The Empty Jar

Whenever I’m going someplace in a hurry, I find the tea jar empty. I wish sometimes Son should fill it, but he has never done it. He uses the last tea bag, and that’s it.

I had an appointment at the Cardiologist, so woke up to get ready. It was then that Son told me that he needed me to make something for him to be eaten at Iftari, as he probably wouldn’t get home on time. He should have mentioned it last night. I would have gotten up earlier.

Needless to say I couldn’t let him go hungry after a full day fasting. That’s a mother conscience. He forgets that I do need time to prepare something for him to eat. Thankfully I did have samosa dough, and the filling for it lying in the fridge. Quickly I made a few samosas for him. Together with chat, and dates, he could break his fast at iftar time.

Looking at the watch I had fifteen minutes to have a cup of tea. It was then I found out the tea jar was empty. Son as usual had the last tea bag. The last person who uses it should fill it, but Son never does. I had to fill it, and made myself a cup of tea. I like my tea to get a bit cooler to take a sip. When one is in a hurry time speeds away. Leaving everything aside, I left for my appointment, barely reaching on time for it.

Ramadan

A happy Ramadan Mubarak to those who are fasting.

Made samosas for Son. They are yet to be fried.

Ramadan is here once again. Every year it moves by ten days ahead. Monday was our first fast. Actually I’m not fasting this year (Son is the one who is fasting), because I’m not well. I had a minor stroke, and was hospitalized.

I have some questions. Why do the nurses extract so much blood from patients in the name of tests? And why do they put a cannula in a place on your arms making it impossible to move your hands. I couldn’t use my right hand. I’m a right handed person. There was one in the crook of my arm making me unable to eat, and brush my teeth even. I must say it was totally uncomfortable. Oil had splashed on the back of my left hand a day earlier while I was frying something, or the other, forming blisters. The nurses used the back of my left hand to draw out more blood for God knows more testing. So that hand was a painful mess too. Every three hours I would be stoically looking the other way to bear the painful jabs.

My husband passed away almost seven years ago. In August it will be his seventh death anniversary. Before any illness he is there sitting near my head. All this long he never spoke to me directly in my dreams, except for once. The night before I fell sick, he was there holding me, telling me to go to sleep. I was like saying, “No, no I can’t sleep. I have to do this, and I have to do that……”

I’m left wondering if I had gone to sleep, would I have woken up again?

Eid

We had Eid yesterday. I had my tenant problems to deal with back home in Pakistan. He hadn’t paid the rent for three months. I was like kind of mad at him for not paying his dues. The last day of month long fasting had taken its toll, and as evening approached I was fatigued beyond measure.

IB (grandson) devours potato crisps night, and day, but anything homemade with potatoes in it, shies him off. For him, I made a mixture of chicken cut into bite size to fill into the samosas dough I had prepared earlier. When I put two chicken filled samosas in front of him, he refused to eat them. I threatened him with giving him aubergine to eat. I had made a dish for Son, and myself. IB had to decide — which he preferred. He ate the samosas.

I have found giving him alternatives to eat, lessons my period of agony over his not eating anything. He makes his own choice which in turn gets me less grief. I don’t have to prod him into finishing the meal on his plate.

Uncooked samosas waiting to be fried.

Share Your World – 2016 Week 46

Are you a traveler or a homebody? 

Both, but more a homebody. I enjoy home comforts. I am a reluctant traveler, but once on the road I start enjoying it. There are some places I would love to see, but only if one of my child is with me. I would hate to be on my own going to some far off place.

What kind of TV commercial would you like to make? Describe it.

I don’t like commercials. If I wanted to — it would be like those Google Doodles, which are like funny and creative. It would be imparting positive thoughts.

Describe yourself in a word that starts with the first letter of your name.

My real name starts with S. Shy and Sunny. 

My name means the early morning breeze, so with the rising sun, I am full of energy, and have a sunny disposition. In the evenings it declines, but is back in full force the next morning. I am a shy person. Sometimes I think it’s a curse, cause in instances where circumstances demand I should be bold, I try to hide back, which is a disadvantage I would like to get rid off.

List some fun things for a rainy day.

I love to walk in the rain. It is such an enjoyable thing to do. Coming back home after thoroughly getting cold, and chilled have Samosas and Chat to eat.

Bonus question: What are you grateful for from last week, and what are you looking forward to in the week coming up? 

I am grateful for everything past, present and future in my life. I can only say Shukr Alhumdullilah which means Thank you God. Everyday is a bonus in my life. 

…..

Share Your World – 2016 Week 46

Down the Ring of Fire

Do you love hot and spicy foods, or do you avoid them for fear of what tomorrow might bring?

My stomach doesn’t like spicy food
But the tongue disagrees with that

Occasionally for a change it wants
Hot and spicy food to begat

Chana chat, kabobs and haleem
Fiery pakoras, samosas and all that

I avoid spicy food like the plague. I don’t go near it. The food I cook is bland and mild to taste. For aroma and taste, I add two or three whole green peppers at the end of cooking. I use a pinch of white cumin too. This adds to the flavor and makes the food more palatable to eat.

My stomach easily gets upset, so I keep myself in check. At parties when I find the food too spicy, I eat the salad, and binge on the dessert. (I agree it’s not a good thing)

At one party, I found the food too spicy. Thankfully, I had put a very small portion on my plate. I pecked at it, and the moment my hostess got engaged elsewhere, I dumped the food in the bin. A lady sitting next to me was innovative. She would take a spoon of the hot and fiery food, and at the same time would shove in her mouth, a table spoon full of the dessert too. She got through the food by alternatively eating food and dessert.

http://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_prompt/ring-of-fire/
Down the Ring of Fire

Fasting

We started our fasting yesterday that’s July 10th, the first day of Ramadan. I am prone to kidney infections. To keep my kidneys giving up on me I need to drink a lot of water. Our fast begins after the morning Azan, the call to prayer. Yesterday it was 5.15 am. We get up a little earlier. Have our breakfast plus a lot of water. That’s me, of course filling my stomach with water. (As if I can retain all that water rest of the day)

We break our fast in the evening with the Azan for the evening prayers. Eating dates and something from the Iftari spread which consists of Pakoras, Chana Chat, Samosas, Fruit Chat and Dahi Balay. This varies from day to day. Two things are always there plus lots of Shorbet and me needing my water. We say our evening prayers and then return for dinner. At that moment you don’t feel like eating anything because you are all ready stuffed to the brim with what you ate earlier. The boys and my son depart for their Taraweeh. Taraweeh are special prayers added to the Isha (night prayers) prayers in the month of Ramadan.

For those who don’t know, we have five prayers daily. Morning prayer called Fajr prayer, before the sun rises is the first one. The second prayer is called Zuhr. It’s about 1.30 pm at noon. The third prayer is Asar which is about 5.00 pm. The fourth prayer is the evening prayer called Maghreb and it is after sun down at about say 8.30 pm. The last prayer is the Isha. You can call it the night prayer.

My son after returning from office, the first thing he did was to check up on me, to see how I was faring in my fasting. I assured him that I was feeling as right as rain. Masha Allah. (Thanks to God) So he went off to get his much needed rest. Lately he hasn’t been okay and I am worried about his health.

Last year I didn’t fast because of my operation. In lieu of that I gave money to the poor. If my kidneys started paining I will have to stop fasting. I am hoping it won’t happen. Wish me luck.😐

In the mosques free food is available. So here is a cartoon based on that.

Cartoon courtesy of Web.