Dave – Deep fried cheesecake! That sounds so much like ‘The Last Days of Elvis’ style cuisine and yet I still want to try it.

Abu Sinan – I hope you do keep up with the German. I’m very strongly pro-EU and European integration and I would love to speak another European language. I lived all over Germany when I was a child, it’s a great country.

My daughter looked at me, so did the lady. Both the lady and my daughter understood about half of what I said, one’s half in German, the other’s in Arabic. As I do not use German that much anymore it is hard to get my mind to think in German now.

Baraka – Alhamdulilah, my mouth is better and I’m able to enjoy my favourite foods again!

Abu Sinan – I can see you point and I know your stance on the fractured identity many converts have.

However, to look at this from another point of view. Spoken language is a fluid thing, easily altered by outside influences. Look at how pervading American slang is. Many use it without realising. These are words and phrases that are found in the media and enter one’s vocabulary almost sub consciously. So it could be that someone here’s these words a lot, likes the sound of them or there usuage and begins to use them. English is chock full of loanwords anyway.

So someone using the word ya’ani may not be using it as an affectation.

Urban Voyeur – Welcome to my blog! I’ve checked your site, you’re really talented and have such a great eye. How did you find my blog?

That wiki link is a bit scary. I think I might start taking vitamin supplemtns though, so thanks for the advice.

I dont mind “Insha’Allahs” and “Alhamudillahs”. There is a reason for them, remembering God. Using “ya’ani” and words like “sa7″ in an otherwise English conversation is nothing more than an affectation.

I speak Arab conversationally and German as well, I would never think to combine any of the languages together because it just isnt natural. “Verstehen sie………fihimti…sa7″?

Hope you’re all better soon and find some fried ice cream to delight the buds with

Warmly,
Baraka

Umm Farouq – I knew you’d find something! Thank you so much. The recipe looks fairly straight forward too.

Molly – I don’t why I got two mouth ulcers at once, but they’ve gone now.
I’ve never worn my hair in that style. Next big ladies only do, I will, insha Allah.

Abu Sinan – Your reputation as ‘Hater of the word ya’ani when spoken by non-native arabic speakers’ proceeds you! Seriously, I’m really pleased to see you back blogging. Yours was a much missed voice.

thank you for giving me an alternate way of writing “ya3nee”

cuz ya’ani, apparently Asmaa hates alliterated arabic that includes numbers as well as my husband, but I just couldn’t figure out a way to insinuate the “ein” sound into romanized arabic.

I was even pondering it in the shower this morning.

So thanks.

And also, the reason I grew my hair ridiculously long is because I found a pic of my great-great-aunt (ukrainian by the way) who wore her hair in that exact same braid around the head. And I wanted to do that.

I still can.

And sorry about the ulcers, it sounds painful, what are they from?