My Word Worm.

After a discussion of current events......

Phil: G20? More like "GEE-WHIZ!!!"

Lindsay: Well said, darling!

Issues of Temperature...

Lindsay: I feel so sweaty and gross. It's too hot in the apartment. I'm going to have a shower.

TEN MINUTES LATER.....

Phil: How do you feel now, babe?

Lindsay: Refreshed!

Phil: Did you have a cold shower?

Lindsay: No - a very hot one! It was the best!

Phil: Oh Lindsay....

(Insert lots of laughter HERE.)

Leaving on a jet plane.....

W-O-W is RIGHT! Nerves are running high in the Parkinson household, as Oscar is immigrating to Wheatley, Ontario, Canada to live on the lake. I think he is getting a little anxious for the big move - the large cage in the corner is quite intimidating, as is the more-and-more empty view of the apartment. Not to worry son, Grandma is going to take great care of you next year!

TO DO LIST - June 30/July 1

1) Pick up powershot from camera repair man. Drop off photos to be developed.
2) Pick up jewellery at the silver man.
3) Call Al Italia to confirm Oscar's flight details.
4) Drop off apartment items that have been sold to the appropriate buyer.
5) Take my wedding dress to the mall to be de-security-tagged.
6) 12 mile run - Canada Day.
7) PACK.
8) Close bank accounts.
9) Pick up Oscar's health certificate at the vet.
10) Say goodbye to the flower man, the fruit and vegetable man, the grocery store staff, the beautician, the hairdresser, the road nine shops, the owner of our favourite restaurant, and our boab's family.

Grade 12 Graduation.

At the ceremony last night, Phil and I were given the fun job of announcing each student as they received their secondary school diploma. I also got to serve as a graduation "elf" (lucky, I know!), responsible for taking care of and delivering the appropriate medals and plaques as the special awards were presented. Phil looked dapper with his pyramid cuff links and basketball tie, while I looked rather Caribbean with a head full of braids and big dangly earrings. The entrance we made was something else - to the surprise of our students, we were introduced to the podium as "Mr. and Mrs. Parkinson"! You can imagine how happy I was at this moment: being an elf, standing beside Mr. Parkinson, and being referred to as Mrs. Parkinson! It was a dream come true.

The evening, though hot without A/C, was enjoyable with the typical Egyptian mishaps that exist regardless of preparation and instruction - the ceremony began extra late due to absent students and special guests, parents did not arrive until mid-way through (traffic on the Ring Rd., they claimed!), and spectators spoke on their mobiles and socialized with friends during "key" ceremony moments. Nonetheless, it was a special evening for both the graduates and the teachers, with both sides being able to recognize their impact on the other during this final time together. Phil and I stayed strong with minimal tears and hope to stay in touch with a few of the students we really connected with during our time in Egypt.

Ah - today we breathe a sigh of relief. Our first overseas contracts are COMPLETE and we are looking forward to the adventures and challenges at our next post in Kuwait. Until then, we are excited to spend time with family and friends in Canada. THREE MORE SLEEPS!

On the plane to Cairo....

Phil: OH NO! Did you pack Sarge?

Lindsay: Hmm....would you be sad if I didn't?

Phil: What?

Lindsay: YOU LIKE HIM!!!!!!! Don't worry hun, your friend is in the suitcase!

GOODBYE, CYPRUS!

Phil and I are packing up our things and leaving soon for the airport in Larnaca. We are Cyprus Airways back to Cairo and have our fingers crossed for an air-conditioned cabin, an absence of delays, and a plane free of reporters and crying babies. Wish us luck!

Passion Progress....

I believe Phil informed you of my most recent passion - photo contests. I am not really sure how the idea sparked in my brain, but when an idea sparks in my brain, I get totally ignited about it (at least until the next passion comes along!). And so, I applied for many different photo contests a few weeks ago - ones for hospitals, magazines, fairs, professionals (haha), and one for "dogasaur.com". The latter one is the very first I applied to and required applicants to send in photos of their dog exercising. I laughed excitedly and sent the "dog-loving" website a few snapshots of Oscar at his park.

Well, yesterday I received an email from "dogasaur" (haha, we laugh everytime I mention this website), with a newsletter announcing the winners of the "Exercise with your Dog Photo Contest". We quickly clicked on the link to see that we weren't listed as "grade prize winners"......or as "honourable mentions"....but as "other submissions", which included ALL OF THE remaining photos sent to the contest! Hahahahahahaha - we were in tears laughing! Can you believe it? I finished in something that I consider "worse than last place", simply because not all of the photos we were categorized with followed the main application requirement of "DOGS EXERCISING". I have included the link so you can see Oscar in action (there are two photos - top right), but I would also like to direct your attention to the other, should-have-been-DQ'ed photos. There are photos of dogs SITTING (which is NOT exercising), photos of dogs meeting other dogs (which is NOT exercising), and photos of dogs being pet by their owners (which, again, is NOT exercising)!

