Chintu is in India

Well, he made it there! I have talked to him. It's rained a lot, they lost their electricity for most of yesterday and today. It's hot. Lots of mosquitos. He's having fun though, in spite of still being really tired. I miss him terribly! Here is a picture of the balloons that Dr. Tom brought when he, Tanya, and Kathy came to a little "bon voyage" dinner the Friday before he left. Tom said the heart to remind him that he's loved and the Dora the Explorer because he's traveling the world.

Smiles and peace to all who read here today!

Water, water, everywhere

and not a drop to drink! On my way home from work this evening I decided to take some pictures of the flooding going on in the Athens area. This first picture is Route 13, just off of 550, toward Chauncey. The car you see in the water is actually abandoned there...I'm assuming someone decided to try to go through the water...I think psychologists call that a personal fable.
This picture is looking across the Hocking River toward the back of Staples.
And this one is the back of Lowes.
I'm not sure what this building is, but these next two shots are flooded parking lots, the first on the side and back, and the other one on the back.
The rest of these are the parking lot and picnic area below the dam at Dow Lake. The first two are looking out toward Route 50. Yes, those are picnic table tops you see...

In this one the horizon you see is actually the dam. The water in the foreground, just above the grass, is actually more of the parking lot...

This is the same area, but farther towards 50.

This is looking out toward the outlet for the overflow from the lake. You should have seen the water gushing out of it, like blood being pumped by a human's pulse.

On my way to work this morning, the water was not this high, even though the rain had stopped during the night. Strange how that works, huh?

By the way, for anyone who does not know, Chintu made it home to India, safe and sound. He called at 3 p.m. today and had arrived safely in Cochin, which is about and hour and a half's drive from home. I sure do miss him....sigh...but hope he has an outstanding time!

Peace to all who read here today!

Sad news from Boone

On our way to the airport this morning, Tanya called Chintu and told us that her daddy had passed on early this morning. Zeb has been sick and got worse last night. They called Petie in and somewhere around 1:30, he quietly slipped out. Tanya called me during the night, but, alas, my phone did not ring in. I received her voice mail late this morning. Our love and thoughts go out to the Shook family....

Peace and love to all who read

A beautiful winter's evening sky

Yesterday as Chintu and I drove to Marietta for the Ethel Caffie-Austin concert (which, incidentally, was awesome in spite of her having a terrible cold and performing at about 60% of her ability...I learned a lot about black spirituals, etc.), Chintu grabbed the camera to capture some shots of the incredible evening sky. These phoetos (can you hear Inspector Closeau in that?) don't do the sky justice, but, hey, for having been snapped from a moving vehicle, and some of them through the windshield, they're pretty impressive. Then he had to snap one of us, too....sigh...I look old...oh well!

Peace to all who read..

My baby girl is not a baby anymore....sigh

My "baby"...Sarah, who is almost 22 now...is, sometimes, in my mind, still a tiny little girl...but, here is proof that she is not. She is a cosmetologist/stylist, etc., and recently changed her hair color from the strawberry blonde that she always used to detest and that nearly everyone else loves.... She still looks good, and is definitely not a little girl anymore...but she will ALWAYS be MY little girl, my princess, my little Sarah Elizabeth! I know that other parents whose children have grown can feel my pain!

I love you, little girl!

Peace to all who read today...

I love Christmas in February

This month were have still been receiving Christmas gifts...how cool is THAT? Tanya's sister, Tita, who lives in Virginia, sent a gift home with Tanya for us. Tanya forgot to give it to us...then she told us and we forgot to get it...and she brought it to our birthday party a couple of weeks ago. It is a great handmade ceramic pitcher from Boone, NC. Notice the details on it. Then, we were never able to "have Christmas" with Patricia because of difficulty coordinating our schedules. She gave us an awesome set of SUNFLOWER mugs. Using them today to serve Chintu and myself cardamom tea is what prompted this post. Thanks, girls! It's a dreary-like winter day outside and I'm R E A L L Y lazy. In a couple of hours, though, we'll head off to Marietta for the Evergreen Arts and Humanities Series' Ethel Caffie-Austin concert.

Ok, I just realized that Chintu is at least as crazy as I am...and "mebbe" moreso.... He suddenly said, I want to stand barefoot in the snow...and outside he went...and I, of course, grabbed the camera and followed.....hmmmm....

Peace and love be bestowed on all who read this post from "La Casa de Amor"

A wintry Friday in Athens

Well, the weather could certainly be much worse...and was last night. My normally 50 minute drive home from work took me almost an hour and a half yesterday. The snow was beautiful, but the roads were so bad... Fortunately, though, I only saw two wrecks. One car had slid off the road backwards and was sitting like a bridge across a pretty deep ditch.... When I passed Dow Lake I thought it looked so beautiful that if the roads hadn't been so messy, I'd have come home and gotten Chintu, and we, in our "boops", would have gone to walk by the dam. The appearance of the moon through the snow "gave a luster of midday to objects below" and it was such a pretty night. The flowers Tanya brought to our birthday party on February 9 still look pretty good...amazingly, after that much time...

