July 30th

We bought curtains for the office downstairs. Bhavin came by and talked business. After that we went to "Crosswords" to by some books and have dinner at Coffee Day.

NOW SOME OF YOU MIGHT NOT THINK THIS IS FUNNY BUT...... On the way the streets was very busy. (You should also know that there has been several bombs that have not been found).

The rickshaw pulls up to the intersection and is very busy and all vehicles have stopped. Our rickshaw driver gets out. I told Bob "GET OUT"! Bob looked at me like I was crazy. The driver took a rag and wiped the rain off the front windshield. He got back in and I told Bob, now we have to make a deal, when the rickshaw driver gets out of the rickshaw, "WE GET OUT TOOOOO".

We don't feel like it is dangerous here. Business goes on, people still have to eat, go to school and just basically live. Bombs can happen anywhere. Terrorism can happen in NYC, OKC and I know that statistically there is probably more chances here. But there are so many good people here, why do we judge the country by a few?

July 28th

It's Monday morning and it is finally raining. I am finally going to get to experience India monsoon's.

It has rained most of the day. Chirag couldn't get to work this morning and when he did he had to turn the pump on in the garage area. It was flooded.

Reasa called and wanted to go to BBQ Nation for lunch. So we took out and drove thru a lot of water to get there. The drainage in this city is non existent. Had a good lunch and didn't get very wet on the way there or on the way home.

July 27th

Amish, Jelpa and Shoo came by and said that everything in the city was closed and we were advised to stay in today. We had gone out yesterday for groceries, so we will be OK on food. Sleeping was the top on our agenda today.

The paper today said that all but one was in old city and that markets, busses, and hospitals were the target. So far they haven't been targeting tourist/non-nationals in this city. I haven't heard of them targeting the same city twice.

You can read Yahoo's news article on the
Ahmedabad Explosions

We were blocks away from the Oklahoma City bombing. So I am really not afraid, but I will just wait to see what will develop in the next couple of days.

They have started constuction on the cabins for offices downstairs. I know that Bob will be glad to get an office downstairs and be with the employees. It will be like going to work.

July 25th

Game night was last night we had 4 couples. We played Taboo. Players take turns describing a word or phrase on a drawn card. The object of the game is for a player to have their partner(s) guess the word. Beer, alcohol and 8 crazy people. We had a good time. I DID VERY GOOD! They teamed the oldest against the youngest. I said "Can we ask a 5th grader?" Michelle has 5 kids 12, 11, 10, 9 and 2. Michelle's husband and I was HOT! I would give a hint and he would just sing out the answers. We let our other two team mates Bob and Robert play too. We smoked them. We then mixed up the teams. My team won again.

There is some terrorism in Old Ahmedabad tonight. We talked about me coming home. I hate the thought of leaving early, but yet I might, I will see what comes of this tonight. We are safe and in a very new part of Amedabad. Everybody says that it's OK here. Snehal is here with us. So he knows alot about the city, and speaks the language.

This is how Snehal explained it:
The "Mujahideen" have taken the responsibility from the "Said Bomb Blasts" in the old part of Ahmedabad city. 17 blasts in 60 minutes. Man that's a number! Why can't people stay at ease? Why? Ridiculous! "Bomb Squad constantly taking charge over the situation and at those areas where population remains dense!

July 24th

We went to see Batman "the dark Knight", because it was the only thing that was in English. Not so good for me, but it did have popcorn and pop. The theatre at Himalya Mall have an intermission during the movie and they come and take your order if you want anything. That's kind of cool. Indian people laugh at crazy things in American movies, things that Bob and I don't quite understand why they are laughing.

We went to Himalya Mall earlier in the day and when we got home we had trouble with the rickshaw driver, we go to the Himalya Mall all the time and it is only costs us 40 ruppies ($1.00USD) for the rickshaw. When we got home the driver wanted 100 ruppies ($2.50USD). Bob tried to argue, I went in bungalow and got Chirag to talk to him. So that worked out OK. It was only $1.50USD but it just makes it very upsetting that because we are American's and don't speak the language they try to get an extra $1.50USD.

