neurotic Iraqi wife
April 09, 2008
Nine Lives in the GZ...
I had the worst migraine ever yesterday to the extent I was crying from the pain. My eyes felt as if they were gonna pop out of their sockets and my body was too weak to even get out of bed. Its times like these I wish I was home with my parents. My mom would have definitely known how to make me feel better. I miss her, I miss her a lot and cant wait to be with them again.
I was abit thrown off side with some odd policies that came about regarding blogs. Apparently someone somewhere, most probably a military person, has been giving too much info on the operations that was going on lately that now there is an SOP and some kinda registration of blogs. But since mine represents MY OWN personal views and my own PERSONAL LIFE, then Im fine. I probably should stop mentioning whooshes and booms from now on though. And since Im so fed up with politics, Im gonna give it a miss this time and talk about personal stuff. So if youre looking for exciting news that marks the 5th anniversary of the "fall" of Baghdad, then look elsewhere. Im in my unphased mood…
We have finally finalized our R&R. I have completed all the flights and hotel bookings. HUBBY and I finally agreed on the itinerary. Amman, Greece, Cyprus, Beirut and ofcourse AD. Yup, we are going to be boarding 5 different planes in twelve days!!! Not sure how we went from just wanting to relax and stay in one place, to travelling to 5 places. Umm it wasn’t my decision, so must be one of HUBBY’s bright ideas!!! Ok, a small synopsis about HUBBY. HUBBY LOVES FOOD!!! No I really MEAN he LOVES food. My family and I have a nickname for him (Abu Batnee) which is usually used on people who concentrate their attention on their palate, hehe. I guess his love and addiction of Iraqi or Arabic food transpires from the 25 years he spent in the US without it.
This is HUBBY before we even got married. It was when I first met him and he took me on a date. Umm, you’d think he would take me somewhere romantic, somewhere nice and quiet filled with scented candles. WRONG! It was September 2003. We were in London. Neurotica he says, do you know this place which sells this really unique kind of falafel in Piccadilly? Even though I lived in London for about 13 years, I cant say Piccadilly was a place I usually hanged out in. And you can find falafel kiosks littered all over that place.
So HUBBY, began his search quest for that special Falafel kiosk. Needless to say, after three hours of roaming aimlessly in Piccadilly with my high heeled shoes, I asked HUBBY when was the last time he actually saw that place? 1980 he said with a smirky smile on his face. My face just froze. TWENTY THREE YEARS AGO!!! An important piece of info he kinda forgot to mention at the beginning of our search. OMG, I was soooooooooo ready to slap the crap outta him!!! I should have known then, lol.
Cyprus and Beirut have the same story to them. In Cyprus, there is this ice cream which HUBBY apparently found orgasmic, twenty years ago. Yup. And umm Beirut has shawirma which he remembers having when he was about 10!!! Yes when he was 10, must have been one helluva shawirma to have left such an impression on a 10 year old, don’t you think. But because I love HUBBY and because I don’t want him to blame me in the future for not letting him “relive” the “good old” days, I agreed. Actually Im lying. I only agreed because in Cyprus I can bask in the sun while he goes and looks for that icecream on his own. And in Beirut, I will be shoe shopping while he goes to Hamra district and tastes every single shawirma stall to find that particular one he had 37 years ago!!!! Good luck to him.
That’s about it for now. Im so ready to leave, but yet again, its NOT soon enough!!! And as for umm the “Whooshy fireworks” don’t worry about me, Im just like a cat I have seven lives, or is it nine? Nine Lives. Nine Lives in the GZ…
Footnote: Some of the IT guys told me that because of the curfew today. they are not allowing anyone aged between 16 and 35 to leave the GZ. So those who actually made it on foot today, are stuck for the night
I was abit thrown off side with some odd policies that came about regarding blogs. Apparently someone somewhere, most probably a military person, has been giving too much info on the operations that was going on lately that now there is an SOP and some kinda registration of blogs. But since mine represents MY OWN personal views and my own PERSONAL LIFE, then Im fine. I probably should stop mentioning whooshes and booms from now on though. And since Im so fed up with politics, Im gonna give it a miss this time and talk about personal stuff. So if youre looking for exciting news that marks the 5th anniversary of the "fall" of Baghdad, then look elsewhere. Im in my unphased mood…
We have finally finalized our R&R. I have completed all the flights and hotel bookings. HUBBY and I finally agreed on the itinerary. Amman, Greece, Cyprus, Beirut and ofcourse AD. Yup, we are going to be boarding 5 different planes in twelve days!!! Not sure how we went from just wanting to relax and stay in one place, to travelling to 5 places. Umm it wasn’t my decision, so must be one of HUBBY’s bright ideas!!! Ok, a small synopsis about HUBBY. HUBBY LOVES FOOD!!! No I really MEAN he LOVES food. My family and I have a nickname for him (Abu Batnee) which is usually used on people who concentrate their attention on their palate, hehe. I guess his love and addiction of Iraqi or Arabic food transpires from the 25 years he spent in the US without it.
