Buying eggs

Out on a scooter ride and stopped to buy eggs.

Gift from Jenne

We invaded her home, cooked brunch in her kitchen, and she thanks me with this beautiful gift. I love it.

Dog sitting - Hodge and Helli

Our reputation as the local dog sitter is growing. Our first experience with bother & sister team Hodge and Helli has been great. Totally sweet dogs.

Hodge

Helli - Annika's favorite

Annika gets her sewing machine

Annika got a small sewing kit for Christmas. Just a needle, several colors of thread, and some pieces of pre-cut fabric and instructions for how to make little pouches. Annika loved the kit and everyone in the family received several pouches.

From then she has been playing with waste fabric we received from a local lady's tailor and it's been non-stop ever since. And so have the requests for a sewing machine...

I received a mass e-mail from a charity, selling a few sewing machines, that rescues women and girls from traffickers. This charity teaches the women to sew so they can support themselves so they don't find themselves in the position they were in. The charity was given several sewing machines only they couldn't use them because they are domestic machines and the charity needs industrial ones. So they sold the donated machines to buy the ones they needed.

Annika doesn't know that part of the story, she just knows she's REALLY EXCITED!!

Yes, I'm working on getting a proper table.


Bedtime was hard tonight, she wanted to keep working, but she'll have plenty of time to learn her new skill.

Annika's assignment: Texture

Potato sack
Annika's homework required her to submit 15 photos on a single topic such as a color, speed, emotion, etc. She chose texture and we loaded fresh batteries into the camera and took off for a local Sunday outdoor market.

rib cage of a hanging goat carcass
I'm so proud of her, she did an excellent job.

chili

onion skins

live chicken feathers

coconut

She took about 22 great photos and we cut them down to the required 15. India is such an amazing place for photography and digital cameras make it so easy to explore. I explained to Annika how we had to be careful taking photos when I was a kid because it cost money to develop every photo. She has the freedom to just click away...

Friendly faces from the Sunday market

Does this meet OSHA standards?

While running errands we drove past this construction site, I was a little taken by the staircase used by the workmen.

Is that a Metro train I see?

The City of Bangalore has been working on it's Metro light rail for longer than we've been here. But I honestly never thought I'd actually see a train on the tracks. Well, surprise, now I've seen one. The system isn't running yet but at least that's progress!

Fun with the locals

This lady had several goats both inside and outside her home. I stopped to observe them and she came outside to see what I wanted. I said, "Photo?" and she stopped so I could take one.

A couple of the goats inside her gate.

These laborers were as curious about me as I was about them.

They were all working on a road repair project... by hand!

Look at those guns!

Since the young guy was showing off the older dude wanted to show me what he was made of. Nice!

Pottery Town getting ready for Ganesha Fest

Our first year in India was kicked off by the Ganesha Festival and it really gave us a great start to our adventure. I'm looking forward to the Festival coming again the 2nd week of September.

It's all Ganesha!!

From the small...

...to the huge!

Erik absconds with an auto rickshaw

After an evening out with some friends we passed by a rickshaw stand. Erik immediately went to the first rickshaw in the line and started asking questions.

The driver gave Erik the key...

...then showed him how to start it...

...and he was OFF!!!

((Whoops, maybe that was a mistake.))

Erik was gone for a good 10 minutes and drove up and down the main road but this time with a passenger!!
Finally he came back through the parking lot and stopped.

As soon as he stopped the rickshaw he was surrounded by rickshaw drivers patting his back and shaking his hand. I believe they were impressed that he could drive it without killing the engine or himself.

Only in India.

To give you some idea of how big Shogun is

If you look closely, you can see Annika laying on the other side of him.

Yes, when we dog sit, he sleeps with us. And sometimes the kids do too.

First day of school!

My little 3rd grader and 1st grader!

August is wearing a school uniform for the first time! Such a big boy! And so proud!




Have a great day!

Getting measured for school uniforms

Back to school orientation included getting measured for their official uniforms and picking up their P.E. uniforms

Auggie's friend Darcy - big 1st grader now

My big 1st grader

My 3rd grader! Where has the time gone??