Have a Lovely Day.
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
An Expert In Chapati Making
Have a Lovely Day.
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
India New Years 2011
Goa 2011Well, what do you know, I am home now. My eighth visit to India was a very rich and intense time for me. I left just two days after Gary returned from being with his family as his sister passed away from a long battle with cancer. There was barely enough time to swallow that, let alone celebrate holidays and get ready for India as well.
Naaz, Myself and Mommy.
This was my second time in India being completely alone. Yet not alone, because I enjoyed spending time with my lovely friends Mir, Waseem, and Naaz and Mommy in Bangalore, and also the Goel family in Bangalore, who are my fabric people. I have to admit, I can barely handle the growth that Bangalore has experienced since my first visit in 2002. I think I have finally resigned myself to the fact that I won't ever be able to bear living in a city as chaotic as Bangalore has become. I am officially over that plan.
Zapping mosquitos is so much fun with you Mir!
We interrupt this blog post for this commercial message from Urban Prairie Girl.
Now ladies and gents, I have returned from India with treasures so lovely, you cannot believe! A fine selection of 100% cotton hand block printed Jaipuri bedspreads, and 61 hand picked Kashmiri shawls from Jamawar Art Emporium, Bangalore.
I also have purchased 300 pounds of Indian Kalamkari cotton, and I cannot wait to start sewing.
Ok, so let's talk about Goa. Let's just say, I am amazed how much whiskey I can consume if I am careful! Lordy be, I can put it back. And, I was proud to be told, after only the second day, that I was "brownin' up nicely, luv!" Having a tan is too much fun! This year, I spent some time with some pals I have met in past years, and also met quite a few very lovely new folks as well.
After a week in Goa, I was off to Delhi to get my bedspread stash, and visit my pals, Manjul and Sanjay Sharma at Rikhi Ram Music. Gary was ever so pleased with the swarsangam that I brought back for him from Sanjays handmade collection. Of course my trip to India would not be complete without getting the hennaed hands and feet in Pahar Ganj. But of course.
Such a good trip, I cannot wait to return. Hee hee!
And finally, do you want to see what they play before every movie in India? I think it's pretty cool, check it out. Have a lovely day.
Naaz, Myself and Mommy.This was my second time in India being completely alone. Yet not alone, because I enjoyed spending time with my lovely friends Mir, Waseem, and Naaz and Mommy in Bangalore, and also the Goel family in Bangalore, who are my fabric people. I have to admit, I can barely handle the growth that Bangalore has experienced since my first visit in 2002. I think I have finally resigned myself to the fact that I won't ever be able to bear living in a city as chaotic as Bangalore has become. I am officially over that plan.
Zapping mosquitos is so much fun with you Mir!We interrupt this blog post for this commercial message from Urban Prairie Girl.
Now ladies and gents, I have returned from India with treasures so lovely, you cannot believe! A fine selection of 100% cotton hand block printed Jaipuri bedspreads, and 61 hand picked Kashmiri shawls from Jamawar Art Emporium, Bangalore.
I also have purchased 300 pounds of Indian Kalamkari cotton, and I cannot wait to start sewing.
Ok, so let's talk about Goa. Let's just say, I am amazed how much whiskey I can consume if I am careful! Lordy be, I can put it back. And, I was proud to be told, after only the second day, that I was "brownin' up nicely, luv!" Having a tan is too much fun! This year, I spent some time with some pals I have met in past years, and also met quite a few very lovely new folks as well.
After a week in Goa, I was off to Delhi to get my bedspread stash, and visit my pals, Manjul and Sanjay Sharma at Rikhi Ram Music. Gary was ever so pleased with the swarsangam that I brought back for him from Sanjays handmade collection. Of course my trip to India would not be complete without getting the hennaed hands and feet in Pahar Ganj. But of course.
Such a good trip, I cannot wait to return. Hee hee!
And finally, do you want to see what they play before every movie in India? I think it's pretty cool, check it out. Have a lovely day.
Monday, January 10, 2011
Tan Report Salcete
I am happy to say that I am looking slim, tanned and fabulous Miss Pizza, thank you for asking.
I have been lying by the fabulous Williams Beach Pool, sitting on the beach, drinking too much whiskey, going to karaoke but not singing, and generally having a lovely time.
And yes, Mrs Nesbitt, it has been 95 in the day, and 70 at night, breezy and lovely, please join me, I will have the darjeeling ready!
Hope you all are too.
I have two more days here then I will go to Delhi where it has been below freezing. Remind me next year to skip it. I wanted to come home from a warm climate not that! Sheesh. Have a lovely day.
I have been lying by the fabulous Williams Beach Pool, sitting on the beach, drinking too much whiskey, going to karaoke but not singing, and generally having a lovely time.
And yes, Mrs Nesbitt, it has been 95 in the day, and 70 at night, breezy and lovely, please join me, I will have the darjeeling ready!
Hope you all are too.
I have two more days here then I will go to Delhi where it has been below freezing. Remind me next year to skip it. I wanted to come home from a warm climate not that! Sheesh. Have a lovely day.
