Dear Diary

Oh Mapleleaf, how I identified with your post. It does seem surreal. The tragedy of it on all sides is impossible to fully comprehend and the aftermath is almost as big a worry--and might turn out to be the worst part of this war.

It was the same after 9/11; I couldn't concentrate enough to read a book all the way through for about six months.

I'm so grateful that some of us will be able to be together in Florida and get away form it for a few days and just enjoy each other's company. It's so exciting knowing that Urs and BigDice are on their way to Florida right now; in fact, they might have landed!!

Misti, don't worry about being late for my birthday--I agree that it should last a week; in fact, the older I get, the longer it should last--in my opinion. Thank you for the great pictures. First Dance is one of the sweetest I've ever seen--it reminds me a little of a picture of my cousin and me when we were that age.

Husker, I also forgot to thank you for your birthday wishes. Thank you.

Letty and I will be at the Florida Gathering on Thursday! Can hardly wait!!!

Oh Mapleleaf, how I identified with your post. It does seem surreal. The tragedy of it on all sides is impossible to fully comprehend and the aftermath is almost as big a worry--and might turn out to be the worst part of this war.

It was the same after 9/11; I couldn't concentrate enough to read a book all the way through for about six months.

I'm so grateful that some of us will be able to be together in Florida and get away form it for a few days and just enjoy each other's company. It's so exciting knowing that Urs and BigDice are on their way to Florida right now; in fact, they might have landed!!

Misti, don't worry about being late for my birthday--I agree that it should last a week; in fact, the older I get, the longer it should last--in my opinion. Thank you for the great pictures. First Dance is one of the sweetest I've ever seen--it reminds me a little of a picture of my cousin and me when we were that age.

Husker, I also forgot to thank you for your birthday wishes. Thank you.

Letty and I will be at the Florida Gathering on Thursday! Can hardly wait!!!

Woops! I am getting excited!

Dear Diary
On Friday last I was robbed at the 7-11 ATM (here it's called "Siete Once"). I haven't heard of this happening in the US but here they force the little door open and slip a sheet of something in the machine that prevents the money from dropping down all the way. Only the receipt comes out. They wait for the victim to walk away scratching his head then hook on to what they wedged up there and pull it out allowing the money to fall and bingo they're in funds. At least it works something like that. I knew something was fishy but didn't put two and two together when two guys pulled up in a cab apparently to use the machine. When I mentioned there was a problem one whipped out a celular phone and appeared to call the bank to report the problem. I didn't leave so they took off, probobly drove around the block and waited where they could see me. I did leave finally and when I realized I'd been taken we called the bank and gave all the details. They obligingly took it all down and even asked for my savings account number should they find a reimbursment was in order. That was all very well but I was sure I was waisting my breath. It wasn't till today that we could go to the bank headquarters downtown and present my case personally. Evidently the bank could see on it's system that there were no more transactions after mine as the machine was jammed so perhaps that and the fact that it happens all the time here convinced them I was genuine. To my astonishment they said they would deposit the lost sum in my local bank account later this week. This is unheard of. In this country money flows in one direction only: OUT. Of course at this point it's only a promise from an optimistic and confident sounding young banker lady. I have a few days to wait yet to see if it actually shows up in my account.

Pitter, thank heaven that you weren't held up at gun point! It would be amazing if the bank actually reimburses your money.

I was excited when I wrote that Letty and I will be at the Florida gathering on Thursday. It will actually be on Friday. Just trying to move it up a little, I guess.

DD,
Today my nephew sent me an email from aboard the Nimitz, somewhere in the Gulf. He sounded very good, the letter was chatty with news of his wife and their children.
Also, it was wonderful to hear of the POW, Jessica Lynch being rescued by Special Ops. For a tiny little thing, she must be a tough little cookie to survive for so long with two broken legs, a broken arm and a gun shot wound. I' so happy for her family.
Watching the news is much different for me than it was during the Vietnam War. Even though I was against both wars, this has been unbelievably difficult to watch because I now see it through the eyes of a mother. So many of those young people are around the ages of my sons.
I pray it ends soon.

Dear Diary, Seems life is full of surprises, sometimes good and sometimes bad. I just hope that the people meeting in Florida as the A2K Gathering will be all safe and gloriously happy. c.i.

