Guess Where I'm Going Tomorrow?

Well, Obi sitting in the box isn't the clue, but if you can read the flyer on the counter next to the box you'll know... Festival of India in Charlotte! In preparation for this much anticipated annual event I dragged out my henna supplies and set up in the kitchen. After removing my supplies from the red box Obi immediately claimed squatters rights and anyone who tried to say otherwise was sorry!

My supplies going clockwise from 6:00: the henna (which I made from scratch) in the squeeze tube, the designs I made by combining other samples I've seen, a little bottle of eucalyptus oil, tissues, sugar lemon solution, cotton balls, and gauze.

The design is drying with a coating of lemon sugar on top. Earlier I had to call Saeed in for help to fix my leaking tube of henna. Once I've begun I can't use my left hand to do anything!

The finished product is always a bit disappointing. I leave the henna on while sleeping to give it the hours needed to sink in. I do not hold still in my sleep, however, so many of my "designs" smear into blobs! Nevertheless I have a good time and enjoy the artistic endeavor. If I ever wanted to become a henna artist for a living (don't worry, I won't quit my day job) I'd have a lot of practice to do first.

Tomorrow I will happily immerse myself in Indian food, Indian music, Indian dancing, Indian jewelry, and Indian displays of art, history and culture.
And oh yeah, did I mention Indian food?
:-)

What Super Hero Are You?

Have you ever wondered who you would be if you were a super hero? I took the test and look at my results. I like being Superman (Jerry and George eat your heart out) but I was hoping for Catwoman. At least I wasn't the Hulk!

Your results:
You are Superman

Superman 80% Supergirl 65% Robin 62% Wonder Woman 55% Spider-Man 55% The Flash 50% Catwoman 45% Green Lantern 40% Batman 30% Hulk 25% Iron Man 10%

You are mild-mannered, good, strong and you love to help others.

Click here to take the Superhero Personality Quiz

New Wheels!

Yes, we have a new car, a Camry. It used to belong to Ken's mom who recently passed away; we were happy to give it a new home. Since Anahita successfully transported her car to California we decided to do it the same way and were very happy with the fellow who drove it down here.

Saeed and I were happy to schmoozle with his dog as he drove the car off his transport truck. I guess "Gunner" keeps his owner company on long treks.

The view from the right....

...and from the left.

He had to deliver it at the Harris Teeter parking lot near our home because his truck would've had trouble in our neighborhood, but look how nice it looks in our driveway at sunset!

Thanks to Martha and Ken for doing all the leg work on their end, to Saeed for doing all the leg work on this end, and to Jeanne Wiseman for keeping her car in such nice shape.

Pro-Football Has Begun

You wouldn't think I'd be interested in Pro-Football, but over the years it's been a source of entertainment and money in our marriage, yes money. We bet $1 per game and have very different strategies. Saeed takes the team he thinks is going to win. I take the team I like. Like? Yes, like. For example, I may choose the Philadelphia Eagles over the New York Jets because who would ever vote for a flying piece of metal over our beautiful national bird? I may take the Chicago Bears over the New England Patriots because I'm from Illinois originally and really, who would ever vote for politicians? I may vote for the Minnesota Vikings over the Green Bay Packers because I like their colors better.
The only problem is when the Carolina Panthers play. We both want them to win. I guess we've been down here long enough that we consider them "our" team. We had a good day today. Panthers beat the St. Louis Rams 27-13. Right now the Bears are playing the San Diego Chargers. It's the third quarter with the Chargers leading 7 to 3. Hmmm.... mountain goats v.s. grizzly bears. I'll have to go for the Bears. I actually like goats a lot, but the Bears are from Illinois :-)

(image courtesy of www.stlouisrams.com)

Fall Is Just Around The Corner

This was always my Dad's favorite time of year. Hating summer and the heat that came with it, September excited him as his favorite month, October, was one calendar page away. I also look forward to the day I can open my windows again, for my pleasure and for the "TV" it provides the kitties. Yesterday they noticed a squirrel in the dogwood tree outside our bedroom window, eating the red berries the tree grows in late summer. The squirrel scurried from cluster to cluster not missing one berry on the branch and not reluctant to step to the very tip of the branch to get one. Even though the window was closed the excitement was palpable as Lupe, Teddie, and Shahbanu ran to the "TV" to watch. Not one muscle twitched lest the squirrel detect their presence.

In spring our neighborhood is LOADED with snow white blossoms from the dogwood trees. Some blossoms are pink, but ours are like these: white with a pink hue at the tip of each petal.

And this is what the squirrels must think taste so good! It's amazing to me that the tree puts out beautiful white flowers in one season, then bright red berries in the next.