This is HUBBY before we even got married. It was when I first met him and he took me on a date. Umm, you’d think he would take me somewhere romantic, somewhere nice and quiet filled with scented candles. WRONG! It was September 2003. We were in London. Neurotica he says, do you know this place which sells this really unique kind of falafel in Piccadilly? Even though I lived in London for about 13 years, I cant say Piccadilly was a place I usually hanged out in. And you can find falafel kiosks littered all over that place.
So HUBBY, began his search quest for that special Falafel kiosk. Needless to say, after three hours of roaming aimlessly in Piccadilly with my high heeled shoes, I asked HUBBY when was the last time he actually saw that place? 1980 he said with a smirky smile on his face. My face just froze. TWENTY THREE YEARS AGO!!! An important piece of info he kinda forgot to mention at the beginning of our search. OMG, I was soooooooooo ready to slap the crap outta him!!! I should have known then, lol.
Cyprus and Beirut have the same story to them. In Cyprus, there is this ice cream which HUBBY apparently found orgasmic, twenty years ago. Yup. And umm Beirut has shawirma which he remembers having when he was about 10!!! Yes when he was 10, must have been one helluva shawirma to have left such an impression on a 10 year old, don’t you think. But because I love HUBBY and because I don’t want him to blame me in the future for not letting him “relive” the “good old” days, I agreed. Actually Im lying. I only agreed because in Cyprus I can bask in the sun while he goes and looks for that icecream on his own. And in Beirut, I will be shoe shopping while he goes to Hamra district and tastes every single shawirma stall to find that particular one he had 37 years ago!!!! Good luck to him.
That’s about it for now. Im so ready to leave, but yet again, its NOT soon enough!!! And as for umm the “Whooshy fireworks” don’t worry about me, Im just like a cat I have seven lives, or is it nine? Nine Lives. Nine Lives in the GZ…
Footnote: Some of the IT guys told me that because of the curfew today. they are not allowing anyone aged between 16 and 35 to leave the GZ. So those who actually made it on foot today, are stuck for the night
14 Comments:
Good to know your well!
Hope you have a great R & R neurotica! YOu deserve it! OK? Come on now....tell! How many pairs of shoes are you leaving room for in your luggage!!!! Agreeing here with anon...good to see you are OK and hubby too!
Hi NIW, glad to hear you're fine. You know what? it may be a good thing that you don't write about what's going on in the GZ. You yourself need a break to take your mind away from what is going on around you (although I’m sure it’s easier said than done!). I have to agree with your hubby, food is one of the pleasures of life that everybody should enjoy and you can’t imagine how much I miss middle eastern food living here in Vancouver. I really do. One of the things that I particularly miss nowadays is the Iraqi-style shawirma. When I was in Dubai a few years ago, there was a restaurant I used to go to (was actually the only one in Dubai back then, now I hear there are a lot of them) just to have Iraqi Shawirma, it was called “Raghdan”, try it if you happen to be in Dubai someday, it's close enough to my favorite shawirma but, I have to say, it's not one of these fancy places so you may consider a to-go order. It’s close to Al Ghurair center and Marks and Spencer in Deira at the intersection of Al Muraqqabat Rd and Al Jazeera St. As for Lebanese food, there are many great places in Dubai but one of them that used to be close to where I work was called “Saj” on Shk. Zayed Rd. just after the Defense roundabout if you’re coming from AUH. They have a sensational tabbula and really good Hummus. Again, it’s an average place in terms of set up but if you can sit outside in the patio (weather permitting!) in the night, it’s not bad at all. I guess these tips are more meant for your hubby than you so I would leave to you to pass them to him.
Now on the R&R front, I think it’s a lot of time you folks are going to spend commuting back and forth from airports let alone on planes in 12 days but I guess since you are going to spend the time with hubby and later on with family, then it may not be that bad but it’s going to be hectic and as far from rest as can be.
