H&M love you!!

Salam sisters... looky looky at my new skirt, I love it.... its so thin, but cause its a busy pattern you cant see shadows (ie my legs) Im gonna be sooo colour coordinated (those of you who know me, for a change) for halaqa tomorrow insha'allah.

Welcome

Assalamalikum everyone, just wanted to say welcome to my blog feel free to look around, ask questions and leave comments. Keep an eye out for the next installation of my UK diary... coming soon insha'allah. Im busy at the moment with ISNA (Islamic Society of Northern America) conference on Saturday, my written test May 29th for a job as forensic scientist insha'allah.. please make duaa for me everyone. And also, with my stitching.. as usual, and my new yahoo reading group... sisters, check it out.. we just started our first book 'To be a muslim' alhamdulillah so far so good... im 3 chapters through. So that is all whats keeping me busy, as well as the usual halaqa stuff and keeping an eye on my sisters here. Luv you all!!

From tuesday

Assalamalikum sisters,

ok.. so its the tuesday of my last week at home, my 2 weeks are drawing to a close and i still have so many things to do, so many people to see.. So what did we do.. u know Ive been thinking about this since i last wrote and u know what? I cant remember what we did... lemme think. Hang on!

Ok, so what i do remember.. man was it really that long ago?? So i phone him to tell him im on my way over, he tells me that they are in the same coffee shop we went to the first day he came up. So i drive down and im thinking... hmm where can i park? I remember there were cars parked on both sides of the road, so i figure insha'allah there will be a space and then u just pay for the time youre there... I phone him and he tells me theres a space outside and that he is goin to keep an eye on it, also that they are in the coffee shop next door.. ok, so i get there and he comes out alhamdulillah the space is still there. There are single yellow lines there and i go are you sure i can park there. Dunno why i was askin him, the guy lives in London! Without a car! So i park up and say ill ask the person who owns the cafe shop. He orders my drink and i walk up to ask the person, im facing the window to point out to my car and ask the girl if its ok if i park there, then i just hear this shocked *my name* (lol) im like... ooooh poo, whos this. I turn around to see the middle daughter of the kids of my mums best mate from school. I didnt know what to do.. she comes round and hugs me, now this isnt the first time i saw her since i got back so i think it was more of a wow a different person hug. Shes like.. wow.. u look funky man.. *shock* I was like.. thanks, I was wearing my jeans, the blue shukr top i posted awhile back and the sky blue scarf that bro A had bought me. I thought i looked pretty cool but didnt think ppl on the street would do. When i was talking to her it felt so nice, that i wasnt hiding anything while talking to someone i had known since she was born.. alhamdulillah. So we sat down for our drinks, while havin a minor heart attack.. Those 2 just carried on talking, while i talked to myself. She brings our drinks over, and i pull her down.. say listen please dont tell anyone about this, just that my mum doesnt know yet, shes like.. yeh sure!!! no probs... then i hear this older woman calling my name.. she goes, its me ruth i went to school with ur mum & the girls mum... i recognised the voice i just couldnt picture the face and i was all flustered from it all, Im going.. erm.. no sorry... then i pull my friend over later on, shes like.. ruth keeps me busy, sorry i cant chat.. i ask her again not to say anything and ask her to tell ruth too.. alhamdulillah everything was fine there.

