Susie Annie's West Coast Bunnies

We had the good luck that Susan could work out of the local GAO office in Seattle and thereby make a trip out West to see us. All get-togethers that you look forward to are blustery ones, and this one was no exception. Given that the boys are old enough to hold their own meandering stories, she had her hands full hearing about friends at school, toddler luminaries like Curious George, and at times long-winded opinions about dinosaurs - - and this was in addition to chats with Molly and I about Hillary and Obama.

Susie Annie and Honey 2 and 3 - -
Abe Pachikara, Copyright 2008 (click for larger image)

A Belated 2007 Happy Holidays

With another year having blustered by, here is a few thoughts to close out the year. Of note, we are healthy and doing well. The boys are no longer little cuddly tots, (Paul age 5 ½ and Sidd age 4 yrs.) but the discoveries they make, and those of Molly and I thru them, are always something that makes us shake our heads and smile.

The boys, the baby Jesus, and his mommy and daddy...
- -Abe Pachikara, Copyright 2008 (click for larger image)

The Moveable Priest

Unfortunately in some respects, "church," in my head, is something that occurs in a big, fixed, specialized, largely single-use structure that sits out on its own. This notion has been turned upside down (only) twice at this point, and by the same priest. Stephen Uncle, here all the way from Nairobi, ended the wedding weekend by presiding over a quiet reflective function at Asha's house. 3 years ago, I attended a similar function that he presided over at a family reunion at Sunil's house. In both instances, I wondered how many (or few) people realized how easy it is, in some respects, to conduct mass outside a church. I for one, was quite surprised, in both instances.


Mass at home - -
Abe Pachikara, Copyright 2007 (click for larger image)


Mass at home - -
Abe Pachikara, Copyright 2007 (click for larger image)

Asha and Sunil's Wedding - Antham Chartham (sp?)

So the day before the wedding, "the boy's" and "the girl's" families conducted separate ceremonies. I am a cousin of "the boy" so here's a few images from that function. Back when people were married in their early teens, it was very possible that the ceremonial shave was in fact, the very first shave ever. Not so anymore but it was fun just the same...


Serena helps set things up - -
Abe Pachikara, Copyright 2007 (click for larger image)


Sunil and the boys wait patiently - -
Abe Pachikara, Copyright 2007 (click for larger image)


A fitting emcee - -
Abe Pachikara, Copyright 2007 (click for larger image)


Mom and son look on, with the same expression - -
Abe Pachikara, Copyright 2007 (click for larger image)


1st shave - -
Abe Pachikara, Copyright 2007 (click for larger image)


In good hands - -
Abe Pachikara, Copyright 2007 (click for larger image)

Dance Fusion

Mercy, who is the daughter of a friend of our is a talented dancer. Here she mixed traditional Indian music and jazz elements, along with the fusion styles of the Indian dancer Shobhana. Here are a few shots.


Formation, 1
Abe Pachikara, Copyright 2007 (click for larger image)


Formation, 2
Abe Pachikara, Copyright 2007 (click for larger image)


In Flight...
Abe Pachikara, Copyright 2007 (click for larger image)


Still...
Abe Pachikara, Copyright 2007 (click for larger image)

The Wistful Ways of The Washington Coast

We had the treasured opportunity to go to the lush western Washington forests and nearby coasts with my mom and dad. How remarkable. These were forests that felt right out of Lord of the Rings. Trees that had presided over hundreds of migration cycles. Sea spires that had meditated for millenniums and were the wiser. It was humbling to see the excessive beauty of the land. Here's a few shots from a lazy day at one of the beaches near Forks.


