"There are trees in the desert since you moved out."

I celebrated Christmas with the 'arabs' as they refer to themselves on Sunday night. When Sam and I arrived he was greeted first by our host, kissing each other 3 times; right cheek, left cheek, right cheek, and then it was my turn. Sam introduced us, I went to shake R's hand and with that he smiled and informed me. "In my house, we are all arab for the evening!" and with that simple heartfelt welcome I was greeted with my first 3 kiss greeting. Never have I been so at ease at a party, nor had so much fun! Real, true, heart warming fun, that kind of fun you make on your own. That kind of fun like when you were a kid at christmas time with new toys all around, only to find out that making a fort of the empty boxes was infinitely more fun then playing with the plastic doo-dads they had once contained.

As I wound my way through the evening more then a couple of people asked me if this was my first 'arab event', 'arab party', 'arab get together', etc . . . At first I was confused perhaps even a bit put off by the question, but I was soon to realize this was an event like no other I had experienced. I would be hard pressed to think of a party I have had more fun at in my life. They tried to get me to belly dance, but I was having none of that. In truth I sort of regret not giving it a go. I even turned my beloved Sam down, but my bashful side was in full presence Sunday night. THE FOOD oh my gosh, my humble words will be hard pressed to describe! Our host put on a spread, again, like non I have partaken in before! Platter after platter of rich savory grilled meats of every description and taste. Tabouli! Hummus! Babbaganoush! A mountainous platter of fried kibi beef dumplings. Blocks of feta surrounded by suculent olives, tomatoes, and herbs. Pita fresh from the oven. TINY savory morsels of meat wrapped in grape leaves no bigger then the size of the first knuckle on your pinky finger. Mouth watering pastries filled with spinach and still others topped with a savory ground meat. But the most impressive non western flavor of the evening was a glorious side of basmanti rice flavored with plump bits of dried cherries, pistachio and rose water! Absolutely decadent i tell you! It went on and on this mountain of Lebanese delicacies. Our host informing us that "If we love him you will head back for seconds" I hardly required the prod. This assemblage of people, they new how to have the kind of fun that just requires some good friends, food, and music. That true kind of fun, the kind of fun you remember for the rest of your days, that-- we didn't pay for this kind of fun, that empty boxes at Christmas time kind of fun. You should have seen me, I was so proud I was out and mingling, and out of my I'm around people I don't know shell, and making jokes, and talking like I had known these people for ages, and we parted with 3 kisses on the cheeks. I was so intensely happy to be there with Sam. Through out the evening we would be across the room from each other, I being comfortable enough among these strangers to not be constantly at his side, and we would catch each others eye, and smile, that little warm smile that lovers sometimes share. We would snap out of our little spellbound gaze and return to our conversations. I'm so glad to have now met the majority of his friends and to have his friends blessings and approval, and to know that they liked me just for me and not just cause I'm their beloved Sam's other half.

I love that man!