Monthly Archives: March 2008

Next Time Someone Asks You…

 ******************************************************************************    Next time someone asks you to explain the difference between the way Arabs think and the way Westerners think, you might want to relate a story like this:  One night, I was a guest, along with a dozen … Continue reading

Posted in Family, Memoir | Tagged , | 18 Comments

We Buried My Papa

  My father died Sunday, March 9, 2008.  All five of we remaining family members had a say in funeral arrangements,  but because my father had been a prominent man in business, we had to consider the many visitors that would come from all … Continue reading

Posted in Family, Saudi Arabia | Tagged , , , | 16 Comments

Bakhoor!

  Bakhoor —its scented smoke hadn’t entered my nostrils in eight years, yet I recognized it  instantly. There it was, on the coffee table, in the mabkhara –the four legged incense burner from Saudi Arabia.    My daughter welcomed me into her … Continue reading

Posted in Family, Memoir, Saudi Arabia | Tagged , , | 10 Comments

Spaghetti on Sundays

  (This is an essay I wrote last year, when I learned that my father would die of his illnesses. My father died Sunday, March 9, 2008, at the age of 87, with his family surrounding his bed.  It was the saddest day of my … Continue reading

Posted in Family, Italian, Memoir | Tagged , | 13 Comments