Hello Everyone!

I hope all is well with you. Our internet at home has not been working the past couple of days. Not quite sure why, but very frustrating to say the least.

Our weather has gone from very hot to very humid and, according to weather reports, will be like this through Saturday.

Jingles and I have not watered plants since Monday. I figure they are getting their fair share of moisture with the humidity.

Heavy cloud cover rolled in overnight.

Did you know that the air has to be a little dirty for clouds to form? We had some dust in the sky yesterday, so mix that with the humidity, and you have an overcast sky.

Although our high today was 106, it didn't feel quite so bad since the sun was not beaming down on us.

I've managed a bit of crocheting, a bit of cleaning and a lot of just trying to keep up each and every day. Hope you are having a great week so far. One more day of school and then it is the weekend for us. How I love the weekends! Peace and blessings, Tammy

Meatless Monday and Day Two

You know how sometimes you want breakfast food for dinner? Foul (prounounced "oo" not "ow") medammes is a popular Middle Eastern dish that is prepared for breakfast but can really be eaten at any time of day. Cooked fava beans and chickpeas are roughly mashed and seasoned with salt, garlic, lemon juice and olive oil.

Then topped with chopped tomatoes, onions and parsley. I like to eat it with slices of green pepper. And, of course, hot pita bread is a part of most Arab meals.

I appreciate all the comments on yesterday's post with regard to housework. A friend gave me a plaque that says "A clean house is the sign of a wasted life."
On day two of the routine, I will just do a bit of dusting in the kids bedroom.

And then it will be time to don pajamas and do some crafting. Just doing a little bit of both each day will certainly help to keep me sane.

Hope your week has gotten off to a great start. Best wishes and blessings, Tammy

Getting into a Routine

Over the weekend I read a post by Lucy at Attic24 entitled Routine. She voiced exactly what I have been feeling about housework. I keep saying I will get into a routine so I can keep up but so far that hasn't happened. Housework is not on my list of "favorite things to do".

My idea of housework is to sweep the room with a glance. ~Author Unknown

I need a schedule. Besides the daily upkeep, I plan to tackle a room or two each day of the week. Today I started with my bedroom. My plan was to work for about an hour but next thing I knew, it was 7 pm and nearly 4 hours had gone by. Why is there always so much to do?

There is no daily chore so trivial that it cannot be made important by skipping it two days running. ~Robert Brault

I'm hoping that as I get into a routine, the chores will be easier to tackle. Crafting and crocheting have been on the back burner these past two weeks so that has got to change.

No matter how small the project, I need to be creative every day.

I've got a plan. Now I've just got to stick to it. Wish me luck!

Hope your day is a good one! Best wishes and blessings, Tammy

Changes

Many around the world are welcoming cooler temperatures and the changing of the seasons. Over here leaves are falling because they are drying up; we are still just trying to stay cool.

With the hot weather, I can't even begin to think about Fall, but I did feel the need to change something so rearranged my living room a bit. Whenever I do that, my family always says it looked better the way it was before, but they will get used to it in time.

Jingles enjoys Saturdays when it is time to change the bedding. Who doesn't love fresh, clean sheets?

Of course, it is hard to finish the chore when she decides to take a bath ...

and a nap.

Your cat may never have to hunt farther than the kitchen counter for its supper nor face a predator more fierce than the vacuum cleaner. ~Barbara L. Diamond

This is my current outside kitty. The broom is her bed.

Hubby doesn't understand why cats keep finding their way to me. He thinks it is only because I feed them but she has now taken up residency right outside our door. What you can't see is that the skin on her whole right side is exposed. I don't know how she is still alive. She won't go outside to the bathroom so I have a bit of a clean up every day in the stairwell. No doubt she is here to rest and to have some sort of shelter from the heat. If I could catch her, I would take her to the vet although I am sure he would put her to sleep. It's hard to know what to do. I put food and water for her and talk to her. Not much else I can do since she is not trusting enough to let me approach her. What would you do?

