Changi Airport, Singapore






Singapore airport is probably one of the best in the world for families travelling with children. It is also a capitalist's dream, housing a massive variety of shops and hotels within the airport.

For families with a little time on their hands there are lovely, modern playgrounds, fish ponds, craft stations and places for children to watch cartoons or clean up. There are also many toy stores for any kind of desire. We ran out of time and rushed our meal because we had spent so much time playing. For me, Singapore airport is kick a**.

Packaging is different here for some things like to go food, and milk. Yesterday we ordered some idli to go for Sanbate. The chutney and sambar were put in bags and the idlis were wrapped in large leaves and then newspaper with string. Milk comes in a bag here. Pouring it can be a challenge so you have to snip a tiny hole in the corner and hold it tight until you are ready and aimed to pour. I have spilled a lot of milk since arriving in India.

Note* Here are three definitions of Toned Milk:

Wiki.answers.com-
Toned Milk is heated to 900c. for 15 seconds. It is then homogenized to reduce the size of its fat globules. Then vitamins are added to milk. After pasteurisation and homogenization it is cooled to 40c.

Encyclopedia.com-
Toned milk is dried, skim milk added to a high‐fat milk such as buffalo milk, to reduce the fat content but maintain the total solids.

Dr.NDTV.com-
Toning can be defined as the addition of the constituted skimmed milk to whole buffalo milk so as to reduce the fat to 3%.

It tastes skim. Buffalo milk is very rich and tasty. We were able to get it easily in Bombay but no on seems to know how to get it here. I should probably keep asking.

Brain dead kya?



Occasionally, we order pizza from my least favorite of all the American pizza chains, Dominoes. And it isn't cheap. Last night I noticed what was on the napkin. Hunger help line? In India? I am sorry, but whoever decided on that one should be jobless. It made me feel like calling the number but I am practicing peacefulness and I don't think what I would have to say would be very kind.



Dolly is sitting here, (she needs a name) with the dishes that momma made. It looks like she needs a refill.

I chose icecream over gold. Inflated icecream at that.

I went to the village to look for simple gold earings for the baby because all she owns now are the nice ones, which she has begun to fiddle with. For 1.8 grams of gold the jeweler wanted 2500 rupees, which is about 50 bucks. This seemed steep to me as the earings were only 22 karat. I walked away with plans of checking the price of gold online.

Afterwards we went to Frosty's to get Ben and Jerry's and danish butter. I paid 1500 rupees for two pints of icecream and a pound of butter. That is about 30 bucks.

The dairy products will be gone in a few days.

Enough I say! It is enough! The US does not have any $ to pump into a stimulus bill! We gave it all away to the auto makers and banks. Please do not, I repeat, do not give any more (fictional) money away!!!

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This list is posted here with thanks to Alice, my long lost high school friend. She sent me a request via Facebook to make such a list. It took me most of an hour so here it is.

25 Random things about me

I (sometimes)think I am one of the worst people in the world
I worship my daughter and wonder at others who don't
If I can't create I feel destructive
I am a terrible nurse but a great counselor
Being a mom has made me more humble
Moving to India has been the best and worst experience of my life
My husband has helped to make me a better person instead of spoiling me and I am mad about that
I am good at a lot of things but when I am bad at something I suck
I like cleaning floors but hate doing the dishes
I have lost my appetite for food

Don't take away my chocolate
Meditation and yoga are two of my cures
I believe that poverty exists within one's character and that many economically impoverished people are rich with joy
I love movies but I hate TV
I would like to learn how to "Let it go"
I want to teach my daughter Truth, Beauty,Goodness, and Belongingness
I ask the question, "Why don't blue jeans go out of style?"
I want my dad back
I love the smell of horse poop
I am a dog person but have only had one dog

This list is taking me forever!
I like the color of cardboard
I hate chewing gum
It has been a really long time since I dreamed I was flying

I am not the yes and no of my mind

Went to the ashram last Sunday in hopes that the guru was in station but I knew immediately upon arrival he was not. It was very quiet and the parking lots were nearly empty.

The satsang was Lame-O due to the fact that it started at 5pm (instead of the scheduled 430) and ended at 530 (not the usual 6pm) with a half hour of testimony from Art of Living course takers instead.

Luckily the Ayurvedic practitioner was in his office. The study of Ayurveda is "the knowledge of longevity" and the "doshas" air, fire and water that exists within the body. We walked into his office and we were given an immediate consultation. Mine cost twice as much as my husband's (due to my expensive skin color) but later we joked that I received twice as much information. I took notes and the husband did not.

The ashram pharmacy was closed due to the (fictional) satsang so Suresh and I drove around the next day looking for Ayurvedic pharmacies. Kind of interesting where these places are located- EVERYwhere. But they don't stock everything. So search we did until I got tired driving around and sent Suresh into THE CITY. He was gone for 4hours.

My Treatment:
I am Pitta/fire (really?)with a vata/wind imbalance.
Part of my body is not in harmony with the Pitta. (?) Take a guess what part.
My treatment will last 2-3 months and consists of a twice daily dose of the following 3 herbs.

The 4000 year old herb, Ashwagandha is manufactured by Stresscom. This herb is heat neutral and is compared to ginseng because of its anti-inflammatory qualities. It helps in depression, anxiety, paranoia (yes, yes and yes that is me) and is often given to men to increase sperm.

Shatavari (she who posesses 100 husbands) is the female version of Ashwagandha. It is used for reproductive issues and digestion. It is made by Himalaya.

Guduchi Churna was only available in powder, (YUCK). This herb was created when Indra was giving nectar to Rama's dying monkeys as they battled Ravana. A drop from the nectar fell to the ground and up sprang Good Ol' Guduchi. This herb increases strength and is a rejuvenator.

If the ashram pharmacy was open we would be taking Sri Sri Ayurveda products but alas we could not wait until the attendants decided to come back so we may have inferior products. Stay tuned for the effects.

I have been getting back into my "hand work" mode over the last few weeks, knitting, crocheting, felting, sewing and clay modeling. Sanbate's doll has new dresses, and there are some flower fairies hiding in the coconut shell we brought back from Bombay, (mom was making coconut chutney). Sanbate's dolly also has some new clay dishes that are drying out for painting. What fun!




Sanbate really digs this cd, by Amadou and Mariam and prefers to dance with dad than me, (a wild dancer).