Awooooooooooooooo... Mama

Dear Mama,

Today me and Nana went to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and it was very different than the original movie. And after the show we got 3 Wonka bars, one for me, one for Nana, and one for Dada. The Wonka bars tasted very good.

Every day my tooth gets looser. Today it is super loose, so loose I could even wiggle it with my tongue! Day after tomorrow I think my tooth is going to fall out.

From our apartment, we could not see the moon. But I bet it is very bright here. I wish we could see it. If we see it, it reminds me of you, because the moon is so beautiful and you are so beautiful.

Love,

Julia

PS - Today, all the jewelry stores were closed but we managed to go to Bed, Bath and Beyond to buy a comforter. The comforter is VERY fancy and very, very warm. And it has goose feathers in it!

PPS - Are your showers are hot or cold? What you see at the oasis? What silly things are there in Egypt?

OOOooooooooooo

full moon

Hi miss cutie,

First of all: How's that tooth?? I've been thinking your tooth ever since you ever since you told me about it. I think I was in Kindergarten too when I lost my first tooth. There's a picture of me in overalls and I'm missing my two front teeth. I also have a very silly haircut. We'll have to ask Dee how she let me have such a silly haircut! But anyway, keep me updated on your tooth, and send a picture the moment it comes out!

Well, I'm sitting outside tonight looking at the moon. Yesterday the moon was the brightest and fullest that it will be this year (it was called a "Wolf moon" for some reason), but it didn't look all that special actually. Tonight, on the other hand, it's really big and really full and low in the sky. Will you look at it tonight and tell me if it looks like that in NYC? To make it even more special, just a few moments ago tons of dogs were howling to it. Elsewhere all of Dakhleh seems to be watching a soccer match and I keep hearing big howls from the neighbors when things go right.

Sooooo... How was Charlie and the Chocolate Factory? And how cool that Nana will likely move into St. John the Noisy! Wow. Then we can go up to the 10th floor and flash the lights to send her secret code messages.

So, let me tell you something funny from my day. Today we were excavating the street (before the sandstorm hit and we had to quit early) and we discovered a dining table!! It was apparently right outside the fancy house so that the people could eat their baby pigs outside when they felt like it. Cool, huh?

O.k. my dearest, write me back and tell me about your Sunday! I miss you so much, my sweetest girl. You are my absolute favorite!!!

love, love, love,

your Mama

A new dishwasher....

Dear Mama,

Today me and Nana went for a walk with Annie! I made a campfire but I didn't really light it. I just got big sticks and twigs. But Annie pooped four times!!!!!!

And today Annie just finished cleaning the dishes! Now we don't have to put them in the dishwasher.

Today for lunch we went to SIP with Dada. This morning me and Nana and Dada looked at the building that Nana might move into--it's St. John the Noisy! And the apartment is on the 20th floor and you can see my school and my afterschool from the windows! Nana can't stay where she is because, first of all, it's too noisy and, second of all, she has to sit on the hot radiator to get cell phone service.

Tonight we are watching Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory because we are going to see Tim Burton's version of the show tomorrow at MOMA.

Love,

Julia

PS - The loose tooth is looser than yesterday!

A loose tooth!?!? Wow, wow, wow!!

Oh little peanut,

You really, really, really have a loose tooth, really?!?! How exciting!! I can't believe it! Will you send me a picture a day until one day you have no tooth there? I might faint. What a big girl you're getting to be! Are you eating lots of apples today? Or is it out already?? I am so sorry that I didn't write last night. At the point I sat down to write the electricity went out. So then I had to go upstairs and light a candle in my room so I could see. It was kind of fun, but I missed writing to you!

So what are you up to today? Are you and Nana playing? Have you seen her new apartment? How is Annie? Tell!!

Over here all is well. Today I tore up an ancient street, which was kind of fun and very dirty, and it also rained a tiny, tiny, tiny bit (which is a WHOLE LOT) for the oasis, because it never rains here. Yesterday on my day off, I took a long walk and I'll send a couple of pictures. One is of a Dakhla, Egypt wagon, in honor of your ACT wagon (but I had to take it from behind so that the guy wouldn't think I was taking it of him). The second picture is of what looks like the first little piggy's home (in the story of the three little pigs); and the last is of a real, actual scarab beetle (it's not a very good picture, because it was moving fast and the light was bad). I'd never seen a live one before.

O.k., well write me tonight and tell me about your tooth and all the fun things you're doing. And kiss that Dada for me and hug that Nana and pet that Annie, would you?

I LOVE, love, love, love you.

your Mama

my first loose tooth!

