13 Days Ago

Took Kate and Pea for Eid Manicures

Collected final Eid gifts

12 Days Ago

Attended Eid Prayers at The Sultan Club

Packed the car

Left for Eid Vacation

8 Days Ago

Return Home

7 Days Ago

Vacation Hangover

Unpacking

6 Days Ago

My Brother-in-Law was Murdered at Rabaa Square.

Up until I got the phone call from Khaled last Wednesday morning,  I had a passive interest in the protests. I watched the internet and I observed from afar, and I asked on a daily basis, “Is everyone OKay?”  Every time I asked, I would get some form of “Yes, everyone is okay.”

I’m not a newsie person. I don’t watch news channels, I don’t read the paper, I don’t regularly search out websites that share news. I have friends that do that. They are inclined towards being up on the news. When they read something important, they share it with me. Then I look into it further. Khaled watches the news in Egypt. I ask him to keep me in the loop, and when he tells me about something important, we discuss it at length. If I’m not satisfied with the amount of information I have, I do my own research.

On Wednesday, August 14th I wasn’t thinking about Egypt. I took Ronin to the vet for his appointment, dropped him off and then Pea and I went to the grocery store. We were intent on restocking the kitchen with all the supplies we used up during Ramadan. We needed fruit. I needed to start school shopping and preparing a menu for the party I was throwing on the 23rd.

I was not thinking about Egypt.

When my phone rang, I was looking for hamburger buns.

I was not thinking about Egypt.

It was Khaled. I was happy to hear from him. After vacations it is always difficult for me to be away from him.

He told me to go home.

He told me, “I need you to go home. I will meet you there.”

Me: “Do I finish the shopping?”

Khaled: “No.”

On my way home, my mind raced. When something bad happens, he won’t tell me on the phone. I called my dad. They were all okay. I called my brother. They were all okay. He had just seen Mom. They were all okay. If there was something from my brothers that live out-of-town, Khaled wouldn’t be the first to know…

EGYPT