Hello everyone, so much has happened since I posted last, and, I thought I couldn’t honestly give a title to single out one particular event.
The New Year’s Day was full of festivities and celebration as always. We celebrate the new day with family and a lot of food. The kids and the families come around ten and stay on till almost one or two in the afternoon. Lots of laughter, and true fellowship. Love getting together like that on this day.
I am done with radiation therapy. Yay! the healing after the second and third degree burns went very well. And now I am on Aramitase Inhibitors. This is the endocrine pill that counter acts on the hormone estrogen in my body. You would think that in a woman my age, there will hardly be any estrogen left in my body. But there is, in the bones, in my adrenal glands, and elsewhere in various tissues and joints in tiny amounts. Hopefully this pill that I am taking will block all that estrogen. I will have to take that for several years…. if I am around till then. 🙂 🙂
I had a birthday on the 11th. It was one of the grandest birthdays I ever had. Son Sayeed did it again. Ordered Main lobsters, and had filet mignon sliced and served on chimichurri sauce, and the best potato casserole. Saadi had baked a triple layer cake which was amazing, and had brought a super delicious salad. As a special touch, my nephew and his wife came in from Denver, and stayed for a few days. It was so, so, so, good to see him after so many years. They loved the dinner at Sayeed’s home. I got the best gift from everyone. It was a huge framed dinner event… the menu was done in calligraphy, and placed in the center, and all around it every one signed their wishes and names. I treasure it so much. Look at it every day.
It was a great evening, with a lot of smiles and laughter. The only bad thing about the evening was that it snowed cats and dogs!! NO kidding, I have to use that phrase, because the snow didn’t stop at all until twenty four hours later and we got just about as many inches. It is still on the ground and every day, we are accumulating two or three inches more. Pfffttt!
Did I tell you that my paintings were accepted by the Arts Center to be displayed at a show? Not sure if I shared that bit of news with you all. one of them is of two Arab Bedouins, and the other is of two ravens drenched, sitting on the wires.
I was really happy that they were accepted.
Besides all the busyness of everything, I was really involved with finishing my second book of poetry and memoirs/stories. I am finally done with that. Sending the manuscript away next week, and hopefully will have it for sale by March?? or April?? I will have more details in the next couple of weeks.
I have also started a school of Arabic/Quran classes for the children of the Muslim community here, and we meet every Saturday around 1pm. There is a very nice young couple who is very knowledgeable and is so willing to help me. I am thrilled about this project.
SO, I think I have shared just about everything that has gone on with me over the last couple of months. Now you know why I am unable to give a title to this post of mine. I hope all of you are doing very well, and staying warm. Next year, I am not going to stay here, I am going away to sunny Florida or Southern California. I know, I know, you have heard this whine from me in the past decade, every single year.
Be well, be happy, and I love each one of you. Ciao~~
alabeti 
You sound like you have been really busy. Hope your around for many more birthdays. Sounds and looks like a wonderful birthday. We have had awful winter weather this year.
I knowww! the winter has been horrible this year.We have more than made up for the two or three years that we didn’t have too much snow. And now, these below zero temperatures! Heaven help us.
Yes. I am afraid to see what this week will bring
It’s so good to see this post from you! I had actually been thinking I needed to write and make sure you’re ok! Your birthday dinner sounds delightful! And I LOVE the two paintings — very different, but both very beautiful and expressive! Glad you’re enjoying life again, and active with your faith! Love and hugs ~ ~
Thank you Janet, I am glad you had a good time in SB. I knew you were away and would be returning to your place soon, so I resisted from writing to you while you were gone.
Yes I am beginning to feel good again. Have started going to the exercise studio again. Not sure if I will go tomorrow, because the temps will be so horribly low, like 0 degrees or 1 or 2 for high. Such punishment it seems.
love and hugs to you as well.
I’m glad to hear you say that you are feeling good again — and that you have been exercising again! I firmly believe that exercise is key to good health, although I would hope that zero temps outside might be a good reason to stay home!
It’s great to see this update from you! I hope you continue recovering well, and Happy Birthday!!
