It was my birthday, and Maryam—my cousin—and her daughter Narges and her other kids came over. They meant to surprise me, but thanks to a little slip from my parents, I already had a clue. Still, I kept quiet and let it happen. Dinner was grape leaf dolma, rice, and a kind of skillet-cooked ground beef with onions and spices (hard to describe, but definitely not kabab or cotlet). There was also cake, lots of strawberries, and my saffron-ginseng infusion. Maryam gave me a beautiful matching stainless steel necklace and bracelet. Narges gave me another necklace—simple, pretty, and thoughtful. We took pictures, made videos, and tried to bottle up that feeling of togetherness while it lasted. Later, Narges and I spent some quiet time at my place. Not a bad night at all. I really didn't expect them! Remember writing in this blog that when you don't expect, it comes back to you.
The Little Popcorn.