Rest In Peace,Grandma

Yesterday was my paternal Grandma’s funeral, she passed away Friday night.
It was a surprise to all, since she wasn’t seriously ill, just complained from arthritis as far as I know.

I felt so terrible, thinking of all the things I should have done, I should have called more often, I should have visited more often; maybe stay over a couple of days. Actually, I was planning on sleeping over at her place as soon as we came from vacation, we came Friday morning, and she left Friday night!

Whenever I was a bit distant and didn’t call for a while, then visit or call her ,she’d greet me as if I was travelling and came back and goes “ How was your journey?” smiling at me to make me feel at ease instead of going “Haven’t heard from you for a long time. “Or “why don’t you call, did you forget your grandma?”

She always talked to me about Karma , how when I was a baby, mum would drop me at Gran before going to work and She, Gran would feed me, change my diapers and play with me. Then, how now, that she’s old, I go and buy her groceries, and give her, her weekly injection, and run her some errands.

Grandma was the news center in the family. She always spread the word about everything, who’s ill, who did what in their exams, who’s pregnant, who’s moving to another house, who’s travelling, who’s coming,….I wonder now, if we will call each other more often, or will everyone be isolated and no one will know anything as if we were perfect strangers!


I was the only grandchild she babysat, so I was kind of special to her.
Grandma had 4boys and a girl, 13 grandchildren, and 3 great grandchildren! It was always great when we gathered at her place every Friday, and on special holidays…I’m not sure how that’s gonna happen now, I’m worrying everyone’s gonna get distant, and won’t bother to gather or meet, I really hope that won’t be the case.

Coincidently, Grandpa passed away at about the same time she did, a few days away from the holy month of Ramadan, but that was 6 years ago. So now their house is empty, feels kinda weird!

5 Reasons why I need my phone to awaken!!

My phone is in a coma!

I was calling someone when suddenly the screen turned white!! I could still here it ringing, but the screen is just blank, I can’t get around. Immediately, I went to the Nokia maintenance service, and they said, they may or may not be able to fix this, just give them till Friday.

I lost a lot of numbers which were saved on the phone’s memory. Not really bothered about msgs, pics, songs, videos I have copies of these. But my phone was my:

1) Phone, naturally I feel isolated –especially since our land line got messed up for 2 days now!!-
2) My faithful camera!! I entered photography contests with pics from this phone, and even got published in a magazine!! Oh Plus I made a 3 min movie that I’m planning to share on the blog soon, it’s a thriller ;)
3) I listened to trance music before going to sleep on it... How am I supposed to sleep now?
4) I read a lot of stuff on that phone. I uploaded a couple of books and some scripts that kept me company in my long car/bus journeys.
5) Internet!! I’d log in from anywhere, and just check or send a quick e-mail or search for something…ahhh

I hope I come back and find that it’s back to life, awake from its coma!! I really can’t afford buying a new one now, yet I need it!!

Macaroni Salad

I was supposed to make lunch for the kids , mum told be to saute some veggies, I burnt them!
so I went to my old faithful Macaroni Salad, and here is it, as promised in the El Montaza post

I boiled Macaroni " I choose the spiral ones"

then added boiled veggies " carrots, peas, grean beans"

Then a can of red kidney beans,

one can actually put anything you find in the kitchen "sweet corn, white beans,..etc"

Then I put olives

And chicken chunks " can be replaced by tuna, mashroom, or none :D"

And finally, the French sauce;
Mayonnaise, salt, sugar, vinegar and oil

Mix 'em well!!



Bon Appétit =)

Instrumental : Santorini

Another one of Yanni's, from his Album, "Devotion /The Best of Yanni" .
Santorini is a greek name of the volcanic island located in the Aegean Sea, about 200 km southeast from Greece's mainland.

I remember the first time I ever heard this track, was when I was 12 ,attending a wedding cermony and they were doing a fireworks show, and this was the background music. It was played really loud and I felt my heart beating so hard, touched by the power of Santorini.



Yanni - Santorini

Summer Schools’ Peace Camp

My second time to experience being a trainer/activator/teacher. or whatever they wanna call it! Along with a partner, we were responsible for 20-30 kids for 3 days. Well first we were a group of volunteers targeting 5 public schools with 60 students in each age 12 to 15. Volunteers were divided into teams of 4 or 5 for each school. Then we were paired.

