The Dramatic Hollywood Rabbit

When I moved to India I was in for a huge culinary surprise.  Growing up in the Midwest most of the beans and lentils seemed to be flavored with meat.  Baked beans had bacon, pinto beans had pork butt.   As a child canned peas were the bane of my existence, I cannot emote enough to explain how much I hated peas in America.  They were always olive green with a mushy texture.  I once was forced to sit at the dining table for what seemed like hours- until I finished my peas.  I was only able to get up because when I was alone I hid the peas on the window sill behind the curtain, I still wonder who or when they found them.   Yet when I came to India, I fell in love with peas.  We arrived in winter when peas are at the height of their season.  Kilos of fresh pea pods would enter the house to be shelled.  Peas were made by themselves and added to a zillion other vegetables, each combination better than the last.   Beyond t...

             Can I tell you a secret?   I’m afraid.   Not panicked, just a bit fearful.   Before all of this COVID 19 became the top news story I had what I assume was the flu, followed by bronchitis, with a cough that two months later is still hanging around.   Hubby is over 60 and has his own health issues.   I see the news and while most people are recovering, I fear that if we catch it we won’t.             I don’t fear death per se, but my Earth bound body and that part of my soul that is still attached to this Earth wants to see my younger son get married.   I wish fervently to see my future grandchildren.   Yet.           I also fear for my soul.   I see strong people go out in the world and help others.   I don’t have the skills or the expertise to know how to create an NGO.   I wouldn’t know ho...

I graduated in 1987 and decided to take the summer off.  I had worked since I was 15 and studied for so long, I just wanted to do nothing.  Although we still had a couple of months left on the apartment at the University, I moved in with Hubby near his project.  After a few discussions, he agreed I didn’t have to work immediately as long as I took care of the housework.  To be honest, I’m not even sure of what I did during that summer, but it was a gift I thoroughly took advantage of. I actually took the concept from the fact that my mom gave the summer after high school graduation off to my older sister.  Mom had told her that she could do what she wanted until September 1.  By then she had to have a job or be in college.  After high school, I knew I was going to college and didn’t have the option of taking off, I needed to earn money for books and tuition.    For the next five years, I carried a full load and worked at least 20 h...

                                     Ah, to be a young woman in love, seeing your future in the eyes of your lover.  Love conquers all!  I am glad she didn’t know the things she would have to leave behind, the things that would be lost.  She only saw the adventure on the horizon. Neither of our families had much money, just typical middle class families.   We had enough and a bit more.   My parents gave us some money for the Christian wedding in the US and we added to it so that we had the wedding we wanted.   Hubby’s parents paid for the entire Jain ceremony, in India, three months later. We considered ourselves, very married. A year later, we told my family we were moving to India for a year maybe three.   My husband is an only child and he wanted to make sure his parents were OK.   Did he know that it would be longer than three years? I choose ...