Thank you Nick. Love your sweet and kind thoughts and words. I am doing well. I am hoping the worst is behind me. Now if I can only get over these freezing temperatures!! I will really feel good then.
How wonderful! I love all this good news goodness and fun and joy! 🙂
Happy Belated Birthday!!! 🙂
I’m so excited to hear about the classes you have started for the children! 🙂
Continued prayers and best wishes for your recovery and for a healthy 2019!!!
I pray this new year is filled with good health, lots of love and laughter! 🙂
(((HUGS))) 🙂
So good to hear from you Carolyn. Only after I started writing about all the things that I was doing, I realized how busy I had been!! But I am glad that it has been a busy month. The best part is that my radiation is over, and I am feeling like I don’t have to juggle time too much during the day. Thank you kindly for all the good wishes Carolyn. You are very sweet to hold me in your thoughts. Love and hugs to you too.
Happy belated birthday , Zakiah .
I am glad to see you are on the way of the healing . That is a good news after all of the trials you crossed .
Your birthday has been well celebrated , the all being organized by you son Sayed and his wife Saadi . You were surrounded by love .
I am not surprised by the two paintings what has been selected by the Arts Center to to be displayed . They have much character.
And now this is the publication of a book .
You do not stop Zakiah.
You gather love , science, art and writings . i envy you you multi-talents
Love ❤
Michel
Dear Michel,
Thank you immensely for your kind words. I was indeed surrounded by love, and continue to do so. My daughter Saadi and son Sayeed have been exceptional in their support. I am so blessed. I think I share my birthday with your daughter on the 11th of January if I am not mistaken. I hope she is doing well and had a great birthday. Yes, the book, I hope it comes out without any problems and is as well liked as my earlier book.
Thank you again Michel for your beautiful thoughts. I pray you are doing very well.
Love
Zakiah.
Yes you are right Zakiah my oldest daughter Carole is born on a january 11th
I’m glad to hear you’re finished your radiation treatment. I love your paintings. I wish I had the courage to try my hand, but I have so many things going on, I think I’ll keep my artistic efforts to music for now. I’m glad you had an excellent birthday dinner, though I know the snow can be a bother. We are pretty much without snow for the winter, so far, but we were down to 10 tonight, and the wind was blowing, so, though it’s not quite as cold as you guys, I was certainly awake every time I had to get out of the truck to unload, tonight. I think of you often, and though I don’t pray a lot these days, when I do, I’m sure to remember you. It seems like you’ve been keeping busy and enjoying your family, and I think, aside from the medical treatment, that’s likely the best thing you can to to assist your recovery, as long as you’re keeping well rested.
We have had such nice winters for the past two years, that we had forgotten how cruel and damaging a bad snow storm could be. We were all hunkered down in our homes. So many businesses were closed., all the schools and colleges were closed. The grocery aisles were empty of food. It was weird crazy.
Do you play any instrument Dan? You should post something on WP so your readers can enjoy with you the beauty of your music and voice.
Thank you for your kind words and thoughts about my health. Blessings to you and yours.
A belated Happy Birthday! That birthday feast sounds magnificent! I’m glad you’re healing and recovering. I pray that you’ll continue to recover and will write and paint for many, many more years.
I also hope you’re keeping warm in this horrible winter.
Ahh Matt, thank you. I am hoping that the recovery will be good. I am not scared or depressed about it though. Fatalistic about the whole issue. Whatever will be, will be!
The winter thus far has been a problem. So scary and so treacherous. We were so worried about the pipes in the Islamic Center. Several years ago we had an accident there when the pipe got frozen and burst open with a lot of damage. Thank God everything is fine now.
Thank you for your sweet comment. Love and hugs.
So good to hear from you. Your birthday dinner sounds wonderful. I’m so glad your family is so good to you.
I love your art work. You are amazing.
Much love,
Elizabeth, it is so good to hear from you. Hope the family is doing well. Love the photo of the little Cutie with you before doing the marshal arts exercise, where you are both leaning forward in salutation.
Thank you for your words about my paintings. Stay well and be blessed. Love.
Zakiah.