The Lenghts Some Men Will Go To.

Well it had to happen sooner than later I suppose.

Yesterday we had our first trip to the Apollo Hospital in Chennai. And no, it wasn't with Mac after having stuck something up his nose or after having drunk some poison. Andrew decided he had enough shopping at Spencer Plaza and a trip the the hospital sounded like a better plan. A kidney stone attack will bring down even the biggest, bravest man and this one was a goody. We called ahead to our doctor and he in turn called the hospital to inform them we were on our way.

Pleasantly surprised, we wandered in and were shown straight to a bed in Emergency. The doctor came and saw him and ordered a Ultrasound and some pain relief. She was keen to get a line in but Andrew thought the idea of a needle was not on and asked for some oral pain relief. He thought that having a drip in might make him too immobile...... And where did he think he would be trotting off to???????? So they got the line in while someone else escorted me to registration. At this stage I was thinking this was too good to be true. Then they said I would need to make a payment as a deposit for the care he would be given. Ok, this is when they need to pick me up off the floor, but no, Rs5000 ($150) was all they would need for the time being.

Once I was escorted back to Andrew and found that he was resting and the pain relief had started kicking in we then waited to be taken to have the ultrasound. Half an hour later that was done and no stone to be seen, may need to have a CT scan. Was told he could have already passed it and they would send for the urologist. What good service.... The urologist arrived and didn't see the need for the CT, Andrew was comfortable and the pain was under control. We could go home, REALLY? Madame you just need to go and settle the bill. Oh, ok, this is when things are about to turn pear shaped. But no, another Rs1700 ($51) was all they required (and a 10 min chat with the guy in accounts about where we where from and why we where here and the cute little Indian woman that was sitting next to me telling me I was lovely as she was rubbing my arm) and we were out of there. Already????? No long drawn out sitting waiting for hours, this can't possibly be an Indian run hospital.

The kids meanwhile had been driven home and Noeleen had then fed and tucked into bed by the time we got home. We are so lucky to have she and Graeme here to help us out.

Andrew commented in the hospital how nice and quiet it was with no kids fighting and whining, my response to that was,

"The things You do for a bit of peace and quiet!!"

Cost Of A Locksmith In India.....Priceless

Last night we got locked out of our kitchen.... How did this happen you may ask and why do we have a lock on the kitchen door.
Well remember we are in India and every door in our house has a lock on it. In India you would normally find a whole family living in an apartment like ours. That means a WHOLE family, Don and Jeanette in one room ( heaven help us with Dads snoring) Kerrie, Graham, Jordan and Brady in another and Us, Andrew, Megan, Eliza, Sam and Mac in the other (heaven help anyone else having to live with our 3 kids) and that's possibly an understatement. And then add in the possibility of household staff, whom can not always be trusted. So there are locks on everything, wardrobes and even the draws in the robes have locks. Oh there are also slide bolts on the top and bottom of each door. Fort Knox it is. We have taken off the bottom slide bolt on each door as one hour after we arrived in Chennai Mac had himself locked in the bathroom at our temporary accommodation. And there was no way I was prepared to have that happen again.

The time had come to cook the last of our Dubai beef, a lovely piece of NZ sirloin, along with roast spuds and the works. I decided to wait and eat with Andrew and enjoy a peaceful dinner child free so I fed the kids early, Eliza finished and took her plate to the kitchen and closed the door after her. Unknowingly locking it. SCREAM. And where is the key??? In the draw in the kitchen. SCREAM AGAIN this time really loud. It's 6.30pm in a foreign country what am I to do?

First get a hair pin and try to unlock the door like they do in the movies. Doesn't work by the way.

Second phone Andrew who is still one hour away from home.

Finally go to our landlord next door, get them to call a locksmith as there was no way i could communicate the problem over the phone. Landlord tells me he is on the way but I will need to pay for the Locksmith's auto as he has no other transport. Hey at the moment I would pay for his first class round the world ticket. Just unlock the door so I can save my roast dinner from the ants that have decided to take over my kitchen.

An hour later the locksmith arrives and goes to work on the door. Lots of hammering and banging on the handle and he finally has it open. Thank you Mr Locksmith.

I saved the roast and the best part of the ordeal......... call out fee and auto ride for the locksmith, $15 .......... PRICELESS.

Another "Mac" Funny Moment

As we sat down to dinner last night Mac asked me "What's for tea?"

" Stir Fry Mac, you know what it is we have it a lot." I reply.

He sat there for a moment and looked quite thoroughly through his dinner and said to me.....

"Stir Fly's. But where are the Fly's"

Out Of The Mouths Of Babes

I have to share this cute story with you.

This morning Mac, Margaret and I were in the lift going downstairs. In the lift there is a overhead fan and the switch to turn it on and off is just at Mac's height. It is usually his job to press the button and send us on the way up or down.

So we get in the lift today and he goes to turn the fan off, SCREAM, it's hot in there and some air flow is good.

I tell him, "Mac, leave the fan on please."

And his reply in a very authoritative voice was, "No it makes my hair go frizzy"

Makes me wonder about how many times I've told him that?????

I have been suffering very frizzy, bad hair since we got here and have got into the ponytail phase. Not a good look. But it's too hot to stand there with the blow dryer. So yesterday I got brave and went to have a trim. Now, I hate getting my haircut at the best of times and it's even worse when there is a language barrier. I am not good at being on the receiving end of the scissors and comb. If only I could take my head off and cut it myself, I'd be much happier. And when you know how to cut hair and the person cutting yours is not really doing what you ask for it becomes one of those moments that you wish you hadn't got yourself into. Thank goodness for curls they hide a multitude of mistakes, I hope.

Bring on May when I go home to have a decent trim.....

So to all my old clients, I feel your pain..

A Little Taste Of Summer

Summer is just around the corner and we are really feeling it with the weather warming up. Most days lately have been in the mid to high 30's. I am starting to wilt.

Its Watermelon season in Chennai and everywhere you look there are piles of them. On most roads you will find a man and his melons.......

What I really love is that I can send Victor to get me one and he brings it home and Margaret cuts it up on puts it in a bowl in the fridge. No excuses for not eating fruit when you have someone to prepare it for you. A big watermelon usually costs me about $2 and I am sure that's the white-mans price. But the kids are loving it and so am I since I have found a new recipe for a nice cool refreshing drink.

I spent a morning last week learning to make Cocktails and Mocktails. Lots of fun, and followed with the best lunch EVER. Grilled chicken Breast on a bed of Caramelized onion, served with the Yummiest Potato and Asparagus. I am still dreaming of it...........Real comfort food.......

Oh, now I'm getting off track, food has a habit of doing that to me.

I thought this guy was very sensible, at least he a an umbrella protecting the melon from the sun, although the dirt and pollution from the cars driving past certainly puts me off buying his melon.

Here's a recipe I thought I'd share with you.

Watermelon Mint Cooler

12 leaves of mint

6 cubes of Watermelon

20 ml Lime Juice

20 ml sugar syrup

( instead of the Lime juice and Syrup, I use Lime Cordial)

90 ml Ginger ale or Sprite

Lots of Ice

Enjoy!

Pondy Bazaar

"What The" - Part 4

While having a browse in a shop the other day we heard a whole lot of noise from outside. We couldn't believe our eyes when we looked out and saw these two buses driving by with people climbing onto the roof and hanging out the doors. Which I might add is quite a common occurrence in India but I had never seen so many people sitting on top. This was all part of the celebrations for the anniversary of a collage close by to where we were. Just another TII moment. (This IS India)