Missing my mother in Seattle...

My mom was the final impetus behind our family move to Afghanistan 36+ years ago and she insisted that her daughters write letters to our family at home to help connect us while we were so far away. She loves to write and communicates so beautifully through her writing that as a result all three of us have the same passion. I have to share some excerpts of her letters to me. There are not many mothers who can comfort and advise their daughter in Afghanistan. I told the "jinn" cousins about her letters and they have asked for her address to get advice on their domestic troubles with their cook. I think that Mom has a unique niche in the world of advice columns.

Mother writes:
....."when I got up this morning there was the full moon going down in west over the Olympics. Frosty roofs. No fog but evidence of icy streets. Have thought of you all week as the moon progressed, thinking that you were also seeing it earlier with the snowy mountains around Kabul."

"The Afghan winter is severe under the best of situations. Can you roast goat...will your electricity stay on long enough? needs to be slow. That was one dinner we all liked with lots of garlic. Also the yogurt that Nana made using dry powdered milk. It sounds like you are pretty confined to compound with the state of the roads and isolated. The kids are no doubt expressing the anger & frustration of the adults....with not enough food, warm shelter or clothing. Easy to understand but very hard to live with and keep your perspective. The more farsi you learn, the better in these circumstances. I wonder if "dwana bachas" (crazy boys) might not be a good reply to the taunts about your dog.?? Big article in Times last night about the opening of the fancy 5 star hotel in Kabul....how can that fuel anything but resentment with the population?"

(On my note to my son Colin)
....."Marnie....well that message got Ruth & I laughing pretty hard. I got corrected by Fran earlier. His address has an underline: colin_hume@yahoo.com....don't know if that would make a difference. But having an London Colin Hume answering to "write me you big poop of a son" in such a nice way is quite a feat. As you know from where you are....life is very fragile and we need to love each other and not call our son a poop! xox mom"