Then we left..... ooh ok i remember now... so we left and walked down looking at the shops, i needed to get some pics for my mum so i was looking at that and other bits... he noticed some jeans he wanted to get at some point. We walked through the town centre and i showed him some of the places and reminded him where we ate the other night. This was the first time id been in the centre, we walked down and he seemed pretty impressed with it all.. i dunno what exactly he was expecting there, london doesnt really have a town centre, just loads of different shopping areas. So we went to the guys workplace, he had to see something, then we got the bus to Cheshire Oaks which took awhile, but was nice to see 'over the water' ie.. Birkenhead.. when i went before my mum would always drive, and its grown so much too. So we hop off the bus say goodbye to the bus driver, and he stops us telling us that the tickets we have dont allow us to go that far... argh!!! that we have to pay extra for it, hes taking to the lads, who are like.. what? ive used this before to come here... so then he looks at me and goes do u speak english.. subhanallah.. when he had just talked to the lads in, well as far as i heard, english.. i just went, yeh.. and when he told me, i tell them we have to pay! so we pay and get on our way. Start at one end, seen some nice tshirts for him.. he tried them on, lol.. i felt like a right mother, he tried one on but it was way too tight i didnt want him walking around with it on so i told him to get the other size... is that bad?? *blush* so we walked more looking for some nice shoes.. we were there for a good few hours and didnt even realise. I got a really nice knitted roll neck jumper from Next clearance for 5pounds.. just 5pounds.. NO TAX!! and a long cord skirt.. masha'allah they are nice..

Then we took the bus back.. dropped his friend off at home and then we went for food. We parked at the same place we had done before and walked into the town centre. His friend had told us to go to this place called Ask, a nice little italian in the town, it took us awhile to find but was fun. We chatted, and laughed, remembered things.. alhamdulillah it was nice. Eventually we found it, it looked really nice and the menu was really nice.. and the food gorgeous!! So next time anyone is in Liverpool, go find ask!! It was nice.. he really treated me, masha'allah.

We walked back to the car... looking at things as we went.. it was getting pretty chilly by this time, so i was trying to rush him lol.. Then i drove him back to his friends.. and i went home to sleep.. this was a late night, i think i got home around 1130.... i think he was having a good time. he would tell me about his nights, he would be up talking with the guys.. giving dawah masha'allah... insha'allah it worked with them. The next day was going to be his last day in liverpool, his train was leaving at 5ish.

So the next day I pick him up, it was funny.. i was near the place where he was, so i pull out my phone to ring him and i notice a guy walking across the road with a suitcase.. lol, it was him.... So he puts the case in and sits down... then we drive into the city... about 5 mins away. we park in the multi storey then realise we dont have the change.. as always, so he goes to buy chocolate, ok. u guessed it, he asked if i wanted anything in particular hee hee...

so anyways, we walked into the town.. he wanted to get those jeans so we went to the shop.. and upstairs, there was one lady up there and us two. He was looking at the jeans, looking at me for opinions... so he took a few pairs to try on, so i got chatting with the women who seemed really nice. So after he had shown us 2 pairs we got onto the obvious subject 'so youre a muslim' 'yes i am' 'so can i ask how it started' so i gave her a brief overview 'what differences did you see between the bible & the quran'... usual things really... she said some really nice things.. the main one was, when she asked if i was muslim she next asked.. so can i ask you what made you convert.. Im so sick of ppl assuming i was born into the religion when im in hijab, things would have been easier, but that wasnt how it was supposed to be alhamdulillah... and it was nice of her to be so open minded that, yes, ppl do actually want to be part of this religion masha'allah. So he ended up with 2 pairs which were nice.. and he was happy with the prices, which are prob soo cheap compared to london prices.

Then we went shopping for my shoes hee hee.. i went to ravels, its an italian shoe store, i have slim feet like most european ppl.. so these shoes fit better, but they didnt have any boots.. they all have clicky heels and pointy fronts.. so we went Schuh shoestore he bought me a pair of knee length brown flat boots and some black trainer kickers, i love them both to pieces alhamdulillah. So we went back to the car to drop the stuff off, well my stuff and picked his bags up, then headed over to the train station. We got some sandwiches and sat there waiting for the train, chatted a little... i was gonna miss him and now i realise how much.

I walked over with him to the platform and we said our goodbyes and he got on the train... then i went home....next installment to follow.

