The residential compound called Amoudia had plenty of date trees, aloe plants, and mango trees scattered throughout.  There were vegetables and herbs planted by the residents and the maintenance people. The cleaning and maintenance guys were not the best, and trash could be found strewn on the ground. The children’s playground showed signs of neglect.... Continue Reading →

Ingredients: 1 whole chicken (sliced into parts) 7-8 Garlic Cloves (whole) 1 t-spoon ground black pepper 1 t-spoon crushed red pepper flakes ¼ cup of Soy Sauce Pinch of salt ¼ cup of oil RECIPE: Mix all the ingredients in a bowl, or just mix in the cooking pan. Turn on the  stove to a... Continue Reading →

Recently, my son left home to join his University in the United States, and a significant concern for us was his safety. I wonder how many remember when Islam and especially Pakistan were synonymous with lawlessness and terrorism, and chaos. My son was two months old when September 11 happened, and things changed so much... Continue Reading →

Growing up, my mom had a ferocious temper and railroaded us into doing things whether we liked her way or not. We were not really given choices. It was her way, always. If any of us disagreed with one of her decisions, it was really awful. She cried, got mad, and cried some more. Even... Continue Reading →

Ingredients 3-4 big round tomatoes, sliced 1 cup mozzarella (you can use another cheese, but mozzarella works really well here) 1-2 t-spoon Italian seasoning  1 t-spoon ground black pepper Salt to taste Lemon juice to taste  Recipe Oil a metal or a glass trayArrange tomato slices on the tray, sprinkle with salt, black pepper, half... Continue Reading →

A while back, I asked someone to buy me 4 stalks of green onions; I ended up with 4 big bundles of green onions that I had to find people to give away.  At another time, I ended with 4 bottles of synthetic vinegar when I had asked for just one. Whether the communication is... Continue Reading →

The immediate onslaught was horrible in the FB group. As soon as the woman said something, some of the other members replied in real mean ways. As I recall, members made nasty comments on her appearance, and I was absolutely horrified. Around the same time, someone asked about obtaining public benefits in another group, and... Continue Reading →

Ingredients 2 Cups flour 1 t-spoon baking powder ½ t-spoon baking soda ½ t-spoon ground cinnamon (optional) ¾ cup brown sugar (light or dark will be fine) ¾ cup white sugar 4 eggs at room temperature (cold eggs can be put in a bowl of tap water to bring them to room temperature) 1 and... Continue Reading →

Qatar is a country of service providers from all walks of life. People are living here to provide services in their area of expertise. Most businesses have pretty good customer service. Here, it’s uncommon for a business to employ poorly prepared or rude staff. Our building management goes above and beyond to satisfy the tenants.... Continue Reading →

When we are angry, we say and do things to make ourselves feel good. Still, momentary satisfaction is precisely that, a temporary feeling.  What are the chances that we will feel good after a temper tantrum, not many? I know I have this urge to just blurt things out whenever I’m angry at my spouse... Continue Reading →