Here it has come into focus how multi-skilled we have to be to keep the pennies rolling in to meet all our responsibilities [both Praveen and I have family responsibilities to think of- when we add them together -its big!!, we are working on building our own home and guesthouse/ studio for workshops, we have staff who depend on us for their livelihood] a rupee takes a lot of work to generate here in India.
Our attitude is to get on with it....and we learnt early in the peice if we don't take time to smell the roses and be sweet with each other it all gets too much.
If we want a happy loving time together, especially amidst all these things that could cause heaps of headaches WE are the only ones that can make it happen that way!
Early start, sunrise cups of tea and making a list for the day,
Praveen off to hotel to see off any customers leaving early...
we have a cooking class tonight so I do a bit of cleaning [ finally caved in and agreed to let him organize a cleaning lady and now we can't find someone...?]and make a shopping list, check emails, add to information to tours we are working on,
have an hour or so in the studio [I am working on pieces due for exhibition in January- it is starting to come along nicely which is a real buzz]
Get things ready for posting...we have a little 'shop' on etsy http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=6685130 where we sell things I have found in the market and we are starting to supply larger amounts to a few people for re-sale in their businesses across the world. This is not something I ever imagined being- a shopper for others...as any of my friends can attest shopping is not something I am fond of! But the searching to find items to supply people, the thrill of the chase is OK.
Run up the road to get a few last things to add to one of the orders...
Meet Zac for lunch and a 5 minute breather and savour the view...
Due to drought Pushkar's famous holy lake is almost empty, taking advantage of that it has been dredged out and when water finally comes it will be 3 or 4 metres deeper and so much healthier...if only it ever rains again.
Waiting for the food I can't help but appreciate how lucky I am to live here and have such a view at my finger tips...magical Pushkar
Onto the hotel,
check the books,
Make a few phone calls to follow up details for Creative Arts Safaris Tours http://www.creative-arts-safaris.com/
Check in with the tailor who is making clothes for us to supply a wholesaler in Australia. I am working on the designs so need to do a lot of checking- when we have a sample we are happy with Praveen takes over quality control [you need to have your nose in there evey stitch of the way!] and then organizing the courier for delivery.
Take 5 minutes to smell the roses we have grown in our garden and play with our new camera
Play silly buggers with Zac...
Praveen has to zoom off and meet some of the ladies we are developing work for in our stitching project- the villages around Pushkar [and much further a field but we can't stretch that far-yet!] are hard hit by poverty and drought...some ladies are willing to stitch and/or willing to learn the skills to take in hand stitching.
I am meeting participants for Cooking Class http://www.our-pukka-place.com/classes.html- off to the market for supplies, pop our head into the miller for flour, discover what all the little hole-in-the- wall shops have hidden inside and then a few gloriuos, relaxing hours in the kitchen. I do like to cook and sharing it with others is fun.
We do a cooking tour http://www.creative-arts-safaris.com/ICSS.html, and I have spent hours and hours perfecting recipes and collecting them from all over the country [Praveen is very supportive sampling everything and commenting- he does not cok at all [a good Indian Gentleman] but likes good food- so it works out fine]...in the back of my mind I am working on a cooking book to go with the tours and for general use...lots of great pictures and good food - hmmm kindof a hobby.
Would you believe it a black out just as we were serving?- worked out well as candle light was lovely for the atmosphere.One of those things that make for Incredible India and Incredible Life...may you all share in it with abundance!!
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