A TRACK MEET AND THE TAJ MAHAL

Well, Bree had a track meet in Delhi and I was so proud of her. John, Ashley and our friends Stephanie, Rich and Sophia went with us to check things out. It's a blessing to have friends. Anyway, here's the pictures.

Bree stayed at the home of a family who was connected with the American Embassy in Delhi. When we went to get her, John got out to go knock on the door and the security pulled his gun, ready to shoot and ask questions later. I'm screaming, and our van driver jumps out and gets him to back off. Great. Welcome to Delhi.

I'm coming home and will write more about that later. The cancer came back with a vengence. It's good to have family to come home to. Miss you all, hope to see you real soon.

Make a Smilebox slideshow

DAYS 11 - 13 HOLLAND

All good things must come to an end. We stayed at CitizenM again, a really fun place for the kids. The girls shopped and had fun seeing the sights, we came up on a fair in Amsterdam's Dam Square, and everything crescendoed for me at the garden. So, another adventure comes to an end, and we try to fall back into line...John back to work, Bree back to school...Ashley is taking final exams now...and I'm rubbing my back and cooling it. Life is good.

Make a Smilebox slideshow

DAYS 9 AND 10

Excursion to Rhine Falls at Schafhausen...drive through the Black Forest...Drubba...Heidelberg...lots of neat castles along the Rhine.

Make a Smilebox slideshow

DAYS 7 & 8

Well...We didn't get to ride the 40 mph sled down the mountain, nor did we get to be pulled by the pack of husky's...just a boring pull around the mountain with a snow trucky thingy. How boring.

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

DAYS 5 & 6

It was a 5 hour drive to Chamonix Valley, which was such a beautiful place. I'd like to come back here again. It was cold and Bree ran into problems breathing after we got on the top of the glacier (3842 meters). We were running up the stairs to a coffee shop there...and then the pain struck her heart...she stopped talking, fell against the wall...and I FREAKED OUT. Geneva was so amazing...such a fascinating city. Everything is on the camcorder...which got stolen...so much for the "memories".

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

PARIS PICTURES - Days 3 & 4

Well, we left London and went on to Dover and crossed the Eurotunnel which felt really wierd. I forgot to put a few extra pix in yesterday from Madame Toussad's so I added them here. I left my camera when we were crusing on the Seine river and Ashley has all the pictures of the bridges and sight seeing this day. We were supposed to go to Disney, but didn't go. We went to the Lido show...(John was in a bad mood and didn't go, and truthfuflly had I known what was in store for us, I would have left B

Make a Smilebox slideshow

ree, who didn't need to see this show in my opinion...oh well. Had fun shopping and looking around. Bree's French is getting a little better. The Eiffel tower was scary to me at night going up.

LONDON PICTURES

Day 1...London...Sleep, get over jet lag...Day 2...City Tour...Tower of London...Crown Jewels (Koh-i-noor diamond)...Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum and the London Eye...

Make a Smilebox slideshow

THE VACATION FROM HELL...

You've heard the expression, THE DEVIL IS IN THE DETAILS, right? Well, I can truthfully say he was "all over this vacation", in fact my nostrils are still singed with burning sulphur, not to mention the rubber on my sneakers has melted from running through the fire and brimstone.

He first reared his ugly head in the airport at Mumbai. You know, you give a person a little power, stick a gun into his hands and "watch out". I didn't mean to run over the toe of the armed guard with my carry-on suitcase. How many times could I say "I'm sorry"...but if looks could KILL...then he drifted into the incompetent airline worker who would not let us board the plane despite having all residency papers, visas, etc...it took a supervisor to get us through...yes it gets worse, but you know John, let me white wash everything and paint a rosy picture for you...but not until I tell you about his final performance as we sat on a train waiting to blast into Amsterdam and he entered three blokes who walked by us, and snagged John's back pack with my camcorder...wallet..driver's license, (thank God I had my cash/cards and passport on my person) right from under our noses.

But true enough, everything ended on an etheral note at a beautiful garden called Keukenhof...It was like walking into the guarden of Eden, such absolute beauty as much as we toil through life, one could never imagine the beauty of such flowers, the passionate color combinations, the heavenly scents drifting through the air, the magical combinations and arrays laid forth in ponds, on mounds, fields and fields of tulips. There were birds chirping in the trees, children's giddy laughter filled the air as they played on playgrounds. John and I ate pizza and icecream and there were hot honey-ham sandwiches with dijon mustards that filled the air as well. Boats drifted through canals as on-lookers saw fields, and fields of flowers. Swans swam up to us...and John and I had the time of our lives...I'm telling you, if I died tomorrow, (heaven forbid) I want you all to know how beautiful this experience was for me. I will post the pictures in the order of our journey and comment here and there. Unfortunately the girls had decided they wanted to shop and not take this excursion with me, which was the only reason I wanted to come back to Amsterdam. There is nothing more beautiful in the world that I have come across at this juncture in time than to be lost in Eden with the one I love.

