It's Ladies Night....

Last night some of Ayten's girlfriends came over for a visit. Below is a picture of the dining room ready and waiting for company.




Ayten and her girlfriends


We had a very nice evening - I told them I was teaching Ayten how to cook some American dishes. They said, "I hope she will share her new secrets with us." Ayten served the Rice Krisy squares that we made and one of the ladies said "Wow - I didn't know you could make them! I thought you only could buy them already made." I told them they were a good snack for growing kids. All of the ladies tasted them and loved them and asked "What is Marshmellow? I see that word sometimes in recipies and I don't know what it is." I explained what marshmellows were and they were happy with the explanation. Women are women all over the world. Everyone wants pretty much the same thing - work to keep your mind and hands busy, enough money to raise your family and good health. Some things are universal!

Ayten and Jav in the kitchen


Yusif adn Jav





Javenshir at the park



And last but not least I had to sneak in a picture of Sweet Baby Girl in the sweater that I knitted for her....




Today Ayten and I are going to make Yusif cannollini and he is looking forward to it. I'm glad I came down here to help them - they are good people. I told them I will come back every year in February for a couple of weeks. Isn't that why I took this early retirement? That way the boys can grow up and have a "grandma" come a visit every year and buy them little tricks and treats. I also told Diane G I would head over to San Antonio every year for a few days. Why not? Have a great day all.....signing out here in Houston....

It's Hot Hot Hot here in Texas

It got up to 80 today and it feels like 100 - Ayten & Yusif had to take the baby to the doctor this morning. They took Jav with them so I was on my own. Last night a friend of Ayten's brought dinner over, and let me be clear - when these gals say they are bringing dinner they mean they are bringing the food and preparing it at your house! So before the gal got here I noticed that Ayten changed into a nice outfit and put on earrings. I didn't think much of it until the friend got here and she was dressed nice too. All of these girls wear tight clothes, but hell they are all thin so they can get away with that crap! Anyway - I started thinking and I thought maybe Ayten is a little embarrassed that I'm always in sweats and a sloppy T-shirt. So today I hit the outlet mall. Now that was some damn work! The place was huge - I think I got more exercise today that I have since I've been here. I shopped and shopped and found some darling things for Desi for her 1st birthday. I also picked a little something for Freddy and a new toy for Jav - couldn't find a damn thing for myself. So I went to Target and hit pay dirt. Now when her friends come a calling I'll have something "cute" to wear and it's half way tight! I also bought a pair of shorts which I came home and put right on. I feel cooler already. Why I ever let Lori Miller talk me into letting my hair grow out I'll never know. Had to buy hair clips to get it off my neck. Don't worry when the company comes I'll put it down, comb it and put on jewelry maybe even some make up. OK - make up might be pushing it a little bit.

The whole family is napping right now so the house is nice and quiet. Believe me you know when Jav is awake! If he's not totally happy he is screaming! Reminds me of some other little boys I used to know....tonight I'm making Tacos - I hope they like them and it's something Ayten will make when I'm gone. I'm also going to make the rice krispy squares - most kids like those - let's see if the little prince does!

Thanks to everyone who sent me recipes and meal ideas - I'm writing them all down and leaving them for Ayten. Until tomorrow - stay cool, have a cocktail and enjoy your Friday night.

Are You The Grandma?

Jav and I went to the park today. The first lady I talked to said "Are you the Grandma?" This is like the tenth time I've heard that since I've been here. What the hotel? The Grandma? I remember my Mom once telling me that life was a stage that you moved across. When you are little you are at stage right. As you grow you move closer and closer to the center. Then before you know it you are inching towards stage left until finally you are off the stage. I have always pictured myself right there - dead center - living, loving and laughing. Now I have the feeling I may have exited center stage and I'm making my way over to the left side. When did that happen? I think it happened when I came to Texas and everyone started asking me "Are you the Grandma?"

We had a good time at the park - Jav is one hundrend and ten percent all boy. He ripped and tore and screamed and yelled. I was thrilled to see him get some of his energy out. He really is a good little boy considering he has to spend most of his time playing by himself.

Yesterday Ayten told me she is sick and tired of Azere food - it is difficult to prepare and she would like for me to show her some easy things she can cook. So I'm thinking Tacos, chicken casserole, mexican chicken - I have to think of things that both Yusif and Jav will like - really Jav eats anything. I'm turning him on to some pretty bad crap - Cheese Curls, Vanilla Wafers and smarties. Smarties are my ace in the hole. When we get in the car I hand him a pack and say "nummy, nummy". God love him he repeats it, opens up his nummies,smiles and starts jibber jabbering (he's probably really saying something in Azere but it sounds like jibber jabbber to me). So if any of you out there in internet land know of some easy things to cook let me know. I'm going to make hamburgers one of these nights. Yusif is dying for some cannelloni which isn't easy but I'm going to show Ayten how to make it.