Dear Mama,

Today it WAS snowing. And I made a snow cake on the roof during recess. 

I got my first loose tooth when I was eating an apple that Dada brought me after school! It feels fine. I can wiggle it just a little bit. We might even go and see a movie about the tooth fairy.

The second picture is a wagon I made in ACT. The wagon has a horse pulling it.

Today I had wellness and in wellness we were doing different movements, like frog jumping an soldier slide--that was the hardest one. I lost the race, and now my back is starting to hurt a little bit now.  Then in ACT I did a talent show, but I was not very good at singing the second song because I didn't really know it. But I did very well at "Take Me Out to the Ball Game."

Love,

Julia

Figs are funny!!!

Hi littlest girl of my heart,

How was your performance today?? Do you think when I come back, when it gets warmer, Dada & I could take you out to the ballgame for real? It's so fun to go see a baseball game, and you haven't been since you were 3 or so (it was in Iowa--do you remember that?). Maybe we could go with Pops when he comes to in town, because he used to play baseball. And speaking of grandparents, how exciting that Nana's coming!! And Annie!! Give them both an extra hug from me!

Well, tomorrow we have our first day off, so I can sleep in (I can't wait--usually I have to set three alarms to get up at 5:40 a.m. It's not even light then!! We had a good day excavating because right around the floor level of the courtyard in this fancy house, we found three ancient coins, right near the coin from yesterday, so it was like someone was standing around the courtyard throwing money around. These were the same rich people who ate baby pigs for dinner every night (at least that's what it looks like from the bones they found!).

Well, my girl, I am going to post two pics, one of the little girl who lives here in the house. Her name is Haneen, and she's my friend Ashraf's daughter and just turned 5. So, I like her, but she makes me miss you loads. The other picture is one of my favorites of us. It is where I wish I was right now. I love you, my dearest girl. Write and tell me about how your day was!

love, love, love,

-your Mama

p.s. did it snow today?

Figs, Figs, Figs...

Dear Mama,

Today, I am performing in ACT! I'm performing "Take me out to the ballgame" and "Twinkle, twinkle". And tomorrow Nana is coming to stay with me! 

I'll write you tonight and tell you how the performances go...

Love you ten hundred meters longer than the universe!

Julia

PS - Here's a joke about figs because figs come from Egypt.

Knock, knock?

Who's there?

Figs.

Figs who?

Figs the doorbell; it's broken!

PS - Here is a picture of a sculpture I made in art class. It's a sculpture of the Guggenheim and Ms. Pemberton, Ms. Pecker, Maya, Maya's mom (Karen), and Isobel all said they really liked it.( And I'm talking to MaiMai on the phone while I'm holding it.)

a super star

Hi little bunny,

I will definitely keep that star in my heart and pocket that duck! Anything that helps with missing you is most welcome. As you'll see from the picture, I did take the lion out to the site with me today, and that made me really happy! I'm sending also two pictures of the excavation. The more interesting picture is of the street on the other end of the fancy house from where I'm working. I think it looks really cool, but it is apparently really boring to excavate because all that is there is so far is sand. The other picture (of bricks and bricks and bricks and bricks) is of our site as it looked yesterday. That was part of why I had a yucky day, because I had to draw an accurate picture of all of those bricks in half an hour, and then I was told that I missed a couple!! I'd rather draw jeans and shoes. Will you scan in that picture you drew for me? I'd love to see it.

And how are you, cutie? How was school? Any good stories? Are you still with Alex at Act? Does Uma go there now too? I can't wait to come back and hear about your days first hand, but your email letters make my heart so happy! Do you think when I come back we could read Harry Potter together? Do you know that series of stories about the boy with magical powers? I've always wanted to read them...

O.k. I will leave you with two riddles:

Q: Which is the laziest animal? The lion, because he's always lying around!! (that's why he's just sitting in the sand!!)

Q: What do you get when you cross a parrot with a centipede? A Walkie Talkie!! (do you know we use Walkie Talkies on site? Cool, huh?).

So write me!! I adore you! Kiss that Dada for me.

Love, love, love,

your Mama

I miss you too

Dear Mama,

Today in Wellness and Español I almost cried because I missed you so much! It's almost like whenever I say your name I want to cry because I miss you so much. The picture with the star down below, that is a magic star that gives you power and that makes you think about the person you miss. And it is for you. 

This morning I also wrote your name on a tiny piece of paper and I put it in my pocket. I think you should try doing that with my name too. That might help when you miss me. Or you could put the duck in your pocket!

And last night, we were actually painting a PICTURE of tomatoes. That's why we didn't blog because we stayed up so late... painting tomatoes.

