A Plague on All your Houses!

 The shipping has all arrived after 'arm, leg and head on silver platter' fees, most of which  were fabricated. Although 'British minded' Government Officer at school has decided to contest the big shipment fees, I am not holding out that any repayments will be made. For example 'Agricultural Fees'? I do not recall any livestock or farming products being unpacked or packed in Dundee!!! If there were any cows or chickens in our shipment, we certainly missed them!

The apartment is coming along and when Ramzi Goddot did make it last week, pictures went up and the large white spaces are filling up with artwork from both our households making the place look homely with that gallery air which has always felt 'home' to me. More have been framed at a fraction of UK prices and  delivered. One of the boys had pink nail varnish on him which was just fabulous! I wonder if he went to the same Nail Bar as I to have that extra treatment from Cleopatra's Boys?! I have more damaged frames to redo, so maybe I shall ask! Then again, maybe I shall not lest he takes offence and slashes my beloved RSC poster prints!

Mid week, we had our second round of powercuts. It only lasted ten mins, but this time, we had candles ready. There must have been another one in the night, as I woke up sweating with that overheated drowsiness which can only come from having to try to sleep in a stiflingly hot room. The life saving air con was switched back on and slumber was resumed..only to be shattered again by the dawn call to prayer from our neighbourly Mosque. I had enjoyed the Muezzin's call, but not since some 'third world' tin can sounding loud speakers had been installed! Maybe their wonderful sound system had died during a power cut! Now, I am rudely awaken daily at near 5am by the tinny banchee call to the Faithful! This Infidel has started cursing! Maybe I'll grow accustomed to it, but they maybe not! Time to look out for ear plugs!

Thursday evening saw us witnessing our first sand storm! Quite spectacular it was too in a biblical way! It was by no means a 'bad one' but it felt menacing enough. The winds rose first and the huge windows in the front section of the apartment started to rattle alarmingly. The howling grew and a black ball of dust could be seen approaching. Then the scent of wood burning filled the air inside. It was not unpleasant but it was not comfortable either. This was followed by the white net curtains billowing and flurries of faint golden clouds rushing into the apartment like some ancient  mythical  visitation from Zeus! Business as normal carried on outside with the car horns trumpeting; the usual 'face off' with drivers trying to go both ways on what should be one way roads with too many parked cars; delivery boys on bicycles on their casual miraculous runs. We even had our shopping delivered that evening, nearly three hours late, with the boy making two trips in the dust storm as he had forgotten our key water order! Not much seems to phase these wonderful resilient people, descendants of those who have survived Moses' great plagues.

Yesterday, we had our first early evening shopping trip buying Egyptian cotton sheets and bed covers . Now that the Princess mattress has been replaced, my feet can nearly touch the floor as I step out of bed and suitable sheets can be purchased. We took a taxi out to the recommended mecca for bedding. This was not a simple exercise as once dropped by the taxi, there is the nerve defying crossing of  a main road. The traffic is not set to stop at any point to let you cross, you just have to walk out into it! I am much more hedonistic about these things, but husband was an bag of nerves! We eventually got across and found ourselves before the godfather of Maadi bed linen! It was a true den of  delights! We settled for white 5* hotel sheets and quilt covers and managed to buy a valence sheet beautifully described as 'bed skirt'. Makes much more sense for it's purpose!..On our return to the apartment, we found the main vestibule flooded! We pressed for the lift and it came down. Opened the doors to enter and was met up a curtain of water. We foolishly got in the lift, before realising, water and electricity (!!??) and jumped out. As we climbed the five flights of steps, there was a flood on every single floor in the hall ways. Entering the apartment with the greatest of trepidation, we saw all seemed dry, including ceilings. Hard to say where this particular infliction came from as no notices were up in any language! About an hour later, lift seemed to be working again and the water swept away...

Sand storm, flood..pestilence was to follow!

There is an ant problem in the apartment, but not much of one to worry us too much. They appear and then seem to disappear without too much intrusion. However, yesterday, reaching for a new bag of sugar, I noticed  ants inside the bag!!! Surely the bag was sealed?! Well, not entirely. Quality control of packaging does not exist here! There was a tiny entry slot and the little mites found it and were enjoying a sugar fest! We were determined to salvage what we could, so strained the sugar and took out the ants...to drown them humanely in a bowl of water! I'm not sure how this affects my Kama, but at least I now have ant free sugar stored!

Late September should be 'lovely' weather according to the locals...but it's still blisteringly hot at 40 degrees C. Maybe Moses has arisen and found he did not make it to the Promised Land after all and  is not best pleased in a Sinai Cave... vowing vengence?!