Well, Readers, your comments of praise and encouragement on facebook have me strutting around, proud as a peacock, shaking my tail feathers, winking at myself in the mirror and turning my nose up at chores I now deem "below me".
True, except for that last part as today I considered wrestling the broom out of Raja's Grandma's hands after trying to persuade her to give it to me in my very best Telugish. I believe she replied with "No".
I wanted to do a post of photos today but my children's refusal to go to sleep at a decent hour has spoiled that plan. So I've decided to go with my old stand-by, a list of complaints.
First and foremost, we are back in Mosquitoville and they were kind enough to welcome us back the only way they know how- by supping on our sweet elixir of life and inviting all their closest friends to do the same. It was such a relief being away from those jackholes. It almost makes me long for snow. I said "almost"! I haven't gone completely insane!
As far as food goes, I haven't felt terribly deprived since we've been here. For a few days there, we ate so much chicken I think the kids and I were actually on Atkin's for a bit. I was kind of hoping our trip to India would be a bit like fat camp for me but no such luck as I've had access to an infinite supply of cashews and cookies, both of which are faves of mine. Raja said he thinks Ammon has drank more mango juice in the past few weeks than anyone else in the country. Maya and Vera love rice and Teja likes..... well, I saw her eat some rockets today. I think they were leftovers from Hallowe'en. Raja's Mom makes us french fries whenever we want but my interest in them has waned since my cache of vinegar packets is now depleted.
But there is one hungry individual in particular who is having an absolute ball and is actually starting to resemble one. Who can resist Mom's cookin'? Well Raja and his expanding middle will have to answer that question just as soon as they've finished this last plate of rice that resembles the volcano science project that kids' parents make. (Hint: the curry is the lava) It seems his New Year's resolution was actually to GAIN weight and he is succeeding admirably. On our last visit, the same thing happened but we got food poisoning from the Asian beef meal we ate on the flight home so that kind of evened the score for Monsieur.
On our drive back here, we stopped at a truck stop to use the bathrooms. The Gents' one was locked so Raja was going to have to walk back to a farther building to use theirs. I was standing in the shade with the kids as sitting in the vehicle without the A/C running would roast us. Raja offered me his pocket knife for protection as he felt uneasy leaving us there without him or our driver for a few minutes. I had to laugh and reminded him that I am 5'9" and weigh a hundred and *cough, cough* pounds and there was no way any one would or could come and hurt us. Even if there was one bad apple at that truck stop who wanted to do us harm, there were dozens of sets of eyes on us who would have stepped in to stop it. I have felt quite safe here. Did I mention we have to go outside to use the bathrooms? They're not part of the main house but separate buildings just a few feet from the back doors. It makes night-time trips to the loo a bit spooky.
Other than mosquitoes and my children's misbehaviour, my chief complaint has to do with laundry. Since I don't have to do the laundry for the six of us for a month, you'd think I'd be pleased. Not so. Some families, like the cousins we just stayed with, own a washer, but most don't. We see people washing clothes in lakes and streams everywhere we go, but we are lucky enough to have a maid who comes to wash our clothes. The method is the unlucky part: beating them on a rock. Sure there's soap and water involved but boy, have our clothes aged terribly. And the clotheslines can't accommodate this influx so she lays out our clothes on the roof and they come back to us dirtier than when we sent them. I never thought I'd be looking forward to doing laundry but I can't wait to wear soft, clean clothes again!
Tune in tomorrow for more photographic evidence which could possibly have us prosecuted in a court of law. But just for a slap on the wrist so I'm not worried.
Gute Nacht!
True, except for that last part as today I considered wrestling the broom out of Raja's Grandma's hands after trying to persuade her to give it to me in my very best Telugish. I believe she replied with "No".
I wanted to do a post of photos today but my children's refusal to go to sleep at a decent hour has spoiled that plan. So I've decided to go with my old stand-by, a list of complaints.
First and foremost, we are back in Mosquitoville and they were kind enough to welcome us back the only way they know how- by supping on our sweet elixir of life and inviting all their closest friends to do the same. It was such a relief being away from those jackholes. It almost makes me long for snow. I said "almost"! I haven't gone completely insane!
As far as food goes, I haven't felt terribly deprived since we've been here. For a few days there, we ate so much chicken I think the kids and I were actually on Atkin's for a bit. I was kind of hoping our trip to India would be a bit like fat camp for me but no such luck as I've had access to an infinite supply of cashews and cookies, both of which are faves of mine. Raja said he thinks Ammon has drank more mango juice in the past few weeks than anyone else in the country. Maya and Vera love rice and Teja likes..... well, I saw her eat some rockets today. I think they were leftovers from Hallowe'en. Raja's Mom makes us french fries whenever we want but my interest in them has waned since my cache of vinegar packets is now depleted.
But there is one hungry individual in particular who is having an absolute ball and is actually starting to resemble one. Who can resist Mom's cookin'? Well Raja and his expanding middle will have to answer that question just as soon as they've finished this last plate of rice that resembles the volcano science project that kids' parents make. (Hint: the curry is the lava) It seems his New Year's resolution was actually to GAIN weight and he is succeeding admirably. On our last visit, the same thing happened but we got food poisoning from the Asian beef meal we ate on the flight home so that kind of evened the score for Monsieur.
On our drive back here, we stopped at a truck stop to use the bathrooms. The Gents' one was locked so Raja was going to have to walk back to a farther building to use theirs. I was standing in the shade with the kids as sitting in the vehicle without the A/C running would roast us. Raja offered me his pocket knife for protection as he felt uneasy leaving us there without him or our driver for a few minutes. I had to laugh and reminded him that I am 5'9" and weigh a hundred and *cough, cough* pounds and there was no way any one would or could come and hurt us. Even if there was one bad apple at that truck stop who wanted to do us harm, there were dozens of sets of eyes on us who would have stepped in to stop it. I have felt quite safe here. Did I mention we have to go outside to use the bathrooms? They're not part of the main house but separate buildings just a few feet from the back doors. It makes night-time trips to the loo a bit spooky.
Other than mosquitoes and my children's misbehaviour, my chief complaint has to do with laundry. Since I don't have to do the laundry for the six of us for a month, you'd think I'd be pleased. Not so. Some families, like the cousins we just stayed with, own a washer, but most don't. We see people washing clothes in lakes and streams everywhere we go, but we are lucky enough to have a maid who comes to wash our clothes. The method is the unlucky part: beating them on a rock. Sure there's soap and water involved but boy, have our clothes aged terribly. And the clotheslines can't accommodate this influx so she lays out our clothes on the roof and they come back to us dirtier than when we sent them. I never thought I'd be looking forward to doing laundry but I can't wait to wear soft, clean clothes again!
Tune in tomorrow for more photographic evidence which could possibly have us prosecuted in a court of law. But just for a slap on the wrist so I'm not worried.
Gute Nacht!
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