So the vacation from hell ended on a heavenly note, and I'm still recovering from the break-neck speed of it all.

My first and major mistake was booking a "group" trip without fully understanding what we were in for. I had been on "group" trips before and had a blast. Remember when Jaspter street went to New York City? I liked travelling in a group with family and friends...I think the culture overload here became apparent, because true enough, I am enjoying learning of Indian culture and trying to immerse myself in absorbing different ways...I should have thought of the family. Somehow the thought of going to London, Paris, on and on, eating only Indian meals at Indian restaurants did not sit well with my family, who wanted to get a break from India and experience French, German restaurants...etc...that was only the beginning..We finally were able to break from the "pack", and things got better.

I also looked at this trip kinda like the movie SPEED, there we are trapped on this bus of what...50 or so people...no there was not a physical bomb attached, but John was (and did) ready to blow, like a bull in a china shop...maybe it was the 3 hours of singing and the movie going at the same time that got to him with his short temper...

Nonetheless, let me just forget the negative past and press onward with the great beauty of Europe that we saw. Fourteen days is a long, long time to be away from home. (Truthfully we made friends with many people there who took us under their wing at times. It was almost hysterical to watch European faces as we paraded through with our group, and to have them stop us or make sure we weren't lost or with the wrong people. It was almost like the kid's game where they have 4 pictures and they have to pick out which thing doesn't belong with the others..ha, that was funny. One sweet couple from Chennai took me in, and the group referred to him as my Uncle...when Bri got sick from running on top of the glacier (thin air), he did so much to try and bring her back, calm her down (Prana, etc. There is so much to tell, I will try to get it all out in time.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JAYA

Today is my friend Jaya's birthday, and she celebrated it at the Madras Club. No, she wouldn't let us sing "Happy Birthday" to her...and no, she wouldn't tell us how old she really is...hmmm. Anyway, we had good food and fun. It's always good to get out of the house. I gave her my favorite book of the year..."The White Tiger", because she had been meaning to finish it for the longest (ha), chocolate candy...a girl can never get too much of that, and aloe vera juice, because she had been trying to find out just what it does for you and how good it could be for you. (I'm sure it keeps you eternally young and wrinkles away, right).

Happy Birthday, Jaya.

A BOY AND HIS NEW TOY

You want to know what makes Johnnie smile so big? Can you saw...NEW GOLF CLUBS!!! Don't even ask me the brand, I couldn't tell ya, and I'm too lazy to run into the front room and look, but look out world, John has now become a true threat on the golf course. Well, believe it or not, this lovely bunch of bananas was growing in my back yard. How wierd, and cool to just pick a banana off of the tree.

This almost reminds me of the time I took my dad to Florida, and he had never seen an orange tree before. He wanted his picture made by the orange trees. Oh well, we had our really nice, expensive camera stolen on an excursion in the Bahamas, and we never got to show the family those pictures. Oh well...

Bree has the bball tournament finals on her camera, which of course I can't find, but I was mortified when the blow up bed I had put our guests on was totally deflated in the morning and they were sleeping on the floor. I tried to make it up to them, but you never get over that.

So Bree is running track now, and we are making plans for a home visit during June/July and a quick get away in a couple of weeks. I really need to go somewhere...

YYAAAAYYYY, MORE PICTURES...

Well, we are on the precipice of hosting two students from Bangalore this week that are competing in the basketball tournament. The plumber is still working on installing our bathtub, and left today with promises of finishing next week. Yeah, right. I've become pretty good at interpreting the lingo around here. Let me see, translation: "Yes, Mrs. Sykes, the tub should be completed by the turn of the century." I think I'll go take a nap.

I've learned a new trick, do ya wanna know what it is? Okay, since stress is a killer, and we are all trying to live as long as we can, when a stressful situation arises and you don't want to deal with it...just walk away like it doesn't exist and go take a nap. I'm telling you, this works everytime. Say the credit collectors are calling you non-stop, wanting the last few month's backpayment and you just don't have it...."fiddle-dee-dee, I'll just worry about that tomorrow..." take the phone off the hook, light an aromatic soy candle, less toxins, play some soothing music, (I recommend Vivaldi or Mozart), and just take a nap...I'm telling you, it works wonders. Say for example Ashley and Bree are fighting again, whining for attention or getting on my last nerve...completely ignore them and???? GO TAKE A NAP. People are always being so pushy sometimes, encrouching on your space -- it's like they don 't know where to "step off", and what's a girl left to do after having to put them back in their place...(I know you're getting the hang of this now) Take a NAP.