Next bit

Assalamalikum everyone... ok, so its been awhile, Im sorry.. I just ordered some clothes from the sale on Shukr.. theres a denim jumper (as in dress thingy to those who jumper means something else) that ive had my eye on for ages.. alhamdulilah its finally in the sales. So i got it sent over to dee, cause i was talking to her at the time, wahey!! so cant wait for that.

So where was I?? oh yeh... it was sunday... bro A had turned up.. after visiting my grandparents I drove to st. helens to get the train to liverpool lime street. of course the train wasnt on so I would have to take the bus.. which wasnt due for ages and would take ages to get there.. So i decided to drive there, Ive never driven in liverpool city centre, alhamdulillah i got my practise out of these few days and i was pretty confident with it after that. Anyways, I was driving in, thinking.. ooh where am i going?? I phoned him and told him what i was doing, then decided to follow the signs to the train station as the hotel he was staying in was around the corner. As i was following the signs, I was noticing the changes (this was the first time I had been back since arriving in UK) and realising I knew what I was going past, just never knew that it would lead me to the train station. Isnt it funny when you never connect roads together... I was always doing that in Bradford. So i eventually get there, and i phone him.. tell him Im at the train station and to come meet me, then I could drive back to his hotel and then we could go eat. So he was like.. ok, Im in the train station.. so i told him to look at certain shops and tried to direct him from there... I think he was taken back that I knew exactly what he was looking at, I know it scares me when people do that to me. So i go.. see the glass doors, then i see him walking down talking into his phone but he still doesnt see me.. alhamdulilah he hasnt changed a bit. Hes like.. where are u?? lol.. then he sees me and i see a big grin on his face masha'allah.. so i drive around to his hotel.. we find a car park.. 5 pounds for the whole day.. I was soo shocked.. but anyways. So we parked up and then he handed me some presents.. masha'allah, hes so adorable.. He had picked me up somethings for a friend in Canada, she wanted some London sovernirs. For me, he got loads.. and i was soo surprised, in a good way of course. He bought me a salwaar kameez (+hijab) 4 shaylas (and i luv em all) cds, books, taped lectures, masha'allah.. there was a book of the prophets which ive started reading masha'allah.. its amazing.

Then we went out for food.. Italian.. it was nice.. we chatted, he showed me some things he had told me about over the phone.. So that was nice, it was nice to be in company and i felt soo at ease with him. I thought I would be really nervous, but alhamdulillah everything was like I had never been away.. although its been nearly 2 yrs.. I last saw him at my graduation july 2004.

So we prayed maghrib, it was nice praying with him.. I thought i wouldnt be able to concentrate but alhamdulillah i found myself concentrating more.. I can totally see why sisters say praying with your husband is very important.. tell me sisters... the man is supposed to pray jummah yeh? so is praying with his wife classed as jummah?? Just a question ive been mulling over for awhile. Anyways, it was getting late by this time so he walked me to my car and i left for my aunties house. I was staying there cause it was closer to Liverpool and there was noone there, my auntie moved to africa a few weeks before I left. I slept that night.. although I was up early the next morning.

