Happy B-day E!

Tomorrow is E's birthday, she will be 2...so over skype we sang to her and she blew out this random candle that my Brother out law lit.

She'll get a cake and real birthday candles tomorrow

Surreal

Living in Curry Land can have its surreal moments, i.e...
"Really? I get to do what I love everyday alongside Z. Really!"... "Really? I no longer speak my third language like a 4 year old, Really!"..."Really? I can eat mangoes, curry, biryani, cookies, and ice cream to my hearts content and still lose 2 lbs every month, Really!" (disclaimer: I think I have a tape worm, but the bright side I haven't gained a pound)
Then there are the surreal nightmares..."Really? It is 110 degrees again today, Really!"..."Really? That guy just touched me and I punched him in the head, Really!"..."Really, they're trying to take my picture, Really?"..."Really? I got on a plane by my own free will to live here, Really?"...
And today..."Really? I used my friend C's mace 3 times on 3 different men today, Really!"
Curry Land Reality check #47: When it is either a strike or holiday and men do not have to go to work they will harass innocent foreign women out of sheer idleness.

One thankful kid...

Yesterday Z and I celebrated Thanksgiving with our friends in town because next week on the day of Thanksgiving we will be out of town. So anyways we all got together and enjoyed the holiday fixins. That evening Z went outside of our gate to see our guests off and while they all stood together two men rode by on their motorcycle with a 11 year old boy sandwiched between them. The boy saw Z and our friends and immediately started yelling out to them, flung himself off the bike and ran to them...this boy was frightened and once he reached our gate he got behind our friend for protection. The two men got off their bike and walked toward the kid screaming profanities as the neared. I am not a language novice to understand the entire altercation...I was standing in the background looking between the shaking, crying kid and the two angry men. Apparently the men were accusing the kid of 'trying' to steal and so they were carrying him off to  beat the tar out of him... Two grown men beating the tar out of a little boy, no wonder the kid was shaking he was afraid for his own life! Our national friend mediated between the parties involved. He made the boy apologize and calmed the men down and then walked the kid home. That night I went to bed thinking of the boy and especially his mother...who undoubtedly was grateful her kid was safely home despite his own folly.

feelin' the love!

Recently dear family and friends sent us packages of holiday goodies...shelves are loaded, ready for the cook-a-thon!

The ambiance is set...this candle smells superb.

...and my most favorite item that Z's mama sent...



hold onto your britches!

After Monday morning at 6am I undoubtedly believe that Z is Curry Land's modern day Evel Knievel...now all I have to do is buy him a cape :)
We were 'heading on the highway' on another motorcycle road trip adventure and it was the crack of dawn so visibility was minimal. We were not far outside our city so I was still riding side saddle for the appearance of modesty (I hate riding side saddle). From a distance Z saw a truck stopped in the left lane so he veered into the right lane and then he noticed that beside the stopped truck there was a stopped tractor...so the right lane was blocked as well and we were now only 100 yards from both stopped vehicles and moving way too fast to be able to stop in time...so Z slowed down as much as he could and aimed for the crack between the stopped vehicles. I held on for dear life and screamed while Z preformed the craziest stunt as of yet in order to preserve our lives.

Night of Light

Yesterday was a huge holiday for many here in Curry Land. People give each other sweets, decorate their houses with lights, and then set off fireworks at night. Last year we watched from a distance, this year we were invited to the house of a friend that owns a bakery in town...and we scored BIG! we sat together in the patio watching her family members light fireworks while eating mini quiches, homemade pizza, and strawberry mousse. Just for the record on major holidays I barely manage to serve my guests coffee and cookies!

Yesterdays Curry Land lesson was in biology...

One of the things on Z's honey do list is to plug the gaps between the floors and door frames of all exterior doors...unfortunately carpenter ants have been enjoying those door frames for a while. Sealing up the gaps would help us keep dirt and wildlife out of our home. Well I got a little testy with Z when 2 days ago I kept finding rat poo around the house...I knew we now had a rodent friend due to the door gaps! Yesterday Z and a friend were talking in the living room and the rodent friend came right in the front door due to the 'gaps' and was then quickly shewed out...and we were shocked at what this rodent looked like...it turns out that it was not a rat but an....

Asian House Shrew, which is pictured below thanks to Wikipedia

Also in case you were wondering Asian House Shrew poo is way bigger than regular rat poo.