So here are a few pictures of Bree and friends and a few repeat pictures that you've seen before that I just didn't get deleted off the smilebox. No, I haven't gotten around to take pictures of the house, it's almost like you've seen one, you've seen 'em all. Whoop-dee-doo. I'm tired...I'm going to take a nap now. p.s. Be sure to check out Bree's video at the end of the pictures on smilebox.

Make a Smilebox slideshow

GO RAPTORS!!

Go Raptors!!! Bree had her first basketball game tonight, and where or where was my camera? Not in my purse where it was supposed to be. Oh well, they looked so cute in their blue and white uniforms. I'm almost resolved to not go to another game, I really lost control. I'm one of those mothers yelling and screaming from the sidelines that usually gets evicted. John was worse than me, and Ashley is worse than both of us. Things got really wild. Boy, these girls are aggressive. I miss Bree's friends from Garfield and the YMCA's team too. Seems like Jessica and Danielle should be running up and down the court screaming at Bree to throw them the ball. It was so many girls out there. I don't know if they won or lost, there was no scoreboard, which was probably a good thing.

Other news of the day, Ashley tells me that my driver Vendan saw a ghost and now he's scared. He ran to the temple today and had ashes on his forehead. He told Ashley he was coming down the road and saw a woman in a dark purple sari with long black hair and her face was convered. And when he turned back, she was GONE. Vanished into thin air...She was standing by a tree, and now he thinks the tree is evil. Hmmm, it's been a while since I studied pantheism, isn't that like when you think spirits can get into inanimate objects...hmmm.

And on that note, I'm heading to my infrared sauna to detox and chill out. We went to HotBread after the game for some hot fries and friendly conversation with the waiters there. I like to practice my Tamil on the guys, and the lead one there is really nice. Now he's being transferred to the HotBread by the airport. Hey, nothing is forever...make the most of each day and treat all people with kindness. Chow-Chica.

SLUMDOG WINS THE OSCAR

It's kind of funny, but if you look at it through this slant, we all can really relate to Slumdog...that is, getting the correct answer by drawing on some (childhood) experience in the past. Let me see, like say what if I found someone's purse in my living room, full of rupees...(you can tell I've been in India too long, I normally would use dollars, okay.) The question is: Should I take the money and run? (a) No....(b) Yes...(c)...Get Ashley and Bree to do it for me (d) Kick it under the couch for later contemplation.....
Then my mind would race back to the days of being with one of my childhood best friends, Sharon, who had swiped her foster mother's purse and we ran off together to Montgomery Wards down the street with the money on a shopping spree, later hiding the purse in one of the bedrooms...Yes the "whoopin' of my life" is still layed into my memory. It's a wonder that I'm still alive today to tell the story...
So, despite the devil whispering in my ear "Go on, take the money and run...whooo, whoooo, whoooo....the answer is: (a) No, Marsha don't grab the purse. Yeah, I win.... I can just see the funfetti falling from the sky as I look up in joyful anticipation.
Yes, I am glad Slumdog won. My analysis on the movie, although yes, it is a love story...the real love story that no one seems to talk about is the one that occurs between the brothers. Yes, I'm the baby of the pack and I know what it's like to have pushy older siblings running the roost (ha). But remember the older brother despite all of his aggressiveness still loved the younger brother.,,he saved him from being blinded. Don't get me wrong, he did his fair share of detrimental work, but he still loved his brother and ultimately gave up his life so his brother could finally connect with his true love. Yes, the scriptures state: No greater love is this that a man will lay down his life for a friend. Yes, to me that is the true love story here.

Okay I'm off my soap box now.

Bree's Big Adventure in an Indian Village...

Well, Bree's 6th grade class went on a trip to a rural Indian village. They took cow dung, cow pee and a little sugar to make fertilizer (Bree said the sugar tasted like grape juice...) They planted seeds and put fertizer on it. I hope I can put the little video clips up. They are so cute. They rode in a tractor, and they played games. Tomorrow Bree is going away for three days. What will I do??? (hehehe)

They are going to Yeligiri Park... or something like that. I'll share more pictures with you when they get back.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BRIANA!!!

Well, today is my baby's birthday. Briana turned 12 today, and boy have I been suffering through her mood swings. One minute she is happy, the next...she has gotta get out of here. Anyway I'm finally getting around to posting pictures...pictures of the baptism Sunday, pictures of Bree in the hospital, pictures of the birthday cake, pictures of my friends at Tamil class learning how to bargain with the "vegetable man", etc. Bree and Ashley are out now picking out a camera for her. Hopefully that will put her into a different phase of capturing events in her life here. She really has a good eye for shots.

