Summer days (in monsoon season)

Thank you to everyone who's shared stories of their beautiful MN summer days of perfect weather, trips up North, golf and leaving early. I especially enjoyed the email invite to Brit's patio on Friday...followed shortly by Dad's email with attached picture of steaks on the grill...NOT!!!
We're starting monsoon season apparently and it's actually been cooler here than in MN, and a little grey, cloudy and lightly rainy most days. So the trips to the pool are on hiatus although the temp still lingers around 80. Ok, but life here hasn't been all that bad either.
On Tuesday Wade and I celebrated our 8th wedding anniversary. As I was getting ready, our housekeeper Swapna came up and into the bathroom with cake (Cake is HUGE here)! Both she and Lokesh had brought a bouquet of flowers and an excitement that Wade and I could only marvel at. Swapna was thrilled when I agreed to sport the bindi and "married woman" marking in tumeric powder. Even Ganesh got a special blessing. I have to say the celebration was fun, and generated quite the chatter in the office with wishes of "many happy returns of the day" (the bindi smack in the middle of my forehead caught a few eyes). And when we opened the 1999 bottle of Cabernet my parents slipped into a care package, Wade and I also found excitement. Come on though, 8 years - it goes fast!!
July 10 is also my Grandpa's birthday, and had me missing home and the expected dinner with the whole family, and lunch celebration for just me and Grandpa. Not to worry Grandpa, it will be top on my list when we get home - pencil me in for lunch at Capital, and we can end my journey here just as it began!!
AND, July 10 is also my now four-year old neighbor Kay's birthday. Wade and Caden had a great time at the party. Caden had hand-picked out the present with clever observations like "girls like pink" and "Kay likes bubbles" - fun to see him getting involved. I made it home at 9 from a long day of meetings, and another hectic summer/monsoon season day had passed.
In other news, the "girls" had been planning a spa weekend for Saturday that turned into a family affair at Eagleton, a golf resort not far from town but worth an overnight in Bangalore traffic. So we all piled in and I FINALLY got in my first round of golf since moving to India. Who knew life here wouldn't be full of tee times at palm-tree lined courses?? I must not have read that contract very well... Anyhow, it was a great outing even if the golf was a lot rusty and the weather was a little overcast. Turns out golf actually isn't that popular here. But not to worry Dad, Caden is getting the itch also but we've resisted buying the little guy a bunch of sticks with metal clubs at the end and direction to hit hard balls as far as possible... for now. Otherwise, a fun time with great friends and the girls got to ride home in our own car and stop for one of these wonderful all you can eat (and drink) Bangalore brunches. I do say, Bangalore brunch rocks. Wade would like to point out, the kids car stopped at McDonald's, and the McVeggie burger did not meet expectations.
Otherwise, all non-parents stop reading!
Really.
I have to share two Caden stories... getting him into bed the other night with his stuffed dog (Ralph) that I bought when he "was just a little baby in my belly." He asks in his quizzical way, "how big was I when I came our your mouth?"
Angela: "Uh...you weren't very big when you were born."
And on our way home from the store on Saturday, this high-pitched French-accented voice shouts out "Cad-en, Cade-en" from the back of a scooter and Caden takes off running at full speed like he's running for life. We catch up to Pauline from his school and Caden begins to hop on one foot and exclaim proudly "I can hop on one foot." (Apparently, when you're three this is how you impress girls - very smooth, huh?) I have to say, the little guy was quite smitten with Pauline and followed her around the playground dutifully. And when she pulled out a nerf dart gun from her bag, I thought I'd lost Caden for good.
Ah, summer days. Seriously, have a refreshing adult beverage at 4pm on the patio somewhere for me!!