So, I present to you my photo contest progress as hilariously TERRIBLE. I think Phil wonders if I will give up on this passion soon (because I have been talking about starting to love knitting and cake decorating), but I think the laughs we get from every "you lost" are too great to quit yet!

The link for those who are interested in a BIG LAUGH: http://www.dogasaur.com/photo-contest-additional.html

Boom, Boom, Pow!

Pafos must also be known as the city of fireworks! We have heard fireworks every night since our arrival.......and tonight we could see them right from the balcony! So romantic :)

Sports excitement as the best excitement....

After checking his work email.....

Phil: (jumping up and down, hooting and hollaring, too excited to speak immediately) LINDS!!!!!!!!!! GUESS WHAT?!!!! THEY ARE ALL DETROIT FANS!!! MY NEW PHYS. ED DEPARTMENT!!! THEY CHEER FOR DETROIT!!!!!!! (continues to hop on couch like Tom Cruise on Oprah)

Lindsay: Well that's great, hun! (pause) I wish you had this reaction when I said "YES!"!!!!

And then we laughed. Really hard.

An UN-TEDDY-BEAR Picnic.

Lindsay: I think we should bring Sarge to dinner!

Phil: You're not bringing a bear to dinner.

Lindsay: Why?

Phil: Because it is "Tea for Two" not "Tea for Three".

Lindsay: Fine.

(one hour later, during dinner)

Lindsay: You know what, in retrospect, I am happy about our conversation from earlier. At least you count Sarge as a person.

The Wedding Dinner :)

Last night, we ate at a casual seaside restaurant called "Tea for Two". We had passed this place many times during our walks along the water and always made a point of saying, "we have to eat there before we leave!". Of course, the anticipation to eat there wouldn't have been as great if the name were different (i.e. we didn't care what the food was like, because the name was SPECTACULAR!).

Anyways - to Tea for Two we went, with big "we just got married" smiles and really hungry "we need to eat pronto" thoughts! We seated ourselves in the perfect location, where we were able to see a wedding party getting photos on the waterfront, a wedding party touring the city in the official "wedding bus of cyprus", and a wedding party of the new-generation era (two men in bright and colourful dresses). We laughed and laughed at the "show" in front of us, until the waitress came over and we filled her in about "THIS" being our wedding party. She looked at us with shock, and asked, "why are you eating your wedding dinner HERE?!!!!". We smiled back and explained that home-cooking at Tea for Two was everything we wanted on our wedding day. And so we ordered a bottle of Aphrodite wine, bangers and mash, and chicken curry!

Our Vows.

Because it was a civil ceremony, Phil and I were not given the opportunity to say our own vows at city hall. However, we did write our own, which we said to eachother the night before our wedding (this may be why the tears were spared on the REAL day!). Here is an answer to the requests we have received:

Phillip's Vows:

Lindsay, I am completely invested in our love. I am inspired to be at my best in your presence, and you are the most important part of my entire life. You have demonstrated a passion for living that is contagious, and shown me that anything is possible as long as we are together.

I look forward to the rest of our lives knowing that I will always have you by my side. I trust you completely, and love you unconditionally. You are my best friend.

I will be there to celebrate with you when you are happy, to hold you when you are sad, and to listen to you when you are angry. I promise to support you no matter the circumstances.

I love you Lindsay, and this love is forever.


Lindsay's Vows:

Phillip, I love you. You are my big smile on a happy day and my big hug on a sad day. You are my cheerleader when I need encouragement and my inspiration to become a better person. You are the one who allows me to dream and imagine, and the person I am safe to share my feelings with. You are my best friend and in being these things, you are the reason I am able to be my truest self. I feel at home with you.

From this day forward, I promise to accept you the way you are, as you have accepted me the way I am. I promise to live our life as an adventure – learning, growing, and exploring together. I promise to believe in our strength as a couple, as we already know that love can climb mountains and will continue to do so when times are tough. I admire you. I respect you. I trust you. And I will love you – unconditionally and forever.

The Special Moment

There we were, standing in front of either the mayor of Pafos, or someone that resembles a mayor anyway, with Lindsay looking beyond beautiful, and me doing my best to get out of dry fit for a day.

The ceremony began as we gazed into eachother's eyes and fought back tears of joy. The mayor began sputtering some words of love, and finally it was time to repeat after him. The problem of course being that he was speaking English with a thick Greek accent which for most words was indistinguishable.

Fighting back laughter I began to follow his lead, and spoke of a life long happiness with Lindsay, a life where I would be committed and dedicated to our love. Lindsay did the same, though I'm sure we both butchered a word here and there along the way.



Then came the most interesting part of the ceremony. It quickly changed from romantic banter into threats of jail time, and public humiliation if we were ever to split from eachother. We were literally being threatened during our "vows"... Following this, and at the very end of our ceremony as we were signing our Marriage Certificate, celebration music was "cued" on the nearby CD player to the tune of... "DOOO, DOOO, DOOO DOO DOOO, DOOO DOO, DOOO DOOO DOOO DOOO DOOO DOOO".... Even more hilarious was the person that was present to hit the "play" button was the angriest civil worker of all time, the same lady that disgustingly accepted our request to wed!

