This October 12, 2022 morn I awoke to a text message that made my heart sing. It was so amazingly gratifying. I suppose we should, at this point, define gratify. Its ‘nice’ definition is give (someone) pleasure or satisfaction. Synonyms of that definition are: please, gladden, give pleasure to, make happy, make content, delight, make someone feel good, satisfy, warm the cockles of the heart, thrill; tickle someone pink, give someone a buzz/kick, buck someone up.
So it warmed the cockles of my heart to receive this text:
He: Just read your blog post – what a wonderful documentation of the past few days. You are a gifted writer my dear Alexis, keep doing what you’re doing and never lose sight of who you are!
I had awakened early for Fajr prayer, read the text but immediately went to pray on time. I did, of course, express gratitude for that message. Then preformed some necessary early morning chores before responding to the author.
Me: I read your message upon waking. It brought indescribable joy to my heart. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
Me: It not only made my day, it made my life! Well, the last ten years of it anyway. See my sense of humour just kicked in.
Then more morning chores, another (extra) prayer at sunrise. A Muslim is required to pray five times a day at certain designated times, this prayer was an extra – the next prayer is not due until 1: 21(or If on military time, then 13:21).
Later, I fired off another text to him.
Me: Everyone on my blog has a nick name. Yours is LARGE. Stands for Land Amazing Rover Guy Exemplified. Do you like it? What is there not to like??? Will begin the blog of today with your message.
I am good to my word, so am doing so. Good to your word means to do what you said you would do. Used in a sentence: My grandmother said she would pay for me to go to college, and she made good on her promise. Some synonyms are: Succeeding, achieving and fulfilling. It can also mean: Loyal, faithful & dependable.
By the way, he is the driver of the Land Rover that gave me a ride home. I left my wallet in his car. By the way, I still have not gotten the wallet back. I am becoming more patient as the days go by – it is a fantastic trait to have. It has eluded me for most of my life., it is good to have it in my arsenal. In this instance arsenal means an array of resources available for a certain purpose. It can also mean a collection of weapons and military equipment stored by a country, person, or group. It is also the name of a Manchester football team. As you shall learn I am attempting to stay out of politics but this rather shocking news has appeared. This from Al Jazeera: “The billionaire deputy prime minister of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, faces the prospect of an investigation over allegations that he helped wealthy Russian oligarchs evade sanctions. Sheikh Mansour, who also owns Manchester City Football Club, could be investigated by the British foreign office on charges that he helped former Chelsea Football Club owner Roman Abramovich and other Russian billionaires skirt sanctions implemented over their close links to Russian President Vladimir Putin. At the instigation of a Ukrainian activist, international criminal lawyers Rhys Davies and Ben Keith have presented to the British foreign secretary, James Cleverly, information that Sheikh Mansour is “central” to the flow of sanctioned money to the UAE. The investigation, if the British government proceeds with it, will likely deepen scrutiny over the UAE’s role in providing a haven to citizens of one of the world’s most sanctioned countrie. The article continued: In total, it’s estimated that hundreds of millions, if not billions of dollars’ worth of Russian assets and cash have found their way to Dubai, bolstering the local economy but also drawing the attention of western governments looking to close sanction loopholess.” But there may loom an even bigger story behind Dubai’s prosperity, “A report by the Carnegie Endowment in 2020 found that the wealth underpinning Dubai’s prosperity was a “steady stream of illicit proceeds borne from corruption and crime”.Behind the facade of respectability that Dubai has carefully cultivated over the years, the flow of illicit funds “has helped to fuel the emirate’s booming real estate market; enrich its bankers, moneychangers and business elites; and turn the city into a major gold trading hub”, the authors of the report said.
“Corrupt and criminal actors from around the world operate through or from Dubai. Afghan warlords, Russian mobsters, Nigerian kleptocrats, European money launderers, Iranian sanctions-busters and East African gold smugglers, all find Dubai a conducive place to operate,” said the report.”
Here is the link to the entire article. www.middleeasteye.net/news/uae-russian-prince-helping- oligarchs-evade-sanctions. This link is provided as I am attempting to stay out of politics and world events for many reasons. It is impossible to keep up with world events. My Inbox is filled to overflowing with news of the world, it is impossible to keep up with everything that is happening. And please do remember what LARGE, my main fan said: “Never lose sight of who you are!” I am now a Canadian. Now I do have to admit that I was formerly living in the UAE but, goodness knows, I am not a Russian mobster, a European money launderer not an East African gold smuggler. So I am not there anymore. PHEW.
Here are my minor, every day occurrences. Yesterday morning I got dressed to go to breakfast at the Alberta Legislative cafeteria. The final addition to my garb of the day was a head scarf which would become my hijab. I looked in the mirror and something said: NO.
I left my short hair uncovered. On the way there was a man blowing leaves. I was seized with the desire to kick leaves – not done that in years. I waved to him, he stopped the blower and we talked. He not only let me kick leaves, he also took a video which I posted on Instagram. It was entitled Kicking Leaves in Edmonton with No Hahib (spelled wrong).
It said: It is autumn I get leaves to kick. No hijab. I am a devout Muslim. Identifying with Iranian Muslim women and acting like a Muslim, not looking like a Muslim. I am sure Allah approves.
Here is the link, I was definitely having fun kicking those leaves!!!
https://www.instagram.com/reel/CjlCqz-g6oX/?igshid=MDlmYmQ2NmI=
