I love sci-fi, but tend to be very particular about the titles I choose. I find that the genre has a few instances of the most dazzling examples of fiction (Frank Herberts “Dune”, John Wyndham’s “The Chrysalids”) and also a large amount of mundane, poorly written books.I have been on the lookout for something new […]

A few weeks ago I was sent by my work place to attend an assertiveness workshop. I have been on these before and I am still a wet lettuce most of the time when it comes to putting my foot down or stating what I want. The course presented us with two acronyms that were […]

My dad-in-law has come to stay for the summer and brought gifts for all the girls.  Pretty dresses picked by my mother in law and sweets and snacks. These two tunics are for me, they are very light cotton, so I will be wearing them in summer, particularly during Ramadan.  This top was for Little […]

I don’t usually buy a lot of clothes for myself, apart from work shoes and occasionally replacing my black abaya’s (they seem to rip at the shoulders and get threadbare at the bottom where I tread on them a lot). After a few years of wearing gifted clothes however, I started to feel really dowdy, […]

When the Muslim Sticker Company asked if I would like to do a review of their latest product, I was keen to take a look.  I have seen their products in my local Islamic goods shop and found them eye-catching and attractive.  I previously used their stickers as a finishing touch to some Eid treats […]

This weekend was a scorcher by English standards (30°C) after the wet spring we have had, so we decided to make the most of it.I usually avoid going out in the evenings with friends as it takes even more time away from the children and I fret about missing prayers. But with the long days […]

It was my birthday yesterday, we don’t celebrate birthdays and I’ve had great fun over the years with the kids trying to work out when my birthday is and never quite managing. This year they seem to have clocked on and Little Lady made me this card which she got all of the kids to […]

We have passed by The New Forest in the past on our trips to Dorset and I was intrigued by it, so when one of our group suggested we stop there on the way back to London from Bournemouth, I was up for it.  I didn’t have much time to research what we could do, […]

I don’t celebrate New Year’s and the changing of the date does not hold a particularly great significance to me, but it seems it as good a time as any to reflect on the last year and set intentions for the coming year.  2018 was a full year for me, both fulfilling and challenging and […]

Throughout my teenage years I was hooked on the books of James Herbert (I DO NOT recommend these books to fellow Muslimah’s – ahem). Right next to them on the library shelf was a fat book called Dune by Frank Herbert which looked interesting. I meant to take this book out – but I kept […]

The second day of Eid was a quieter, calmer day. We wore nice clothes and mostly lazed around.  Hubby sorted out food, with a barbecue  I watched a silly action film with my oldest, started filling out my new Clever Fox planner and ate the barbecue he made. I took all three girls out for […]

This weekend one of hubby’s friends from the masjid wanted to visit a boot fair with his wife and daughter, so he invited me to come with them.  Little Lady was still awake from fajr (dawn prayers), so invited herself along too. I have only been once or twice this year, so was very keen to go.  We […]

When I first got my bookshelves I loved them because they could house all my beloved books and more. Over the years thought they have gotten messier and messier with everyone using them as a place to dump just about everything: So I hankered to replace them, but never actually did anything about it. That […]

THE IVY GREEN by Charles Dickens Oh, a dainty plant is the Ivy green, That creepeth o’er ruins old! Of right choice food are his meals, I ween, In his cell so lone and cold. The wall must be crumbled, the stone decayed, To pleasure his dainty whim: And the mouldering dust that years have […]