Dear Friends and Family,
I am not sure who all reads this blog but for those of you who do... I am going to deviate a little from my usual normal 'light' stuff here.
The situation in this country and especially my city is getting really tense. There are army planes flying overhead at all hours of the day and night, reportedly on their way to engagements in Swat, Bara, and other places. There was an attack on a high ranking US consulate person earlier this week (this incident happened in my neighborhood). There are rumors of the 'T' forces sitting in the hills just waiting to take the city. Other ex-pats are beginning to leave the city because of the situation here - we had one family go last week and another family will be leaving shortly. In general, the situation is deteriorating very rapidly
So what can I do? What can you do? Pray - it is that simple and that complex. I would ask first of all that you pray as the Spirit directs you. Secondly, I would ask for your prayers that if I have to go, it will be done in safety and with order - not with haste and in fear. Also, please pray that if I have to go, I can take Korban. The furniture, kitchen tools, books - all that can be replaced. The cat cannot. Pray that God will bring good out of this situation for these people and this country that I am just beginning to love. Long term, I would ask that you pray that the HS will overcome this city and there will a wind of the Spirit seen, in might and power.
Blessings always,
Rebecca
Saturday, August 30, 2008
Pumpkin Pancakes
Pumpkin Pancakes
1 1/4 cups white flour
2 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon cloves
1 cup milk
6 tablespoons pureed pumpkin, fresh or canned
2 Tablespoons melted butter
1 egg
Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, ground ginger, salt, nutmeg, and cloves. In a separate bowl, stir together milk, pumpkin, melted butter, and egg. Fold wet ingredients into dry ingredients. Melt some butter in a skillet over medium heat. Pour 1/4 cup batter for each pancake. Cook pancakes about 3 minutes per side; serve with butter and syrup. Makes 8 to 10 pancakes.
My notes: I used 3/4 cup white flour and 1/3 cup wheat flour. I reduced sugar to 1 TB. I used fresh pumpkin, well drained and pureed in a food processor.
1 1/4 cups white flour
2 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon cloves
1 cup milk
6 tablespoons pureed pumpkin, fresh or canned
2 Tablespoons melted butter
1 egg
Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, ground ginger, salt, nutmeg, and cloves. In a separate bowl, stir together milk, pumpkin, melted butter, and egg. Fold wet ingredients into dry ingredients. Melt some butter in a skillet over medium heat. Pour 1/4 cup batter for each pancake. Cook pancakes about 3 minutes per side; serve with butter and syrup. Makes 8 to 10 pancakes.
My notes: I used 3/4 cup white flour and 1/3 cup wheat flour. I reduced sugar to 1 TB. I used fresh pumpkin, well drained and pureed in a food processor.
Saturday, August 16, 2008
Korban
OK - for those of you out there who have been dying for another Korban story - here goes. Just as an update, Korban is now 10 months old, growing and thriving. However, he recently had a very upsetting experience and it was all Mommie's fault!
As a favor, I offered to keep another Siamese cat for some friends who are on vacation. This cat is female and hails by the name of 'Peshu' - Yep, you guessed it -that is 'cat' in Pushtu. I call her 'Bul Peshu' - the 'other cat' in Pushtu. As I was to learn, maybe 'Bull' wasn't such a bad name for her. I was assured (and was really convinced) that that she was a wonderful cat and very good with people. Well, all of that was true - it was other cats she wasn't so good with. My first clue came after I placed her litter bowl (FYI - we don't use boxes here) next to Korban's. Instead of using her own toilet, she waltzed over to his bowl and proceeded with business. This was not a good sign but I took it philosophically - after all, this is only a cat hotel - she will be gone in a few weeks. Surely we can endure until then.
The next altercation came about midnight several nights ago. Korban was my room, tending to cat business (IE... hanging out and napping). I mistakenly left the bathroom door open and Bul Peshu sidled in. A moment or two later, Korban sat up and gave the obligatory hiss. You know, the one where they open their mouth and an Arabic vowel comes out. Bul Peshu didn't take too kindly to this. With a single bound, she leapt on the bed and proceeded to engage in a simple assault (cat style). Korban was moving as fast as he could but there wasn't a whole lot he could do. Not wanting to put my hands in a cat fight (even if one cat was not fighting back) I grabbed a pillow and whacked where I could. That cooled things off for a minute and I was able to get Korban out of harm's way. He immediately ran downstairs and did not reappear until the well into the next day. Smart kitty.
