Saturday, November 02, 2013

Diwali 2013 - November 2, 2013


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This is the second Diwali - this year from November 3rd to November 7th - that 
I have been in India.  It is probably the major Hindu festival of the year, celebrated
by friends and family with much joy and festivity, firecrackers popping, gift giving 
and wonderful foods, traditional to this time of celebration.  Much like Christmas 
in the Christian world, it is a holiday when those far afield return to their homeland 
to be with their families to maintain traditions.  Diwali, the festival of lights, is
a joyous time, a time of rebirth, hope, and homes are filled with candles and diyas
burning oil to fill the world with brightness.


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Each of the four days of Diwali has a different legend/theme/myth, usually
dealing with the triumph of good over evil and darkness, thus the importance
and significance of light.  Diwali comes from the Sanskrit word "dipavali"
which means "row of lights" and candles and diyas are placed  everywhere in
homes and business.  Fireworks light the heavens and there is a sense of
joy everywhere.

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If you'd like to know a little more about Diwali, check out the links below.  

Happy Diwali to everyone, especially to all of my Hindu and Indian friends in India 
and elsewhere in the world.  I wish you all a happy Diwali filled with all life's blessing 
for you and those you hold dear. At this sacred time, when evil was banished and 
light overcame darkness, I am honored to once again be in India to share in this 
joyous occasion. May the goddess, Lakshmi, bring you, not only material wealth, but 
the wealth of loving family and friends and may the Lord Ganesha constantly remove 
any obstacles that come up in your life.


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Friday, November 01, 2013

Happy 29th Birthday, Jeremy Vukasinovic - November 2, 2013


Jeremy is my "baby" - all 6'4" of him.  He weighed in at birth at over 8 and a 
half pounds and I was able to deliver him without too much trouble, believe it
or not!!  He remained bald headed for a full year but many times, especially
in later years, he has sported the most wonderful curls, one batch going to
Locks for Love.

I can't seem to find any of his baby pictures here with me in India so I'll show
you some of his more recent ones.


This has always been a favorite of mine...with Alex, two years older,
at the Golden Gate Bridge


Jeremy has never lived very far from home.  He spent three years at the College
of San Mateo where he got an associates degree in Liberal Arts and his A.S.
in Fire Technology.  He always wanted to be a firefighter.  He went from San 
Mateo to Cal Poly, 250 miles away, in the beautiful area of San Luis Obispo.
There he got a degree in kinesiology.  From there he became employed in the
semiconductor field and, now, for the past two years, he's been at Genentech in
South San Francisco.  I'm afraid that job may take him away since he is being
considered for a new position outside the Bay area.  When I expressed my 
dismay at "losing" him, he laughed and reminded me that I am often seven
thousand miles away in India.


Here, on a cruise, big ( ?  brother, Shawn, is trying to teach him smooth moves


With his beer at the Locks for Lover hairdresser


I think this may well have been Jeremy's shortest haircut
ever - at brother, Alex's wedding...Shawn, big brother, sadly,
was in Germany with the Air Force and had to miss the occassion


Of all my sons, Shawn and Jeremy seem to have developed my love of 
travel.  Much of Shawn's has been compliments of Uncle Sam, via the Air
Force, but Jeremy has already seen much of Europe and Argentina ( as a 
college employee of a pharmaceutical company ) and he speaks Spanish
better than many natives.  He has a real sense of adventure and he likes
good food and wine.  He, unlike me, is very much health oriented and has
worked hard to help me develop healthier habits.


This is Jeremy and his Cal Poly buddy, Daniel...I'm 
posting this for Eileen Dryer who always puts up 
firefighter pics...I think he would have looked good
in a calendar


Jeremy is quite an achiever and he likes to remind his brothers - both of 
whom stretched college years out to over a decade - that he managed to 
graduate by the age of 24 ( making the Dean's list, no less ).  He's done
very well in the corporate world though he still would like to be a firefighter!


Mom with the three best sons any mother could have - 
Shawn ( the shorty ), Alex, and Jeremy


Jeremy with his other mother, Elmira Lopez - she came to us when
Alex and Jeremy were infants - I wanted someone who was monolingual 
Spanish so they grew up fluent in another language - and she was family to us -
and a lifesaver to me with my crazy call schedule - and what a terrific cook!!!



The all night Harper Ann vigil ( post epidural )


Mommy and baby are doing fine!!!  Proud papa and uncles


UNCLE Jeremy meets niece, Harper Ann Vukasinovic - I think it 
was love at first sight


Already, Jeremy has his niece checking out San Francisco's bridges


There is no question, I owe this young man a lot.  First of all, he almost single handedly 
moved me from my four bedroom home when I decided to come to India.  He made 
about a hundred trips to the dump, broke down furniture, loaded things into storage, and
kept me focused so I finally got to India, after changing two airline reservations.  He's
been the one to check my mail, send my medications when it's refill time, visit me in
the hospital and help me when I need it.  He's drawn the short end of the straw, poor kid,
with Alex two hours away in West Sacramento and Shawn playing Air Force.  I've
had an occasional lecture ( much needed ) from him, as well.