We went and got a BIGGER refrigerator today. The one we got is just tooooooo small. It was $250USD but Amish is going to buy the small one that we bought so he will pay us $125USD. We just need more ice and COLD drinks.

Bengi and Tim have made it to Biolxi on their big RV trip to Disney world. I have been reading her blog and getting a big kick out of their travels. They went to the beach yesterday. Jennifer kept saying that it is a BIG lake.

I had coffee with Reasa at 10:30 am. It's really nice to have a conversation with an American. Reasa is such a sweet girl. She is enjoying meeting Americans and getting them to come to our monthly meetings. There are not alot of Americans here in Ahmedabad. But they are easy to spot.

We have been walking each morning during the society. We have 6 monkeys that we see every morning. They were at the kids bus stop this morning.

July 23rd

We woke up this morning @ 3:00 am with no electricity for the air conditioners. We blew a fuse. We did not know where to look to even check the fuses. It was cool enough we opened doors and windows and the electricity in the bathroom was still on so we plugged the fan in there. There was a plug in the living room, so we plugged in the refrigerator. It got pretty warm before the electrician came to fix our fuses.

We then went to lunch at Pranva's "Tomatoes". We discussed with Pranva a trip to Mumbai and Goa, flying there and returning on a train. Staying at the Marriott or a private club. So we will find out details and prices on Friday.

After lunch we went to Raymond's Tailors. Bob ordered 3 suits, 5 shirts and the total was $275. They measured him and I went across the mall to a bedspread store. I got a beautiful blue, green and gold King size bedspread for our bed. It was priced 1050 ruppies. I got it for 900 ruppies. That's $22.50 USD I talked them down $3.75 USD. Boy, can I bargain.

July 22nd

We walked thru the society this morning. It was so eventful, everything you do is an adventure here. We turned the corner and there were monkeys running across the courtyard. Some of them ran up a tree, two of them stayed down at the bottom of the tree. I took pictures. They are a little skittish. They didn't attack us. We also saw lizards.

I talked to Kati this morning. We call on Skype ever chance we get, because it is free compared to the $0.021 cents that it costs when I call you on the land line using Skype. I credited my account with $10.00 when I got here. I still have $7.02 left. I don't know what we would do without Skype. When Bob stays in India and I go back to the United States, it is our life line. We talk for hours on Skype.

We got 2 loaves of bread (1white and 1 wheat) Sunday. It is so hot and humid if you don't have an airconditioner. Our kitchen is not aircondtioned, just fans. It doesn't seem hot in there, but the bread started growing Black Mold. It grows really fast. So we have to go and get some bread. I put it in the refriegerator and Bob doesn't like it because it gets hard. Let's see: hard? or mold?

July 21st

I stayed in my pajamas all day. Bob had a meeting at 11:00 am. I read and worked on the computer. We went to "Little Italy" for lunch with Chirag, I wore my pajamas. Pranva came over and then we moved the patio furniture to the roof. We sit up there in the cool breeze. We then went to "Pizza Hut" for super, then to "The Chocolate Room" for a brownie sundae. I am still in my pajamas. It doesn't look like pajamas. I bought them in that department or next to it. It is just a long green cotton dress with black embroidery on the collar, pockets and down the front. There are little mirrors in the middle of little flowers that are embroidered all over the dress.

Doesn't sound like we did much but eat and have a good time. I worked, I worked hard for a little while.

Beebe's go to Disney

My daughter and her family have started their trip to Disney World.
Visit my daughters blog.

July 20th

We went to Snehal's for dinner. I am not sure what we ate, except the macaroni and cheese (they put pineapple in it. It's not that good with pineapple in it!) But it was all very good. We do enjoy talking with them. Although there are alot of translating by Snehal.

We slept in, took a walk around our new neighborhood, which they call societies. There are some really nice bungalow's in the society. There is a park in the middle that has grass and lost of flowers. We came home and I did some reading this morning. At 1pm we went to BBQ Nation. It was the first American brunch that I have got to go to. There were 12 American's. So English was flying. It was nice, we really enjoyed the food and the company. I spoke with Cindy which we met at Coffee Day. They are moving here, but her kids are staying in America and going to college. I think she is going to have a hard time for a couple of months. I hope that I can help her thru the rough times in the time that I am here.

