Kyna's Valentine's Day Party!!

Kyna and I in our shalwar kameezes. She introduced me to her many adoring friends in Islamabad.

Gul Nawaz, the guard is at the right - he's great, funny, and misses 85% of what is send in English. Doesn't matter. He loves Kyna and takes great care of her, and would do anything for her.

Some great folks from Kyna's Medical Unit and Embassy, above, including Shafique, who Kyna wants me to marry. Below is the family of another guy, Arshad, who works at Kyna's house. Arshad would like to marry me, which opens up an interesting love triangle with me at the confused and pink-cheeked apex.

 This guy has no intention of or desire to marry me. He's very nice, named Derek, and works at the Embassy. Photographer. He'd probably be willing to laugh at my photographic skills, however. Who wouldn't?

 Kyna and her guys from the expediters' group. They're the ones who get her through the airport and out safely.

This fellow is another guard, named Gullyam Qadir. He's an army veteran from the northern stretches of Azad Kashmir - the snowy north. He is another one of the fellows who guard's Kyna's house, day and night. He's absolutely lovely, despite understanding only 10% of any English spoken to him. He tries very hard to understand, to the point where (in Kyna's words) it feels like he's trying to pull the understanding out of you  with his eyes, while you speak.

Kyna and Keri with Arshad and Faisal. Faisal is Rose's husband. This is important to know for later, as Rose will be catering your next party, if Kyna has anything to say about it. And she usually does.

Children from a couple of different families. Everyone's dressed in red, you see? For Valentine's Day! Get it?

I think we were singing something meaningful and deep here, by Eric Clapton. I hope so, because the rest of the music played that night was Pakistani, and if we're singing that (into pine cones, I might add), we were drunker than I remember. (Also possible.

Gullyam Qadir, Gul Nawaz, and Qisar, the other guard. There are moments, when they've been invited into Kyna's house as honored guests (as Kyna would, and does), they look a little surprised. But they get into the spirit!

Rose and Faisal have three kids, the above-pictured one is the oldest, named Muscan. She dances like a dervish in a gorgeous dress at the party - nearly all night.

It was a fantastic party.