So I had to skip a year in Ladakh, in which nothing else of significance happened in my life.
That's not entirely true- there was horrific flooding, mudslides and devastation, so I had to take a year off from my work in the Himalayas, but other stuff did happen. The vet school kid graduated and is now the Vet. The poet kid is now teaching English at a university. The bird is still just insanely hilarious. Let me take a minute for a bird anecdote (or two.)
Earlier this week, I was puttering around in the morning and the bird thought I was taking too long to get to her cage to uncover her. She began to ask, "Hey! What about the bird?" Did ya forget the bird?" "Hey! Where's the bird?", and saddest of all, "Don't forget the bird!" I quit opening the curtains, and took her cover off. She looked at me with what seemed to be relief and said, "Remembered!" Only she pronounces it "remem-burrrd". Get it? I remembered the bird. Remembird. Freaking amazing.
The other bird story is about our other little bird, who had been removed from the general population for horrible behavior- especially biting. This bird doesn't say much except for the occasional "Thanks." Well, I finally put together her BIG cage, because she'd been very, very, good for a couple of weeks (no biting) (She could take off your finger, and had tried.)
When I asked her to step up so I could do the transfer to the nicer cage with more toys, I reminded her- NO biting. I nearly fell over when she replied, "I won't bite anyone anymore."
Well, OK. ummmm. I didn't know you could say all that.
She hasn't bitten anyone since, although I'm still a little flinchy.
So that's all that happened and this year I was able to go back to Ladakh.
I had a wonderful time with my buddies at the Oriental Guesthouse. Phuntsok made my stay the best ever, and Chondal, Tanie, Dechen, Nawang, and the little kids are permanently in my heart.
I had a wonderful homestay out in the valley, and went banking with a monk. I hung out with an archeologist and a young woman who is going to teach in Inner Mongolia this fall.
So tune in- you've got the QR code- so don't be a stranger. You know yoou want to know just how naughty 3 year old Ledstone is, and how charming everyone thinks he is! (and he is!)
