Well, not the actual bird, God forbid, no! But the one I always cook for x-mas dinner right about this time of year (we non X-ians are always left with the earliest or weirdest dates to throw Christmas parties on, ma32ouleh?!) Wiss and I usually invite a few close friends, and I slave away in the kitchen (for at least 3 days beforehand) while he develops hemerrhoids from running back and forth to the supermarket to buy something 'he' had forgotten on his earlier trip there, poor thing! But we enjoy hosting Christmas dinners, our friends love them and the kids adore all the gifts and yummy leftovers that come with them!
To tell you the truth, I am not a big fan of turkey meat, really. I usually find it dry and miznikh (depends on who's cooking it, right HH?), but I adore all the extras on the side: roast potatoes, gravy, cranberry sauce, chestnuts, bread sauce, turnips, mange-tout, etc... Yum! (I do sound hungry, don't I?) (Don't get me started on the food here!)
HOWEVER and HOPEFULLY, come this Christmas, I think I could be spending it @ home in Sutton, according to what the docs r saying (Inshallah ya Rabb!) and, hence, will be preparing a mini feast (probably mostly bought from Marks!) to celebrate LIFE with the girls and the rest of the family. Aaaaahhh, the girls could be coming, habibati, inshallah. I miss them like crazy. I just hope they find available flights before X-mas Eve.
I know u r probably wondering why won't I be in Beirut? Well, the thing is, this treatment is a very looooong and haaaaarsh one. The first verrrryyyy harsh bit is almost done now, inshallah, but there still is a phase of check-ups and blood tests and doctors' visits and stuff, so I am not supposed to leave the country for quite a while. Maalesh, you're ALL welcome to visit. We'll have a Sutton Experience together! (not to be missed in the 'breezy' weather) (more like 'freezy' than 'breezy', actually.
Thank God, most of the pains are gone. (HE does listen, doesn't HE?! ) It was tougher than I'd thought, but, hamdillah, with your love and support and prayers, I sailed (am sailing) through it with minimum damage, I hope.
Surprisingly, I've found out that there are a lot more 'silent' readers following us here than I'd thought. Wow! I'm touched! Thanks! (but I wish you'd come out, khalasna ba2a! hehe)
Lastly, I wanted to say that some of you who r leaving comments on the blog are sometiomes getting answers from other people right under their comments, so, always check the blog comments regularly after u post, u never know what might happen, what friendships might develop or what witty humour u might avoid to miss.
OK, I'm done for now. I hope I've stalled them enough for you, Rima! ; )
Gotta go Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz,
Good night
mwah
H
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6 comments:
I don't know how you do it. Do what? Be so entertaining and upbeat and adorable while battling for your life.
But I'm glad you do. Keep doing it.
You are a real trooper ya Hala (and kudos to Wiss too). I hear Sutton is preparing to lay down the red carpet for our hero. What a great family reunion that would be. Yes, celebrate LIFE because YOU, my dear, is LIFE ITSELF. Through this long and arduous journey, you have shown us your pain, yes, but also and mostly your JOIE DE VIVRE, your unbeatable spirit, your sparkling humour, and your infinite love to each and everyone. You have touched our souls, ya Hala. We are blessed to count you as a friend. Hope you will see the little angels very soon. Take care, both of you :)
Great news about the possibility of going home for a while. I forgot what cold is like thought. :)
Cyba, Regarding the mantras, I find that when I repeat them, they have an amazing reverberating effect inside. Other than that I truly believe that the enlightened energies are everywhere all the time. The mantras are to remind us that they're there rather than to bring them over. So having the enlightened intention is what's important.
White Tara'a vow was to ensure long life, Green Tara's was to overcome obstacles and the Medicine Buddha's was to heal. It's good to visualize the Buddhas IN THE FORM OF LIGHT ENERGY and place any one of them at the heart chakra. Really believe that you are one with them. If you believe in Islam or Christianity, then use the energy of Jesus or Mohammed or whoever you truly believe is an enlightened energy. I find it's great to visualize God, in the form of Arrahman, or Arraheem, or AlShafy and do the same. In the case of Jesus it's good to put yourself in his shoes and imagine that with your suffering you are helping ALL BEINGS overcome theirs.
Love all your ways
Every country has its own customs... I didn't know about it! In Italy it is completely different: on Xmas' eve it is forbidden to eat meat so the dinner is based on tortelli (with pumpkin.. potatos or green, my favorite) and then fish a go go; instead on Xmas' day we eat meat, but not turkey... we begin with capelletti and then roast veil, rabbit and then hare always with panettone, pandoro, torrone e spongata (typical Italian Xmas cakes). I forgot to tell you that this is all cooked by my grandmother and it is really delicious.
However I made a little research and I found the right receip for an excellent traditional English Xmas' Dinner with some suggestions that maybe you didn't know..
The Christmas Dinner is the main Christmas meal and it is usually eaten at mid-day or early afternoon.
A traditional Christmas dinner includes roast turkey, brussels sprouts, roast potatoes, cranberry sauce, rich nutty stuffing, tiny sausages wrapped in bacon and lashings of hot gravy. For pudding (dessert) there's always a rich, fruity pudding which you douse in flaming brandy – said to ward off evil spirits.
A Christmas tradition involving the turkey is to pull its wishbone. This is one of the bones of the turkey which is shaped like the letter 'Y'. Two people will each hold an end and pull. The person left with the larger piece of the bone makes a wish.
For 87% of people in the UK, Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without a traditional roast turkey
Christmas pudding is a brown pudding with raisins, nuts and cherries. It is similar to fruitcake similar, except that pudding is steamed and fruitcake is baked.
Christmas pudding is served with custard or brandy sauce. Brandy is often poured over the pudding, which is then set a light as it is carried to the table. The lights are turned off so people can see the flames.
Traditionally silver coins were hidden in it. A silver coin brought good fortune to whomever was lucky enough to find it when the pudding was cut.
The traditional time for making a Christmas pudding is on 'Stir Up Sunday ' at the beginning of advent. A proper Christmas pudding is always stirred from East to West in honour of the three Wise Men and traditionally made with 13 ingredients to represent Christ and His Disciples. Every member of the family must give the pudding a stir and make a secret wish.
Traditionally a christmas cracker is placed next to each plate on the Christmas dinner table. When the crackers are pulled, out falls a colourful party crown, a toy or gift and a festive joke.
it's half past midday here and speaking of all these delicious dishes I am so hungry...
Ciao now I go eating..
Enjoy your lunch you too.
Cristina
Yummy Hala, you're making us hungry. I bet you're an amazing cook! I could just taste what you were describing. Yallah, Inshallah, next Chritmas you will cook that turkey for your family and friends at home in Beirut.
kisses
Cristina: In Canada, there are so many ethnic groups that every tradition ends up a lovely marriage of all these flavours. At the supermarket, panettone and pandoro start showing up in October, from the mini-mini cakes to the really tall ones.
Next to them, you will find some Middle Eastern sweets, like the nut filled pastries we love so much in Lebanon. And boxes and boxes of Quality Street candies! With Chai and samosas, English Pudding, Tarte au chocolat, Marrons glaces, Dim Sum and Greek-style apetizers. Most people will have turkey, or ham, unless you're a vegetarian or Muslim family (in which case you'd be celebrating Eid a week earlier anyway, but I digress).
I like to make rice and nut stuffing for turkey - but my kids prefer roasted chicken anyway. So we pretend it's a miniature turkey. I love brussel sprouts, but I do believe I am the only human who does!
(good comment, Hala? since you said this post was kind of lonely... yes, i do read what you write!)
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