Hi Everyone --

This was a sad week -- we had to send Brice back to the US and to school. We finished all his errands and running around by Wednesday. Thursday he packed and was gone in the afternoon. Feroz took Brice to Mumbai, and they almost made it to the airport, but were delayed by a flat tire (or I should say "tyre") as they were about at the drop off at the airport. They put the spare tire on, got Brice dropped off, and Feroz had to spend the night in Mumbai and drove back the next day. Yesterday, Feroz had 4 new tires put on our car. That's a good thing -- they needed to be replaced.

We assumed Brice made it to the US, but no one had heard from him -- not Craig, who had his car keys, not Martin who had his belongings, not Grandma and Grandpa Johnson. Craig assured me that he was fine, wherever he was. We did get a visual report and a skype call Saturday night. I'm glad he made it back safely. That's a long and grueling trip.

We have had more rain this week -- even record breaking rain 3 days in a row, but the newspaper reports that none of that rain was in the proper area for catchment in the reservoirs. Consequently, we are again on 1/3 water rationing every day. Our electricity has been more consistent and reliable lately -- knock on wood.

Sham's wife had her kidney stone blasted last Saturday. She was in the "hospital" Saturday and Sunday and then went to her mother's. She is up and about and coming back to Pune today. She is much better and is very thankful for the treatment. Thanks to all who contributed toward it!

We are in the middle of the festival season here. We begin today the Ganesh reverencing time, when they pray to their idol and then sometime in the next 10 days take it to the river to be dunked. There are a lot of idols thrown in the water and a lot of pollution/garbage/debris left over.

This is also the middle of the swine flu panic. Last weekend was the worst, when everyone stayed home, stayed in, no shopping, no school, no movies or malls, no vegetables or produce. Luckily, two days of laying low and the panic is over. More people have gotten the flu, more people have died, but the people here believe it is over, so it's over. John Deere is on swine flu alert also. People who were going to visit from the US are not coming, and large gatherings of people have been cancelled.

We had 7 people at church today. Our message was on enduring to the end. I felt that this was given just for me! Not only do we need to put in our time, but we also need to do it with grace and responsibility and a good attitude!

Have a great week!
Love, Lucinda