No, Khafif won't be at the Waterfront this Saturday, but we might be back on Sept. 14. The whole deal is part of the Sidewalk Art Project. It's going to be a long weekend with Labor Day but I have nothing fantastic planned, except maybe the fetish ball.

So, the Waterfront gig went pretty well until it started pouring down rain. There was not as much foot traffic in front of the Starbucks as we would have hoped, but it was fun and good experience. People seemed interested and appreciative. I don't know yet if we are doing it again next Saturday.

Okay so I got tired of fat kitties and went back to sandbox at night. I tend to re-arrange my furniture a lot, too.

It's on for this Saturday...Khafif (see pic below) are busking at the Waterfront in Homestead, PA from noon-6 pm, probably in front of Starbucks!!! Stop by and say hello. If all goes well, we may be doing this on a regular basis.

And Finally, Some Pix from Pennsic:

Here's a nice shot of the whole troupe after our performance at the ME Dance Expo.

Here's everyone from the "Tunisian Tea."

Closeup: 3 Tunisians

Back from Pennsic, prematurely. Had to cut it short because of some domestic problems. I was really really really having a good time too, but that is the way things work for me. It can't possibly last if I was enjoying it, but I really don't want to go into details here. This year, Pennsic was very different for me because I brought my violin. My group, Khafif, was invited to play at various camps each night and we became quite popular. So many people came up to me to express their appreciation--it was a wonderful feeling. My choli class went well too--it was my first time teaching at Pennsic. I had many more students than what I was prepared for, and ended up with a notebook full of addresses--a "mailing list"--of people who still need a copy of my handout--and I will follow through on that ASAP. Suffice it to say, I was not planning on being back home this soon. When I have the energy, I will post some pictures.

PennsicBlog!

Woohoo! I'm blogging from Pennsic, but paying by the minute so this will be brief. Having a good time. Did lots of stuff, ate lots of food, been hot as heck, did great at the Middle Eastern Dance Expo, played out at haflas almost every night to very appreciative audiences. Can't wait to upload the pix, so stay tuned!!!

So, grandma finally passed away last night, and this sounds awful, but it is a relief to us. It was a difficult thing for my mom and I to watch her go through this, and the last two years have been very hard on my mom. However, I think we were blessed because we thought we would lose granny suddenly to her aneurysm, but instead, we had a chance to say goodbye. I am going up to Pennsic tomorrow as planned, but I will be home Thursday/Friday for the funeral.

So I am going to return _What the Buddha Taught_ by Walpola Rahula before I've completely finished it--but I think I got the gist anyway (I don't want to keep it out while at Pennsic). It is a "Cliff Notes" explanation of Theravada Buddhism, a sampling of sutras and the dhammapada. It was a great read--the Buddha said the most profound and beautiful things, but I am not quite ready to enter the monastery(convent) just yet;-)

My whole body is just one giant nerve. I'm thinking about Pennsic, I'm thinking about having to perform at the ME Dance Expo there, I'm thinking about all the garb I have yet to sew for myself, and of packing that garb...we set up our pavilion on Saturday and just have to get through a couple more days of work before going up there for the duration.

...and I'm thinking of my poor granny who is working on her last hours of breath in the ICU. I went in to see her twice this weekend, each time thinking it was going to be the last and saying goodbye. We are playing the waiting game. Wow, this is becoming harder by the minute, especially with everything else I have going on.