Friday, February 16, 2007

Getting through February

The kids are back into study mode... results of exams are coming in... so far everyone has passed. Nora will get her results soon and she is expecting at least one 'O'. The Libyans call this a cak... like the ring shaped biscuits that are baked here. If you think your going to fail in a subject they say 'Get ready a tray of Cak.' We'll see what happens next week...



I ran out today looking for the perfect basket or bag to take to the bakery. The bakeries have stopped giving out plastic bags for the bread; a new campaign to save the environment. I think it's great, like in the old days when I had a stack of flour bags that were used to carry home the bread. But these days I don't have any flour bags so Jenna and I drove around looking in the shops for a bag or basket to serve the purpose. I didn't see anything I liked. A few weeks ago there were lots of baskets and bread bags in the shops - collecting dust! I guess everyone has the same idea as me and they've all run out to buy bread baskets and bags.



I'll have to look some more - in the meantime I'll have to use the brown paper sacks that the bakeries provide. I'm not sure which is worse - a plastic bag that isn't environmentally friendly because they take forever to disintegrate, or a paper bag made from trees. Maybe the paper is recycled. I still prefer a basket, I'll have to keep looking for the perfect one.



I know that there are some fantastic baskets along the roadside in Tunisia... maybe I can convince Mustafa that I need to go get one... hmm.. now that's an idea!









10 comments:

  1. Can you knit?
    If yes, why don´t you knit a bread-net. My grandma always shopped in a tiny net that streched to impossible volumne when filled.
    It´s perfect for fresh bread, as the bread is hot and a paper bag will make the bread wet.

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  2. Knit??? Me??? With Ibrahim running all over the house?? He won't leave string alone.... I don't even keep any in the house anymore. If we need something mended we get some thread from my sister in law who lives downstairs. Ibrahim would have a wild time with yarn.... lol

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  3. Now it would be great if they spent a few days picking up the millions of plastic bags that litter the cities. I always save mine and there I could never find one! How about a cloth bag like the stores sell here for the eco-minded people? Maybe we could start a business of grocery sacks! I know I am surely bringing some of the granny carts with me when I return.

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  4. P.S. How were the hotsprings? Any pics? I am so missing Libya with all the cold and snow. The warmth of the springs sounded so good.

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  5. old momma.... There are granny carts here but I've found that anything you have to push with wheels is harder than you think. The roads are rough and pushing (or pulling) a cart or baby stroller even can be backbreaking work.

    I'm going to make a nice cloth bag if I can't find just what I want.

    The weather here lately has been pretty nice. Haven't been to the springs yet... but it in the works.

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  6. a 3alaga Khadijateri would be ideal , that's our Libyan weaved basket from palm tree fronds - we always bought bread with it :)

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  7. Highlander is in short supply..

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  8. oops! not highlander! the 3alagas!

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  9. Khadija
    that's good that they have finally decided to stop using plastic bags. I remember watching the goats eating plastic bags when I was there in the old days. I don't remember them giving us plastic bags for bread back then either!
    I can't recall if we used a weaved basket when we were in Tripoli or in Delhi.
    But, do go and get one!

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  10. I was looking more at the ones you pull. Remember the back road to my house was a disaster so yes the roads are rough. I was laughing as my husband rode over the snow/ice mounds that are all over town and I told him "hey feels like Libya" he said what they havent fixed the roads yet! haha I was at the arabian market this weekend and told him I wanted basmiti rice I can save the bags for Libya! He turned red when I told him they have banned plastic. But I am still saving the burlap bags.

    ReplyDelete

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