September 30, 2016

All good things come to an end...

...including our final summer in Afghanistan.

                               

September 23, 2016

Under the best of circumstances, the English would be a little awkward, but oh, my kingdom for a comma!

September 18, 2016

A couple of friends and acquaintances share the name "Fareeba." As this name literally means "cheater" I was puzzled as to why so many doting parents bestow it on their little girls.

From a friend whose name is not Fareeba I ascertained that this name is given to girls whose parents anticipate them being so alluring that it is almost impossible for the young men of their acquaintance to believe that "what you (readily) see is all you get." The idea is to leave interested young men feeling like the one who frequently blew "all his wages for the week for a cuddle and a peck on the cheek."

Well and good, but I still don't plan on naming any daughter of mine Fareeba.

September 15, 2016

Witnesses Say Hailstones Near Golf Ball Size!

 M.D. Shah Accomplishes Heroic Rescue of Stranded Bird!

           Epic Hailstorm Downs Mountain of Sinjit!

What, you ask, in the world, are sinjit? Well, these are them (see above.) Afghans love them. Foreigners don't. To give you an idea of the taste and texture, I have translated a riddle from the venacular: "Three shops in a row in the bazaar. One sells leather, one sells cotton, one sells wood."
The answer is, of course, sinjit. So there you have it.

September 13, 2016

One of Zadok's favorite activities continues to be reading stories together. Even so, sitting still long enough to get a proper picture sometimes presents problems...

Zadok can't get over the delight of things with wheels, especially a new set of construction site pajamas for winter...and I can't get over his beautiful eyes.

September 9, 2016

September 9 is Masoud Day. So, happy Masoud Day, everyone!

Ahmad Shah "Masoud" 1953-2001

Known as "The Lion of the Panjshir"

September 6, 2016

Here's how to play the Bean Game. The Bean Game is where you get a big bag of dried beans, a number of different sized bowls or platters, and a couple of spoons and measuring cups, and you mix and pour the beans while Mother picks out all the rocks, sticks, dried pieces of cattle dung, etc.

And then as soon as Mother goes out of the room to get a pot of water to soak the beans in you throw them ALL OVER THE ROOM. That's how you win the Bean Game.

September 3, 2016

I think the award for Most Obscure Idiom goes to "Cheezaton mesha?" but I am open to considering other contenders for the position.

Literally translated it says "Does your thing happen? It means "How is this person related to you?"