My Bebes!!

In the park, after lunch. Lots the same, I know, but I just couldn't decide which ones so I chose them all.

Coming Home - Again

Up at 3.30am, left at 4. We checked the flight status - on time.

We picked Granny up and had a really good run to the airport. Had to wait an hour or so for the boys to come through. Drew and Ben were last. Here's my first glimpse. I stood for a very long time with my finger poised on the shutter button of my phone. Got a pointer finger cramp. Then when I saw him I got a bit excited and got a blurry shot!

Granny hid up the other end of the building. He asked if she had come; I told him No, it was too early for her. We walked along talking, then stopped for a minute; she walked up casually to stand beside him - he nearly jumped out of his skin! Happiest Granny in Australia the world today!

We drove back to Twba listening to stories of poverty, sadness, joy and wonder; we laughed a lot at some of his stories and were sobered by others. This has been an experience like no other, one not quickly forgotten. Can't wait to see all the photos.

Meg took half the day off and we had a picnic in Queens Park; chicken and cheese rolls with orange juice. More photos and more stories. Photos to come.

Meg came home with us and we spent the afternoon together, unpacking, washing, sorting out Christmas  and watching a movie.

Then we made a quick trip to the farm to check the cows and water then called by Peter's to say hello.

It's good to have him back.

The Tie-Wire Girl

Back to the farm this morning, early, to avoid the 37 degree heat later in the day. I finished off the tie-wiring, my thumbs recovering overnight. When I finished I went back to the house and watered the very dry gardens and sat quietly on the steps, watching the water and thinking about Meg and Drew; Gibbo dug strainer post holes in numerous locations with the post hole digger, ready for the next fencing job/s. This photo is not well compositioned (I know Megan, I know) - I don't really have a tree growing out of my head.

I was also the map girl. I'm so versatile. I drew this ages ago, from memory, and today drove slowly and pulled up here and there, got out and walked around to make sure I had it right, with gates, tanks, fences and troughs in the right places. It's funny how you imagine something then realise it's not quite how it looks in yours mind's eye.

Drew gets on a plane tonight in Chennai, 11.15pm local time (3.45am our time) and lands in Singapore at 6am local time (8am our time). He's inching his way home again.

News from India 3

News from India is sporadic but enthusiastic. Drew is loving the colour and chaos and can't wait to go back (he's not even home yet). The Taj Mahal was epic and they watched the sun rise over it from a nearby rooftop while sipping chai tea. He watched the ritual bathing in the Ganges. He rowed a boat on the river. The Sister who ran the children's orphanage (MITHRA) at Chennai, the woman who they were supposed to have a lot of interaction with, died before they got there. Drew said the orphanage is desperately sad and no-one knows what to do. We light his baptism candle every night until he comes back safely to us.

The Week Just Gone

Gibbo left early Monday morning for a CQ run, visiting properties at Springsure, Comet and Dingo. He drove 650km Thursday to arrive home late at night. Friday we had two small groups of visitors that had to be kept a polite distance apart; so we had two lunches of this - a 9+ product from our mk brand.

There was more news from India during the week. The group has left Kolkata and the Prem Dahm clinic and moved on to Varanasi, the oldest continually inhabited city in the world and famous for spiritualism, mysticism, Indian philosophy and Hinduism; Drew is the guide here; they will also be hiring a boat for a sunrise ride on the holy Ganges to "witness the time-honoured ritual of bathing in the holy river". Then they're off to Delhi and Agra to see the Taj Mahal, then to Chennai to the Mithra Rehabilitation Centre where they will work with children and Drew will be able to use all the craft supplies he took with him. Then a few days in Singapore and home on Dec 19. This photo appeared on fb.

Meg worked in D on Friday so was home here early. She has nearly 200 macaron shells to make for Christmas gifts. She has sifted and weighed and separated and traced and organised everything into bowls ready to cook today.

Poofy enjoyed a few of these.

Meg bought this great hessian carry bag - one of these things is not like the other! She's been to 5 of these cities - can you guess which one she hasn't been to?! (Hint: it starts with G)!!

The annual planting of the portulaca in the two terracotta pots at the top of the brick path has happened (for the last time here at least). This year I added lobelia to the centre.

I planted some more vegetables - another tomato, this time Grosse Lisse; some tatsoi for quick greens; some more lettuce for Christmas and some eschallots.

I covered the latest plantings with shade cloth to give them a chance at growing. It's very, very hot.

We're busy giving the house and garden a quick spruce up before next weekend when we'll be having some visitors to stay; this will be their house after March next year. There's nothing like the thought of visitors to make you look around and see things that need doing - it gives one the motivation needed to get in and do a bit; it's easy to become comfortable with the state of things that could do with a re-fresh.

India 3

Leo's Style

Gibbo asked me what the hand signals mean. I said it's a Gen Y thing. He said, "Oh". 

News from India 2

Drew was on fb chat on Friday night so Meg and I had a quick catch up. It costs him about 20c an hour for internet in a place across the road from the Mother House.

• 4.15am starts knock him out
• no-one has been sick (yet)
• the volunteer work is tough
• he had an incident with a gaping knee wound, maggots, tweezers, antiseptic...and tears

"I miss you a lot. This country really makes me appreciate family".

We miss you too Drewy. 

Word from India

Today was a free day for volunteers; somehow, somewhere the boys found an internet cafe/connection. These two messages appeared on fb (it's useful for something at least).

MUM!
Nothing could have ever prepared me for India! It is absolute chaos over here and I bloody love it! Kolkata is crazy but I'm enjoying all the traffic and people. I've taken lots of photos! Each day we pass through one train station that moves the population of Australia on trains in one day!

I'm working in a place called Prem Dahm. It takes me about an hour with Casey and Ben to get there. Its a bit confronting but its really rewarding work. I love it so much.

We are keeping safe sort of haha and I haven't got sick yet which is good. I've tried some pretty interesting food and drank some pretty good stuff ;)

Love you loads. Will talk soon when I get more time for internet.
♥

And this one was for Meg.

Meg! In Kolkata. You won't believe it! I can buy two meals of Delhi style butter chicken with rice and garlic nan bread and drinks for abut $2.00 AUD. SO TASTY! Haha Miss you like crazy

I'm not sure what the "we are keeping safe sort of haha" bit means but I hope it's a positive.

The boys were able to choose one of five places to work. Drew chose Prem Dham. Check it out.

India 2012 Flying Away

We made it to the airport just on time, we weren't the last ones there. The boys lined up, booked in, had a quick farewell and off they went, all pretty excited. A quick goodbye is a good goodbye! It wasn't as traumatic as the Canada goodbye; at least he'll be home in a month, not 12.

Here's some not very good phone photos.