Milk

I have finally succumbed to buying milk in these little 250ml bags.

We always bought it for Margaret to make Tea with, but just the thought of where it may have come from and was enough to put me off drinking it. Possibly because there are so many water buffalo's around and the fact that the cow population grazes all day on plastic and garbage you never really know what you could be drinking. It costs about Rs12 a bag 28 cents Aud.

A couple of months ago we ran out of our Nestle Long life box milk and I was desperate for a coffee so I thought I would give it a go. And it was nice, really nice. I am a milk LOVER, and drinking long life milk for the last 18 months has been a killer. So now everyday we buy these little bags of milk and then we put it on the stove and boil it, and boil it, and boil it. You know what boiling milk is like, if you take your eye off it for a second and it has boiled over and made a huge mess on the stove top, wasting half of it.

So with my new adventurous spirit I have now even been making my our Yoghurt and Ricotta from my little bags of milk. It always surprises me what you can do when you want something badly enough.

Disney Land Wannabe....

We are trying to plan our last R&R at the moment, it has been the grand plan all along to take the kids to

"The Happiest Place On Earth"

aka, Disney Land. Looking into airfares, accommodation etc, we have found that the big trip to the States is going to have to wait. It has blown the budget big time.

So what to do?

Driving up north in Chennai yesterday we came across Chennai's version of Disney Land. Lots of fun rides (don't know how safe they would be) wild life (the homeless street dogs) and just what you need at the end of a long hot day scaring yourself silly, a lovey polluted river to cool off in.

Certainly not my idea of 'The Happiest Place On Earth"

My Amazing Granny

On Sunday my Amazing Granny celebrated her 96th Birthday.

Here she is sitting down with my sister Kerrie at her Birthday tea. Mum had been busy baking some of Granny's fav's, Pavlova and Ginger Fluff. Mum had taken home a cute Lotus Flower candle from their trip to India which was a bit of fun. Granny has always been a fabulous baker and all my life I remember her baking up a storm to supply us with her home made cakes and sponges. I only hope one day I will be able to bake a sponge like her.

We are so proud to call her our Granny.

Granny, Kerrie and Jordan.

Dad took this photo of us on his computer all the way from India singing her a Happy Birthday on Skype.

Still in our PJ's as it was early Sunday morning here.

Aren't we lucky to have Skye to keep in touch with our family and friends. I certainly has made living here much easier.

After School Fun

This afternoon at school a friend had organized a picnic for the little people in our families.

What a lovely way to spend the end of a busy week. It reminded me of the fun we used to have on Friday night's at home with cricket and soccer, minus the wine. Our school in Chennai is not just a place to go to learn. It is a place for kids and parents to hang out at the end of the day and socialise with friends. It also runs many after school activities for the kids to join, you name it, it has it. Sam is playing soccer and basketball twice a week and is loving the chance to learn these sports.

With so many of us living in apartments and no where for kids to run around and play, it provides the perfect environment for some normality. Our lives this school year are vastly different from last year and there's no more tears going to school, which Victor and I are grateful for. We have all met some lovely friends and we are so happy with the school. That's not to say that the kids would die to be able to come home tomorrow, but for the time it has brought our lives contentment.

Workplace Safety

This guy had best not be afraid of heights when his job is to cut down the overhanging branches in the middle of the road. He had wheeled his way all down the street, piles of branches were piled up along the side of the road.

I love how safe it must be atop that ladder. No safety rope or harness to help if he fell.

Gotta love the sights we see on a daily basis as we drive around town.

Home is going to be SO boring one day.

Swim Baby Swim

Yesterday we were treated to yet another amazing experience here in Chennai.

We were invited down to Fisherman's Cove to take part in releasing about 60 "Olive Ridley" Turtle Hatchlings. Their Mumma Turtles come and lay their eggs along the coastline of Chennai between January and March. Volunteers then walk the beaches at night to collect the eggs and to protect them from natures predators. They are placed into hatcheries and once they hatch they are then sent on their way to fend for themselves in the big blue ocean.

It was so amazing to see these little babies, just hatched that day, get placed on the sand and head straight for the water. For some of them it took a couple of tries, getting washed back in by the waves. How many survive? Who knows, but it is said that they normally return to the beach where they where hatched to lay their own eggs.

The Olive Ridley turtle population is decreasing each year but lets hope that by at least keeping the eggs safe until they hatch that they have a much better chance of surviving and the numbers will increase.

We feel so blessed to have been given this wonderful opportunity.

Saree Shopping

We had the chance to go Saree shopping with Grandma and Gramps while they were here in Chennai. Eliza and I have been wanting to make the big purchase but just haven't been inspired to do so. We found a gorgeous shop with some really lovely Saree's. We both felt a bit strange getting wrapped up in 5 and a half meters of fabric by the male sales assistant and it certainly took some talking into for Eliza to try one on. She had her eye on a couple of different aqua patterned Saree lengths and they suited her beautifully. She ended up very excited at the prospect of owning one at long last. She really looked so tall and graceful.

Next we need to take the Saree length to a tailor and have a blouse and petticoat made to wear under it.

Goodness knows where and when we will get to wear the Saree's and how we will ever learn to wrap them ourselves without the help of an expert.

Looking a bit apprehensive.

Eliza and Gramps with the final choice.

I am now the proud owner of 5 Saree's. 2 of which I am going to turn into table clothes. Mum has been a bad influence on me and we have spent quite a bit of time in the Nalli Silks stores drooling over the wonderful fabrics. So many stunning colours and the variety of fabric types, from exceedingly expensive silks to cheap and cheerful cottons and everything in between. A fabric lovers dream come true.