A Night With The Girls




The Hostess-Mineself

 



The FOOD!

  I was so Blessed last night to have so many dear family and friends come to my new home.

My Daughter came up with the idea of having a "family" night so we could just spend time together and it has morphed into a really great time.

She usually brings her son and a girlfriend.  Our last gathering was at her house and we did the traditional pizza and a salad and pop-corn and a movie.  We were up soooo late that night, lol.

This time, it was at my house and her Mother-in-law also came and two of my friends.  It was so much fun that we never got to the "movie" part.

My Daughter, Erica, had also suggested a book club which is really great, since as a kid, getting her to read anything that wasn't required was an act of Congress, lol.  Subhannah Allah, she is a voracious reader now and I am so incredibly pleased that I am happy to find a way to cram some "reading for pleasure" into my schedule of "reading my assignments" that I'd stay up even later. 

Generally, on a day to day basis, I clean  a house from 9 am to 1 pm then, if I have another one I'll start that one about 1:30 pm until no later than 5:30 pm, then race to school (16 miles away) change into scrubs in the ladies room (a lot of us do this) then attend school until 10:30-11:00 pm, drive back home and cram some studying in if I'm awake enough, then sleep by 1 or 1:30 am.  Repeat daily.  If I only have one customer (usually) I go early to school and study, do assignments then classes so that by the weekend I am a total ZOMBIE, but in the long run, it'll be worth it. 
I already have an Administrative degree, but since the trend in hiring is toward medicine, especially with so much of our median population nearing retirement, I decided to add the Medical Billing and Coding to it so that I would be a more marketable commodity. InshaAllah, we'll see if it helps. I sincerely hope so since even with the grants I am adding to my student loan deficit :-(

Trying very hard to stay awake in class. Medical Terminology is fascinating, but I'm not sleeping enough :p

A Home In Florida

The Kitchen

This is the kitchen before I put anything in it  :-D

Dining room's accent wall and molding.

One of the deciding factors of this apartment for me was when I walked in and saw the molding AND the accent wall. That was pretty much that, lol. 

The laundry room.

The apartment complex has a referral going with the appliance company to rent if you don't have any and the prices are great!

This looks kinda of small till you walk in and look to your right. Then you are very pleased.  In the apartment in TN, a person practically had to step into the tub to shut the door! I have space for 3 rugs, the one for the toilet, the tub and in front of the counter :D

This is just inside my closet.  I love it, especially since I can use Daddy's Armour for the sewing supplies :)  Then you walk the rest of the way in and it's a small room.  A very happy "woman" closet.

Odd angle, but you get the idea ;)  Needless to say, I have to control myself when I go to the Masjid where there is a wonderful discounted clothing "store", lol.  The clothes are donated for one reason or another, usually to buy more.  My favorite style of clothing, the three piece Indian/Pakistani sets are in staggering abundance :D

Plants in bloom

Sent from Kathleen's Blackberry

This picture was taken just a few minutes ago to show how fast the blooms are taking off.  The previous one was taken earlier in the week. Pretty fast, ha?

Those little ducks came from Rachel, Ma-maw, in TN.  Every time my grandson comes to visit he wants to play with them. They are so cute they're hard to resist. Since they were outside in snow the enamel on them has spider web cracks in it and if handled too much, it flakes off :(

Everything is growing so well that I'm beginning to feel that soil and pots are going to be on the "need" list soon :P

I have a couple more pics to post of the apartment and the plants.  I really love this place. It matches exactly what I was looking for, for myself.  I think the only way it could be better would be if it were a house, but then I'd have to mow the grass, lol. Even the Electric bill is civilized, but then the complex is only about three years old.

Plants

Sent from Kathleen's Blackberry

The plant just to the right is variegated and looks like a miniature of a variety here in Florida that I like very much. Of course I'm going to blank the name of it so when I remember I'll post it.

Chevalier!! And now after looking it up, I think that the name I was told for the original is incorrect :(

Anyway, that one was quite larger until my grand son and his cohort in crime, the grand puppy, got together and chewed and plucked the top of that right hand stalk off.

As you may be able to see it has begun to recover very nicely.

In the center on the second shelf you can see an Aloe plant that Bente, my friend of many years, gave to me before I left Florida back in 09.  That plant has also traveled and been kept alive all over the place and through the winter in TN also.

More to come...

Back Home in Florida!

Long time between posts, sorry about that.  Traveling and then getting situated, then looking for a place to live and getting work.

I took the computer out of the box already, but there's not a connection to the outside world yet :P

I've been approved for an apartment and now I'm waiting for May so I can accumulate the deposits and then MOVE! Then, iA, maybe I'll be able to afford an ISP, that would be nice.  Nothing against the Library, but I'd much rather surf and blog from the comfort of my own home :)

I was blessed with a job just recently, working for two weeks, Yes! Hamdulilla!!

Staying with my daughter until I get to move to my place, this way I get to be near her and be of service to her while I'm there taking up space and electricity, lol.  She says no need, but I like to be useful, so I do dishes and cleaning and baby sitting, as needed.

Don't give up on my postings, I'll be back to it as soon as I can get back up and running, iA.

Love to all and have a great Spring.

Kathleen/ Shafiah

A New Year 2011

Well, life is moving right along and getting, miraculously enough, much better.  After losing Rody, I didn't feel like it would. You know how it is, you can't see the light because you are still trying to get to the surface for that first breath.

The packing has begun for the move back home to Florida. More labor, this is good for me, I'm out of shape! Winter here keeps you in more than not and with my Rody gone, I don't go to the park as much.  I tried to go and walk on the path, but without him it just made me walk fast to avoid anyone seeing the tears.  I haven't been back.

On the brighter side, I have made a "re-connection" with a gentleman I once lived with MANY years ago.  We are talking....we'll see if anything comes of it.  We were very happy then, but life happens and people change. As of now, one of his most redeeming features is that he has nothing against Islam.

I am soooo looking forward to being back in a large Islamic community with classes I can attend weekly, and several per week! There is SO much I still have to learn and am anxious to do so.

I am also very excited about seeing my daughter and her son.  It has been more than a year since we have actually seen each other. It's so strange, for her to be where I can't just go see her. It was my son that was so far away for so long. He has another child on the way.  I now know that I'll be able to travel there when it's time and stay for a little while to be of some help. I can't wait to see this next addition to his family.  Those two make some really beautiful children, of course my daughter does too, but this is new for him. He became a parent later than my daughter.  I was privileged to be present during her first son's birth, what a wonderful life affirming experience it was.

Alrighty then, back to the packing and organizing.

I should be checking in until I have to pack the computer, usually one of the last things to be packed and definitely one of the first things to be unpacked   :D

Blessings to all,

Shafiah