I have the same reaction, Diane. Jessica is only 19. She's one year younger than my middle daughter. I can't image my daughter in this war. Instead I have a picture from the internet of my 20 y.o. daughter holding up a protest sign in the peace rally in Hollywood on Oscar night. I feel very proud. But when I heard she'd been in a little scuffle with the police, I was worried. The policeman tried to stop her from getting into her parked car and she tripped over her own shoes, falling, cameras suddenly flashing. The policeman thought she'd fallen on purpose, so he picked her up by her arm and pulled her arms behind her back. She batted her beautiful eyes and said, "oh, no ,no, I tripped over my own feet," and he let her go. Saved from a trip to the jail. I'm afraid little Jessica didn't have this opportunity with her Iraqi captors. It's a miracle she's alive. But I did remind my daughter that she must remember Kent State.

Today I went up to visit my friend in jail in Tulua an hour and a half in minibus north of Cali. This was the fourth time I've gone up to see him but the first that I've gotten permission to go in midweek. It was a hundred times more pleasant than my previous Saturday visits. The rules allow male visitors on Saturdays and females and children on Sundays. The other three times there was always a huge crowd trying to get in and both entering and leaving was a long drawn out process involving long lines, renting flip-flops, a body search, search of anything you bring (if it's food the guards stick their fingers in it to make sure there are not drugs, knives etc.) and three ink stamps on your forearm with indelible ink. Not to mention that the visitors include other bad guys including guerrilla and paramilitaries whom I really don't need to meet.

Mid week visits are granted for special occasions. That I'm gringo and that my friend has friends on the Thursday shift and that it was his birthday a short while ago and today I was supposedly bringing a birthday lunch all counted towards making it a special occasion. And what a relief it was. Upon entering (no waiting) the guard asked me to show the contents of my back pack (two packed lunches, peanuts, a novel in English, paper cups and a big bottle of soda) but didn't even take anything out to search more closely. I could easily have brought a small pistol, a knife and drugs. Amazing! In no time at all they brought my friend around and we enjoyed a leisurely (but cold) steak lunch and several hours of relaxed conversation. He has high hopes of getting his case reevaluated and reversed with the help of a new and better lawyer and being out by August. I selfishly hope so because he is my Colombian mountain forest hiking buddy and it's been a tad boring with him hold up in the clink.

Dear Diary,

Just a short note - I am sitting at Misti's computer :-) in Florida!

We got here fine and are having a great time. Tomorrow we will meet more a2k people. How exciting!

We met Rae and Misti and it feels as if we have known each other for a long time - which of course we have ;-)

I will write more later!

WOW - cool! Great and Wonderful

urs, Looking forward to hearing more. c.i.

urs, Looking forward to hearing more. c.i.

My Love Life
Previously on Dear Diary

I said:


Like discovering the yeti, I have found that my love life is not always mythical - S and I have been seeing quite a lot of each other since then...and it's making me happy.

We get on very well, have a great level of communication and honesty, share a sense of fun, appreciate each other's care and there's plenty of "chemistry", too (I'll go no further on that subject!).

Losing weight, too! Nearly 3kg in 3 weeks (that's nearly 6.5 lbs "in old money")...partly, I think, because I'm no longer eating in a futile attempt to make myself happy.

The weather has been implausibly good in London over the last month - one of the driest Marchs on record, I think. Cycling from my flat to S's flat (on the ohter side of London) on Saturday was a pleasure, in the sun.

On Sunday I learned to ride a motorbike (CBT - Compulsory Basic Training, a UK requirement to get on the roads), which I loved! I've always wanted to learn - now I've started, I think I'll get my full licence (more lessons, etc.) and consider buying a bike...a bit faster and less sweaty than cycling about town! I was very pleased that I picked it up quickly (though I need some practice, of course).

I had another man come to my flat about the floor...a specialist in hard wood flooring...and I think I may use him instead of the general carpenter. It's very expensive, though! I hope it reflects it's worth in the increased value of my flat.

Trailblazer, FYI: I did once have a fling with a female construction worker (from Philadelphia)...well, she worked on historic buildings! And my decorator is also a woman...but given what I've said above, I'm not specifically looking for a female carpenter!

Thanks to you all for listening along the way...I love sharing some of my life with this forum.

Dear Diary,

Great to hear KP's love life has taken off like the concorde after it was grounded !!! Way to go mate KP - next time, you better bring her along to one of our (yet undecided) drinks !!!