It was more of a workshop than a camp, we made some activities for the kids to help them 1-know more about themselves and their personalities 2-learn to appreciate people surrounding them in their lives 3- learn how to solve problems they have with people by peaceful non-violent means.

It was so much fun, I discovered that I liked working with kids :D I also found out that a lot of kids at his age –especially those in public schools- are very much in need to talk and express their views, also they were all complaining that they have low self confidence! One girl told me that she felt self conscious while walking in the street around college students, and felt everyone stare and think “oh you’re such a kid!!”, oh my! So I prepared some extra stuff and quizzes to do with them to help them build up their confidence and self esteem, which they enjoyed so much, and that made me feel very proud =)!

This Peace camp is part of .“The Suzanne Mubarak Women’s International Peace Movement”


Why is it different this year?? Well, the First Lady, Mrs. Mubarak has asked to hold a meeting with the volunteer trainers...Tomorrow!! Well, I’m not the type of person who usually goes to meetings with the President’s Wife!!! So this is HUGE for me!! I’ve never even met our Governor.. Not even our College Dean!! And here I am, skipping these steps and heading straight to the First Lady!!

I wonder though why she didn’t do anything before, this is the 5th year that the Peace Camp is held, and no one ever bothered to talk to the volunteers after the camps were through! This should be interesting!

Only thing is, we were asked to dress formal, I hate formal!! Oh, and no mobiles and cameras are allowed!!

Dude Doodling :)

The one at the top, looks like his punched in his left eye,& the one below, has really some messed up hands.

Out & About: El Montaza

Since our school friends -who have gone abroad for college studies- came this summer holiday to their homeland,Alex, we decided to make a re-union . Destination : El Montazah !!

Former residence of the King of Egypt, now one of several Egyptian Presidential Palaces. In Alexandria .The meaning of the word Montaza is to be far, untouched, unblemished, and free. It is famous for its vast royal gardens , beach and several things .

After contacting as much people as we could, 14 people were able to make it, which was great since they were my closest friends during school!

The Montaza main entrance (It has 2 other entrances)

The entrance from the inside, or rather the exit now :)

It lies on the very east of Alex, were one stands almost at the edge of Alex, viewing the rest of the city that's on the seaside.

The water was soooo inviting, too bad we didn't get our bathing suits :( And that, would be King Fuad's Palace..no visitors are allowed entrance, because it currently serves as a place for the President to receive his guests or maybe come and enjoy himself ..LOL

A friend of ours had access to one of the cabins, were we put our stuff and had our own private area were we played some racket.

It not really that cheap to get a cabin there, it was my fist time to go to one actually, when I used to go with my college friends, we simply hang out at the public gardens,or I went on some occasions were I was a volunteer organizer of a certain event.

so, it was cool :D

After playing, we were hungry, we had each got something to make a dish party,and this is how the layed table looked like.

Drinks:Water,Coke,Juices( 4 flavours ,if you wanna know, oh well, grapes, pineapple,apple & the final is my first time to try Orange and carrots mix, it was okay.. but pineapple is my fav.)

You might be wondering about the dark think in the middle of the table..ehm well that is, " Mahshi Waraa' Enab" i.e grape leaves stuffed with rice .It's more delicious than it looks, every Egyptian is a fan of it.I's also well know in Greece, since they're a mediterranean Country as well.

I got Macaroni Salad, I actually made it, whenever there's a dish party, that's my trade mark!! It's Easy, Tasy, & Healthy. I'll probably make a post of it later!! Maybe you'll find it handy as it requires minimal kitchen knowledge, but saves the day when you're hungry !!

Another pal made chinese rice & chicken sweet and sour, that is always my favourite when I order at the chinese restaurant, and it was as tasty as the restaurant's,I salut you my friend for your great talent :)

We then decided to abandon the cabin area and go to the famous Montaza Bridge, that appears far away in the pic below.

It was quite a distance ,but we made it!!

It was really fun to see those people whom I haven't seen half of them for five years now. And it was as if we were back in high school with the same spirit .

Wishing those who are heading back to Australia, USA, & Netherlands a safe journey!!

Bathroom Tiles:Pick one!

I have a relative who’s living abroad. She asked me to pick up tiles for the bathroom of her apartment that’s over here cuz we’re preparing it for her. So I went yesterday and viewed some tiles, and well here they are... Have any favorites?