Birthday month!

January is my birthday month, I celebrate my birthday all month long. I was born on my mother and grandmother's birthday, January 12.  My mother and I were both born on a full moon. While my mother was alive it was a very special day for me.  We would call each other and see who could wish the other happy birthday first-- now that she is no longer here on this planet, my birthday does have a bitter sweet flavour to it. I miss my mother, moreover, I miss calling her on our special day. I received many strengths of character from my mother and I also discovered artistic talents she and I shared. I look back on the time we had together and am wistful of conversations we didn't have, conversations we take for granted until we can no longer have them. I realized after she died, that I never asked her about the simple things she did? I didn't ask her what her typical day was like when she was raising me and my five siblings in Nairobi, Kenya? I wanted to know the mundane-- what time did she get up?  What did she prepare for breakfast, who took all the children to school?  When did she start to prepare dinner? What was it like to be one of the few Indian women in Nairobi who drove a car? She was a pioneer, a strong woman, a visionary... I am thankful, I did have that conversation with her, I told her she has always been my hero.

The New Year!

So, here we are in 2010!  This year I hope to raft the widest river in the world... the Amazon River.  But, before I do that a trip to San Francisco is coming up in February.  My daughter Reina and I are going to see the art exhibit of Tiffany my other 'daughter'.  Tiffany is a gifted sculptor and has a show in Fresno until the end of February.  I taught Tiff art when she was in high school and I have enjoyed watching her mature into such a gifted artist.  

Other trips planned for this year besides the Amazon are driving to Portland to visit my son Mahesh and his wife Sara and a quick trip north to Vancouver BC to visit family and then who knows?