Some pictures

Everybody except me is off traveling again as I was left behind to work, so I thought I would post some pictures until Chandra can give the full travel details.

The Taj Mahal - Incredible!

Anyone want to join us for a 10 hour night train?



They sleep soundly when the day is over


Owen LOVES snakes

Munnar hill station - Tea Plantation

Gingee Fort - Where Papa Dick took an ill considered "leap off the mountain"... If this story about Papa comes out, I may be completely cut out of the will!

The Fischers

in Bangalore - for now....

Traveling Times...

Are times like these. In all actuality it's difficult to know where to begin. Christmas came and went. The New Year arrived. Soon after, on January 2nd, Bob's parents arrived from the U.S. for a six week visit and we've been on the move, ever since. Bangalore, Pondicherry, Kerala, and then the Golden Triangle (Delhi, Agra, Jaipur) plus Udaipur (Delhi and Agra are in the state of Uttar Pradesh. Jaipur and Udaipur are located in Rajasthan). Bob's parents also spent a day in Mysore and 3 days in Varanasi, on their own.

Let me start by assuring you all that having my in-laws here for 6 weeks is no hardship (people keep asking me how I'm doing...which makes me awfully grateful that I don't have THEIR in-laws!) Maybe I'm just lucky, but Barbara and Dick Fischer have always been incredibly easy and enjoyable people for me (and Bob) to be around. Since we're on the subject...if you happen to be a parent-in-law...here are hints as to why I love mine and a few pointers:

*Tell your child's spouse how much you love and appreciate them. Really. It works.

*Admire your children's parenting skills. Nothing wins a parent's heart more than hearing how wonderful a job they are doing raising the kiddos.

*Be open minded... I'm an independent woman who tends to veer out of the mainstream...breastfeeding my 3 year olds, homeschooling and studying homebirth midwifery, among other things. Despite all that...never once have I felt judged by them. Rather, they have shown a lively curiousity about who we are, what we are up to and why.

*Keep your sense of humor tuned. If you can't laugh with someone, you are in BIG trouble.

So...in other words, we mostly have a lot of fun, together. Plus, my father-in-law makes the coffee every morning, and an excellent gin and tonic in the evening. They both like dessert, my father-in-law likes to shop, and they say things like, "don't worry about us, you don't need to entertain us" and actually mean it.

Enough schmoozing...Each trip is worth a post of its own, so I'll sign off and get to work...



The Fischers, at Agra Fort. Yes, that really is the Taj Mahal in the backround next to my left shoulder! More surreal photographs to come...

Very busy New Year

We are way behind on the blog world due to visitors, travel and especially computer / internet issues. We leave for Northern India in the morning and may have an "on the road" post or will have a large bit of catch up when we return Feb 2nd

Papa, Grandma and the kids in Munnar

The Fischers, all over India

Happy New Year!

Just popping in to wish all of you a happy and peaceful 2009... May it be a blessed year.

The Fischers
in Bangalore, India

The Christmas Blog...

Is that like a letter? 'Cuz I don't do a letter. It is true, though. Christmas IS coming, the cows are getting fat (doesn't matter though...they know just how safe they are. Go ahead, moo at me in that smirky, "you caaaan't eat me" way...just go right ahead. Hope it makes you happy. Nope. No fatted calf munching around here...WHAT! You mean to say that typically there are geese involved in this rhyme? Yeah, well...you don't live in India. But the cows...they know exactly what I mean.

Have I mentioned how much I like a nice standing rib roast for Christmas?


Okay, okay...honestly, I love the cows wandering our Bangalore streets. There is something so self assured about them. Maybe they are divine. After living here for some time, I am hardly the girl to argue with Krishna (or any Hindu deity, for that matter)! Divinity being in the eye of the beholder, much of the time.


This Christmas has been a little strange. So many people we know are gone or leaving for the holidays....and our friends, The Loud Americans are not only gone for Christmas but they leave for good about 2 weeks after they return from their holiday. Other friends are also departing India. So, it's quiet here and we are thinking about the people we've become close to...



I wonder if I have a Christmas letter in me after all? Hmmmm...let's see. What were the Fischers really up to in 2008????

