa
Where the people still live close to the soil
And the seasons mark my changing moods
Where the markets hustle with trading
And Creation keeps its own slow time

My soul is at peace in Africa
For her streams bring lifeblood to my veins
And her winds bring healing to my dreams
For when the tale of this land is told
Her destiny and mine are as one © 2006 Wayne Visser



....Ah yes, if only it was still like this ....

Dear Santa

Happy Hell-O-Ween

What's the difference ?

The country is run autocratically, with the voting population given very limited actual say over the running of the country. The disenfranchised population outnumbers those who have the "right to vote" many times to one. Millions of migrant workers have left poverty striken areas to work in the cities with streets of gold.

These workers fill lowly manual labourer positions, doing jobs that those who run the country refuse to do. These same migrant workers have very few rights and are frequently subject to basic human rights violations by those in power who are often above the law. They are paid poverty datum line wages and are treated far worse than the pampered pooches of their "bosses".

Crammed , sardinelike, into "hostels" or "labour camps" with less than basic amenities, some resort to sleeping on rooftops and the street or to timesharing their beds. They are separated from their families for months/years at a time - wives and children are not allowed. If wives are generously given work, they live in rooms the size of a cupboard, are not allowed to have their children or husbands with them and are expected to work all hours of the day and night. These women babysit the "madams" babies and, in many cases are the primary caregiver - virtually bringing them up.

Workers are threatened with "deportation" if they complain or question their treatment as there are many, many more who would be grateful to have these jobs because their homelands are wracked with poverty and disease. It is so easy to take advantage of these desperate people, and expect them to be grateful in return.

However, crime is low because punishment is swift and harsh. Lower castes are herded into their camps at night and those found wandering in affluent neighbourhoods are treated with suspicion by the police force who keep good law and order through fear of consequences. The economy booms because of natural resources that are sought after and prices are high. Tourists enjoy the rapidly growing attractions - huge hotel cities are built purely for their pleasure. They are safe and their pounds/dollars go far - they can live in luxury undreamt of in their home countries.

Slowly resentment and envy creep into the psyche of those at the bottom of the feeding chain. As prices rise, unaffecting the upper echelons, reports begin of petty crime - the theft of some bicycles, shoplifting, handbag and purse snatching. The powers-that-be decide that, in order not to panic tourists and the wealthy, newspapers should adhere to the adage that "less (reporting) is more".

More and more incidents of assault, rape and murder take place. Animal cruelty increases, beggars and scammers proliferate - despite efforts to keep them curbed. People are disillusioned with the overcrowded, stressed "golden" cities and become more aggressive and depressed. Suicide rates increase, alcoholism increases and drugs become a serious problem.

I've just realised .... I don't know if I am writing about the UAE or South Africa ....
Is there a lesson to be learned ?

I got a brand new blog .....

How many times have you seen an article or comment and thought :
"I wish I had said that!"
Well, these are some things I wish I had said -
and because someone else said them before I did,
I will do them the great honour of quoting them on this site
so millions (!!) of people can read what they did say and
what I wish I had said .....!!

http://iwishihadsaidthat.blogspot.com/

Go and have a look - and let me know what you think .......

I want an MP3 ... Player Plaper Paper

This was an advertising leaflet we recently received :

AN MP3 PLAYER BECAME .....

AN MP3 PLAPER, WHICH BECAME .....

AN MP3 PAPER!!

What's in a name?

First "french fries" became "freedom fries"
Then "danish pastries" became "cinnamon and raisin pastries" and "great danes" became "large horse-like dogs" (not really, but it COULD have happened!!)
Now, "pizza's" have become "elastic loaves" ... elastic loaves??!!

TEHRAN, Iran - Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has ordered government and cultural bodies to use modified Persian words to replace foreign words that have crept into the language, such as "pizzas" which will now be known as "elastic loaves," state media reported Saturday.

Mmmm, I wonder what is next ..... well, you know that Coca Cola directly translated into Chinese is "Bite the wax tadpole" ...

So, how about an elastic margaretha loaf with a wax tadpole and freedom fries?

Ah.... this crazy world of ours!

Clothes maketh the (wo)man - Re-post

Okay, we have reached the highly un-PC subject of the National Dress of the UAE. I am sure you all know and recognise the long black coat-like dress (abaya) and the head scarf(shayla) that the women wear. (As seen here, being worn by the blue-eyed infidel – Dear Moi and DD who could easily pass for one of Arab descent!)

Although abaya’s are basically black and basically shapeless, you would be amazed at the number of variations you see. Hemlines, cuffs and necklines are exquisitely embroidered and beaded – making each one a fashion statement in a subtle but very clear way. Some have a small train which drags along the filthy pavement, but most are about ankle length. This means that the ladies have carte blanche to decorate their feet with the most exquisite (and expensive!) shoes oil money can buy!

The other “must-have” accessory is a highly decorated Prada or Gucci or similarly over-the-top handbag.

Shayla’s are mostly black, but we have seen them in every other colour as well. Some are patterned, some fringed, some even have pom pom’s hanging around the edges! Women are constantly fiddling with and flicking their shayla’s – much like European women fiddle and flick their hair! We have seen shayla’s that leave the face uncovered, some that leave just the eyes uncovered and some that cover the entire face. The women have become very adept at eating and drinking and talking on cellphones whilst wearing the face-covering shayla’s. A Macdonalds hamburger is tucked under the chin part, thereupon follows some wiggling and squirming and viola (!) out pops the empty wrapper!

I feel most sorry for the babies who never get to see their mother’s face once outside the home. No smiling, winking or contortions of the mouth that normally accompany a mommy talking to her little one.

Some of the most devoted Muslim ladies wear elbow length black gloves and thick black stockings as well. And one of the most perturbing accessories I have seen is the burqa which is a stiff leather mask which covers eyebrows, nose and mouth – much like those awful braces some teenagers are unlucky enough to have to wear. The first time we saw one of these, on an elderly lady, I felt terribly concerned for her, believing that she must have been in a terrible accident and was wearing some sort of corrective headgear! They remind me of a horse’s bridle and I cannot see how these awful things can be considered anything other than gross. But, to each his/her own, I suppose.

Ladies who don’t have to cover their hands with gloves, often have them ornately decorated with henna painting. Each finger then also sports a flashy, flamboyant ring which glitters and glistens as the hands express what the face cannot. Feet are often also decorated and look very fetching in sexy high-heel sandals - another post for another day.

You know, we Westerners may feel that the abaya and shayla are offensive symbols of oppression, and maybe in certain parts of the world, they are. But I figure, anything that can cover you up when you are having a feeling-fat, bad hair, no makeup kind of a day, can't be all THAT bad!!