Singing bowls...

My treatment with the singing bowl.

• Another early morning - up by 6:30 • We are very loosy goosy with today's plans • Used the Internet cafe at 9, since the power was on - love getting email from home - hey mail is mail • Helped D.T. with a business letter and looked over his new school brochure for any edits needed • Keep thinking how our Monks really needed a prescribed curriculum to follow • Gudu surprised us today, and served Daal Bhaat early, at 10:45 • Life is so different here, and so much the same at the same time • My volunteer teaching of the Monks has been great, but not without its challenges • Two students showed up at 1:00, and five more showed up at 2:00 and we left at 3:30, with all Monks in high spirits happy to show off their gymnastic skills • I worked on the alphabet for an our, one on one with Rinchin Tsering - he was only to happy to put the letters in order and tell me words for each letter of the alphabet and then spell them out with the punched out letters on the desk • Kitti had the "littlest angel" all to herself - writing out his ABC's • Suddenly at 2, five showed up, happy to do their word find books and draw flash cards • A senior Lama checked in on us, but kept hidden behind the door - only I saw him - I think he couldn't believe how quiet the young Monks could be - the young Monks are commonly known as the young monkeys • It was a really good afternoon at the Monastery •  Pema gave me his pencil box for the night, I think, to make sure I come back tomorrow - our last day • By 3:30 the weather was gorgeous, sunny & breezy as we happily walked down our steps from the Monetary • Each day we passed a street lady, who was not in her usual spot (she probably suffered from Leprosy, as much of her face was missing) • Today we saw her sleeping on her side in one of the metal stations normally holding candles to be lit • Home for our 4:00 snack, go for a walk, and wait for dinner - a lot of waiting going on today • I have become lazy with my days here and so they can seem long - our walks help, as each walk, even though they are on the same streets, has new action, new scenery, new vignettes • By 6:15 Kitti and I had our evening constitutional - walking up and down the main road. • We walked into a storefront where an artisan was  working on "singing bowls" - he told me they were also healing bowls • Never one to to not find out more, he demonstrated on me with a very large brass singing bowl • He asked if I had any ailments - I said my knees were sore - so he started there • He put the bowl over my knees, stomach, back, & head and hit the bowl with a large mallet and let the vibrations cure what ails me in those spots • Well, my knees were not that sore afterwords - you have to allow yourself to want to believe first I think • Saw Gudu shopping at the farmer's market • Monkeys were playing in the electrical wires • There was a garbage field where dogs and a cow slept together  - the cow was curled up like a dog - learned behaviour? • Tibetan ladies are walking • Prayer beads being counted by men & women as they walk • We are living another world • Cricket match on D.T.'s television (Pakistan vs India) - men being men - while Anjou is away, D.T. has his cronies over • Every night Kitti asks me, "What am I grateful for today?" & "What may I need help with tomorrow?" - lately it has involved our Monks - last week it involved my stomach 

I so wanted to buy these grapes, but resisted,
bananas were the safest fruit to buy.

The entrance to our Monastery.
I think it took us till today to really notice this lovely gate.
Every other day we were too pooped after the hill climb.

Yes, this is how one teaches in Nepal. Get comfortable guys.

Dargay & Rinchin Tsering.
Rinchin Tsering made a makeshift watch out of a sticker.

Singhe concentrating.

Rabi proud of his drawing of the flag of Nepal.

Our littlest angel did lovely artwork.

Pema working hard.

Pema, Kitti and I at the end of class.

Tidying up the classroom.

Pema has left his mark on me. He is this teacher's favorite.

Nyiama Tsering with me & Sindu in our class.

Pema, Sindu & Nyiama Tsering, disrobed their outer robes
hoisted their bottoms and were preparing for more Kung  Fu moves.

Preparing for action.

Honestly, they could have entertained us all afternoon.
We always liked to leave on a high, when things were good.

They followed us as we were walking away.
Still performing.

Monkeys alongside our stairs.

Beside the stairs.

 Our friendly Tibetan neighbor, with the pretty garden fed the monkeys,
I guess rather than loose precious veggies to the monkeys.

Laundry hanging beside our house.

Gudu making a  pesto for our Daal, stone on stone.

Hammering a pattern on the singing bowls.

Demonstrating the singing of the bowl.

Curing my headache.

The woman on the left was laughing, because the woman on the right was upset
I took her photo.The laughing woman explained,
"if you are going to take a picture, you need to leave her a picture."
How could I do that? Fair enough, I got her point.

Peering over a garden on our walk.

I saw this Unesco world heritage site block
hidden beside the market.

Motor bikes were the main source of transport.

The many Tibetan ladies.

Dog & cow curled up. I found this scene so funny.
I have never seen a cow curl up before.

Steaming momos.

The Temple, the dog & the rooster. Where else would you see this?

I just loved all the colours of the market.

Local veggies for sale.

Often veggies & fruit were carried this way.
Note the monkeys sitting on the roof in the background.

Monkey Wires!