Shiver is no more...

Abbi and Shiver enjoying the paper together

This morning, after Fajr, Shivers died. He seemed lethargic and ate less the last two days, this morning he stay lying down at Fajr still moving, but sometime later he was still lying down and stiff. QBAP is distraught and IBAP shed tears too. All are sad and miss his warm furry feel and soft sweet meows.

Having the little furry guy with us was a learning experience for us all. It encourage the children to show responsibility; though QBAP (our Abu Hurairah) was its care taker, the kids all helped clearing his box, the felt compassion and tried to be gentle. We researched kitten care and located vets in the city, did kitty care shopping too.

Picture taken by SBAP (3yrs old)

HBAP (6yrs) had managed to overcome her fear of kittens recently and had begun stroking it too. His death was a new experience for her, she wondered why taking him to a doctor would not make him okay now. So we discussed how Allah SWT has created us all and everything has a life and a time for life to end, when the time comes we die, and mentioned a little about our Soul too. We also received the news of the death of a friend's relative and we spoke of Namaz -e-Janaza and HBAP  wondered why we are not making namaaz-e-janaza for the kitten and so more discussions took place.

We realize this little kitty needed his mother and was too small to survive without her, but we are glad Allah SWT gave us the opportunity to have him with us and learn so much through him.

DIY Lunch for the Boys' and Buddies

As ABAP had this week off as his summer vacation, it was decided to call over a few of his friends for lunch. Eight of his friends and the rest of our crew made a large party - that's 12 boys not including little SBAP and ZBAP.

The boys spent most of their time outdoors playing football and cricket and some time indoors for eating lunch as they watched a movie (Karate Kid).
 Trying to cater lunch for boys who are anxious to be on the move has to be quick and uncomplicated, and hence our "Do-It-Yourself lunch". All the things for the meal were prepared and set on the counter as the boys played. Once all was ready the boys were asked to come and put their burgers together as they liked it.

D.I.Y Lunch

Juice، Veggies and Condiments

Buns

Fried potatoes، Chicken Burger Patties and Hunter Beef Slices



Sample Hunter Beef Burger by ABAP

The guests arrived at around 10 am، but Osama had spent the previous night with us because he needed to dropped home when part of our crew went to Quran Class. Thought the boys (between ages 7 to 15) were much older to three year old SBAP، he was very much a part of the party، laughing with them، running after the ball as they played، sitting between them whenever they sat down، and even ZBAP (1yr) sat outdoors with to watch them play.

Pirani Munchikins at the Mini Zoo

A block away from the Pirani home lies a Mini Zoo. This garden has a jogging track running around it an small enclosed zoo. SBAP especially enjoys being here because he can see the animals he loves in his story books in the flesh or feather.

Other major attractions of the park:

Desil run motorcycle

Jmuping castle for SBAP and ZBAP

Jumping castle with wall climbing for HBAP, MBAP and IBAP to enjoy

This little kitty was stretched out on a bench when SBAP ran up to stroke her. When SBAP was called way it followed him to the park gates and rubbed itself against SBAP's legs, enjoying the attention QBAP and SBAP gave it. As their brothers joined them in caressing the kitty, a sibling of the kitty joined the group too.

Arabic Classes

Alhumdulilllah QBAP, IBAP and MBAP have joined a summer Arabic Class (began 1st June ends 8th July). It objectives are : Arabic communication and writing skills, and rules to help Quranic comprehension. So the three boys attend this class every morning.

The instructor, Brother Ibrahim Ali,  has studied at Madinah University (he and his younger brother led Taraweeh at Zia bhai's house some years ago).

The children's afternoon Quran Class has arranged to have him teach Arabic three days a week (conducting their regular Nazra class twice a week) during this summer as well. This allows the boys to revise and reinforce what they learn in the morning and HBAP is able to learn here too.  The morning course the boys attend is more intensive though.

Masha'Allah, the children are enjoying the classes and have begun making simple Arabic sentences (and even teasing each other in Arabic too!). The boys even enjoy identifying the meaning of some of the words in the Quran when revising their lesson for class Alhumdulillah.

NEWSFLASH: ABAP Completes 7 Juz

Alhumdulillah ABAP completed memorizing his seventh juz (24th Juz in the Quraan) yesterday. RMI requires students to wear a badge denoting the number of juz the student has completed. Alhumdulillah he completed it just before his 10 day summer break began (Today).

13 Rajab 1432

NEWSFLASH: Orphan Kitty Finds Home At Pirani Residence

 

As Umm Uzair and her family will be spending the next few months outside the country, they have to relinquish their roles as foster family to little Shiver. They offered QBAP the little guy and after much consideration (and online research on kittens) the Piranis have accepted this little kitty into their home (Wednesday, 15 June'11).

Indoor Box

Alhumdulillah the first night went well, we have given him another shoe box to use indoors while his old carton bed stays in the balcony. Though tiny he is active and seems keen to explore his new home, although he is nervous around ZBAP (18 months old, has no inhibitions about grabbing him) he seems comfortable around everyone else. HBAP (now 6 years old) is scared of cats and watches him from afar, sitting on a bed or chair with her feet tucked under her.

QBAP feeding Kitty with syringe

Shiver still needs to fed from a dropper/ syringe. We took him to a vet who gave him a look over and gave us some tips (feed it cerelac, egg white etc) and a list of vitamins to help him get stronger. Alhumdulillah nobody seems to have any allergic reaction to the kitty and the kitty seems to be getting used to us too.