Up until this point I still hadn't heard "You may kiss the bride", and I was dying to kiss Lindsay but didn't want to jump the gun. It seemed pretty unromantic to avoid this kiss altogether, and then finally it was time. "You may kiss your bride", I heard in a thick Greek accent, and that's what I did!



True to form, it made us laugh hysterically outside of the Town Hall, and who could have asked for a better ceremony? Our witnesses were two locals from Cyprus (Our wedding planner and her husband) who awkwardly asked us if we were getting married strictly for Visa purposes, and our gift was a bottle of local wine from the Town Hall of Pafos. It also came with four "wine bottle" gadgets, that I'm sure Momma Parkinson will teach us about when we return home.

What a perfect way to know that I have Lindsay by my side, for the rest of my days...

Before the Ceremony: She Said

I was so happy to wake-up on the day and know that I didn't have to go anywhere because everyone was coming to me! I felt spoiled - hair and makeup arrived at 8:30 to make me a princess for Phillip and it was all going to be a big surprise for him! The hair stylist turned some music on and we all talked and laughed about the security tag, our lack of wedding guests, and how much hair I have. The wedding planner showed up while I was being spoiled to spoil me even MORE! She showed up with a single yellow rose and a Starbucks tazo chai latte (my absolute FAVOURITE!). She was more-than-accomodating - making sure I was relaxed and happy. I was in heaven - but I knew Phil was not...and so I sent her to check on him in the other hotel room. It felt like forever while she was gone, and when she came back she said, "Yes.....you can tell he is quite anxious. He'll be okay once we're there." I laughed because I could picture him stressing out, like he does over situations that involve alot of organization.

When my hair and makeup was complete, I was glittered all over and then sent to get changed. I quickly put on my dress, shoes (or white havianas), and jewellery. I couldn't wait to get to city hall! I couldn't wait to see Phil! And, when I finally did get there, I couldn't wait for the photographer to hurry-it-up so I could run in and find him!

In the final pose, he placed me near a fountain and asked me to look over my shoulder and smile. Ahhhh - and there he was :) Waiting for me on the steps.

Before the Ceremony: He Said

It was a really nice gesture from our Hotel's Manager "Kiriakos" to offer me an additonal room for the hours leading up to the wedding. He had in fact already saved the day when he let me borrow a pair of black socks (which I conveniently left in Egypt). Usually the bride needs something "borrowed", but Lindsay and I have always been unconventional in how we handle things.

I grabbed what I thought I would need (shirt, tie, pants, shoes, etc) and headed down the hall to get ready. Once there I realized what a terrible mistake I had made. Not only had I forgotten my computer (which I had planned to use checking sports to calm the nerves), I had entered a room that had already been cleaned and prepared for the couple arriving later that day. I was in prison! I couldn't sit anywhere in fear of messing things up, I couldn't use the bathroom as there was a "this toilet has been disinfected" sign on the seat, and as I looked outside all I could see was rain!

I stepped out to the balcony for a minute and noticed an elderly couple sipping tea in the flat beside me. The man came out and as we began talking, he told me that in his 12 years of being in Cyprus (always June), he had never had a day of rain. Just our luck, the first day of rain was the day we were to be married! Shaking my head, I headed back into my makeshift apartment to pace back and forth nervously awaiting our wedding.

About an hour before the ceremony, I headed to the reception area to leave for the Paphos Town Hall. I had directions, but driving on the left side of the road, and unsure if I truly did understand the hand written map that was drawn for me, I wanted to make sure to arrive on time. However, I was stopped in my tracks by our Wedding Planner, as she told me it was much too early to go anywhere. In the reception area, I paced back and forth for another 30 mins until finally losing my patience and heading out without her approval.

I arrived and took some pictures with the photographer and then was guided into the room where we were to be married. 20 mins to the wedding, 15 mins to the wedding, 10 mins to the wedding, 5 mins to the wedding, still no sign of Lindsay. My worst nightmare was being realized! Had Lindsay changed her mind? With about 30 secs to spare a man (aware of my nervousness) came into the room and asked "Is she a beautiful blonde?" She had arrived!

The Security Tag.

It was a beautiful, sunny day - one day before the wedding to be exact. Phil and I were driving along the coast, admiring the stunning scenery and thinking about how lucky we were to be exploring the country together. Interrupting this dream-like afternoon, the cell phone rang. I answered, Phil was driving. It was our wedding planner (Chrysso), there was a problem.

Chrysso: Lindsay! I am at the dry-cleaners, getting your dress steam-ironed. But, something is wrong. The security tag is still on your dress!

Lindsay: What?! This can't be possible. There's no way.

