Once upon a time, long, long ago ......

When I worked as a programmer (IT) I never considered myself great. There was always people WAY better that I worked with. Yet somehow, in my short years of working I developed a reputation amongst my colleagues. I'd work with a new team and there would be this awe of "we work with HER!" Towards the end of my career I felt intimidated by the reputation - since I didn't see the greatness I didn't know if I was still achieving it !

A few years later I realised that the awe was not so much in my skill at programming code, but more my work ethic of getting the job done, being a perfectionist and being organized.

These skills have all been tarnished since taking on the task of SAHM. The variables are too unstable to achieve perfection, order or ever calling a job complete. However, I have never felt more suited at a job! If ever I wondered what am I good at -NO, GREAT at - it's being a mom! Algamdulillah. Now, don't get me wrong I don't have the best kids - they're not perfect little angels and I do yell.

Today I got a call from my sister.... she's my eldest sister -also in IT ... she followed the ranks from programmer to team leader to project manager/ architect etc. and now is a top manager Masha'Allah. We never worked together or worked with the same people ... until now. She presented something at work and one of the guys worked with me at my last job. (I changed almost yearly!) He asked if she knew me (having the same surname) and when she said she was my sister - he flipped his lid ! He gushed about how great I was and called his pals to tell them this was my sister ! (Major shocker for my sister as I'm usually her sister!) So even though my sister was totally thrown by this news, it was a nice ego boost for my day. And for the first time in 6 years ... I missed work.

Some funnies for fellow IT nerds.

Random questions

Where is your cell phone? - on the kitchen table
Your hair? - short
Your mother? - gone :-(
Your father? - happy
Your favorite thing? - playing with my kids
Your dream last night? - odd about ppl I hardly see
Your favorite drink? - a lekker cup of tea
What room are you in? - tv room
Your fear? - something happening to my kids
Where do you want to be in 6 years? - still at home with the kids ;-)
Where were you last night? - at home playing scrabble
Something that you aren't? - late (just realised the irony !!! LOL!! )
Wish list item? - bookshelves
Last thing you did? - hung the washing
TV? - Barney (what else?)
Your pets? - died :-(
Friends? - the best
Your life? - stressful right now
Your mood? - optimistic
Missing someone? - Priscilla (LOL!!)
Your car? - Prado !!
Your favorite store? - Fabric world
Your favorite colour? - orange (this week)
When was the last time you cried? - too long ago
Where do you go to over and over? - Pick 'n pay !
My favorite place to eat? - at Zanab's !
Favorite place I'd like to be at right now? - on camp with family and cuzzins !

Toilet humour

Firstly, a reminder to myself : Potty training is officially postponed.

Being more prepared this week, I decided to tackle it again. It was a replay of last time, with an extra day. And the extra day was interesting - I bribed him with jelly beans (which he loves) so it worked. I also took him to the toilet before he could wee, and he let go on the toilet ! BUt when DD was home and my attention dicvided : he didn't want a pants on, made a poo on the floor in two parts ! Then another in his pants later. He pee'd and seriously had NO idea ! So I am of the opinion that after 3 days : he is not ready for this. Algamdulillah.

