Ramadan Mubarack!

Dinner delivered by my neighbor for night one of Ramadan.  She also sent over  half a watermelon.  Dinner was spicy rice, potatoes and chicken.

My neighbor is from India.  She's also Muslim.  And the best neighbor I've had since I was growing up in Arizona.

She has three kids (one with special needs) and a husband so doesn't have a lot of free time.  We don't spend hours hanging out.  But we talk regularly and are there for each other.  Whoever notices the trash guys have come bring in the empty bins for both houses.  Junk papers tossed in driveways?  We pick them up for each other.

I feed the cat they adopted when they're out of town, which is not often.  Their car broke down recently and I picked them up.  Small potatoes when you consider what she does for me. 

She keeps an eye on my house when I'm gone (which is a lot).  She checks on me if I don't follow my normal daily routine.  She came by to check on me every day when I broke my leg. 

Mostly, she feeds me.  She says she's not a great cook.  I disagree.  She makes complicated, spicy, delicious Indian food every day.  And she frequently brings me some.

What does all that have to do with Ramadan?  Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset during Ramadan.  They also ramp up their giving.  As I understand it, their faith advocates an emphasis on sharing and kindness during this month-long holiday.

One way my neighbor does that is by sharing food with me.  Last year she brought me dinner every night of Ramadan.  That's a month of dinners.  Delicious dinners.  Usually with enough leftovers for lunch the next day.

Ramadan began this week and so did the food sharing.  I love my neighbor.  Happy Ramadan - Ramadan Mubarack!

Ramadan 2018 - dinner, day 2.  Shrimp fettuccine and puff pastry wrapped around a hard boiled egg.  I teased her about the "traditional" menu.  She said that the kids are so hungry during Ramadan they get to choose anything they want for breakfast and dinner - and they love Italian food.  BTW, it was delicious and she put some spices in so it had a nice zip.