12/20 Fruits and Roots

Every few days, Sumun makes a yummy little flat savory pancake with cilantro and scallions.  They are similar to a vegetarian omelet and are served with tomato sauce. I decline the sauce and everyone is shocked that an American doesn’t want ketchup;).   After breakfast, Mitali and I talked about our animals.  It was fun to hear stories about her life in Calcutta.  Made me think of little Soph;) Feeling a lot better today but still took it easy in the morning.  Mitali, Bhola and Siddarth set the report cards.  Twenty students out of around eighty have failed.  Some will come back some will not.  I notice that the parents are listed as guardian.  I ask the Hindi word and find that it translates to “He who thinks of him at the moment”.  Goes back to the fact that there is only now in Inida.  Only aaj.  Yesterday and tomorrow are both kaal and almost irrelevant.  After lunch, I take a long walk around the project.  Even though I was sick for only a few days, its really good to feel well and even better to eat.  Siddarth breaks out the dried mango that I wasn't able to eat the other day.  It's delicious.  Just like fruit leather, it is only sun dried juice - sweet and tangy yummm.  I have fasted before but eating after three days has never been so good. I go and watch Sumun in the kitchen.  He tells me names for all the spices then brought out a root that looked like ginger but was orange.  I got so excited to see something new - turns out it was raw turmeric.  As always it is the small things;)