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When you have to visit a public toilet, you usually find a line of women, so you smile politely and take your place. Once it's your turn, you check for feet under the cubicle doors. Every cubicle is occupied. Finally, a door opens and you dash in, nearly knocking down the woman leaving the cubicle. You get in to find the door won't latch. It doesn't matter, the wait has been so long you are about to wet your pants! The dispenser for the modern 'seat covers' (invented by someone's Mum, no doubt) is handy, but empty. You would hang your bag on the door hook, if there was one, so you carefully, but quickly drape it around your neck, (Mum would turn over in her grave if you put it on the FLOOR!) down with your pants and assume ' The Stance. In this position, your aging, toneless, thigh muscles begin to shake.. You'd love to sit down, but having not taken time to wipe the seat or to lay toilet paper on it, you hold 'The Stance.' To take your mind off your trembling thighs, you reach for what you discover to be the empty toilet paper dispenser. In your mind, you can hear your mother's voice saying, 'Dear, if you had tried to clean the seat, you would have KNOWN there was no toilet paper!' Your thighs shake more. You remember the tiny tissue that you blew your nose on yesterday - the one that's still in your bag (the bag around your neck, that now you have to hold up trying not to strangle yourself at the same time). That would have to do, so you crumple it in the puffiest way possible. It's still smaller than your thumbnail. Someone pushes your door open because the latch doesn't work. The door hits your bag, which is hanging around your neck in front of your chest and you and your bag topple backward against the tank of the toilet. 'Occupied!' you scream, as you reach for the door, dropping your precious, tiny, crumpled tissue in a puddle on the floor, while losing your footing altogether and sliding down directly onto the TOILET SEAT. It is wet of course. You bolt up, knowing all too well that it's too late. Your bare bottom has made contact with every imaginable germ and life form on the uncovered seat because YOU never laid down toilet paper - not that there was any, even if you had taken time to try. You know that your mother would be utterly appalled if she knew, because you're certain her bare bottom never touched a public toilet seat because, frankly, dear, 'You just don't KNOW what kind of diseases you could get. By this time, the automatic sensor on the back of the toilet is so confused that it flushes, propelling a stream of water like a fire hose against the inside of the bowl and spraying a fine mist of water that covers your bum and runs down your legs and into your shoes. The flush somehow sucks everything down with such force and you grab onto the empty toilet paper dispenser for fear of being dragged in too. At this point, you give up. You're soaked by the spewing water and the wet toilet seat. You're exhausted. You try to wipe with a sweet wrapper you found in your pocket and then slink out inconspicuously to the sinks. You can't figure out how to operate the taps with the automatic sensors, so you wipe your hands with spit and a dry paper towel and walk past the line of women still waiting You are no longer able to smile politely to them. A kind soul at the very end of the line points out a piece of toilet paper trailing from your shoe. (Where was that when you NEEDED it?) You yank the paper from your shoe, plunk it in the woman's hand and tell her warmly, 'Here, you just might need this. As you exit, you spot your hubby, who has long since entered, used and left the men's toilet. Annoyed, he asks, 'What took you so long and why is your bag hanging around your neck? This is dedicated to women everywhere who deal with any public rest rooms/toilets (rest??? you've GOT to be kidding!!). It finally explains to the men what really does take us so long. It also answers that other commonly asked question about why women go to the toilets in pairs. It's so the other gal can hold the door, hang onto your bag and hand you Kleenex under the door.

George Carlin

The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings but shorter tempers, wider Freeways , but narrower viewpoints.
We spend more, but have less, we buy more, but enjoy less.
We have bigger houses and smaller families, more conveniences, but less time.
We have more degrees but less sense, more knowledge, but less judgment, more experts, yet more problems, more medicine, but less wellness.
We drink too much, smoke too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too little, drive too fast, get too angry, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too little, watch TV too much, and pray too seldom.
We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values.
We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often.
We've learned how to make a living, but not a life.
We've added years to life not life to years.
We've been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbor.
We conquered outer space but not inner space.
We've done larger things, but not better things.
We've cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul.
We've conquered the atom, but not our prejudice.
We write more, but learn less.
We plan more, but accomplish less.
We've learned to rush, but not to wait.
We build more computers to hold more information, to produce more copies than ever, but we communicate less and less.
These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion, big men and small character, steep profits and shallow relationships.
These are the days of two incomes but more divorce, fancier houses, but broken homes.
These are days of quick trips, disposable diapers, throwaway morality, one night stands, overweight bodies, and pills that do everything from cheer, to quiet, to kill.
It is a time when there is much in the showroom window and nothing in the stockroom.
A time when technology can bring this letter to you, and a time when you can choose either to share this insight, or to just hit delete...
Remember; spend some time with your loved ones, because they are not going to be around forever.
Remember, say a kind word to someone who looks up to you in awe, because that little person soon will grow up and leave your side.
Remember, to give a warm hug to the one next to you, because that is the only treasure you can give with your heart and it doesn't cost a cent.
Remember, to say, 'I love you' to your partner and your loved ones, but most of all mean it.
A kiss and an embrace will mend hurt when it comes from deep inside of you.
Remember to hold hands and cherish the moment for someday that person will not be there again.
Give time to love, give time to speak!
And give time to share the precious thoughts in your mind.
AND ALWAYS REMEMBER: Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.

