Dongle news

Ammar is regularly contacting from his room, so much better than going to the net, as we used to say. Yesterday I got a look at the family shawl. Rkia is doing really well, she has put the fringe/tassels along two of the sides and it looks really good. She asked if I had started my own shawl but I had to say no.

It was nice to see Ayoub and Khowla. Now I am just waiting to see Nazha. And one day Ammar will take the laptop and dongle to the cafe so that I can see the cats and kittens.

I have found some beldi music that I used to hear in Des Amis (the cafe in Merzouga). It's by someone called Jellouli and can be found on  http://music:.zizvalley.com/

Beldi music is my latest find in Moroccan music. It's not Amazigh but Arabic. It's the oud sound I like and it's so jolly.Abdou at the cafe always has something interesting playing for the customers.

Ammar has lent his camera to the headmaster, who is taking photos of some gifts donated by the people on the Raid 4L. A raid is a bit like a rallaye. This one consists of Renault 4 cars covered with stickers going from place to place, including the desert. Some of the cars are very colourful. There are three on this blog, but I think there were 1000 cars in total. I would love to have one of those cars, there are plenty of them in Morocco. I used to get a lift to my second school (when I was teaching) with a Miss Jenkins, who had one. The main difference between it and other cars is that the gear stick is on the steering wheel column. I was always fascinated when I watched Miss Jenkins change gears.

The family in Ait Meloul is ok. Ammar rang Hassan. Adam, the new baby is crying all through the night. Of course I was asking questions about the family but Ammar didn't ask them. Of course it was one man talking to another and they talk about different things.

Ammar has sent me the rest of the photos he took in Marrakech, then ones of door knockers and a carved piece of stone at the Badia Palace and views of the palace and the storks' nests there. He also sent some more photos of the kittens with their eyes just opening. I will miss that lovely stage when they come out of their 'nest' and start to explore. He is still giving Tricky and Shrad some sardines and they are now feeding side by side with no animosity. I don't think they know that they are related.

Got a bit waylaid and looked at my Facebook page and then to my Moroccan groups. Found a lovely singer called Hindi Zahra so I'm going to find out more about her on Google.