Usama
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/9_volt
My last childhood pet undoubtedly passed. Whether or not it was an immortal robot is just as painful as the solace of the peace I find in his(the cat's)absence. The answer Mrs. Cartoon is One Life. Just one. When faced with food my Cat chose death with the hopes I may someday leave this place. Adopt
hopeful Hamster and God Speed lady. 8 Tantrums later we had a large white cat buried in a veterinarian's freezer. Shovel Tantrum may have frightened the neighbors child. Goddamn cybernetic conspirators. A freezer for my bound soul.
NEUROTICA LUV; GREAT READING ABOUT YOUR TRAVEL SCHEDULE;& THE VERY INTERESTING BACKTRACK IN TIME TO PLACES & EXPERIENCES :)SPEACIALLY :) HUBBY & HIS MEMORIES OF ALL THE GOOD SPLENDID FOOD SHAAAWIRMAA ;OR AS IT´S CALLED IN IRAQ "GUSSS"; SOMETIMES THIS FRIEND OF MINE SAID HE HAD "KABAAAAB" ;GUSSS" GARNISHED WITH SUMMMAAAAG"; SOUNDS INTERESTING:) " marroush" & AL SAMADI ?AT ANY RATE GOING ALONG HAMRA STR. & HUNTING & OR EXCAVATING VARIOUS KIOSKS & STANDS THAT SOLD DELICIOUS SHAAAWIRMAAA; OR KNAAAAFA BIL JIBBINNN; OH & THERE USED TO EXIST AT A CORNER OF BLISS STR OPP. THE A.U.B. & A MOST DELICIOUS SOFT ICE CREAM STAND SELLING CONED "MERRY CREAM" FOR 25PIASTERS??!! WWWWWOOOWWW ICE CREAM BEING MY FAV. FOOD AS I EAT IT NOT BY THE LBs.BUT BY THE TONS :)IALSO LOVE THE MALT DRINK HORLICKS-OVALTINE" SAINSBURY´S OWN? EVEN FOR BREAKFAST!!???? GREAT FOR ONE´S FIGURE :) ???THAT´S WHY I HAVE TO BE RID OF A STONE OR TWO!!!??? & OH YES USAMA THE STRING OF VARIOUS RESAURANTS NEAR THE GHURAIR SHOPPING MALL OPP: THE AL-MAKTOUM HOSPITAL AT THE FISH ROUND ABOUT; AS YOU SAY ONE OFFERS A GOOD SHAAAWIRMAA "GUSSS" & THEN ALONG TOWARDS THE SOUK & THE WATER FRONT IN & AROUND DIERA THERE ARE LOADS OF FOOD PLACES TO FIND INCL. all you can eat 24hrs FOR LESS THE 4DIRHAMS??!!:);NEUROTICA LUV ENJOY YOUR HOLS IN ALL OF THESE LOVELY MED PLACES :) I TELL YOU IF I MANAGE RETIRING & CHOOSE WHERE TO SETTLE ??I´LL PICK THE MED COAST ANYTIME HHHHMMMMM CYPRESS "FAMAGUSTA" NICOSIA" ACQUATAIRI:)WHILST YOU´RE THERE VISIT OUR BFBS CYPRESS :)GREAT ICE CREAM FOR YOUR HUBBY IN CYPRESS & IN BEIRUT COME TO THE "HAAAA ABU BATTINNN" YABA MINOOOO ABU BAAACHIR":) AS MY FRIEND HERE SAYS:)SAY NEUROTICA BESIDES MY LENGTHY SONG TITLED LISTING??!! A BLOG BACK!HAVE YOU ALSO HEARD ALTERED IMAGES? THIER MUSIC?THW SONG THAT REALLY SAYS IT FOR ME ABOUT BEIRUT IS " MARY HOPKIN´S" THOSE WERE THE DAYS"??HONESTLY THOUGH HAD ANY OF THE TITLES BEEN OF INTEREST TO E.G. "PETER SKELEERN´S" HOLD ON"TO LOVE;:)ALL THE VERY BEST OF MERRY JOLLY GREETINGS ENJOY YOUR HOLS. :) & KINDEST REGARDS CHEERS WWW.bfbs.com" YOURS AS ALWAYS OLAFF":)
NIW,
Are shawirmas those things with meat and other stuff in a pita bread? If so, I had those in Kuwait and I loved them!
Hope you enjoy your R&R.
