May???

It is May already!! I have such mixed emotions, as time has seemed to FLY by, yet it seems like we've been gone forever. By the time we get back we will have been in at least 10 different countries on 4 continents in just 12 months, WOW!

As good as I have been about capturing everything with my camera, I am in the mad rush of snapping random pics of our everyday life here in the hope that it will help keep these memories fresh in our minds forever. I love this sequence that I took this morning...

Taylor and Andrew ready for school...

Pat walks them to the corner...

Lauren calls Andrew back...And asks for another kiss...
Then he runs to catch up...I try to get to the Leela Palace at least once a week. It is about a 20 minute ride from home (that's very close in Bangalore terms), they have a great group of shops and the Barista there makes a mean espresso! When I arrive, I take my usual seat, overlooking the pianist below (who plays primarily American classics... maybe she does that just for me?) I get the head nod from the waiter and return it with a head waggle... a few minutes later, voila... espresso. I usually bring Lauren with me (OK, I sometimes bring Lauren with me) and she orders some big chocolate drink which invariably arrives with piles of whipped cream and a fancy straw. I sit there and look around and think, "wow, India really is a dichotomy." I think it really is more of a "tri"chotomy, but there will be plenty of time, over many glasses of wine back home to discuss all of that. Back to the Leela. Last week, on my way over to my waiting coffee, Pat called and said he had a couple of hours open in his schedule at work. What a treat... he came along with us. Here's a shot of Pat and Lauren who is swinging a bag with her coveted sugar doughnut (the one she always chooses and never eats!)

She is quite at home in 5 star establishments now. Not sure Panera will measure up for her when we get back!

A keeper for the scrapbook... Pat with a goatee and showing off his braces.

Some sad news from this week. Our neighbor's beloved dog, Lilly, went to doggie heaven. Lilly was one of Taylor's best friends here in India and we will all miss her dearly...