Searching for that Flow

I had this last Friday off and had planned to blog, write my pieces for Mum and Muslim and answer e-mails whilst the kids were at school. I am terrible though for spending my time doing what seems pressing rather than what is actually important. So I spent the day cleaning the house from top to bottom, cooking and trying to engage in my Friday worship at an unhurried pace. Although I did get a cooking lesson in from the Aunty who lives with us, we made aubergine curry with strained yoghurt – delicious.

Once the kids were back home I had to give up on any thoughts of writing (I went to pick up Gorgeous from nursery and I could hear his teacher asking him “who’s that then?” very jovially, but I think she actually meant it. She sees me so rarely she never recognises me).

I tried again Saturday and managed to write a few articles for Mum and Muslim, but I don’t think mum’s couch is the best place as I get lazy and eat too much and concentrate too little.

This morning would have been the perfect time, but I decided to be kind to myself and catch up on my sleep. Sunday’s we have a Sisters circle from 2-3pm, so this gives me a deadline to get my act together and clean the house, get everyone fed and get the Zoher (midday) prayer in on time. Alhamdlillah the Sister’s circle has started to get better-attended. We used to have four or five sisters attend regularly, but the support from the men at the masjid who have helped spread the word and encouraged their wives to attend as well as in many cases mind the children for an hour. The last two weeks and today there were approximately 12-15 sisters (and still numerous children) but I felt very inspired and refreshed at the end of the hour Alhamdulillah and there were suggestions that from next week we will split off into two groups so we can conduct study circles in Urdu and English so that no-one is left out.

I needed a break after that (notice – still no writing going on) and was craving sugar. I had also promised to get someone some black seed oil to try on their husband’s balding scalp (I’ll let you know if it works), so took the kids to the Islamic shop nearby. Never a good idea. I always go crazy when I go near the books. There was also a sale on.....

You would think with this lot, that I would refrain from adding any more to the pile:




I bought these 24 books for £18 approximately. There were a few on the Mothers of the believers and the daughters of the Prophet (PBUH) which is an area I am passionate on, so I was happy to pick these up. I just have to prioritise time to read them now insh’Allah (and review them insh’Allah). They are currently all sitting on my husband’s bedside table and I don’t think he is going to find it as funny as I am going to find his reaction.

I also picked up this Palestinian olive oil from a fair trade company called Zaytoun, which I had heard about which I could not previously find locally. Dear Sis Rainbow, advised me last year that very good quality olive oil mixed with a small amount of black seed oil is great for the skin and particularly clearing blemishes so I intend to make myself a mix and use it on hair and skin insh’Allah.

I also managed to find the answer to my sugar cravings:

They were still full of beans by 7pm, until I turned my back long enough to wash some dishes and Gorgeous came up to me to show me his update to the haircut his Dad had taken him for this morning:

I wanted to scream, but just didn’t see the point, plus I had lost most of my voice. So I just explained gently he was in biiiiiiiiig trouble, some reeeeeaaaally biiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiigggg trouble when his Daddy got home. That wiped the smile off his face. I think my quiet calm had the kids worried (not the reaction they were expecting) and they quietly got down to doing their homework. Little lady is great at helping Litle Man when he gets stuck.

I held Gorgeous, read him his bedtime story and put him in bed, he was out like a light, so his dad might get a surprise in the morning! Funny how now that it is time to get ready for tomorrow and start thinking about getting into bed, I have found my flow and concentration. I’m going to ignore the two loads of laundry on my bed to put away, the ones in the basket and the machine to put out and the things I have to iron for tomorrow. That’s if the iron works – there was foul stink emanating from it for the last two days until I clocked that the water inside it was slightly yellow. Little Man had poured juice into it. So I rinsed it out, but it is “temperamental” at the moment.

Instead I am going to write till hubby gets home and eat cherry cola bottles.