Today he seemed keen to cuddle into dark places......he wanted to go potty! Now that we have seen the signs we hope to be able potty train him soon Insha'Allah.



QBAP and Shiver

23rd Pakistan Scrabble Championship

Last month (May'11), ABAP and QBAP participated  in the Pakistan Scrabble Association monthly competition, renamed as the Chisty Memorial Scrabble Competition, after the man who made the game popular and promoted it as a serious sport in the sub continent. He died a week before the competition and so the tournament has been thus named. An interesting item there was that computers were set up around the room so that players who challenged a word could look it up on a dictionary software.

This month QBAP decided to participate in the All Pakistan Championship  (category A; ages 11 to 17). Alhumdulillah he enjoyed the event, though the food was horrible and he had a stomach ache that night. Every participant plays 6 games, the computers picks the initial opponents, after each game the players hand over the score sheet, the scores are entered into the computer which then selects the opponents of the next game.  QBAP won 2 games, one against a 14 year old and the other against a 15 year old and in one game his opponent didn't show up, so he was marked down as winning 3 games. Masha'Allah. He looks forward to particpating again, and both ABAP and QBAP are considering participating in their monthly events once in a while.

QBAP's score sheet

Pirani Snackeria: Dinner with Chef Abdullah

ABAP decided to take over the kitchen to prepare these mouth watering Smoked Chicken Sandwiches. K and N smoked chicken strips, pickle, onions, salad leaves, cucumber, tomato, black olives, cheese, butter and a dash of ketchup, put together with flair:

Pirani Platter

ABAP's Sandwich

ABAP's Hijama Experience

The Messenger of Allah SAW said, "Indeed the best of remedies you have is cupping (hijama)…"
[Saheeh al-Bukhaaree (5371)].

ABAP and QBAP both wanted to accompany their parents and get Hijama done. Logistics allowed only one of them to go and so it was agreed that ABAP would go this time. The following is a picture story of the process:

( WARNING: the following pictures are not for those who feel queasy at the sight of blood )

   "First a tissue paper is set alight and then dropped into the cup (and it burns out immediately as the air in the cup burns up) The cup is then quickly inverted and placed on the skin." (Jazakullah Khair Brother Shuaib for the correction) The smoldering paper creates a vacuum within the cup, causing the skin to be suctioned upward into it.

"It felt liked someone is literally grabbing and pulling at your skin"

Cup removed, pores opened

ABAP was asked if he knew the Ayat Ul Kursi and told to recite it as the cuts were made.

Cuts made with a razor blade," It stung like when you get scratched with a blade."

Cup replaced with a smoldering tissue inside it, blood begins oozing into cup

Blood and soaked tissue paper in cup

Skin is wiped up and an antibiotic cream is applied



(Previously the doctor would apply honey on the cuts but he has had to discontinue this because some ants got into the bottle of honey.)



All done!

ABAP felt fine after it was done, and it only stung when his shirt brushed against it in class. Though ABAP went to get it done in order to follow a Sunnah, many people come to the Hijama Center to have cupping done at various areas of the body depend on the illness they seek to cure. ABAP looks forward to going again soon Insha'Allah.

Meow Mehmaan

Umm Uzair and her 3 little ones came over to spend the day, and brought a unexpected guest with them.....Shiver!

Shiver

This little kitty was abandoned in Umm Uzair's yard. They found it all alone and shivering - hence the name.The family brought it in and have been nursing it with a medicine dropper. Other than changing the newspaper used as litter, Umm Uzair washes it and watches over it too. 
Our kids were so excited, the poor little thing barely got a wink of sleep during its visit; as soon as it seemed to shut it's eyes, somebody's face would peer into its cardboard home to check if "it was ok". To make matters worse, little ZBAP was so keen to handle this little critter on his own, he snuck off to its box, picked it by is tail and swung it around with glee! Its terrified little meows caught the attention of Umm Uzair to rushed to its rescue. ZBAP could not understand what all the fuss was about, he seemed to be giggling along with tiny kitty..... (he had preformed this feat with the kitty earlier but it was a short act because others were pesent then.)
Alhumdulillah after Asr, Umm Uzair and her family returned our innocent little guest to the safety of their home.

HBAP completes Kindergarten

HBAP's KG Certificate

Alhumdulillah HBAP has completed both Brain Quest Pre-k and Kindergarten Workbooks (finished last week) over the last few months. As she progressed through her work books she showed increasing concentration on her work. Earlier she seemed unable to focus on her work and would make up her own tasks, but over time (once she began the Brain Quest books) she began to follow instructions, eager to complete each page and then go on to the next.
HBAP now retains the numbers and most alphabet names and sounds as well Alhumdulillah. She often tries to guess the beginning sounds of words when listening to others converse and read and will identify letters of words she sees on sign boards, books, newspapers and cereal boxes. ....and whats more she's having fun!

HBAP's choice of celebration treat:
Truffles

HBAP chose to begin the Brain Quest First Grade Workbook immediately Alhumdulillah and looks forward to learning to read. She is still learning to read the Quran from her Qaida and Alhumdulillah has started reading selected words from the Amma para and often tries to read words from it on her own.

Chocolate fudge cake to celebrate