Hope Again

Today, we regained a little of the dignity we lost a year ago.

Morsi has been taken away.

A Woman's Right To Be Told

Today, America's democratic system almost failed. Texas Senate was terrifyingly close to passing a bill that essentially bans abortion - or at least limits access to it as much as Republicans can manage.

ONE of the bigger issues here lies in the way it was done. The beautiful monster that allows for a system like American democracy is honestly the bureaucracy of it all. It is awful, but it's there. It is also how people in the system fight for what they want to get out of it. I made my husband sit through the last five hours of live filibustering and debate aimed at stopping the vote that would no doubt pass because of the predominantly Republican senate.

It worked...until the Republicans decided it didn't, and they extended the opportunity to vote past the allowed time to compensate.

Perfectly All-Purpose Vanilla Bean Custard

Today was a back-to-what-makes-me-smile day. I'm assuming it's very clear to anyone reading by now, but I'm talking about sweets.

Even with news - like the Brotherhood's never-ending tango with judges - staring my straight in the eye, I would not be deterred!

I had nothing in mind and I wanted to keep all my options open. I went for my favourite, go-to creme patissiere. It's so easy to make and absolutely versatile. The only thing you need to be prepared for is an arm workout over the stove.

But, see...then you feel like you've earned it.

My Birthday with Bassem Youssef

I wish.

I did, however, pretty much spend it with my focus on the man who has been through the political wringer. What's so great is that he did it with open arms and with as much flair as possible.

A Friday Restoring Dignity - A Week Disgracing Women

Another one of Egypt's long list of Friday protests went on last night.

Today, the smoke started to clear over Cairo's Moqattam after a "Friday of Restoring Dignity."

It's the culmination of week-long tension between thousands of anti-Muslim Brotherhood protesters, the police and Brotherhood sympathizers around the group's headquarters. The biggest chunk of about 200 wounded people country-wide were from the Cairo protest.

Molotov cocktails, knives, rocks, branches. It was fiery and angry.