We then went shopping. Finally found some flour. I found a Philbury brownie mix. Tomorrow they are shutting down the state, because of the death of the 2 little boys. So I will have time to fix them. Bill Hooper said that his Muslim driver took him to a butcher this morning on the out skirts of town. They had BEEF. Bob is going to go with him next Sunday.

Reasa wants me to make cinnamon rolls. Michelle wants fried chicken, thanks to Bob. I am not sure I even want to try a cocoanut cream pie. Now you have to remember I have no oven. I do believe that Michelle does, she has a whole 10 bedroom home.

We then went to the fruit and vegetable market. We are stocking up so that we can stay home all day tomorrow.

July 19th

We were working all day. Pranav called and asked if we wanted to go and have coffee. He had heard about a new club that just opened this week. Thyst. It was very modern and very nice. Bob had coffee. I decided I would go for the coke float. It was very good. Then we went to Snehal's mom's house for dinner. Asmita. I think Kosha and Garge did all the cooking and Asmita did the dishes. Snehal's aunt and uncle was also there for dinner. It was a great dinner. All veggie. But it was very good. We had a very good time.

July 18th

Reasa called early on Friday and said that they were meeting for coffee at 11:30am and I was going to take my first solo rickshaw ride, it wasn't far and I probably was a little nervous. Then Chirag came up and told us not to go out. It was funerals for 2 little boys that drowned (there is some questions about their deaths) so they started rioting and the governor shut down the whole city. There were no rickshaws, EVERYTHING was closed. They were in old Ahmedabad a long way from us. Buses were burned, rocks were thrown and a report's camera was broken. Chirag said if we needed to go somewhere he would take us, so I didn't get to go to coffee or take my first rickshaw ride.

Robert and Reasa's private driver came and got us last night. We were out really late last night. We went to the Hooper's, we were having game night. One thing about game night, you need to have games. Reasa and Michelle went to get them yesterday and due to the stores being closed, they couldn't buy any games. We had a really good time. 5 Michelle kids, 1 Reasa boy it was a houseful of laughs and fun.

Michelle is a body builder and she works out every morning at 6:30 am. She keeps begging me to come and work out with them. I need to! I just can't get up that early and get to the gym they go to. I used the excuse last night about no tennis shoes. She has the place she goes that gets reebok's and Nike's really cheap. The guy is like a bootlegger for the shoes that arrive on freight ships that bring the shoes. Sounds a little screwy, but I am going to go with her and check it out. They have a reebok store here in the mall, but they are really high. Not has high as American, but I just think I can find them cheaper than the mall prices. It sounds like Michelle can take me to her store.

We are going to Snehal tonight, his mom is fixing us dinner. He will come and get us in his car, so we wont be out on the streets tonight.

I got up and fixed my blueberry green tea for breakfast that Kimi had given be right before I got on the plane. IT WAS SO GOOD! It made me think of her. Eating really sucks here. You would think I would lose some weight.

July 17th

Went to Sun Photo and got my bungalow pictures put on a disc. When we got home I put together some pages so that you could see our bungalow.

 SearchKing Techno Labs Bungalow in Ahmedabad, India

Food in India

We are finding more and more American food in Ahmedabad. Miracle Whip was a big one. We brought our own with us when we got here. But we were at Icy Pick, a very small shop that has meat. BACON, PORK CHOPS. Still NO beef. But they are getting new American foods all the time. Yesterday I bought bread and butter pickles. They have taco fixin's. Shells, refried beans, bean dip, seasoning packs and picanta sauce. Doritos. A-1 sauce, now why would you have A-1 sauce if you don't have steaks to put it on. They have PeterPan peanut butter, pringle potatoe chips. Anyway the list is growing. OREO, don't forget the oreo's. They have those now. American flour still has to be shipped in.

We don't have an oven, so there wont be any baking. We also realized that alot of Indians don't eat eggs, so there are alot of eggless stuff on the shelves. Some cakes just tasted funny, we have decided that those are the ones without the eggs.

We enjoy the Indian food, alot. One thing that you don't want to do is go into any of the Indian restaurants and order something that is supposed to be American. IT WILL NOT LOOK OR TASTE LIKE IT!