Always,
Melanie
Thanx Anon
Beams, OMG, dont talk to me about shoes. Im having a dilemma about what to pack with me. I wanna take them alllllllllll :)
Usama, I will definitely relay that info to HUBBY. OMG it will be his next quest in DXB. Hmmm, maybe I shouldnt :) Actually when we went to Amsterdam, he took me all over just so he can find gus!!!At work, the women with him cook for him, and bring him kubba and gus and kabab so he can heat them up whenever he can...I just sit and watch him eat on skype,lol. Yes it will be a very tiring vacation, but atleast I iwll have a few relaxation days in AD. I made sure it will be out last stop so we can just recuperate,lol
Hey Olaff, thanx for the songs, Im gonna try and download them from my room as work blocks alot of the sites!!!Yes I think by the time we are done with our R&R I will look like a cow!!!I too love gus, and food but umm HUBBY is an extreme case!!!
Melanie, yes. Theyre like shredded beef. We call them gus in iraqi. They do them in chicken as well, but we dont eat chicken. They have them in all the ME countries. But strange enough, I dont know why, in AD they start cooking the meat at about 630 pm and not before!!!
The Falafel Shop is there its closer to Lecister Square.
I mostly eat for fuel rather than pleasure, but there are certain foods from the past that bring back fond memories. Like your husband I sometimes search for duplicates, but since most were from small family owned/run places, I never find anything quite as good. What I find funny is seeing a restaurant that advertises homestyle cooking(it ain't), but you can go to a grocery store and get stuff that advertises itself as "just like the restaurant". It's a conspiracy I tell ya! have a great R,R and E. Rest, relax, and eat:) Solo
It looks like hubby knows how to look after himself wherever he goes. I like that a lot. Just make sure he stays fit. It is very challenging to be a foodie and stay fit. Cheers, Usama.
It's Spring now where I live. I grew up surrounded with agriculture. Present day the land is filled with development housing. It's around 3 in the afternoon. Noisy school buses signal the end of another busy day of learning. Kids are being returned to their homes for domestic responsibilities. I walk out of my house and take a deep breath of fresh spring air. I pause, arranging my memories of different smells. I'm trying to identify the odor in the air. It hits me. At the end of every school day the first thing a child must do upon entering the house is let the family dog out to relieve itself. The entire landscape reeks of dog shit. Patient pets squeal, yap and shit in a mighty crescendo of studious debacle. Then the kids throw their books on the floor and run outside screaming. In the Spring.
NEUROTICA LUV; ENJOY THE SONGS IT´S A LONG LIST BUT IF YOU LISTEN TO:- JANE BIRKIN & SERGE´S" JETA´IM MON PLUS"; GEORGE MICHEAL´S "CARELESSWHISPER" SHOCKING BLUE´"VENUS" RICK ASTLEY´S"TOGETHER FOREVER"; GARY BARLOW´S "FOREVER LOVE";TAKE THAT "BABE"; J.PAUL YOUNG´S "LOVE IS IN THE AIR" RALPH- MCTELL´S "STREETS OF LONDON";EMMA BUNTIN´S "WHAT TOOK YOU SO LONG" ;J.KINCADES´S " DREAM A PENNY"; GERRY HALLIWEL´S " CALLING";WHIGFIELD´S "SEXY EYES" STATUS QUO "ROCKIN ALL AROUND THE WORLD"; SLADE´S" CAUSE I LOVEYOU"T. REX;THE ANIMALS ;MEDICINE HEAD "ONE ON ONE "& MARY HOPKIN´S "THOSE WERE THE DAYS ; LYNDSY DES PAUL´S " SUGAR ME" ALL THE VERY BEST OF JOLLY MERRY GREETINGS TO BOTH YOU & HAPPY HOLS. KINDEST REGARDS WWW.bfbs.com" AS ALWAYS OLAFF":)HHHHHMMMMMMM SAINSBURY´S ICE CREAM BY THE TON SSLLLUUUUURRPPING LIIIICKKING GOOOOOOOD HHHMM MUST SHED A COUPLEOF STONES TTTAAARRA FOR NOW TTAA LUV:)
I just wanna say, I think you guys made great choices for your R&R this round! Hope you have a great time :)
Lol Zappy, wain?
Solo, thats too funny. I used to see that in London as well...And Im like, hmm real home cooking???Yeah right
Usama, ya healthy, ya bateekh!!!Altho I have to admit, at times he surprises the hell outta me by being energetic. Sometimes I wonder if he is taking energy pills in secret :)
Olaff, very very nice songs. Thanx for that
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