Bob (aka "Daddy", well disputed KING of the family...or as he likes to call himself, "lord of all") Experienced numerous bouts of the famed "Delhi Belly" and lived to tell the tale. Worked 300 bajillion late hours. Endured various unfriendly wife events with grace and irritation. Was frequently kicked in the back by his four year old bed buddy...aka O-ee P. Fischer, leaver of (aptly named) pee spots. Bright spots were, of course...a free Business class upgrade on the Emirates A380, the pleasure of really enjoying his job, increased "date nights" with his wife, and the arrival of Belgian Beer in Bangalore.



Chandra (aka "Mommy" clearly well known as "The Boss" and less lovingly referred to as...well, I won't bore you...we all have been in those moments, haven't we?) Rest assured, life in a foreign country does not always make you a bastion of extra loving perfect peace and harmony. Luckily, one can always blame that pesky weather! Or Fever. Just have some coconut water and a heaping bowl of curd rice, honey...it'll all be juuuust fiiiine. Ahem...anyway. This year, mommy got to practice testing her patience! Her head exploded only 27% of last year's total and she has been completely unsuccessful in convincing those around her to please put the same thing back in the same place more than one time! And now she doesn't even care! Mommy has managed to stop swearing at buses that veer dangerously close to her vehicle and sometimes has to remind herself to put on her seatbelt. Bright spots are...knowing exactly where to find all kinds of items in Bangalore...even (coincidentally) when they aren't in the same place they were the time before. Homeschooling...Especially alongside some amazing friends., Not seeing any rats for a record 6 months, completing more class work in her midwifery program, and, of course, the lack of additional 51 hour international flights in her life.



Grayce (aka Grayce, eater of white foods...) Dropped out of school and is still plenty smart. Did not throw up during a 4D log role movie, lost and gained numerous teeth, tasted egg yolk and said, 'it isn't too bad." Bright spots include spending hours with her friends "inventing" a new language, learning to play tennis and kick her Dad's arse in Tae Kwon Do, spending hours with her friends giggling uncontrollably, falling "in love" with a cute boy named, Henry and consuming 367 bowls of plain pasta with cheese on the side.

Owen (aka "Ow-ee,", The Boy Who Doesn't Breathe When He Speaks...) Stopped Having "Nummies," Developed multiple Secret Super Hero Powers, Learned to speak "Snake," Resumed his "Rightful in-the-middle-of-the-night Spot" in Mom and Dad's Bed. Bright spots are...teaching himself to peel and cut carrots, Convincing Vimala to turn on the T.V. and let him eat chocolate, Learning to Ride a Two-Wheeler Before His Older Sister, Memorizing Egyptian Facts, Committing Nefarious Deeds with his alter ego, Henry, and Never Losing A Board Game...at least according to him.

That, friends, is the sum of our (at least, humorous,) parts. We have not cured cancer. We do not expect to win awards for our humanitarian deeds. Nobody suspects us of Ultimate Genius. Still, we're a pretty cool family. We have nice friends. We're awfully fond of good wine. We're fortunate enough to have traveled in previously distant and foreign lands. The World has opened up to us in ways we never imagined...

We hope that You have founds some of the same kinds of joy in the every day...

Merry Christmas and...Happiest of New Years!

The Fischers
In India, Proud Combatants in Facing the Christmas Flu...Fuuuuuunnnnnn. The Oysters in India?? A Wicked and terribly Un-accomodating Virus?? Who Knows...

Tip of the Day: When the Obscenely numerous packages are (in between trips to the toilet,) unwrapped and Your Daughter Has Finally Stopped Throwing Up In Time For Christmas Bed...Cancel Your Christmas Dinner Reservations and Open a lovely bottle of champagne with your Christmas Grilled Cheese Sandwich...

A little more fun in Singapore...

Our fun cable car ride to Sentosa Island...

Since I'm trying to improve upon my blogging frequency, I thought I'd better post a bit more about our trip to Singapore:

The kids trying to root for Daddy...we missed him at every point!

Marathon running in dripping wet humidity aside, Singapore is a pretty "cool" place, famous for...

The Heat! Yes, hot enough for frequent spontaneous human combustion, (I swear!)

-Dripping Wet Humidity!!

-Really Cold Air-Conditioning!! (Honestly, one minute you are sweating like a piggie and the next you're wishing for a parka...)

