Banana's anyone??

When you get to India...it is a MUST to have Banana's everyday!

Actually...I eat only fruit and Chai in the morning...and have a light dinner in the evenings. In India, the people eat VERY late as a rule. Were talking like 10 or 11 p.m. at night. For me that is just way too late to be even thinking about eating. So we usually have dinner at 4 p.m. or so and call it a night. You eat differently when you are in India..at least we do. Much lighter and always veg...were Vegetarians. So we always come home at least 10 pounds lighter...every trip.

But those Banana's...yummmmmy! Especially with some of those little tiny limes squeezed over the top! So good!!

Helps with the Yoga practice too!!

The Meeting....

When we were in India in March/April this year. We were finally able to meet "our little Monks" Mother. We had our driver take us to her tiny little home in Mysore...way out in the middle of literally nowhere. I have NO idea how Chaku (our monk) even remembered how to get there..if it wasn't for the fact that it is his Mothers home. It was one bumpy dirt road after another, no signs, no landmarks, just dirt roads with HUGE bumps!!!

When we arrived his Mother came running out and she was this tiny little Tibetan woman all dressed in the traditional Tibetan dress that the women wear. She had Kata's for us http://www.tibet.com/Buddhism/katas.html and a HUGE smile adorned her sweet face.

Of course I immediately started tearing up. I cry too easily....but this was just so touching and such an important moment for all of us!

She lives in a tiny two room hut like home. But it was SO immaculate! We sat down and she had made a pot of Milk Tea for us along with a tray of biscuits. She spoke NO English...Chaku translated for us. Mostly we just stared at her with huge smiles on our faces...so happy finally meet her after 5 years.

She wanted us to know how much she appreciated us taking care of Chaku, and sending her daughter Dickey to school. That we were very special to her heart.

She couldn't get over how tall my husband was...in fact he barely fit inside!

She changed her clothes after awhile so that she was more comfortable and we took some pictures. It was a day that will forever remain in my memory.

another update!! I have a Shoe Count here from India!

Got another email from Tracy in Mysore this evening...
here is what she said...


tracy kunichika
[Add to Address Book]
To:
alotusgirl@comcast.net
Subject:
Re: Fwd: orphanage in the area?
Date:
Sunday, June 03, 2007 4:30:33 PM
[View Source]
right now, here's a rough count of the kids we help. this number could change
by january - we are working on securing a facility for some of our women and
some kids, but right now, these are fairly accurate numbers (most of the boys
are street boys we know):
girls
age 3-4: 2
age 6-7: 3
age 9: 1
age 12: 1
boys
age 2-3: 4
age 4-6: 4
age 9-12: 12
age 14+: 8
we can try to arrange a date to distribute, and your son can help with that if
he wants.
thanks a lot!
tracy



So it looks like we have a lot of 9-12 year old boys who need shoes as well as 14 and over.
I will keep you posted on what sizes I receive and how many.
I have 1 pair already of age 14 and over...(donated by my son!)
Thank You again!
I will keep you updated!

"Walking in their Shoes" UPDATE!!!

This morning I received an email from Tracy in India. She is who we will be working with when we donate the shoes to the children in Mysore in January. In case you are new to my Blog..we are collecting as many pairs of childrens shoes as we can from now until December 15th. We have started project "Walking in their shoes". Tracy has included some types of shoes that we should bring to give to the children, and I did want to add that I am more than happy to have people send me shoes that have been worn slightly...meaning, if your child has some shoes that he or she has only worn a handful of times...and they are in good condition...PLEASE send them!! I am not asking for expensive shoes. These kids are going to be happy to just have shoes, period!! Tracy is in Inida right now and if you want more information on what she does...here is the link to her site http://www.operation-shanti.org/

My address again is

Tracy Cox

242 Fairmont Drive

Grass Valley, CA

95945

If you want to read more about what were doing...please scroll down and read my later blogs.

Thank You again for all the support! It's good KARMA!!