WHERE DID JANUARY GO?

Where did January go? Seems like it was just yesterday I was coming down from Xmas...a lot has happened this month. It seems like a blur. In reflection, I was ecstatic watching Barack get sworn in. I was one who never believed America would let a black man into that realm (Actually, I have always felt his mom deserves credit as well, but we often just see "brown" skin and categorize people into little boxes. He is just like the posters you see of him, mulitcultural and everybody gets a piece of him that way. Being in India, watching everything on tv...I miss my country and am hopeful and prayerful that everything will be all right. I hope he is successful and can bring our country together.

In one week I saw more pain and anguish since I have been in India. It started when John's driver bumped a motorcycle...I tell you, I didn't know if he had ran over this guy or what...we were talking and WHAM...just like that the accident happened. Then the next day Briana had an asthma attack...which left me running for the car and whipping it around, oblivious to never having driven here, or even attempting a left-handed shift in crazy evening traffic...well, Bri wouldn't get in the car with me...need I say more? I could have handled it. (I had sent my driver home early...) I won't begin to go into the detail and trauma of the "good meaning" doctor whose prescription sent her into antoher...no, I'll just skip it. I get so tired of having to play doctor as well. Do you know how many people die from good meaning prescriptions...Anyway, we are straight now.

Then the next day going to the hospital for her blood work, I saw a motorcycle cream a lady standing too close to the road...thank God she could get up.

Well, after having a plethora of house problems and going through my manic depressive mode, I told John I had to move. Believe it or not, the company said, yes. Then the bad news, the movers would be here like in a week. Say it ain't so...

So I've been plowing through boxes. My back just isn't the same...which I can't figure out why I signed up for a Bollywood dance class, because after the first encounter...I dropped out. There is no way I can deal with the quick jerky movements with the back problems I've been having.

Then Roy, our minister, got slashed. Last report I heard out of 57 COC ministers here, 11 died last year. Most in the rural village areas... okay....pray for Roy. I went into shock that Sunday.

Whizzing down the street with my driver a few weeks ago we hit rush hour traffic and there was a truckload of musicians, all singing and playing instruments so beautifully. My driver told me they were all blind...well, we saw Slumdog Millionaire two nights ago, and that sent me back into my manic depression. Is it really true? Is that what really happens to children to make them sing for money. I just can't take it.

Johnnie's Aunt Zella passed away this month, and we couldn't go to the funeral. I sat the kids down and told them all the stories about her that I could remember. We always had such good times with her and Uncle James...life is but a dream....WHERE DID JANUARY GO?

February has got to be better. I'll put up house pictures and twist Bri's arm...she may even let me put a picture of her getting an IV drip at the hospital up...yeah, I had a camera to distract her and calm her down...it did help. One thing is for certain...my babies has really grown up. I'm really proud of Ashley for taking charge when Bri was falling ill, and I'm proud of Bri, after getting control of her panic/anxiety attacks, understanding that God is in control and we don't have to be afraid.

PICTURE TAG...

Okay, at the prompting of Lynn, (Yes, she tagged me), I thought I would comply with the rules of picture tag.

The object of picture tag is to: 1) Choose the 4th folder where you store your pictures on your computer; 2) Select the 4th picture in the folder; 3) Explain the picture; 4) Tag 4 people to do the same... No cheating, cropping, etc.

This picture was taken in February 2008 when I had come to Chennai on a house hunting trip. Yes, it's obvious I'm having a bad hair day, okay. Charmaine was taking us through all of these houses, and this house was huge...beautiful marble, stained glass windows, balconies...just in a lousy area.

Let's see...who can I tag now....Donna? Danie? Jennifer? Stephanie??? Tag, you're it.

p.s. On a sadder note, my driver had an accident on his motorcycle coming into work today. I still don't have all the information right, just that a bus from Pondecherry was the cause of the accident. His leg was bloody, his arm looked busted and his hand was gouged. Thank God there didn't appear to be head injuries. He was limping, and his brother had come to drive him to the hospital on his bike. (I am assuming that he got up and continued in for work after the occurance). I offered to drive him in the car...(I'm sure even though I haven't tried to, I could handle driving a left-handed gear shift with the steering on the right side of the car in rush hour traffic, I could handle it...) Well, he chose to climb onto the back of his bike and his brother drove him away. So, I am waiting to hear something. Hopefully in a few days he'll be fine. What a way to start out your day. Driving here is so SCARY. Even the best drivers aren't safe.