Tuesday, January 04, 2011
Update with Sticky Keyboard
So I am loving having the IPAD but I can't blog on it for some reason. So here I am in the internet, sticky keyboards amd all, to give you a report.
So, normally when I come to Bangalore, it takes me the good part of a week to purchase textiles and get them packed and shipped. This time, with the help of my wonderful friend, Mir, and his worker dudes, we completed the task in just three days. Well now, that left me five days with nothing to do but pester Mir and Waseem, which I have been doing on a regular basis.
I also met Mirs lovely wife, Naaz and I just adore her. I adore Mirs mommy too. What totally loving, happy and sweet people they are. Of couse, I spent one evening at Mirs house being stuffed full with Mommys delicious cooking, trying my best to clean my plate. I do not have a huge appetite, I am more like a nibbler, so these huge plates of food pose a huge challenge for me. I hope I ate enough to make mommy happy...forget it, I know I did not! LOL
One day I will bring Mr Ratburn and he will make mommy proud with his eating.
So I have bought a mountain of textiles, more than ever, and I just wanna go home and make stuff! I just cannot believe the beauty that my fabric shop makes for me, just for ME!!!!!! I cannot believe that walking into a textile shop nine years ago looking for a string to hold up my pants turned into this business, and this relationship where truly the cream of the crop in this store is ALL made JUST FOR ME!
It will take me two weeks to wash and shrink it all though! I think the textiles are going to reach my home tomorrow! Woo hoo, I love you DHL!!! And I love you Mir, thanks for your help, you are the boss!
Ok so then I also went to the home of my textile shop people, and had dinner. More stuffing self to the max with the most delicious Indian veg food ever, thank you, Mamta! And visiting with this lovely family was also a treat and a half. It was lovely to visit and see how their children have grown and all doing well in college now.
I went to Lal Bagh, to which I have dragged there Karen, Eileen, and Gary in the past. Attempted to read a book but was pestered by little school kids to the point I had to leave LOL
I have both enjoyed and sweated my arse off for the past 8 or nine days, and finally, tomorrow, more sweating as I arrive in Goa in the afternoon where I will spend 8 days hanging out drinking and visiting my pals.
Also I am getting a sore throat, I hope its just the pollution! So the convenience of IPADS also has made it possible to hide in my room a lot more as well as chat with Mr Ratburn and LR in the middle of the night, and keep in touch through facbook which has been really cool. If you saw my post this morning on Fbook, you will see that the pesky floor boys are driving me nuts, waking me up at 8 am when I have stayed up all night. Breakfst madam? Um, if I want breakfast, I know when and where to get it, I have stayed there eight times for goodness sakes. They also come to my room asking to clean it ten times a day. Thats what happens when you are a big tipper, they all want some.
Now, my motto for my life is "be the change that you want to see in the world". Can anybody guess who might have said that? I'll give you a hint, he's on all the Indian money. See one thing that really fries my head is how frightened people can be of people that are different than you. I dont understand how smiling at someone can make them feel threatened. But I will continue to smile and spread my brand of California sunshine all over the place and sometimes, I get a smile back, but lots of times not. Their loss.
Anyway the other issue, that my sister in law died right before I came to India, and Gary and I had been apart for two weeks, then he came home for just two days, then I left. I was not prepared emotionally to leave that way. Who could be after a death of a loved one? It was very difficult for me to leave, and I was a big crybaby in the security line, wiping tears all over my shirt, unable to stop. At one point in that line, I looked up and there were FIVE hands offering me tissues! How sweet was that? I took them all and it just made me cry more because I thought it was so sweet. What a damn mess, huh?
LOL so then I got here and was ok but I wanted to try to come home early because of all that happened. So this morning I went to two travel agents, made several long phone calls from a hot phone booth that had to be about 100 degrees in there, and then found out it would cost me "JUST" $4,280. USD to get home three days early. So guess what? I am not coming home early, that is ridiculous. The airlines charge $280 to change flight plus the difference in what the new flights were compared to the older ones. FOUR THOUSAND DOLLARS????!!!!! I must say, planning ahead with tickets sure saves a bundle but obviously there is no more flexibility in flying.
Suffice to say that with Lufthansa airlines you are treated like a sardine barely fed, have to beg for beverages, and then there was the crazy man who tried to open the emergency door, ended up being tackled by eight stewardesses who sat on him, handcuffed him and tied him to a seat for six hours. Now that was unnerving. The man was 6'4" and drunk and violent. I was happy they took care of the man, but they did not explain to us what was happening, and left every passenger wondering what the hell? Of course, he was arrested immediately upon landing in Frankfurt, what fun! Then I had five minutes to catch my flight in a different terminal.....I ran like hell. I was sweating and panting but I made it. I also managed to tell the crew there were a bunch of ladies in heels trying to run so please wait for them. The fact that I had to do it, and that no staff offered to call ahead to help us, was just ridiculous. I just hate Lufthansa, and I hate Frankfurt airport, and I am so glad I am only 5'1" because there is NO legroom on Lufthansa.
