Ellen and Larry, Our Old Buddies

First, let me thank Shirin and Gabriel for giving me a card reader so I can download my photographs to my laptop. I don't have my photoshop software on this laptop, so these pics are uncropped and as is.

Ellen and Larry arrived in Atlanta earlier this week to visit various members of Ellen's family, and we drove down today after picking up Anahita from the airport in Charlotte. With Shirin's baby shower tomorrow Anahita couldn't stay with us while we visited with Ellen and Larry; she had to pick up Deena from the airport and head over to Shirin's house to get started on the festivities.

Our first order of business was meeting up with Ellen and Larry at Persepolis, one of our favorite Persian restaurants in Atlanta. It was so good to see them; some friends you can pick up where you left off as if no time has passed since you last saw them.

I can't get Saeed to pose, but it's hard to stop and pose when you have yummy food to attend to.

Later Ellen and Larry came to our hotel room and we talked and laughed like old times.

Larry listens attentively to whatever Saeed is saying.

These pics are from last night at home while I was packing for this weekend. Teddie kept an eye on my activities fairly closely.

Shahbanu was too exhausted and fell asleep with her head on the windowsill.

Layli wasn't any help either!

Gift Wrap Warning

If any of you remember my post from late November about not buying any more new wrapping paper for environmental reasons, here's fair warning that I will be showing up at Saturday's baby shower with some inappropriately wrapped gifts. I tried to stay within the theme of "boy" and "birthday" so it's not like I used old Christmas bags or anything, but you won't be seeing any booties or pastel bottle prints on my wrapping paper. I guess when Anahita has a baby or Shirin has another baby I'll be down to Halloween bags and newspaper for wrapping gifts. So, if you want me to give you a gift in the future in an appropriately themed wrapping, you'd better give me my presents wrapped in what you want to see on yours!

A Tissue Full Of Earrings In A Hair Clasp

Yesterday morning when I arrived at work I realized I had forgotten to put on my earrings. I know this is no emergency, but when you normally wear earrings everyday you feel really naked when they're not there. I would usually never call Saeed (who was still home) to bring me a pair of earrings since it's a trivial matter, but I knew he would be driving very close to my office on his way to work and he's always so sweet about these sorts of things.

So, let me preface anything I say with the statement that Saeed, in his generous way, agreed to go back upstairs into my jewelry box and bring me a pair of earrings on his way to work. I gave him specific and clear instructions about where to find a suitable pair that I'm allowed to wear at work. I explained, "Go to the front left square and find the silver earrings. Choose any pair that match."

Here is my jewelry box. Notice the earrings in the multi-squared tray, and notice the front left tray with only silver earrings. Now, I realize there are a lot of earrings in those twelve squares. This is why I said "front left square," rather than "the third one from the left in the back" or whatever. I didn't really need only silver earrings, I just knew this was the simplest direction I could give.

A couple of hours later while I'm working with the doctor I get paged overhead to the phone. Saeed tells me he's about to turn onto my street, so I run out the back door and stand there for about four minutes. Finally he pulls up with a big grin on his face and hands me this bundle:

Sorry it's out of focus, but it's a tissue full of earrings held in a hair clasp. Interesting packaging but it does the trick. I thank him, open the tissue and this ...

... is what I see:

1) on top are a pair of pink dangling globes obtained from the previously mentioned square "third one from the left in the back". The wires are in fact silver; I'll give him that.
2) large peace earrings with blue rimmed peace doves on left. Ahem. I only wear these at Halloween when I'm dressing up like a hippi. Found in the back row.
3) dangling left and right hemisphere earrings on right. Not from the front left square. Not silver. They are in fact gold.
4) at the bottom are a pair of blue spheres. These came from the square to the right of the "front left square" with all the other colored spheres. I could have worn them but we wear a certain uniform color every day and yesterday we were wearing Hunter green.

Naturally, being married to a prankster, I laughed and said "Very funny. Ok, now give me the silver ones you're hiding from me." Sighhhh.............. Oh well, I guess naked ears aren't the worst thing in the world. I gave him a kiss, thanked him again, and sent him home with a tissue full of earrings in a hair clasp. Gotta love him.

The Fast

When I started this blog I decided that although I wanted to periodically speak out on issues important to me I never wanted a contentious debate about politics or religion. Speaking out for animal rights or pointing out a historical figure is fair game, but nothing that would cause divisiveness or bad feelings. Since today is the first day of the Baha'i Fast I'd like to talk a little bit about that, religious but noncontroversial.

Virtually all of the world's religions emphasize fasting as a means of spiritual purification. Each year, for example, Muslims abstain from food and drink between sunrise and sunset for twenty-eight days in a row. Christ's reference to the importance of fasting is recorded in Chapters six and nine of the Gospel of Matthew. Bahá'u'lláh called on Bahá'ís to refrain from eating or drinking from sunrise to sunset for nineteen consecutive days each year from March 2 through March 20. This period, known simply as "the Fast," is considered a time for deep reflection on one's own spiritual progress. Special effort should be made to change unwanted habits, to check thoughts and motives, and to cultivate those spiritual qualities which makes one a better person. Bahá'ís rise before dawn to eat breakfast and to pray. Those who are ill are exempt from fasting, as are pregnant and nursing women, people under 15 or over 70 years old, travelers, and those engaged in arduous physical labor.