*dogwood photographs courtesy of www.all-creatures.org

A Few More Peace Quotes

"The more we sweat in peace the less we bleed in war."
This first quote was spoken by someone most of us don't know: Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit. She was the first woman to become President of the United Nations General Assembly and held many important political positions in India. She also was the sister of Jawaharlal Nehru and the aunt of Indira Gandhi (of whom she was critical.)

"Peace hath higher tests of manhood than battle ever knew."
This was said by John Greenleaf Whittier, an American Quaker poet and forceful advocate of the abolition of slavery in the United States. The elementary school to which Martha and I went was named after him, "Whittier School."

"If you want peace, work for justice."
Pope Paul VI reigned from 1963 to 1978, the time of my growing up within the Catholic Church. He convened the Second Vatican Council and presided over the majority of its sessions and oversaw many of its decrees. One of the things decided during this time was to switch Catholic mass from Latin to the language of the attendants. I felt this change directly, as I began to understand (in English) the mass that had previously been just a bunch of mumbo jumbo.

"Peace in not a relationship of nations. It is a condition of mind brought about by a serenity of soul. Peace is not merely an absence of war, it is also a state of mind. Lasting peace can come only to peaceful people."
Jawaharlal Nehru, the first prime minister of independent India and a pivotal figure in the Indian independence movement, was very strongly attracted to Mahatma Gandhi's philosophy and leadership. (Mohandas Gandhi, my first mentor in the philosophy of peaceful living and nonviolence, will have a post all to himself in the future.) Indira Gandhi was his daughter, Rajiv Gandhi his grandson.

"If you want to make peace with your enemy, you have to work with your enemy. Then he becomes your partner."
Nelson Mandela was the first democratically-elected president of South Africa. It was the ideas of Gandhi that inspired his anti-Apartheid activist activities which landed him in jail for nearly three decades. In 1993 he won the Nobel Peace Prize.

"While you are proclaiming peace with your lips, be careful to have it even more fully in your heart."
St. Francis of Assisi is known as the patron saint of animals, birds and the environment. He is also credited with the famous prayer, "Lord, make me an instrument of thy peace......" but some say this can not be proven.

Lisa and Dan's Wedding

I'll let the pictures do the talking, but my photographic results were less than great. I guess I shouldn't quit my day job to become a wedding photographer! If you want to see some really nice pics go to Shirin's Snapfish site, but here we go:

The best man, Shirin and Anahita were the readers. Since they were reading from the bible the priest had asked them at the rehersal whether they were Catholic (I guess to see if they could handle the readings?) The best man said, "Um, I think so....." Shirin said they weren't Catholic but that she and Tita had gone to Catholic school. He seemed OK with that.

Tita also sang the only vocal piece during the wedding. Shirin or Gabriel will put that up on YouTube if you want to listen to it.

They hired a bus to bring the wedding party to the reception.

The bride's happy parents.

Lisa dances with her husband....

....then her dad.

Silly girl put her veil over her dad during the dance :-)

Saeed and Gabriel doing what men do best at weddings.

This was their wedding cake... yes doughnuts. Apparently Dan loves doughnuts, so this was Lisa's idea.

It was a lovely wedding. Mr. and Mrs. Dan Morris will be honeymooning in Italy. Wonder if they have doughnuts in Italy?

What A Lady's Man

It was a lazy start to Sunday morning. The weather was amazingly cool and the deck seemed like a good place to drink some OJ and read the funnies. Cha Cha, of course, is where the ladies are.

Even a handsome lady's man can get itchy sometimes.

Shirin is going to miss her naughty nephew.

Cha Cha wants to hear "Mutts" read again.

Some final schmoozling from his aunty.

Then his mommy wakes up and comes outside.

Getting a good rub down.

Oh my, a porno picture.

A girl and her dog.

After this idyllic morning the wedding preparations begin. Shirin and Anahita are summoned by the the bride and off they go!

Everyone's Here (*Almost)

Now the weekend can start. Shirin and Gabriel got home late Friday night (too late for pictures) and brought ChaCha with them. Too bad you can't hear Tita's squeal of delight at her reunion with Cha Cha and see her burrowing her nose in Cha Cha's fur to smell his familiar scent. This morning Shirin and Anahita went to the wedding rehersal and then returned for brunch. Shirin cooked and we all happily ate!

Anahita had to go to Petsmart to buy Cha Cha a carrier for his trip to California. He seems rather worn out by their shopping trip.

Since Tita moved to California Shirin was in charge of keeping their bridesmaid dresses at her house and then bringing them both here. I'm sure they'll look nice but it's interesting that black has become an acceptable color for bridesmaid dresses.

Seeking out fatherly advise and receiving it!

* We are missing Prathap. It feels incomplete without him. Next time he has to come home too or we may have to resort to extreme measures!