The bag

Brrrr… winter has started with real Belgian weather : grey, rain, cold and wind during 3 days. Luckily this kind of weather is exceptional. The rain usually announces the “big cold” that will last until February. I will survive one way or another.

We had our chickens killed by a ferret last week. This animal kills just for pleasure and leaves its victims bleeding to death. The rooster came flying over the wall when we discovered the dead bodies. He was “wooing” the neighbour’s chickens at the time of the kill. I decided not to buy chucks for the time being. I don’t have time to take good care of them. The rooster was moved to one of Mohamed’s sisters’ place in the next village where enough chickens are living for each rooster to have his own harem.

Zakaria is a happy little boy these days. He likes watching a “Tik Tak” or a “Bumba” DVD from time to time, but nothing is more exciting than a plastic bag that used to contain diapers. Saying he loves it, is an understatement. It makes him happy, keeps him busy. It is amazing how much pleasure and joy he gets out of it. A discovery by chance that allows more time for me to do other things around the house. I even had time to read a book. It was “The perfume” by Süsskind. Loved it.

Reading books just for pleasure is not done by the villagers. They visit, drink tea and talk, talk, talk… or watch the soaps on television… soaps which are mostly “made in Syria” and some in the most beautiful settings with exquisite costumes. When visiting I have to watch an episode with the others, as they all are facing the television and don’t notice anything that is happening around them.

I don’t mind, it’s fun. These episodes usually don’t take long. I would find it boring to watch these soaps every night. Luckily I don’t have a television. Once there is one, it is so easy to turn it on and let time pass by unproductively.

The emails started dropping in with season’s greetings. I hereby wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Food

Yesterday evening, a box full of chocolates and biscuits together with a gorgeous outfit for Zakaria was delivered by someone who had worked in a German hospital for 3 months. The senders were “Linda und Hansi”, 2 campers that came by 2X last winter, once on their way to Aqaba Jordan where they stayed until end of February and once on their way back home.

Suddenly, I realized that 2008 is almost over. This year flew by at “whorp” speed.

It has been such an eventful year with Zakaria being born. Many campers came by; most of them are very interesting people.

At this moment a Dutch/German couple is staying in our backyard. They have sold their house and are touring around in this huge campervan which is their home.

Loes is the first one that traded books with me. She also gave me a DVD with Al Gore’s “Inconvenient Truth”. I’ll have it a go.

They, as many others, didn’t realize that we have seasons here in Syria and they count themselves lucky to be here before the real winter starts.

To come back on the chocolates… they arrived on December 6th and just before the Eid el Adha. Perfect timing.

Today, the children were running around with glistering eyes. Tomorrow morning they will put on new cloths and visit their family. They will receive money and lots of candy. And no school.

Right now Zakaria is too small for this. His main concern is to have food in time. He likes eating (enjoys his fruit pudding in the afternoon) and is growing fast. At 4 months, he is wearing cloths size 6 months and more. He is sitting upright since a month and likes me to walk around with him, so he can look at everything and observe. I’m not allowed to stand still or sit down. Another pastime is practising standing upright which to everybody’s surprise he can with help to keep his balance.

Myself, I am pleased about Zakaria’s progress without being too astonished about the new things he does, because I don’t know what is normal for a baby of his age. His aunts, uncles, nieces, etc. they should know. There are so many children in every household.

But sometimes I wonder, whether they do. When we visit and someone holds him, he looks at me and smiles. Every time, they say: look, he knows his Mummy. That seems to be very normal to me. We are always together. I am the one who gives him food.