The gates. One for the side door into the kitchen and one for the front door into the living room. Gates that open up, beckoning and welcoming you up the little walkway. I am amused by them. If there was a fence or a wall around the house, I could see the point of these gates. There isn't a fence or a wall. I don't see the point of the gates. Decorative? Maybe. The gates were in rough shape until a day or so ago. Now, they've been scraped and painted. All fixed and new looking! [The Boy used to be afraid of them and wouldn't walk by them. Something about the gates just spooked him. Come on. Admit it. They are a little odd, don't you think?]
The front gate:
The side gate:
Walk back down through the gates. Out the front:
Out the side:
One thing the family will have a view of is directly across the street where there is the most incredible color Bougainvillea I have ever seen in the Sandbox. [The deep purple Bougainvillea we saw in Greece will be my all time favorite, forever!] But this. Here. Wow. I did not do this Bougainvillea justice. It is brilliant. Brilliantly colored. Fiery magenta red orange. Absolutely brilliant! I want this color for our yard. I will get some. And, now, is the perfect time to plant it. I don't want pink. I don't want pale orange. And, I don't want the violet magenta color. I want this color:
The sun was just too bright - I'll try to get a better picture tomorrow - one that shows the TRUE color of this Bougainvillea. It looks "light," and it isn't. It is dark and bright. Oh. Did I say brilliant?
Little nekked kid is moving. Hmmph. Wonder why. Did his Mom get tired of the neighbor across the street calling Security on her for not taking care of him? Did someone at that household read my blog and get worried that I was going to be on the watch for little nekked kid's big brother to make sure that his bruises cleared up and went away? I don't know where little nekked kid and his brother and parents have moved. Hopefully, wherever they've gone, someone else will be observant and notice excessive black and blues. Doubtful a teacher, here, would report it. First of all the boy has to wear his long white dress to class - no one could see his legs. And, second of all, it would not be unheard of for a teacher at a boys' school to be the cause of the bruising. "Memorize that book, or else!" Yesterday on our walk past little nekked kid's house we saw a few boxes outside. Today? A pile of furniture and old toys. Also, the curtains are no longer covering the windows. The entire two years we've walked by that house the curtains were never once drawn. Not a single time. Not even when little nekked kid was hanging out one of the windows!
That is so strange...gates not connected to fences.
ReplyDeleteI think about the children. Many times abuse, done by the family, is only found out because of bruises on the children seen by teachers at school. Children do not seem to speak of the abuses. How can people in saudi arabia see the bruises on the children and become aware of abuse when the children are covered head to toe?
What organizations are there for the children when abuse is suspected? I read the stories of little girls forced to marry old men and my heart goes out to them. The saudi courts are now deciding on the 12 year old married to an 80 year old man, but they said she had to wait 5 days or so to divorce? or annul the marriage. No specifics of where she is during that time period. Is she still in her 'husbands' home? Still legally married and denied the right to say NO to her husband if he wants her in his bed during this time?
I also thought the dowry was for the wife, that in order to obtain a divorce she had to return the dowry, but where does is stand in this case when the little girl didn't get the money. The father did by selling her to the 80 year old man. Is this islam or culture and tribal rule?
Believe me when I tell you that here things are different and that teachers are not hesitant to abuse their pupils. No, of course not all, but some. I don't know where to go to report abuse. I only saw the boy once - covered with bruises - and decided that I would keep an eye out for him. Now, he's gone.
ReplyDeleteWith regard to all of your questions - I am the wrong person to ask. The 12 year old? She is not the first. She will not be the last. And rights for women with regard to divorce and child custody and "stuff" like that? The men here have the rights first and foremost. Women? Not so much. Ditto for the children. As far as a father selling his daughter - like I said, not the first, and not the last, but it is my opinion that it has to do with all three - islam, culture and tribe. Again, I'm the wrong person to ask. Sorry 'bout that.
Oh the bouganvillea looks super. Striking scarlet is the perfect color to stand out in teh bright sun.
ReplyDeleteSo do you feel safer with a gate? If not you could put a lock on it. (Kind of reminds me a Bugs Bunny cartoon, when there was just a door and no walls thus stopping the pursuer.
ReplyDeleteThose gates are very strange, almost comical. They serve no purpose without a fence.
ReplyDeleteYes the flowers are beautiful. Looks like a plant that has been there for some time.
Debbie
Right Truth
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