Ok thats all for now, hope all is well. I will be in Goa tomorrow, time to get a tan!
Happy New Year
So, normally when I come to Bangalore, it takes me the good part of a week to purchase textiles and get them packed and shipped. This time, with the help of my wonderful friend, Mir, and his worker dudes, we completed the task in just three days. Well now, that left me five days with nothing to do but pester Mir and Waseem, which I have been doing on a regular basis.
I also met Mirs lovely wife, Naaz and I just adore her. I adore Mirs mommy too. What totally loving, happy and sweet people they are. Of couse, I spent one evening at Mirs house being stuffed full with Mommys delicious cooking, trying my best to clean my plate. I do not have a huge appetite, I am more like a nibbler, so these huge plates of food pose a huge challenge for me. I hope I ate enough to make mommy happy...forget it, I know I did not! LOL
One day I will bring Mr Ratburn and he will make mommy proud with his eating.
So I have bought a mountain of textiles, more than ever, and I just wanna go home and make stuff! I just cannot believe the beauty that my fabric shop makes for me, just for ME!!!!!! I cannot believe that walking into a textile shop nine years ago looking for a string to hold up my pants turned into this business, and this relationship where truly the cream of the crop in this store is ALL made JUST FOR ME!
It will take me two weeks to wash and shrink it all though! I think the textiles are going to reach my home tomorrow! Woo hoo, I love you DHL!!! And I love you Mir, thanks for your help, you are the boss!
Ok so then I also went to the home of my textile shop people, and had dinner. More stuffing self to the max with the most delicious Indian veg food ever, thank you, Mamta! And visiting with this lovely family was also a treat and a half. It was lovely to visit and see how their children have grown and all doing well in college now.
I went to Lal Bagh, to which I have dragged there Karen, Eileen, and Gary in the past. Attempted to read a book but was pestered by little school kids to the point I had to leave LOL
I have both enjoyed and sweated my arse off for the past 8 or nine days, and finally, tomorrow, more sweating as I arrive in Goa in the afternoon where I will spend 8 days hanging out drinking and visiting my pals.
Also I am getting a sore throat, I hope its just the pollution! So the convenience of IPADS also has made it possible to hide in my room a lot more as well as chat with Mr Ratburn and LR in the middle of the night, and keep in touch through facbook which has been really cool. If you saw my post this morning on Fbook, you will see that the pesky floor boys are driving me nuts, waking me up at 8 am when I have stayed up all night. Breakfst madam? Um, if I want breakfast, I know when and where to get it, I have stayed there eight times for goodness sakes. They also come to my room asking to clean it ten times a day. Thats what happens when you are a big tipper, they all want some.
Now, my motto for my life is "be the change that you want to see in the world". Can anybody guess who might have said that? I'll give you a hint, he's on all the Indian money. See one thing that really fries my head is how frightened people can be of people that are different than you. I dont understand how smiling at someone can make them feel threatened. But I will continue to smile and spread my brand of California sunshine all over the place and sometimes, I get a smile back, but lots of times not. Their loss.
Anyway the other issue, that my sister in law died right before I came to India, and Gary and I had been apart for two weeks, then he came home for just two days, then I left. I was not prepared emotionally to leave that way. Who could be after a death of a loved one? It was very difficult for me to leave, and I was a big crybaby in the security line, wiping tears all over my shirt, unable to stop. At one point in that line, I looked up and there were FIVE hands offering me tissues! How sweet was that? I took them all and it just made me cry more because I thought it was so sweet. What a damn mess, huh?
LOL so then I got here and was ok but I wanted to try to come home early because of all that happened. So this morning I went to two travel agents, made several long phone calls from a hot phone booth that had to be about 100 degrees in there, and then found out it would cost me "JUST" $4,280. USD to get home three days early. So guess what? I am not coming home early, that is ridiculous. The airlines charge $280 to change flight plus the difference in what the new flights were compared to the older ones. FOUR THOUSAND DOLLARS????!!!!! I must say, planning ahead with tickets sure saves a bundle but obviously there is no more flexibility in flying.
Suffice to say that with Lufthansa airlines you are treated like a sardine barely fed, have to beg for beverages, and then there was the crazy man who tried to open the emergency door, ended up being tackled by eight stewardesses who sat on him, handcuffed him and tied him to a seat for six hours. Now that was unnerving. The man was 6'4" and drunk and violent. I was happy they took care of the man, but they did not explain to us what was happening, and left every passenger wondering what the hell? Of course, he was arrested immediately upon landing in Frankfurt, what fun! Then I had five minutes to catch my flight in a different terminal.....I ran like hell. I was sweating and panting but I made it. I also managed to tell the crew there were a bunch of ladies in heels trying to run so please wait for them. The fact that I had to do it, and that no staff offered to call ahead to help us, was just ridiculous. I just hate Lufthansa, and I hate Frankfurt airport, and I am so glad I am only 5'1" because there is NO legroom on Lufthansa.
Ok thats all for now, hope all is well. I will be in Goa tomorrow, time to get a tan!
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