Just the other day ...

asalam alaikum
      Been thinking about a few things, and meant to write about them, but never got around to doing it, and they are now forgotten.
     Getting on with it, last week was eventful... Sunday (first day of the week here) was a meeting of the PTA and start of the Book Sales in our room.... lists, lists and more lists... then back home. It was a day I managed to go to the gym, so score 1.
      Monday --- late for gym, so one class only, and then home and was late for my daughter's class routine practice for their concert, coming up next week. A quick lunch followed by today's sales. My son wanted a handful of books for himself and I had to tell him to bring it down to three.
      Tuesday --- early morning class and revision for final to be held on Thursday. We met our other examiner, who happens to be the best student of the entire center - mazay! My class and I were totally awed by her. Oh, our teacher treated us with a cheese croissant and a fresh fruit pudding filled-pastry. There goes my gym class !! sigh! Later that evening, I was to go to the Graduation Ceremony for the High School Class. Back home, decided to take a short nap before and well, everyone else in my family had the same idea and it was only when my husband woke me 15 minutes before the ceremony that I realized - I AM GOING TO BE SO LATE!!!
      The graduation main guests were the K and Q and the security people wanted all guests to be in their seats by 1900 sharp and I was already way late. My husband sped me to the hotel and delivered me to the door at 1905 sharp and when I walked all the way to the other wing of the hotel, I found no security check and no closed doors - Very hospitable indeed, to the relief of my husband. My friends had saved a seat for me and the rest of the ceremony went great. The K and Q could not come and the P was not very happy about it as it was her graduation. The speeches and the whole ceremony just got me thinking of my own graduation that happened almost a decade ago - (nostalgia            .....) <=== some things just cannot be expressed in words and well this is one of them. Moving on...
       The decor in the ceremonial hall consisted of huge cubes bearing the picture, name of the graduates along with their school's logo with a light inside stacked three high on large pedestals all around the hall. That was a great idea and after the ceremony the graduates were seen hauling their own cubes away as a memento. Brilliant.
      Two of my colleague's children also graduated today and it was lovely to see proud parents and equally proud students. I like graduations :) I was thinking back to my own because in my mind, my children's graduation is still far ahead in the future and I just cant think so far ahead in time. Then again, it is easier to imagine yourself younger thinking about the good ol' times, then to think ahead when you will be older in the future... don't you think?
       Back home when I was making nachos, my daughter offered to help me remove the plastic off the onion and that gave me a really nice good laugh. [onion skin, she meant]
      Wednesday --- Arabic class, end of the year party. Got certificates and beautiful copies of the Quran from the center. We were briefed about the upcoming year and what will be expected of us and then it was time to eat. I saw someone who looked very familiar and I guess it was the graduation that made me ask her, had she been to my alma mater. She said not me but my cousin. I told her my years there but she said, nope my cousin was there before you and gave me her name. Turns out her first cousin (and best friend) is my cousin's cousin. How's that for "small world"!! HAha! I was sure I had met her too at some family get together as somehow I am not that bad with faces but I do struggle with names (I mix my brother's, husband's and son's name :( which makes none of these three happy).  
        Thursday  --- Half day at school . Went to all of 5 out of 6 universities on the campus delivered their copies of the calendars they had sponsored. All were happy with how the calendars have turned out, so a good pat on the back for us. It was an exceptionally HOT day. My son bought his three books and back home, we finished 2. It was a Judy Bloom - Fudge series and I really enjoyed reading them. See my final exam was supposed to be today but my teacher postponed it to Sunday. I wanted it to be done and over with today, so that the next two weeks could be spent packing, magar ye ho na saka.
          Weekend, meant time out. We went to this trade fair next and my son got lost twice. Ever since he was a kid, he ALWAYS manages to either stay behind at shops or walk ahead/away to other shops of his interest, while we are out shopping, so much so that we are totally used to it, meaning, used to freaking out over his missing routines, used to splitting up to go look for him (one party ahead - one party to retrace our steps). This time my husband managed to get him both times. My daughter has also started to squeeze in her own escapades, but we normally find her next to other girls her age or hidden inside the clothes hangers displays. It is always convenient to take my kids shopping when they are too tired to walk so they will sit in the shopping cart along with the latest issue of Reader's Digest or that day's newspaper (or a cushion or two to catch nap). Another good time is when both of them are fresh, so they will chase each other up and down the aisles. The worst part is if we visit a decor store or home ware. They HAVE to touch the most fragile things possible, not only touch them but to pick them up, shake them, stir them up or try to get them out of their packaging. Argh!   
         Needless to say, at the trade fair, my daughter wanted to wear all the rings and my son wanted to try out all the date and cheese samples, not to mention the bikes and assorted toys on display. It is always a surprise that with all the chasing after, playing hide n seek and endless reminders of "Only look, don't touch", we DO manage to shop for things also.
        Yesterday we went out with friends to celebrate their new job and today, here I am writing a lengthy pointless blog, because I don't want to study for my final which is tomorrow morning. I will take my daughter out for a hair cut, perhaps go for groceries and if there is time and the temperature is cooler, go for a walk on the Corniche. Wish me luck! :) Ta.