Make New Friends and Keep the Old...

One is silver and the other is gold!

Today is our daughter's last day of her Canadian holiday and I must say that it has been a wonderful treat having her here. 

Our neighbour suggested that we have a "going away" party for her so that was yesterday's event. It was a wonderful day of cooking, baking, socializing and catching up with some friends and family members. 

My brother from Ottawa arrived with organic eggs, fresh corn, and a bottle of port. The eggs and corn were a last minute text request, even though he had asked me earlier, "What can I bring?" and my reply was "Just yourself." My apology was accepted!

The eggs enabled me to finish the coconut macaroons that I had started earlier in the morning. 

An hour later a young lady from our Collingwood days arrived.  She was married on the weekend of our family reunion and now lives just to the south of us.  It had been years since a face-to-face visit and needless to say, it was amazing to see her and catch up. She and our daughter were born just two days apart and have often been mistaken for sisters. 

Reunion of  two beautiful friends!

The next guest to arrive were our next door neighbours, who always add a bit of excitement by bringing their effervescent selves to events.  After hugs all around, we settled down to a lovely meal of Gigantico burgers, fresh lake bass, corn on the cob, scalloped potatoes, barbecued vegetables and coconut cookies for dessert. As I write, I realize that the salad I had prepared earlier in the day was never brought out of the refrigerator. 

And the bottle of port sits on the kitchen counter awaiting our next guests...

I am reminded of the kindness of others, the joy of reuniting with friends of old, the fellowship of sharing a meal together and just how fortunate we are to live in this beautiful country. 

Safe travels, wherever you are going in life!

Until next time, 

Bee Rich

Party Time with Colleagues

Too soon the end of the school year is coming!  I just realized yesterday that we have only five weeks left of our time here in Bangalore, and it made me feel nostalgic. In fact, I also felt a little bit sad. :(

To celebrate the ending of our school year and also the opening of their new "club" the owners of our school invited us for a day long event at the Chairman's Jade Resort.  It was the first major event held at the newly renovated facility, which will open to the public in just a few weeks.

The schedule of the day was somewhat of a surprise. We met at the school to ride a bus to the location. My first impression was "Wow!"  It was a beautiful resort surrounded by a variety of fauna.  Upon entrance we immediately were given drinks and then drawn to the very impressive poolside.

We rode a luxury school bus to the party!

Beautiful clean pool!

Even more beautiful colleagues!

There was much to do there.  The first little while was unstructured while we checked out the equipment- a trampoline, squash, badminton and tennis rackets, volleyball, to name a few and snapped pictures.  I took a little walk around and found the tennis, badminton and squash courts and skating park.

Tramping on the trampoline!

Walking under the vines...

Checking out the skate park.

Suddenly we heard a commotion coming from the poolside.  It was time to do some team building with a professional team builder from Bangalore.  Oh, right, I said to myself judgmentally, this can't be good. Well within minutes I realized I was wrong, wrong, wrong. 

It was fantastic.  The group of around 60 people played one of my favourite games, Fruit Salad, followed by a team competition to find things that began with various letter of the alphabet, then a ladies' only game similar to "BUZZ", where we stood in a circle and counted one at a time, but clapped on every multiple of five.  "One, two, three, four, CLAP, six, seven, eight, nine, CLAP", etc.  The first round was easy but it quickly got complicated as the circle decreased in size and the rate got faster and faster.  I was eliminated by clapping and shouting "six" at the same time! At the end the PhD on staff won while doing "sevens".  Way to go, Valentine! 

Another game was called "phone, stand".  Again I was eliminated very early for stalling.  That led to others being eliminated for other humiliating reasons.  

Finally we played a game men vs. woman which had us passing water from the pool down a line of about 25 people using only our hands. I eventually got to dip in the pool because my hands are so big; however, the men won the challenge by filling half of their beer bottle with cooperatively collected water. 

Team building with the whole gang.

Onlookers wondering, "What's next?"

Shortly after the games, a cake was presented to the couple who were married on May 4 and we enjoyed watching everyone share in the enjoyment and celebration.  After a lot of loud music and a little relaxation, we tucked in to a delicious dinner of Indian cuisine and then had a swim in the pool.  

Cake to celebrate the wedding of  Alwin and Sophia! 