All this he did, after having undergone shoulder surgery at the end of his Division 1 Cal
Poly decathlon career!!!  In fact, his research into a surgeon, saved me having to do it 
and Dr. Belzer was the one who did my shoulder replacement!  Sadly, he just had
shoulder surgery again a few months ago.

So, baby boy, though I am often seven thousand miles from home, it will be very
sad for me, WHEN I AM HOME, not to have you there.  It's not that I need you to
haul things for me and all that, I love being able to enjoy a bottle of wine with you and
to have dinner from time to time.  I am well aware I'm getting on in years so, even
our brief rendevous are really precious to me.  I am prouder of you than you will
ever know and, though, I probably don't say it often enough, I am eternally grateful
for your kindnesses to me.  You are a fine young man and the lady that finally gets
to share your life, on a permanent basis, will be one lucky girl.

On this, your 29th birthday, I am so glad that you were born...and that my labor 
wasn't so bad at all.  I love you so much.

Mom







Saturday, October 26, 2013

Camera Critters #290 - A Potpourri of Pooches - October 27, 2013


Doggie shots from a pre-India soiree in San Francisco:

One, with especially good taste, swiped the Brie off my plate but I managed to
hold onto my Russian black vodka!




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Monday, October 21, 2013

Colorful Puppets of Jaipur - October 22, 2013

Depending on whether you are in India or San Francisco, 
I have 42 or or 43 days left in Mumbai - it's 12-1/2 hrs earlier at home!








One of the things I love most about this "country of my heart, is the brilliant colors
everywhere, in clothing, home decor, puppets and, of course, cosmetics.  When
I finally win the lottery, I will return, oblivious of overweight luggage charges, to
outfit my new homes with all sorts of wonderful Indian purchases, in brilliant 
colors, to offset gloomy rains and to fill my days with happiness and wonderful
memories of visits to this land I love so much.


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Saturday, October 19, 2013

UE's Weekend Challenge: Two - Two Rajasthani Girls - October 20, 2013

44 DAYS LEFT IN INDIA!!

While riding around Jaipur one day with Ikram, my favorite rickshaw driver,
these two sweet little girls ran up to me and asked to have their picture 
taken.  I was happy to oblige.  They didn't even reach out their hands for
money but I gave them a package of cookies I had with me.




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Shadow Shot Sunday 2 - Tree Shadows on a Jaipur Pig - October 20, 2013

44 DAYS LEFT IN INDIA!


This rather dusty, dirty Jaipur pig is pretty much camouflaged by the stone 
fence and the leaf shadows of the tree above.  It is clear, however, that she
must have given birth to a litter pretty recently though I didn't see any little
piggies around.

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Gattina's Saturday Photo Hunting - Vehicles - October 19, 2013

45 Days Left in India!

Gattina chose "vehicles" as her Saturday Photo Hunting topic for today. 
India has all sorts of "interesting" vehicles, some of the four legged
variety so I have, also, enclosed photos of those.





In Jaipur, tourists enjoy riding camels and elephants, although both 
creatures are also work animals, pulling carts, and heavy loads, in addition
to giving visitors an "Indian" experience at transportation.




Of course, auto rickshaws are everywhere, weaving in and out of traffic and
sounding their horns.




These are the Mumbai variety.  Those in Jaipur are often larger and more 
colorful.







The main vehicle for transportation is the motorcycle.  Jaipur, at least, has a
helmet law which seems to be followed much better than in Mumbai.  Often,
however, second passengers and children are not helmeted.   There are quite a
few cars on the road as well but you don't often see vans or large SUVs such 
as we have in the U. S.



Some people still get around via bicycle rickshaws, quite a lot of work,
especially if the poor fellows are transporting someone my size.




I always get a kick out of seeing these little trucks on the road.  Of course,
there are regular semis transporting goods from one part of India to another,
some of them very colorful.




It is amazing that the ladies of India can ride pinion ( side saddle ), in their
long, flowing colorful saris, especially since many of the roads are in disrepair 
and potholes are plentiful.




India's trains are often filled to overflowing with passengers bulging out the 
doors.  While, of course, there are luxury trains like the Orient Express but 
those that transport regular passengers are far from deluxe.




India's vehicles and modes of transportation are as diverse as the country
itself.  With over 1.2 billion people, you can imagine the traffic jams in major
cities!


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Friday, October 11, 2013

UE's Weekend Challenge - Colorful - A Worli Neighborhood, Mumbai, India - October 12, 2013


For the past 4-1/2 months, I have been living in a most colorful country - India.
Even the women, in their every day saris, are incredibly colorful and beautiful.
In the many months I have spent here in the past two years ( a total of 15 months
by the time I return to San Francisco December 3 ), I have amassed quite a
collection of photos and memories.

Just this past Tuesday, on a taxi ride through this Worli neighborhood, I 
managed to get this colorful photo as we drove past.  My camera is usually
out and in my hands!

I thought the Masala advertising sign was most colorful, as were the 
homes, with laundry hanging out.





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