Reading

I do alot of reading while I am the lady of the house. With Dilput I don't have to do much. I do cook, but I don't have to do dishes, clean, laundry or make beds. I just finished reading "You Can Heal Your Life" by Louise L. Hay. I can pick out everybody else's problems, but I couldn't find a thing wrong with me. It's just crazy that way. I ordered the DVD before I left. It was to be delivered in 3 days. I thought that I had plenty of time, but it didn't come in. The the post office was closed on 4th of July and we left early Saturday morning. So I can enjoy that when I get home.

I went to Crosswords and got a Sidney Sheldon "Tell Me Your Dreams" book and "The Last Lecture" by Randy Pausch. I started on "The Last Lecture". Cried the first page. It hasn't been too bad. It is not exactly what I thought. But his lecture was supposed to be an hour long and I am up to my 3rd day reading it. How does that work?

My favorite author is Nora Roberts, I am in the middle of her newest triology "The Hollow" I have read #1 and #2 and waiting for the third to come out in September. But most of the books here I have already read. I also LOVE Joanne Trollope. She also just has one here and I have read that one. You can't get her books in America, you have to go to the UK to get her books. I need to take some time and find a new author. Sidney Sheldon has several books, but I like a little more variety then just his mysteries.

July 16th

It was a tough day to keep online. Our wireless kept going offline. After lunch Reasa and us went to Tomato's and ate, then Parnva took us to get our month permits to buy beer and wine. It was really an experience. We laughed and had a great time. We left with beer, wine and scotch. We are having a game night this Friday night and we needed beer for the boys.

I fixed egg salad and corn for super, Bob had bought chocolate and lemon tarts for dessert. After dinner Snehal came over and had a couple of beers. We had brought him some DVD's from USA. We were really glad to see him. His mother Asmita has invited over for dinner on Saturday. Indian food. They live in old Ahmedabad right by the old gate. They run a bangel and bende shop and live above the shop. It the most beautiful place when you walk in. Rows and rows and rows of bangles (bracelets), every color in the world. Then the bendes are the third eye that they were on their foreheads. Again every color and design that you can imagine. Kosha buys for the shop and she will also be there. She is Snehal's sister. She is the one that did my henna on my hands last year. So I may come home on Saturday with new henna.

July 15th

We have been meeting new Americans. Reasa and I were having coffee at Himaylia mall this morning and a new American came in, she just arrived from a small town outside of Houston. So we helped her with all kinds of things like where to get bacon.

We worked all day. I cooked lunch and dinner. After dinner they called and told me that my glasses were ready. So we took a rick shaw and picked up my glasses. They look really cool. I can't wait till the sun comes out so that I can test out my transitional lenses. I wanted these glasses since I first saw Bob's.

They got locks on the doors so that we are no longer locked in after the night shift leaves at 4 am. Doesn't keep the cats from coming in and checking out our trash. We have great trash.

July 14th

Last night we went to "the chocolate room" and had chocolate fondu. Parnav and his wife. He also took us to a 4 room bungalow with a great garden out in Bopal which is out in the suburbs of Ahmedabad. We also went to a party house out on a farm, complete with a swimming pool and the gardens were so beautiful with the flowers and vegetable gardens.

We seem to be getting busy every day. Construction on the bungalow downstairs is coming along nicely. They don't seem to bother us any. Reasa and Michelle want me to come and exercise. I have been able to get out of it the last two mornings, but I am afraid that they are going to come and get me tomorrow morning.

July 13th

It was a rainy day. Chirag and Dilput moved office desks and computer to the basement where they put in air conditioning. The carpenters are coming tomorrow and start building cabins in the first floor. "Cabins" here are offices for Bob, Chirag and Amish. As soon as they get that completed they will move everybody back up stairs and then start building wall to wall desks in the basement. So it is going to take some moving but it will be a really nice office. We have 2 shifts and are looking to put on the 3 shift really soon. We took off about 3 o'clock and went out to get some groceries. It was raining but not very hard, so it was humid. A really cool breeze so it was a very delightful Sunday afternoon.

Sunday is a day that all of India go out and go to the shops. So it is really busy everywhere you go. But that makes going out more fun. Lots of people to look at and a lot of people to stare at us.