Here is a pic of the brown boi when we were getting ready to go to the play Wednesday night. Ain't he the sweetest thing?And a couple pics from our place this afternoon....

Peace to all who read here today....

Chintu is (still) my hero

In early December, Chintu purchased tickets for us to see the Broadway musical, Rent, at OU here in Athens. Tonight was the performance, and wow! It was awesome! While I must confess I REALLY love the movie (thanks once again, Tita), seeing Rent presented on stage was awesome! During the performance I realized, once again, just how lucky I am...lucky to have Chintu in my life and lucky that our love is of the same caliber and more than the love between Tom Collins and Angel. Such beauty..."I'll cover you!" Thank you, again, and so much, Chintu! I love you!

It's Muuuuunday!

Yes, it's Monday. But, Monday is not so bad this week, since I don't have to work today! Yah, me! Don't get me wrong, I love my job, but having a day off is always a joy. I was cleaning out emails and ran across this...I thought it was hilarious when I read it, but failed to pass it on, so I think I'll just share it here...

Indian Winter Forecast

It was already late fall and the Indians on a remote reservation in South Dakota asked their new chief if the coming winter was going to be cold or mild. Since he was a chief in a modern society he had never been taught the old secrets. When he looked at the sky he couldn't tell what the winter was going to be like. Nevertheless, to be on the safe side, he told his tribe that the winter was indeed going to be cold and that the members of the village should collect firewood to be prepared.

But being a practical leader, after several days he got an idea. He went to the phone booth, called the National Weather Service and asked, "Is the coming winter going to be cold?"

"It looks like this winter is going to be quite cold," the meteorologist at the weather service responded. So the chief went back to his people and told them to collect even more firewood in order to be prepared.

A week later he called the National Weather Service again. "Does it still look like it is going to be a very cold winter?"

"Yes," the man at National Weather Service again replied, "it's going to be a very cold winter."

The chief again went back to his people and ordered them to collect every scrap of firewood they could find.

Two weeks later the chief called the National Weather Service again. "Are you absolutely sure that the winter is going to be very cold?"

"Absolutely," the man replied. "It's looking more and more like it is going to be one of the coldest winters we've ever seen."

"How can you be so sure?" the chief asked.

The weatherman replied, "The Indians are collecting firewood like crazy."

Always remember this whenever you get advice from a government official !

Here's another picture of us from our recent birthday party.

May your day be filled with fun, love, laughter, and peace!

It's somebunny's biiiirfday!

Thirty years ago today, one of the most amazing human beings who ever incarnated on this round ball of dirt we call earth was born! HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Chintu!!! You are the most loving, kind, gentle, thoughtful, insightful, patient person I have ever met, and I am so proud and happy to get to kiss you good night each night and good morning each morning.

Knowing you has improved my life immensely and I cannot say enough how much happiness I wish for you on this, your birthday. So, no teasing about being thirty - there is no room in my heart or mind for doing that to you - you are far too amazing to be only thirty years old, my love!

Happy Birthday, Chintu!

May everyone who reads here today find the joy and peace I feel as I post this special greeting!

Love, Sweet Love

Happy Valentine's Day to all...what is left of it...since it is now 10:27 p.m. here in Athens! It has been a good day and a GREAT evening. You see, the orignal "plan" (I thought) was for me to pick up steaks and were were going to grill out. The restaurants are WAY too busy for us today. But, just before I left work, Chintu told me that he had already fixed dinner...hmmm...and he wouldn't tell me what he fixed. Well, some of you will really appreciate this awesome combination...chicken curry, rice, and collard greens. The curry was the best Chintu has ever fixed for me, I believe. He had the novel idea of using ricearoni and cooking it in the rice cooker. The collards were canned, but you certainly couldn't tell it. He had the table set in the sweetest way, candles lit everywhere, and met me at the door with a kiss and a bottle of champagne. Now, THAT is romantic.
(For those who may not know, the sunflower picture above the dining room table is actually a painting that Chintu did for me a year ago, right after we met.) After dinner, he fixed me a hot bath, with candlelight (he had placed a group of tealights so that they reflected in the mirror above the tub in the shape of a heart), and music, of course...another glass of champagne, and cake for dessert...and that is where he brought me my Valentine's Day gifts (I gave him his this morning)...chocolates, a neat mail and key keeper combo, a beautiful card, and the sweetest hanging ceramic heart. It has been a glorious Valentine's Day...our first together since we committed to one another as a couple.

Peace, and love, sweet love....to all who read!

