I am ok

Someone asked me if life is slower for us here.  I can't be 100% sure, but it does feel like time has slowed down a little.  I keep trying to pinpoint why, but I don't know if I can put my finger on it.  It may because of the lack of advanced technology that most people take for granted.  It may be because every day most stores close in the afternoon while their owners take a siesta for a few hours.  It may be because everyday people drop by without warning to sip some coffee, chat and generally "smell the air" as they say in Arabic.  (This is what you say of someone who is enjoying life and taking time to "smell the roses".)  It may be because of the lack of structure and order in the administrative sphere - and most spheres in general for that matter.  It may be because here, your word is worth something and everything can be staked on your reputation.    

Or perhaps it feels slow because I broke my foot last week... !!!

I just found out that I have broken a bone in my ankle - the tibia for you physiology, kinesiology, and medical gurus.  It's a small hairline fracture, but it puts me out of commission more or less.  I am not a happy camper.  Here I was planning to resume running again now that the weather is not so unbearable in the mornings.  "Man proposes and God disposes."  It remains to be seen whether I need a cast or not.  (Please Lord, not a cast!)  Thankfully, I am not in much pain if I keep off my foot.  Definitely a change from other fractures I've had.  :o)  

Despite the downer, my spirits are still in good shape.  I was thinking this morning of my many blessings, and the little things that make me happy.  It's an exercise I like to try as often as possible.  Here's my list:   

• Squeezing oranges for fresh juice in the morning.  (Tropicana, you got NOTHING on this juice...)
• Seeing J happily sipping her juice - slightly sweet with a gentle hint of tang - and knowing there really are no added sugars or preservatives!
• Watching M drink a cup of yogurt that I made... and then ask for seconds.  
• A plate of labneh (Lebanese version of Greek yogurt) for breakfast, drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with dried mint.
• Reading emails from dear friends and family members and feeling connected to them despite the distance.
• Learning how to make a new dish - like lima beans with tender beef chunks in a mild tomato sauce! (Thanks Therese!)
• Picking up an old book and being able to read uninterrupted for an hour!
• Watching my husband do the dishes so I can put my feet up.

Hoping you have a wonderful weekend... sans broken bones!

Figs of life

We're close to clearing the 3 month line here and life is good!  In fact, life is quite different from what it used to be 3 months ago.  Living in rural Lebanon has been a real adventure for all of us.  I would like to share some facts of life (or what I call figs of life given that it is fig season here!) for us here.  Obviously, this list is by no means complete.  Just a few points that a disorganized, scatterbrained mom has observed.  I anticipate adding to the list as we discover, or perhaps more accurately, as we become aware of other such figs.

1.  It is not possible to use the microwave, heat water for the bath and use the washing machine at the same time.  I can't tell you how many times I've forgotten to plug in the water heater during the day, only to remember at night right before bath time.  The kids have put up with quite a few cold baths...  Despite the heat, they don't seem to be fans of cold showers.

2.  Using a ringer washer is waaay faster than an automatic.  I can wash 3 loads of laundry in under 30 minutes!  It is also waaay more fun for when kids want to help with the laundry.

3.  Speaking of laundry, it is practically imperative to do laundry on a daily basis.  This is so for a couple of reasons.  Firstly, laundry pile up is a drag.  Doubly so when there is not enough clothesline space to hang the clothes out to dry.  Secondly, and infinitely more important, sweaty clothes in a plastic hamper on a hot day STINK to high heaven.  And yes, I found this out the hard way.

4.  J is very attached to her stuffed bunny.  I know this NOT because she can't fall asleep without him, or because she wants to take him everywhere, but because of how dirty that bunny gets.  So dirty that we were forced to give him a "bath" in the washing machine last Thursday along with M's rhino.  The first thing J does now at laundry time is grab her bunny.  I've had an interesting time convincing her not to dump him into the washer each time.

5.  Another rather important daily chore around here is washing floors.  In Lebanon, one does not remove one's shoes indoors, which means floors get exceedingly dirty by the end of the day.  Having young children who love to play on the floor, it then follows by extrapolation that those same children need to be washed every day.  I can finally understand how the Blackfoot Indians came to be so named - such is the state of my children's feet each night before bath time.

6.  Eggs, as I've already mentioned, are from free-range chickens.  We get them sometimes right from the chickens and mostly from the "corner-store".  They look so pretty in their carton!  (And they taste better too!)

7.  We are also spoiled with regards to milk.  You see, we get our milk straight from the cow.  I mean, it's still warm from the cow when we take it from the farmer.  We boil the milk to sterilize it and then use it to make yogurt and cheese from it.  (Lebanese are not big milk drinkers for the simple reason that refrigeration has only been around for a short period, and is not quite 100% reliable yet.)

8.  All stoves in Lebanon are gas stoves with a propane tank compartment built in.  This is a very convenient fact when the electricity shuts off and one is in the midst of cooking dinner.  :o)

Well, it's time to get dinner rolling.  For tomorrow that is!  Hope you have a wonderful day and a full weekend!  I will have to find some time soon to tell you about our visit last week to Baskinta village and the monastery there, complete with an impromptu tractor ride.  Cheerio!