Dhobi ayah - solo performance

A Star is Born!

Today was my school, Kindergarten Starters' 'Raja' which means 'end of school year performance'. The main annual holiday, called 'Dassara' starts now so the schools close for a few weeks to celebrate this multi-faith festival. The streets will be festooned and special working elephants have been brought over from the forests to march in a parade throughout the city. They are brightly painted from foot to trunk. Mama is going to take me to see the parade from a friend's balcony so that we won't be crushed with the thousands of people on the streets! So today I had to dress smartly for school and I chose to sing a Hindi nursery rhyme called Dhobi ayah which means 'washerman' and it is about a washerman who goes from house to house collecting people's laundry. I had to sing it in front of all the parents and children, although initially slightly reticent, I soon found my voice as you will see below!

Exploring our hotel room

Exploring the beach

Go Go Goa

We had a wonderful family holiday in Goa a few weeks ago. Lots of pool time, play time, beach time and shell collecting. It was so much fun. Lots of exotic wildlife too; snakes, mongoose, frogs and LOTS of mosquitoes. Nevertheless it was a fantastic break away from work and studying and my swimming is now very proficient. We hope you enjoy these few snaps. Love you and see you next month! xxxxx

Train Driver Ashby at the helm

Fun with Karthika and Sanjena in the park

Picasso at work

Karanji Park fun

Local Hindu festival

Motorbike mania

Dosalicious

Warrior and Princesses

Mysore round-up

Hello dear family and friends
Mama has had a few weeks away from the blog whilst she finished her dissertation, but now she is dissertation free and has officially completed her Masters. Hurrah well done Mama! Now she is back in the saddle with my blog and is ready to update you with our news and videos over the last couple of months. I continue to be a happy little fellow and enjoying nursery. I now have a new friend in town from Toronto, Holden, who I knew when I was a baby last year. His Mummy and Daddy have come to do yoga here. It is quite refreshing no longer being the 'new Western boy' in nursery so the heat is off me for a while and my cheeks aren't being pinched quite as much! We are going on holiday to Goa in a couple of days so I have my suitcase and 'flight bag' ready. I have practised flying and am using the fridge as my cockpit (what an imagination I know!!). Our hotel has its own private beach, pools, tennis courts and even a golf course so I packing my tennis gear as is Mama! Here are some photos from my trip with Mama to the Mysore Train Museum which I just love as you can climb inside and over all the engines. There are also some photos from my swimming escapades which I just love too.

Then we had a rest

While I'm in full power down mode my processor - (you call it a brain) updates all the new things I've seen, heard and done.  Then I wake up every morning with new words.

My current favourite is "of course mummy" and "I miss you so much".

Physical I'm finding my chosen from to be a bit limiting for the activities I need to do now so I'm growing myself a bit taller every day and trying to get rid of that baby fat.  I found the chub on my fingers to be particularly inhibiting to my dexterity which is rapidly advancing.  I'm nearly 3 feet tall now.  I'm a 'boy' not baby any more!

I don't need by high chair any more which is brilliant because I'm free to get up and run around in the middle of dinner.  Mummy & Daddy pretend to be cross but if I use the words "sowwy mummy" I can get away with almost anything.  Occasionally I have lots of fun trying to wee on the sofa.  It drives them crazy - what fun though!

With a bit of help from my portable step, I can access most things around the home and yesterday learned how the cistern works on a toilet.  All these skills could be handy I suppose.

Wimbledon week

Another thing I've been assimilating is sports.  Watched some tennis last week so now I'm close to being a pro-circuit contender.  I spent the day with daddy at work and we set up a training exercise up on the roof of the office.

It's still quite hot here because the monsoon hasn't come yet so I am sporting my tracksuit bottoms and a stylish polo so I don't get sun burn and bug bites on my legs.

I prefer the double handed grip - it gives me much more power and control.

Mr MacGregor the gardener

Another skill I've been practicing is something I learned from Grandpa.  Watering the garden is a daily task.  Although the residents of our apartment have contracted a full time gardener he is a bit lazy so to be honest I keep the place looking it's best.  I've adapted Grandpa's method slightly and consider it to be an improved technique.  It's important to take the hose pipe everywhere and spend as much time trying to turn the tap on as possible.

