Letter to Erin 20150823

In the name of Allah, most Gracious, most Merciful.

Somehow I get the feeling that you are going to reject my house plan no matter how awesome it may be because you already have a plan of your own.  But you would still expect me to have my presentation ready for you when the time comes, so you can reject it.  That's just mean, Erin.  But it is your house after all, so your house plan supercedes mine.  Just remember that I am the one who will be the one who finances and supervises the construction inshaAllah, and there are some practical elements you need to pay attention to.  For example, you can't just put a bathroom wherever you feel like it.  All sewage and drainage pipes must be concentrated on the west side of the house, that's the side farthest from the street.  That means all the bathrooms, kitchens, and laundry rooms must be on the west side.  Another thing is that you can't have a basement, because of flooding which is common around here.  Stuff like that.

I went to the market downtown after the dawn prayer this morning.  There were so much snapper there, Erin.  Big, fat, fresh ones.  I'm glad the fishery department is managing the popular species so that they don't get overfished.  But I couldn't afford one.  **sob**  A kilo of sashimi would have hit the spot.  Instead I bought some chicken breast, tofu, and won ton skins.  For dinner I made chili, and lots of it.  I find that simple recipes are the best for chili.  Canned baked beans in tomato sauce, ground beef, onion, garlic, black pepper, hot red chilli pepper puree, and lots of Thai peppers.  The canned beans don't need salt, and don't need to cook for hours.  I want to try a chili with tofu in it.  What do you think?  Soybeans, pinto beans... what's the difference?  Would you like some chili with a fresh tortilla?  I have a lot!  I love you Erin, and I need you.