Why was I up early the next morning? What did I do?? Hmm.. I cant really remember, I think I went round to my cousins to say hello, she lives down the road from her mum (the aunties house i was staying at) I got round to see bro A at about 11ish I think it was, he was checking out of the hotel cause there was a friend of a friend from London who he had been put in contact with who lives in Liverpool.. and he said he wasnt impressed with the hotel. Alhamdulilah there was something else there.. so he was tryin to get in touch with this guy to sort his stuff out. He was supposed to be coming to the train station to meet him and we were gonna sort it out from then. I had intended on taking bro A to manchester that day (Monday) but it seems like we might be stayin in Liverpool cause we couldnt get in touch with this guy. I prayed outside by my car while I went back to pick up something, which was nice.. to be outdoors... Then the guy phones him and tells us to meet him in the station, so we walk over and wait for him, he turns up.. seemed a nice guy.. it was funny they were all chatty chatty and didnt think as to where they were going, so i was confused.. where they were going, the only way you could get out was on a train.. then his friend realised and we turned around.. i held a little giggle in (being the child i am) and we went for coffee... I had worn my scarf today and i felt so proud, even if i was runnin to catch up. I was determined to not walk behind, like the oppressed muslimah.. but man.. they walked too fast.. both of them are like 6ft.. im only 5'4" so its a pretty big difference.. Alhamdulillah we got to the coffee place and had coffee (well i had hot choc cause i dont like coffee or tea.. yeh go on.. Im not a true brit! ) Then we decide that he will take his bag and we will go to manchester, alhamdulilah.. I soo wanted to see the masjid that i had seen the signs for in the middle of the centre when i was last there with my mum.. and of course, check out primark!! Hee hee... We got there and wandered around for a little.. ate some pizza... found some nice trainers in foot locker.. looked for some work shoes for him... and general stuff.. I kept pointing out all the hijabis walking around the city centre hee hee.. u just have to dont yeh! Then we went to find the masjid for Asr.. we eventually found it after asking a brother, he was really pleased to be asked. bro A was like.. assalamalikum brother, could you tell us where the mosque is here? he was like, erm.... well, i think its that way, how did you get this far? we told him we followed the signs from the centre and he was like.. Ive been told its just down there and to the left.. with a big grin on his face like he was proud to have been noticed as muslim. Alhamdulillah, then we had a big conversation about where bro A was from cause he noticed the accent.. so that was nice, cause now he was happy to have been noticed as being different without being frowned upon. So we found the masjid eventually and prayed.. there was a nice little sister area, i prayed sunnah then asr.. but then the imam called the prayer.. I was really confused, the time on the prayer sheet for there said it had already been... my prayer timetable gave a different day but then they were praying at a competely different time. Alhamdulillah, it was nice cause i got to pray more times

After that we went for coffee.. and chatted more.. it was just nice to be there, to be able to tell him things and see his expression rather than guess what face he was pulling. We went to Primark.. i bought 2 skirts for 4pounds each masha'allah.. They are soo stretchy and long masha'allah, i tried one on but cause i loved it i just had to get the other colour (brown & black) Then i went to find him in TKMaxx..another cool shop. The time seemed to fly by cause soon it was time to eat, we had walked past a lebanese place on the way to the masjid so we headed back there... when we sat down, we realised it was time for maghrib so we explained to the guy, he was cool about it. So we left to walk down, but it was shut we didnt know what to do.. I told him things would work out.. we thought we would eat then sort it out, he asked the guy at the restaurant if there was somewhere at the back we could pray, he told us the room was being renovated and was dirty and dusty. Alhamdulillah it was sorted.. hee hee, we prayed outside the toilet on the landing alhamdulillah. So that was fine.

Then we headed back.. was pretty late by then, we hadnt even realised the time it was so not important.. its nice when times are like that, when you dont have to worry about being back at a certain time alhamdulillah. When we got back to liverpool, we picked up his friend and I drove them back to his place. I realised he lived down the road from where I used to live in Liverpool which was cool. So then i went home to bed.. and slept!!

One word, think

Assalamalikum,

ok... so i am really tired of hearing about this topic http://news.yahoo.com/fc/us/terrorism well more about the comments ppl keep making. I was just coming back from work and it was on the radio, "Zacarias Moussaoui has been given life instead of death.. if he was given the death sentence he would become a martyr" ONE WORD (well 2 really) thinks he.... as in, he thinks he would become a martyr...

does this annoy anyone else?? The woman reading it was so matter-of-fact though, and thats what bugs me.. like she knows where he is coming from...

Working

Assalamalikum everyone.. well Im at work, bored out of my mind.. thinking of what to do when I get home (surah!!) and what I could be doing that is useful at the moment rather than working....

I cant wait to not have to work... hanouni?? can i stop working?? insha'allah...

Well, I suppose I should try and look like Im doing something. Fi amenallah