2 down, 27 to go

Well, we have finished fasting our second day of the month of Ramadan.
Thankfully I am not working, that would make it so much harder.
We are up very late every night (morning) and then in the late afternoon I'm tired and weak and resting/napping.
We get to eat around 6:40 or something, not sure the exact time, but it can never get here soon enough. lol
We break our fast with dates and liquid. Water for me and milk for hubby and the in-laws.

It's a bit of a struggle the first few days as people adjust, but hopefully it will get easier as time goes.

There are a lot of traditions that go with Ramadan, one of which is fanoos.
They are lanterns that are hung on ropes or strings going between buildings, or on patios, and they are generally made with different colors of glass or plastic, so that when the light is on they give off pretty and festive colors.
There is one hanging between our building and the building next to us, which I took a picture of but haven't uploaded yet. My MIL also bought one that is a tiny plastic one that has flashing LED lights in it. It also has sound, but it's tinny and hard to understand. I took a short video, but again, not uploaded yet.
I'll try to post the video and picture tomorrow.

Another tradition is that there is a man who walks the streets before suhoor (I hear him go by our place around 2 a.m.), which is the meal we eat before fasting starts at dawn, and he beats a drum with a particular beat, and shouts for people to wake up and eat. It used to be that you could pay him money and he would mention any name you gave him as he walked down the street. I'm not sure but I guess people must give him money even if they don't ask him to say particular names.
It actually sounds nice and it's one of the traditions that I like. I remember it from the last time I was here in 2007.
I'm not sure if we'll have a guy in our new neighborhood or not, but I kind of hope so.

One of the things I'm not fond of is that the neighborhood kids, who are *always* down in the street playing and shouting, have taken it upon themselves to set off what is called "bombs" every 5 to 10 minutes for a couple of hours after the sun goes down.
Apparently they use some sort of gunpowder and put it in a cloth with a rock and then tie it with metal wire and when you throw them, they make an explosion.
A very LOUD explosion and it's unsettling and scares the bejeepers out of me every time they go off.
It's past annoying and I was telling hubby to go out and yell at them.
It's like having 4th of July fireworks in your front yard every night for a couple of hours.
I hope they get tired of this soon.
And if not, at least we will be moving soon insha'Allah, and hopefully the new neighborhood won't have the same problem.

My MIL made some konafa today, which was VERY yummy! Sakes alive it's one of the tastiest desserts you can have. It's a shredded dough, which is soft before baking, but when baked is similar to shredded wheat, but the center is filled with cream or cheese and it can also have nuts in it, and then you pour over it a sugar syrup with makes it sweet and moist. My MIL puts vanilla in her syrup which gives it an even nicer flavor.
I took a picture of it but will post after uploading.


As to moving - not positive. Insha'Allah sometime this week.
We are *supposed* to go out tomorrow and get the stove and some sheets/towels and some pots/pans and plates, etc., enough things to just get by, but I'm not sure how well I'll fare with fasting and walking around shopping.
I'm happy at least we have the mattress in the apartment and that that is taken care of.
Hubby said Monday for moving but I'd be surprised if it was before Wednesday. Even that is just a guess and as you have all seen by now, the date continues to move out, so we will just have to wait and see.

Hubby is planning to send me home on a visit later this year so I am a little bit excited thinking about it, though I wish he was coming with me.
I think I posted about that the other day yeah?
Anyways, trying to figure out if I should come around the Thanksgiving holiday or the Christmas holiday.
Mom, dad, how long do you want company for? lol
:D
So, I'm eager to get more details set for the trip and I will have to make some lists of things that I want to bring back with me to Egypt after visiting.
Just wish hubby could come with me.
I think he plans to travel either to Kuwait or Qatar for work while I'm gone, so that he doesn't have to leave me again when he travels.
Not excited about the Qatar bit, but I don't have enough details on that yet.

Pictures and videos tomorrow insha'Allah.