Chrysso: I know....I can't remove it but I will try to take it to a store that can!

Lindsay: Okay.

During the bad news call, Phil had pulled over to the side of the road, knowing that I was about to freak out. He took the phone from me and called Chrysso back, as my explanation of the problem was too unclear and covered up by the stress and concern that swept over me. I tried to calm myself down, but failed immediately after hearing Phil say "OH MY GOD!" on the mobile. Which leads me to convey the following two things: 1) Did you know that ink splurts everywhere if you try to remove security tags yourself (not to worry - this didn't happen)? and 2) The wedding planner thought we may have stolen the dress from the store (also not the case).

Sadly, no store had the security-tag-removing-device that we were looking for. Luckily, the tag itself was located under the dress, in a spot where you could not see it. Annoyingly, during our wedding day, all I could feel was that darn tag banging against my leg - a constant reminder that my dress was not perfect! Yeesh - at least we can laugh at it now :)

A "90 Minute" Flight...

We booked a "Shuttle" to the Cairo airport through our travel agent, but when we went outside the school after our final day of teaching to grab the ride, it was nowhere in sight. There was a "miscommunication" of sorts as the ride was waiting for us 45 minutes away at our apartment. We scrapped our original "foolproof" plan, and began running, and hollering at taxis.

The taxi began in the proper direction assuring us that he knew where he was going, but after missing the turn to the airport we were headed further into the desert. About 30 minutes later then expected we arrived at the airport.

All seemed too good to be true at the EgyptAir desk, as we smoothly headed through baggage, briskly got through passport control, and even had time to enjoy a snack before our boarding time. Our flight was "On Time", and we headed into the shuttle bus to embark on our journey.

The passengers found their seats, but it was mysteriously hot inside the aircraft. Uncomfortable to a point that Lindsay was even complaining of the heat, to a point where the interior walls felt like they were on fire, to a point where the safety of the passengers was at stake. It took 90 minutes (ironically the amount of time it would have taken to get to Cyprus) for EgyptAir to finally decide that with an air conditioning mishap, we wouldn't be leaving just yet.

During this time, I can't possibly describe the chaos that occurred inside of the aircraft. Families were fanning their crying babies, women were screaming at the stewardesses, men were demanding to see the pilots, and finally I LOST IT!!!!! Note: Anyone who knows me well, knows that when I do finally hit my boiling point, an explosion of epic proportions hits!

I demanded that someone tell us the truth, just give us the information as to why we were stuck in the runway in 50 degree weather with no air conditioning. NOTHING! Then, the passengers behind us pull out this monster of a video camera, and they're a News Team. They're videotaping the madness, interviewing passengers, and trying to get me to speak out against EgyptAir on video.

They finally get us back into the shuttle bus, and we head back to the boarding gate. I am first inside, and begin yelling and screaming that someone give us the information we need. Note (Lindsay and I needed to get to Cyprus that night, as if we didn't arrive with 4 working days left in the week, our wedding wouldn't have been valid).

We were told that it would be 45 minutes, and they bribed us with Coca-Cola and Sandwiches. When we were finally ready to go back on, some of the passengers had decided that our plane was "unsafe" and didn't want to reboard. This meant that EgyptAir had to go through the luggage compartment and get their things off of our plane. All this while we're back in the shuttle bus and the air conditioning on the plane still hadn't been fixed.

We finally got off, and I was biting my nails the entire flight! Our landing was incredibly bad, but at least we were in Cyprus. Those carrying a European Passport whizzed through security as we sorry Canadians waited in a line that seemed to never end, with all "Other" passport carrying passengers.



The Hertz Company was very helpful renting us our car, but of course with the nervousness of driving on the left side of the road (with the wheel on the right), and being tired, we headed off in the wrong direction. We didn't arrive at our hotel apartments until 1am, when our E.T.A. (a generous one) was 9pm. What a beginning!

Choosing Cyprus.

It took us many, many discussions before we finally decided what we wanted to do for our wedding. We knew we wanted it to be the two of us, but we were unsure of where it should take place and how fancy it should be. We didn't know if we wanted to go to city hall in Toronto, a pretty place in the Niagara region, on a trail in Northern Ontario, at a beach in the Caribbean, or be completely wack-o and hit up Las Vegas. We didn't know if we should wear "work" clothes, beach clothes, or more traditional wedding clothes. We didn't know if we wanted flowers or photos, makeup and hair, and so on. Luckily, we came to the realization that the most important thing was becoming husband and wife, and so we knew it would be a special day wherever we decided to do it.


That being said, there are a few reasons Cyprus was a special choice:

1) It is a Mediterranean island that rose out of the Sea! (Kind of like our love...because it sure as hek came out of NOWHERE, haha)
2) Cyprus, also known as "Aphrodite's Island", is the birthplace of Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty.
3) It is so sunny and warm and pretty.....
4) It is close to Egypt (only 1.5 hours by plane!)
5) A marriage in Cyprus is recognized around the world.