Today in school, I finished a poem about a sidewalk and I did the best picture of jeans and shoes that I ever did in my whole life.

Love,

Jules

PS - The other pictures are just to make you happy.

PPS - What kind of pie does the ghost offer to his friend? BOOberry pie!

Super secret?!

Hi little cutie,

What were you doing that was super secret?? I am so curious!! Hmmmm... Were you and Dada talking about tomatoes again?

Well, my girl, I have to tell you that I am missing you like crazy! I really wish that I could come back to you right away, and if I had a magic powder to make the days speed by rapid fire, I'd use it. I love you tremendously! Always know that, o.k.?

And I sure wish that I had more things of yours to bring out to the field with me. Maybe I'll start putting that little lion in my pocket so that I can feel him, when I need to. I could also bring your picture. It would definitely help me when I'm feeling blue, like I was today. Mostly, I think I'm kind of tired. We get up at 5:45 in the morning, if you can imagine. Then we come home at 3:00 and start working again about 4:00 until bedtime with a break for dinner 6 days a week. What kind of life is that? Take me to my daughter!

Anyway, will you and Dada play that game about who can hug each other first? And imagine me there playing it with you. I know I'd get both of you before you even realized it, I'd be so eager. I love you HUGE amounts.

love, love, love,

Mama

p.s. I am posting this picture because it is exactly what I wish I was doing right now!!

My mama....

Dear Mama,

I'm sorry I didn't blog last night but I was doing something SUPER secret that took a long time!

Yesterday, I wore one of your necklaces to school because I wanted it to think of you. I kept it hidden under my shirt. 

And PJ didn't lose any more teeth, and I had a really good day at school. 

I love you around the moon a hundred million times,

Julia

Cute daughter!!

Hi little one,

Is that right? Can you play songs on the piano?! How amazing! For some reason I couldn't watch the video--I think it is because the internet is sllllooooowwww here, but I will imagine you playing me asleep tonight. Also, Dada wrote me that you read him an Egypt book last night, and you pronounced all of the gods right!! Good job! I will post a couple pictures for you tonight, and one will be the goddess who is the sun's daughter. She gets really mad and goes way far south of Egypt in a huff, and do you know how she is lured back to Egypt? The trickster god (like Hermes, but in Egypt) lures her back by telling her Aesop's fables. That would work for me, especially if you told them to me!! Another picture is of me riding in the back of a truck on our field trip to Kharga. It's the same truck we had to push out of the sand dune! And the final picture is of a cute desert dog. He doesn't belong to anyone, but I wish he was ours (I bet Mai-Mai doesn't!!!).

So, write tonight and tell me how your day back at school was. Did you have espanole or art or discovery or what?? Did PJ lose any more teeth? I hope not!! Over here, I had a fun day excavating. We had thought we were in a street, but it turns out we were in a courtyard, which strikes me as much more interesting. Can you imagine excavating a street in New York City? There would be bottle caps and old bags and plastic cups, etc. But maybe in the courtyard we'll find some kid's toys. Who knows.

O.k., cutie. I will keep this short so you can write back soon. I adore you. Hug and kiss that Dada for me so many times, and have him tickle you for a while back and then kiss you tons.

Love, love, love,

Mama

Newsflash - Long lost temple found. Hawass upstaged!

Reuters, Jan. 24, 2010. In a stunning announcement from Doylestown, PA today, Chef Jules of Sweetpea's Restaurant revealed that she had discovered the long lost temple of Tutmorris I while digging in her vegetable garden. The temple, in almost perfect condition, has long been sought by Zahi Hawass, Secretary General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities in Cairo, Egypt. Said Hawass on being informed that he had been scooped, "Well, that's the way the mummy crumbles."

Dear Ma Ma:

Today I started learning to play the piano with Mai Mai. I learned the beginning of My Favorite Things from The Sound of Music and I even played it for Da Da and Auntie and Brian and Brian's mama over the phone. Ba Ba made a movie of me playing and said I could put it on the blog, but I wouldn't let him. Then I changed my mind and let him.

Last night I took a bath and turned on the water jets and some gook came out. Mai Mai said they hadn't used the jets for fifteen years and she had better put something in to clean them out. We also made cookies and Ba Ba ate too many of them. Today Ba Ba took my skirt up to the attic and mended all the holes on the sewing machine.

We're going to leave soon to go back into NYC and have dinner with Da Da. I love you a million, trillion, zillion times.

Julia

My little girl with a fat lip

Hi Sweetheart,
I love those pictures of you!! You do look taller. I knew it!! Promise me you won't grow too much more before I get back. I'd probably faint!

