"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who pointsout how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat."
-Theodore Roosevelt

Wednesday, December 26, 2012

Quick update: I leave for Darjeeling in about an hour, to return in the New Year. We will hike Sandakfu and hopefully get a view of Mt. Everest. It is very cold right now in Guwahati and I have been bundled up watching Ken Burns' Baseball under the covers. Christmas on the Brahmaputra was everything I could ask for. Carnival atmosphere, good company, delicious food, beautiful scenery, entertainment watching cars get stuck in the sand. Sankar and I walked to the river and back - that's a lot of water when it all floods in monsoon season! Several people came up to me and shook my hand while I was doing something else and started taking pictures with me, which gave me a feel for being a celebrity or a beautiful woman.  

I don't have the internet power I need right now to post pictures, but the basketball court is almost finished! Today Steuart and I helped dig the three-foot hole for the concrete pillar that will support the hoop and five feet of it was finished when I got home from running errands. The courtyard is almost finished - two more days of paving! I'll post photos when I get back.  
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2 comments:

  1. rockinghorsebakeryDecember 26, 2012 at 8:19 PM

    Such great news on the b'ball court, Shaffer! So impressed with your drive to get 'er done. I've been sharing your news with Kavi in the hopes that he sees the value in "education outside of the box." Hope you LOVE Darjeeling as much as I did way back in the day. Be sure to try some of the local ketchup...no, really. :)

    Teresa

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  2. Shaffer SpaethJanuary 5, 2013 at 9:07 AM

    I sure did LOVE it. I tried the bottled Indian ketchup and the pickle tree tomatoes (I didn't get a good explanation of what they really were) so I don't know if this counts but they were both good!

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