Thursday, October 31, 2013

HAPPY HALLOWEENIE!

Indians don't really celebrate Halloween, but the party shop sells lots of stuff! We were able to get my costume there. 
Today we celebrated my Aunty Gretchen's Big 50 Birthday. 
 Wyatt number 2 just turned 2! Kira turned 7 earlier this month. Happy Birthday to my friends!
And HAPPY HALLOWEENIE to all my BLOGSVILLE BUDDIES!! Stay AWAY from the chocolate!! 

Thursday, October 24, 2013

DENGUE FEVER

Dengue Fever is some bad stuff for humans. It is prevalent in my city these days, as well as other cities in India. It is carried by mosquitoes. As it gets cooler, there will be less mosquitoes, but now, we have lots. And mosquitoes like my Lady. She's been plugging things into walls, and slathering on goop. Mosquitoes don't like doggie blood - they prefer human blood, so I don't have to worry. Aunty Gail, one of my timeshare families, is in the hospital with Dengue now. We just got word that Aunty Mindy, another one of my timeshare families, tested positive for Dengue as well. Another American teen friend of ours was admitted to the hospital last night. And, we got word yesterday that my little buddy Wyatt (age 2 1/2) tested positive for Dengue fever. He is miserable! If his platelets drop further he will also be hospitalized. Nasty stuff. 
This is just one of the things we deal with here. 
I sure enjoyed having my newest little buddy, Nolan here this week! He is full of good smells! He's only three months old. 
Lady and I are home for the rest of the month. Our November calendar is full, with three trips! 
It's cooling off a bit. We enjoy temps in the low seventies in the early morning! Our highs are finally in the high eighties!! 

Wednesday, October 16, 2013

Today is Bakri Id and the Day Lady Came Back Again!

So many festivals and religious holidays in India! This one is celebrated by the Muslims, and today is a major holy day. This is NOT a good day for goats. In our old neighborhood down south, we would hear the bleating of a goat and then it would stop abruptly. Later, we would see the evidence of the blood spill, reenacting the blood sacrifice by Abrahim. It is referred to as the festival of sacrifice. The goat is later consumed by family members and some of it given to the poor. We saw that on our street down south as well. But the neighborhood we live in now is by far mostly Hindu and Sikh. Navatri began on Oct. 5 with each of the next nine days celebrating a female deity. In the north where Lady just came from, the big day is Durga Puja, on Oct. 11. The schools let out and people traveled to see family. 
Lady and I celebrated being back together after twelve days! She brought me a new stuffie -a Himalayan Black Bear from up in the mountains of Darjeeling. Yes, like the tea! 

 A real Himalayan black bear!
 A real red panda!
 Himalayan mountain sunset in Darjeeling.
 "Marley, we read your book and made this for you!"
"I made this for you, Marley!"
Thank you, Graydon! Thank you, Ian!! You did a great job! Thanks for thinking of me! If you come to Delhi, please come visit me!
Lady is working on a mountain of laundry. She made us grilled cheese sandwiches for dinner. Yep, she missed me.

Thursday, October 03, 2013

My World

Yesterday was Gandhi Ji's birthday, the father of this nation. The traffic was less than usual as many shops and business were closed for this national holiday. There are a bazillion religious festivals but only three national holidays. The other two are Republic Day in January, and Independence Day in August. Gandhi was born Oct. 2, 1869 in the state of Gujarat. Mahatma means "Great Soul," a title given to him by the great Indian poet Rabrindranth. But humble Gandhi didn't like it. Gandhi practiced what he preached -peace and nonviolence, truth and duty, which the common people liked so they followed him. He was kind to animals. He didn't eat them. Unfortunately, Gandhi was assassinated on January 30, 1948.
Lady and I spent the day getting ready for our friends to arrive. Baby Nolan is coming!! He was born July 16 here in Delhi. I think he's bringing his mom and dad, too. I like babies. They have good smells.
I'll tell you about other holidays and festivals later.
Here's some pictures from Flat Marley's trip to Goa, a very nice beach spot.




  Kiki and Ezzie are getting so big! They were at the meeting as well.
Mahatma Gandhi initiated some of the most important and historic movements during the struggle for Independence, one of the most important one in the history of Indian struggle for independence was the Satyagraha Movement. It was based on Gandhi’s belief that God is the Truth and Truth is God. The movement is best described as a silent force, that eliminates rivalries and bad blood, by not fighting back or being affected by others as that would only harm you, but instead, taking the moral high that would only purify you and bring you closer to the truth, which is God.

Some of the Freedom Movements initiated by Mahatma Gandhi were the Civil Rights Movement in South Africa, Ahimsa – Non-violence, Non-cooperation, Civil Disobedience, Khilafat Movement, Swaraj – Self Rule, Salt Satyagraha – Salt March and his opposition to Child Marriage, Untouchables, Purdah, Oppression of Hindu Widows and numerous other social causes that were a great concern. - See more at: http://www.festivalsofindia.in/gandhijayanti/#sthash.19h6lhvM.dpuf

Mahatma Gandhi initiated some of the most important and historic movements during the struggle for Independence, one of the most important one in the history of Indian struggle for independence was the Satyagraha Movement. It was based on Gandhi’s belief that God is the Truth and Truth is God. The movement is best described as a silent force, that eliminates rivalries and bad blood, by not fighting back or being affected by others as that would only harm you, but instead, taking the moral high that would only purify you and bring you closer to the truth, which is God.

Some of the Freedom Movements initiated by Mahatma Gandhi were the Civil Rights Movement in South Africa, Ahimsa – Non-violence, Non-cooperation, Civil Disobedience, Khilafat Movement, Swaraj – Self Rule, Salt Satyagraha – Salt March and his opposition to Child Marriage, Untouchables, Purdah, Oppression of Hindu Widows and numerous other social causes that were a great concern. - See more at: http://www.festivalsofindia.in/gandhijayanti/#sthash.19h6lhvM.dpuf
Mahatma Gandhi initiated some of the most important and historic movements during the struggle for Independence, one of the most important one in the history of Indian struggle for independence was the Satyagraha Movement. It was based on Gandhi’s belief that God is the Truth and Truth is God. The movement is best described as a silent force, that eliminates rivalries and bad blood, by not fighting back or being affected by others as that would only harm you, but instead, taking the moral high that would only purify you and bring you closer to the truth, which is God.

Some of the Freedom Movements initiated by Mahatma Gandhi were the Civil Rights Movement in South Africa, Ahimsa – Non-violence, Non-cooperation, Civil Disobedience, Khilafat Movement, Swaraj – Self Rule, Salt Satyagraha – Salt March and his opposition to Child Marriage, Untouchables, Purdah, Oppression of Hindu Widows and numerous other social causes that were a great concern. - See more at: http://www.festivalsofindia.in/gandhijayanti/#sthash.19h6lhvM.dpuf