For me, life has become like "Pringle" crisps - "once you pop, you can't stop" (and I am talking abt the home redecorating stuff here). It has been two months since I started this project, and like Draupadi's saree (for those of you who don't know Mahabharata - Draupadi, the queen of the Pandavas, was lost to the Kauravas in the game of dice. The Kauravas, in order to claim ownership on her, tried to disrobe her in front of everyone, only to have lord krishna come to her help. The more they took off her Saree, the more it increased in length) it seems to be never bloody ending. And since I have to go and buy stuff for the redecorating part - it can only be done over weekends, in between parties. So this weekend, I bought curtain rods (burned oak - just like my floor) and curtains (Thick chenille rust in color) for the new bedroom which I had built, plus succumbed to a special offer from a sofa shop to end up buying a huge leather sofa (the three seater is 7'6'' !!) and some lamps (which were marked down from 400 quid to 200 quid). While the sofa will take 14 weeks (imagine!!) to get delivered, the rest of the stuff is lying in my car, and I better take them inside the house before I forget that I have bought this stuff, only to remember the next time I open my boot (which probably will be to buy another curtain rod and curtains ) Still not been able to buy the bookcases for my study - which has been decorated with a new home computer (not yet delivered) and a applewood writing desk with a high back leather chair !! And so it goes....

Personal life, ahh well - no happy ending I am afraid, unlike KP's, it is still as mythical as the Yeti - and since I have had enough of the *man*kind, I have decided to become a monk, withdrawing completely from the dating world - not even looking at other men, and a boycott of the gay pubs. Have decided that instead of me searching for love, I will let love search for me (do I hear applause ???). And in any case, between my gym, shopping, friends and parties, I hardly have time (outside office) to think abt it. To give you an idea, I have 3 dinner and 4 drinks invitation this week (and that is only till Fri) so I have no clue as to how I will manage !!

Missing home and family, but it is so hot in India that I sweat even at the idea of going there. My parents were thinking of going to the US for a holiday/wedding to attend - so maybe I will join them there.....

Dear Diary,
Texas is beautiful!
Austin is green and full of flowers and is actually pretty liberal and free-thinking. And did I mention the wildflowers?
We looked at about a thousand apartments and a couple jobs over the weekend. Making progress.
No idea at all how we will afford a car. But we will make this work.
It is so nice to be in a part of the country where I see people smiling, growing plants and trees, and blooming wildflowers everywhere I go. And it's still one of the biggest cities in the country, and constantly expanding, so I am certainly not sacrificing any of the big-city conveniences I would be used to if I had had any money in that last big city.
It's nice here.

Aaaaaaaah, I love reading the postings.

Marycat!! It's good to hear you are safely in Austin. Good luck with the apartment and job hunting--and car hunting. I can't imagine going through all that again.

KP, your house and your love life both sound in good shape. I'm very happy for you. Isn't chemistry wonderful?! ;>)
Please be careful on the motorbike and wear a helmet. They can be dangerous because you have so little protection. (Now I'll stop being a mom).

Adorable Gautam, I love the fact that you are going to "let love search for me." As for the monk business---What? Are you crazy??? Never happen, nor should it!

If you get to the States, be sure to let me know; I'll do anything I can to meet you.

DD,
The Florida gathering was so much more than I had expected. BigD and Urs are one of the cutest couples I've ever met. They are very much in love, warm and friendly, and totally nice. (BigD drives me crazy because he can eat anything without gaining weight)!!! Life is soooo unfair! They are the kind of people whose company you always enjoy--you just feel good being around them.

Mapleleaf is a quiet, gentle and interesting man. Very easy and interesting to talk to with a relaxed, friendly manner. He would fit in anywhere with ease. I wish we had had more time to talk.

Everyone there really felt like a friend. I can't recommend these gatherings enough. A2kers are the greatest!

When I got home, my dog, Sam, met me at the door, tail wagging. As soon as I got unpacked and sat down, he started bringing me all his toys, as if to make up for lost play time. Despite all the fun I had, it was good to be home again with my husband and our dear, funny Sam.

Diane,
You do have a way with words........

When I got home, my dog, Sam, met me at the door, tail wagging. As soon as I got unpacked and sat down, he started bringing me all his toys, as if to make up for lost play time. Despite all the fun I had, it was good to be home again with my husband and our dear, funny Sam.[

Awww, Diane, that's really lovely! He really missed you!

Diane,

Thanks for your kind words - I'll certainly wear a helmet (it's the law here - I wear a cycling helmet when I do that, so I'm no tearaway!).

Is there a thread about the Florida Meeting? I'd love to read about it.

KP