Each year as March 2 approaches I begin to look forward to this time. Fasting for 12 hours can be very difficult, waking up early even on Saturdays and Sundays, but especially at work when fatigue sets in and your coworkers rejuvenate with drinks and snacks. But fasting rewards me in many non-material ways which are very personal and upon which I choose not to elaborate here.

Day one is finished.... :-)

Spring, And A Car For Cyrus

You may think Cyrus is a little young for a car, but I'm get one ready for him nevertheless. By choice, the environmentally-conscious Shirin and Gabriel own only one car, but once Shirin is at home with a baby a second car is more of a necessity than a luxury. The white car used to be Shirin's when she was a student at USC; well she's getting it back! As I cleaned it out I couldn't help but be distracted by the beautiful spring weather. March 1st in S.C. can go either way; I remember a blizzard that prevented a piano festival from taking place on March 7th about 17 years ago. Today, happily, our windows are open and the warm breeze is wafting through them.

Layli enjoys the open window.

Cleaning my junk out of the trunk so Shirin can put in her junk.

The parking lot that is our driveway will look less crowded too.

Years ago Ellen gave us this cement bunny ornament. It marks the spot of Rainbow's resting place. Every spring I go out to see how the bunnies have faired. Although the bottom bunny has some superficial cracks it looks wonderful to me.

Just behind the bunnies are our daffodils. Some are thinking about blooming...

... others are in full bloom.

I looked to see if our lizards were sunning themselves on our railing, but the railing was empty. Did they not survive the winter? I need to read up on lizard lore.

I went to the front yard next. The willow trees are sprouting their bright light green leaves.

The maple tree has bright red buds!

I don't know the name of this flowering bush but it stays active all winter. See the yellow flowers? Those are actually the dead flowers from a few weeks ago; the pink buds are about to bloom into...

... this!

The periwinkle and ground cover are beginning to grow too.

Thank you Mother Nature for your gifts and the four seasons in which we enjoy them.

Final Evening With Bouzar And Fahimeh

This week has passed far too quickly. I have thoroughly enjoyed Bouzar and Fahimeh's visit and am so sad they are leaving tomorrow. They are such dear people. Even Calvin thinks so. Most of you know how he hides in the closet when people come over, but observe him nestled next to Bouzar purring away happily. The test of a person's character in our house is conducted by our kitties; Bouzar and Fahimeh pass with flying colors.

Saturday With Bouzar and Fahimeh

We had such a nice day Saturday and you know I have a hard time selecting just a couple of pictures to post, so this will be more of a photo album than a narrative.

The first thing Fahimeh did Saturday morning was give Shirin two very cute outfits for Cyrus.
Fahimeh is such a sweet person; I really love her.

At the kitchen table, our usual hang out.

This weekend I learned some very admirable things about Bouzar that I never knew before. For example, he has an amazing compassion for animals and humans that prompts him to perform acts of kindness that are truly outstanding and courageous.

Shirin and I took pictures of each other simultaneously.

After two days of cold rainy weather it became warm and sunny, so of course we took a walk at Winthrop Lake.

Sun in their eyes, the two brothers pose best they can.

I really love this picture of Bouzar and Fahimeh but I was shooting into the sun and the result was very dark. So, though it looks washed out I was able to lighten it enough so you can see their faces.

The topic of this particular walk was the capacity of the Persian language, compared to other languages such as English, to express itself accurately and with precise detail.

Unable to contribute to the above mentioned topic, Shirin leads Gabriel to the wetlands habitat.

Now walking back to the car, they are still debating the language issue...

... prompting Shirin and Gabriel to leave us behind and head back to the house so she can study.

We had the pleasure of Tannaz and Masih (silly Masih!) joining us for dinner. Tannaz hadn't seen her Uncle Bouzar and Aunt Fahimeh for quite some time.

As you can see I prefer action pics to posed pics!

After ghormeh sabzi, rice, tadig, mast chiar, greek "chicken," salad and bread, we munched on the yummy sweets and cookies Tannaz and Masih brought from the Persian store in Atlanta...

... with glass after glass of tea of course.

After lots of laughs and good food Tannaz and Masih leave us :-(

In case you were wondering what the cats are doing throughout all this commotion, sleeping was the primary order of business.

Shirin still had the energy and still remembers how to play the piano. She played some of her old standbys and a couple from "Amelie."

We never hang out in this piano room, so it serves as a storage area for our extra Persian rugs. To me, this picture of Saeed and Bouzar sitting on the rugs (instead of the couch) is priceless!

Her audience looks satiated and languorous!

We have had such a lovely visit and I hate it that I have to go back to work tomorrow. Today we just hung out till Shirin and Gabriel had to leave for Athens, but after dinner tonight it's back to the grind. Fortunately Saeed is not committed to return to work tomorrow and plans to cook more Persian food, always a good thing!
Addendum: After dinner I did not return to the grind; we continued to talk and talk till Saeed finally told me it was time to hit the sack! Shab Bekhar.