Our cleaner's (S) sons show up with her almost everyday and play outside our front door as she cleans our home. Elijah loves to stand at the door and talk with them or watch them play with the cars we let them borrow. This particular day the youngest son showed up with a cut on his knee. Neal immediately went to get some alcohol, neosporin, and a band-aid. S's boy was a little scared at first, but he loosen up as Neal talked him through what he was doing.
India's Vise President came here to Kite City to visit the University. We heard that he was coming and we were excited knowing that was really great for our city, however, we had no idea the problems it would bring. Everything is an adventure here!
Neal came home and asked if Elijah and I would like for him to take us out to the coffee shop. We, of course, were delighted to go. It was a beautiful day with a great breeze, especially on the motorcycle. As we turned down the street heading toward the coffee shop we noticed a lot of traffic that was stopped at the intersection, which of course doesn't have a red light. We drove up to see what was happening, and remembered the vise president coming. So, the traffic was stopped for his people to supposedly be able to drive through. The only problem was the traffic was stopped on both sides causing nothing but a big standstill.
After trying to travel on a different road that had the same problem, we ended up coming back and waiting probably 30 minutes. Periodically people would push their way through the traffic, but with Elijah and I sitting side saddle it was way too close for us to do that. So, Neal turned around to park the motorcycle while Elijah and I walked to the coffee shop through all the traffic. It was so funny...I've never seen anything like it.
We finally got one of the main ingredients that goes in Bond brownies, so we had to make them. This was Elijah's first time to help...and of course taste the mix, which is the best. The video shows how he turns away from me to eat some of the batter knowing he wasn't to be eating it...so cute! He learned fast!
The park where we like to go walk also has some grassy areas where kids play cricket, men play bad mitten, women sit and talk, and then there's an area with slides and other fun things for kids. Fun, yes, but not very safe with the metal broken in places and lots of rust...but that's okay as long as you're careful. Elijah loved playing!
Shortly after Elijah's birthday party our Landlord had a party of his own. His niece was turning three years old, and he (our landlord) was moving into his new apartment (the one directly below us). So, he decided to turn our garage into the big party area. All day long the ladies were working on preparing the food while the men draped the tapestries.
There were probably around 100 people at the party.
Left - our landlords son with Elijah. He loves to tease Elijah.
Right - the birthday girl... isn't she so cute!
Both of these kids, along with the others who live in our building love to come play with Elijah in our house.
This is our landlord and his mother.
We saw the strangest thing during the party. Whenever someone would come to greet the landlord's mother they would lift the bottom of her saree and touch her ankles. We'd never seen this before...I guess it was a way to honor her as their elder. Not sure I want my clothes lifted when I'm old to show honor to me:)
Like everyone else, even the littlest girl in the building (the birthday girl) wants to hold Elijah. It's the cutest thing, especially since they're almost the same size.
Below is the birthday girl's mom. I see her a lot more often than any of the other wives in our landlord's family because she gets out and drives the scooter, etc. She's so sweet!
The DJ finally stopped singing and telling jokes around 6 in the morning. Since there's no insulation in our building, and the stage for the DJ was direction below our apartment...you guessed it...we could hear him all night even though we're on the second story.
Here's a video at midnight from our dining room with the sound of the Hindi music ringing through our apartment.
