Answers?

Yes our house did flood yesterday, about a week into the two-month monsoon season. No no no, this was not unexpected. Highly expected really, a little bit like growing up I think. You delude yourself for a while but eventually you’ve got to roll up your knickers and start wringing out the towels as the fountain of youth floods into your housemates’ bedroom, no longer within but from somewhere without. No, I know, that doesn’t really make sense, but now you’ve got the imagery at least.

Our crazy landlord? Yes, she’s in full form of course. She’s decided to tear up the floor starting tomorrow. I know, it’s the middle of the monsoon, but we’re not dealing with someone who accepts the rational as, well, rational; we’re dealing with construction in the blood; we’re dealing with “don’t tell my mother, [they both live upstairs] she thinks I’ve been just throwing money away trying to fix the house”; we’re dealing with “maybe I shouldn’t have paved the entire yard in cement, the water has no soil to seep into”; we’re dealing with uninhibited, unchecked decision making where one minute she’s planning a trip to north India with us and her expectedly-insane children and the next she’s calling one of us fat or ugly or pathetic. We’re dealing with a grown-up child, although she did help with the wringing out last night.

She asked us how we lived without TV. Well first she asked us if we had a TV even though she’s the one who furnished our apartment. When we told her no we don’t but we do things like read books and watch movies she said she can’t imagine life without television. She also told me she doesn’t mind rats because she loves Tom & Jerry and she hates all reptiles, including cockroaches. I know, I know, I need to film her.

Well, let’s see…we finally ran out of gas over the weekend. Actually it happened as I was boiling water and preparing to sauté some vegetables. No, I ended up eating lukewarm vegetables stirred in oil. It wasn’t as bad as it sounds though. I’ve been eating a lot of crackers lately, although we did splurge for Dominos last night. Yeah, we took a break from the flooding for a little taste of home. No, Dominoes doesn’t remind me of home, although I’m sure for the rest of my life it will remind me of India. I guess it’s ironic. I also ate lunch at a restaurant where they serve 5 juices (think V8 or protein shake), 5 uncooked vegetables, 5 semi-cooked vegetables, 5 cooked vegetables, and then finally rice and sambar, and you have to eat it in that order. Oh yeah, and for desert they pour some honey into your hand. No, Jenn tricked me into going. I’d like to bring my family there though, that would be funny. No, they aren’t visiting. Various reasons.

Work is fine. Sorry, I’m going to answer that like a fifteen-year-old getting picked up by his mom. I worked at McDonalds when I was fifteen. No I haven’t been to McDonalds in India, I haven’t even seen one. Strange, I know.

Christian and Sarah, my friends from home, are visiting for a few days this week, did I tell you that? They’re on their way to Africa for ten months. Crazy, I know. Something with children, for a good cause. I know. I’m not sure what we’re going to do. I’m not even sure where they’re going to stay now that our house is in disrepair. Yeah, they’re laid back. Apparently all New Mexicans are right? Although I can think of some exceptional…exceptions. Yeah, I know, I know.