-Being "clean and green"... Really, really, noticeably clean. Much cleaner than India by any stretch of the imagination. Helps that it is extremely unlawful to do things, like, LITTER. And they have these absolutely amazing little boxes all over the place. They call them...trash bins! Wow...we have SO acclimated to India that we talked alot (and with great delight) about things like footpaths (aka sidewalks), good roads and yes, the lovely trash bins.

-Money (and the thing that typically follows that, Shopping!) Singapore is shockingly expensive in comparison to India...though not so different than places like New York or London. And there are a ton of huge malls, which usually isn't my thing, but was kind of nice this time, since the malls and the Orchard Road shopping district were completely decked out for Christmas...and that is something you don't see much of in India.

-Food. Yummy, yummy food... Malaysian, Chinese, Seafood...all kinds of great food. Pitifully, we only had a small sampling of the options.

-Being one of the (if not THE) largest shipping port. We loved seeing all the shipping vessels in the harbor and the huge shipping yard full of containers...it was surreal.

-An amazing Zoo and Night Safari (as well as the Bird Park)...and Sentosa Island, which is kind of like an amusement park...pretty touristy but the kids loved it and it had an aquarium and pink dolphins and nice beaches.

Grayce and Owen feed the Kangaroos!

The Kangaroos were so sweet...

Lizard friend on the sidewalk...not a zoo resident.

Just some monkeys hanging around!

Owen, the Maharajah of Snake Land...aka Snake Boy!!

Kissing Cousins?? This was so cool...the funny fish came right up to the glass for a look-see at the "strange" creature peering in at him.
Graycie's namesake...she just happens to love Dugongs (Asian relatives of the manatees found in Florida) and though we didn't get any great pictures of this Dugong, she really was beautiful!

We hand fed the Stingrays with bits of raw fish...they actually suck it from right between your fingers...it's a little creepy feeling!

The Pink Dolphins!Graycie dancing at the beach on Sentosa Island...

Owen, wet, sandy and happy on Sentosa Island...

Okay, okay...no one's bursting into flame, here... But the fire dancers at the Night Safari are WAY cool! It was too dark to take any pictures, but if you ever get to Singapore, don't miss this!

Kids and Pythons...can't keep 'em apart. Even our Grayce got in on the snake action...

-Which brings me to another thing Singpore is famous for... Rain! We forgot our umbrellas under a sunny sky and it poured sheets of rain while we were at Sentosa. We were all soaking wet but it didn't stop us.

At Sand Castle Beach...

We didn't get to see or do everything...and missed some of the other things that Singapore is famous for but it was just the break we all needed and we REALLY enjoyed the clean, safe, convenient and cheap (the only thing that really was) public transportation!

The Fischers

in Bangalore, India

The Bird Is the Word...

Have you heard? (This Blog is here on out, dedicated to my Sister, Alicia...)

"Are you aware that 98% of Americans do not, in actuality, know that The Bird Is The Word?"

It is possible that many Singaporeans DO in fact, possess awareness of this Bird-Like, Word-Like, Phenomenon. Singapore, featuring the fantabulous "Jurong Bird Park," cannot be unaware of this immutable fact of the Universe.
Birds are relatives of Dinosaurs...a sure way to winning a young boy's vociferous interest.

"Bird, Bird, Bird. Bird is the word..."

Ask Owen...He knows!

Owen Feeds The Bird...

The Bird Finds a New Home (aka, "madame, please, the birds shall peck out his eyes" courtesy of an informative, Indian tourist). Striking Visual, isn't it?

Grayce may very well have known all about the Bird and its history as The Word had she not been ill with Fever. Fever which strikes without fear (or notice) and forces Parents to dine on expensive (though delicious, amazing, Chinese) room service, drinking wine in the hallway, dodging suspicious security guards wandering sureptiously through hotel hallways while children sleep with octopus bodies in every available bed space.

Owen smiling because, well, afterall....The Bird Is Most Assuredly, The Word.

98% of you are probably entirely convinced that I am unbalanced. The other 2% have participated in the worldwide Bird communicado and are as unbalanced as I. (Note, the other 2% most likely consist of my sisters, my brother, and a few odd(literally) family, friends or aquaintances of the lot of us...so an inside joke, but it fits...so there you have it.)

Singapore was fun! As usual, I am the Chief Blogging Procrastinator... Thanks to Bob for the recent "filling of the void" as I attempt to reconstruct our world in the past few months. More Singapore bloggin' to follow (really!)

The Fischers

Spreading "the word"

in Bangalore