Once we selected Cyprus, everything seemed to work itself out! We found an exceptionally cheap flight to Larnaca airport, booked a rental car at Thomas Cook and made reservations at an incredible family-run complex in Pafos. We hired the most lovely wedding planner, named Chrysso, and were amazed at the flawless schedule of appointments and to-do's she had prepared for us (with the to-do's being: RELAX, HAVE FUN, RELAX, etc.). All this considered, Cyprus really was the perfect place to become "The Parkinson's"!

Mr. & Mrs. Parkinson.

It's official. We were married today at 11 a.m. in Pafos, Cyprus. More details to come!

He'll LOVE the environment before I'm finished with him....

Lindsay: OH MY GOODNESS! Phil - there was an earthquake in Ontario!

Phil: Seriously?!

Lindsay: Yes! And they are calling for tornadoes!

Phil: WOW.

Lindsay: (in a "we need to save the world" way) I know, we have to do something! Let's go to Starbucks and sport some "go green!" tumblers!

Phil: (in an "OH GOD, here we go again" way) Whatever you think, hun. You're the boss!

When You Know, You Know.

When telling the story of our engagement, the "wow-ee's!" and "congrats!" are often followed by the question, "how long had you two been dating for?". Of course, I am always happy to respond with, "six months!", which seems to be a less-than satisfying answer to the inquirer. "That's all?" they ask with a "that's never going to work out" tone. "Yes! That's ALL!" I say with a smile.

So here's the thing: WHEN YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW!

Beautiful Mileage.

Another memorable 5-miler with my fiance. Nothing beats running by the water. We can't wait for July 25th!

The most un-manly thing about Phil.....

is his love for girlie drinks. I am not talking about ones of the alcoholic nature (because we all know he loves a cold beer and the odd whiskey on ice), I am referring to non-alcoholic juice cocktails that he is insistent on ordering every meal we eat out. It happened again at breakfast this morning. I ordered a freshly squeezed orange juice, while Phil ordered a pink-coloured "fresh fruit quartet", complete with a bright pink straw. How embarrassing, right?! But, nope - he sips away at it proudly, without any sign of embarrassment, and tells me that I am just jealous.

Haha, oh Phillip! I wonder what girlie drink will be next. Let's hope the presentation of the next one is a little less feminine!

P.S. I'm sure the next post will be something about my EMBARRASSING teddy bear collection, my EMBARRASSING public displays of arts and crafts, or my EMBARRASSING love for musical artists like Britney Spears and Jessica Simpson.

Impatience and Creativity.

While waiting for a ride....

Phil: I wish there were teleporters.

Lindsay: Me too.

Phil: Zzzzzzzzz (making the sound of a "teleporter"). Ya - then we could be like (pretending to hold my niece in his arms), "what's up JOYCIE?!".

Lindsay: That would be THE BEST!

Spotted:

Sargeant Snowflake practicing his soccer skills in the backyard. In a country where "your team" could make or break you, he boldly sports his "Italia" jersey in anticipation of the match today. Careful choosing favourites Sarge - it could land you on the next flight out of here.

XOXO - Gossip Girl.

Oh Mr. Sun.....

As of today, June 20th 2010, I have decided that it is "hot" in Cairo. I was quite comfortable for the longest time - high 30's are a perfect temperature for me. But, this 45 and up business is a little too much to handle! Case in point: a perma-sweat that lasts the day's duration, over-heated vehicles that line the streets, and traffic accidents every few blocks. People are IRRITABLE here I tell ya and it is only expected to get HOTTER! I can't imagine being Phil or anyone else - they have been "hot" for months!

The "Good Treadmills".

It is a well known fact that at our gym in Cairo (Samia Allouba), there are only 2 treadmills that anyone would willingly want to use. In fact, our need for these treadmills has caused many disagreements with other club members who try to bud in front of us without waiting their turn.

There are about 7 treadmills in all, but 5 of them are a recipe for disaster, with the guarantee of sore knees and shin splints! This morning Lindsay and I had planned to complete our longest pre-race run to date, a whopping 16 kilometres, and so the "good treadmills" were a must.

"We need to arrive early tomorrow morning to ensure we get the good treadmills" said Lindsay a few minutes before bed. "What time do you want to head to the gym then?" I countered. The conversation that followed was back and forth banter based on the opening hours of our gym on weekends. Lindsay and I couldn't agree on a time, but felt 7am seemed reasonable enough to show up and knab the treadmills. What kind of a gym would open any later than that?

We were the first to arrive, we spotted our treadmills and they were open, there was a worker inside the glass door.... BUT IT WAS LOCKED!!!!!! Although the gym conveniently opens at 5am during the week, apparently gyms don't open until 8am on the weekends in Egypt.

With nowhere to go, and more importantly a need to hold our spot to get the treadmills, we waited the hour until the gym finally opened. During this time, we developed a more elaborate "clench" plan: Lindsay would go straight to the treadmills and place water bottles in each (read: TAKEN) and I would go to the front desk, check-in, and grab towels. If this plan didn't work, we were willing to battle the three members that showed up at 7:45.