It's hard to keep your hands clean with a dirty hose you should all note how I manage this well.
You may think I forgot to connect the hose......a deliberate part of the routine; not that important I find.

Emergency power down to save batteries

Evidence that it is just possible I am an alien probe sent to gather information on earth is that I do get tired after a long day on the trains.  My back up mode is of course never to fully power off and sleep but just to save batteries by not talking.

Note my eyes are still recording all the happenings around me.  And there are plenty of things to take in at a busy train station!

While Mummy was studying....

"Daddy said 'time to do the Byog Hayley', but mummy studying so I wite it!  I can use compooter now".

Daddy says I must be an advanced probe from an alien life form because I've got such a special gift with technology - in 3 button presses I can disable the computer.  I'm not though I am just 'bright' - Anita told me.

So yes, mummy is studying very hard with her University work and hasn't been able to update the blog since July, sorry everyone.  I've been very busy however and have lots to tell you.

On mummy's birthday we went to stay in the Leela Palace hotel in Bangalore.  We had a lovely luxury break and I pushed Daddy in the swimming pool.  It was quite cold so I could only stay in for a few minutes but I'm getting more brave every time I go in.  We came to Bangalore by Train and I drove it.  From cursory analysis of my Thomas the Tank Engine book I picked up the basics and now should be fully qualified in a matter of weeks.

Here's me showing you how the intercom works.

Mowgli

Here are a few shots taken coming down from the treehouse. There is also a photo of me touching a non-venomous rat snake with Daddy! I loved touching all the snakes that our friend 'Snake Shyam' brought to Fieldbase. This man is famous in India (he has even been on tv with Caroline Quentin when she visited India!) for educating people and raising awareness about snakes. He is fearless, although I was equally fearless and even wanted to tough the hooded cobra (very venomous!!) when it appeared. Mama had gone a funny pale colour by then....

Leading the way as usual!

Climbing down from the treehouse

Snake Shyam, me and the rat snake



Getting ready to cycle back to Mysore...



Bangalore continued

Bangalore birthday fun

It was Mama's birthday last week so we went to Bangalore on the train. It was such an adventure travelling on the train, I loved wondering up and down exploring - I even ventured into the loos (twice!) - that is quite a feat I can tell you! Unfortunately, 10  minutes into the journey and my hat had blown off (the carriages are open), so some lucky person is walking round the Indian paddy fields wearing my Italian baseball cap! I was a complete novelty everywhere I went so lots of cheek squeezing and head stroking. The hotel staff knew my name within minutes and I was treated like a mini maharaj whereever we went - something I could get used to! We had a wonderful family time, swimming, exploring and Mama pampering. I love you xxxxx

Mowgli's adventures

We had a wonderful day yesterday as we visited one of Daddy's friends who is an environmental engineer at his organic farm . We ambled through the farm looking at the banana, papaya, pomegranate and lime trees and then I had a fantastic time scrambling round the tree house. I even had my lunch, Indian style, sitting cross legged on the floor scooping up rice off a banana leaf! I revelled in chasing the cats round (barefoot as is the Indian custom) and tickled the bunny rabbits ears and even tried to climb into their hutch with them! It was a fabulous day of adventure, exploration and learning about nature. We hope you enjoy the videos. All our love xxxxx

Chappati anyone?!

Rocket man!

Scooter boy

Ice cream moment!

Park life

Every evening I play in our park with my friends. As you can see, I rule the roost, and delight in chasing and being chased! xxxxx

Taxi anyone?

Out and about

Captain Bonner-Ashby

Loving the amusement park! xx

Giddy up cowboy!

Taken at our local amusement park xxxx

Pool fun on Father's Day

Videos taken today at our favourite pool in Mysore. xxxxxx

Happy 2nd birthday to me!!

The return of the native..

After a fulfilling, yet chilly year in Manchester, we have now returned to Mysore and we are finally a family again. I have hit the ground running and within moments of arriving I was exploring my new room and re-acquainting myself with the cupboards and the washing machine - so many tantalising buttons! I certainly am unphased and have been waving at everyone, and am even enjoying having my cheeks pinched. We have said hello again to our old friends who have welcomed me back with open arms! It is still hot, noisy, colourful and anarchic, but our home is our sanctuary. Here is a selection of photos and videos from the last few months. Much love and kisses Joseph-Ji xxxx