Grandfather Tree Watches On - -
Abe Pachikara, Copyright 2007 (click for larger image)


Trail down to the ocean - -
Abe Pachikara, Copyright 2007 (click for larger image)


Onward down the trail - -
Abe Pachikara, Copyright 2007 (click for larger image)


Trekking with appa - -
Abe Pachikara, Copyright 2007 (click for larger image)


Sea spires watch over us - -
Abe Pachikara, Copyright 2007 (click for larger image)


Lunch with mom - -
Abe Pachikara, Copyright 2007 (click for larger image)


Tossing driftwood back into the sea - -
Abe Pachikara, Copyright 2007 (click for larger image)


Paul @ 5 - -
Abe Pachikara, Copyright 2007 (click for larger image)


Sidd @ 4 - -
Abe Pachikara, Copyright 2007 (click for larger image)


Playing by the shoreline - -
Abe Pachikara, Copyright 2007 (click for larger image)


Parting shot - -
Abe Pachikara, Copyright 2007 (click for larger image)

3 Layered Cake

Being on the West coast when all our immediate family is in the Midwest or East coast, and even extended family is 400+ miles away means visits are not casual drop-ins. One needs to overtly arrange air travel, time off, friends to watch over pets, etc. But the get-togethers are more than worth all the logistical trouble. They are collections of fleeting, whimsical moments and the occasional tiff as one might expect at any family gathering. And then they end before you know it, with the parties parting ways wistfully and wishing they had arranged a later return flight.

3 Chuttumbees Winding Down After Another Session of Play - -
Abe Pachikara, Copyright 2008 (click for larger image)

Rethinking Minimum Requirements for Fun

Little ones make it clear that fun requires way less than we presume. 

Each year in the Redmond, WA area we get about 5 days of snow.  And at the end of our cull de sac, there is a small downhill – literally a ~15 foot vertical drop.  Too small to be of any use, I say with derision.  I have seen the stupendous grandeur of Tahoe, Breckenridge and Whistler.

How completely wrong I was.  Our two lads would scream as they went down the hill, then trundle up despite being packaged like Charlie Brown, and do it again. Until they were ready to drop.

No lift tickets.  No fancy parabolic skiis.  Just two $9 plastic sleds.  And a pretty lame incline.  The result – sheer magic.

 

Another Run;  The Speed is Intoxicating
© 2007, Abe Pachikara (Click for larger images)

 

Screams of Exhilaration;  Thundering By
© 2007, Abe Pachikara (Click for larger images)

Two Veterans of the Local Slopes
© 2007, Abe Pachikara (Click for larger images)

Happy 2006 Holidays from Sidd, Paul, Molly and Santhosh

Folks,

With another year having zipped past all of us, Molly, the boys, and I wish you all the best and a Happy New Year. It is always good to try to answer the question " what did you learn in the last year?", and a few (potentially obvious) things come to mind:

• A profound interaction occurs when the end points of the human journey meet. Toddlers are about as a) unfettered in their thinking, b) uncluttered in their beliefs, & c) optimistic about and focused upon the next moment as one can be. Their grandparents carry a unique "long view" of our decisions and current situation, and in many respects are a pure complement to their grandchildren. So when the two meet, it is a remarkable reaction, like two musicians with different musical talents, and hence creating a sublime harmony.
• People are the magical part of a destination. After having resided in Boston for 8 years, we left the area with a tangible degree of hesitance, even though logic and research stated that the Seattle area had many positives: pristine natural surroundings, solid local economy, good schools, etc. But what we additionally discovered is an array of local people who are down-to-earth, genuine, collaborative and very optimistic about things in general. It is hard to articulate what this does for making the move feel like a really positive one.
• Given the distance from (our) family, keeping in touch takes some real effort. We had the good luck to spend time during 2006 in both Atlanta and Murphysboro, and to have grandparents, aunts and uncles visit us (all these new titles take some time getting used to). The visits are never long enough (including one to San Francisco) but I will say the boys are building a real enjoyment in engaging with immediate and extended family. So this is something to keep in mind whenever you have a chance to move "away"
• Establishing a balance between your "home career" and your "work career" takes real attention. One hard reality is that it is more tricky than meets the eye to watch how one balances the time devoted to things at home vs. things at work. I would say 2006 saw the pendulum sway too far to the work end (lots of interesting things to undertake) and now it is time to pull it back.
• Realizing the time gap since seeing old friends is dismaying. In the past year we have met up with a few old friends whom we had not seen in years, and had stayed in touch with sporadically. The delectable part of getting together was that if felt as if the conversation was simply continuing from moments prior. A point of dismay was lingering question – why did we get out of touch for so long? It is always an example of the way time marches on, whether you have a watchful or blissful eye.