Tell me, how is your lip? That sounded very dramatic. Did it get all puffy? Do you know that lots of movie stars do something like that to their lips on purpose? True. Weird, huh?

And tell about today! What kind of fun did you and Mai-Mai and Baba get up to? I bet you had a terrific time. Over here, we had our first day excavating. We're working in a big street next to a fancy Roman period house. The archaeologists excavated a bit of it last year and then put sand on it to cover it up while we were gone, so truthfully things were a little boring today--just watching folks remove bucket after bucket after bucket of sand. You can see the photos from the beginning of the day and toward the end of it. In the second photo, if you look all the way to the left, you can see a bucket flying through the air. (the girl in the picture is named Mirjam and the boy in the other picture is named Sander, and they are the ones I work with most). Tomorrow, we should start on new material, so I'm really excited for that.

Another thing I'm really excited about is that now we've been apart for almost a month, which means that time is passing and so I should be able to come back and give you 1,000 hugs in not too much time (though it still feels like that)... Will you hug Mai-Mai and Baba for me and then have them give you tons of kisses from me?? That would make me happy!

Love, love, love

your Mama

p.s. Why did the turkey cross the road twice? To prove that he was not a chicken!! Ha ha!!

It "Rained" in New York City

Dear Mama:

On Thursday night I went to Zoe and Brian's house and the previous owners had left a water gun and we squirted at the window of the building opposite. I squirted and then hid by lying on the ground with the lights out. And the people in the opposite window thought it was raining! At the end I squirted at Brian two times. His shirt got very wet.

Yesterday I went to Central Park with my 4th grade buddy. I was putting my legs over the two bars that you swing on and Lauradonna came zooming right after me and I fell right to the ground. My lip was bleeding and when I got back I had to go to the nurse and she gave me an ice pack. When Ba Ba picked me up I was holding the ice pack against my lip.

Last night Mai Mai weighed me and I was 46.0 lbs. The last time I weighed I was 46.6 lbs so I've taken off some weight. Today Ba Ba measured me and I've grown over half an inch.

Lots and lots and lots and lots of love,

Julia

you are so lovely!!!

Hi Miss Peanut,

I just saw the cutest pictures of you and Dada at Zoe and Brian's last night. And were those water guns? What kind of a fun night did you have?? Tell me all about it. I love you!! Happy Friday. Hope this week was a really fun one. Here in Egypt Friday is a holiday, so we went on a field trip to see a temple and a mountain with a lot of tombs carved in it (they were big holes really). But, the cool thing is that I looked down a few of these holes that I'd never looked in before and I saw lots and lots of big sheep mummies (though this picture is of human mummies--yuck!). The sheep were much cuter, big and yellow with long eyelashes painted on them so they looked kind of like muppets. I'll try to get pictures of that soon (these are from last year). So, that was fun. After that I had meetings with all of the students to tell them how great they are (all except one, I'm afraid). And then it was a wonderful dinner, and then no water for the shower. Ah well. Tomorrow we start excavation, so I should have lots of good stories to tell.

Meanwhile, send a note from the barn. And give Mai-Mai and Baba lots and lots of love from me. I hope they had a lot of fun in Egypt. Also, you should remember to measure yourself. When my students saw the pictures from Zoe and Brian's they were oohing and ahhing about how tall you are, and I was too. You look so good to me!! Well, hug those grandparents for me!

I love you, my dearest girl!!

- your Mama

Another note on Julesy's behalf...

Another late night and another missed blog! Jules and I were over and Zoe and Brian's for dinner last night (she wants to fill you in on the sordid details herself) and only made it back in time to crash into bed. On the way to school this morning, however, Jules made me promise to post a note to say, first, that she's thinking about you and, second, that she'll post her own message tonight from the barn.

In the meantime, a few significant images: 

(1) The current state of the much beloved photo of you that Jules has been stashing in her pocket or lunchbox or wherever she feels she needs you most. (Today she took one of the Egyptian playing cards, stowed away in her jacket as a memory object, so I had the opportunity to photo the photo.)

(2) The cause of much excitement over here lately. The Golden Willie Wonka ticket from MOMA that arrived in the post. Followed by....

(3) The second golden ticket Jules made for Nana who Jules chose to accompany her to the film.

(4) A funny photo of me in an oblivious state, found on the camera while downloading the other photos. Apparently, Jules was taking photographs Monday morning during the period of time we agreed she'd let me work quietly. (Really makes you understand how intensely boring those periods must be for her.)

(5) Last, a photo from last Sunday's trip to the Orozco exhibit with Sash. They're in one of his sculptures. God forbid you mistook it for an elevator.