My gorgeous TA and our 2013 baby!

One of the most interesting trees I have seen in India!

So much has happened in the past year.  I went from being an occasional teacher in Canada to a Year 3 teacher to a Year 3 Teacher and Primary School coordinator in six short months.  Several teachers and friends left our school, and then were were replaced by new colleagues.  My husband moved from Secondary school teaching to Middle school teaching. We got a new Headmaster and a new Director. Our Deputy Headmaster and his wife had a new baby. And so much more!

And finally, just near the end of the school year, our entire staff, including support staff, was treated to a marvelous day in the sun, designed to bring us together!  Now that I am feeling like we are together, it is sad to think that my husband and I will soon be leaving this amazing country, saying farewell to new friends and flying home. 

Fret not, I say to myself.  We will be heading back to another amazing country to spend time with our much-missed family and old friends and planning our future together. 

Until next time, 

Bee Rich

My Daughter and the Haggis!



My daughter at the Robbie Burns Celebration (on the right)

    



Address To A Haggis Fair fa' your honest, sonsie face, Great chieftain o' the puddin-race! Aboon them a' ye tak your place, Painch, tripe, or thairm: Weel are ye wordy o' a grace As lang's my arm. The groaning trencher there ye fill, Your hurdies like a distant hill, Your pin wad help to mend a mill In time o' need, While thro' your pores the dews distil Like amber bead. His knife see rustic Labour dight, An' cut you up wi' ready sleight, Trenching your gushing entrails bright, Like ony ditch; And then, O what a glorious sight, Warm-reekin, rich! Then, horn for horn, they stretch an' strive: Deil tak the hindmost! on they drive, Till a' their weel-swall'd kytes belyve, Are bent lyke drums; Then auld Guidman, maist like to rive, "Bethankit!" 'hums. Is there that owre his French ragout Or olio that wad staw a sow, Or fricassee wad mak her spew Wi' perfect sconner, Looks down wi' sneering, scornfu' view On sic a dinner? Poor devil! see him ower his trash, As feckless as a wither'd rash, His spindle shank, a guid whip-lash, His nieve a nit; Thro' bloody flood or field to dash, O how unfit! But mark the Rustic, haggis fed, The trembling earth resounds his tread. Clap in his walie nieve a blade, He'll mak it whissle; An' legs an' arms, an' heads will sned, Like taps o' thrissle. Ye Pow'rs wha mak mankind your care, And dish them out their bill o' fare, Auld Scotland wants nae skinking ware That jaups in luggies; But, if ye wish her gratefu' prayer, Gie her a haggis!

The Translation Fair is your honest happy face Great chieftain of the pudding race Above them all you take your place Stomach, tripe or guts Well are you worthy of a grace As long as my arm The groaning platter there you fill Your buttocks like a distant hill Your skewer would help to repair a mill In time of need While through your pores the juices emerge Like amber beads His knife having seen hard labour wipes And cuts you up with great skill Digging into your gushing insides bright Like any ditch And then oh what a glorious sight Warm steaming, rich Then spoon for spoon They stretch and strive Devil take the last man, on they drive Until all their well swollen bellies Are bent like drums Then, the old gent most likely to rift (burp) Be thanked, mumbles Is there that over his French Ragout Or olio that would sicken a pig Or fricassee would make her vomit With perfect disgust Looks down with a sneering scornful opinion On such a dinner Poor devil, see him over his trash As week as a withered rush (reed) His spindle-shank a good whiplash His clenched fist.the size of a nut. Through a bloody flood and battle field to dash Oh how unfit But take note of the strong haggis fed Scot The trembling earth resounds his tread Clasped in his large fist a blade He'll make it whistle And legs and arms and heads he will cut off Like the tops of thistles You powers who make mankind your care And dish them out their meals Old Scotland wants no watery food That splashes in dishes But if you wish her grateful prayer Give her a haggis!  With thanks to http://www.worldburnsclub.com

I love this!  Our daughter sent us a picture from Robbie Burns night in Aberdeen.  She was not too excited about attending until her friends told her that it was not a poetry reading, but a party!  Here's hoping that it was a fun event.  She commented that the address to the haggis was funny, so I googled it.  Here is the original and the translation. You can choose which to read!

Until next time,


Bee Rich