Progress, as it were

Well, McDonalds finally opened in the Holy City of Varanasi.

It opened a few months ago, to much fanfare, and has pretty much remained packed since then.

They do not actually serve beef, of course, since cow slaughter is forbidden in our fair city (and state, for that matter). But they do have a nice fish burger, as well as a Chicken burger that is pleasant. And the fries are the same, world over. But no milkshake machine. Bummer.

With the next nearest McDonalds being 500 miles away, and this being a somewhat crowded part of the earth, I think I could guess their local customer base would be around 100 to 150 million people. (In other words, the number of people on earth for whom this is the closest McDonalds).

Maybe it is more than that. Hmmmm.

Quick note to Aunt Lydia and Cousin Donny

And "Hello" to Uncle Carl. Not a week passes but I don't (at some point) recall your grilled chicken.

OK, Lydia and Donald... I actually do read the notes people write in a timely fashion, but I am just now responding to some posted some time ago, about a photo of me on the wheat harvest with wild hair.

Are you sure it wasn't Philip? Granted, neither of us had straight glistening locks, and both of us could have been hung by our hair with no ill effects, but the photo I am recalling is of Philip and Ron. Aren't they doing hand stands or something?

And Yes, Uncle Carl, I recall your chicken with affection.

I thought the girls had energy, until Reuben came along

We have a temporary Home School Co-op, with another family in town. On Tuesdays, Nora Grace goes to their house for the day, and on Thursdays, Reuben comes to our house for the day.

It is my job to do some educating of these bright young minds for the first couple of hours on Thursday. We have studying Music (singing and learning notes), Geography (maps like puzzles, and which way is east etc), Bible (just read it straight, they like it best that way), Theology (God is the Best, God is the Boss, etc), Poetry (still working on that) and then doing some reading to them. (Amy and Reubens Mom do the reading, writing, math part, Reubens Dad does similar things to me on Tuesday mornings).

It is loads of fun.

I bring this up, because I was under the impression that my children were energetic. Well, I guess I was way off.

Reuben, who is five, had a higher vertical jump than I do, and he can jump in one place indefinetely, something I cannot do. Getting the two of them to hold still is like herding cats.

From now on, I shall have to refer to my eldest daughter as "The Mild Mannered Nora Grace".

twenty five percent

25 %.

That is the percentage of times Miriam has actually made it to the potty, (as opposed to going in her pants), since potty training started yesterday.

She is quite proud of her little girl underwear, and prefers no pants or dresses, so that she might better show them off. That is fine for inside, but outside.... We shall see.

Good thing we have stone floors. They clean easily.

Stay tuned for cutting edge reports, here where the action is REALLY happening.

Well, actually, I have to go to work.

5000 naked men

The naked Sadhus were in town. (Sorry, Mom and Dad, I guess you missed this site.) (And thanks to whoever ArtWolfe is, I found this on the internet, and is way better than any picture I have).

Anyways, they are this large group of Hindu guys who wander around naked. (Well, some of them have some adornments). Mostly they wander alone or in small groups, but every once in awhile they will get together for a large procession, as they did in our fair city recently.

So mostly, I chose different routes for getting to work. No offence, fellows.

We are all here

We have had a week of fevers, coughs and "Loose Motions" (to use that delightful Hindi phrase, the other way of saying this locally is to say, "My bowels are just not right.")

Nora Grace has no symptoms at all. The girl just does not get sick. Miriam is more clingy than usual, and is refusing to eat, and Sam hacks and chokes when we lay him down from all the congestion (so he has been sleeping in his little bouncy chair by our bed, seems to work). Amy and I with fevers and sleeping a lot.

Anyways, we seem to be on the mend, but apologies for not writing more recently.

Back to Work

We got back into the city on Saturday afternoon. Had a good conference in Thailand...I feel like a Doctor again. Top notch education was to be had by all, and good conversations with other Physicians doing what I am trying to do (practice Western Medicine outside of The West).

Monday was one of my busiest days yet. I guess that is a good thing.

With the folks out visiting friends.

Grammar and the girls on a Rickshaw.

The folks are back in the States now (ask them about their adventures with snowstorms) and doing well.
Here is just another photo of them down by the River, with the girls.