We've arrived

Sans luggage of course. (Travelling with Dad.)
Highlights:
Jogging through O'hare intending to make them wait for Dad. Luckily a mob at the gate. We sat with Hannah, a senior flute player from a Lincoln, NE high school marching band of 180 marching in the London New Years parade.
Jogging through Heathrow. If you land in Heathrow, you walk a short maze, take a 15-minute bus ride through their tunnels, and are discharged into a 2-hour passport check line even if you're travelling on. You can budge your way to the front (nice Sikh couple) and attract the attention of the desk with 15 minutes until gate closing. Then the desk rips up your bording cards and re-issues them and directs you to a train. Now you've joined a small party of worried Tamils. The train discharges you into a security check, even though you haven't left the secure area. (The Brits don't want to see your laptop or little bagie of toiletires.)You emerge without assaulting anyone. Now the jog. You arrive at a deserted gate where two staffers politely wait for you father. (Did I mention the series of escalators? The broken one so that literally 100 people are trying to get on the elevators?) You're through! They announce final boarding as you go down a stair and turn right as directed! But where's the plane? Harry Potter in the room with all the doors. The jetway is literally 1/2 amile long. You arrive plane side. The urbane staffer suggests it saves moneyto have you walk half way to Chennai. You can now afford to laugh.
You get on the plane. There must be some mistake! The desk who ripped up your boarding card switched you to British Airways Club Class!! Almost weeping with joy you find yourself in a cubicle with a seat that becomes completely flat to enable actual deep,prolonged sleep interrupted only by organic chocolate and hot,moist washcloths.
That's good,because you'll need all your energy for the 2-hour (underestimate) process of identifying your bags as lost. Arrive at the hotel at 3:00 Chennai time.

Mom liked her present from Noah

It was a picture of the soon-to-be secretary of state autographed personally to Mom.

I like it

This photo taken at the window just inside our deck. It is about 2.5 feet, according to the newspaper. It is up to my knees. However, we would be housebound without Kalyani plowing us out.

Tree

We got a lot of snow.

Thanks Kamala!

They all loved their new sleepwear!

HAVE YOU HEARD.....

Hannah is accepted at the school of her choice, University of Rochester. She is happy and so are we! She applied early admission.

Busy Weekend

Noah & Ashwani

The Cookie Decorating

Noah, Tomoko, Milei & Nick

Chandran, Chiara & Annette.

Noah & Nick

Ashwani, Noah and Susi were in town this weekend. Susi stayed with us, it was very nice. Saturday I had my annual cookie decorating party. Noah and Eliza were there, plus the usual crowd. Chandran went to cook dinner for his students. That evening Ewa, Jess & Noah joined us. They were in town to pick up Rachel, who was flying in from Paris on Sunday. Sunday I took Susi and Chiara to see the Nutcracker. Chiara’s friend, Allison, was in the performance. Afterwards I took the girls out for hot chocolate at LadyM’s. Chandran took the twins, Eliza, and Noah to Joe’s Shanghai for lunch. We all met up with Ashwani that evening at our place. Today Chiara had a piano recital at a nursing home, it went very well. Tomorrow she will be singing with her school chorus at All Soul’s. Saturday we are off to Rome.

Another picture

Buffalo, Wyoming

We need a picture

Badlands

Pretty funny (from The Onion)

McCain Stares At Screen, Attempts To Write Family Christmas Letter
December 11, 2008 | Issue 44•50




SEDONA, AZ—After procrastinating for several hours by watching It's A Wonderful Life and old John Wayne movies, former Republican presidential nominee John McCain finally sat down at the computer to type his annual "Christmas Bulletin" to friends and family early this afternoon, but found himself completely blocked. "They say you're never too old to learn," McCain slowly typed before pausing, reading the sentence over, and tapping the backspace key until it was deleted. Forty-five minutes later, after two aborted attempts to compose the letter from the point of view of the family cat, Oreo, and another about what 2009 held in store for the McCain clan, the Arizona senator took a break to make a cup of hot cocoa and listen to the grandfather clock ticking in the background. "Jesus," McCain mumbled. "Jesus Christ." McCain returned to the den around 5:30 p.m., at which point he placed a fresh stack of candy-cane stationery in the printer, stared at the screen for another 10 minutes, and finally decided to go to sleep for a long, long time.

Oogway

This is Laura's drawing of Oogway from Kung Fu Panda, he's a turtle.

From Ward's Letter

I'm posting a bit from Ward's annual newsletter that I thought was funny.