A (Belated) Happy Holidays, God Bless You!

Friends That Won't Play

Of the two boys, Sidd has a greater attraction to such furry friends as cats and dogs. Back in our neighborhood in Belmont, the Russian family next door had a cat that used to sun bathe in our driveway, much to Sidd's delight. Unfortunately, when our sociable toddler would come out to pet the feline friend, the cat would stay a healthy 2 or 3 feet away. Perhaps Sidd played a bit rough in all the excitement. Perhaps this was not one of those gregarious cats. In any event, what entailed was a steady saunter for Sidd across our yard, in slow pursuit of the cat, but to no avail. Finally, it would dash off across the road to find a less interrupted location, leaving our younger one crest fallen. Petting the cat would have to wait another day.


Hoping against hope...
- -Abe Pachikara, Copyright 2005 (click for larger image)

Stood up by the cat, and heading home...
- -Abe Pachikara, Copyright 2005 (click for larger image)

That cat, sheesh...
- -Abe Pachikara, Copyright 2005 (click for larger image)

A Case for Shifting Religions

Rekha signs the registry - -
Abe Pachikara, Copyright 2005 (click for larger image)

Sometimes one sees both a goal in the distance, AND the work needed to get there and still says, "Yup let’s do it." Even when one has the sneaky suspicion that daunting obstacles may come out of the woodwork.

So it was the case for Molly’s cousin Rekha. You see, she meets this man, and somewhere along the way, man oh man, she decides that he’s THE man.

But there was a catch – his family was (and is) Jacobite ( http://www.answers.com/Jacobite%20Church ) which in many instances would be inconsequential but… hers was (and is) Catholic. All are Christians, but it is one of those important nuances, one that matters. Particularly to the parents, who were pretty keen that each keep their current denomination – a reasonable request to expect from anyone who believes in their own faith.

As you may suspect, one converted - - in this case, it was Rekha. And after I had a chance to meet her man, Jomy, well, it seemed like an awfully good decision. We attended their marriage, my first Jacobite wedding, presided over by none other that the Bishop of Kollam (which is a big deal). And even though I didn’t really understand any of the Malayalam spoken at the function, it was still grand, solemn, and prayerful.

Jomy signs the registry - -
Abe Pachikara, Copyright 2005 (click for larger image)

The newlyweds and the Bishop - -
Abe Pachikara, Copyright 2005 (click for larger image)

Blessing the thali - -
Abe Pachikara, Copyright 2005 (click for larger image)

Blessing the manthrakody saree - -
Abe Pachikara, Copyright 2005 (click for larger image)

The Bishop leads a prayer - -
Abe Pachikara, Copyright 2005 (click for larger image)

Under the haze of photographers' lights - -
Abe Pachikara, Copyright 2005 (click for larger image)

Books of prayer - -
Abe Pachikara, Copyright 2005 (click for larger image)

The family looks appropriately serious for this joyous occasion - -
Abe Pachikara, Copyright 2005 (click for larger image)

Outsourcing Your Own Legacy

Dusk falls upon the angels - -
Abe Pachikara, Copyright 2005 (click for larger image)

If you wanted to leave behind a monument or some such structure for posterity, how much of your own hard earned money would you be willing to part with? How about 1 lakh, that is 100,000 Rupees, or about $2,500 U.S. dollars. Perhaps less than you expected? You may first ask well what sort of "leave behind" are we talking about, and that would be a smart thing to ask.

I was taken by Mamachen Uncle to a nearby church, right on the waters of Lake Vembanad. Lo and behold, here was a serene addition to the original structure that had be installed by a non-resident Indian in commemoration of St. Thomas' visit to the area back in the 1st Century, A.D. It has angels, lights, a beautiful walkway, a fairly ornate cross whose design is historically significant (not to mention that it is seven sided to showcase the names of the original families who came with him). And, along with all of this, on each side of the walkway are tasteful depictions from Biblical stories.

My reaction: wow, not bad for 2,500 clams! If sheer mileage is what one is looking for, this sure beats getting your name engraved into the end of a church pew in some U.S. suburb, eh?