I say "faux" because I did not make this broth from scratch. Beef bones (ox tails?!?) are one of those "go to five different groceries to see if you can find them" things, and I'm not willing to play that game. So I used a combination of this recipe (charred onion and ginger) and this recipe (basic proportions). It started with a really good stock concentrate and simmering spices (star anise, cardamom, fennel seed, cloves, cinnamon stick) for 2 hours. I also marinated the meat, so it was very flavorful and, after another 90 minutes of gentle simmering, very tender. I did not do the "sliced thin" version of the meat this time but will do that next time. At the end, I added some bok choy and cooked it until tender before topping with the normal stuff. Although the broth wasn't "clear" like a good authentic pho, the taste was really good and it had very little fat (none to skim off after refrigerating).
Hank said that in Vietnam, those skilled with the chopsticks were very graceful at eating noodles, much more graceful than the fork-bearers. Those noodles get slippery!
Next, I want to learn to make Chicken Pho (which Hank says is his favorite) and Veggie Pho. Then dumplings...
Jack wanted a simple family birthday this year, opting for the fancier presents rather than the party. He selected the menu: roasted chicken breasts, twice-baked potatoes, and fresh fruit (strawberries and grapes) and veg (orange bell peppers and cucumbers). Chocolate chip pie for dessert. It was a perfect celebration to ring in the last year of tweendom.
It was a gorgeous day here, "cool" in the morning and in the evening, with some great blue sky and clouds. Yes, clouds are something to celebrate, even when they don't bring rain. Tonight was almost cool enough to have the windows open for a while...the first real night of "here comes the awesome season" that we've had. Hurray for surviving the desert summer!
The birthday cake has mini-sparklers instead of candles. The best part of this is that they burn out really quickly, so we had to sing "Happy Birthday" loudly and finishing just as the sparklers burned out. And the sparklers distract from how out of tune our singing is...
The birthday cake (as requested) is a chocolate chip pie. Basically it's this recipe but made in a round cake pan (all the trouble in the original recipe is NOT worth the cookies, but the pie is freaking delicious...the "crust" is very tender, like a really good scone, and I might have added an extra chopped up Hershey bar or two in there, too).
Hannah made Jack a sweet card, and even got a hug in exchange, which I promptly caught on film since it may not happen again for another 364 days.
The BIG GIFT: a Blackberry. These are the "cool thing" to have here and allow a pay-as-you-go approach. Bonus duck face.
We are very proud of our big kid! Happy Birthday to our Jack!
This one will be home from his Vietnam school trip in less than 24 hours. We are chomping at the bit to get him back and can't wait to hear the details...Nine days is a long time to have him gone. Not sure how this is going to work out when he wants to do something like...say...go to college.
Today is "dress like your favorite book's superhero" day at school. Despite having just bought myself a very basic sewing machine, I did not have time to seek out some felt and decorations to make something, so we went to the costume basket and found a very fine solution.
Please meet "Fairy Hannah." Here is how she described herself to her Dad this morning:
"I am a Super Fairy, friends with Tinkerbell but living in another meadow. I fly with my wings and fairy dust (which is stored in the bag), and I use my magic wand to help people."
The character parade should be in process as I write.
Thank you to Aunt Julia for the perfect Super Fairy dress! To John for the Super Fairy shoes! To Scarborough Faire for the Super Fairy wings! To Mammy for the Super Fairy attitude!
Thank you to our Texas Mammy for sending these awesome hand-made pillows to the Children of the Sand! They each loved theirs in a special way that comes from a talented and loving pillow artist knowing exactly what each one needs. I noticed right away that Hannah's had pieces of her crib sheets.
This was the night The Correspondent got home...the night before Hank went to the airport for his Vietnam trip. Thankfully, his hair is wet from being washed (not greasy!). They are all sleeping with their heads propped up on Texas hugs and kisses.
The boys liked Legos, too, but when I would buy them a big set, more often it was me building it. Admittedly, I love building with Legos...following the visual instructions is like a cross between a puzzle, a where's Waldo (finding the new pieces as their added), and a great feat of engineering. So I never complained about the building.
But when her Fantastic Father brought her the Legos Beauty Shop as her first "very own" set, the Girlchild proved to be her own, independent builder. She followed the instructions to a T and did a great job of making it exactly as shown. Now let's hope that she learns to tear it apart and do some creative thinking, too...she's already been at that sort of thing with the boys' Legos.
She herself, who has been planning the layout and services of her future real-life multi-story beauty salon for over a year, really loves these "girlie" Legos, and I'm glad for her to have a set that draws her attention even more but is an even better fit for the colors and ideas that she loves. Santa surely is watching...
This photo doesn't do the sunset justice--it was gorgeous this evening. The days are getting shorter--sunset around 5 PM--and temperatures are starting to head towards bearable (mid '90s) though not as awesome as they will be in another month or two. These clouds looked like they might bring some rain, but alas, we just enjoyed the display. No wet stuff. In a place where the sky is more often beige, I'll take the gorgeous blue. And clouds are not a common occurrence either.
