I am now on maternity leave from work and what a relief!  I have had so much on my mind that I was struggling to focus on work.  I finished my secondment with the 2012 Games team a week before my leave started (the team thought my project management skills were brilliant extending as they […]

This is going to be a difficult week for me and Little Lady. Her year group is away for the week in the Isle of Wight for a weeks residential trip and she is left behind with a small group of children that didn’t get permission from their parents. Instead of school work they will […]

After the intentions in my last post I had the strangest day today. I went to work with the intention of keeping my head down and just working hard and not giving anyone an excuse to get on my case. I had my one-to-one with my manager and had hoped to talk about development and […]

I previously wrote an update on my uncle’s abduction and an anonymous commentator asked for links to the media coverage which I could not find at the time. Long-Suffering Sister kindly pointed out the following link to the story: The Nation Newspaper – Police net two kidnappers Pakistan Daily Times – Wanted criminal, kidnappers arrested […]

The decor was in jewel-like shades of turquoise, lime, purple and hot pink and we had asked for an Arabic theme.  We arrived at the venue two hours before the henna and set everything apart from the stage up, moving tables around and working out how and where to seat people. My brother and some […]

London was adorned for the celebration of the Queens Diamond Jubilee yesterday. The highlight was the flotilla pageant of 1000 boats and ships sailing down the Thames with the Queen at its head. Generally the rush meant people were discouraged from trying to drive into the city or commute in as the tubes were too […]

These cards have a retro feel because of the colours used – yellow, greens, pinks and lots of brown as well as the prints on some of them.I was hoping to open my etsy shop this week in good time for Eid insh’Allah, so I am hoping to get some feedback from visitors regarding what […]

My first few days at the new office have been mixed, but I am glad to find that my experience there is improving alhamdulillah. The prayer room we were promised is still under construction, but the facilities people have been kind enough to point out various storage and utility rooms we can use in the […]

 One of Fashionista’s friends put days of work into creating a beautiful dessert table for her henna. There were lots of home-made cookies and cakes, halal sweets and baklava.  She finished the look off with pretty candles and gold chocolate coins on the table, which was a nice touch. Everyone was super-impressed with display.  The […]

I have written before about the need for mums to unwind and some ways that might help in trying to do this. This last week at work has been manic and although things have calmed down I have struggled to ensure I do not carry the stress home. Sometimes it has been very small things […]

I am very pleased that my one and only brother (poor thing) has finally found someone he wants to marry. He told me and I spoke to her and my mum and the usual mortifying back-and-forth has begun between the families. She is absolutely gorgeous and very nice and we are all rather smitten with […]

Today I am done. It’s not even 10am and I have argued, cried and pushed myself as far as I can go. I woke and was so tired to the bone that I could barely move, it took about half an hour to stop feeling like I was going to drop. I had to go […]

Preparations for Fashionista’s wedding later this year are gathering pace in the family. We have sorted out most of the big things now – venues, decor, food (the one thing you CANNOT get wrong at an Asian wedding). Fashionista has found her wedding dress which is absolutely stunning (and nothing like what she originally planned) […]

There has been a lot in the news about downturn and recession in the last few months, but you don’t realise until it is right in your face. Some sister’s arguments against mothers working seem very insignificant right now and alhamdulillah, I am very grateful right now to have work and very grateful that my […]