Birthday Bash

Last night was our big birthday party. We were fortunate to have 7 friends come to celebrate with us. Two more would have been here, but Patricia had to work and Craig had some things to attend to which prevented him from joining us. The food was great... Archan's chicken curry, Nihar's Indian hors d'oevres, Tanya's fried collard greens, Renato's rice and veggies, Dr. Tom's dip and crackers, Lei's Chinese ribs, my chilli, and Kathy made the birthday cake. Tanya made Chintu's day by bringing fresh flowers. We drank wine and champagne, and before the evening was over, Chintu and Nihar were making fruit martinis, too! We were, as you can see in the photo, very happy to have everyone here.

Tanya relaxing and sharing a smile...

Renato looking like he was up to something....

Lei's beautiful smile (isn't she photogenic?)

Lei, Kathy, Nihar, and Chintu sharing a moment...

A great picture of Kathy...

Archan and Nihar...we were so glad they were here...

I'm glad that Chintu and others pressed to have a fire and did almost all of the work (I had a terrible headache and tried to discourage it at first)...it was an awesome end to an awesome evening...
Chintu wanted fresh flowers for the party, and he got them...

We'll probably post more pics later...may peace and love be abundant for all who read and look here...

Finding Old Friends and Enjoying Life

Man, time flies. Life is so busy. It's been six days since I posted anything here. It seems to be a time of renewing old acquaintances. Chintu has been electronically reconnecting with several old classmates. Over the last few months Patricia has reconnected with a couple of people from her distant past. Tanya has heard from old friends in recent times as well. A few days ago, through a message on classmates.com I have been corresponding with an old, old friend. Jimmy and I met when we were in third grade together and lived very near one another. We were friends all through high school, but as the story so often goes, after graduation we lost touch completely. While there are those from my past with whom I would not enjoy reconnecting, I have enjoyed catching up with him. That is the finding old friends part of this....

The enjoying life part has to do with something Chintu said in a half-asleep voice a few minutes ago. We had watched four episodes of "Queer as Folk" on DVD (isn't Netflix great?), and he had fallen asleep with his head on my shoulder while I was watching music videos of Rufus Wainwright, because the last episode we watched had his song "Poses" at the end. When I finished, I woke him so he could go to bed and wouldn't get the stiffneck. As he groggily undressed for bed, he said how romantic it was for him to sit there and fall asleep leaning on me...and how he had "seen" several good dreams while he slept there. ("seen" dreams is his version of my "had" dreams). For us, it is truly the "little things" that make our relationship so fufilling and contented. I am still in awe of this wonderful man with whom I am privileged to share every day of my life. He is simply amazing.

Having such great friends in my life is such an awesome thing, too. Even though I don't see most of them as much since I moved, they are all an important part of my...our....life. Yesterday, Tanya took me out to dinner for my birthday before we went to the EAHS lecture featuring Callie Lyons on the topic of the chemical C8. Tomorrow evening, a wonderfully diverse group of our beloved friends will gather with us to celebrate both our birthdays, mine just past and Chintu's coming up the day after Valentine's Day. There will be "Americans", East Indians, a Columbian, and a Chinese.

Here is a picture of Chintu and I with his/our Chinese friend, Lei, at the Chinese Spring Festival at OU last Saturday. (Not bad for a camera phone picture that I took of us, huh?)Attending that event was such a thrill for me. I enjoyed every moment of it...even though I did not, of course, understand the words of the songs on the program, I certainly felt the heart of several of them, proven by the tears with which my eyes brimmed.

May all who read feel peace and a connectedness to, and an appreciation of, all peoples...Namaste...

A great birthday

Well, I made it to 47 years old.
To some people, that is really old.
To others, it is kind of young.
To me, being here....I don't feel any differently, basically, than I have over the last few years. My birthday was spent doing not much of anything til mid afternoon...then, after cutting my hair, a habit I have...hehehe....Chintu and I met our friend, Kathy, for dinner at one of my favorite restaurants ever...Tampico (2nd Street, Marietta).
Then it was off to Washington State for the Evergreen Arts and Humanities Series presentation of Ragamala (http://www.ragamala.net/). It was awesome. Yes, some of the dances (one in particular) were very long. But the artistic ability of the performers was splendid. Chintu observed that he had seen better in India, but that makes perfect sense, right?
After the presentation, we learned that two of the three performers were sisters, one of which was born in Chintu's home state of Kerala. The other sister was born in his neighboring state of Tamil Nadu, where Ragamala's dance form, Bharatanatyam, originated. The third performer was actually Jewish/Cuban. It was funny because Chintu and Kathy thought she looked Jewish and I thought she looked Hispanic. So, I guess we were all right. Here are some pictures from dinner...

and one of the performers, borrowed from their promo material.

Namaste, and fun to all who read! (Oh, by the way, Dewg is adjusting nicely to his new home and owner!)