If you have every spent time around a macaw, then you might think again about describing the sounds this "birdie" makes as "chirping," although I am sure it will indeed have an effect related to a "bady." I'm also thinking that a "moment of placidity" that is "entirely free from worry" is not what you're going to get from this Wiggly Penholder.
Last week we were taken on a great tour of Qatar's state mosque, named Muhammad Ibn Abdul Wahhab Mosque. It was opened in late 2011 and is beautiful. The tour was sponsored by Education City (where we work), and we are really glad we took the kids along. The whole tour took a couple of hours, and a good section was information about Islam. It was a fantastic learning experience and a real treat to see this mosque that I've driven by so many times. Here are some photos...
Outside the mosque when we arrived.
The mosque faces the New Doha skyline. Poor kids with sun in their eyes...
A new colleague, Dr. Seawright. She ingeniously had her students help her learn how to tie her scarf, so not only was it tied beautifully but also she had a great bonding experience with some of her Aggies! It's considered polite for women to cover their hair when entering a mosque. We also all removed our shoes. Thankfully photos were allowed.
The minaret from the inside courtyard area.
Hannah and her friend, Elysium.
The sky turned a lovely shade of blue as the sun began to set. Reminded me of Texas!
The architectural details of the mosque are gorgeous.
These lights are hanging just outside the entrance.
Inside. The place is large and peaceful; in fact, I couldn't hear any of the outside traffic or other city noises. This would be a lovely place to pray or meditate.
We had two presenters who talked about Islam and answered questions. They're standing in front of the place where the Imam stands to lead prayers. The Imam is like a congregational leader but who has proven himself extremely knowledgeable (as in memorized with meticulous accuracy) of the Q'uran. But if the Imam makes a mistake during any of the prayers, others can correct him. I'm thinking that would be an awkward moment. :)
The clocks tell the specific time of day for each of the five prayers.
Back in the courtyard area, a view of the city skyline and some gorgeous screen cutwork.
The mosque lit up for evening. The angle for these photos is not good--the building is huge and very impressive seen from a little further back.
This is short vide of a partial call to prayer (adhan--read more here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adhan). I wish I had been ready when it started--the man's (muezzin's) voice was beautiful. Qatar has the most mosques per capita of any country in the world, and the call to prayer can be heard from just about any point in the city--certainly from outside. We can hear it in our villa but it's muted because of the concrete walls. The call is something I've truly grown to love about living here, and when we leave some day, I'll miss it.
I clearly remember going into a mosque for the first time. It was the one at Katara, which is a cultural/visitor center. We couldn't figure out if we were "allowed" to go into the mosque or not, and a guard (who didn't speak much English) told me "no" when I asked. But then I saw the ladies coming out of the upstairs entrance, and I had a scarf with me, so I just decided to go do it. Honestly and for real, I was terrified that I was going to offend someone and get kicked out of the country. Now I understand that a mosque, like a church, is open to whomever wants to enter it. The scarf and shoelessness are polite conventions of respect and care, but the actual act of entering is no problem.
Thinking back to my Presbyterian church in Texas, I would be horrified if someone felt that level of fear about coming into the church...I would want people of any background to feel welcomed to come in and look around and sit and ponder samenesses and differences and curiosities and ask questions. That welcoming feeling that I would have is much closer to the real welcoming attitude in these mosques.
There's so much fear associated with the unknown, especially regarding religion, and we (in the US) have become so overly sensitive ("PC minded") about religion and politics that we have a horribly difficult time just having open conversations about our curiosities. Even those who intend a high degree of respect for others' beliefs...that respect turns into a "space" of tolerance, a way to let/leave people "of difference" alone. And that aloneness or separation draws lines that divide us. And those lines, perhaps drawn in respect, seem to become boundaries that then we feel we cannot cross. And then those boundaries generate worry about "what goes on in there." Somehow the respect gets distorted into fear. It's ironic and sad. And frustrating.
And it makes me even more thankful for opportunities like this mosque tour.
A huge part of our problem is that we want to post things on this blog in some sort of chronological order, which means that when we take a trip, we have to do all that blogging before "regular life" (ha!) proceeds. So I need to give up my linear perspective and just post what I can post when I can post it.
The big event this week is a friend's (Gulf Arab) wedding. We have been honored with an invitation, and knowing that the local ladies will be dressed in some freaking amazing dresses under those black abayas, we threw all caution to the wind and let Hannah pick out her own dress. The fabulous dress maker, Julie, has a shop full of little girl poufiness, and she got to pick her basic dress shape, materials, trim, and bling. He then made the dress to order for her. The Correspondent, master of bespoke tailoring, was beaming with pride. When she went back to pick up the dress and put it on to check the fitting, an Indian family posed their daughters with her for photos.
I will be wearing a very plain black evening skirt with a rather understated mono-color shirt. With a "date" on my arm like this little Oscar statuette, there's no way I can compete. Photos will not be allowed at the wedding, so now is the time to...
