Columbus had its first large snow about ten days ago, and as always, it was pretty. So every morning I wake about an hour or so before Fajar, pray, and then once the time for salaah is announced, I pray, and take a nap before waking up at 7:50. A Quick shower, then off to…
LATTE AND HIS FOOD ISSUES
As I mentioned before, Latte was adopted from a cat rescuer in Doha, Qatar. When we went to meet Latte, the adopter lived in a small apartment with 4 prominent, older Persians who were her permanent pets. At three months old, Latte was a kitten, skinny with a ratty tail. His rescuer told us that…
Diabetes, Simplified
Diabetes might sound like a benign, chronic condition that can be easily controlled by medication, but it is not quite so simple. While it is a common medical condition that affects hundreds of millions of people around the world, it can prove quite deadly if left uncontrolled. Diabetes is directly related to how our body handles…
A COMPANION FOR LATTE, OUR 3-YEAR-OLD SIAMESE
The girls have been wanting to adopt a second cat, a friend for Latte. As many of you know, Latte is our feline baby. After my husband approved adding one cat (he is not a cat person, and we all respected his feelings). Latte was adopted from a rescuer in Doha and spent the first…
BACK TO THE STATES
The first few months after we returned to the U.S. from Qatar were extremely hard, so hard that the girls and I teared up whenever we went outside. I had to start driving right away, something I hadn’t done in ten years. Luckily, obtaining a driving license was not difficult, as I had my old…
Holding my breath to conquer my fear
As Ramamdan started, my Tunisian teacher took a break as it would have been difficult for her to manage teaching during Ramadan. I, however, decided to continue because I felt that any break would not be good for my progress in the water. I started going to pool with my 11 year old, or occasionally…
Tea, Chai, Karak & Doha Teasures
During all my years in the U.S., I hated traveling by car because I had withdrawals, not of drugs, addictive TV shows, or certain sweets or junk foods. The list can go on. I had tea withdrawals (all coffee drinkers, sincerely stop rolling your eyes). For me, the lack of tea during travel was stressful….
Osteoarthritis: Self-motivation after diagnosis
After my arthritis diagnosis, I had to do a lot of soul-searching. I didn’t really have a choice as I was bedridden for a couple of weeks, and even after I felt a bit better, my movement was restricted. Previously, I hadn’t really given it much thought, but that’s just me speeding through things, not…
Journey from a cat enthusiast to a social worker
I am sure many of us have seen a movie called “Pet Cemetery,” where cats are found in hundreds in some scenes, and the sight is meant to scare people. For me, any movie with scores of cats is a welcome sight, as I have always had this enormous appreciation for cats. In many countries,…
Aquaphobia – Facing the fears
Even when I could afford to go to Pakistan from the U.S. every year or even every six months, I did not want to go despite wanting to spend precious time with my family. I knew the plane would cross the Atlantic, and I have always had an enormous fear of water. If I saw…
Pink Lawn and Tea 