New Wheels

We are the proud new owners of a Toyota Etios. There is new car etiquette here in Curry Land...

1) You must NOT take off any of the plastic seat covers, mirror covers, or factory stickers

2) There is a new car red ribbon attached to the hood, that red ribbon must stay on for up to one year of the cars purchase...Just so everyone knows it is a new car.

3) you have to buy boxes of sweets for all your friends and neighbors so they can celebrate with you.

4) The car must be washed everyday

I can already tell you we have not abided by all these rules...otherwise owning a car would be more exhausting than the convenience it brings in transporting one's self.

our growing menagerie

To live in Curry Land you have to be pretty comfortable with living close to wildlife, ie: the Asian house shrew that still visits us from time to time, Tommy the Tom cat, the birds that built a nest in our patio light fixture...and now our newest recruit...Larry the lizard!

He hangs out in our garden or our patio eating insects...thank you Larry for eating insects. Rosy does not like Larry, she is scared of him...although I have demonstrated for her time and time again that he will not bite. That is the cool thing about Larry, he is chill - no fast movements, no sneaking under door cracks, and no trying to knock over our trash cans. 

For Mango Lovers

try Z and Me's newest invention: Mango sundaes!

Step one: puree fresh mango, heat in a saucepan with lime juice and sugar. Once sugar is dissolved take off the burner and let cool

Step two: Scoop out generous helpings of vanilla ice cream into bowls...this dessert has fruit in it so it is OK to be gluttonous.

Step three: Top your ice cream with salted peanuts, mango sauce, and chocolate syrup - you have to have all ingredients for the full flavor bursting effect!

*disclaimer: I am sorry to those who are allergic to peanuts, mangoes, or chocolate...Life has dealt you a rough hand and you are so much the stronger for it.

pool party!

so some friends dropped their pool by our house for a day...and we ended up holding on to it for an entire week...they asked us relentlessly to give it back and finally we caved.

I keep dreaming about this pool though...it was sooo cool and refreshing, and looked so inviting sitting in my patio under the shade. So I am now determined to buy a pool very similar the next time we are in the capital of Curry Land. Not only do I dream of owning such a gem, but I also dream of throwing pool parties...complete with buffalo burgers, ice cream sundaes, and inflatable pool toys. Now all I need is this pool, and people to come to my parties :)

Trying my hand at something new

- Literally...I traced an outline of my hand and filled in in with Henna. This is a picture of my second attempt at doing the design on paper...

All I need now are a couple of hands to practice on...any takers?

I laugh everytime...

I am so thankful for the creatively funny person who put this chart together. Leggings have become a big thing here...and some of the leggings come in skin tone colors...SO WRONG! Every once and a while I have a mental freak out when I see a teenage girl walking around with NO PANTS...and then I look closer and realize whe is wearing nude color leggings - Why oh why?  I will try to discretely snap some photos of this new trend so that you can full know what I am talking about. 

attitude check

April and May I found myself down in the dumps A LOT! There were extenuating circumstances that kept me in the dumps: ie.
Our house was broken into and electronics stolen, a middle ear infection, no Internet or contact with the outside world for long periods of time, and last but not least - sweating...lots of sweat!
I tried lots of things to try to get myself out of those slumpy dumps like ice cream, rainbows, and balloon animals - it was to no avail...
then finally I had an epiphany to write a Curry Land Top Twenty list - Julie Andrews is right folks...you just simply remember your favorite things...anyways on with the Top Twenty list.

- Driving through villages
- The lights during Diwali
- Curry Land food
- the clothes
- Shopping!
- The birds out on my patio, and their songs all day long
- The tropical trees and flowers
- The smell of our flowering jasmine plant at night
- Beautiful marble floors
- Grand historic monuments
- Women walking by in their colorful suits & Saree's
- Henna
- Rosy (house helper)
- the Riz family (close by neighbors)
- Fresh seasonal fruits & veggies
- The thrill of riding a motorcycle with Z
- How cute the children look going to school in their uniforms
- Curry Land skin & hair beauty treatments
- Handmade furniture and home decor
- The challenge of using squatty potties

After getting out of the dumps I see Curry Land more clearly and can definitely add much more to this list day by day.