July 12th

I called everybody last night. My phone cames in UNKNOWN and Kimi said "Who is this?". I have just been gone a week and she already forgot my voice. Her and Chad are probably still at work packing. They are moving into a new home. The movers come in Saturday morning.

We stayed in most of the day yesterday. It rained really hard almost all day. We went to the mall, then to the milk man for milk and the bread man for bread. There was water EVERYWHERE. I can see how mosquitoes can breed so easily. I don't see any standing water around our bungalow, but that is something I am taking precautions with.

Bob has been going to bed about 9pm Bob gets up at 4am and works till about 8am then goes back to bed. I stay up till 11pm or 12pm and then sleep until 7am. We have most of US and India business hours covered.

They got the wireless connected, electric plugs in the living room moved so Bob moved the living room around. The apartment is coming together nicely.

Bob and I went to get his haircut. We then went to Himaylia Mall and ate at "Papa John's Pizza". The salad was pretty good, they put alot of dressing on their salads. Reasa called and she joined us. I meet Ben her 4 year old son, he is the only caucasian little boy model in India. Ben has those beautiful blue eyes and long eyelashes like Cade. We took him to McDonald's and then we went to the 99rupies store. They have alot of American food. I got diet Shasta. Ben was all excited about "Skittles". Reasa has a private rickshaw driver. So she then called and they took me home. I haven't ventured out on my own yet. Reasa and Ben came up to see the bungalow.

At 7:45pm Reasa and Robert came to pick us up to go to dinner, they leased a car and driver. We took Ben to Bill and Michelle's. They have 5 kids from 12 yrs to 2 yrs. We went into their 10 bedroom home that is leased by the "Bosch" company. What a great bungalow. Guys had a beer and we then went to BBQ Nation to feast on the best food I have had in Ahmedabad. There are about 3 new restaurants that have opened that cater to American's not including Papa John's. India is changing so fast.

Ice Cream

Yesterday one of our employees bought a new house. So the tradition is that when you buy a house you have to buy everybody ice cream. What a great tradition! I eMailed that to Kimi. I told her that I wanted ice cream when I got home, she said NO PROBLEM! Bob said that he wanted CAKE.

Got my glasses ordered yesterday. Couldn't decide between Monte Blanc, titaniam, Celin or many other styles. But I picked one, They will be ready on the 15th.

Between sleeping, buying furniture and socializing with some new and old friends. I think now that we can settle in and get some work done. We had lunch with the lady that got us the Bungalow. Bob meet Reasa just after I left last time. Her husband works with all the American CEO's here in India. So Reasa has become a very good friend. She will turn 30 next month, but she got me some hairspray, so she is a friend for life now. They wives of these CEO's go for lunch once a month. Next week. Do I feel important, I will tell you after my first lunch. AMERICAN's! I have so many questions. We are supposed to go to dinner with the manager of Bosch and his wife on Saturday night to BBQ Nation.

Got the curtains up in the apartment. Kitchen is about complete. No sink, but I am not sure what we are going to do about that. DilPut washes the dishes, I don't see why he can't carry them downstairs to the kitchen. I still use alot of water while I cook and a sink in the kitchen would be a really handy item.

July 11th

We went to Shalimar to eat last night. It's where you sit on the ground and eat off of very short tables. Your plate is 4 banana leaves that have been sewn together. Your bowls are banana leaves that have been molded in to bowls. They just keep bringing you all of the vegetables. NO MEAT! beans, beets, onions, sprouts, potatoes, rice and all kinds of round flat bread like stuff. Nothing is really spicy, some a little. You have a sppon that you can eat with, but Shaynal and Pouti used their hands. Then after you eat you get up and go over and wash your hands with lava dust or something. They pour the warm water over your hands to wash over the ashes.

Then there are these beds all lined up around a stage and they sing songs about you. Of course Shaynal had to interrupt them, so no telling what they were really singing. They also had these chairs hanging from trees that you could swing in. Everything was natural clay pots, ropes, tree houses, weaved beds, etc. It was really nice evening and good food.

