Please cast your eyes upon the most recent Free Palestine entry. Do admit that my favorite picture, (next to Kind Saud, of course) is my cracked cake face, resplendent in my Palestinian scarf. It adds a certain humor and flair to the whole seen. However, there is powerful writing and a fearful presence there. One has to balance seriousness and humor. That is the secret of my success. By the way, I once analyzed and wrote a story called Secret of My Success. Put it in the search engine, find it and I shall speak of it later. It was written from London in 2016 I do believe. I remember writing it during my Dolphin Square days.
Al Jazeera brought great news on Thursday morning. Saudi Arabia is a happening place with two prime examples proving this. The other Arab nations must be green with envy, which is the color of the Saudi flag (Hahaha) Here is the proof of their sudden, swift and sure dominance:
Do admit to hating sports but I am not the entire universe. The world loves sports and see it as a sign of power authority and goodness knows what else. Never could understand it and never will. Give me books, although, do admit to quite enjoying cricket during my London days. A friend by the name of Chris and I would go to a game and drink copious amounts of Pimm’s Cup – it was in my preMuslim days. When in doubt, go to Wikipedia.
The Pimm’s cup is a cocktail that is popular in England, in the United Kingdom. It is one of numerous fruit cups, a type of cocktail with gin, a soft drink, and fruit. Its primary spirit is Pimm’s No. 1 Cup, a gin-based beverage flavored with fruits and spices invented around 1823 as a health drink.[1]
The Pimm’s cup is the official cocktail of many summer events in England, including the Chelsea Flower Show, the Henley Royal Regatta and the Royal Ascot. For the last 50 years the drink has been associated with Wimbledon.
The history is provided, if you really want to know, even if you do not – here it is.
“The base liqueur of a Pimm’s cup, Pimm’s, was created sometime after 1823, when James Pimm opened an oyster bar and began serving spirit-based punches and cups. Pimm received his first liquor license in 1851, and leased or sold the bar to S. D. Morey in 1856; it changed hands several times afterward. At one point, Pimm, one of his employees, or one of his successors created the first Pimm’s liqueur, designed to be mixed with lemonade, and which was trademarked and commercially released in 1912.
As usual I have digressed. Back to the Al Jazeera article you have been waiting for (breathlessly I am sure.)
“What’s going on with Saudi Arabia? A lot. Saudi Arabia is hosting world leaders, signing enormous deals with China and going all-in on sports. The kingdom’s sovereign wealth fund will be taking over the four largest football clubs, two of which have wooed the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema and N’Golo Kante, upping Saudi football’s star power.”
Not only that, apparently Saudi Arabia is also working on its tourism sector. (I guess the word is not out, that I am coning there before July 1).
“Saudi Arabia is also working on its tourism sector and has signed deals with China to get more Chinese tourists to visit. And in another sign of the two countries’ increasing closeness, they signed a $5.6bn deal for the production of electric vehicles.”
Find it most fascinating that an old lady from Saskatchewan, Canada is traveling there when Saudi Arabia is in the absolute zenith of its power. I humbly say that zenith is the perfect word. Its meaning: the time at which something is most powerful or successful. The synonyms will WOW you: highest point, crowning point, height, top, acme, peak, pinnacle, apex, apogee, vertex, tip, crown, crest, summit, climax, culmination, maximum, optimum, prime, meridian, high noon. Two antonyms describe the competing Arab nations and the USA: nadir, bottom. I do admit to laughing in sheer delight.
Have been texting with SOFTS about my impending visit and other related matters.
Me: We need to form a liaison with Saudi Arabia. It is SO complicated because Canada’s oil goes to the US who distributes it (somehow). We can strangle the US if we tell them we are not going to give you oil. We will deal directly with Saudi Arabia. I think it is possible. Then Canada and the Saudi’s conglomerate would control oil production.
She: What is the solution for Canada do u think?
Me: Say goodbye to the US and say to Saudi Arabia: “Save the last dance for me.” But unfortunately Prime Minister Trudeau is a bit disorganized and ambivalent. I need to be Prime Minister.
She: True, that would be fun.
Me: It has been suggested before. Now the timing is right, because I live here now, was born here, was a lawyer and I am rather cute (for my age). Bring back funny to Canada would be my theme and I did come back to Canada after an absence of 55 years. I might have to form my own party, but I am good at parties.
Our conversation turned to other, more important matters.
Me: Did I tell you about my coat of many colors bought from Alberta Craft Council?? I am wearing it to Saudi Arabia.
She: That is awesome. It sounds cool.
Me: It is beautiful. I pick it up on Wednesday before the trip to the financial planner. It is quilted and you know the story of Joseph and the Coat of Many Colors. I am wearing it and my Canadian Dollar hat so no one thinks I come from the US.
SheL Hijab and Canada dollar store hat. Lol
Me: You got it!!! I asked for a red carpet to greet me at the Riyadh Hilton – probably get one. Well I might get one.
She: Ur hilarious
Me: When I left to come back to Canada they upgraded me to a limo because I am Sheikha Fatimah – honest. I am thinking of asking for a parade. Why not? I gotta arrive in Style. Kind of like Cleopatra sailing down the Nile to meet good old Antony. Not sure who Antony might be, but I have an inkling (shall we say).
An inkling is a a slight knowledge or suspicion; a hint. It is a vague idea, notion, glimmering; sense, impression,, whisper, sneaking suspicion, clue, intimation, innuendo. Personally I prefer sneaking suspicion.
The conversation continued in its merry way.
Me: I painted my face like the Qatar flag once. I shall put the photo as the screensaver on my computer. The crew should get a giggle out of that. I looked pretty good. Never could I paint my face in the manner of the US flag with all those stars and stripes, nor the UAE flag. I could get a stencil for the Saudi face but green is not my color. Blue is and I did look rather fetching in my Scottish flag face.
She: The many faces of Fatima.
Me: Now that is hilariously funny. I am going to borrow it for the blog – perhaps steal it for the blog.
As you can see, plans are being pursued in earnest. D-Day was planned with less precision. But do admit to feeling weary and a bit overwhelmed. There is a lot on my plate, as the expression goes. That expression means: “Have a great deal (or too much) to cope with, as in What with the new baby and the new house, they have a lot on their plate, or I can’t take that on now; I’ve got too much on my plate already. This expression transfers a loaded or overloaded dinner plate to other activities.”
Photos shall include the many faces of Fatimah. It all began when I painted by face like the Canadian flag for the 2017 Canada Day. I was living in Vancouver at the time, received 86 “Welcome Backs” from people and many photos were taken of me and others.
