Delhi Develoment Authority....

are responsible for civil works in the city and there is a logic to what is happening in our neighborhood. Any flowing water  in Delhi is basically a sewer - for example this one that runs by our temporary atartment.

It does seem that have a solution, cover it up with cement and the put a nice walking trail on top. The process has a certain logic. First finish one side (see the photo to the left)

Then push dirt down into the "creek" to divering all the water to one side Unfortunaely this creates the unfortunate situation wherein there is no water flow on one side.., a remarkable large scale microbiologi experiment that boggles the mind (and the nose). I love to stop and check it out - how the hue becomes a puptrid grey and it bubbles like beer brewing, but the family hates this little period of observation!

Then themost remarkable part is that guys go down in that muck and start to set up braces for the cement forms! Amazing that one can walk in the muck without promptly dying of hepatitis or some unknown emerging infection and more remarkable that one can get a solid footing for the braces!

 All of this is done with exquisite attention to detail, though no the ones we would expect. They have cone all this construction without disrupting the Animal Welfare Societies "stray dog feeding site" where every mornign about a dozn dog biscuts magically appear!

Adventures at India Gate

Tessa, Chase, Delaney, and Tessa's friend Anna all went to India Gate to go to a lake to a peddle boat place!! there where a lot/only Indians there (we where the only non Indians). there kids or two adults could go on each boat.  a lot of people where acting like it was Bumper Boats!! Witch made it really fun!!!! while peddling we didn't get vary far(he he) and moved like turttles!! We  also keep bumping into other boats!!! it Was super fun fun and was really a day to look back and laugh about!!!!!! i am SO glade we didn't fall in, but it looked a little like are bottoms got sprayed(really wet and dirty seats). but ether way we had a blast!!!!
                                                                                   Well good bye, hope you are having fun too!
                                                                                                   -Tessa Small

Moving into our new home.. Defence Colony (C block)

Oct 1, 2011
Wow what a month September was... Crazy busy at work editing the Indian National TB Strategic Plan requiring I play McKinsey consultant role of project managing a dozen busy folks for about 10 long meetings to agree among themselves on content, nudging 4 very busy physician/public health folks who were tasked with writing and scrambling a team of good writers to edit these chapter for structure, consistency and readablility. The last week was particularly crazy given that Delaney was back in DC on a media tour and I needed to negotiate the final stages of our lease. I turned it in to the TB program just in time for ...

MOVING DAY ...


The truck with out stuff - a long drive from Seattle



We started early with the truck arriving on time. It was exciting since we had pretty much forgotten what we packed 2 1/2 months ago.

Before they could unload, we had to wait for the fruit vendors who were in mid-transaction to roll onward... Won't they be welcome though come mango season.

They really were inpressive, in a whirlwind things appreared, almost all appreciated (well not the loft bed of chase's as held bve decapitaed by the cieling fan anytime he sat up).

Then the man said they were done and to sign the paperwork. Fortunately, everything seemed to fit and we haven't brough too much...At which point we realized we were missing the couch, and parts of all the beds, and the bikes - 29 items in all ... Well many calls later it seemed that it may not have been shipped... UGH!!!

Just a I was prepared to get used to sleeping on straw mattresses, they discovered that our second truck had been unpacked at different address, but was being repacked and would arrive soon! Without too much more fuss, all 176 items were delivered and boxes were partially unloaded and it was strange to see familiar things in a new venue... like an exhausted daughter!!!

Then off to buy a refridgerator, washing machine, microwave, oven and electric kettle for making tea!

NEXT POST... pictures of our new home.