I have been having a little trouble getting used to DilPut doing everything for me. I was put the new pillow cases on this morning and Bob said "Dilput will do that". I started putting up the curtains in the living room and Bob said "Dilput will do that". He is such a cute little man (boy, but he has a 3 month old son so that makes him a man right?). He gets down on his knees and cleans all the floors. He takes out trash, moved furniture, wired the airconditioner, wash Chirag's car, brings all the employees a glass of water ever hour, and will grab anything in my hand and carry it up the stairs. On one hand it's really nice and you really feel like a queen but then he is always there, you have to lock the door if you are going to undress. I was napping and he just brings things into the room, NEVER knocks. He doesn't speak much English, so he is a very quiet little man too.

I am going to get my glasses today. I think we have all the furniture we need for a while. It was nice to sleep on a bed last night.

The weather is not really hot. Humid. But with the airconditioners it will be OK. I was pretty worried about just sweating all the time. Of course we are supposed to get monsoon type rains this weekend, that shall be an experience.

Better get to work. Again thanks for taking care of the florist for me.

3rd Trip to India

We were on the plane to NYC when we realized we were going to land at Lagordia Airport and our flight to India was leaving out of JFK. We have 6 hours between landing and taking off, so we were hoping that we could make it from Lagorida airport to JFK. Finally we found someone on the plane that said that it's not far. First adventure of our trip. We caught a cab and was at JFK in about 15 to 20 minutes. Jet Airways ticket counter didn't open till 4:00 pm and there was nothing at the airport. We found a couple of chairs and watched people.

We were the first in line at the ticket counter so we got exit rows all the way to Ahmedabad India. The first 8 hour flight a little boy was sitting behind me. Guess what his darling little feet just reached the back of my chair. He did ALOT of kicking. Have 2 very small grandsons I am a little more compassionate than someone might have been. I said something to the stewardess and she asked who the parent was to the little boy. They did not speak English and the mother had put her 4 kids in the row behind us. #1 it didn't stop him from kicking, #2 there was no place to move and #3 they should all the kids in the back of the plane together. So it was a very long trip. I kept thinking that he would go to sleep, and about the time that I would think that he would kick.

Our first stop was in Brussells. It was not a long stop. We changed planes and got back on the plane. This flight was alot better. The seat behind me was emtpy. Bob and I both slept 6 or the 8 hours. We arrived in Mumbai and had a 10 hour layover till our last flight to Ahmedabad. So we decided to get a hotel. We went to the window and booked a hotel that was close to the airport. You have to do from International airport in Mumbai to the domestic airport anyway, so we stayed at the Marigold. It was about 10 minutes from the airport and they hotel cab came and picked us up. It was 12 am and we slept until 7am. The hotel provided a complimentary breakfast and then off to the airport.

It sure did help with the jet lag. We arrived in Ahmedabad at noon. We really felt great. They took us to the new bungalow. We were very impressed. I will have pictures up before too long.

Our days and nights are a little messed up. But we did manage to go shopping and spend about 50,000 rupies. $1,250USD on 1 air conditioner, a couch, 2 matching chairs, coffee table, 2 end tables, refrigerator, TV, buffet for kitchen, 2 bookcases, wicker patio love seat and matching chair. All delivered up 1 flight of stairs, installed and assembled. We still need a bed, but still looking. I want flowers for my entrance patio and the balcony off of the living room and bedroom. I can actually have FLOWERS.

Dilput is very busy cleaning and putting the bungalow in order. He is a busy little man, three floors and 3 large patios. It is a fantastic bungalow. I wish that you all could come and enjoy it. We have employee's 24 hours, so that is a little weird. You have Indian music playing all the time. It's not loud up here, and it doesn't keep you from sleeping.

We went out to eat last night. Had a little trouble giving the rickshaw driver the directions back to the bungalow. We turned one block to soon or we would have been OK. If they would just put up a street sign,

the actual directions are:

"Ahmedabad" is the city

"Satellite" is the township

"100 Ft. Road" is the street you go down to get to

"Anand Nagar Cross Road" which is the nearest intersection

"near Madhur community center" which is a landmark across the street.

"2 Shivalik Bungalows" is the actually house number.

JUST IN CASE YOU WANT TO POP ON OVER.