January 1, 2013

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

May this year bring everyone health, peace, joy, and prosperity.

Quiet New Years Eve. Amal and I saw in the new year on the phone. He at the monastery and me at the apartment. Good thing I stayed up as there were so many firecrackers going off that I thought I was in an artillery barrage.

I was woken up this morning by a text from the President. That is the President of Sri Lanka, wishing me Happy New Year. I have not been able to ascertain if anyone else got this message. I hope so. Either that or I am under surveillance. Anyway, I was having a nice sleep, so I didn't appreciate being woken up by the message.

However, the next event was a much better surprise. Shanti sent over a special new years breakfast of kiribath, which is coconut milk rice, sambal, jalebi, and some kind of sweet balls. This is what is eaten for breakfast on festive occasions. So nice of them. Shanti is in Colombo with her children, but the cook at Gunfire made it for me and sent it over with my driver.

I had some FaceTime with my friends Marg and Pamela and Brett. Skype and FaceTime are so amazing. You don't even feel like you are away.

Finally, here are some pictures.

We start with Gunfire.

This is Misty. She is a 13 year old Himalayan who was brought from Australia along with her brother.  She is deaf and blind, but otherwise seems to be in good shape. She is one of 3 cats and 2 dogs that officially reside at Gunfire. Unofficially, there are bats, monkeys, and lots of birds.

This is the entry to Gunfire with the hallway beyond. My phone does not take such good pictures, but you get the idea. It is a beautiful old house.

The hallway begins and ends with images of the Buddha.  The floor is Carrera marble.

This is the view from the small exercise area.  Not a great picture, but believe me, the view is sublime. 

 

This was my bedroom

This is Amal in his usual pose at his computer.

Manil's Birthday

These are the doves sitting in the bidet waiting for release.

This is Shanti standing beside the beautiful table she laid for Manil's birthday breakfast.

Centre piece of poinsettias that grow in the garden along with Manil's signature purple.

Manil receiving birthday wishes on the phone.

Shanti and Manil

Manil releasing the first dove.

Manil after releasing the second dove.

Kumara's (Gunfire's Butler) Birthday

Shanti, Kumara, and Manil

Kumara blowing out his candle with Shanti and Manil

The tradition is to feed cake to everyone at the party and then to feed the birthday boy.  Here Kumara is feeding Manil.

Manil feeding Kumara

Kumara feeding me

Kumara feeding Shanti