The good news, we got our treadmills, had a great run, and actually finished 16km in 1hour 37 minutes at a pace of approximately a ten minute mile...

The Notebook.

This movie came out about six years ago. If you remember its release at all, you will remember how much the critics liked it (hek - you could have been one of them)! Normally, I am the first to see movies of this type but for some bizarre reason, I missed its theatre debut and didn't catch it until it hit Blockbuster. This may explain my "so-so" opinion of the film, which I thought was a bit of a disappointment after all that hoopala. Even my Dad appreciated "The Notebook".....and I could not understand why.

Well, tonight Phil and I watched it together....and 100% of my blubbering self GETS IT. A love story it most certainly is.

Animated Love.

Phil: I love you so much. We're just like Garfield and Odie.

Lindsay: Aren't Garfield and Odie both boys?

Phil: Ya.....(pause, searching for a response)....I was just trying to make you smile!

Lindsay: Darling (laughing), come on! Mickey and Minnie, Donald and Daisy.....

Because of HER :)

After her two month visit in Egypt, my (or "our") sister Dana left for Canada late last night. It seems impossible that her time with us is already up! We feel like she just got here - which is a compliment to Dana because she was fun company to have!

Because of Dana, we were able to enjoy delicious KRAFT peanut butter, explore new parts of Egypt, and win first prize at a "Guess The Theme" party. Because of Dana, we were able to read WESTERN magazines, learn more about the "Nutella" craze, and talk "teacher/supply teacher" about the students that drive us nuts! Because of Dana, we know how to use REAL garlic, are inspired to be better cooks, and have a new appreciation for a spice termed "safron". Because of Dana, we have a "reliable" internet connection in the kitchen, greater sympathy for anyone who suffers from food poisoning, and a bizarre alertness for anything that is made of, has touched, or was near a MANGO. Because of Dana, we understand the worrying that our parents have endured, the benefits of a top-notch swiss army knife, and the hassles of finding summer employment at home. Because of Dana, we have one less suitcase of sheets, Kilimanjaro gear, school resources, and gifts to worry about!

Thank you for your visit Dana! The good news is that we don't have to miss you for too long! xo

A Happy Flip-Through :)

This week Leah surprised me with a wedding magazine! I never really thought about purchasing one of those (not that I would be able to find one here anyways), but Leah insisted that it is what bride's-to-be browse...and so I accepted her gift excitedly.

The other night I made a tea and decided to begin my bride-to-be browsing. There are many beautiful dresses inside, fancy hairstyles, photography ideas and planning tips. However, my favourite part of the entire issue is seeing the words "love", "bride" and "special day" so very often! Eeeeeeee! I "LOVE" him so much and cannot wait to be his "BRIDE" on our "SPECIAL DAY".

Thanks for the surprise, Leah! You have got me more-than-christmas-morning excited! xo

Feeling Sad & Blue.

Oscar had a tough afternoon at the vet's office today - a vaccination, weigh-in, mani/pedi, and a very awkward bum-hair cutting. Needless to say, he is being spoiled with attention from his daddy this evening.

Detox Lesson #1: "Juice" ONLY.

Phil: I am going to run to the store. Do you need anything, babe?!

Lindsay: Yes - some pineapple juice...or orange juice....for a smoothie later.

(Phil departs for the store and returns 15 minutes later)

Phil: Hun, I couldn't get pineapple or orange juice. They only had those flavours as "nectars", "punches", and "drinks"....so I got us mixed fruit juice...because it was 100% juice.

Lindsay: Well, in this household we choose JUICE over FLAVOUR. Excellent work, hun!

Impressive "Strength"

Strength is a funny thing... It has been defined as the quality or state of being "strong", but the meaning is more complex than that. It also encompasses the ideas of mental power, vigor, moral power, and courage. Lindsay, is one of the strongest people I have ever met.

Lindsay is someone (like myself) that wears her emotions on her sleeve, and she spends time all over the spectrum of emotion. She is regularly happy, excited for life, and ecstatic to love; She is regularly disappointed, saddened by others, and troubled by things she can't fix; She is regularly moved, inspired by miracles, and motivated by necessity.

The last few months for us have had a little bit of everything, with excitement in our personal lives, and the expectation of a long life together. But also with professional struggles, and the realization that as a teacher "the right thing to do" is often lost amongst colleagues, administrators and students alike. Mix this with the prospect of major "change" that is taking place and this is easily one of the more "stressful" times either of us has ever dealt with.

Through this time Lindsay has impressively supported me through moments of tirade, stood by me when I felt like quitting, and uplifted my spirit when things looked impossible. She has also braved her way through completing her time as a teacher at our school even with unappreciative "entitled" students.