George Carlin

It seems even "bibbety bobbity boo" is affected by the recession!

DD and I decided to "dress up for dinner". It's always a pick-me-up. We wear pretty dresses, do our hair, wear make-up, jewellery and of course high heels!

I was running late with the meal so had only a few minutes to get dressed and lay the table with fancy plates, cutlery and glasses. We looked good, and she felt good - her mood was much happier (high heels can do that ). I can't say my mood improved, but it was over all too soon! Within an hour - **POOF** the magic ended and Cinderella changed back into jeans and t-shirt so that she could clean the dishes, clear the kitchen, sort out a stink nappy and all the other chores that awaited her !

Ok, my pity party is officially over for this week ! ;-)

Rainbow required

I feel blue :-(
Maybe the potty training experience left me a bit frayed, and a few other issues that irritated me the past week. But I am in a slump and can't find a way out.

ZS said I should rearrange my furniture: been there, done that - didn't work!
Then she said I must change my bedding ... I felt I needed retail therapy - and decided to BUY something new for my bed - something bright and cheerful! I went to a cheap store as I didn't want the experience to depress me next month when the credit card bill arrives ..... nothing seemed BRIGHT enough! Out of desperation I chose blue stripes (in hind sight - it reflected my mood) My bed looks nice, but not thrilling me.

DS was a typical male at he stores again today - crying and wanting out of the experience. I miss DD - she shops so well !

DD has been coming home moody this week, which results in the kids fighting and crying.
When I spoke to her today she asked for a new toy ... THAT's what I need too!!
We concluded that we will go dress shopping, for something pretty to make us feel perky!
Now if only I could recall where i saw a pretty dress, but felt I had no need for .......

Potty training

This has got to be the hardest thing EVER !! DD took almost a year to get it and she still can't keep it in! It was so stressful for me trying to train her that I decided to do it differently with DS.

3Daypottytraining.com says one should start at 22 months. When I think back, DD was showing interest but I wasn't ready, then we started camping and that was new to me so I didn't want to start then - eventually I delayed it until she was 3 !  I don't know if it was better to wait until she was older. But i can tell you that I started with DS this week.

Why ?  Well, he showed interest.  How ? Every time he poo'd he would want to be changed and drag me to the toilet.  The weather was great too, so it seemed like a good time to start. And 3 days ?   That's way better than a year !  Even if he took a week !

Well Day 1, was messy, as expected. By lunch time he seemed so stressed.  Even though he didn't mind the toilet previously, he didn't want to sit on it.  He enjoyed having me around him ALLLLLLLL day, but the second I was distracted he would wee !  By the afternoon he refused to drink anything - figuring out that it made him wee !  Day 2 was better. He wee'd less frequently so there wasn't as much stress, but I pushed and took him to the toilet all morning !  When we fetched DD at school he fell asleep and when we came home he was SOAKED!

Today was Day 3 .... he wet his bed again and clung to me when I put him on the toilet.  Toilet training is mentally draining (for me!) I felt sorry for him.  I asked if he wanted a nappy and he said no. (poor baby)  I made up my mind I was going to be his Siamese twin.  But a conversation with DH made me miss his call to "pee, Pee PEE !!"  Then a  few moments later, I missed the sign that he poo'd.  I kept it up for a while.  The IT programmer in my was trying to look for the algorithm - what is the frequency of a wee or how soon after a drink ?  Except he is not code and doesn't behave in a predictable manner ! We sat reading  and he wet himself - this time he didn't even react. Was it just a small one ?  Maybe I should quit.  Is he stressed? I AM stressed! What if I am a few hours away or a  day away from success ?  I asked if he wanted nappy - again he said no.  I told him he was still my big boy - he hugged me, tightly.  I put the nappy on......  he fell asleep......

I got a newer edition of 3daypotty training : he must wake up dry, perhaps I should try THAT first ......

He woke up dry from his nap!!  AARRRRGHGGHHHGHHG !!!!!! What am I doing ?

I put him on the toilet and he doesn't wee ....... 

He wets his nappy and calls me, wants me to take him to the toilet.... what's going  on ?