Sacrifices Made for Quality Education

Because paying tuition is simply not enough, many families with college students are finding alternative ways to support the institutions of higher learning to which their lives, their loved ones, and their bank accounts are inextricably linked.
The family pictured above has contributed to the shrinking endowment of their daughter's college not only by purchasing vast quantities of branded apparel, but also by offering to donate the family dog as a gesture of good will.
“It probably won't get a building named after us, but it is the least we can do,” they say. “She's a good dog and we'll miss her, but maybe she can help out with fundraising by doing tricks to entertain wealthy aliumni.” So far, there has been no comment from the dog.

Tree

We ended up rejecting this tree, because it had a poison ivy vine growing up the trunk.

Odetta died

She was 78.

The tree

cat haikus.

The food in my bowl
Is old, and more to the point
Contains no tuna.

Tiny can, dumped in
Plastic bowl. Presentation,
One star; service, none.

My brain: walnut sized.
Yours: largest among primates.
Yet, who leaves for work?

So you want to play.
Will I claw at dancing string?
Your ankle's closer.

Am I in your way?
You seem to have this backwards.
This pillow's taken.

There's no dignity
In being sick--which is why
I don't tell you where.

Seeking solitude
I am locked in the closet.
For once I need you.

Your mouth is moving,
Up and down, emitting noise.
I've lost interest.

The dog wags his tail,
Seeking approval. See mine?
Different message.

Cats can't steal the breath
Of children. But if my tail's
Pulled again, I'll learn.

Most problems can be
Ignored. The more difficult
Ones can be slept through.

My affection is conditional.
Don't stand up,
It's your lap I love.

T' 08 II

It was a very lovely thanksgiving.

Madhu with Nick and Laura

The lord of the Rings game

Ashwani cooking lunch for us all

Thanksgiving dinner

T'08

We managed, tried some new things, it was nice. Sara and I peeled chestnuts for the dressing. I opened a pomegranate. Both firsts for the dressing. Noah mashed the potatoes, Chandran carved the turkey.

Readers all...

Please note, that Rochester Oratorio Society, of which I am a member has worked out a deal with Barnes & Noble that we will recieve 10% of all purchases this Saturday and Sunday, (11/29 and 11/30). However, before making the purchase, inform the cashier of this number:

272641.

This is supposed to work in any B & N in the country. I am curious if it truly is true! Let me know if you try it. Last year the ROS earned more than a thousand dollars. This year, I am part of the group singing in our Pittsford B & N.

(I know, we have our favorite book store, and it is not B & N, you all probably do also. Our favorite bookstore is giving 25% off of hard covers this very same week end, not bad.)

Thanks!

what did everyone....

think about twilight???

the doll

I did it, I finished the doll in time for the fair. Not that it really mattered as I bought it. It was a rewarding experience I will definitely do it again next year. The fair was lovely and chaotic.

Murray Passed!

twilight...

... tomorrow!

Winter

The rain chain with ice. Our lake house plumber at work.

A visit from Nonno

My dad was in town this week. He arrived Tuesday and left this evening to go to NJ with my sister. It was very nice to have him stay with us. I think he also enjoyed it. I hope he will come again soon. Last night we went to the wedding reception of his old friend. It was a very interesting occasion. It took place at the UN, in the delegates lounge. It was a lovely affair Tony Bennett sang! Still it was odd considering the fact that his first wife died less than a year ago.

Nicky's Video

Fall

I'm hooked!

Just ran into the bookstore to buy the third in the Twilight Series (in hard cover!!)even though I was late for an appt.. Have read the first two, one on Saturday, one on Sunday. So, young nieces and offspring, what do you think about the casting?-I almost picked up the magazine devoted to all things about the production. I still think Anne Rice rules the vampire world (in spite of her recent religious conversion), but Meyers knows how to leave you hanging.

Weekend visit

Janice, Madhu and Jo came down this weekend. It was a fun visit. Friday night we went to see Garth Fagan at the Joyce, it was good as always, afterwards we waited for the dancers and Garth to come out. Eliza, Jo, Chiara and I did not stay long as we hoped to see Dan Radcliffe. When we got to 44 st at 11:00 it was a mob scene. We could not see a thing. We tried again last night and went early (9:30), Janice was with us this time. It was worth it. Yesterday Chiara had a soccer game; it was raining so only Chandran went with her. I had told them the wrong time. They were an hour early, so Chiara played two soccer games in the rain. Jo and I took the twins for a walk in the park. It was beautiful and wet. Laura and Nick got drenched.

Friday night

Time Square

Saturday night

Dan

He was very gracious

The reward

harry potter.

aunt sara, grandma, chiara, jo and i saw dan radcliffe tonight!! jo got an autograph!!!