A few days later, I was fixing breakfast for them and I heard (pardon the pun) 'cat'erwauling. I arrived just in time to see my baby flying down the stairs with his tail about the size of a bottle brush. Needless to say, he was conspisipsouly absent for quite a while after that.
The final staking of territory came, however, on Thursday night. Korban, being the smart and intelligent cat that he is, was staying safely out of harm's way downstairs in the basement. During the middle of night, Bul Peshu staged an ambush. She made her way downstairs, found Korban, and between the two of them, made enough racket to wake my neighbors. Well, lest we (Korban and I) become a stench in in the neighbors' nostrils (and you know my country has enough bad smells as it is), something had to be done. Korban was living in fear, afraid to even come upstairs to eat. I do have to say Bul Peshu was being really systematic about this - first she ran him out of the bedroom, then down the stairs, and then she went after him in the basement of the house. This cat definitely had a plan. What a general she would have made!
What to do, what to do??? I called a another friend who had offered to keep Bul Peshu. She came and got Bul Peshu this morning, much to Korban's relief. He is still walking rather tentatively, looking over his shoulder now and then. But overall, he has had a very peaceful afternoon and seems to be recovering nicely. OK, lesson learned - don't be too quick to take on other people's children (or their cats) - it just might be more than you bargain for!
As a favor, I offered to keep another Siamese cat for some friends who are on vacation. This cat is female and hails by the name of 'Peshu' - Yep, you guessed it -that is 'cat' in Pushtu. I call her 'Bul Peshu' - the 'other cat' in Pushtu. As I was to learn, maybe 'Bull' wasn't such a bad name for her. I was assured (and was really convinced) that that she was a wonderful cat and very good with people. Well, all of that was true - it was other cats she wasn't so good with. My first clue came after I placed her litter bowl (FYI - we don't use boxes here) next to Korban's. Instead of using her own toilet, she waltzed over to his bowl and proceeded with business. This was not a good sign but I took it philosophically - after all, this is only a cat hotel - she will be gone in a few weeks. Surely we can endure until then.
The next altercation came about midnight several nights ago. Korban was my room, tending to cat business (IE... hanging out and napping). I mistakenly left the bathroom door open and Bul Peshu sidled in. A moment or two later, Korban sat up and gave the obligatory hiss. You know, the one where they open their mouth and an Arabic vowel comes out. Bul Peshu didn't take too kindly to this. With a single bound, she leapt on the bed and proceeded to engage in a simple assault (cat style). Korban was moving as fast as he could but there wasn't a whole lot he could do. Not wanting to put my hands in a cat fight (even if one cat was not fighting back) I grabbed a pillow and whacked where I could. That cooled things off for a minute and I was able to get Korban out of harm's way. He immediately ran downstairs and did not reappear until the well into the next day. Smart kitty.
A few days later, I was fixing breakfast for them and I heard (pardon the pun) 'cat'erwauling. I arrived just in time to see my baby flying down the stairs with his tail about the size of a bottle brush. Needless to say, he was conspisipsouly absent for quite a while after that.
The final staking of territory came, however, on Thursday night. Korban, being the smart and intelligent cat that he is, was staying safely out of harm's way downstairs in the basement. During the middle of night, Bul Peshu staged an ambush. She made her way downstairs, found Korban, and between the two of them, made enough racket to wake my neighbors. Well, lest we (Korban and I) become a stench in in the neighbors' nostrils (and you know my country has enough bad smells as it is), something had to be done. Korban was living in fear, afraid to even come upstairs to eat. I do have to say Bul Peshu was being really systematic about this - first she ran him out of the bedroom, then down the stairs, and then she went after him in the basement of the house. This cat definitely had a plan. What a general she would have made!
What to do, what to do??? I called a another friend who had offered to keep Bul Peshu. She came and got Bul Peshu this morning, much to Korban's relief. He is still walking rather tentatively, looking over his shoulder now and then. But overall, he has had a very peaceful afternoon and seems to be recovering nicely. OK, lesson learned - don't be too quick to take on other people's children (or their cats) - it just might be more than you bargain for!
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