THE VOICE OF ABBIE: January "Happy The New The Year! How Are You?"

Greetings! Fellow Potterheads, Middle-Earthlings, Freaks & Geeks, 

& All Those Who Madness Seek!

I MADE IT!!! Phewww! 2018 had SOME baggage! It was tossed out the Abbiesville door to bring in 2019 with beaming high spirits, a renewed battle cry of a life's warrior; gone a little weary last year, and positive energy! *STRIKES RAFIKI POSE*

----- I have done the honors ------ 2019 Goals have been set ... yes, the same ones we set and end up breaking along the course of the next 365 days. But, Ah! I have been good with most of my promises in 2018 and done good with most. 

My new year arrived when I was sitting in the lobby at floor level M2 of the Fairmont Royal Clock Tower Hotel in Makkah and I was in transit via Saudi Arabia to Washington. I had already typed the resolutions before traveling because I was practically technology-less there. No laptop and sluggish Internet that wouldn't even upload an Instagram photo at my convenience. 

DECEMBER FOOD JOURNALS: ARABIAN APPETITE, KINGSLY BREAKFASTS, & DATES --- Read HERE

I landed back in Washington to a very sleepy, sweet, still festive USA. As expected, everyone was in sleep mode on the 1st of January after celebrating New Year's Eve the night before. When I stepped out of the transit bus connecting the Saudi Airlines airplane to the Dulles arrivals terminal, I saw a Christmas tree lit up. I had been missing home SO much! Saudi Arabia is a strictly Islamic country so there were no decorations there, not even Winter. I adore the celebration of seasons in the US. And even though I don't do Christmas, or Christmas trees, this little tree seemed to be welcoming me home. I sneaked in quietly, making my way through customs and baggage claim. There it was, STARBUCKS COFFEE standing there at Arrivals to receive me. 

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Happy New Year January how are you? My new year arrived when I was sitting in the lobby at floor level M2 of the Fairmont Royal Clock Tower Hotel in Makkah and I was in transit via Saudi Airlines to Washington, the love of my life. These hot chocolates were the first drinks Sara and I got *raises toasts* as we emerged from Arrivals. There’s Starbucks everywhere, there was one in Madinah opposite Masjid Al Nabawi, and one in Makkah inside the Abraj Al Bayt Mall in the Royal Clocktower. But when I come home and I see it here it is MINE. 2019 has taken off and all omens have been good so far. Alhamdulillah (Allah Be Praised). I am for the most part getting back to jamming with work life but jet lag is pulling the strings in an opposite direction. For me, jet lag doesn’t go away in a week’s time. It’s a month. I am battling sleep very successfully during afternoons while Mannee and Huffs (the nieces) sleep at 5pm and wake up for a baby party and parents meltdown at 3am! Haha! The joy! 2019 goals are up! I enjoyed using my Bitmoji on them this year. And Sisterly Yours, my Muslim lifestyle blog, now has a funky new look. It has a Moroccan tiles wallpaper and some Agrabah style monthly newsletter graphics to boast. Afifi the she-camel is the mascot and my About Me avatar photo also has a camel 🐪. That’s a display at the Duty Free Shop at Jeddah international airport for camel milk chocolate. I did not buy those by the way. January works demand urgent attention. Some repairs and reno projects tug at my sleeve, and a rental home needs to be sold. Up ahead are some family festivities (birthdays and anniversaries). I’d start doing my taxes early this year as well because April might be chaotic. 2019 is the ultimate battle plan! #happynewyear #2019 #starbucks #newyeargoals #photooftheday

A post shared by The Abbie (@abbiesadventures) on Jan 6, 2019 at 4:44am PST

A recap is a must whenever a new year begins. So, I summed up the Food Journals and Potterhead Chronicles to the best of my abilities. That's the best I can do at recaps, okay! 

January has taken off on an emergency note. A weak spot in the foundation outside has caused water to seep into the basement - just a wee bit - but the remediation and all is taking its grand time. Jet lag was not quite over and the contractor gave a daily schedule of being 'available' at 9am. That means being awake like the rest of the normal people and taking the morning Chai so my monster face goes away. Hopefully, by the end of this month, all contractor work would be sorted (Ha! I wish!).