Just a lot of rain

Nothing much to report today Sweetheart, just a lot of rain.  When it rains around here, it usually rains in the evening.  But in the past couple of days, it's been raining in the early morning, right after the dawn prayer.  That means that the nights are extra humid, and I was sweltering all last night.  I had to turn on the A/C.  I heat up really easily.  You most likely don't like the cold I'm sure, but I despise the heat.  I think it's going to be a tug of war over the A/C remote in our bedroom, honey.  Either that, or I'll have to go to a different room where I can keep it nice and cold.  Either that, or you cling onto me like a baby monkey clinging onto its mother so you can share my body heat.

Hey Natty, how are those studies coming along?  Please do me proud, and do well at school OK?

The Cat That Opens Doors

Yeah, Floofy has learned how to open my bedroom door.  She jumps up onto the door handle and hangs on, while her hind legs provide momentum to push the door open.  Imagine my dismay one day when I came home to find Doutzen the naughty kitty peeking out of my bedroom.  I was relieved to find no evidence of pee in there.  However there happens to be a locking latch inside the room, so Floofy can't open the door while I'm inside.  Ha!  Gotcha!  Go ahead and meow all you want, you're not getting in!

In other cat news, I steamed a fish for the predawn meal!  Yea, I bought a big old scad a couple of days ago, and took off the head and tail.  It wasn't the biggest scad at the market, but big enough to make a full meal for me.  I had some baby coconut meat left over from making baby coconut juice for my Mom, so I had blended that into a mulch.  Then I mixed in some Siamese hot sour soup mix (Tom Yam) and anchovy bouillon, then stuffed and rubbed the fish with it.  I had harvested a couple of whole basil plants and washed them thoroughly, then placed the basil in the hot steamer, and separated the basil from the fish with a grille.  No side dishes.  Just the fish, ma'am.  Delicious!  Alhamdulillah.

Natty, you always get me with those bedroom eyes.

Envy

What a beautiful little girl she was.  Poor little girl.  I didn't get the news about her until yesterday, and by that time the mother and boyfriend had already been sentenced.  That tells me that the case had been active for a while already, so you must know more about it for a much longer time than me.  I'm not entirely certain the mother did it out of jealousy.  However, the Qur'an teaches us that jealousy begins in the family.  But there's one thing that makes me certain- that little girl looks so familiar.  Don't you agree that she looks familiar?  Which is why I asked you to stay in your beautiful home and not go out unless you're working or it be necessary.  If you want to explore, do it on your computer.

Best wishes on your finals, Natty.  Please do me proud.  I don't want you to give up on your education.  But unlike a modeling career, it is something you can go back to.

Pina, at last!  Thank God!  Now that you finally got home, take it easy for a while and eat good food.

I'm beginning the vocal tracks for the next song on "Woo Hoo" right now.  It's called "Cry Baby Oh Yeah!".  It's actually a very cruel song, but "Woo Hoo" is supposed to be a dark album.  Also it's wardrobe time for me on Second Life, so you won't find me at the usual hangout.

A moment of perfection

Erin honey, only a fool is without fear.  Pious people put their fear in God.  So learn to focus your fear, and you won't become paralyzed.  InshaAllah.

Natty, you're so pretty!  How do you do it?  No nose hairs!  I'm so jealous.

Well, life isn't supposed to be perfect.  Life is supposed to be difficult, actually.  But there are some moments when everything is just fine, when I don't want anything, and I don't need anything.  It could be a time when I'm just looking out at my environment, or petting my kitty, or putting along on my motorcycle.  Or when I make a perfect dish.  I rarely do anything perfect, at best it's 90 something percent.  But yesterday I made the perfect fresh tofu in soup.  I had a fish head in my freezer, so I boiled that in anchovy bouillon with garlic, onion, and cilantro.  Then picked the flesh off and put it back in the pot.  I added corn starch to thicken it up.  This was right before breaking fast, so I was doing other things at the same time.  After breaking fast with a couple of dates then praying the sunset prayer, I reheated the soup and added fish cake and an egg.  Then I poured it over a block of fresh tofu.  It was a beautiful sight!  And the flavor, oh my God!  Alhamdulillah!  I didn't even taste the stuff when I made it.  Oh no, I should have taken a snapshot!