In doing so, it reminds me why I love her. She perseveres when faced with challenges, she finds hope when others have long quit, and she reminds me of the true meaning of contributing in this life.

I have no doubts that Lindsay will be an incredible wife, I have no doubts that one day Lindsay will be an incredible mother, but I wanted her to also know that right now (no matter how she feels) she is an incredible teacher.

Wedding Dress Shopping in Cairo.

The title sounds fun, don't you think?! BAHA. If you only knew!

This past month I discovered that Cairo offers an incredibly un-enjoyable shopping experience in terms of wedding dresses. Here, the obstacles to the perfect purchase are endless - from arabic-only sales personnel to dodging traffic at "artificial" pedestrian walks to browsing dresses made solely of feathers, glitter, and egg-sized gems. My hunt for "The One" seemed impossible on every attempt I braved and it took many stores, many try-ons and many tears before it was secured.

Surprisingly, "The One" was discovered at a store called BCBG, the very first store suggested to me! The store happened to fail me on my initial visit with Phillip (being stocked with wedding-inappropriate party dresses), but proved extra-lucky on second entry with my girlfriend Leah! Oddly enough, both pairs of eyes were blind until I decided to try on a "looks pretty silly on the hanger" dress. But..........TADA! It was IT. IT was "THE ONE"!

Minutes after our really girly exchange of giggles and woo-hoo's, my phone rang. It was Phillip, calling to check up on us. That sealed the deal. I can't wait to wear my wedding dress on our undisclosed-wedding-day-for-two :)

Ewww.

Yesterday, Phil's diet consisted of: five cupcakes, four banana-chocolate chip pancakes, one can of Jalapeno Pringles Chips, four chicken spring rolls, one order of sweet and sour chicken (sans vegetables), one order of fried rice with egg and shrimp, one double hamburger from McDonald's (ketchup only), and one Oreo McFlurry.

He felt sick after. WOW. And to this moment he STILL says, "But I ran 13 km this morning!". The kicker is that Dana is the sick one today.

Detox begins TOMORROW.

Opposites really DO attract....

Today Phil and I went to Alexandria on the Mediterranean Sea. It was one of the final places on our "need to go before we leave" list and this was one of our last chances to put a "Parkinson" checkmark beside the city. There are many neat things to see in this place - like the Catacombs of Kom ash-Shuqqafa, Pompey's Pillar, the Roman Amphitheatre, and Fort Qaitbey. However, the main attraction (for me!) was the "Bibliotheca Alexandrina" and I have been dreaming about exploring this oh-so-academic treasure since I moved to Egypt.



The last time Phil went to Alex, the library was closed and so today's occasion marked an exciting adventure for the both of us! This library is a piece of art, I tell ya! I could have wandered through it for hours, finding new things to study and share. It was absolutely INCREDIBLE - organized, CLEAN, and STACKED with knowledge and opportunity! As we were wandering through the building, I exclaimed to Phil, "OH MY! I miss studying! I miss being a student! I wish I was doing work here right now!". Phil looked at me and replied with a very different opinion, "Really?! All I am thinking right now is - SUCKERS!!!!!!!!!".

Haha - I guess that old saying is true!

World Cup 2010

It will be on every television - in every restaurant, shop, or military post.
It will be the "valid excuse" for incomplete schoolwork and the explanation for increased absenteeism.
It will be the reason for unexpected traffic delays and no available taxis.
It will be the topic of every conversation we encounter.
It will make the streets sound like the 4th of July - everyday.
It will be why we hide indoors.

It is FINALLY here! And the continent is about the go CUP-CRAZY!

A Period-One Surprise!

Period one is my (optimistically speaking) "least favourite" class of the day. I often dread the entire 80 minutes and check the clock every second to see the duration remaining. Well, this morning's class was greeted with a happy SURPRISE! After a knock-knock at the door, I was given a piece of mail marked "par avion" (which is always the best kind to receive!). Inside was a beautifully embroidered "happy engagement" card from my darling friend Emily. The card was filled with lovely purple-pen messages and was discovered to be extra-special, as its purchase funds free surgical care for children with congenital heart disease. Another treasure for the scrapbook, Em. THANK YOU!!!

WHOOPS!

Phil: Hun, do you like my new haircut?!

Lindsay: Yes it's so.........DO YOU HAVE A SCAR ON YOUR HEAD THAT I DO NOT KNOW ABOUT?!

Phil: What do you mean? (frantically looking in the mirror)

Lindsay: (after taking a closer look) OH! It's just a mark from your glasses!

Phil: (giggling) Lindsay - that was very rude!

Lindsay: (full of guilt) I am so sorry....I just figured I would have seen a scar like that before! Your haircut is SUPER!!!

Another Training Favourite!