Namaste~

Tracy Cox

hi -sorry it's taken a bit to get back to you. it's school time and we are tryingto get a few street kids into school, so quite busy.as for shoes - well, the best and cheapest way to get them here is to carrythem when you come. otherwise, you could mail them but that could get a bitexpensive. i think there are cheaper mailing services but i'm not sure whatthey are and i hear they take 2-3 months to arrive. kids slippers are the best, if you have those - the rubber type. if not, tennistype shoes or sneakers are good. for street kids, dont want anything expensive,as they'll just sell them for money. and many will lose them on the first day.so we should be judicious when handing them out. the other way to get stuff here is put a notice up on some ashtanga site ormaybe your yoga studio saying you are looking for people going to mysore whowould be willing to carry a few pairs... let me know if there's anything else. see you in january!tracy

21 more days...

until the "Western States 100 Mile Endurance Run"!!

I can't say it's a race that I've ever longed to run...but I do admire all of those who have entered and tried to at least finish the thing. Our very good friend from Tiburon, Reed Bennet ran it once and did get the coveted belt buckle. You must finish in under 24 hours to get it. He had a hard time walking for a few weeks after that one.

I've done some pretty hairy races in my days...The Dipsea is one I won't forget...you begin in Mill Valley (marin) and you run up 676 steps to begin the race and continue on on through trails with names like "Suicide", "Dynamite", "Insult",and "Cardiac"...just to name a few. You run all the way over the mountain to Stinson Beach. I had been asked to run the race by Reed, because he knew my race times were fast and he wanted me to qualify his wife Jacqueline to be invited to the Invitationals. The bad part is I had NEVER trained on the course before. I had NO idea what I was in for...I did finish...but I was over the time by 5 minutes..hence she didn't qualify.

I was full of sweaty dirt all over my legs and I'll never forget what some guy said to me at the finish line..."I just wanted to tell you that you kept me going through the race, you were ahead of me the whole way and all I did was focus on your bright red shorts"! Well..at least that helped him get through the race.

Anyway, this year, another friend will be running the "Western States". Kim Abundis, from Ventura. She is a 47 year old package of dynamite herself. She runs 20 miles a day..10 before work, and 10 after work. On the weekends she does 50 milers. She IS ready for this. We've been emailing each other, and I will be out there on Race Day when they come in. The finish line is 20 minutes from my house. I hope I can see one of my "Idols" of the running world Dean Karnazes. Of course he wouldn't miss this either. "Mr. Marathon Man" himself. Gosh...I wonder if he'll just run home from the race...that's only about 3 hours from the finish line...he's been known to do that sort of thing.

Makes me want to go for a run all of a sudden!

Bad for Diets.....

Oh wow....this is my horoscope for today....I'm scared!! Think I'd better stay home..and eat light!

Bad for diets
This influence makes you inclined to excessive indulgence, but it also indicates great pleasure, joy and satisfaction, if you have the sense not to overdo. You are certainly not going to feel driven by ambition and the desire to conquer the world. You will want to sit around and take it easy or go out and buy some expensive, luxurious toy. This is certainly not the day to go shopping if saving money is your object, because you will buy them, even against your practical common sense. Perhaps your worst trouble will result from overeating. A certain aspect of this influence signifies heavy, rich, sweet foods. A bad day for diets! You also may drink to excess, leaving tomorrow for recovery. This much must be said: you will enjoy doing it, and that is not all bad.

But on another note..Yoga was the BEST this morning. Snap, Crackle and a few Pops! All good though. As ususal...it was very,very good!

Happy Weekend everyone!

grateful

friends...they are gems to me.

I have been so blessed with the friends that are in my life.

I'm not just talking about acquaintances or neighbors....I mean FRIENDS, friends!!

Those people who come into your life at an early age...and are still there just waiting for you 28 years later...always there to tell you things that you need to hear, right when you need to hear them, and it means even that much more coming from them.

Those whom you meet by chance and then catch up with once a week even though you live a "zillion" miles away.

Those who are older and SO much wiser...who have been through and seen everything you can imagine, and just being in their presence humbles you, because you know what a gift they are to be in your life.

My range of friends...good friends....varies from 25 years of age to 89 years of age.

I learn from them, and I think of them each and everyday...and I hope they know just how Grateful I am for them being in my life.

"There shall be eternal summer in the Grateful heart"

Celia Thaxter

Om Shanti~