Love from us,

S&J

Funny about Alexander!!

Hi Miss Cutie,

Thanks for your email. I loved the stories about Alexander! In honor of them I put up three pictures from Alexander's mom's facebook album. In the first one, if you look very, very carefully, you can see Mai-Mai and Baba hidden. The second is of the cats he drew (I think they're funny!!), and in the last picture he is dressed up like a king. Do you remember him well? Remember how his mother used to call you princess buster when you'd jump in front of him? I thought that was funny too.

Soooooo... How was school, my dear? Any good stories? Did Morgan and William behave? Are you going to have dinner with Zoe & Brian tonight? If so, say Happy Birthday to Zoe for me...

Well, over here I had the longest day in the world, but at the very end of it, I played a really fun card game where there is a sheriff, outlaws and a renegade, and everybody has to shoot somebody or lots of somebodies. It was pretty darn fun and I laughed a lot, which made the day seem like it had been shorter.

I sure wish I could play games with you and Dada though! This trip is taking a long time. I'm eager to get back to you two and give you both huge hugs.

Q: what did the grumpy pharaoh say about the sculpture in front of his pyramid?

A: It sphinx!

Well, I adore you, little one. You make my life so happy. Keep writing me, and kiss that Dada for me (and have him kiss you. I miss you guys!!

Love, love, love,

your Mama

Good jokes!

Dear Mama,

Tonight Rick was supposed to come to our apartment for dinner.... but then... his flight was delayed! But we had already put all the food out, made presents for all his kids, AND baked cookies! And then, we just saw that he might be able to come after all... but now we've put away everything and cleaned up the dishes! And I'm even in bed! 

Today in school, I had art, and in art I made a playground. And I had technology, and I took pictures of William. They were not very good pictures.

Also, today I took Mira to the Hungarian Pastry Shop after school (like I've been waiting for). We each bought a cookie with the coupon book that Baba gave me. 

This weekend, I am going to go down to the barn with MaiMai and Baba. They got back from Egypt okay, and they had some funny stories about Alexander. MaiMai asked Alexander if he was going to give a lecture on stage. And he said "yes", but he only went up on stage and fell down! The other story was: In the middle of lectures he would come up on stage and say "This is too long! Can I go?" Can you believe that!?

I love you soooooooo much.

Love,

Julia

PS - We'll put some pictures on tomorrow.

two donkeys for you

hi sweetest one!!

Hi little bean,

I love you!!! But, you and Dada shouldn't pick your noses on camera. Really!?! I leave for 2 seconds and everyone is cross-eyed and nose picking!! (I laughed so hard at those!)

Well, I hope you had a terrific day today... For mine, we had two classes, but I didn't have to teach myself, so that was good. And then we had meetings about the excavations. I'll be working in a Roman street. They had covered streets in that area, so it was kind of like walking around in a tunnel all the time. I think it was to keep the sand out and to keep it cool (in the summer here it can get up to 130 degrees! Can you imagine?) Still, it sounds a little gloomy to me-- like being in a subway. Maybe I'll find an ancient metrocard.

Otherwise, the house is much more crowded now. There's lots of people speaking Italian all around me, which is a funny sounding language. Maybe I'll learn a few new words. I only know Bon giorno (good morning) and Prego (which mean's something like "ready"--they use that one a lot!).

Anyway, I love you, sweetest girl in the world. I want to yellabeena right on back to you. But, slowly, slowly the days are passing. Keep all of your teeth, o.k.? I don't want to miss your first lost tooth.

love, love, love,

your Mama

p.s. Why can't you see the camel in the sand? Because he is camelflaged.

p.p.s. which animal shouldn't you play Monopoly with? A cheetah!! Ha ha.

love you. Kiss that Dada for me, would you?

An Egyptian Queen from Egypt!?

Dear Mama,

The house I liked the best (that we saw on the computer) had 5 bedrooms. (That's the New Buffalo barn.) 

Today at ACT and kindergarten, I brought some Egyptian money with me because I missed you so much. And I only showed it to Shakeema and Sidney. 

Today I had music. In music, we sang a song... and one person had to go in the middle, and they had to show the other person what they could do. And I also had dance. I sang a very silly song in dance and it even had a CAMEL in it! This is how it went: "Chicken lips and lizard hips. And alligator eyes. Somebody's thighs and tasty toenail pies. Camel rears and bunny ears. Stir them all up together and it's Mama's soup surprise!" And then you have to pretend like you're stirring. And then you taste it. And then you're supposed to fall to the ground, because you fainted!

Love,

Julia

PS - DO NOT show students the pictures that we put below!