I finished my wonderful book, Galway Bay and ran across the saying: Cead Mille Failte which means "A hundred thousand welcomes" - I think I'm going to paint that on a wall somewhere in my house.

Another day on the Katy Trail

Here it is Wedsnesday already...today we went to the clinic for Ayten to get her stiches out - while we were waiting I counted 30 adults in the waiting room. It's been a while since I have been in a waiting room so crowded. I will say one thing though they had comfortable chairs for us to wait in! Now it is nap time at the Babenly household - I just got done bringing in the laudnry and folding it. No cooking to do tonight as we are going to have left overs. So - I am here sweating, sweating, sweating - this is the hottest place on earth and it's February! I could not even imagine being here in the summer - or the spring for that matter. So I'm going to back outside on my porch and finish my book. Once my book is done then I will have a problem - I can't knit all the time - God forbid I go for a walk! Another thing about Texas - it's so damn humid - my hair is nothing but a ball of friz. I had to buy two hair clips to keep it up off my neck and face. Anyway tomorrow maybe I'll get to take the little man out again and this time I'll bring my camera. He is a cute little thing when he's not screaming and that is not often! So my friends enjoy the St Louis weather - I hear it's in the 50s there - I bet it's nice....until tomorrow....

Katy Texas - Day 3

Well well well - the dam has finally broken and the little man is willing to hang out with me a little bit. Last night the new baby didn't sleep at all and poor Ayten was exhausted this morning. I said I would take Javen to Target and he could get a toy - she agreed. Of course he didn't want to go with me and Ayten said "Let him cry" she was finally worn down. He wailed when we left but then he settled down quite well and we got to Target where he performed like a champ. I let him play in toy isle for a good long while then packed him up, bought a few things and off we went to McDonalds play land. What a Godsend that place is! He played and I knitted. One thing about this part of the country - you don't have to worry about not speaking English because not many speak the language. Javen fits in fine - I'm the outcast. I noticed that all of the other adults in McDonalds either had a friend to talk to or a cell phone to talk on - not one damn person could keep their yappers shut except me! How's that for a turn around??? I'm wondering if our new routine is going to be Target and McDonalds - hopefully I'll find a park somewhere nearby. Well all of my St Louis peeps - have fun and enjoy our spot in the world - it's as hot as hell down here in the big state of Texas - a summer here would kill me. As I close this post Javenshit is with his Mom and brother screaming and crying about something.....ah and life is back to normal in the Babenly household.

Day 2 in Houston

Hello Monday morning! Here I am sitting in the house and the kid WILL NOT look at me. So much for coming to Houston to watch Javenshir! Wherever I go - he leaves. If I talk to him he howls - of course I don't speak Azeri so I have no idea what he's saying but I think he's saying "Go home bitch!" So it's 9:30 in the morning, Ayten is trying to get some rest - the new baby is good so that is a blessing - I'm upstairs and Javenshit is downstairs. If I go downstairs he will come upstairs...on and on back and forth. So - basically I don't have a damn thing to do - I wish I could get him to go outside and ride his tricycle around the block - at least that way I could go outside and enjoy this beautiful day, but no here I sit....is anyone out there? Rescue me......

Farhad is here (you can call him Freddy)

Baby Farhad (or as I call him Foghat) arrived safe and sound on Friday about 1:30 in the afternoon. I arrived in Houston on Thursday night where Yusif, Ayten (pronounced I-10) and Javenshir were waiting. We left the airport and went straight to Galveston, checked in to a hotel so we would be ready for the hospital at 6AM. We got there and found out that 5 C-sections where scheduled for that morning and as luck would have it Ayten was number 5 - that meant we had to wait and wait and wait...Javenshir did his best but it was a long day for him. On Saturday I dropped Yusif and Javenshir off at the hospital and then went down to the gulf and watched the waves on a beautiful sunny day. It got me to thinking "Maybe I should come to Galveston some winter for a month or two" - but it was similar to Shellman Bluff in that there are very few people there this time of the year. Maybe next time I do a winter trip I'll go somewhere that is populated. Anyway we got home today and Ayten is with the baby and trying to get a little rest - Yusif is upstairs playing with Javenshir and I'm kinda just hanging around all by myself. There really isn't anything for me to do. At some point I'll need to go grocery shopping so I can have dinners made every night - I'm sure there will be laundry to do soon - other than that I'm here in a suburb of Houston getting ready to play online scrabble - not to different from home! I'll post more tomorrow with maybe a few pics of the babies...