Hope you are having a beautiful day wherever you are, whatever you are doing. Best wishes and blessings, Tammy

Bastille Market

Markets are part of the fabric of French life. From the standard street markets to specialist antique, flower, organic and flea markets, Paris has them all.

Two weeks ago on a Wednesday night in Paris we were watching frames being erected across the street from our hotel and by Thursday morning, a flea market had appeared.

Organic fruits and vegetables.







Beautiful flowers.



Clothes, scarves, jewelry.

There was even fresh fish and other goodies. By the time we got back later that afternoon, the tents had been dismantled and everything cleared away. This particular flea market takes place every Thursday and Sunday from 7:00-2:30 but there are close to 100 that pop up all over the city at different times during the week.

All week we've had brilliant blue skies. Not a cloud to be seen.

And it is still very hot. Even now, just after 6 pm. it is 104 degrees. Although I've been watering every day, some of the flowering plants from last week have already dried up. The sun is just too intense mid-day.

I'm thankful that another weekend has rolled around. Hope you are having a great week so far. Best wishes and blessings, Tammy

International Chocolate Day

Did you know today is International Chocolate Day?

I didn't until members of our Student Led Council came around giving out KitKats to everyone this afternoon.

So in honor of the day, I came home and made brownies.

Yum! If you need a chocolate fix, you can visit my cousin's blog White Turquoise Chocolate. Her post today is all about the dark stuff.

Hope you are having a terrific Tuesday in your corner of the world. Peace & blessings, Tammy

Same Name, Different Menu

On Friday while the boys were out with friends, hubby and I went to lunch.


For the past few years, my favorite restaurant for Indian cuisine has been Rangoli.

It is found behind the Radisson Blu which is going through a major renovation at the moment.


Although the restaurant is still there and still called Rangoli, it no longer serves just Indian food.


The owners of the hotel chose items from the menus of their Arabic, Chinese and Indian restaurants to offer during the remodeling period.


I asked our waitress if Rangoli would return, but she said that it would not. Only the Arabic and Chinese restaurants would be back once the hotel is finished.

I love the atmosphere of the restaurant. It is where I got the inspiration to frame an Indian quilt for the wall behind our bed since we don't have a headboard.


I chose to order the few Indian food dishes they offered. Spicy potato cakes ...

Vege curry ...

and for dessert, ginger cake ...

and Turkish coffee.

Remember how I said my crochet goes with me wherever I go.

On the way to the restaurant, waiting for our food to be served, and on the way to the plant souk afterwards, a dishcloth was complete.

With back to school, it's the only crocheting I've done lately.

Hope your week is off to a great start. Best wishes and blessings, Tammy

Love Padlocks

Love padlocks (also known as Love Locks) are a custom by which padlocks are affixed to a fence, gate, bridge or similar public fixture and most often affixed by sweethearts to symbolize their everlasting love.

Have you heard of Love Locks before? While in Paris, making our way to Le Louvre, we crossed over the Pont des Arts bridge that was covered with love locks.

Apparently, City Hall tried to have the locks removed in May of last year stating that they posed a threat to city heritage but the "lovelockers" keep showing up and locks keep appearing.

I actually found the sight to be rather charming. Names and dates are written with a permanent marker; the lock is affixed to the bridge; then the key thrown into the Siene as an expression of love.

The moment we choose to love we begin to move against domination, against oppression. The moment we choose to love we begin to move towards freedom, to act in ways that liberate ourselves and others. That action is the testimony of love as the practice of freedom. (Bell Hooks)

This afternoon I watched some of the 9/11 memorial ceremonies and have been rewatching news coverage of the tragedy as it unfolded in 2001. Even 10 years later, it is so shocking to see. Gloria at Crochet Galore posted a beautiful and heartfelt prayer for this day. Sending love, blessings and wishes for peace all around the world. Tammy