My outfit wasn't perfect though.  That blue green dress made me feel like a drag queen.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The food

Are you hungry, Erin?  The one thing you might notice during this time of year is how much food there is around here.  People selling food, people cooking food, food on the table, food left over, food being thrown away etc.  I mentioned before that the challenge during Ramadan here is not to gain weight, which is rather ironic, and difficult too now that I'm living through it.  Even my cooler is full, because I had been buying food in preparation for the fasting month, after all not many stores are open at 3 am.  Plus food that was given to me.  Plus food dropping from the trees.  I try not to overdo my cooking, and ration myself as if I were going through any other broke month.  And I make sure that I eat all leftovers.

Are you hungry, Natty?  For breaking fast I had a block of fresh tofu with chicken and avocados swimming in my home made extra thick generic curry.  For the predawn meal, I had a huge helping of spaghetti with spicy meat sauce.  I had some sauce left over, so I think I'll make a pizza with that.

I know you're hungry Pina.  You're always hungry.

Ah, what a lovely morning

The night was muggy, but I woke up to a nice cooling morning shower.  I love the rain, especially when I'm not caught in it.  How are you Erin Sweetie?  How are those raging emotions?  I spent the morning doing my taxes.  Yes, I have a registered business and I have to do my taxes.  You're probably thinking, "Wait a minute... he's not making any sales but he has to do taxes?"  I get a big kick out of that, showing the taxman the big zero I got for sales, when I know that if I didn't work there would be a great economic crash.  MashaAllah.  Again, I will not endorse any politician who does not support and help the music.  Perhaps Allah will be kind to me soon, and give me wealth enough so I can get married and buy equipment.

Natty, do you like to be in control?  No honey, that doesn't make you a control freak.  Let's just say that you like to be in the director's chair.  Control is a funny thing, Natty.  Wisdom is knowing that we are all out of control, that only God has absolute control.  The best approach to life I think is to learn how to ride the wild horse, to stay in your seat without getting thrown off.

Pina, that's a whole lot of empty plates so I can't tell how well you are eating.  All I see is the half glass of margarita, and the glazed look in your eyes.  Please don't become an alcoholic or a drug addict.  I'm not going to marry an alcoholic or a drug addict.

 

 

 

 

Mornings

I'm not a morning person.  I prefer late nights, but lately I've been running out of time, so I sleep less and become active in the morning.  I would like to sleep more, but I toss and turn so I might as well work until I become sleepy.  This morning I was supposed to take my Dad for his eye appointment but he cancelled and I had to go reschedule for him.  I deal better with life when I'm prepared for something: I was prepared to wait for my Dad while he saw the eye specialist, but I wasn't prepared to wait for them to reschedule the appointment.  And they took a long time.  So that messed with my emotions.  I had been to the market and bought a fish among other things, so it was a good thing it wasn't a hot day because that fish had to sit in my motorcycle basket.  Alhamdulillah.  I locked the cats up while I gutted that fish but I missed the heart, which was still attached to the stomach cavity.  By then I had released the cats, and they were begging for scraps of course.  I threw them the fish heart, and Floofy wolfed it up.  Then she puked it out.  I am prepared to deal with your sensitive tummy, InshaAllah.  I sure hope you don't beg for stuff that you can't eat.

Natty, you look absolutely wonderful.  Is that a recent photo?  Your face looks much more relaxed.  And that sure is a BIG dog collar.  I sure love how beautiful your shoulders and arms are.

Pina, did you need me for something?  If you need me, then talk to me.