On usual work days, Phil and I are picked up at 3 p.m. and head to the gym ASAP in order to train on side-by-side treadmills. If we show up any later than "pronto", we hit the after-work rush and risk a hefty waiting period before a single treadmill becomes available. Anyways, last night we had to stay at school until 6:30 to get a few things done. We knew this meant gym-trouble, and so we planned accordingly and packed our gear to run around the track at school. Anticipated as a too-hot, too-late, no-energy kinda run, it turned out to be one of our absolute favourites (up there with the desert dash)! We had a great time dodging the sprinkler system as we tackled our 28 laps together. I wish we had a camera with us to capture the fun :)

The Early-Week News.

1) Sunday morning was greeted with some not-so-great work news. It was a little teary around the house but times are looking up as we now have only 10 teaching days remaining!

2) One of our students gave us the remaining episodes of GLEE! We have been out of touch since sectionals and enjoyed the two episodes we watched tonight! There is something so magical about this show...something that keeps you SMILING through-out! (P.S. WE LOVE MR. SHOE!)

3) The packing & purging for home has gone full-force. I have proudly thrown an entire tree (or two) into the make-believe recycling bin (a.k.a. a garbage bag that will be thrown on one of Cairo's streets). Phil is concentrating on the computer software, selling of apartment items, etc. His progress is great, as we have already sold his golf clubs and the barbeque!

4) Tonight we ran 8.05 km after school. We are still enjoying our training program and have lucked out with side-by-side treadmills at the gym!

5) Dana comes back from Tanzania tonight (INSHALLAH). We haven't heard a peep from her since she left ten days ago. Let's hope there weren't any changes to her schedule!

HAPPY WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY!

Today I hope you find yourself "loving the environment" in one way or another, whether that means going for a walk, having a tea on the deck, taking photos of the green outdoors, or spreading the word about the day itself! I spent my day at Al Azhar Park with five environment-loving colleagues. Here are some pictures of the carbon-zero festival we attended:

Oh, "Sweetie"!

The other night Phil and I got into an argument that left us "taking a breather" in opposite rooms of the apartment. I remained in the bedroom at first, but then decided to run to the kitchen for some kind of comfort (chocolate, skittles, oreo's, WHATEVER!). Well, it turns out that my darling Phillip had the same idea! When I walked into the kitchen, there he was - slamming the cupboard door with a grin and staring at me with vanilla icing on his face. Haha, and so we opened the cupboard back up, removed the lid of the icing jar, and dipped our fingers in with a smile :)

"Stuck" In Traffic

Many of you have heard horrific tales of the traffic jams here in Cairo, and some of you have even been brave enough to visit us and learn for yourselves what it is like to navigate the streets. Thursday, on our ride home from school, we may have witnessed our all time best Egyptian driver chaos.

Rumours were running rampant at school that the "Ring Road" (our only viable option to head directly home) was closed due to an oil truck flipping over and engulfing itself in flames. The fire was straight across the 6 lanes of traffic, and we'd have to find another way home. The problem was that 30 million other drivers had also heard the rumour, and we would all be battling to pack the numerous vehicles onto each and every alternative route possible.

We began our journey heading in the general direction of "home", but quickly found that we'd have to travel far off course. We turned to the right, we turned to the left, and we felt like we'd figured out a secret road which only we were heading down! But, we were WRONG! Out of nowhere, the most congested intersection known to man was before us! We happened to be on the wrong side of the road for some reason at this point and cars were headed toward us, heading in our direction behind us, and in every other direction. There was even one truck that had tried to jump the median, only to get themselves stuck, scraping the remains of the underbelly of the vehicle. Our driver opted to inch forward ever so slightly whenever possible, until out of pure hatred for not moving, he took a chance on a left turn into the "City of The Dead".



The "City of The Dead" is named due to the immense tombs that surround you while inside. The skinny, topsy turvy, curving roads are impossible to navigate, with dead ends around every other bend. Keep in mind, we were in our school bus that could barely fit in between the tombs in the first place. With our bravery being witnessed, other Egyptian drivers trusted that for some reason we must have known what we were doing and began to follow us. All we could think of was that at some point drivers may come from the opposite direction and we would be at a stand off.

For those that are claustrophobic, this was no cake walk. The tops of the tombs were higher then our windows of the bus, and we even scraped the wall at a few points, urging fear that we would truly get "stuck" in traffic. There would be no way out other then to kick the front or back window out (which I was already prepared to do). Somehow we managed to go over a hill that a Kia Sport couldn't have even fit through, and ended up back on the main road. Again we were on the wrong side of the road!

An Egyptian police man issued us (as well as many other drivers) tickets for this violation, but we were relentless and kept moving forward inch by inch. We eventually made it home in a round-a-bout manner, exhausted, and amazed at what had just transpired.

PARKINSON'S 4 PARKINSON'S

A big thank you to everyone who has supported us so far! To date, we have raised $845 for Team Parkinson (who directs 100% of the proceeds to Parkinson's Disease research)! We hope our motivation to do the half marathon (becoming "The Parkinsons"!), along with our dedication to training (even if it means running in the desert!), will encourage others to donate too! You can click on the blue shoe (page left!) to contribute :)