Veganism or Bust Baby

Our power has been off so much this past week. You now see why.

It occurs to me that it is Labor Day Weekend this weekend. Happy Labor Day - Merry Labor Day - Go Labor Day - Not quite sure on how to accurately send you our Labor Day love. I am continually amazed how much the rhythm of our days/weeks/months/year has been turned upside down since we moved here. I did not realize on how much the rhythm of weather seasons, holidays, birthdays and the nine month school year set the course for proper preparation for various events. Does that make sense? Labor Day weekend reminds me to dash to Target to get school supplies. Tree leaves turning reminds me to call our friends the McCarthy’s to see if I can come hijack some apples off their trees. The first frost and dusting of snowflakes reminds me to get out our winter snow gear and see which kid needs new boots and hats... and so on... But here, especially in our first year, what am I to think? Oh, it’s still raining, time to dash to Target and get apples to play in the snow.

I am mourning the loss of variations of protein in our diet. I will say this first before launching into my clothed-in-black mourning reflections. I am completely grateful for the protein that we do have, there are many people all over the world that live on very little. But I am wondering if there will come a day that I will look at chicken and conveniently claim veganism as my diet of choice. Seriously, I tried beef last week and nearly chucked all over the dinner table. And I am not sure if I can try again, the subtle taste of garbage is just a bit too much. You are what you eat, even for cows. There is mutton and fish in the market, but again... veganism or bust baby. So, chicken it is. We do have our fair share of legumes throughout our week. But thoughts of my dad’s fish fry, venison stroganoff, farm fresh bacon, HoneyBaked Ham or a juicy rump roast nearly brings tears to my eyes. Please send me your favorite chicken recipe, I need to replace my black mourning clothes with white linen and sing the praises of chicken once again.

It was an amazing summer at Freedom Firm, with the total number of girls rescued reaching 34 in 3 months. But the excitement didn’t end there. Geeta Tamang, the brothel keeper who held Sajni and took her 4 year old son away from her (they’re both now in our Ooty aftercare home), was recently sentenced to 7 years in prison. I asked Sajni what she thought of the conviction and she said with a huge smile, “I’m happy. I’m very happy.” In a conversation with one of Freedom Firm’s lawyers, a Pune judge said that before we began work in Pune one year ago, brothel keepers were never convicted when on trial. Bribes always secured their freedom. He said Freedom Firm is changing that, and he is very pleased that change is happening.

Other weekly plans include our Friday night tradition - Friday Night Pizza and Movie Night

This weekend, the kids are participating in Hebron School’s cross country races. James is to run around the Big Pitch (cricket/soccer field) once and Ani is either running one or two miles. I’ll let you know. There is also a new wave of FF volunteers coming into town, so we are going to have them over on Saturday evening for dinner. I am thinking I will serve them, hmm, let’s see, chicken.

More Goa pics

Yes, we know, James has pink pj's.