Quick Note from Chennai

I officially love the YWCA. The atmosphere is wonderful and the other guests are great. The only (minor) negative is that their internet goes out from time to time. I'm writing things up to post when I have connectivity (I just posted two updates, for example).

Vindya is doing better. Her last couple of tantrums have started in the lobby with an audience, and ended by the time we got to the room. She is just crying now, not hitting or really struggling. In fact, last night when we got up to the room after one, she wiped her face and pulled out the sticker book. She is clearly learning that it doesn't do her any good to cry at me.

The YWCA compound has a children's playground, which we visited and she loved it. There was a little boy there, and they kind of circled each other, not really playing together but watching each other carefully. The hit was definitely the merry-go-round. I don't think she had been on one before. She was totally thrilled and excited by it, and kept laughing and laughing as long as I could push it.

Sarah (Deb's friend) is a very proper Indian lady with a British accent and a no-nonsense manner. She has planned for us to go to Pondicherry over the weekend, arranging it so that we meet up with some other friends of hers and can share the car coming back. She took us on a little tour of the city last night. Before we got in the auto, she described the route to the driver, and arranged a price. He decided to cut back about half way through, and she wouldn't let him. They had a heated argument in Tamil. At least, he had a heated argument. She let him yell, and then kept repeating the equivalent of "This is what we agreed, drive on." At one point, she told him that there was a police officer right there, would he care to take the argument to him? The driver did as requested, grumbling all the way.

Today, she is going to take us out for a couple of hours to see some of the more distant sights. We are also looking at going to the sea temples. I forget the name, but they were buried in the sand, and uncovered by the tsunami. I think it will be lots of fun.

I'm also trying to meet up with my friend, Nirmala's, family, who live here.

I hear that LiJun has overdue library books, and that despite this, she has headed off with my parents. They are driving her to Alabama, and then down to Florida, and then the whole family is going to go on a Disney Cruise, that was planned to introduce Vindya to everyone. Yes, I'm bitter.

I also hear that The Evil Lilly has taken over the house she is staying at, and convinced the trainer that about half of my instructions were really unreasonable. This fails to surprise me. On the other hand, Mr. Maui has settled in with his host family and made friends with their two large dogs. He loves to snuggle with the larger one, and stretch out on top of the couch. This also fails to surprise me.

All in all, I am much calmer and more relaxed than I have been since I got to India. More later, if the internet holds out!