I read more of the book - the new edition has been updated : basically train him like we did the cat : every time he wee's take him to the toilet to realise THAT is where is must happen.

OK, I'll give him another chance .... he poo'd in the nappy !! Still won't wee on the toilet.

I need a break !!  

We go out for the afternoon ..... late evening I change him - he is pretty much dry !!

What must I do ?

Why is this so hard ?

Insha'Allah he'll won't still be in nappies when he is 10 !

Triple Chocolate Treasure

Ange from hegab-rehab mentioned a cake she had and I did a search for it .......

Looks yum !!!

Triple Chocolate Treasure Cake

Cake:
1 3/4 cup White sugar
1 3/4 cup Flour
2 tsp Baking soda
1 tsp Baking powder
1/2 tsp Salt
5 squares unsweetened chocolate, melted
1 cup strong black coffee, lukewarm
3/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup oil
1 tsp vanilla

Filling:
6 squares white chocolate, chopped
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup whipping cream
Garnish:
whipped cream
2 squares bittersweet chocolate, melted

CAKE: Preheat oven to 350F. Combine all cake ingredients and beat on high for 2 minutes. Pour into a greased and floured 9" springform pan. Bake 45-50 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Cake will dip slightly in centre. Cool 10 minutes; remove sides of pan. Push the handle end of a wooden spoon into cake to make deep holes over entire surface of cake.

FILLING & GARNISH: Melt white chocolate and
butter with whipping cream over very low heat. Stir until smooth; cool slightly. Pour filling into holes in cake; cool. Garnish with whipped cream, melted chocolate drizzle and edible gold glitter, gold candies, candied flowers and mint leaves just before serving.

a visual recipe : http://www.baldock.ca/recipes/triple_chocolate_treasure_cake.htm

I can't wait to try it !!

I am A Muslim Woman

By Rehana Shah-Bulbulia  seen in Muslim Woman Magazine Vol 8, Ed 3

I am a Muslim Woman

An order issued and decreed

By an Authority of Wisdom up High

In my bondage ONLY to Him, I am freed

All Praises are due to Allah

For I am a Muslim Woman

I am a Muslim Woman

Not First a daughter, nor first a wife

Not first a mother, nor EVEN first a woman

But ALWAYS first a MUSLIM, in this journey called life

All Praises are due to Allah

For I am a Muslim Woman

I am a Muslim Woman

My roles and functions quite clearly designated

Transcribed from inspirations and revelations Divine

The Hadith and Quraan, beauteous and sanctified

No need have I to fight for what's mine

My case has already been fought ...and won!

In the Supreme Court and under the Fairest Judge Of mankind

All Praises are due to Allah

For I am a Muslim Woman

I am a Muslim Woman

Who has to endeavour and learn each day, each night

EXACTLY what my Lord requires of me

So that I may fulfil my Promise...His Right

And in return secure and gain the Ultimate Success

The Ultimate Reward...His Vision, His Sight

All Praises are due to Allah

For I am a Muslim Woman

I am a Muslim Woman

Enshrouded in veils of black, all clad from head to toe

NOT because I am oppressed, uneducated or denied

SIMPLY because my Lord has Commanded it so

And in obeying Him, I feel replete...complete inside

All Praises are due to Allah

For I am Muslim Woman

I am a Muslim Woman

Who feels no need or compulsion to compete,

Fight nor revolt and rise against my husband

I have NOT been created for such a feat!

My role is to be his and his is to be mine...comfort and companion

All Praises are due to Allah

For I am Muslim Woman

I am a Muslim Woman

The Greatest Teacher (SAW) has taught me my role

Through Hadith and Quraan, Sunnah and Shariah

I can attain success and achieve the Supreme Goal

All Praises are due to Allah

For I am Muslim Woman

I am a Muslim Woman

And to my fellow mothers, my fellow sisters, I say

Let NOT the ways of the west and shaytaan lead you astray

SHOUT OUT...in your actions, in your words, in your thoughts

"I have been honoured, I have been blessed

This is my way...the ONLY WAY

I am A Muslim Woman, Today, Tomorrow, Forever"

All Praises are due to Allah

For I am...You are ... a Muslim Woman