Good News and "Meh" News

I had my final visit to the cardiologist on Sunday. My heart is strong and sound. There are no signs remaining of the bruising it took two years back. I had an unfortunate incident a couple years ago with the "Deathstalker" scorpion, and a bad reaction to the Anascorp antivenom. For the record Zahir is still insane when it comes to my EPI-Pens. I found at least two in every room in our house, when I was packing for the move into the big house.

This visit was bittersweet. The appointment was originally scheduled for Baba and I. My doctor requested "Z" NEVER to be present during my stress tests. Being in the same room with him does funny things to my heartbeat. Not a joke... it literally skips beats when he talks... hell when he looks at me I have a flutter.

Zahir's oldest brother was supposed to take us. With his father's death being so recent I can understand that he just couldn't. I offered to drive myself. Yes, I do have a license now.

Side note: Zahir likes seeing the "normal" parts of my past. Officer Mike sent us videos from back when I was training with the Department's Explorers Post. Z laughed during the video of me driving the department's armored vehicle during EVOC training. He stopped laughing when "tiny little me" climbed into the drivers seat and put the beast through its paces. Even Arba'ah, Z's security expert slightly older brother was impressed.

After seeing the video, Zahir relented on letting me drive. He got me a cute little BMW SUV. I tried to push for the stick shift. Z said no, "...too much work for my baby." He thought it was too much for a new driver in this country to handle. He is right I guess.

All that said, since the incident with the local police, Zahir is not letting me out of the property without an escort, so the car sits idle much of the time. I've taken Mama to market and stuff like that. I cannot even take myself to church. End note

Zahir also reminded me one of the requirements of the stress test was that I had to have a designated driver. His older brother Arba'ah took me. He's a riot, he shares Z's sense of humor. The two of them are only 11 months apart and they look almost like twins. I do confess there has been an occasional dirty thought. Nothing I would ever act on.

For one thing his wife scares me, in a good way. She is militantly protective of her family... think pit-bull with rabies, if you are stupid enough to cross her. She's one of the wives who both accepts me as I am and as part of her family. I would never violate that trust.

The doctor's visit also gave us some answers. Nothing all that devastating, and nothing we can fix. It falls into the category of, it is what it is. Z says he is happy... me, not so much. On the good side, I may grow another inch or so.

Although Z said my health report was his best birthday gift, I still surprised him with an ornate platinum ring. Until you read the inscription it doesn't look like a wedding ring. The inscription is, "I am my beloved's, and my beloved is mine.

Goodnight y'all,

Chase

MORE... Changes!!!

 Yup! We are moving(again)!

 This is what I get for marrying a man of nomadic Bedu heritage. KIDDING! We are just going across the garden courtyard this time. With Baba's passing Zahir's brothers asked him to move into the big house to care for Mama.

 Not sure if I described the big house. This place is HUGE. Far bigger than the old compound in Al-Salt. I was not joking when I said I get lost in the place. I'd try breadcrumbs but I know the boys would eat them.

 Our boss had the compound built on family land to keep the peace between his four wives. There are several large common lounges connecting the four suites (think really big apartments) so each wife could manage her section of the house. The youngest wife didn't like her fellow brides so the boss built the "little" house across the courtyard to restore peace. Baba told me "Just because we can, does not imply we should marry more than one woman."

 My "boy cave" when Z is out of country on business is in the guest wing near the pools. Z is deciding on which of the other two will be ours. He said it would not be "proper" for the man of the house to be in the small suite. That leaves the sisters old suite or the front suite. Mama offered us the other front suite, both of us said NO!

 When you combine all of the kitchens on the property we have more kitchen space than most of the big restaurants in Amman. Those women must have truly hated each other for the boss to lay out that kind of money. I see why polygamy while permitted is seldom practiced in Islam. Less than .01% of Muslim marriages are polygamous.

 

 Baba used to say those who had two or more wives were selfish. We had a talk when he thought I was "just confused" about my sexuality. He said, "Think of it little one... look to the math." Math was our common language, and his answer to EVERYTHING. "Currently 35% of Muslims are single and most of those are men, why? Math, boy math! Only about 50% of Muslims are women. If a man marries three wives what are the other two men to do?" I guess there are parts of Zahir's faith I will never understand. I miss Baba, he was my go to guy when I was confused by things I couldn't bring to Z.

 

 Z is giving his baby sister and her hubby our house. That is MINUS our furniture. Zahir is giving Yawm the media room gear. <for those who haven't caught on to Zahir speak yet... Translation: "Baby has a project."> She and I are going through the big house tagging furniture to fill her new nest. This weekend the brothers are coming over to swap the furniture.

 Today Kaeleb started demanding my attention traditional sign for, "I need to potty hooman." As we hit the kitchen he made a hard left towards the guest suite that holds my "boy cave." He led me straight to my room. I found Mama napping in my bed. Shamal the other indoor maligator (Kaeleb's litter mate) alerted when I peeked in the door waking Mama. She said she felt at peace in my room and it was too painful sleeping in her suite without Baba. I told her to use it any time.

 On to the weird front, Mama and my boys are developing a strange friendship. Malinois are uber-high energy animals. Occasionally they will break into what I call zoom mode. They start chasing each other at high speed. It normally continues until I open the door an throw the Kong 15 billion times. This is the case... EXCEPT when Mama enters the room.

 

 I have seen the boys in mid zoom and then Mama walks in. Suddenly the boys become furry throw rugs. They lay on the ground and bury their nose with their front paws. It is the damnedest thing to see. It looks like they are praying to her!

 Shamal has been glued to Mama since Baba died. I think he feels her pain. The irony is Shamal was the anti-social loner of the litter.

 

 I thought life would get easier after graduation. It has NOT been the case. Memaw and Pawpaw are asking me to visit them in Paducah, KY. Is it wrong when you have to spell-check your birthplace? They are worried about da-rona and my access to "proper" healthcare. It's as if they think Amman is some primitive poo-hole! I have received better care here than I did growing up in Miami. They worry about me. I guess that is a good thing.

 

 It's almost 2300 I should be asleep.

 Love and peace

 Chase