Hi Everyone --

Another week has flown by -- and we think it's party season again in India! Last Sunday night we went to Hannah's friends parents house for dinner. They told us to come after 7 p.m. We were the first ones there, they weren't showered, and everyone else came at 8 p.m. They are nice folks and all the others they had for dinner were from their housing society (complex). They were very interesting and nice people. They served starters and then at 10 p.m. Hannah started to ask about going home because seminary is at 6:15 a.m. The food wasn't even there yet for dinner, so we were going to play a game. I don't even want to think about Pictionary with Indians! Well, the food came about 10:30 and we ate. It was good, but it was so late!! Then we needed to stay and hear their daughter (Hannah's friend) sing. Who says parents aren't the same all over the world?!?

Yesterday we were invited to a Pooja which is some sort of beginning to a Hindu fast for a month. We were mixed up on the times and after being so early last weekend, we weren't going to chance it. So 2 1/2 hours late, we showed up. I know Michelle will be proud! They were still doing the religious part of the ceremony and there was a fire in a pot in the house and there was smoke all over. It burned my eyes like crazy. Reminded me of Brice living at home. Dad thought Brice would feel right at home here with fires in the house. They finished the ceremony and then we had dinner. Some people left right after dinner. Some people left shortly after visiting for a while. We stayed till the end. It ended up being the big wheels from John Deere left there, so we really needed to socialize. They were giving us advice on where and what to visit in India. I told them I didn't think Kashmir on the Pakistani boarder was very safe for us. We left at 10 p.m.

Today we let our driver have the day off -- he has really worked hard for us these past weeks and he deserves some time with his family. We had church here at home and the other couple in Pune came over too. Our friend Shankar left for Quattar yesterday, so the Pune twig is getting smaller.

We had a family from Mumbai branch come and stay with us Friday night. They were coming to Pune for an engagement ceremony for one of his co-workers. They got here about 10:30 p.m. and all the kids were wide awake by then. In the morning, Dad made pancakes and they were great! Then we got in the cars and started looking for an elephant or some camels. We found the camels -- they were more than happy to give the kids rides. They had bells around their knees and they had flowers sticking up on top of their heads. Very funny sight. The kids got camel poop on their legs -- so much excitement! We came back to the house, got cleaned up, and they got all dressed up to go to their next party.

We are having BBQ chicken, potato salad, and baked beans for dinner. Dad is trying to come up with some great spoon dessert (oxymoron) for after. He bought way too much milk yesterday morning for breakfast. We'll see what he comes up with for 2 quarts of milk -- but I think it will definately be a spoon dessert!

I hope everyone had a good week.
Love, Lucinda