02 August 2011

Travel Plans


Rutledge Ave., Charleston, S.C.

This is one of my favorite houses on Rutledge Ave. draped in spanish moss. I am getting used to making do with my little pocket canon camera on most of my evening walks now rather than the heavier DSLR. I was beginning to walk lopsided from the weight.

I got on the phone with my daughter in Portland last night and we coordinated booking tickets to India for November. Woohoo! First off - how wonderful to have a daughter who is able to pay for her own ticket. Although I have been back to India, this will be the first time I go back to the hills in the far north east where I grew up since I graduated from high school. It's is going to be a sentimental journey indeed. Now, shall I make any effort to refresh a language I haven't spoken since I was seventeen? Yikes.

I had to be at work bright and early to sell some pot. Pots. I sponsored a fundraising cookware sale in this heat and did very well, thank you. The profits allow me to play lady bountiful and buy wheelchairs, blanket warmers and training mannequins for the hospital.

Thanks for all your great comments. It takes great self discipline not to respond to them while I am at work but they do delight me!

12 comments:

brattcat said...

Great photo, great adventure in store, great job with the pot...er, pots. Have a wonderful journey!

Lowandslow said...

The architecture of Charleston is wonderful, and I especially like the fact that the residents aren't afraid to individualize their homes with color. Here the #$#%^&* Home Owners Associations would stroke out if we tried that.

I agree, it's so nice to have self-sufficient children. We both must have done something right. :)

S

Anonymous said...

go girl. marvelous. I would so love to go to India! Pics I hope for us?? xo

New Life said...

This is one of my favorite houses too! :)

Charlestonjoan said...

brattcat - great adventures! Elephant riding safari, drum festivals. Coolness.

lowandslow - we have to get everything approved but we have a history of colorful buildings.

charlotte - pictures are one of my main reasons to go. I want to document what I remember of growing up there before it has all changed.

Krystle - it's lovely, isn't it?!

Kate said...

Joan, While I was still teaching I had a 6-week summer Fulbright in India, headquartered in Delhi and circumnavigated the country counterclockwise, ending back in Delhi. then flew to Srinagar, Kashmir for a week on a houseboat for R&R. I LOVED the people and all the different cities; you must have had a magical childhood. Your return trip will be awesome!!

Charlestonjoan said...

Kate - I stayed on those houseboats! I wonder if anyone is still doing it? Kashmir has had years of bad press.

Anonymous said...

I applaud the spirit of adventure you helped build in your daughter and the time shared together in re-visiting your past will only serve to enrich the adventure. What a legacy!!!! You Rock!!! The Dingo stays home...? Connie

Marcheline said...

I would love to go to India... but will be very happy indeed living vicariously through your blog, and the wonderful pics I know you will bring back with you! In the meantime, I will console myself with chicken tikka masala and reruns of "A Little Princess".

Suzie said...

Pots for a fundraiser! I have to know more! I need to do a fundraiser.....and your trip will be fantastic! I go to Mexico at the same time with girlfriends I haven't seen in over 40 years. We reconnected on Facebook. I do love FB!!

Namrata said...

In November,which is early winter in India,your daughter will miss the rain-washed green trees and blue hills.As for you,you may be taken aback by concrete houses which have sprung up almost anywhere.Shillong is no longer what it was in our schooldays.No matter what,you will still be looking forward to be there and looking around for familiar nooks and corners. All the best !

Charlestonjoan said...

Connie - Aaaah! Someone remembers the Dingo! :))

Marcheline - I will bring back photos. No worries there.

Suzie - The Pot dudes set up and sell and I get a cut. Funny how people who don't cook anymore still love cookware. I have a huge pool of employees so it makes these things worth the trip for them. The group is called Dynamic Cookware. They will be at Roper Hospital tomorrow if you want to check them out.

Namrata - I hope it is still green and lush. It was tricky coordinating schedules and getting off work long enough to make the trip worthwhile. I was hoping for Oct but this was the best we could to. Will go to Shillong, Kaziranga, Arunachal Predash (new to me) and I think there is a drum festival in the Garo Hills. Wow.