13 Hours of Rain

The month of August has been filled with many family gatherings to celebrate significant events in people’s lives. While my side has fourteen members, your Daddy’s side has more than double the amount. At our most recent gathering, twenty-six individuals (plus three dogs) ranging from age 3 to 85 partook in a meal together at the many tables in and outside the house. It was a good time. I grew up in a more formal household. The formality was partially due to my East-Indian ethnicity as well as the educational background of your Nana and Nani, who were both teachers. As a result, there were big expectations attached to yearly events such as Christmas and birthdays. And there was even bigger expectations placed on those one-in-a-lifetime occasions like a wedding or a significant anniversary. These events tended to be professional, extravagant, and over-the-top (and if you scored a deal while securing gifts, decorations, or food, it was even better). It seemed like it was a matter...

This is your family on your Mother’s side: Thirteen + 1 (soon-to-be*) members gathered together, f-i-n-a-l-l-y , after more than five years. I believe five languages are spoken fluently amongst us. Plus tidbits of others. English is common to us all. Languages fascinate me. English is my preference, of course. I know key phrases in French and I can read a wee bit (your Daddy is much better than me). I can give a taxi driver instructions in Cantonese. I understand Hindi/Urdu (or better described as Hindustani) and, for the most part, can carry on a decent conversation. In the end, I would say I am fluent in 1.5 languages since I cannot read and write the language of your Nana and Nani as I do with the current Roman script (maybe one day, in the next decade?). For the time being, I converse with you two mostly in English and sparodically in Hindi, hoping you will comprehend my inadequate attempt at teaching some aspect of your Indian heritage. And, for the most part, you do. Sometim...

Old Faithful - spouting every 90 minutes or so! We made it. Safely. We were fourteen family members celebrating an anniversary milestone for my parents. We arrived from three countries to spend four nights in cabins, two intense days touring Yellowstone National Park while having one memorable time. Our personal family unit added over 1600 km to our odometer as we traversed prairie, ranch country, foothills, and mountains. Thankfully, all within budget. :) Truthfully, I never had a real desire to see Yellowstone National Park . I assumed it was like any other national park in Canada: mountains, lakes, rivers, rock (repeat). And while I absolutely revel in immersing myself in natural wonders, I didn't feel the need to drive across the border to explore something similar. But this park in Wyoming, U.S.A. was the more economical central location for everyone, can-you-believe-it. Thus, we drove down. Once we experienced some of the park's famous features, I realized thi...