Diwali

Last weekend I was invited to a Diwali night at SIUE Indian Students Association.
Diwali is a five day Hindu festival. Diwali actually means "rows of lighted lamps" and the celebration is often referred to as the Festival of Lights. The students told me that is like Christmas and 4th of July together. The Diwali is a rememberance of the victory of Good over Evil. During this time, homes are thoroughly cleaned and windows are opened to welcome the goddess of wealth. Candles and lamps are lit as a greeting to the goddess. Gifts are exchanged and festive meals are prepared during Diwali. Shopping for new clothes and diverse gifts is the custom. All lights in the houses are turned on to welcome the gods who bring richness and good fortune into the home. Fire cracers are burned as at 4th of July. There is lots of food and joy in this celebration.

Our celebration was much smaller but I had a flavor of it. Of course started more than one hour later than it was supposed (or announced at least) to start. Which is normal and common.


The celebration started with chanting and the traditional lamps and lights on a little table, but the spirit was there even if the decoration was only symbolic.


















Most of the students came in traditional clothing, especially the ladies were dressed with beautiful saris in bright colors. Some of the male students had also traditional clothing but most of them were in regular shirt and jeans. I did not see though any of the girls in other kind of clothing but traditional Indian clothes.


















Then traditional home made Indian food was offered (the students were the cooks). That was GOOD! I enjoyed the new flavors, since I did not eat too much Indian food in my life many of the dishes were new to me. But loved them all. Especially I love the tin bread and a rice pudding. It is interesting because I know from home the rice pudding, rice bioled in milk with sugar, raisins, and bites of nuts inside. Home we sprinkle it with poudered cinnamon. I loved also the rice dish, very spicy.
After the dinner the students had a contest for the newcommers. A questions and answers game, the new arrived students were asked diverse specific questions about SIUE and the town. They were scored by some of the professors invited there, and the best scores were the winners (a female and a male) who were the Fall Prince & Princess. There was also a "Best dress" prize for the most beautiful dressed girl. All were so beautiful. The balck siny hair is like painted. Their dark eyes are radiating their smiles. Joy and laughter, the spirit of Diwali.

Not so much the game I enjoyed as the spirit of the game. Their behavior was a little unusual for the normal regular Western behavior. They cheered and laughed so laud one could not hear the contestants' responses. They teased them, laughed at them, cheered for them, and enjoyed themselves. All was so similar to what I saw in Gipsy groups. Freedom and joy. I felt as in my childhood in summer vacation when the Gypsies came to our town. Those nights when joining the Gypsy children in the evening we sat around the fire and played laud, ran around, and joined the adults in sing and dance. It is a mirage bringing me back to my childhood. I enjoyed the spirit then and I enjoyed it now.

I loved the sari and other traditional style dresses. So unusual the very bright and shiny colors and decorations. Again similar to the ones seen on Gipsy women. I especially loved a red dress, fresh red color.
I have spent a wonderful couple of hours, and enjoyed it all!

How did Taylor change my life…

I used to be a clean freak (house and car), hating dust, washing and vacuuming my car every other weekend. I used to be obsessed about crystal clear glasses, ironed clothes and being always in time for meetings. As you see I talk about how I used to be… this was before having Taylor. Taylor is a premature born JRT and when I droved her home in Arizona, on a rainy day, I thought I transport gold and diamonds from California. She was an 11 weeks little lady, full of energy and joy. Her energy overwhelmed me. In the first couple of weeks almost three times a day (using up all my 1,000/month cell phone minutes) I called Taylor’s breeder to ask her what to do? Then my little treasure got sick, she became very picky then stopped eating. I took her in the bed to be able to monitor her sickness… Some antibiotics and vitamins from Dr. Tye helped her come back to normal. Of course she does not sleep anymore in her crate since then, she hates crates. Taylor was unexpectedly full of energy (at least more than I expected!). In the first month I lost 10Lbs (ladies there is no other recipe than running around a JRT and forgetting to eat). Taylor was growing nice but was a real challenge to handle. My calls were reduced to one per day … and slowly Sha became my foster mother not only Taylor’s breeder. I could not ask from God better gifts than my little precious Taylor and a foster Mom! Taylor is my “child” and a spoiled one! And worse, she knows that. Taylor started puppy classes at 5 months of age and when she graduated the trainer said that Taylor cannot go to the next level “she needs to work more on her behavior before that”… I never thought I can feel as if my child was rejected! We did not give up and went to another training course, where Taylor did a little better (then she was 7 months old). Home she enjoyed her cardboard tunnel which was growing longer with every box I brought home. She discovered with great enthusiasm JRT trials where she got her first blue ribbons in go-to-ground, and was second in racing. She loves running for bunnies, chasing birds, or cats. Most of all she loves running on the desert paths where she can see cactus, bushes, bunnies, birds and sometimes coyotes. My life revolves around Taylor. My house is not spotless anymore (is Taylor’s toys land). My car is all dusty, and white hair blows all over the house, car, and on my clothes. Sometimes my glasses look like windshields after a stormy rain (it’s only Taylor’s kisses). Many times I am late to meetings (leaving in the last minute to be longer with Taylor). I can miss an appointment but never a walk or a run with Taylor! I still spoil her (bad habit!). When she was10 moths of age with 11 ¼ “ and 9Lbs she won more blue ribbons (still her favorite go-to-ground). In her third obedience class Taylor is much better, slowly but steadily making progress. She is the sweetest dog in the class and everyone praises her for her cute looks. Now we go to agility classes. Far from being a conformation dog, Taylor has a cute and happy face that makes everyone love her. Luckily there are no JRT people in her class; no one knows conformation JRT rules so she is perfect and cute. She is very loving and attached to her Mom (and vice versa). She loves to sleep very close to me, and sometimes is pushing me from the bed and growling if I dare to move her. Taylor eats now everything, but her favorites are chicken breast and ice cream. The coolest bumper sticker reads: “Happiness is being owned by a Jack Russell Terrier.” Nothing closer to the reality.

Our place

Holiday Shores in the Fall is beautiful!
So many colors from yellow, orange, red, green, to dark brown. I think the geese left, I saw just a couple yesterday flying in arrow
I think they were the last ones. Amazing ones. Ducks are still here. The Blue Heron is also here on the lake. Never stays to pose for a picture, is really shy, and Taylor does not help at all to be quiet and sneak to see him from close.
She is so excited for squirrels. She almost would climb in trees to catch them :-)

Looking for ducks on the lake

All the wild geese are gone... but the squirrells are still there